BRUSHING FREQUENCY AND ORAL HEALTH

The diversity of advise across the countries was thought to be because of lack of good evidence, but regarding the frequency of brushing there seems to be consensus with majority of sources recommending brushing TWICE a day. 

More brushing makes teeth healthier ???

Excessive brushing causes tooth wear due to the abrasive action of toothpaste, 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.

In bleeding gums brushing and flossing should be avoided??

Simple answer to that is OPPOSITE is true. 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.

Care for sensitive teeth 

Sensitive teeth are usually the result of worn out enamel or exposed tooth roots, although tooth decay may also be the reason for the same. Depending on the circumstances your dentist might recommend- Desensitizing toothpaste, fluoride application or fluoridated toothpaste or if there is any other underlying cause, timely diagnosis will help in preventing worsening of  the condition. 

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