The Basics Of Good Dental Hygiene
March 8, 2010
THE BASICS OF GOOD DENTAL HYGIENEFor the healthy being of our teeth and gums, routine tooth-brushing and periodic tooth flossing is not adequate. Proper dental hygiene is also essential to keep our teeth healthy and bacteria free.The fact of being prone to dental diseases inherently cannot be denied, but it is also true that if proper care is taken of teeth ever since they first appear in your mouth, it is not difficult to fight the genetically inherent tooth diseases, provided that following measures must have been taken.
- Brushing. Brush your teeth properly after every meal, or at least twice-daily.If you don’t get the chance to brush teeth after every meal, wash you mouth thoroughly to remove the food particles that stay over the teeth after eating.Prefer using fluoride toothpaste over any other toothpaste as fluoride helps in protecting the teeth from decay.Periodic replacement of tooth brush will also be better as some of the bacteria stay inside the bristle of brush and consequently get in contact with the teeth and gums, and the bristles can transfer those particles into them.Brush your teeth softly and properly reaching adjacent area of the gums. Avoid hustle and vigorous brushing that can cause the gums to bleed as well as the tooth enamel may get worn out.
- Flossing. In order to maintain good dental health, dental flossing should not be avoided as it is the most integral part of tooth care. Brush can only reach the surface of the teeth or the areas adjacent to the gums, while flossing ensures that the area between the teeth is also clean and particle free.At minimum, once a day flossing is normally recommended by professional dentists.Flossing is not necessary for young children as brushing is enough for keeping their teeth clean. But if child’s teeth are being flossed daily, it will ensure long-term strength and good health of their teeth.
- Diet. Professional dentists strictly prohibit the use of acidic products like tobacco, alcohol etc. as these items leave adverse effects on dental health.Food items which contain large amount of sugar or starch become the sole cause of plaque (a colourless acid that accumulates the leftover food particles and bacteria and let them grow over time resulting in dental cavities (caries), gingivitis, or other periodontal problems).
How To Keep Your Child’s Teeth Healthy
February 22, 2010
The most important part of kids tooth care begins at home when the baby’s first tooth appears. Even when the baby is on feeding, the probable birth of bacteria in the baby’s mouth can be prevented by wiping baby’s gums with a clean damp cloth. Following the growth of little teeth, child toothbrush can be used to floss the kid’s gums and teeth to protect them from getting infected.Many people have the habit of feeding their babies while they are sleeping by putting the bottle in his or her mouth inviting dental decay which harms the baby’s teeth as the leftover of the feed stays at the baby’s teeth for hours, leading to a problem in babies called bottle mouth [uneven, or stained front teeth]. In order to solve this problem, a time must be fixed for the feeding or drinking of milk or other liquids so that the teeth can be duly flossed after the food intake.Scheduled Visit to Paediatric DentistsParents must regularize the monthly dental check up of their kids with paediatric dentists who can maintain and advise daily care tips of kids’ teeth and gums.Preventing CavitiesAccording to the American Dental Association (ADA), parents are recommended to take their child to the dentist after his or her first birthday which can help the child becoming habituated to visit the dentist without any fear. Moreover, it may also help in detecting latent tooth problems as they grow older.Fluoride CoatingA kid of around 2½ years of age must have his or her teeth coated with fluoride regularly which smoothes and stabilizes tooth enamel enough to prevent acid penetration, which can emerge from leftovers on the teeth, and protect tooth surface from catching oral diseases like caries or cavities. It should also be taken care of that excessive fluoride can result in stained or decolourised teeth.Regular tooth brushing and flossing can ensure the well-being of teeth and help them stay unaffected by bacteria and germs.Application of Protective SealantUpon the growth of a child’s permanent teeth, the application of a protective sealant on those parts of the mouth where a toothbrush cannot reach may help in preventing bacteria from staying there, provided that daily brushing and flossing of teeth is maintained. Also, if after the application of sealant, the child starts eating sweets excessively, the sealant cannot ensure protection of teeth. Sometimes, even the most regular brushing and flossing cannot prevent a cavity formation where the child is highly prone to catching tooth disease. In that case, affected teeth must be duly treated and checked up regularly.In case of any breakage, readily growing decay or irregular growth of baby teeth, stainless steel crown should be preferred over other alternatives because crowns avert the decay from spreading all over teeth.If due care is taken to keep the child’s teeth healthy and clean, parents can enjoy a long-term benefit out of it in terms of being prevented to spend their hard-earned money for the dental treatments, surgeries and other cures like braces, implants or a major root canal therapy etc.A little amount of effort for your child can ensure a beautiful and healthy smile on his or her face.
Advantages Of Implants Vs Fixed Bridges
February 8, 2010
Dental implant is the surgical placement of a fixture in the jaw and its osseo-integration with the jawbone to produce an artificial tooth replacement which forms a structural and functional connection between the living bone and the implant.
The abtument is the part screwed to the fixture, providing a sufficient platform above the gum line to retain the prosthesis by means of cement or a screw. Last item is the prosthesis itself and can be in the form of a single crown of an abtument.
There are many advantages of dental implants over fixed bridges.
First, they can be placed with no variation to the structure of the face or jawbone, as is often the case when a tooth is removed. Once the teeth are extracted, and the jawbone is not stimulated by the chewing action, the body resorbs that area of jawbone. Secondly, unlike fixed bridge, the teeth on the each side of the implant need not be cut down as abutments.
Thirdly, fixed bridge requires the existence of tooth on the either sides of the space, whereas, an implant does not need to have a tooth on each side of it. And Implants fill up the gaps across the space because of the missing teeth.
In case of implant, there is no need to have the periodic tooth cleaning between the implants as they are made of metal and porcelain, unlike fixed bridges which often have to be cleaned or replaced due to problems like caries (decay), fractures or nerve diseases. Moreover, no root canal therapy or crown replacement is required in implants.
Although implants are comparatively expensive than fixed bridges initially, but on account of their low cost maintenance, reliability and durability, and the osseointegration success rate of 98.5% makes them much less expensive than fixed bridges which have a mean life expectancy of 10 years. The artificial crown on an implant is removed on being broken and that crown has to be redone only. If in very rare cases the abutment gets fractured, it may be replaced, but the fixture once restored, has never to be replaced.
The expected average life of fixed bridge is of 10 years with 15% to be replaced and around 33% of them may require to be redone by 15 years or so, whereas, implant osseointegration rate of success is of 98.5% with a little percentage of unsuccessful results.
Conclusively, dental Implant saves the patient from spending additional unnecessary and excessive surgical treatment costs due to the individuality of the prosthetic crown (which needs to be replaced in a very rare case of breakage or fracture), thus making implants a more affordable choice for people.
Easy Methods To Clean Removable Dentures
January 5, 2010
Handling a denture requires care. It is a good idea to stand over a folded towel or a sink of water just in case you accidentally drop the denture. Many people who wear dentures do not know exactly the best way to clean them. Different methods are used, which usually damages the dentures.The best way to clean a removable denture is with a paste product. It better then soaking the dentures in effervescent or enzyme cleaning solutions, which might damage them.Keeping the dentures clean is very important, as unclean dentures can lead to many oral complications. Clean and free from plaque dentures can help prevent oral infections and gingivitis. However there are only a few clinical studies, which focus on the best way to clean partial or removable dentures. A denture should be cleaned by thoroughly rinsing off loose food particles. A Moist brush and a denture cleaner can be used to keep them clean. All surfaces of the dentures should be brushed gently to avoid damaging the plastic or bending the attachments.A denture could lose its proper shape if it is not kept moist. At night, the denture should be placed in soaking solution or water. However, if the appliance has metal attachments, they could be tarnished if placed in soaking solution. A dentist can recommend the proper method for keeping your dentures in good shape.Dr. de Souza and colleagues conducted a number of clinical trials with the Ribeirão Preto Dental School of the University of São Paulo in Brazil. The evaluated six randomized controlled studies. In some studies, the denture wearers were in institutions, while other studies involved patients at university dental clinics. Studies compared different denture cleaning methods to one another or to a placebo.These cleaning methods included soaking dentures in enzyme solutions, soaking in effervescent solutions, routine brushing with a paste product and a combination of brushing and soaking. The studies examined the effects of each method on results such as irritation in the mouth or inflammation of the gums and other oral tissue, the presence of bad breath and how much plaque was on the dentures.Although it is not possible to find out what method works best, Dr. de Souza concluded that there was weak evidence that among chemical cleaners, enzyme-cleaning products were more effective than a placebo. He also concluded that brushing can give better results but a patient with poor manual dexterity who cannot brush well might be better off using chemical cleaners and soaks.It is also recommended by Susan Brackett, D.D.S, director of public and professional relations for the American College of Prosthodontists , that patients can clean their dentures by brushing with dishwashing soap to get the major debris off. All dentures should be stored in water or a cleaning solution overnight because dentures should not dry out. If they like, patients can soak the dentures in an effervescent solution overnight. Both of these methods can be used, but it is not necessary.De Souza said that professionals usually do not recommend boiling dentures because it can cause them to deform. Similarly, heating dentures in water or another solution in a microwave oven can cause damage to the dentures, Brackett said. If household bleach is used then it should be done with extra care, because it can cause discoloration in gum-colored portions of dentures. Brackett included that sometimes a solution of water, bleach and Calgon to treat a yeast infection is recommend, but that is not something for routine basis.Another cleaning method is an ultrasound device that vibrates the water the dentures are in. Brackett said that battery-operated ultrasound cleaners are available for about $10, but that the professional models used by prosthodontists’ offices to clean dentures are better.
Preventing Periodontitis And The Risk Of Neck Cancer
December 23, 2009
Periodontitis is a serious gum infection that destroys the soft tissue and bone that supports the teeth. Periodontitis can cause tooth loss or worse, an increased risk of heart attack or stroke and other serious health problems.Chronic peridontitis is a form of gum disease, it is a typical type that most adults older than age 35 have. It is an independent risk factor for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. This proposes that increased efforts are needed to prevent and treat periodontitis, as it is a possible mean to reduce the risk of this form of cancer. Periodontitis that begins in childhood or early adulthood is called aggressive periodontitis.Prevent periodontitis; if you have it already, get treatment and maintain good oral hygiene,” said Mine Tezal, D.D.S., Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, School of Dental Medicine and University at Buffalo, and NYS Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences at the University of Buffalo.The characteristics of chronic peridontitis are progressive loss of the bone and soft tissue attachment that surround the teeth. The researchers assessed the role of chronic periodontitis on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, as well as the individual roles on three subsites: oral cavity, oropharyngeal and laryngeal. They used radiographic measurement of bone loss to measure periodontitis among 463 patients; 207 of whom were controls.Results showed that chronic periodontitis might represent a clinical high-risk profile for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The strength of the association was greatest in the oral cavity, followed by the oropharynx and larynx.When the relationship by tobacco use was stratified, it was seen that the association persisted in those patients who never used tobacco. The researchers did not expect the periodontitis-head and neck squamous cell carcinoma association to be weaker in current smokers compared to former and never smokers. However, this interaction, although statistically significant, was not very strong.Tezal said that confirmatory studies with more comprehensive assessment of smoking, such as duration, quantity and patterns of use, as well as smokeless tobacco history are needed.The study also suggests that chronic periodontitis may be associated with poorly differentiated tumor status in the oral cavity. Continuous stimulation of cellular proliferation by chronic inflammation may be responsible for this histological type. However, grading is subjective and can only be observed through association in the oral cavity. Therefore, this association may be due to chance and further exploration is needed.Andrew Olshan, Ph.D., said these findings lend further support to the potential importance of poor oral health in this form of cancer. Olshan is professor and chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Gillings School of Global Public Health, and professor in the Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.The study of poor oral health including the possible carcinogenic role of microorganisms is part of a rapidly growing interest in how a community of microbes that live in the various environments of the human body can affect health. Although the study is comparatively small, the researchers were able to also see an association between bone loss and the risk of head and neck cancer.Periodontitis is common but largely preventable. Periodontitis is usually the result of poor oral hygiene. Daily brushing and flossing and regular professional dental cleanings can greatly reduce the chance of developing periodontitis and the risk factors resulting due to this diseases especially cancer.