Your teeth don’t need to retire with you!

Tooth loss is primarily the result of not being able to prevent oral disease and not a result of the aging process. Taking care of your teeth can help them last a lifetime. Yes you read it right, lifetime! Proper oral care can keep you smiling well into your retirement. Brushing twice a day with a medium-bristle brush and fluoride toothpaste is as important as ever. Further flossing can help you save your teeth by removing plaque between teeth and below the gum line, where your toothbrush is unable to reach.

What are some problems I should watch for?

·         Gingivitis and Periodontitis: Most people don't realize how important it is to take care of their gums. Gingivitis is an early stage gum disease which is caused by the bacteria found in plaque that attack the gums. Symptoms of gingivitis include red, swollen gums and possible bleeding when you brush. If you have any of these symptoms, see a dentist at once. If left untreated, Gingivitis can advance into Periodontitis. Three out of four adults over the age of 35 are affected by some sort of gum disease. In Periodontitis, the infection becomes severe. Your gums begin to recede, pulling back from the teeth. In the worst cases, bacteria form pockets between the teeth and gums, further weakening the bone. All this can lead to tooth loss if untreated. If regular oral care is too difficult, your dentist can provide alternatives to aid in flossing and prescribe medication to keep the infection from getting worse.

·         Oral Cancer: Oral Cancer most often occurs in people over 40 years of age. You are advised to see a dentist immediately if you notice any red or white patches on your cheek lines, gums or tongue, and watch for sores that fail to heal within two weeks. Unfortunately, oral cancer is often difficult to detect in its early stages, when it can be cured easily. Your dentist can perform a head and neck exam to screen for signs of cancer. Since oral cancer is often painless in its early stages, many patients will not notice the signs until it is too late. Aged people, especially those who wear dentures, do not visit their dentists enough and problems goes unseen.

·         Dry mouth or Xerostomia: This condition is presented when the salivary glands fail to work. This happens due to certain diseases, medications (ex: medicines used to treat some form of cancer) or even otherwise. This condition makes it difficult to taste, chew, swallow, and speak. Since saliva play a major role in preventing tooth decay, this condition needs medical attention and care. In certain cases, such as radiation therapy, dry mouth can lead to severe complications, which is why it is important for you see a dentist immediately before beginning any form of cancer treatment. Drinking lots of water and avoiding sweets, tobacco, alcohol and caffeine are some ways to fight dry mouth. Your dentist also can prescribe medications to fight severe dry mouth.

Are you having difficulties in brushing?

If you have arthritis, you may find it difficult to brush and floss. Ask your dentist for ways to overcome this problem. Certain dental products are designed to make dental care less painful for arthritis sufferers. You may want to try strapping the toothbrush to a larger object, such as a ball, to make the brush more comfortable to handle, or use an electric toothbrush.

Maintaining your overall health:

Good oral health will keep your body healthier and can help you to an extent from avoiding certain illnesses, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, etc. It is important that you visit your dentist for a cleaning at least twice a year, to keep a check on your oral health.

About the author:

Dr. Payal Chaudhuri B.D.S., M.D.S.

The author of this article is a Registered Dental Practitioner in India

She is also associated with a Dental College in Gurgaon, India

Did you know of Dental Sealants?

More than 35% of my cases would not have visited a dentist, in case they would have taken a small step to use dental sealant. I have been advocating the use of dental sealants to almost all my clients. It is a small investment to avoid quite a lot of risk of tooth decay.

With some back teeth (molars), even after brushing and flossing, there might be areas on the chewing surface that are not accessible with a toothbrush bristle. That would in turn be an area where the grooves are deep, and plaque (containing cavity causing bacteria) can penetrate and place the tooth at the risk of cavities, finally tooth decay. Sealant which is a resin based material, can act as a protective coverage placed by a dentist to reduce the chances of getting cavities on these areas. Sealant can be applied very easily using a brush and is hardened using a special dental light. Some sealant materials release fluoride and can further prevent from cavities to form.

Children between the ages of 5 and 15 benefit most from sealants, since it is best applied soon after the molars have erupted before the teeth have a chance to decay.

Sealants lasts for years, but some additional care can help them last even longer.

About the author:

Dr. Payal Chaudhuri B.D.S., M.D.S.

The author of this article is a Registered Dental Practitioner in India.

She is also associated with a Dental College in Gurgaon, India.

E-mail: dr.payal@hotmail.com

Is chewing gum a bad habit? Should I let my child chew gum?

Lately, I have been asked this question by many parents. Therefore to get straight to the point, chewing gum is not a bad habit! However, too much of anything can lead to its abuse, which is definitely not good.

Studies have suggested that chewing gum stimulates salivary flow and inhibits bacterial activities that cause tooth decay. Chewing gum right after your meal can be considered a good habit, as in addition to protecting from tooth decay; this can help reduce that pungent mouth odour after a meal.

Dentists would not recommend chewing gum for:

-  Those who have bad TMJ problems, so that one doesn’t aggravate their problems further

-  Those who experience muscle fatigue or jaw joint pain from chewing

-  Young children, who might choke themselves with wad of gum

-  Those who get headaches due to the stress of chewing

You ought to pick a sugarless gum, that's a no brainer. In fact, gum with Xylitol has proven to be particularly beneficial. Here is a link to a research article for further reading – talking on the “Policy on the Use of Xylitol in Caries Prevention”. However if your chewing gum contains sugar, it should be chewed for at least 15 to 20 minutes, as only after this time, the sugar is gone, but the saliva is sufficiently stimulated to rinse away some of the sugar residue.

You may be able to spot some chewing gums containing fluorides, which can be a good thing for kids or adults who are prone to high cariogenic (caries forming) activities. However, you are advised to consult your dentist on this before starting to consume fluoride contacting chewing gums.

Be informed and remember not to give Xylitol to dogs, it can be lethal for them.

About the author:

Dr. Payal Chaudhuri B.D.S., M.D.S.

The author of this article is a Registered Dental Practitioner in India.

She is also associated with a Dental College in Gurgaon, India.

E-mail: dr.payal@hotmail.com

Wisdom can be painful – talking of Wisdom Tooth!

The third molar is known as the “Wisdom Tooth” which most of us get in our late teens or early twenties. Rarely these teeth can be a valuable asset (only if healthy and properly aligned), but most often, they are misaligned and require extraction.

Most of us are inclined to comfortably hold a set of 28 teeth out of the 32, and thus the new entry for a wisdom tooth seldom has any space for it. The lack of space further adds to the problem as the eruption of wisdom tooth are strained to be misaligned - they can position themselves horizontally, be angled toward or away from the second molars or be angled inward or outward the jaw line. Misaligned teeth crowds around the adjacent teeth and increases the probability of damage to these teeth. The damage can advance to the jawbone and sometimes to the nerves. Wisdom teeth that lean toward the second molars make those teeth more vulnerable to decay, by entrapping plaque and debris.

Other notable problems with a wisdom tooth are that, it can be entrapped completely within the soft tissue and/or the jawbone. These erupt only partially through the gum, and are termed as "impacted". A wisdom tooth that partially erupts allow an opening for bacteria to enter around the tooth and cause infection, which results in pain, swelling, jaw stiffness, and general illness. Partially erupted teeth are more prone to tooth decay and gum disease because they are hard-to-reach and awkward positioning makes brushing and flossing difficult.

The painful condition warrants an immediate removal of the wisdom tooth, though sometimes it is advisable to go for an extraction immediately. It is important to understand that your wisdom tooth has no function in the modern times, and it can only increase your problem. It is believed that the skulls of human ancestors had larger jaws with more teeth, which were possibly used to chew down plants to compensate for a lack of ability to efficiently digest the cellulose. As human diets changed, smaller jaws gradually evolved, yet the third molars, or "wisdom teeth", still commonly develop in human mouths.

During your check-up, your dentist may take an orthopantomogram x-ray to diagnose the need for removal of the wisdom tooth. This x-ray gives the dentist a clear view of the area around the wisdom teeth, to determine the type of extraction necessary for each tooth.

An extraction of wisdom tooth is mandated when:

-          They are erupting into an abnormal position, such as tilted, sideways or twisted

-          They are trapped below the gum line due to lack of space

-          An infection has developed from trapped food, plaque and bacteria, known as pericoronitis

-          The way the teeth bite together has changed, causing misalignment of the jaws

-          The erupted wisdom tooth lacks proper hygiene, because it is hard to reach, resulting in tooth decay

Some believe that the extraction of wisdom tooth can be a painful encounter, as this part of the mouth is not easy to access and this being the third molar has deep roots which will make it difficult to extract. However it is important to give credit to the latest developments and sedation dentistry which can make this experience completely contrary to one’s imagination.

Life is not always about being able to bear the pain!

About the author:

Dr. Payal Chaudhuri B.D.S., M.D.S.

The author of this article is a Registered Dental Practitioner in India.

She is also associated with a Dental College in Gurgaon, India.

E-mail: dr.payal@hotmail.com