Month: April 2019

Oral health is definitely linked to the overall well being. To maintain the same, it is important to keep practicing healthy habits and take proper care of your mouth. According to ADA, it is recommended to brush your teeth daily for at least 2 minutes. The ADA also recommends using soft bristled toothbrush for brushing your teeth. Flossing along with brushing adds an extra layer of protection.

But, what do you think could impact your oral health. Dentists all around the world claim that both brushing and flossing are equally important and should be done together. Let’s see what differentiates the two of them.

Both brushing and flossing are aimed at removing plaque buildup, however, the process followed is different. Brushing removes plaque from the front and back surfaces of your teeth whereas flossing allows you to remove plaque from between the teeth and under the gums. So, flossing is better than brushing when it comes to removing plaque because it eliminates the chances of gum disease.

To observe the positive impact of flossing, it is recommended to first learn the correct way to floss. Proper flossing involves wrapping the floss in a “C-shape” and covering the surface area of the tooth. It is recommended to move the floss up and down along the outer surface and under the gum tissue. Using the right way will help clean plaque from both the outer and inner surface of our teeth.

By adding flossing to your daily routine, you can easily prevent bleeding of gums. When paired with brushing twice a day, bleeding gums can be taken care of.

It is important to spend proper time on brushing and flossing. Ignorance of any of the two may lead to destruction of tooth.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.

If you have dentures, it is expected that you must wear them all day. Dentures need to be extremely comfortable. There are people who don’t wear dentures at all. They may put them only while going out interacting with people or when someone comes to their place. There are multiple reasons that indicate why people don’t wear dentures most of the time.

Looseness
Some people don’t wear dentures because they fall out again. Loose dentures drop out while laughing, eating, sneezing or just talking out loud.  This becomes frequent if you had a pair fall and break before.

To keep your dentures safe, you must take them out only when required.

Displeasing Appearance
Dentures are supposed to offer a glowing smile. They can do that by being highly attractive. However, some dentures look so unattractive that people would not wear them most of the time. Dentures offer support to the lower third of your face. If they are not fitted properly, they affect your facial appearance. Not wearing dentures contributes to a shrinking face that results after tooth loss.

Discomfort
The biggest issue that comes across while wearing dentures is denture pain. If dentures don’t fit properly, they lead to gum disease, soreness and irritation. This generally happens if your dentures are old and worn.

Some dentures cause jaw pain, headache and other TMJP symptom. This happens because they don’t support the proper jaw positioning.

Interference
Dentures are supposed to perform the same way as your natural teeth do. This means they also have an important role in eating, talking or smiling. However, there are some dentures that are poorly fitted which actually make it harder to perform day to day activities.

If you experience any kind of change in your dentures, it is the right time to visit your dentist now. As we have already learnt above that people who wear dentures are susceptible to jaw bone loss after a year. Therefore, it becomes important to change your dentures after a year.

Speak to your dentist about the changes in your dentures.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.

The importance of dental care is well known and understood to all. However, there are times when we miss a regular checkup, owing to multiple reasons. Since oral health is related to the overall health, therefore it is important for you to get in touch with a dentist to offer your family the benefits of professional dental care.

The Importance of Dental Care for Your Family

Toddlers

• The first teeth of babies appear in between 6-10 months. It can also vary. In some toddler, it appears as early as 3 months whereas there are some they appear as late as 12 months. Once the child turns 3, all the primary teeth have arrived.
• The process of teeth eruption results in tender, irritating and swollen gums. To sooth the gums, you can rub them with a clean finger or frozen teething ring.
• Toddlers have a habit of thumb sucking. Though this habit is common, it might eventually lead to problems in jaw development and teeth positioning. Sucking on pacifier for an extended period of time also results in protruded teeth. Another best way to help your child get rid of thumb sucking is inculcating positive reinforcement.
• This is also an important phase to get your child started with brushing habits. Always be gentle and use fluoride toothpaste for brushing your toddler’s teeth.
• Using a toothbrush with soft bristles should be the first choice. Make sure that your child doesn’t swallow the toothpaste.

Children

• At this stage, primary teeth are important for the overall oral health. They help for chewing and also play an important role in ensuring proper alignment and spacing between the teeth.
• The jaw starts growing significantly to make space for teeth. The enamel which is fully formed is still porous and mineralized.
• The diet of your child must be taken proper care at this stage. Sugar consumption should be noted seriously. Also, you must restrict the amount of sweet in between meals and prevent snacking. Make sure that your child gets a healthy diet instead of sugary and hard food that is difficult to chew, eat and ultimately damage teeth or gums.
• The total brushing time of your child should also be monitored. It is important to brush twice a day for maintaining healthy gums and teeth.

Teenagers

• Children aged between 10-12 are still losing their primary teeth. The last baby tooth is lost at the age of 12 and by this time, the second permanent molars start appearing. Permanent teeth are new so they are prone to decay.
• Teenagers at the age of 16-20 get their wisdom teeth. They either grow earlier, later or never at all.
• Dentists often recommend the removal of wisdom teeth because they are difficult to manage and cause problems.
• At teenage, there is often a lot of peer pressure seen. This can compel them to make choices that are unhealthy for their overall health.
• There are kids who need braces at the stage because of misaligned teeth. You can get in touch with our dentists who are trained in pediatric dentistry and seek assistance for your child’s healthy teeth.
• As a parent, you must help your child opt for healthy lifestyle choices to prevent gum decay or damage.

Adults

• This stage is the most complicated because a lot of people in this stage are seen neglecting their oral health. So, they are at an increased risk of getting gum disease or even tooth loss and other severe oral infections.
• These oral health issues lead to other complicated problems like diabetes, BP, Cancer and so on.
• Patients must brush and floss on a regular basis to maintain a healthy mouth.

Older People

• At this stage, most of them don’t have natural teeth. However, the left ones must be taken care of properly since they are prone to oral health issues, decay and damage.
• Brushing becomes a tough job because of deteriorating health at this stage. People are often found with arthritis in fingers and hands that makes brushing difficult.
• An electric toothbrush is recommended at this stage. Dentures should be cleaned on a regular basis.

Consult our family dentist today. They have the experience and understanding of analyzing your oral health conditions. So don’t miss your family’s dental checkup to ensure healthy smiles in your family.

Book an Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.

Dentures are mostly very durable. But, over time, they need to be replaced if they become loose and teeth start showing signs of significant wear. They are typically expected to last between 10-15 years, but this depends on the requirement of the patient. Before replacing it fully, dentures need to be relined or rebased.

Dentures are fabricated from high-quality dental materials that include acrylic to high-quality ceramic. No matter what material is used, dentures have an average life span of 7-10 years. If you have been wearing the same set of dentures for more than 10 years, make sure to have them checked by your dentist. Your dentist will help you understand whether they are still functioning as expected or not.

Changes in Adjustment or Position

With the passing time, the position of your dentures will definitely change. This happens due to the consistent shift in the underlying bone structure. If you are wearing loose dentures, you will face challenges while eating or speaking. If you do not wear dentures on a regular basis, your artificial tooth may fit too tightly.

Therefore, we recommend you to have your dentures inspected on a daily basis. No matter how regularly you keep maintaining your dentures, you will still notice significant changes in the way they adjust or position. So, replacing them will always be an ideal choice.

Broken Teeth
If artificial tooth in your dentures break, it does not indicate that your dentures need to be replaced. There could be times when your dentures may simply need repair. It is therefore important to get it checked by your dentist. Trying to repair your dentures at home could result in serious oral health issues like TMJ disorder.

Broken Denture Base
If the base of your denture breaks, the appliance will have to be replaced. Base, being the single most important aspect of your denture must be handled with proper care. If the base is damaged, your dentures will no longer be functional.

Stained Dentures
With the passing time, your dentures may develop tiny fractures. This causes your dentures to become dull and colorless. If not addressed on time, it could lead to infection in the gums, resulting in a variety of dental issues.

Pain/Discomfort
Dentures that do not fit properly can cause unexpected pain and toothache.

Replacing dentures is important because it keeps your jaw and bit in proper position. It will also allow you to chew, eat and speak easily.

Schedule an appointment with our dentist as they will examine your bite and recommend denture replacement whenever required.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.