Good oral care starts from the beginning of your child’s life. Even before his or her first teeth emerge, certain factors can affect their future appearance and health. For instance, tetracycline, a common antibiotic, can cause tooth discoloration. For this reason, they should not be used by nursing mothers or by expectant mothers in the last half of pregnancy.Since baby teeth usually emerge around six months of age, standard oral health procedures like brushing and flossing aren’t required for infants. However, infants have special oral health needs that every new parent should know about. These include guarding against baby bottle decay and making sure your child is receiving enough fluoride.

What Is Baby Bottle Decay and How Can I Prevent it?

Baby bottle decay is caused by frequent exposure, over time, to liquids containing sugars. These include milk, formula, and fruit juices. The sugary liquids pool around the teeth for long periods of time as your baby sleeps, leading to cavities that first develop in the upper and lower front teeth. For this reason, you shouldn’t let your baby fall asleep with a bottle of juice or milk in his mouth. Instead, at naptime, give your child a bottle filled with water or a pacifier recommended by your dentist. If you breast-feed, avoid letting the baby nurse continuously. And after each feeding, wipe your baby’s teeth and gums with a clean, damp washcloth or a gauze pad.

What Is Fluoride and How Do I Know if My Baby is Getting the Right Amount?
Fluoride is beneficial even before your child’s teeth begin to erupt. It strengthens the tooth enamel as the teeth are forming. In many municipal water supplies, the right amount of fluoride is present for proper tooth development. If your water supply does not contain any (or enough) fluoride, talk to your pediatrician or dentist about fluoride drops that can be given to your baby daily. If you use bottled water for drinking and cooking, be sure to tell your doctor or dentist. They may prescribe fluoride supplements for the baby.

]]> http://4excellenceindentistry.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/care-for-infant%e2%80%99s-teeth/feed/ 0 Liquid Media Blogger http://4excellenceindentistry.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/the-dental-visit-and-what-to-expect/ http://4excellenceindentistry.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/the-dental-visit-and-what-to-expect/#comments Wed, 18 Mar 2009 07:43:30 +0000 Liquid Media Blogger http://4excellenceindentistry.wordpress.com/?p=42 ]]> What Happens During a Dental Visit?

First, it is important to find a dentist with whom you feel comfortable. Once you’ve found a dentist you like, your next step is to schedule a check-up – before any problems arise.

On your first visit to a dentist, they will take a full health history. On subsequent visits, if your health status has changed, make sure to tell them.

Most dental visits are checkups. Regular checkups (ideally every six months) will help your teeth stay cleaner, last longer and can prevent painful problems from developing.

• A thorough cleaning: Checkups almost always include a complete cleaning, either from your dentist or a dental hygienist. Using special instruments, a dental hygienist will scrape below the gumline, removing builtup plaque and tartar that can cause gum disease, cavities, bad breath and other problems. Your dentist or hygienist may also polish and floss your teeth.
• A full examination: Your dentist will perform a thorough examination of your teeth, gums and mouth, looking for signs of disease or other problems. His or her goal is to help maintain your good oral health and to prevent problems from becoming serious, by identifying and treating them as soon as possible.
• X-rays: Depending on your age, risks of disease and symptoms, your dentist may recommend X-rays. X-rays can diagnose problems otherwise unnoticed, such as damage to jawbones, impacted teeth, abscesses, cysts or tumors, and decay between the teeth. A modern dental office uses machines that emit virtually no radiation – no more than you would receive from a day in the sun or a weekend watching TV. As a precaution, you should always wear a lead apron when having an X-ray. And, if you are pregnant, inform your dentist, as X-rays should only be taken in emergency situations.Your dentist may ask for a Panoramic X-ray, or Panorex. This type of film provides a complete view of your upper and lower jaw in a single picture, and helps the dentist understand your bite and the relationship between the different teeth and your arch.

How Long Should I Go Between Visits?
If your teeth and gums are in good shape, you probably won’t need to return for three to six months. If further treatment is required – say to fill a cavity, remove a wisdom tooth, or repair a broken crown – you should make an appointment before leaving the office. And don’t forget to ask your dentist any questions you may have-this is your chance to get the answers you need.

A good place to start is by asking for a referral from people you trust — your friends, family, acquaintances, work associates, pharmacist or family doctor. Ask them how long they’ve gone to their dentist, how comfortable they feel asking questions, what type of dentist they go to (general or specialist). It is important that you find a dentist with whom you feel comfortable.

What Kind of Dentist Should I Look for?

General dentists are trained to do all types of treatment. If you have difficult or unusual problems, your dentist may refer you to one of the following specialists:

• Pediatric Dentists/Pedodontists specialize in pediatric (children’s) dentistry.
• Endodontists diagnose and treat diseased tooth pulp and perform root canal work (many general dentists also perform root canals).
• Prosthodontists specialize in crowns, bridges and dentures.
• Oral pathologists use laboratory procedures to diagnose diseases of the mouth. They also specialize in forensic dentistry.
• Oral/Maxillofacial surgeons perform surgical treatments, such as removing cysts, tumors, and teeth. They can correct fractures or other jaw problems that require surgery, including temperomandibular joint (TMJ). They also use methods similar to those of plastic surgery to treat cosmetic problems of the jaw and face.
• Orthodontists correct improperly positioned teeth, using braces and other appliances to move teeth into a better position.
• Periodontists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of gum disease.

• Your teeth are clean and free of debris
• Gums are pink and do not hurt or bleed when you brush or floss
• Bad breath is not a constant problem

If your gums do hurt or bleed while brushing or flossing, or you are experiencing persistent bad breath, see your dentist. Any of these conditions may indicate a problem.Your dentist or hygienist can help you learn good oral hygiene techniques and can help point out areas of your mouth that may require extra attention during brushing and flossing.Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the most important things you can do for your teeth and gums. Healthy teeth not only enable you to look and feel good, they make it possible to eat and speak properly. Good oral health is important to your overall well-being.Daily preventive care, including proper brushing and flossing, will help stop problems before they develop and is much less painful, expensive, and worrisome than treating conditions that have been allowed to progress.In between regular visits to the dentist, there are simple steps that each of us can take to greatly decrease the risk of developing tooth decay, gum disease and other dental problems. These include:

• Brushing thoroughly twice a day and flossing daily
• Eating a balanced diet and limiting snacks between meals
• Using dental products that contain fluoride, including toothpaste
• Rinsing with a fluoride mouthrinse if your dentist tells you to

Making sure that your children under 12 drink fluoridated water or take a fluoride supplement if they live in a non-fluoridated area.

What Are the Different Parts of a Tooth?

• Crown: the top part of the tooth, and the only part you can normally see. The shape of the crown determines the tooth’s function. For example, front teeth are sharp and chisel-shaped for cutting, while molars have flat surfaces for grinding.
• Gumline: where the tooth and the gums meet. Without proper brushing and flossing, plaque and tartar can build up at the gumline, leading to gingivitis and gum disease.
• Root: the part of the tooth that is embedded in bone. The root makes up about two-thirds of the tooth and holds the tooth in place.
• Enamel: the outermost layer of the tooth. Enamel is the hardest, most mineralized tissue in the body, yet it can be damaged by decay if teeth are not cared for properly.
• Dentin: the layer of the tooth under the enamel. If decay is able to progress its way through the enamel, it next attacks the dentin, where millions of tiny tubes lead directly to the dental pulp.
• Pulp: the soft tissue found in the center of all teeth, where the nerve tissue and blood vessels are. If tooth decay reaches the pulp, you usually feel pain.

What Are the Different Types of Teeth?
Every tooth has a specific job or function (Use the dental arch in this section to locate and identify each type of tooth):

• Incisors: the sharp, chisel-shaped front teeth (four upper, four lower) used for cutting food.
• Canines: sometimes called cuspids, these teeth are shaped like points (or cusps) and are used for tearing food.
• Premolars: these teeth have two pointed cusps on their biting surface and are sometimes referred to as bicuspids. The premolars are for crushing and tearing.
• Molars: used for grinding, these teeth have several cusps on the biting surface.

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Proper brushing takes at least two minutes — that’s right, 120 seconds! Most adults do not come close to brushing that long. To get a feel for the time involved, try using a stopwatch. To properly brush your teeth, use short, gentle strokes, paying extra attention to the gumline, hard-to-reach back teeth, and areas around fillings, crowns or other restoration. Concentrate on thoroughly cleaning each section as follows:

• Clean the outer surfaces of your upper teeth, then your lower teeth
• Clean the inner surfaces of your upper teeth, then your lower teeth
• Clean the chewing surfaces
• For fresher breath, be sure to brush your tongue, too

Most dental professionals agree that a soft-bristled brush is best for removing plaque and debris from your teeth. Small-headed brushes are also preferable, since they can better reach all areas of the mouth, including hard-to-reach back teeth. For many, a powered toothbrush is a good alternative. It can do a better job of cleaning teeth, particularly for those who have difficulty brushing or who have limited manualdexterity.

It is important that you use a toothpaste that’s right for you. Today there is a wide variety of toothpaste designed for many conditions, including cavities, gingivitis, tartar, stained teeth and sensitivity. Ask your dentist or hygienist which toothpaste is right for you.

You should replace your toothbrush when it begins to show wear, or every three months, whichever comes first. It is also very important to change toothbrushes after you’ve had a cold, since the bristles can collect germs that can lead to reinfection.

While cavities are generally more common among children, adults are also at risk. The types of cavities include:

• Coronal cavities the most common type occurring in both children and adults, and usually are located on chewing surfaces or between the teeth
• Root cavities as we age, our gums recede, leaving parts of the tooth root exposed. Since there is no enamel covering tooth roots, these exposed areas easily decay.
• Recurrent decay decay can form around existing fillings and crowns. This is because these areas may have a tendency to accumulate plaque, which can ultimately lead to decay.

Adults are especially at risk for cavities if they suffer from dry mouth, a condition due to a lack of saliva. Dry mouth may be caused by illness, medications, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, and may be either temporary (days to months) or permanent, depending on its cause.

Cavities are very serious. Left untreated, a cavity can destroy your tooth and kill the delicate nerves at its center, which may result in an abscess, an area of infection at the root tip. Once an abscess forms, it can only be treated with a root canal, surgery or by extracting the tooth.

Only your dentist can tell for sure whether you have a cavity. That’s because cavities develop below the tooth’s surface, where you can’t see them. When you eat foods that contain carbohydrates (sugars and starches), these carbohydrates are eaten by the bacteria in plaque, producing acids that eat into the tooth. Over time, the tooth enamel begins to break down beneath the surface while the surface remains intact. When enough of the sub-surface enamel is eaten away, the surface collapses, forming a cavity.

Cavities are most likely to develop in pits on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, in between teeth, and near the gumline. But regardless of where they occur, the best way to spot them and treat them before they become serious is by visiting your dentist regularly for checkups.

To prevent cavities:

• Brush at least twice a day and floss daily to remove plaque from between teeth and below the gumline.
• Have regular dental checkups. Preventive care can help stop problems from occurring and keep minor problems from becoming major ones.
• Eat a well-balanced diet that limits starchy or sugary foods. When you do eat these foods, try to eat them with your meal instead of as a snack to minimize the number of times that your teeth are exposed to acid.
• Use dental products that contain fluoride, including toothpaste.

Make sure that your children’s drinking water is fluoridated. If your water supply does not contain fluoride, your dentist or pediatrician may prescribe daily fluoride supplements.

A tongue cleaner (also called a tongue scraper or tongue brush) is an oral hygiene device designed to clean the bacterial build-up, food debris, fungi, and dead cells from the surface of the tongue. The bacteria and fungi that grow on the tongue are related to many common oral care and general health problems. In addition, decaying bacteria produce volatile sulphur compounds on the rear of the tongue; these molecules are the main cause of halitosis, or bad breath.

The top surface of the tongue can be cleaned using a tongue cleaner, a tongue brush/scraper or a toothbrush. Yet the toothbrush is not effective for this purpose since it was designed for brushing the teeth, which have a solid structure vs the spongy tissue of the tongue. Ergonomic tongue cleaners are shaped in accordance with the anatomy of the tongue, and are optimized to lift and trap the plaque coating and effectively clean the surface of the tongue.

There are many different types of tongue cleaners, made from plastic, metal or wood. Their effectiveness varies widely depending on the shape, dimensions, configuration and quality of the contact surfaces, and materials used. The use of the tongue cleaner is recommended before toothbrushing and eating, and not after. This prevents the toxic build-up on the tongue from getting swallowed along with food and liquids.

Regarding the origins of tongue cleaning, it is known that they have been used since ancient times in India  and China. Ayurveda, the practice of traditional Indian medicine, recommends tongue cleaning as part of one’s daily hygiene regimen, to remove the toxic debris, known as Ama. In the 19th century, people were also using specially designed, handcrafted tongue cleaners made of sterling silver, ivory and tortoise shell.

Importance of tongue cleaning:

Tongue cleaning is generally viewed as the solution for most cases of halitosis, or bad breath. Clinical studies have shown that using tongue cleaners on a daily basis has a significant effect on eliminating anaerobic bacteria and decreasing oral malodor. It is estimated that approximately 70% of the bacteria in the oral cavity thrives on the surface of the human tongue. Cleaning the tongue with an appropriately designed tongue cleaner also massages the tongue. This is an important element of traditional Chinese medicine where the tongue surface is identified as an important reflexogenic zone.   In the past several years, dental professionals (dentists and hygienists) have emphasized the importance of tongue cleaning as a way to maintain a high level of oral hygiene. In addition, physicians have rediscovered the link between oral health and pathologies of the rest of the body, one which was prevalent in the medical field in the early part of the 20th century. Breath specialists generally agree that the majority of cases of halitosis (bad breath) come from the rear of the tongue, an area that can be cleaned efficiently by using an ergonomically designed tongue cleaner.

Excellence In Dentistry

Many people worry about bad breath, either their own or someone else’s. The advertising media have made much of the social stigma arising from ‘offensive breath’ to their own advantage. Bad breath or halitosis may indicate a dental problem, but this may not always be the case.

CAUSES
The odour may be caused by factors in the mouth or by changes occurring in other parts of the body.

Local factors:
· Decaying food particles on or between the teeth
· A coated tongue covered by growing microorganism.
· Unclean dentures
· Smell of tobacco
· Alcohol
· Gum diseases with pus production involved
· Healing wounds after a surgery or extraction

Causes arising away from the mouth:
· Head cold with infected nasal air passages
· Acute inflammation of air spaces present within the facial
bones (often filled with a great deal of pus )
· Tonsillitis.
· Many waste products are broken down from food and drink
are excreted through the lungs and this applies to alcoholic
drinks as well as pungent foods like onion, garlic etc.
· Diabetes in which the patient has a sweet acetone breath.

Bad breath is not a disease; it is rather a symptom, which indicates the presence of disease either within the mouth or away from the mouth.