Tag Archives: Gum Disease

How to stop bone loss in teeth naturally

What does it mean by dental bone loss?

Bone loss

For our convenience, the term bone loss is differentiated to two types in our mouth.  The loss of bone specifically involving jaw (alveolar) bone area but are not involving teeth is referred as dental bone loss. Meanwhile, teeth bone loss means loss of roots of teeth or the jaw bone surrounding teeth. At times, it is possible to have both bone loss happening simultaneously. Continue reading

Reasons to do a gingival flap surgery

periodontitis

A gingival pocket formation can be seen

A Quick history on Periodontal Disease

What causes  periodontal gum  disease ? Our mouths are full of bacteria. These bacteria, along with mucus and other particles, constantly form a sticky, colorless plaque on teeth. Brushing and flossing help get rid of plaque.  Plaque that is not removed can harden and form calculus that brushing does not clean.  Only a professional cleaning by a dentist or dental hygienist can remove the calculus as it is very hard like pieces of rocks.

The longer plaque and calculus are on teeth, the more harmful they become. The bacteria causes inflammation of the gums leading to gingivitis.  In gingivitis, the gums become red, swollen and can bleed easily.  Gingivitis is a mild form of gum disease that can usually be reversed with daily brushing and flossing, and regular cleaning by a dentist or dental hygienist. This form of gum disease does not include any loss of jaw bone and tissue that hold teeth in place. Continue reading

Oral Health Guidelines for Pregnant Women

from linnealenkus.com

When you are an expecting mother or planning to get pregnant it is important to know some oral health factors that would aid and have impact on the health of mother and the growth of fetus.

When to see a dentist?

It is best to see a dentist before you plan for pregnancy. It is easier to treat your dental decays and gum disease before you get pregnant as body changes may complicate some of the dental diseases. Continue reading

Oral Health Pt 3: Importance of saliva

Continued from Pt 2

Saliva and oral health

Saliva is an integral part of oral health and many people do not actually realise the importance of saliva has in our mouth. The role of saliva is often underplayed due to lack of awareness. Saliva has many important functions and it is unfortunate that most people would only realise this when they have a chronic case of xerostomia or dry mouth, which is often hard to manage as treatment available involves mainly palliative care rather than a cure.

Function of saliva

There are three major salivary glands found in the mouth, along with many more minor ones. Each of the major salivary glands produces slightly different quality of secretion, some being more watery and others with a thicker consistency. All these secretions are combined together in the mouth to form saliva.  Saliva consists of mainly water (95%), enzymes, salivary proteins and ions.  Continue reading

Oral Health in relation to Dental Decay and Gum Disease

oral healthWhat is Oral Health ?

Oral health encompasses the health of our oral cavity. Our oral cavity (mouth) consist of our teeth and oral mucosa mucosa (gums). The health of our teeth is commonly compromised by bacteria which causes dental decay. Dental Decay is a dynamic process and it occurs due to a combination of a bad diet, insufficient oral hygiene care and bacteria in our mouth.

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How Diabetes Can Affect Your Oral Health Part 3

Continuation of Part 1 and Part 2

© Topnews.in

Diabetes and periodontal (gum) disease

Examination of the mouth may reveal conditions common in poorly controlled diabetes. Diabetes has long been considered an important factor that influences the risk of periodontal diseases (gingivitis and periodontitis). Compared to non-diabetics, the prevalence and severity of periodontal diseases are increased in individuals with both type 1 and type 2 forms of diabetes. Individuals with diabetes are up to 3 times more likely to have gum attachment loss and bone loss than non-diabetics. For diabetics older than age 40, severity of periodontal disease increases with years of disease duration and the risk of losing all your teeth is 15 times greater in diabetic population then the non-diabetic. Continue reading

How Diabetes Can Affect Your Oral Health Part 2

Continuation of Part 1

© get-health-smart.com

A visit to the dentist

Every dental office will treat anyone having diabetes mellitus (DM). On your first visit, you will be asked to fill out a personal medical and dental history for the use of the dentist. Any critical information pertaining to diabetes should be added to the medical and dental history record, which would include information on dosage, time schedules, method of administration, previous adverse experiences with insulin control, number of hospitalizations, and physician recommendations. A good rapport with your dentist is necessary to treat any complications in your mouth.
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Does Mouth Wash really work?

© Dental Health Magazine

© Dental Health Magazine

Your dentist may be advising you to use a mouthwash whenever you go for a dental visit but frankly is it necessary to use one?

Mouthwashes or mouth rinses have been around for ages and are most widely used by consumers. The traditional purpose for mouthwash has been to keep bad breath away but now there are therapeutic mouth rinses available that help reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth. Continue reading

All about gum disease Part 1

What is gum disease?

Gum disease is the disorders of supporting tissue of teeth which will result in ultimate tooth loss if left untreated, but there are several ways to both treat and prevent them. It can be divided into two major stages: gingivitis (gingival disease) and periodontitis (periodontal disease).

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Know more about Gum Disease

Gum disease    Picture courtesy of www.omgperio.ca/media/graphic/news_gingivitis.jpg

Gum disease is also known as periodontal disease. Periodontal means around a tooth. Any disease involving supporting tissues and bone around a tooth is called periodontal disease. There are 2 stages of gum disease, namely gingivitis and periodontitis. Gum disease can affect anyone including children. Continue reading