Root canal treatment??....Can that be avoided….A simplified approach.

Teeth are the hardest part of our body. Significantly, teeth plays a role in chewing (old concept), while the newer concept says that they helps to sense, feel the food which is missing in artificial teeth and essence of teeth is in defining the individual’s personality. Presently, cosmetic and esthetic factor is one of the most prime factors in defining the health of oral cavity.

Building blocks for teeth are calcium and phosphorous, which are prone to dissolve under acid, formed during the fermentation of stuck up food. Tooth has layered pattern, ‘enamel’ on the top followed by ‘dentin’ and the deepest part being the ‘pulp’. Pulp is a type of tissue with rich supply of blood and nerves. Function of pulp is creating hard tissue of tooth during development, however once tooth is fully matured it can survive without pulp as then tooth continues to be nourished by the surrounding tissues.

Natural tooth when exposed to prolonged acid attack from dietary sources and stuck up food, there is dissolution of tooth and cavities are formed. It’s recommended to get those cavities filled up as early as possible to avoid large destruction of tooth.

Stage I- In case of gross destruction of tooth the pulp gets infected with bacteria and all different types of microbes and the oral food taken has the potential role in increasing inflammation.

Symptom –pain /sensitivity but not continuous

Stage II- Inflamed pulp with due course of time gets dead and necrotized and pus/abscess is formed.

Symptom – severe uncontrollable pain with sleepless nights, swelling, if still unattended, fever too.

So from here doctor is left with 2 options

1. Tooth extraction – tooth is lost and requires artificial replacement

2. Root canal treatment/therapy – natural tooth is preserved in an uninfected state- Best option to select from patient’s aspect.

Saving the natural tooth with root canal treatment has many advantages:

·         Efficient chewing

·         Normal biting force and sensation

·         Natural appearance

·         Protects other teeth from excessive wear or strain 

Prevention

Initially in a usual course, when tooth erupts, its free from defects like cavity, but it requires time to mature so that it can be resistant to acid attack from different dietary sources. Few easiest ways to get rid of all this mess

Diet modification – prevent frequent exposure to sweet food and beverages, have your favorite sweets in a single go to your heart’s content.

Fluoride application—the easiest way to prevent and stop the caries process

Dental sealants – blocks some of the deep pits and grooves in tooth this no chances of food stuck up.

Professional cleaning/scaling

Common myth “Scaling/cleaning of teeth causes negative impact on teeth”…..????

Fact- Your mouth is a jungle-home to myriads of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. It has been established that the environment present in the human mouth allows the growth of characteristic mouth microorganisms. It provides water and nutrients, as well as a moderate temperature which are conducive for microbial growth. Resident microbes of the mouth adhere to the teeth and gums to resist mechanical flushing from the mouth to stomach. Scaling helps in maintaining oral hygiene, by removal of tartar and deposits on the base of teeth, there by health of gums is also restored, scaling also enhances tooth color by removal of extrinsic stains.

Above graph depicts changes in the quantity of microbes in oral cavity within 24 hours followed by brushing, Hence, its clearly evident that scaling/professional cleaning has for more reaching affect on reduction of microbes and attaining the health of not only oral tissues but the general body too.

The problems that are answered by scaling are:

Bleeding gums

Bad breath

Ugly looking deposits on teeth

Thick inflamed gums

Increase in firmness of gums on teeth

Prevention of bone resorption, thereby better support hence prolonging life of healthy teeth
Reduction of oral bacteria thus less germs to the stomach so healthy body too
With the reduction of microbes, the rate of progression dental caries/cavity is also delayed a lot

Tooth brushing and oral health

It is widely accepted that toothbrushing plays an important role in the prevention of tooth decay, a significant goal to ensure the overall quality of health for all. Toothbrushing is considered fundamental self-care behavior for maintenance of oral health. Even though we’ve been brushing and flossing our teeth for years and years, many of us are surprised to learn that we’re not doing it properly.   When you brush your teeth, you help remove food and plaque — a sticky white film that forms on your teeth and contains bacteria. Brushing before bedtime is especially important, in order to prevent plaque and food particles remaining in contact with the teeth throughout the night.

More brushing makes teeth healthier.

Areas where cervical abrasion is appreciated

Excessive brushing causes tooth wear due to the abrasive in toothpaste, specially at the neck of tooth, there by inviting dental issues. Between twice a day brushing, rinse is the safe alternative; adding sugar free chewing gum also enhances the saliva secretion after meals thus helps in attaining the pH of oral cavity towards neutrality in less span of time, but not a substitute.

Should brushing and flossing should be avoided in bleeding gums?

 

    

No, rather bleeding is an indicative and protective sign thus appraising that disease has moved to advanced stage where professional help is required. Professional treatment rendered is "SCALING" (deep cleaning in gums), followed by polishing (makes tooth surface smooth shiny, by removing stains and scratch line, thus reduces the area for bacterial attachment) and fluoride treatment (makes tooth more resistant to decay and kills the remaining microbes) as and where required.