Myth 1 – White teeth are healthier than yellow teeth
Everyone wants a white and bright smile. It is aesthetically pleasing to have whiter teeth however whiter teeth are not necessarily healthier than yellow teeth. If teeth do not have decay and gums are healthy then despite the colour, your teeth are still healthy. Teeth colour is similar to skin colour, it is hereditary and doesn’t have anything to do with the health of your teeth.
In saying that, this only applies for natural tooth colour. If your teeth are yellow or stained due to calculus and plaque build-up, it is not considered healthy and you should consider visiting the dentist before this build-up causes any decay or gum problems.
Myth 2 – Bleaching teeth is dangerous
Yellow and healthy teeth do not need to be whitened if you are happy with the colour. If you desire to have whiter teeth to enhance your smile, there is nothing to worry about as whitening or bleaching can be easily done. Contradicting general belief, whitening is a safe procedure. Teeth bleaching is not only a less costly alternative to veneers; it is a conservative and non-invasive technique which is safe and effective. Bleaching gel produces free oxygen radical to lighten teeth without changing the tooth structure.
It is absolutely not correct that flossing is not important. All teeth have five surfaces and two of those surfaces are in contact with adjacent teeth. Toothbrushes cannot clean in-between the two teeth. Floss can slide between these two teeth and clean these surfaces. Insufficient cleaning of these surfaces will lead to tooth decay and gum problems. It is important to floss at least once a day to maintain optimum oral health.
Veneers are a common procedure nowadays to improve your smile and confidence. Many times people want veneers to improve smile but are under impression that it will be quite damaging to your teeth. With material and procedural improvements, veneers only need minimal prep of 0.3 to 0.5 mm and sometimes no prep. In some instances where major corrections are needed, teeth can be aligned better before doing veneers to conserve tooth structure. Don’t deprive yourself of a confident smile!
Toothbrushes are the easiest way to remove plaque, when you brush your teeth twice a day you keep your plaque levels to a minimum while reducing the about of abrasive forces applied to your teeth. When you brush more often you are not necessarily removing more plaque while increasing the risk of abrasion to your teeth. These abrasions can wear down your enamel and reduces the protection your tooth has against decay and sensitivity. Brushing twice a day with a soft toothbrush for two minutes and flossing once a day is the perfect way to maintain your oral health.
There is an exaggerated response to plaque in pregnancy due to hormonal changes, which causes excessive bleeding and inflammation from gums in pregnancy. Plaque can cause decay, if left untreated decay can get worse and cause serious problems. It is better to maintain regular hygiene appointments to avoid any surgical treatment in third trimester. If regular appointments are not maintained this increases the risk to the baby and the parent.
X-rays are very important for many different reasons; we recommend x-rays every two years to check your mouth is healthy and free of issues such as gum disease, tooth decay and bone loss. They play a vital role in check-ups, allowing us to catch potential problems earlier, before they become painful and expensive. They also can be used to diagnose tumours and cysts in the mouth or jaw. X-rays are also a good way for you to see for yourself the visible, existing physical conditions.
Scaling is very important for teeth and gum health, if not done regularly it can cause chronic periodontal disease. Plaque build-up has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular conditions. You may be more susceptible to gum disease if you have other systemic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease or rheumatoid Arthritis. Plaque builds up on your teeth and gums, although you may be brushing and flossing it is very hard to clean in all the little nooks and crannies. Although this regular clean is needed every day, twice a day; it is good to have a big ‘spring clean’ every six months where we scale and polish your teeth while looking for any new decay.
Getting the proper nutrition to keep your body healthy is something that many of us strive for each and every day. But do we ever give a thought of “What’s healthy for our teeth”? Do we ever stop and think, “Hold on, don’t have that, it eats the enamel off my teeth”?
Well here are some foods that you should stop and think about before putting them in your mouth.
So these are the bad guys that hurt your teeth but there are also a whole host of good guys who promote heathy teeth and gums. We can also give you a few tips on how to survive and keep your teeth healthy:
The simple answer to this question is “YES”. Perhaps the more important question to ask is: ‘Why it is important to replace missing teeth?’ The body, as we have been led to believe, is more than the sum of its parts and all parts must function properly for the body to thrive. This is true because if the stomach is upset, then the whole body feels ill. This is the same with the mouth, gums and teeth. After all, the fewer teeth you have, the harder it is to chew your food.
The truth of the matter is that when a tooth is missing, certain things begin to happen. The opposite tooth will begin to grow into the space. So if you lost a top tooth, its opposing tooth on the bottom jaw would grow up in a process called extrusion or super eruption into the space. The teeth on either side of the gap would also slide off their axis, leaning at odd angles. This makes proper cleaning very difficult which could lead to further decay of the surrounding teeth, leading to more teeth being extracted, and so the downward spiral goes.
But this is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. If the lost tooth is not replaced other more serious things begin to happen. Your gums can begin to recede, exposing the root structures of surrounding teeth that can cause them to become terribly sensitive and more prone to decay themselves. This is still not the worst thing that can happen if multiple teeth are missing.
What occurs when more teeth are lost is that you can lose arch. What this means is that you lose distance between the back of the last tooth on one side of your mouth and its opposite number on the other side. This causes your bite to collapse and the distance between your chin and nose to lessen making your face shrink. Your cheeks then slide into the hollows making you look much older than you are.
But all of this can be avoided! There are many options available nowadays to replace lost teeth on time before any of the things mentioned can happen. In fact, replacing lost teeth with dental implants has been the treatment method of choice for over 40 years. Dental implants use titanium screws inserted into the jawbone to anchor false teeth in place. This method looks natural but is only one of options open to you.
Another option available is, you can have a fixed replacement like a porcelain crown and bridge or an over-denture or conventional dentures. For crown and bridge, a crown is fixed into the space your original tooth occupied with little or no fuss. These porcelain teeth can be made to resemble your other teeth, ensuring that the cap is not noticeable and looks natural. Dentures would be used in more severe cases where a lot of teeth needed to be replaced. They would be fitted to your mouth being anchored by the adjacent teeth. But with all these options open to you, you can always ensure that you have a lovely radiant smile once again.
By choosing to replace lost teeth it may turn out to be a little pricey and not all dental procedures are covered by health insurance. But in the long run it works out much cheaper to replace one tooth than a whole mouth of now rotten or missing teeth.
Self-reliance is a good virtue, but not when it comes to our teeth. We might feel untouchable and cool, tearing packaging tapes without using scissors. Teeth are like glass; like our windshield, micro cracks will definitely happen. But unlike our windshields, we cannot see the little signs. The first symptom you will have, if you get unlucky, is pain. Some cases may only lead to wear and chips, but worst cases are split teeth that may lead eventually to tooth loss.
It is true that lemon-water is good for our gut; however, like any other health advises there are pros and cons. And, it is better to be in the middle.
If we do drink this, it is better that it is only once a day and we finish the glass of flavoured water all at once, instead of sip by sip throughout the day. You see, things other than water, can release acids. Sugars have acid by-products too. The environment in the mouth cannot be acidic for the whole day, or else it will make our teeth brittle, and hello cavities, white spots and worn teeth!
This is the same with chew-able acidic vitamins, if we can take it with water; the better it is for our teeth. We are only talking about the acidic vitamins. Please follow the instructions provided by your doctor when placing emergency medicine under the tongue or around the inside of the mouth.
Just imagine your teeth as a high-gloss kitchen tiles/counter. You don’t want to brush it with a steel-brush nor harmful gritty cleaners right? It’s the same thing with our teeth; we need to exercise our tender-loving-care, with gentle, longer strokes. When it is already sharp at the tips, or splayed, or it has been 3 months, time to change!
Letting your toothbrush dry is not allowing the bacteria to grow. Anything that is moist all the time, invites germs. You do not want to reintroduce these.
For bamboo toothbrushes, we do recommend wiping the handles with towels after every use to allow it to dry quicker and not letting it develop mold.
Remember, when I told you sugars turn to acid somehow when breaking, it is our saliva in the rescue. Let the ambulance of saliva save you, allow 30 minutes at least. However, if you had eaten something sticky at it rests from the chewing tables of your back teeth, oh, that is the gray side, brush now but gently, just take off those sticky ones.
Sports are way to be energetic and be healthy but to protect ourselves too with a mouth guard. There are two types, the custom-made and the over-the-counter ones. The custom-made fits better and are more protective. However, for growing individuals or patients undergoing braces or aligners, the over-the-counter ones are advisable as your teeth keep changing positions.
Oh, no, this is like saying that the front wheels of a car are the only ones we need to drive and forget about the back. Everything is created for a reason. The front is to show our nice smile, and the back to chew our food. If we chew using our front teeth, we may not have anything to show off when we smile after a period of time.
Visiting a dentist regularly is part of self-care believe it or not. It is not only about professional cleaning, but the examination is equally important. Checking the whole mouth for any signs of abnormalities is very essential as is screening for oral cancer, growths and others. A sleep apnea risk assessment is done too.
Blog by: Dr Beverly San Pablo
It’s highly recommended to visit your dentist twice a year. Is there a logic behind it? Why is it recommended to go to the dentist twice a year?
Six monthly checkups are recommended to the majority of the population, but it can be more or less frequent depending on multiple factors, such as, oral hygiene, dietary habits, general wellbeing, habits of smoking and many other factors. Your dentist will be best to advise the frequency of checkups.
The reason to attend regular appointments is that some serious problems can go undetected, if there are longer gaps between checkups. There is a strong need for regular checkups to reduce the chances of a dental problem going unnoticed. Within six months, a majority of people will produce enough plaque and calculus build up to cause inflammation and damage of the gums. This calculus needs to be cleaned off regularly to prevent gum damage, gum disease and bone loss. The bone loss starts off slowly but will accelerate if left undiagnosed leading to loosening of teeth and eventually tooth loss.
Failure to treat a dental problem in time can lead to some irreversible conditions. For example: Decay left untreated will worsen the cavity to the point of needing root canal treatment. To avoid the occurrence of such a problem, it is advisable to see your dentist at least twice a year. Also, having your mouth checked regularly can help detect any oral cancers at an early stage.
Sometimes there is a factor of finances. There are many patients who would want to receive dental treatment, but they fear the financial aspect which goes along with the treatment. Many people chose to totally forgo their regular treatment on the issue of finances. This makes it impossible for them to have the check up twice a year. Call our surgery to find out how we can help with this.
Regular 6 monthly checkups or even sometimes at 3-4 monthly are recommended for:
Sticking to your 6 monthly dental check up, will ensure dental treatment can be done at the right time. Solving the problem in its early stages helps in treating the problem in the least invasive manner as possible. An act that saves you time, money and pain. Make the smart choice today – visit your dentist. It only takes an open mind!
Do you have an achy tooth? Your tooth, as well as gum, can cause severe pain, which must not be avoided or taken for granted. Rather, immediate treatment or medical assistance is required. You should not falter in communicating with your dentist.
The best way to avoid any extractions is to prevent the tooth from reaching the condition where it needs emergency tooth extraction. If the tooth has gone beyond scope of restoration, you can discuss with your dentist an alternative option like root canal treatment , periodontal treatment or you can seek a second opinion.
If the tooth can not be saved with any treatment and is advised extraction, it could have some possible complications of keeping the tooth.
Before things move out of your hand and vision, take proper care of your dental issues and do frequent check-ups.
Are you wondering why it is necessary to do emergency tooth extraction? Here are some reasons for you. Let’s have a look at them!
Keeping the tooth can lead to emergencies like facial swelling, abscess, severe pain. This can happen at any time like during office hours, late at night at home or during holidays. etc.
Thus, it is necessary to have an emergency tooth extraction to avoid extra cost, pain, swelling, and much more. Isn’t it true? Moreover, having broader idea on the situation with intense knowledge is necessarty before taking a decision.
Leaving an infected tooth in the mouth can affect the health of other teeth and also it is not healthy to have infected teeth in your mouth for your general well-being. Evidence suggests that poor oral health is a risk factor for heart conditions, stroke, low birth weight babies etc.
Whenever you are observing any signs of a toothache or infection, you immediately need to head over to a relevant dentist or surgeon right away. Sometimes emergency tooth extraction can be painful and tedious work, but it is necessary to perform such activities to eliminate or reduce the infection quickly. After this, you will have a peaceful sleep at night without any tension and stress.
In this technology-prone era, accidents are happening abruptly, which further leads to severe consequences like dental problems, and much more. Thus, the victim needs to seek medical assistance to fix the issues. And if the problem is serious,and the tooth can not be saved, then the dentist will perform emergency tooth extraction.
Due to your negligence and careless attitude, you confront such situations to eliminate infection from the mouth, as well as to prevent it from spreading. The dentist aims to reduce the chances of additional problems, which can further cause serious issues in the future. There are various possibilities of having an infection in the tooth, which often requires emergency tooth extraction.
Trauma or excessive decay could lead to serious consequences like tooth extraction. In most of the cases, damage and decay in the centre portion of your tooth can be troublesome and leads to pain and agony. Bacteria can move deep into the pulp and can cause you an infection. If the response of medicine is not impressive, then tooth extraction is a must.
There is an old saying that you should expect to lose a tooth for every baby born which is more a myth than the truth. Women generally complain that the baby has taken calcium from their teeth and has caused holes in the teeth. This is not true. Although there can be problems for teeth and gums during pregnancy, a baby taking calcium from their mother’s teeth is far from true. A baby can take calcium from their mother’s bones but certainly not from teeth.
For bone strength, it is essential to include calcium-rich foods in your diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding. However, be reassured that babies do not draw the calcium out from your teeth although there is some teeth problem which can happen during pregnancy. So there is an element of truth as well in the concern but due to mostly different reasons than customarily believed.
The body goes typically through many changes during pregnancy which can affect mother’s oral health. The main differences which can affect the oral health are:
You are less likely to have dental problems during pregnancy if you maintain good oral hygiene habits. Suggestions include:
Things to remember: