Monthly Archives: April 2012

Oral pathology in newborn infants

1)      Epstein pearls:

They are whitish yellow nodules found in the midline of your infant’s palate (the roof of your mouth).  The nodules are around 1 to 3mm in size. Do not worry as they are just a result of epithelial tissues trapped during the fusion of the palate. There is no treatment needed if your baby has Epstein pearls as they will disappear within 1 to 2 weeks of birth. Continue reading

Lumps in the Neck

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A wide range of disease may present with lesions in the neck, but the most common complaint is of the swelling and/or pain in the lymph nodes. Over a quarter of the lymph nodes in the body are connected with cervical lymph nodes (glands in the neck) situated in the head and neck. It is not surprising then, that many diseases of the lymphoid tissue present primarily in this region. Continue reading

Dental management of leukemia patients

 

What is leukemia?

Leukemia is a type of blood cancer whereby there is an abnormal increase of immature/ primitive white blood cells. White blood cells function by producing antibodies to fight off infection from our body.  Leukemia patients are more prone to infections as their abnormal white blood cells cannot produce antibodies. Continue reading

Dry Mouth Mouthwash

Dry mouth, also called xerostomia, is a condition that can interfere with everyday activities, such as eating, talking or sleeping. Some common symptoms of dry mouth include:

  • Bad breath
  • A sticky, dry or sore mouth
  • Cracking at the corners of the mouth
  • A red and parched mouth
  • Blisters and mouth ulcers
  • A pebbled look to the tongue
  • Difficulty eating dry or spicy foods
  • Waking up with a dry mouth at night Continue reading

Cleft lip and palate (Part 2)

The main aims of treating patients with cleft lip and palate:

-          To allow patient to achieve normal appearance and to attain normal function of the upper lips

-          To provide the least possible damage to the future growth and development Continue reading

Causes of a Receding Gum Line

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Receding gums, or known dentally as gingival recession, is a common problem in adults but may occur in the younger age group as well. The loss of gum tissue that leads to exposure of the roots of the teeth may exist with or without an accompanying decrease in the height of the jaw bone. Continue reading

Spacing

Spaced dentition is characterized by interdental spaces and lack of contact points between the teeth. Spacing can be localized or generalized due to the number of teeth included. It is a common esthetic problem for many patients. A study in European adults showed that patients with broad midline spacing were perceived as being less socially successful and having lower intelligence. Continue reading

Cleft lip and palate (part 1)

Cleft lip and cleft palate are birth defects affecting the mid facial region. Patients with cleft lip might have a small notch on the lip or a wide opening which involves the lip and the palate ( the roof of your mouth) The exact cause of cleft lip/palate is unknown but it is believed that genetic, usage of certain drugs during pregnancy, viruses, toxins are the causative factors of cleft lip and palate. Continue reading