Category Archives: Oral Care

Most asked questions on Dental Implants part 1

implants, implant , dental implants, dental implant costWhat are implants?

An implant is a synthetic replacement for a tooth root that allows the person to have a non removable tooth or a more secure dental restorations. There are several types of dental implants. During consultation, the dental surgeon will recommend the best treatment option and the type of implant to cater to the patients needs. Continue reading

Which is the Best Mouthwash for Gingivitis?

The term gum disease or periodontal disease includes both gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is the term used for the inflammation of gums. In gingivitis, the gum margins show signs of inflammation without gum recession or bone loss. Chronic gingivitis can be seen in most of the population and it is characterized by tender, swollen, red gums that bleed easily and may be responsible for bad breath in some cases. Gingivitis treatment includes the use of mouthwash but frankly, with the tremendous amount of mouthwashes available in the market, which is the best mouthwash for gingivitis? Continue reading

All about tooth sensitivity: Part 2

Continued from ‘All about tooth sensitivity: Part 1

Is tooth sensitivity a problem?

Generally tooth sensitivity is not a serious dental problem and is fairly well tolerated by most people. In a subgroup of the population though, sensitive tooth can be severe, to the extent that even a gentle blow of air on those surfaces can be very uncomfortable and unbearable.

Tooth sensitivity is not uncommon and most people would have experienced it at some point of their lives. But usually our saliva, which by nature is filled with minerals; act as a protective mechanism by sealing the area of exposed dentine. This is done through laying down of mineral deposits over a period of time, which explains the reason behind sensitive tooth needing a couple of days before it settles down. Professional scale clean can inevitably remove this soft layer, allowing dentine to be exposed again, resulting to tooth sensitivity. But this does not usually cause a problem as normal saliva will recreate the seal in a matter of days, sometimes hours. Continue reading

Are You Brushing Your Teeth Away?

© Australian Denture Care Centre

© Australian Denture Care Centre

Toothbrush abrasion is a type of dental abrasion which is commonly seen in the mouth. It is most frequently on the junction where the teeth meet the gums (gum line or gum margins) and the root surfaces of teeth.

Toothbrush abrasion is the result of traumatic tooth brushing in a horizontal scrubbing movement rather than a vertical direction and appears as notches worn into the teeth near the gum margins which can be made worse by abrasive dentifrices. Changes can be detected anywhere in the mouth, although the upper teeth are usually more involved than the lower teeth. Continue reading

All about tooth sensitivity: Part 1

toothaches (bw)

Tooth sensitivity

Tooth sensitivity is a common dental condition where the teeth becomes extremely sensitive to hot and cold, leading to tooth pain. It affects quite a number of adults, sometimes affecting their lifestyle where certain food with extreme temperatures such as ice-cream or hot coffee needs to be taken cautiously or in some cases, avoided completely.

Cause of tooth sensitivity

Tooth sensitivity occurs due to the exposure of dentinal tubules layer of the teeth which is usually protected by enamel. There are a range of factors that can contribute to dentine exposure, such as tooth grinding, broken tooth, tooth erosion, defective tooth filling, tooth whitening, tooth straightening, dental crown or bridge work and so forth. These are explained as followed: Continue reading

Suffering from painful canker sore part 2

prednisoneCanker sore Treatment

So, how to treat canker sores ? In patients with a few or minor canker sores, usually no treatment is needed apart from simple canker sore relief like a canker sore mouthwash . This simple canker sore  remedies can be made at home just by mixing sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in warm water to keep the mouth clean. However, when patients are more severely affect, some form of canker sore medicine can provide significant control but not necessarily an effective way on how to heal a canker sore. Rational treatment would include drugs or canker sore prescription that can manipulate and or regulate our bodies immune responses. In this category, corticosteroids currently offer the best for disease containment. Continue reading

How Your Daily Habits Can Hurt Your Teeth

Tooth wear © Medscape

Tooth wear © Medscape

Damage to your teeth can be caused by any process that results in loss of integrity of the tooth surface. Tooth decay is a bacteria-caused form of tooth damage. The other forms of tooth damage are the result of mechanical or chemical assault to the tooth structure which may be brought about by your daily habits for example grinding in your sleep and tooth brushing. Continue reading

How Does Dry Mouth Causes Fatigue

© Katie Tegtmeyer, Flickr.com

© Katie Tegtmeyer, Flickr.com

Saliva plays an important role in our daily lives. Saliva helps us swallow, talk, taste and protect our mouth and teeth. When there is a decrease in the amount of saliva in our mouth it can lead to dry mouth fatigue or also known as xerostomia. Continue reading

Changes in Your Mouth During Pregnancy

© Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

© Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

The female body undergoes many changes during pregnancy that include changes within the mouth. Hormonal imbalances affect the mouth by changing the bacteria already present in the mouth and altering the types of bacteria that grow in plaque. Below are the few conditions you may encounter during your pregnancy period: Continue reading

Ideal toothbrush and toothbrushing methods part 2

Braun D12.013Electric Toothbrushes or Power Toothbrushes

The first toothbrush powered by electricity was developed by Bermann and Woog in Switzerland and was introduced in the US in 1960 as the “Broxodent”. In 1961, a cordless tooth brush model was introduce in General Electric. These early powered toothbrush consisted of an electric motor encased in a plastic and detachable toothbrushes. They used battery or alternating current to function. Studies of these early electric toothbrush showed that there was no difference in plaque removal when compared to a manual toothbrush, however when assessing effects on controlling gingivitis, results were mixed. Continue reading