DENTAL SENSITIVITY

GOOD OLD INDIAN METHOD FOR IMPROVING HEALTH OF GUMS

One of the oldest method of improving health of gums used since centuries in india is using mustard oil with salt.

Mustard oil is mixed with common salt and this mixture is used to massage gums.

Common salt present in this mixture reduces inflamation and massaging strengthens the gums.

* Precaution should be taken not to coat teeth with mustard oil as it may stain the tooth.

Rashidental: FLUORIDE FRIEND OR FOE

Rashidental: FLUORIDE FRIEND OR FOE: WHAT IS FLUORIDE?? Fluoride is an ion,which combines with various other ions to make complexes. WHAT ARE DENTAL BENEFITS OF FLUORIDE?? In...

FLUORIDE FRIEND OR FOE

WHAT IS FLUORIDE??

Fluoride is an ion,which combines with various other ions to make complexes.

WHAT ARE DENTAL BENEFITS OF FLUORIDE??
In case of early decay of tooth,it helps in remineralisation of tooth.

Hydroxyapatite main crystal present in tooth changes to fluoroapatite which makes tooth structure stronger and prevents from caries.

HOW DO WE GET FLUORIDE??

1) Drinking water- This is most abundant source of fluoride, Most communities have drinking water balanced at 1 ppm of fluoride, which is most appropiate amount of fluoride.
Excess than this may cause in defects in tooth structure as well as bone structure.

2) Fluoride tooth pastes- The topical application of fluoride on tooth causes remineralisation of early carious lesion.

3) Topical fluoride application by dentist- This is done in children to prevent caries and is a part of caries prevention protocol.

4) Fluoride mouthrinses - Ask your dentist to prescribe one according to the area you are in.

5) Fluoride supplement- These are recommended at age of 6 months to 10 years in areas with inadequate fluoride.

So,basically fluoride when used within limits is a friend, other than that it can have various adverse effects.

DENTAL CARE DURING PREGNANCY

During pregnancy as we all know,the female body undergoes through a lot of hormonal changes.
These hormones namely estrogen and progesterone especially progesterone accentuate the effects of plaque and existing dental problems, which results in swelling of gums,bleeding gums and pain.

This problem is commonly known as pregnancy gingivitis.

Other than that pregnancy accentuates previously present dental problems,so if you are planning to get pregnant you should take care of major restorative treatments before conception.

WHAT ALL DENTAL TREATMENT CAN BE DONE DURING PREGNANCY??
RCT, Dental Fillings, Crowns and bridges, Scalling etc can be done safely during pregnancy.

One should maintain proper oral health during pregnancy as studies have shown negative effect on fetus in mothers with poor oral health.

Let your dentist know if you are pregnant because certain medications and procedures should be avoided during pregnancy.

WHAT TO DO??
Firstly, maintaining proper oral hygeine is of utmost importance, proper brushing at night,warm saline rinses may be helpful.

Secondly, All the restorative treatments should be done before conception.so that it does not cause any problems later.

Thirdly, visit your dentist as soon as you face any dental problem. Self medication should be avoided during this stage.

Other than that enjoy!!!!!

DIFFERENT DENTAL PRODUCTS

TOOTH PASTE :- There are a variety of tooth paste available in market according
to various combinations, these can be chosen by pateint himself.Most commonly available in india are colgate,pepsodent etc.

DESENSITIZING TOOTHPASTE :-These tooth pastes contain some desensitizing agents which may block dentinal tubules.
These should be strictly used on prescription of the dentist. And they are no substitute for cleaning toothpaste.

TOOTH BRUSHES :- There are different types of tooth brush available in the market.
According to bristles they may be ultra soft, soft, medium and hard.
Although available in market hard tooth brushes should never be used,they cause severe abrasion of tooth.
Soft toothbrush is commonly recommended for people.
Ultra soft tooth brushes are designed specifically for pateints with periodontitis( pyorrhoea) as it causes least trauma to the tooth and gums.

ORTHODONTIC TOOTH BRUSHES:- These tooth brushes are designed specifically by patients undergoing orthodontic treatment.
Apart from regular bristles it also contains bristles at tail which helps in cleaning through braces.

POWERED TOOTHBRUSHES :- This tooth brush helps in cleaning of tooth in people with limited manual dexterity.
Even a normal person can use these tooth brushes.

PROXA BRUSHES :- Somewhat similar to bottle brush in appearance,but in a smaller version.
It helps in cleaning through iterdental areas in periodontic pateints or in pateints with pyorrhoea.

DENTAL FLOSS :- Dental floss is a thread used for interdental cleaning, that is space between two tooth.
No cleaning practice is complete without flossing.

MOUTH WASHES :- This is a broad topis as it contains many mouthwashes based on different compositions.
Some may be aqueous based or alcohol based.
Some may be antibacterial or bleaching.so according to need of individual patient it is prescribed.
But most commonly warm saline water is an unbeatable thing for general population.

IN HOME BLEACHING KITS :- These are advised and provided by the dentist.
It helps in whitening of the tooth.
One should use it as advised by the dentist.

GUM PAINTS :- These are available in small bottles and are used to massage the gums, which does improve overall gingival health.

DENTURE CLEANING TABLETS :- As we clean our natural tooth daily, the people wearing dentures should also clean their dentures daily.
These are widely available in the market.

WHAT IS DENTAL SENSITIVITY

Before we address the topic of dental sensitivity, let us understand the structure of tooth.
A tooth contains three layers enamel, dentin and pulp.

First layer enamel is the most mineralised outer coating of the tooth.It is white in color.

Second layer is dentin which is intermediate layer is comparitively less mineralised and contains nerve endings.It is yellowish in color.

Third layer is pulp which contains abundance of blood vessels and nerve fibers.

When the outer layer of tooth, that is, enamel is abraded, it results in yellowing of tooth and exposing dentin, which contains nerve endings.
Now whenever the person eats or drinks anything hot or cold these nerve endings get stimulated, that results in sensitivity.

WHAT TO DO????
Consult your dentist, he will prescribe you desensitizing tooth paste or mouthwash depending on the severity of the senstivity.

THREE STEPS TO A GREAT ORAL HEALTH

Well as for overall health we need to follow some steps,same is the case with oral health..
There are few steps which when followed daily to maintain oral health..

1) Brushing Your Teeth
Brushing your teeth twice daily is recommended.
But night time brushing is especially important as during sleep saliva flow decreases considerably so it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria which later results in dental caries and gum diseases.

2) Dental Flossing
With very few persons doing it regularly it is as important step as tooth brushing.It helps in cleaning and maintaning gum      health.

3) Mouthwash
Depending on the oral health and             specific needs of every person one should use mouthwash accordingly.

WHEN TO VISIT YOUR DENTIST

Well, As they say a perosn should visit dentist twice yearly,at 6 months interval..But since none of the people visit dentist that frequently,so let us discuss when to visit one..

1) Black spot:- when you see black spot on your teeth,this  is dental caries,you should visit your dentist..Dentist can replace the carious portion with a biocompatiable stable dental material..

2) Bleeding From gums or Oral malodor:-
   This is the most embarassing dental problem,commonly known as pyorrhoea and is completely curable if the person takes treatment at a proper time..

3) Pain:- This is the most common reason for people visiting a dental clinic..No need to say that u will run to a dentist as soon as you feel that.

4) Cosemtic reasons :- Unesthetic stained teeth lower the confidence of a person..Its better to get that part corrected..Bleaching,cosemtic contouring ,laminates are few of the various treatments offered by the dentists..

5) Prosthetic Replacement:- With advancing age people often tend to lose their teeth,with which they lose the pleasure of eating..One can get their natural tooth replaced by artificial by reamovable partial denture,fixed partial denture,implants and complete denture..

6) Orthodontic Reasons:- This is a common problem in children and young adults.Uneven tooth,crowding or protruded tooth often cause problems..Fixed or removable orthodontic treatment should be considerd according to the advice of the dentist..

7) Dental Trauma :- This is a dental emergency and should be treated immediately..

8) Tooth Mobility :- As soon as you notice tooth mobility you should check out the reason for the same which may be periodontal or traumatic and in either case it should be treated..Because no matter what nothing replaces the natural tooth..

9) Any Ulcers Or Growth :- Any ulcer or growth in mouth needs to be dealt seriously..This may be a small apthous ulcer, a precancerous lesion or even oral cancer.So it should be investigated properly.

10) Abnormal Oral habits in children :-
     When you see your child sucking tooth,or breathing from mouth,it may cause serious problems in alignment of the tooth..so we should consult dentost for preventive measures.

11) Educating yourself :- This is the least important reason according the pateints, but most important one, as they say prevention is always better than cure..one should know about proper brushing technique,right tooth brush , use of mouthwash etc.

12) Pain in Muscle and Joints :- Though less severe but can be an important reason to visit a dentist..

Hope you like this one..will keep you posted on other helpful things.