Sometimes, it so happens that the bacteria successfully penetrate the teeth and attack the pulp of the teeth, and causes in infection. When this happens, you are going to need to get root canal therapy to save your tooth. During this procedure, the dental expert removes the infected pulp and seals the tooth to prevent reinfection in the future.
Root canal treatment is a dental procedure that is used to provide relief from the pain caused by an abscessed or infected tooth. During the process of a root canal. The inflamed or decaying pulp is removed from the teeth. Then, the surface inside the tooth is cleaned and disinfected, and then filled and sealed to prevent further infection.
Root canal therapy becomes necessary then the oral bacteria penetrate the tooth and attacks the pulp. Situations like this usually occur if a cavity is left untreated and not paid heed to for a long time. This might also happen if a tooth cracks or gets damaged because of trauma.
It is possible that you might not even know that you have an infected tooth. However, people sometimes notice certain specific symptoms. Given below is a list of indicators that you are going to need a root canal:
Toothache that doesn’t go away:
Multiple kinds of dental problems can give rise to tooth pain. If you experience sharp pain in your tooth, chances are you might need root canal therapy. Discomforting pain might also spread to your other teeth, jaw, or face.
Sensitivity to heat and cold:
If you feel a sharp pain in your tooth or your tooth hurts when you drink something hot or eat something cold, it could possibly indicate that you need root canal treatment. This is especially true if the sharp pain persists for more than a few seconds or happens every time you consume hot or cold food.
Swollen gums:
When a tooth gets infected, puss can sometimes get collected in the area. This can lead to sensitivity. puffy, swollen, or tender gums.
Pimple on the gums:
You might notice the development of a pimple or boil on the gums. Puss from the infected tooth might sometimes drain from the pimple, leading to an unpleasant taste or smell.
Swollen jaw:
Oftentimes the accumulated puss doesn’t drain from the site. As a consequence, your jaw might become visibly sensitive and swollen.
Tooth discoloration:
When the pulp of a tooth gets infected, it might lead your tooth to look darker than usual. This happens primarily because of poor or little blood supply to the infected tooth.
Pain when pressure is applied:
If you ever pain when you eat or touch your tooth, it might be an indication that the sensory nerves around the pulp are damaged.
A chipped or cracked tooth:
If you’ve ever cracked a tooth in a trauma or in an accident, might be while playing sports or even by biting down on something hard, bacteria can use this crack to reach all the way into the tooth pulp and infect it.
Loose tooth:
An infected tooth might feel looser in the root. This is because the pus from the infected pulp can soften the bone that supports the tooth.
The American Association of Endodontists says that over 41000 root canals are performed in the United States on a daily basis. When added up, it logically means that more than 15 million root canals are taken care of every year.
Before beginning your root canal therapy, you can clarify with your dental expert and doctors any questions that you might have about the procedure. Here are a few things you can do to prepare for your root canal therapy:
Take all medications as prescribed:
You might be prescribed antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medications a few days before your appointment, especially if there is a whole lot of infection present.
Don’t smoke:
Tobacco products are specifically known to interfere with your body’s ability to heal itself and immunity. Avoid smoking at least for several days before your root canal appointment — and maybe avoid it completely if you’re able to.
Eat a healthy meal:
Since the local anesthesia used during root canal therapy will make your mouth numb for a few hours, it’s a good idea to eat before your appointment.
based on the amount of infection that’s spread in your tooth, root canal therapy might need one or two appointments. root canal therapy approximately takes about 30 to 60 minutes to complete. If you are getting the treatment on a larger tooth which is supposed to have multiple roots, it might also take up to an hour or more.
Before getting started with the process of a root canal, your doctor and dental expert will take dental X-rays of the infected tooth. This helps the determination process of the extent of the disaster and makes sure that root canal therapy is the kind of treatment option. Here are the steps that will be maintained, possibly chronologically during your root canal procedure:
Anesthesia.
At the very beginning, local anesthesia is an injection to numb the infected tooth and the surrounding gums and area of the mouth. There are also medicines used in the domain of dental sciences to help you relax (muscle relaxants), such as nitrous oxide, oral sedatives, or intravenous (IV) sedation. Your doctor or dental health expert may recommend sedation if you happen to experience dental anxiety.
Dental dam placement.
Before getting started with root canal therapy, a small rubber dam is placed over the area that is going to be treated. This separates and isolates the tooth and keeps it dry during the procedure.
Access hole.
For the next step, a small incision or an opening is made in the crown of the tooth, for the dentist to be able to reach the pulp.
Pulp removal.
Tiny dental instruments are used to remove the nerves, blood vessels, and tissues inside the tooth.
Shaping the canals.
Once the pulp has been safely removed, the pulp chamber ( the place where the pulp previously existed) and root canals are cleaned, disinfected, and properly and correctly shaped.
Filling the canals.
Following that, the empty canals are then filled with a flexible, rubbery dental material called gutta-percha. This takes the space of the previously existing pulp, and adds to the structure and strength of the teeth.
Sealing the tooth.
After the temporary dental filling is placed to seal the tooth and prevent bacteria from re-entering and causing the teeth to get infected again.
Placing the final restoration.
In the majority of cases, it is seen that you’ll need a dental crown to protect the treated tooth and restore your bite. dental crowns are usually customized, and fabrication usually takes about two to three weeks’ time. When your crown is ready, the temporary filling is then removed and the permanent crown is placed over the infected tooth. In some instances, you might be able to get hold of your dental crown during the same appointment.
Many people are afraid they’ll have tooth pain after root canal therapy. However, because the source of infection is removed during the procedure, most people find immediate relief following treatment. If you are experiencing throbbing pain after a root canal, call your healthcare provider right away.
What should I expect after a root canal?
it is most likely for you to not experience any significant pain after a root canal procedure, you might notice some sensitivity for a few initial days. These symptoms are nothing abnormal and can be easily taken care of with prescription or over-the-counter pain relievers. In the majority of cases, the side effects lessen within a week or two, depending on the size of the tooth.
Who should perform my root canal procedure?
Root canal therapy is usually handled by a general dentist or an endodontist (a professional root canal specialist). General dentists are completely capable of treating the teeth near the front of the mouth since they comprise comparatively fewer roots. If you happen to require root canal therapy on a tooth with comparatively more number of roots — or if your case is complex — then the chances are that your case will be referred to an endodontist.
RISKS / BENEFITS
What are the advantages of having a root canal procedure?
There are multiple advantages of opting for root canal therapy. This treatment can:
It can prevent infection from spreading to other teeth.
It can also ease the symptoms associated with an infected tooth.
It is also known to reduce the risk of jawbone damage.
It will also eliminate the requirement for tooth extraction.
Are root canals safe?
Root canals are effective and safe. This procedure boasts amazing and impressive success rates of up to 98%. Sounds like a good option, doesn’t it?
What are common failed root canal symptoms?
Root canal complications are extremely rare; however, might occur in some cases. Situations like this might occur if your tooth is way too damaged for this type of treatment, or has passed the stage where the mischief could have been managed by root canal therapy. Failed root canal symptoms can include:
Sharp pain
Swollen gums.
Puss or drainage.
Tooth discoloration.
Pimples, boil, or Inflammation on the gums.
Sinus problems.
What if my root canal fails?
In case your root canal fails, your dental expert or doctor will explore the other alternative options with you. In multiple cases, root canal retreatment might also be possible. Or, it may be time to discuss alternative procedures. Situations like this might occur if your tooth is way too damaged for this type of treatment, or has passed the stage where the mischief could have been managed by root canal therapy.
Unfortunately, the only alternative to root canal therapy sometimes is tooth removal. Even though, the dental experts try to save natural teeth whenever possible, and it’s for the best. Extraction might sometimes become necessary to preserve your overall oral health.
If you’re not an appropriate and suitable candidate for a root canal therapy, the tooth can then be uprooted and then replaced with a dental implant, dental bridge or partial. To find out more about root canal vs extraction, get in touch with your dental expert as soon as possible, especially if you think you need either of the two.
Typically, a root canal recovery process lasts about a week, less if not more. You might experience mild discomfort for a few days, but this can be easily managed and taken care of with medication. If you seem to experience sharp or severe pain or discomfort that lasts longer than a week, that is your cue to get in touch with your dental health expert or endodontist as soon as possible.
Yes. However, it is recommended to wait and rest your mouth until the numbness wears off. The effects of the anaesthesia usually do not last more than a few hours.
Stick with foods that are easy on your teeth. Comparatively softer food like pastas, mashed potatoes and yogurts for the first couple of days. Start consumption of solid food as your comfort level improves. Some dentists also recommend the consumption of ice creams and cold frozen desserts.
You should also try to steer clear of biting or chewing with the treated tooth. In simpler words don’t pressurize your treated tooth. Try to chew on the other side of your mouth, as much as possible until your permanent dental installation is in order.
It depends on the kind of anaesthesia you have been given. If you had been injected local anaesthesia or nitrous oxide during your procedure, then you can drive yourself to and from your dental appointment. People who choose to get a sedative orally or IV sedation will probably need a pal or someone from their family to drive them around.
It isn’t advisable. As already mentioned, smoking interferes with healing and increases the chances that you’ll need more dental work in the future.
After you have got the root canal treatment, you are going to keep the area clean. Brush and floss normally, and use an antibacterial mouthwash to keep germs at bay. If you still are at the mercy of a temporary filling and are yet to receive your permanent crown, steer clear from chewing on the treated tooth until the crown has reached you.
Considering all dental procedures, results are not exactly guaranteed. However, when root canal therapy is performed in proper order, results can last for a long time — even the rest of your life sometimes.
If you have just gotten yourself a root canal, and now you need to care for your treated tooth. You must take special care immediately following the procedure. Your temporary filling needs to stay put until the permanent crown has been placed. Until then, you have to be extremely cautious with your tooth.
Caring for a root canal treated tooth right after the procedure
After getting your permanent crown or filling, patients can deal with a root canal-treated tooth like any random tooth. But you definitely need to brush and floss daily, only then you can eat your favourite foods. Until then patients are required to follow a specific set of guidelines. These guidelines are designed to protect the treated tooth and temporary crown or filling.
Brush and floss gently
It is necessary for you to keep the area clean after a root canal treatment is done. However, aggressive brushing puts way too much pressure on the treated area and can dislocate the temporary filling or crown. It is recommended that you use a soft-bristled brush, gently clean the tooth and then floss, again gently. try not to force the floss between the teeth. If it does not slide between the teeth as smoothly as it should, seek help from the dentist. The filling might be needing to be reshaped to let dental floss through the teeth.
Rinse the mouth
Cleanliness and hygiene are important after a root canal procedure. Besides brushing and flossing, patients are advised to use a saltwater rinse multiple times a day for the first three days after the therapy. Mix table salt with lukewarm water and rinse for several seconds. Again, do not go overboard with the rinsing, because that too might harm the tooth.
Eat soft foods
When patients have a temporary filling or crown, it is important to avoid hard, crunchy or chewy foods, which won’t be as easy on the mouth. These food items are capable of dislocating the temporary filling or crown, baring the nerves and making them susceptible to further damage. Comparatively softer food items are ideal for consumption immediately following a root canal. Food items such as soup bring to the body the much-needed nourishment without aggravating the conditions of the treated tooth. Food items should preferably be lukewarm to prevent causing sensitivity.
Avoid putting pressure on the tooth
Immediately after a root canal, it is necessary for you to avoid putting too much stress on the tooth. Patients of a root canal are advised to chew on the opposite side until the permanent crown or filling is received. Again, it is important for patients who grind their teeth to put on mouthguards. They should consistently use the mouthguards, even after the permanent crown or filling is placed. Mouthguards mitigate the effects of grinding, protecting your pearly whites and dental installations.
Listen to the dentist’s instructions
Dentists give their patients a list of care instructions after root canal procedures. Dentists often advise different oral hygiene habits based on the procedure and the installation. Someone who has tonnes of decaying parts removed with the tooth, for instance, might require to simply rinse in place of brushing for multiple following days. Patients are required to follow this set of instructions to prevent themselves from causing any further damage to the new dental installation and the other teeth.
Care for your teeth and restorations
After you have gotten yourself a root canal, you are required to brush and floss the tooth as gently as possible, immediately after the procedure. You will be advised to rinse your mouth with salt water, consume comparatively softer foods that will be easy on the teeth and not to put pressurise your mouth. Try listening to your dentist’s specific instructions, because chances are that they know the condition of your dental and oral health, and have customised the set of instructions specifically for you. after you have received your permanent crown or filling, you can conveniently go back to your normal oral hygiene and eating routine, but try not to go overboard.
A joyous smile is what everyone wants. A whitened and picture-perfect smile comes by maintaining a salubrious oral health. In order to maintain a beautiful you need to maintain your oral health as well as you need to go for regular dental checkups too.
If you do not maintain a good oral health then there are numerous oral diseases which takes away the radiance of your smile. You end up developing some severe gum diseases such as periodontitis in that case you would require tooth scaling and root planing. Tooth scaling and root planing is done for the removal of tartar and for treating inflamed gums.
This procedure is used in order to scrape off the hardened tartar on the surface of the teeth and roots. These treatments helps in protecting your smile and also does the prevention of tooth loss, gums and bones. Let us know more about tooth scaling and root planning.
Both tooth scaling and root planing are known as deep cleaning in the field of dentistry. This procedure is performed in order to get rid of the hardened up tartar on the top of teeth and roots. You might require these treatments if you are suffering from periodontitis which is also known as an advanced gum disease.
Whereas tooth scaling helps in the removal of tartar from the surface of your teeth. Root planing removes tartar from the roots of your teeth which is located below your gum line.
Dentists and periodontists who are also known as gum disease specialists are the ones who offers the treatments of gum disease. The procedure is usually done by a dental hygienist. Both the procedures of tooth scaling and root planing takes place during the same dental visit. In that case you would usually need more than one appointment in order to do the treatment of your teeth.
If you are the one who is already prone to periodontal disease then in that case you are at the higher risk of developing periodontitis disease when you get older. And according to the survey nearly 3 in 4 adults over the age of 65 have the problems of periodontal disease and in that case you require tooth scaling and root planing.
In order to save yourself from gum and tooth diseases kids and adults should have their teeth cleaned via scaling for at least twice each year. Periodontal problems can cause tooth decay and gum infections too.
Some of the risk factors of periodontitis includes:
#1. Diabetes.
#2. Family history of gum disease.
#3. Several health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis.
#4. Hormonal changes which are related to oral health, such as pregnancy gingivitis or those brought on by certain types of birth control.
#5. Improperly fitted dental bridges or defective dental fillings.
#6. Overbite or crooked teeth (malocclusion).
#7. Poor oral hygiene.
#8. Smoking.
#9. Stress.
Your dentist would recommend for teeth scaling and root planing if your mouth is suffering from the signs of chronic periodontal disease. These procedures helps to stop the harmful effects of the condition and also keeps your mouth healthy.
Chronic periodontal disease occurs when the bacteria in plaque cause your gums to pull away from your teeth. This in turn causes large pockets to grow between your teeth and gums, and within these pockets more bacteria can grow in such places where you cannot clean only through brushing.
Hence it is an essential thing to floss after brushing your teeth as because there are several places in the area of your mouth were the bacteria thrives but the toothbrush cannot clean it alone. That’s why it’s key to floss regularly to reach spots that toothbrushes can’t.
If the chronical periodontal disease is left untreated then it can lead to
#1. Bone and tissue loss
#2. Tooth loss
#3. Loose teeth
#4. Moving teeth
Some of the reasons why chronic periodontal disease occurs is because of
#1. Poor dental hygiene
#2. Smoking
#3. Aging
#4. Changes in hormones
#5. Poor nutrition
#6. Family history
#7. Other medical conditions
You may experience deep pockets in between your gums and teeth due to chronic periodontal disease, but there are several other symptoms of the condition, which includes:
#1. Bleeding gums
#2. Inflamed, red, or tender gums
#3. Bad breath
#4. Shifting permanent teeth
#5. A change in your bite
There is no particular rule which you need to follow or prepare before scaling or root planing. Though some dentists might recommend you to rinse your mouth with a very strong antiseptic mouthwash. Some dentists recommend this because there would be a lot of bacteria transferred to your blood during the process of root planing.
Apart from rinsing the mouth with a mouthwash, you can also follow several other oral health habits like oil pulling, oral probiotics, and eating a low-carbohydrate and low-sugar diet to drive down inflammation.
Doing this will not only help in preparing your immune system for brief exposure to more bacteria, but it will also help you make the first steps for halting gum diseases. If you’re concerned about sensitivity or pain, you can also use an over-the-counter pain reliever before the procedure.
Periodontal diseases are something which usually don’t end up causing pain. Your dentist might diagnose you with periodontitis during the process of dental check-up. Dentist might also get the dental X-rays done in order to look into problems like cavities, an abscessed tooth, tooth infection or bone loss. If you are having periodontitis, then in that case your provider would discuss the treatment options with you. Tooth scaling and root planing will take place during a future appointment.
The deep dental cleaning is done below the gum line in order to remove tartar from each teeth, and including the roots too. In order to minimize any kind of discomfort or pain your dentist would numb your mouth’s area with the help of a local anesthetic. Then you’re awake for the procedures.
Your dentist uses a vibrating tool which is known as an ultrasonic scaler in order to perform the scaling process. These steps may take place during tooth scaling:
A vibrating metal tip on the scaler helps in scraping the tartar off of your teeth and above your gum line. A water spray on the scaler washes away the tartar and flushes plaque from the gum pockets.
The dentist uses a manual dental scaler and a scraping device which is known as curette in order to remove small remaining pieces of tartar.
Root planing is just like tooth scaling the only difference is it takes place on the roots of your teeth which sits below your gum line.
During the process of root planing, your dentist would use a tool in order to gently push aside your gum tissue and doing this exposes the surface of the roots.
Then your dentist uses the same tooth scaling tools for chipping tartar from the roots, and this maks the tooth smooth. At times, they may also inject an antibiotic medication directly into any gum pockets.
By now you have known what is root planing and scaling and how both the procedure is performed. But what is the difference in between these procedures? Keep o reading and you get to know the key differences in between the two procedures.
Root planning is the procedure in which any area of the tooth root that is infected by bacteria gets cleaned. This treatment involves the removal of plaque and tartar and also smooths the roots of the tooth where it sits beneath the gum line.
Whereas scaling is done in order to clear away the tartar and plaque which gets accumulated on surface of the teeth that is located above the gum line. Both of these procedures are a vital thing in order to maintain a good oral and dental health.
Now that you have got a clear idea on the differences of root planing and tooth scaling. Now a question might arise in your mind that what happens after tooth scaling and root planing? After the process of tooth scaling and root planing is performed bacteria and plaque are less likely to stick to the smooth surfaces of your treated teeth’s enamel.
Not just that after the procedure is done there are less chances of inflammation as your gums begin to heal. Your healthy gums can get reattached more firmly to the smoothed tooth roots.
After the entire process is done and with the follow-up appointments, your provider is going to measure the pockets which surrounds your gum tissue and gum lines. If the pockets haven’t decreased, then in that case you might require a periodontal surgery. Surgical treatments for periodontitis includes:
Bone grafting for replacing lost bone with bone from a donor or lab-made material.
Flap surgery in order to make a gum pocket smaller by lowering your gum line.
Soft tissue grafting for replacing lost gum tissue with tissue from the roof of your mouth.
The total number of dental appointments that you require for scaling and planing depends entirely on how severe your conditions are based on your dentist’s preferences. There are some dentists who only treat one side of your mouth this includes both upper and lower teeth just in one visit. After that are required to visit for the second time for treating the other side of your mouth.
Some dentist treat each mouth quadrant separately instead. For instance, they scale and plane only the lower right side of your mouth. While during your next appointment, they might treat the upper right side of your mouth. If the treatment occurs like this then you are going to have four appointments all total.
So what are benefits of these procedures? There are several studies which have shown that tooth scaling and root planing both are an effective treatments for periodontitis. These treatments are performed so that you can save yourself from losing gum tissues, teeth and bones.
By now you have already gone to the advantages of root planing but do you know that there are several disadvantages too which are related to tooth scaling and root planing. Tooth scaling and root planing can cause temporary discomfort during the time of healing. But the overall risks after the treatment are minimal ones.
People with certain heart conditions, like endocarditis, or who have synthetic heart valves may need to take antibiotics before they are getting any dental procedures done. Antibiotics helps in lowering your risk of a bacterial infection. You needed to ask your dentist and your cardiologist if you need to take this preventive step for yourself in order to stay on the safe side.
After to process of teeth scaling and root planing is done then your gums might be temporarily swollen and they are also tender after the procedure is complete. Apart from the tenderness of the gums your teeth might also feel sensitive. In this case you need to follow your dentist’s instructions for a speedy recovery.
Other than that you need to follow several other things mentioned below for a speedy recovery.
#1. Avoid foods and drinks that are too hot or cold.
#2. Consume soft and mushy foods like eggs after the surgery.
#3. Take pain relievers and antibiotics.
#4. Use an antimicrobial mouth rinse.
After the procedure of deep cleaning is done, you might feel pain for a day or two and there might be teeth sensitivity for up to a week. Apart from the teeth, your gums may be also swollen, and during this time you would feel tender and bleed. And in order to prevent infection, and control your pain your dentist may prescribe a pill or mouth rinse for the process of healing. Your dentist may also insert medication of sub-antimicrobial-dose doxycycline directly into the pocket that was cleaned. Other than that your dentist will also schedule another visit to see how your gums have healed and measure the depth of your pockets. If they notice that the depth of your pockets have gotten deeper, then in that case more treatment may be needed in order to heal.
Good dental care at home is essential to help keep gum disease from becoming more serious or recurring. Such as brushing your teeth for twice a day with the help of a soft brush, and also cleaning your teeth, eat a balanced diet, avoid using tobacco and see your dentist regularly.
Now that you have known everything related to teeth scaling and root planing, there are a few questions which you need to know about scaling and root plaining.
After the procedure of root scaling is done you don’t have to wait for hours for eating after your dental cleaning. In fact, you don’t have to wait at all. Yes you have read that right you can eat right after a dental cleaning.
Does scaling and polishing whitens the teeth? Yes. Scaling and polishing is not primarily designed for whitening the teeth, as that is what teeth whitening treatments are meant for. With that said however, a scale and polish will in fact l eave the teeth looking smooth, shiny, and whiter after the treatment.
Though bleeding from gums after deep scaling is normal in most of the cases and subsides after 2-3 hours without any conscious efforts, there are some patients whose gums tends to bleed more and often persists for longer than 72 hours depending upon severity of inflammation.
About three or four days after the procedure, you should be able to brush normally again. In addition, your dentist will likely recommend that you rinse your mouth using either an antimicrobial rinse or a warm salt water rinse.
When do you need teeth scaling? Your dentist will recommend teeth scaling and root planing if your mouth has signs of chronic periodontal disease. These procedures can help stop the harmful effects of this condition and keep your mouth healthy.
Dental scaling and polishing done to remove tartar and any surface stain a few days before whitening procedure is an important first step. We do not want bleeding gum after heavy scaling to disturb the bleaching procedure. After waiting a few days, teeth are generally clean and gum is healthy for this procedure.
Although hand scalers are quite an effective thing, but these things must be used carefully for avoiding damage to gum tissues or, during deeper cleaning known as root planing, the tooth roots. A different method for plaque removal known as ultrasonic scaling has grown in popularity as an alternative to manual scaling.
You can clean the teeth using baking soda. You can make a mixture of baking soda and salt as it is an effective home remedy for dental calculus removal. Other than that brushing your teeth with baking soda and salt softens the calculus, helps in making it easy to remove. The mixture should smoothly be scrubbed on the teeth by using a toothbrush in order to remove the tartar.
Dentists typically use the procedure of periodontal scaling and root planing as the first steps for the treatment of gum diseases. Periodontal scaling and root planing are nonsurgical ones. They are more of a deep cleaning that is done with handheld instruments or ultrasonic devices.
Cosmetic dentistry is a professional method of oral care that primarily acts on improving the appearance of your teeth, which in turn improves the appearance of your face. Although the procedures involved in cosmetic dentistry is more of an elective kind than an absolute necessity, some exceptional cases and treatment also provide corrective benefits. It’s about time we find out about the benefits of braces, crowns, teeth-whitening bridges, implants, gum shaping, or even a complete dental makeover can do to your smile. !
Dental Bonding
The procedure in which a layer of tooth-colored resin is applied and hardened under a special light is called bonding. It improves a person’s smile and the structure of the tooth. It is one of the easiest and the least expensive dental procedures that are available. Bonding can improve or repair cracked or chipped teeth, lessen or fill gaps, and improve the shape of the teeth. This process can also be used as a cosmetic alternative for silver amalgam fillings for your tooth.
Veneers
Veneers are customized shells that are designed to cover the frontal surface of the teeth. They are hard and paper thin. They are meant to bond to your teeth, also changing their shape, size, and color in the process. Veneers are usually made of porcelain or resin composite. Irreversible in nature, this process also provides a conservative approach to changing a tooth’s color or shape as compared to dental crowns.
Crowns
A crown is almost like a cap for your weak or damaged tooth. It provides external to your tooth and improves its shape, size and appearance. Most dental crowns are known to last from five to fifteen years. These caps or crowns are usually made of metals, porcelain amalgamated with metals, resin. Or ceramic. Before the positioning of the crown, the existing teeth is filed down a little bit, and only then can the crown can be cemented over it, encasing it completely. Onlays and three quarter crowns cover the underlying tooth to a lesser extent, pretty much like the name suggests.
Enamel Shaping
Contouring, also called enamel shaping is a quick, and most importantly painless process of shaping natural teeth to enhance their appearance. It is usually used to rectify smaller imperfections like uneven teeth or a set of teeth that are slightly overcrowded. Results are usually immediate in nature, and can often be combined with other procedures like whitening, veneers or bonding.
Orthodontics (Braces)
Braces are primarily designed to correct crooked or misaligned teeth. It can also the overall health of the teeth and the appearance of the smile, in both children and adults. Braces function by exerting consistent pressure over time to eventually move the teeth into the correct alignment. With the teeth moving to their correct alignment, the bony tooth socket also changes shape as the pressure is applied.
Types of Braces
Besides metal braces, which are a kind of visible, they can also be as conspicuous as you would want them to be. Brackets or the part that gets attached to each tooth. Can be clear, tooth-colored or even multi-colored. They can also be attached to the back side of the tooth to keep them out of plain sight. There are also invisible braces available in the market, which are kind of like plastic molds to gradually shift the teeth into alignment.
Teeth Whitening
Who doesn’t appreciate a bright smile? A large variety of teeth-whitening products and techniques are available in the market including toothpastes and mouth rinses, gels, strips , trays and other teeth whitening agents. Having said that, whitening isn’t for everyone. It is usually meant for people who have healthy, unrestored teeth and gum conditions. Individuals with yellow tones to their teeth, respond best, unlike the ones with grey tones. It is always better to consult your dentist to know if you and teeth whitening are suitable for each other.
Composite Fillings
Pre-existing fillings often happen to require replacements owing to wear, chipping and cracking. People often like to use this opportunity to replace their old fillings with new ones comprising tooth colored composites. The reasons might both be aesthetic, or concern over the safety of amalgam fillings, which are known to contain mercury. However, composite fillings tend to wear out much sooner than the silver fillings over larger cavities, although they also perform well for smaller cavities.
Gum Reshaping
Gum reshaping can improve a “gummy” smile in which teeth appear too short, or where the gum line appears uneven. A small amount of gum tissue — and excess bone tissue if necessary — is removed and contoured to expose more of the teeth. This procedure can be done to one tooth to even the gum line, or to several teeth to expose a natural, broad smile.
Implants
Millions of Americans suffer from the loss of teeth, much of which is due to tooth decay, gum disease, or injury. Dental implants – replacement of tooth roots which are built of titanium — provide a significantly strong foundation for the attachment of permanent or removable artificial teeth(crowns).In place of individual crowns, certain patients might already have attachments on their implant that would support a removable denture.
Dentures
Removable artificial replacements for a missing tooth and the surrounding tissue are called dentures. These dentures come in two different types: complete and partial. Complete dentures come into play when almost all the teeth are missing, whereas partial dentures are used when the number of missing teeth is combatively lesser.
Bridges (fixed partial dentures)
A fixed or permanent bridge replaces one or more teeth by stationing dental crowns on the teeth either side of the gap, and attaching artificial teeth above them. The dental bridge is then cemented into place. A cantilever bridge is used when there are teeth on only one side of the open space. Maryland bonded bridges have porcelain teeth supported by a structural framework.
Gum Grafts
Tooth roots that are exposed due to gum recession may be sensitive to hot and cold foods or liquids, and they make teeth appear longer. Gum recession or erosion can put you at risk of developing a cavity on the tooth root, and may lead to bone loss, eventually resulting in the loss of tooth. Soft tissue grafts, which relocate or shift healthy gum tissue from one corner of the mouth to another corner, can stop gum recession or erosion, and bone loss and improve the aesthetics of the gum line as a whole.
Smile Makeovers
It is a combination of more than one dental technique or procedure that can be used to achieve a great smile.
In this process, porcelain veneers and crowns rectify crooked teeth, an uneven gum line, and other chipped, worn, and discolored dentistry. While cosmetic dentists can make a dramatically significant variation in a person’s smile and overall oral health conditions, the procedure must be carefully planned — though for many the elaborate and costly production is worth it in the end, mostly because of the results.
Conclusion
If you’re looking forward to getting a cosmetic dentistry procedure done on yourself, it’s important to find a cosmetic dentist who specifically offers the option or options that you’re interested in. They will provide you more guidance and assistance on which procedures would be best suited for your dental and cosmetic needs.
Crooked teeth can trigger self-consciousness and social anxiety in many people, making them feel embarrassed to interact or be out in the public. Dental health can affect other organs and systems of our body in unfathomable ways, besides this one. Invisalign provides you with a way to straighten the setting of your teeth with getting pricked or poked by metal brackets and wire. It is a convenient alternative to traditional orthodontic treatment that will not only shoot up our confidence, but will also take care of your oral health.
The maximum part of your oral health is in your hands. It depends on how well your brush and floss your teeth, and clean your tongue. Crowded teeth or crooked teeth often create hard to reach and remote corners inside your mouth, which makes it difficult to clean. These area, when left uncleaned harbor bacteria, tartar and plaque. Brushing twice a day too might not be able to save your from oral health issues and bad breath.
The primary benefit of straightening your teeth is that it will make brushing and flossing comparatively easier. By being able to reach the distant corners of your mouth, you will be able to clean it properly and have a significant improvement in your overall oral health conditions. And, as far as the cosmetic point of view is concerned, it will enhance your self-confidence and reduce the chances of getting your teeth stained.
Previously, traditional braces were the only way to straighten the alignment of your teeth, until about 20 years ago. This treatment or practice wasn’t very convenient among the adults. They avoided orthodontic treatments like these to save themselves some embarrassment and the hassle that came from having braces, brackets and wire inside their mouth. The introduction of invisalign opened up a new horizon of possibilities in the domain.
Our dental service expert at Smile Craft will eventually move your teeth and align them properly, with removable trays or aligners. Besides uplifting your confidence and appearance, and improving your dental health conditions, it will also benefit you in multiple ways. They are:
Comfort – Metal braces are infamous for being inconvenient and irritating. Invisalign aligners are comfortable, smooth and thin. They are convenient and don’t hurt the insides of your mouth.
Less treatment time – Braces can usually take up to 18 to 24 months to fix your teeth. This automatically means that you are going to have to wear them for that span of time. On the other hand, invisaligns take about half of that time, which is around 9 to 18 months.
It’s flexible and fits your lifestyle – these aligners have to be worn for about 2- to 22 hours daily, but can be removed for special occasions and events where you wouldn’t want to wear your aligners. These can be easily removed without much hassle.
To summarize, invisalgn should be your go to choice if you want to boost your self-confidence without the prickly pains from metal brackets and braces.
The Benefits of Invisalign –
They’re Almost Invisible!
The best part about getting invisalign is that it is almost invisible. It is exactly what it is called (well almost ). For the ones who don’t like to be called ‘metal mouth’ or be stung by metal wires, invisalign serves as the best inviable alternative. Straighten your teeth alignment without anybody necessarily finding out.
As a matter of fact, there are multiple celebrities who wear invisalign to correct their teeth alignment withour anybody finding out about it. The list is huge and it includes big names like:
Justin Bieber
Zac Efron
Oprah Winfrey
Keira Knightley
Khloe Kardashian
Serena Williams
The Duchess Kate Middleton, along with many others.
This list contain celebrity names from all spheres and professions, who have chosen to take care of their teeth without drawing unnecessary attention
No Food or Dietary Restrictions
If you’re someone who has friends with braces, you already know the kind of dietary restrictions they have to follow. The list is long and often inconvenient.
Popcorn
Breads with hard crusts –bagels for instance
Biting into apples
Corn on the cob
Most kinds of hard candy or chewy gum or lozenges
Meanwhile, with Invisalign, you don’t have to care for any such lists. You can simply take them off, have what you like and then put them back after you’re done.
Brushing and Flossing is Easy
Braces and metal wires make it hard for the user to brush and floss their teeth. And that might eventually lead to scary consequences like:
Cavities
Swollen gums
Permanent white scars on your teeth
…and are all the possible results of poor brushing and flossing with braces. Simply put, you might have to compromise on your oral hygiene to fix your alignment.
Flossing with Braces
Flossing with braces can end up a nightmare. On the other hand, with invisalign, there are no brackets or wires it will be more convenient for you to clean the teeth gaps, other parts of your mouth and your overall oral hygiene.
You have to remember that it is not like you can leave out brushing and flossing your teeth from your routine. It will be comparatively easier for you to complete your routine with invisalign, than with braces.
Shorter and Fewer Appointments
Braces need a lot more manual work than invisalign, including continuous maintenance. In case of a brace related mishap, it can only be solves by an orthodontist.
It’s almost like maintaining a car. Braces require very frequent “check-ups” and even “repairs” like…
Bonding the brackets
Changing wires
Placing rubber bands
Connecting springs…are some of the things that are on the top of the list. Braces require the longest time to fix and all that hassle can be avoided if you opt for invisalign procedure.
It takes about 20-40 minutes to get done with an average braces appointment. On the other hand, an average invisalign appointment takes only half of that, which is 10 minutes. Again, it takes much lesser number of appointments to maintain your invisalign, than the braces. To give you a basic overview, braces need to be reexamined every 6-8 weeks, while invisaligns need appointments every 10-12 weeks.
With fewer visits and lesser time investment, you will save a lot of time and effort, and dedicate it to something much important like work or school.
Less Discomfort and Irritation
Braces can be irritating, and can take some time to get used to. Until and unless your facial muscles adapt to the braces and toughen up, you are more likely to find it annoying and uncomfortable with all the metal wires, brackets inside your mouth.
Braces can also cause mouth sores. You might also experience sore teeth during the initial days of wearing your braces. This is a part of the process and almost inevitable. You are going to have to wait and get used to it.
If you take out all the uncomfortable elements out of this equation, what remains behind is invisalign. It does its job, without causing any discomfort and unnecessary hassle to the user. You can align your teeth without the pain.
The greatest benefits of Invisalign, especially when compared to braces, comprise:
Almost true to its name. Being less noticeable (“nearly invisible”)
No food or dietary restrictions
Easy brushing and flossing
Fewer and shorter appointments
Less irritation and discomfort
Potential Drawbacks of Invisalign
Now that we’ve discussed the advantages of invisaligns, you should also know about it cons so that you can make an informed decision on your part.
If You Don’t Wear It Consistently it won’t work
For the invisalign to work, you are going to have to wearn it consistently for the required amount of time every day. This is going to require a lot of discipline and self-motivation on your part, for the whole procedure to become a success.
When the alingers come off that easily, it is possible that you might forget to wear it every day. Should that happen, the procedure won’t work as well as it is expected. The failure or the success of this whole procedure completely depends on you. These aligners need to be worn for around 20-22 hours a day. You can only take it off while brushing your teeth, while eating your meals and while drinking.
Drinking and Eating with Invisalign
Invisalign aligners have to be taken off to eat or drink anything other than water. These aligners might trap food particles and might eventually result in yellow, dirty-looking and discolored aligners, causing gum diseases and cavities.
It is also advisable to brush and floss your teeth, and rinse your mouth thoroughly before placing your aligners back on.
Again, if you like drink your coffee round the clock or like to munch almost every time- it’s possible that aligners will disrupt your routine.
Let these conditions don’t deter you from getting your teeth straightened through invisalign. They will need you to change your habits only temporarily. On the brighter side, these can also help you control your coffee intake and food cravings. And, like everything else, your body will easily get used to not drinking coffee round the clock or munching on something or the other all the time.
Some of the users of invisalign have reported to have shed a few extra pounds by getting their binge eating checked, during the invisalign treatment.
But you are advised to not use this as a diet plan, but as an added benefit of the invisalign.
Speaking with Your Aligners Takes time and needs regular Practice
The first time you put on your aligners, you might face slight difficulties to pronounce certain words, but not for long. Once you get used to it, it will get much easier. Talking to someone or speaking might feel slightly awkward, in the beginning of the process. Most people usually get used to talking with their aligners on within a week. If you face difficulties, we would recommend you to read out loudly from a book, magazine or newspaper. This will help you get used to the whole thing, letting you talk freely without being awkward. This is one of the easiest and the quickest methods to get your tongue to get used to the aligners.
Some Tooth and Bite Problems Are Difficult to Correct With Invisalign
While some of the bite and tooth problem can be better solved with Invisalign, some other problems can be easily solve with braces. Only an orthodontist will be able to determine the best situation for you. A large number of patients with orthodontic dysfunctions can be easily treated with insvisaligns.
To find out if you need braces or invisalign, your orthodontists or dental experts will need to evaluate your teeth top confirm.
There is a series of things that can happen if you don’t wear your aligners every day, and none of those things are going to benefit you in any way. This list includes:
Your teeth and your facial muscles won’t be able to keep up or adapt to the aligners, which automatically means that the process is going to take much longer than it should.
This will bring in more discomfort because you’re going to have to deal with gum sore and teeth sore for a longer time, as bas a braces sometimes.
If you don’t wear it for the complete time span on the regular basis, it will not yield the expected result. On top of that you’re going to have to pay the same amount of money. It is wiser to wear it properly, if you have to pay for it anyway.
Some of the problems concerning your tooth and bite cannot necessarily be fixed if you don’t wear like you’ve been prescribed to. Again, not wearing them properly might also lead you to wearing braces in the future.
When considering the pros and cons of Invisalign, this is the big question to consider…Will I (or will my child) stick with this process until completion?
Some of us don’t have what it needs to keep wearing the invisaligns for the whole time…and that’s okay!
The first step towards anything that needs serious commitment is to know yourself (or your child). If you really think that you might forget to wear your aligners back after you take it off, it is wise to choose braces over aligners, for your sake! At least that way you will wear it all the time and the way in which you’ve been prescribed to.
The good news is, most of the adults and children and everybody else wear their invisalgners appropriately. They obey the program and get their desired results.
Is Invisalign The Best Choice For You or Your Child?
This question can be best answered by your orthodontist or your dentist, upon evaluating your teeth.
Invisalign has been popular with adults and teens alike and other people who don’t want to be seen wearing metal braces, and the discomfort that follows. Previously it was only used to correct minor cosmetic issues. Now it is being significantly used to correct under bite, overbite, gapped teeth and overcrowding.
There are other problems that might be related to the alignment or positioning of the teeth. Problems like severely rotated tooth and similar issues cannot be taken care of by an aligner. Braces have been used for a long time now, and has undergone multiple upgradations and developments to address severe dental alignment issues. Aligners haven’t evolved that much yet.
Here are 14 facts about Invisalign that you need to know in order to make an informed decision about your orthodontic treatment
Fact #1-Invisalign braces usually cost more than normal metal braces. This is because the laboratory fees for these aligners are slightly more expensive than the regular braces. This fees goes directly to the manufacturers of the invisalign aligners.
Fact #2– Despite undergoing constant upgradation, there are severe dental issues that cannot be fixed without the help of regular braces. These complex and severe orthodontic problems are not suited for aligners.
Fact #3- these aligners might seem slightly uncomfortable. This is lesser than the regular braces. This happens because these aligners put constant pressure on the teeth to maximize the movement and its effect on the teeth.
Fact #4- The time taken by the aligners or the braces largely depends on you and your efficiency in obeying the prescribed procedure.
Fact #5- these aligners are designed to straighten the alignment of your teeth. They are not designed to diagnose dental issues. So the diagnosis depends on the expertise of your dentist or orthodontist.
Fact #6- The success or failure of the process also depends on the experience and the expertise of the orthodontist.
.Fact #7- The number of patients who have been successfully treated by these aligners is increasing on a daily basis. More than 1000000 patients have been treated worldwide.
Fact #8- These aligner trays can be removed anytime, allowing you to eat and drink as you please. It also helps you to maintain your dental care routine normally, without interfering with the process like braces would.
Fact #9- these aligners don’t need any wire or metal brackets. These save you a lot of time and effort that you would have otherwise needed to spend at the orthodontist’s office. Invisaligns don’t need frequent adjustments, unlike traditional braces.
Fact #10– it’s a systemic process and moves only a number of teeth at a time. This treatment plan is completely dependent and made by your orthodontist.
Fact #11-
These aligner trays are made of thermoplastic material and look like the teeth whitening trays. It is usually custom made and is meant to move your teeth in the sequence determined by your orthodontist.
Fact #12– Do your own research and opt for the alignment procedure based on your convenience and comfort.
Fact #13- Many patients need the support of the retainers after Invisalign treatment in order to keep the teeth from shifting back to their pre-treatment positions, and ruining the whole process.
Fact #14- Invisalign aligners need changing around every 2 weeks. Complex movements require 3 weeks of wear and less complex movements require 10 days of wear, completely depending on your dental condition and your efficiency.
Dental health and oral hygiene can have unfathomable effects on multiple organs and systems in our body. It can also play an important role in accelerating lung diseases. Our mouths have bacteria in them, and the harmful ones can travel to many other organs, including our lungs to cause bacterial infection. Lungs and teeth are way more intricately connected than one can imagine. Certain medications for lung diseases too can negatively affect the teeth and gum health. These medicines are known to strain the enamel and even loss of teeth, including increasing the risk of dental infections.
There is a direct and transparent link between poor dental hygiene and respiratory diseases and infections. Gum infections, diseases and cavities are a clear sign of bad oral health. These issues can aggravate lung infections and even cause new ones, leading to higher risk of pneumonia and emphysema.
About 700 different types and species of bacteria exists in our mouth and create a balance to maintain healthy conditions. If the balance gets disrupted, the growth of the bacteria gets out of hand. They can create gum ailments, teeth problems and other correlated problems. By not taking oral care seriously, or not paying heed to untreated plaque and tartar you are only putting your other body parts in danger, and susceptible to other serious infections including cardiovascular and respiratory organs.
Dental cavities and gum infection (gingivitis) are caused by the germs and bacteria that reside in our mouth. Our gums and teeth act as store houses for these germs and bacteria which can travel further down to other different organs. These germs and bacteria live in the dental plaque, a layer that gets formed on the teeth. And bacteria, by nature are mean to multiply. Formation plaque can be checked if you brush your teeth regularly twice a day and floss it every day. Some bacteria often can get inhaled into lungs on tiny droplets of saliva. Healthy lungs have their own developed defense mechanisms to control those invasions, unlike unhealthy lungs. Unhealthy lungs by virtue of not having a strong defense mechanism, fails to control these invasions, and thus get infected. These bacteria are also capable of further worsening the conditions of an already damaged and unhealthy pair of lungs. Gum infections can also worsen the chronic inflammation in lung diseases as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. Inflamed airways is also one of the factor that enhances the symptoms of lung diseases. A diseased or inflamed gum sends out distressed signals to different parts of the body to draw attention. This signaling system also includes inflaming of the lungs.
Breathing in Harmful Bacteria
By the international Journal of Molecular Sciences, there are two ways in which that oral bacteria can reach other systems in our bodies. We breathe or inhale the bacteria into our lungs. Again, by the University of Missouri, the saliva droplets which are fairly capable of holding germs and bacteria, can travel from one person to another, as and when we breathe.
We inhale germs every time we respire or breathe. There is nothing unnatural about it. Our immune system has been specifically designed to mitigate the effects a bacterial invasion or anything that might cause serious health issues- inflammation or otherwise.
Germs that live in our mouth can grow rapidly an even trickle down into our respiratory organs during our sleeping hours. These germs are dangerous and are capable of primarily causing pneumonia. The biofilm get cleaned off through regular brushing, can therefore prevent the pneumonia causing germs from spreading.
Oral Bacteria in the Blood
Bacteria can also enter our bodies through the blood stream. Gum tissues get broken down by gum diseases, which leaves the gums susceptible to more bacteria invasion. It is through these infected gums that make the pathway for the disease causing bacteria to invade, causing inflation and other issues.
Dentures might be one of the problems, in a scenario like this. This is mostly because, dentures need regular cleaning- they have to be taken off and soaked every day in a cleaning solution before going off to bed. If not, bacteria will start to grow and might get inhaled into the lungs and other parts of the body. Dentures, as good and well-built as they might be, are not your natural teeth. So there is obviously a more chance of choking on your own food, if you don’t chew it well. Food might also get into your respiratory tracks and cause serious problems.
Can medications or treatments used for lung problems cause problems for your teeth?
As mentioned previously, certain medications for lungs might cause dental damage. Some of the inhaled inflammatory and bronchodilator can lead to conditions like “dry-mouth”. Saliva has a protective function inside our mouth. Thus, dry mouth can significantly increase the risk of getting cavities, decay and other gum disease. Chewing on sugar-free gums or sucking on sugar-free candy can help your mot produce more saliva.
Artificial saliva products can also be used to enhance the production of saliva inside the mouth. Oxygen, PAP or Positive Airway Pressure therapy, and other therapies that are non-humidified might also cause your mouth to dry up.
On the other hand, using a humidifier to add moisture to oxygen, CPAP or continuous positive airway pressure and bi-PAP or bilevel positive airway pressure devices might be beneficial in these situations.
Oral candidiasis, popularly known as thrush is an infection caused by yeast (fungus). This is caused by certain inhaled medications like corticosteroids. We already have multiple kinds of microbes living in our mouth or normal flora.
Yeasts like Candidia can normally live in our mouths, but are controlled by other mouth flora aided by a healthy immune system. Medicines can even sometimes disrupt the normal balance, causing the fungus (yeast) to grow and lead to infections. Development of white patches on the cheeks, tongue and thrush on the throat. These patches are not usually painful. But extreme disruption of balance can cause them to become sore, bleed and cause an uncomfortably burning sensation.
Infections like thrush can be treated with anti-fungal drugs such as nystatin. There are multiple ways to reduce the risk of thrush formation. You can use an inhaler with a spacer. That will send more medicine into the lungs and less inside your mouth, specifically. You might want to gargle or at least rinse your mouth thoroughly after you’ve used an inhaler. However, brushing your teeth the best possible solution to this.
Maintaining an oral hygiene routine on a daily basis can benefit your lungs and your teeth. You need to control the bacteria on your teeth and gums before they can spread and infect the lungs.
Gum diseases and cavities can be prevented by removing the plaque with a detailed oral hygiene routine. Consistency is the key, because bacterial plaque begins to re-build within a few hours after being cleaned.
A toothbrush with soft bristles can clean out plaque from three surfaces of each tooth—the outside, biting, and inside surfaces.
Dental floss or a floss substitute, is needed to scrape off plaque off the two side surfaces. The sides of teeth are where cavities and gum infections can practically be catastrophic.
Scraping off plaque before going to bed is important since a “dry mouth” is an ideal situation for the decay causing bacteria during sleep.
You are required to brush gently and thoroughly along the gum line of teeth to clean off the plaque, with a soft bristles brush. This plaque is evasive in nature because they exist in the groves between the gum and the teeth. It get deeper and are completely capable of destroying not only your gums but also the supporting bones. If the bones starts to erode, the corresponding tooth will start to wobble and eventually come out. This is what we identify as a periodontal disease.
A sandy or gritty deposit that starts to form when the soft plaque isn’t cleaned properly, is called tartar. It is a sign of inconsistent and poor oral health. Tartar is known to cause gum inflammation and irritate them. Tartar, unlike plaque, cannot be taken out with just brushing and flossing. It needs professional attention. It needs to be taken care (scrapped off) by a dentist or a dental care professional. And if the tartar keeping recurring, you are going to have to have visit the dentist at regular intervals to get it cleaned. Tartar mostly develops on the hidden corners of the mouth like the back side of the teeth. You are going to have to pay special attention to these locations while brushing and flossing.
Toothpaste containing fluoride is proven to be beneficial in these situation, because fluoride plays an important role in preventing dental cavity by strengthening the dental structure. If your teeth is susceptible to developing dental decay or cavities, your dentist is most likely to recommend a fluoride rich toothpaste for your regular dental cleaning.
Some brands of toothpaste also contain additional anti-bacterial and anti-microbial elements. You can also use mouth washing liquids with similar ingredients, or the ones that use chlorhexidine.
Frequent and thorough dental care routine can add a lot of mileage to help you prevent cavities and gum diseases. It is always wise to keep visiting your dentist or dental health expert to detect the early signs of a gum disease, plaque or tartar formation. This is help you to nip it at the root and control their recurrence.
Is there anything special I should tell my dentist?
Please enquire from your dentist for a prevention plan based on your unique medical and dental conditions. This plan might comprise:
How often do you need dental exams and cleanings?
Whether or not a supplemental fluoride based toothpaste would be effective?
If they would recommend any antimicrobial rinses or mouth washing liquids?
How to treat thrush infection if it starts to develop?
How should you deal with dry mouth problems?
Also prepare to ask questions like:
How often should you visit the office for exams or treatments based on your lung and oral health?
How can you reverse the negative impacts of your medications such as dry mouth or thrush?
How can you make appointments more comfortable — whether that’s adjusting the chair for easier breathing or using hand signals when you need to cough or require a break?
It’s important to make sure that you’re not sick or at least not coughing or suffering from breathing problems, while visiting a dentist. Let him know if you tend to get ticklish and end up coughing with sharp dental instruments in your mouth. Giving them your dental expert team a prior heads up about these situations only makes it a lot easier for both parties, and saves a lot of effort. If you have difficulty in breathing in a reclined chair, tell your dentist about it at the beginning of the procedure, for instance. Let them know if you would need a break during the procedure. If you use an inhaler on a regular basis, carry it to you dentist, for emergency situations.
Are there resources to help pay for dental treatment?
Regular oral and dental care goes a long way in preventing minor and major dental or oral health problems. Insurance policies don’t always cover dental care, thus it is important to take care of your teeth and gums before things get bad. Given below is a list of things that you can do
Brush your teeth and floss, especially before going to bed. Scrape your tongue if possible.
Consult a dentist about how to prevent problems from any medications you are on.
Visit your dentist as soon as you start experiencing problems with your teeth or gums, without postponing it.
Avoid smoking or chewing tobacco
How Lung Disease Can Impact Your Oral Health
The connection between oral disease and lung disease is a two way road. This practically means that bad lung conditions can affect your oral health and vice versa. Medications prescribed for some of the most common respiratory disorders like COPD, sleep apnea and asthma , are often known to cause dental cavity and dry mouth. Dry mouth is a situation where the mouth dries up because of low saliva production.
Specific drugs that are prescribed to cure lung diseases can also disturb the usual balance of the flora in our mouth. The white patches and lesions by thrush and lesions can be taken care of with proper anti-fungal medication.
Medications, when combined with systemic inflammation and disruption in your daily oral care routine can have adverse impacts on your overall health and can invite chronic respiratory diseases in adults. A research published by the JADA or the Journal of the American Dental Association claimed that patients struggling with COPD or asthma are more susceptible to losing their teeth than the ones who don’t suffer from respiratory ailments.
How to Avoid Lung Problems from Poor Dental Health
Maintaining your oral health is like adding another feather to the cap of your overall good health, specifically your respiratory health. And, if you wish to take care of your oral health, here are some more tips that might be able to help you:
Brush your teeth at least twice a day for at least for two minutes every time.
Take special care while cleaning the gaps between your teeth, use a floss if possible, or a water jet.
Visit your dentist for regular examinations and for maintaining your dental health.
Have a transparent discussion with your dentist, about your medical history- that might have an overlapping impact with your dental treatment, even if you feel unrelated. They will be able to schedule your treatment accordingly.
As concerning and as serious all of these information sounds, it can be prevented with a good dental hygiene routine. A consistent and efficient effort to maintain a clean diet and a healthy oral care routine goes a long way in maintaining the balance in your mouth and in other parts of the body. It can prevent gum diseases and other corresponding inflammatory ailments. Talk to your general physician, lung-doctor and your dentist to gain a holistic view of the situation at hand and the ways to prevent and mend it.
Taking extra care of your mouth can deeply impact the process of preventing lung diseases, even the ones that can have unalterable effects. Our mouths, being one of the important access points to enter our body, preventing and eliminating the harmful diseases at the gateway saves us a lot of pain, effort and trouble.
A human body is a complex machine, which is comprised of several systems that depend upon each other in order to function properly. If you think that you have kept your teeth and gums in a healthy condition then give it a second thought! A good oral hygiene is not only about keeping teeth and gums healthy, it is also essential for your overall health too. Your mouth is an important part as it acts like a gatekeeper of your entire body. Your mouth decides and controls how much everything is going to affect your body. If your oral health is not on right track then it can end up affecting several other orangs of your body too.
Now a question might arise in your mind whether a damaged oral health can have a negative impact on your stomach’s health? Well, the short answer to your question is “yes.” If left untreated then it can lead to several stomach issues such as leading to infection and infiltration in your bloodstream.
A poor oral health can have a havoc effect and can end up resulting in several other health problems too. Such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney problems and so many other health issues. Today in this article we would be discussing how your oral health has got a connection with your stomach’s health.
There are several digestive problems such as acid reflux, constipation or irregular bowel movements. Digestive problems mainly occur due to several issues includes not chewing the food properly or eating food too quickly. As mentioned above your mouth is the gatekeeper of your body, and this is the place where the physical and chemical digestive process begins. This means the conditions of your teeth and gums can have a direct impact on your digestive health too. Your mouth is part of your digestive system. Similarly, gastrointestinal disorders can have an effect on your oral heath too.
There are many people who suffer from the problem of acid reflux, and this can have an adverse effect on your oral health. The acid present in the stomach will end up wearing your tooth’s enamel away and if such as situation takes place your dentist can recognize this immediately and can advise you with further medications.
At first let us know what are primary causes of rotting teeth, are and how does it effects the stomach.
There are several different types of bacteria that resides in your mouth. With the passage of time this bacteria ends up creating a film over the teeth and can end up causing dental plaque. Consuming foods which consists of high sugars and carbohydrates this gives a golden chance to the bacteria present in your mouth to feed upon these carbs and sugars. When these bacteria produces an acid which ends up wearing away the tooth enamel the harder layer of the tooth present outside.
When this situation occurs cavities begin to form in our teeth. Cavities are a severe problem which occurs on the surface of the tooth and opens into large crevices below the tooth enamel. These cavities may appear black or brown.
After a cavity has formed, our tooth is essentially ‘open’. This means that the dentine, the bone-like matter that sits underneath the enamel, becomes exposed to bacteria and plaque. Because the dentine is soft, it tends to decay quickly once the bacteria makes its way.
When the dentine gets affected, then bacteria can easily reach to the pulp of your tooth. If such a situation occurs it can cause serious problem, as the pulp of the teeth is the innermost layer of the tooth which consists of blood vessels and nerves which provides the teeth with sensation.
When the bacteria successfully paves its way and reaches the pulp it can cause severe pain and intense pain. During this point of tooth rotting, your tooth and gums becomes much more vulnerable to diseases and infections.
Tooth decaying, Changes in the gums, such as pain, bleeding, or pus and bone loss, discolored patches on the teeth, cavities, pain in tooth, bad breath, unpleasant taste in the mouth, sensitivity in tooth, abscesses, headaches, gum diseases.
If you notice that the bacteria gets infiltrated in the pulp of your tooth, then you are at the severe risk of developing gum diseases. If the bacteria gets infiltered in the pulp of the tooth, then you are prone to develop gum diseases too. Today decaying can cause infection to form in the gum when bacteria enters that area.
Other than that gingivitis occurs which is a mild form of gum disease. The symptoms of gingivitis includes sore, red, and bleeding gums. If this situation is left untreated, then gingivitis can turn into periodontal disease, which is a more severe presentation of gum disease. If this situation occurs it can cause severe pain, pus, bleeding, tooth wobbling, and if the condition gets severe then it can lead to tooth and bone loss too.
A tooth abscess is a pocket of pus which forms either at the tip of the tooth root or in the gums at the side of the tooth root. Symptoms include a throbbing toothache that may spread throughout the head, tooth pain or sensitivity, fever, swelling of the face, swollen lymph nodes around your jaw or neck, and a foul taste in your mouth.
There is a direct connection in between your gut health and your oral health. There are a millions of good bacteria with resides throughout your digestive tract. The microbes helps in influencing your digestion, immune system, metabolism, and hormones. Several researches have shown that these microbes can even play a role in your daily moods and emotions. Your dentist will be most concerned with an imbalance in your microbiome that can affect your oral health.
It is not something new that there are thousands of bacteria which usually leaves in our mouths, and whenever we swallow the foods we end up swallowing thousands of bacteria. Though it might sound gross but the truth is there are other good types of bacteria which helps in protecting good bacteria which causes several oral diseases.
Whenever there is an imbalance of bacteria in the mouth, and when there is too much of bad bacteria in comparison to good bacteria then these bad bacteria not only affects your teeth but these bad bacteria also affects your stomach’s health too.
If you do not take care of your oral health, then bad bacteria thrives in your mouth. Whenever you consume food you end up swallowing too many bacteria and this can eventually effect your digestive system. Studies have also shown a clear link between oral disease and systemic disease, with oral pathogens linked to rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and cardiovascular disease.
Plaque teeth has got a link with several stomach related problems. If you are not having a healthy mouth then it could end up leading to two main stomach issues such as inflammatory bowel disease and digestive irregularities and both of these problems arises due to the results of plaque teeth.
If the case gets severe such as untreated tooth decay and infection then sepsis may occur, which are present with gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea.
Unhealthy mouth and IBD:
There are two conditions which falls under the IBD banner; first is Ulcerative Colitis and second is Crohn’s Disease. Both of these conditions are present as inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Studies have shown that there is an overgrowth of harmful foreign bacteria in the stomachs of those who are suffering from IBD. It was also seen that gum inflammation also results into inflammation in stomach and this in turn creates a detrimental effect on the over health.
There are two main reasons due to which the bacteria present in the mouth can end up worsening your stomach’s health. Severe gum disease can end up creating can imbalance in mouth’s microbiome and this in turn leads to the increase of bacteria that leads to gum inflammation. This bacteria reaches down the stomach and ends up causing inflammation in the area.
Stomachs can usually resists the buildup of harmful bacteria, but the increasing amounts of this bad bacteria can misbalance the health of the stomach enormously by killing the healthy bacteria. If a situation like this occurs then it ends up weakening the ability to fight against the disease causing bacteria.
If you are more prone to gum diseases then it can activate the immune system’s T cells in our mouths. These cells then travels down to the stomach, where these cells can exacerbate stomach inflammation massively.
Oral health and digestion:
Digestion starts the moment after you begin to eat or drink. In fact, your salivary glands jump into action at the mere sight of food. These salivary glands helps in breaking down food in our mouths and this is done by secreting enzymes that chip away at starches and fats. These enzymes then lubricate food from the esophagus to the stomach and help to continually break down food particles through the digestive process.
Without functioning, healthy teeth, we cannot adequately tear, grind, and chew our food properly for further digestion. If we swallow food that hasn’t been chewed properly, then the larger food particles enter the digestive tract, and this in turn can cause issues such as gas, bloating, constipation, and food reactions.
Rotted teeth often cause pain or sensitivity, which makes chewing very difficult. In many cases, rotted teeth also change the function of our bite. In other words, rotted teeth also prevents us from chewing and breaking down our food before we swallow. This often results in digestive discomfort.
Not all toothaches become serious health concerns and diarrhea is not a common symptom which is associated with toothaches.
However, diarrhea can be a sign that your tooth infection is spreading through the body via your bloodstream.
If tooth decay is the cause of your diarrhea, then it may be accompanied by other symptoms such as: headache, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, dizziness, flushing, face swelling, very dark urine, rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, and stomach pain.
#1. Does oral health affect the gut?
The oral microbiome might have a great effect on the health of the gastrointestinal system. This has been reported in dental and medical journals of high impact.
#2. Does your teeth affect your gut?
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and digestive irregularities are the two main stomach issues which arises due to the results of rotting teeth. In cases of severe, untreated tooth decay and infection, sepsis may result, which can present with gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea.
#3. What role do teeth play in digestive system?
Your teeth are also part of the digestive process. Teeth break down food for swallowing and further digestion. The incisors, which are located in the middle front of the lower and upper jaws, cut and gnaws the food into smaller pieces. The molars, in the back of the mouth, grind and chew the food further for a better digestion.
One of the most surprising observations that were made in recent years, brought out that people who have poor oral health (wobbling tooth or gum disease) are more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases such as cardiac arrest, as compared to people who maintain good oral hygiene.
Doctors and researchers have come up with a lot of probable theories. Some of them are listed below:
The bacteria that attack the gums and the teeth, causing gingivitis or periodontitis also travel to the blood vessels elsewhere in the body, where they are known to cause blood vessel inflammation and damage; minor blood clots which is then followed by cardiac arrest and stroke. This thought was corroborated after the remnants of the oral bacteria was discovered within the atherosclerotic blood vessels, away from the mouth. Even anti biotic treatments haven’t been able to bring out desirable results in reducing the risk of a coronary disease.
More than the bacteria, it’s the immune system of the body itself – inflammation, which triggers the vascular damage in the body, including the most important organs- the brain and the heart.
There might not be any direct links between an infected gum and coronary diseases. Having said that, they might be indirectly connected by other aspects such as smoking. It single handedly harms the oral health and coronary conditions. Other external conditions like poor access to healthcare or the lack of physical exercise can also add to the above mentioned conditions. People who don’t take enough care of their overall health conditions might also struggle with bad oral health and dysfunctional cardio vascular system.
A research result that was published in the year 2018, delved deep into the question and analyzed the data. The data showed that from a sample set of nearly a million people, more than 60000 people have had cardiovascular issues. They found out that after the taking into consideration the age of the subject, there were other moderate correlation between wobbly tooth or loss of tooth and coronary diseases.
After accounting for the smoking habits of the subjects, the links between loss of tooth and coronary heart diseases seemed to significantly disappear.
This study large claims the lack of direct links between poor oral health and cardiovascular diseases. But the most important question still remains unanswered- how do we justify or nullify the studies that have taken the smoking tendencies into account to check for the cardiovascular diseases?
We don’t obviously expect one research to single handedly answers all the related questions that have bothered researchers for years. Hence, we’ll wait for other studies to find out something conclusive.
Regardless of the relationship, maintaining optimal oral hygiene or routine is a significant part of your overall health.
You can significantly reduce the probability of getting `gum disease or wobbly tooth or other oral infections by maintaining a good oral and dental care routine.
Optimal dental care includes:
If you are already dealing with cardiovascular disease, what should you tell your dentist?
First things first, provide your dentist with your complete medical history including the list of names of the medicines and their recommended doses for your cardiovascular disease. Please try to include even the prescribed and the non-prescribed drugs. This will enable your dentist to make a treatment plan for you accordingly.
You can also provide your dentist with the name and contact information of the heart doctor that you’re seeing, so that he can talk to him if needed.
If the idea of visiting a dentist or undergoing a medical procedure overwhelms you. If it triggers your stress and anxiety, please understand that stress can impact your cardiovascular conditions. In that case, you should talk to your dentist. Your dentist is the best person to help you through this, by structuring a
The following list contains information about some of the heart conditions that need special attention, specifically when it comes to dental care. This is not all –inclusive, and it is recommended that you talk to your cardiologist and dentist for more specific information.
If you already know about your coronary dysfunction, and also need an oral surgery, the best tip again, would be to talk to your dental surgeon and your cardiologist for the choicest set of advice, depending on your medical condition and needs. This will also include the anesthetics and the sedatives that will be given to you.
Endocarditis
Some people are susceptible to developing a bacterial infection on the inner lining of the heart which is also popularly known as bacterial endocarditis. Patients struggling with this should be particularly careful about their oral health routine every day. Some of the patients suffering from this ailment are usually advised to take in antibiotics before getting any dental or oral treatment done. The AHA or the American Heart Association have put forward a set of amended guidelines to the state stating that the people who are already suffering from this infection or are susceptible will significantly benefit from the consumption of anti-biotic as a preventative treatment before certain procedures.
It’s important to have a basic awareness of bacterial endocarditis and those susceptible to it. Your doctor, especially your cardiologist, will be able to tell you if you fall under the high-risk category. Patients who are supposed to undergo valve surgery, should maintain absolutely amazing oral hygiene routine because even the tiniest microorganism can lead to cause bacterial endocarditis.
Heart attack (Myocardial Infarction)
It is always advisable to wait for a minimum span of 6 months after a cardiac arrest to get any extensive dental treatment. This doesn’t include dental cleaning. Making sure that your dentist’s office has a handy supply of oxygen and nitroglycerin in case of a medical urgency, is always a good idea.
High blood pressure (Hypertension)
Some of the medicines prescribed to patients to deal with high blood pressure can cause them to have a dry mouth and can even alter their sense of taste. Medicines which are used as calcium channel blockers, can lead to a swollen gum tissue, can cause them to overgrow and subsequently cause problems during chewing your food. In case you experience an overgrowth of your gums, your dentist might advise you to visit their office at more frequent intervals, for cleaning sessions. You might even need a gum surgery, rarely though. The procedure that removed overgrown gum areas is called gingivectomy. This process requires the dental expert to remove the excess parts of your gum by using scalpel, laser or diamond dental bars and an electro surgery unit.
Angina
This kind of cardiovascular dysfunction to requires a specific dosage of calcium channel brokers, which might subsequently lead to gum overgrowth. This too might need a surgery to get the overgrown gum tissues out. Patients with prior history of cardiac arrest, and patients struggling with angina are usually advised to check with the dentists if they have a handy supply of oxygen and nitroglycerin, before going in for extensive dental treatment. However, for people who have stable angina are usually allowed to undergo several extensive dental treatments. It is for the people with unstable angina, who are not allowed to go in for elective or nonessential dental procedures. They are advised to undergo any dental care procedure in a hospital with a fully functioning heart monitoring device.
Stroke
Your dentist should know if you’re under blood thinning medications or anticoagulants. This medications, by virtue of their nature can often lead to excessive bleeding during the dental or oral surgery. If you’ve already had a stroke and it has affected your ability to produce sufficient amounts of saliva, your dentist will suggest you to opt for artificial saliva. If your face, tongue and your facial structure has been affected by the stroke, or even your arms or hand, your dental expert you ask you to opt for fluoride gels, specialized brushes and flossing procedures which will enable you to maintain a good oral and dental hygiene routine.
Inform your dental expert or dentists if you have and are on any medications for the coronary conditions listed below:
A balanced diet and regular physical activity can positively contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Focusing on diet or food items that support oral health and a healthy heart condition, you can keep serious heal concerns at an arm’s distance. Food items that are high in sugar content and contain unhealthy fats shouldn’t be consumed or at least avoided. Food items that contribute to a healthy heart and a good oral health comprise:
Leafy green vegetables can help lower blood sugar and boost adequate saliva production
Almonds are high in calcium and low in sugar, and also have other vitamins
Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables can significantly take down the risk of diabetes and obesity and strengthen teeth and gums
Salmon fish is full of vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. It is known to prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and heart disease.
Researchers are yet to conclusively find out if there is a direct link between a healthy mouth and a healthy heart. But maintaining a good oral care regimen can surely help you save you teeth from being wobbly or even getting uprooted. Injurious habits like smoking, drinking and chewing tobacco not only impacts your oral health, but also negatively impacts your heart health in the long run. These reasons are enough to make you prioritize your health over everything else. Good oral health can make a positive difference.
Not all of us are comfortable with the idea of replacing a missing tooth. Some of us want to leave it alone, fearing lifelong inconveniences that might come with artificial dentures. Even some of our ancestors have lived their lives without replacing their missing tooth. Teeth can go missing for various reasons, at any point of time. Our ancestors probably lacked the awareness that was necessary for them to know about replacing a missing tooth. With the growing awareness about dental care and hygiene, and oral health, people are finding out more about artificial dentures and other related things that can be done to replace a missing tooth.
Functions of the teeth
Teeth have multiple roles and functions in the body. They enable the person to eat, speak clearly, smile and give a proper shape to your face. Each type of tooth inside the mouth has specific name and are designed to have specific functions.
The number of teeth and the types change with age. There are two types of sets of teeth that can be found inside the human mouth- primary or baby teeth, and permanent or adult teeth.
Incisors
Incisors are sharpest teeth in front that get exposed upon opening our mouths. They are meant to bite and cut the food into smaller pieces. They have a very small area to cross section with the food and are also called anterior teeth.
Both children and adults have 8 incisors, 4 centrally located, and two on each low facing each other in the set.
Canines
Canines are designed to be sharp, pointed and are located next to the incisors. They tend to look like fangs on both sides of the incisors. These are the longest and they tear through the food (mostly meat or flesh)
Both children and adult have four canines. Children develop their canines between the ages of 9-12 years age. The canines on the lower jaw tend to develop faster than the ones on the upper jaw.
Premolars
Premolars are broader than incisors and canines. They are designed to have groves and ridges, help to break, chew and grind the food particles. Adults ideally should have 8 premolars. Children don’t have premolars. They develop premolars with their permanent teeth with age.
Molars
Molars are the biggest of the lot. They are large, flat, and have groves and ridges at the end. Like Molars, they are also designed to break, grind and chew the food. Adults are known to have 12 permanent molars, 6 on each jaw.
These last molars that develop are called wisdom teeth. Many people do not have a completely developed set of molars. Molars usually develop around the age of 17-21 years old.
Molars that develop unusually often have to be uprooted because they tend to grow sideways disturbing the overall setting of the teeth and gums. People these days visit the dentist to get their badly developed molars uprooted to save themselves some pain.
Wisdom teeth can also cause tooth decay or pain, inflammation or infection. They practically don’t have any role in chewing the food. They are also comparatively difficult to clean because of their positioning.
Why Should You Consider Filling The Blank Space?
When we begin to lose our teeth, they neighboring tissues and jawbone begin to resorb and resorb with time. This damages the spacing order of your teeth, as they begin to shift to fill in the blanks. This process is capable of causing unfathomable problems. Interestingly, this is not new and has happened before to our ancestors. As mentioned before, they were neither aware of the problems that a lost teeth can bring in, nor did they have an easy access to dentists as we have now. They were primarily dependent on home remedies to take care of their teeth and were not aware of the importance of the dentist. Dentists today, emphasize on replacing a missing teeth or filling the gap to maintain a good overall dental health.
Isn’t Replacing Teeth Expensive?
The expenses completely depend on the number of teeth you’ve lost and the type of replacements to choose to get. If you’re looking for replacements that are permanent in nature, they can cost you a little on the higher side, even if you’re covered under a dental plan. Thankfully, there aren’t any dearth of available options. If the number of teeth that you’ve lost are less, you can easily find semi-permanent options that are also pocket friendly. Again, if you’ve to get a completely new set of teeth, you can discuss the slightly affordable options with you dentist. He would be the best person to know about your denture requirements. Having a full set of teeth not only enhances your digestion, but also enhances your confidence to flash out the sweetest grin.
What in God’s Name Are Dentures?
The name “dentures” can scare, perplex or confuse the best of us. Especially the ones who would be hearing it for the first time. Dentures are removable structures or appliances that are designed to replace your natural teeth, fill the gaps, and restore your smile. If you’ve lost your teeth to a gum disease, injury, tooth decay or any other reason, dentures will help you get your whole set back, and add to your health and appearance. Dentures will also enable you to speak freely and eat without any pain or inconvenience.
Your facial muscles begins to lose its elasticity with the increase in number of teeth. You tend to look older than you actually are. Dentures are designed to prevent that from happening, they are designed to resemble your natural teeth and try to not make changes in your appearance. They also enhance your smile and the way you speak.
How comfortable are they?
No foreign or new structure is going to feel comfortable in your mouth until you are accustomed to it. Dentures, by virtue of being new to the space inside your mouth, might feel slightly uncomfortable while your tongue learns to not play with it. You can experience mild irritation, soreness or even extra production of saliva. It will take time to process the foreign body as a part of your mouth. However, if the irritation persists, please follow up with your dentist.
All kinds of dentures need proper and specialized dental health and oral hygiene routine, partial and full dentures alike. You cannot overlook a proper dental care routine- brushing or massaging your gums, flossing etc. taking your dentures out, if possible, to clean it properly. Artificial dentures accumulate all the food particles when needs regular and thorough cleaning. Using a soft-bristled tooth brush or using your finger to massage the gums before interesting the dentures can also prove beneficial in removing plaque build-up.
Where Can You Get the Dentures from?
Mouth guards and dentures are two completely different products. If you’re looking for dentures or mouth guards, might we suggest you to visit Smile Craft? For either partial or complete dentures or other associated appliances to enhance your dazzling smile. The dentists can help you find your perfect fitting dentures, and you won’t have to live a life with incomplete smile like our ancestors. Our qualified experts will assist you to find your perfect dental fit.
Getting a new set of dentures can be intimidating, but not with the right assistance from our expert dentists and professionals.
Children are meant to lose their temporary teeth with age, but loosening of teeth in adults can be red flag. This occurs when external force is applied on the teeth, or when a tooth begins to lose support and get detached from the gum and the jaw. In situations like this, the slightest touch or movements caused during chewing or talking can cause the tooth to get displaced.
A loose teeth might be followed by other related symptoms like:
Swollen or bleeding gums
Inflamed or red gums
Gum recession
Bad breath
These symptoms often become the alarm system to a much serious underlying disease. Therefore, it’s important to schedule an appointment with your dentist at least twice a year. Your dentists, can then refer you to another doctor if needed, with further delay.
Causes of a loose tooth in adults
A loose or wobbling teeth in an adult doesn’t occur without the application of an external force. If you notice a loosened teeth during brushing or flossing, it’s always advisable to contact your dentist to find out more about it.
In some cases loosening of teeth is known to be the precursor of an underlying gum disease. Diseases like bacterial infection on your gums, tissue or the jaw bones.
Gum disease is most probably caused by poor dental hygiene. If you don’t brush your teeth on a daily basis, or floss it after meals, you are most likely to develop dental health issues. Tartar buildup under your gums is one of the primary results of bad oral health. The good news is, tartar is treatable, but you need to you visit your dentist at regular intervals. If diagnosed early, it’s possible to do away with the infection, stop inflammation and restore normal oral health conditions.
Untreated gum diseases or wobbling teeth can lead to other serious consequences such as bone deterioration. Teeth cannot stand in its place, if not supported by the corresponding bones. Early symptoms of deteriorating gum health include bleeding gums, inflamed gums or red and swollen gums.
Your dentist can look for underlying gum diseases and tartar build up by using a dental probe to examining the pockets of your mouth in detail. The pocket of your mouth is the space between your teeth and gums. The depth ideally should be around 3 millimeters, and larger depth does hint at a gum disease. Dentists might also ask you to get an X- Ray report to check for any loss of bones.
There are others reasons behind a loose tooth in adults. These reasons comprise:
Teeth grinding: clenching or grinding your teeth unconsciously, can eventually lead you to loosening them from their roots. They can also cause other kinds of complications like headaches and facial pain.
Injury: The injury to the mouth or face can also cause you teeth to wobble. This might happen if you fall or meet with an accident. People trying to open bottles caps and seals with their teeth in one of the many instances that can cause a wobbling tooth.
Treatments for a wobbly tooth in adults
The first step to treating a wobbling tooth better is by identifying the reason behind it. If it’s caused by plaque, that can be taken care of by a special cleaning procedure, where the dentist cleans out the hardened plaque accumulated under your gums and pockets. This procedure is commonly known as scaling. The dentist might as well prescribe antibiotics to reduce the infection. Scaling not only removes the plaque and tartar, but also smoothens the surface of the teeth making them whiter. It also smoothens the surface of the root which enables them to reattach the teeth to the gums.
Depending on the severity or seriousness of the gum disease, you might also have to undergo certain surgeries to fix your teeth. The kinds of surgeries comprise:
Bone Grafting: In case of bone deterioration, the dentist will take a fragment of your bone from another part of your body or use a medical grade bone grafting material to repair the problematic parts of the bone to add support to your teeth.
Flap Surgery: it is the procedure of making tiny incisions in your gums to pull back the detached gum tissues. This is done during scaling. This adds back the support from the gum tissue and prevents further loss of tooth.
Bite adjustment: Bite adjustment is the procedure of reshaping your bite surface of the tooth by taking out tiny fragments of the enamel. This procedure reduces the pressure from the tooth giving it the time and space to heal. This method is usually preferred by the dentists when the wobbling is caused by continuous grinding.
Splinting: in case your tooth hasn’t yet detached itself from the root, your dentist might use this procedure to save from further damage. The dentist uses a splinter or a piece of metal to bind two neighboring teeth. This supports the wobbling tooth and saves it from getting detached.
Mouth Guard: the last option doesn’t necessarily include a surgery. You can simply wear a mouth guard to sleep during the nights. This creates a barrier between your jaws, saving them from being damaged during unconscious grinding.
Prevention of loose teeth
A loose will inevitably lead to a detached tooth if not taken care. This can occur because of a gum disease or an unresolved teeth grinding issue. Visiting a dentist at regular intervals and getting it treated can improve your gum, bones and your overall oral health. This also enables the teeth to heal and strengthen in the due process.
In case of a severely wobbly tooth, your dentist might recommend you to get the tooth uprooted and get a dental implant.
There are obviously no ways to detect an unforeseen trauma to the facial region and save the teeth from coming out getting wobbly. It is always recommended to wear strong mouth guards while indulging in sports.
The last bit of advice and most important step to prevent any kind of gum or tooth ailment is to maintain a good dental care routine. Brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing it before retiring to you bed. Visiting your dentist at regular intervals and following his instructions also counts. Bring sudden and subtle changes in your teeth or oral conditions to his notice. Changes like bad breath, wobbly tooth, and swollen, bleeding or inflamed gums. If you don’t have a dentist yet, you can check out Smile Craft and take care of your teeth with us.
It is always said that your mouth is your body’s health mirror. Similarly if you maintain your body as well as your mouth then you definitely lead a salubrious life. There are several researches which have indicated that the oral mucosal lesions and periodontal disease is a common thing which is more pronounced in the liver cirrhosis patients which occurs due to a decreased salivary flow in the oral cavity.
Specifically, liver cirrhosis or scarring, also known as liver fibrosis, is mainly associated with hepatitis, chronic or long-term alcoholism. When this disease reaches to an advanced level this leads to the in functioning quality of life and due to this reason the liver functions ends up getting severely impacted which could be a life-threatening and even serious in several cases. This condition is happens due to chronic diseases or long-term alcoholism.
What Are the Oral Manifestations of Liver Cirrhosis?
Oral manifestations among the patients with cirrhosis mainly occurs due to bleeding, petechiae, hematomas, yellowish-colored or jaundice-type mucosa, gum bleeding, tongue inflammation or blastos, and inflammatory swelling of the salivary glands (sialadenosis). And all of these symptoms are mainly attributed to liver dysfunctionalities which means misbalance of liver functioning.
The condition of hyposalivation occurs due to the use of diuretic drugs and it also leads to the reduction of salivary. Not just that if the condition of fatty liver persists, then it also leads to heart burn. Well, along with that the other symptoms are severe chest pain, difficulties in swallowing, dry cough, hoarseness of voice or a sore throat and the sensation of having a lump in the throat. Whereas Angular cheilitis lesions is another most common problem that occurs in cirrhotic patients. During this condition, lesions or ulcers are formed during the corners of the mouth. This condition can cause a situation of discomfort, including temperature sensitivity or intolerance to hot and cold foods, pain, dry skin, and delayed wound healing among the patients.
During such a condition patients may often observe reddish or purple spots on the outside corners of the mouth that might or might not be accompanied by crusting, swelling, or cracking of the lips. If such a situation increases, then it often leads to an increased pain as well as a burning sensation in the mouth, and this situation further aggravates the inability to eat, drink, or even talk.
Though alcohol is an addictive thing, for the regular consumers but it is not something new that it has got a very detrimental effect on the energy metabolism of the human body. The interference of alcohol with protein metabolism ends up resulting into a delayed tissue or wound healing.
Fatty liver is a disease that can direct effect your face and mouth. Fatty liver is the disease which occurs when the liver stores too much fat cells in the liver. Fatty liver disease occurs due to the heavy consumption of alcohol. But you can also develop NAFLD if your diet is high in calories and fat.
Fatty liver is a disease which can end up causing inflammation and in some cases it can end up damaging your healthy liver cells. There are some people who do not experience symptoms, whereas some would experience symptoms like fatigue and abdominal pain.
Whenever anyone suffers from fatty liver disease then the symptoms are seen on the face. Well, the possible symptoms of the disease includes:
#1. Puffiness:
If you are suffering from an advanced level of liver disease then it can eventually end up effecting your liver’s ability to make proteins, this in turn can end up impairing your blood flow and fluid removals. Due to this reason you might also notice that your face is appearing slightly puffier.
#2. Dark skin in the crease of neck:
Fatty liver disease also ends up contributing to an increased insulin resistance, and if such a situation occurs it means your body is unable to use the insulin properly. Due to an excessive buildup of insulin in your body, it can end up leading to a serious condition which is called acanthosis nigricans. When this condition occurs it leads to folding of skin, and this in turn leads to the darkening of skin.
#3. Rash around the mouth:
Fatty liver diseases can end up causing your body into such a condition then your body is not able to absorb certain nutrients effectively. And one such mineral is zinc, and many people those who are suffering from NAFLD zinc deficiency in their body. This condition often ends up creating a sense of irritation around the mouth. Whenever the irritation occurs it looks like rashes which has small fluid-filled or even solid-appearing bumps.
#4. Saliva:
People those who are suffering from cirrhosis of liver were seen to secrete saliva at much low levels than compared to average person. And these patients are often prescribed to take diuretics and this would help to manage the disease, as it doesn’t helps with dryness. Though the different medications helps to keep the patient alive but they also end up putting them at a risk of serious infection and this can ultimately begin from mouth. During this condition oral hygiene needs to be emphasized and along with proper home care techniques. One thing you need to keep in mind is that you need to gentle and careful when disinfecting takes place. Also, bad habit of smoking and drinking can end up significantly worsening lesions, as well as bone loss and other osteoporotic changes are a very common thong among these kind of patients.
#5. Findings:
Through research it was seen that oral mucosal lesions is something which is a far more common thing among the patients those who are already suffering from cirrhosis. This situation occurred as because of the amount of saliva which they have produced was something below average in compared to normal person. When the condition gets more severe, the person is more likely to have a decayed, missing, or filled teeth.
When the situation becomes harder it becomes a tough condition to treat the patient’s dental health, as the disease ends up becoming worsened with the passage of time. When the patient falls in such a situation, the physicians try to understand the situation as because doing this would end the problems.
The likelihood of infections is higher in cirrhotic patients as because of the immune-suppressed conditions in these patients and this mainly varies depending upon the stage of the disease which the patient might be going through. This increases their further susceptibility to systemic or toxic infections which they have come across with. Dental treatment in cirrhotic patients is mainly straightforward and conservative. Surgical interventions cannot be made without the physician’s consent, routine blood examination, and neurologic factors. This is because the condition may involve bleeding, and caution should be undertaken before considering the stage of the disease and the need for antibiotic prophylaxis for these patients.
To reduce the complications that is derived from the spread of dental infection, a two times one half-yearly to yearly oral prophylaxis with restorative modalities will not cause any harm. It is very beneficial in preventing the aggravation of various lesions of gingiva and periodontal disease, especially in patients with advanced stages of liver cirrhosis.
Studies have also indicated that patients with liver cirrhosis, particularly the ones those who have valvular prosthesis or heart-related defects, and people with a history of drug abuse, and patients suffering from chronic renal failure, are at the highest risk for developing bacterial endocarditis. Research which is about preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis being effective before dental treatment remains elusive still date; however, some dentists have also recommend that this may lead to effective infection control prior to a surgical or a prophylactic dental procedure.
Due to the reduction in salivary secretion, the dentist must emphasize oral hygiene, especially with the proper home care techniques like brushing techniques, chemical or mechanical plaque control measures. The physician or dentist’s most important suggestion is to advise against both smoking and drinking alcohol as it can significantly end up impairing the oral and systemic quality of life, aggravating both oral and hepatic lesions.
#1. Can a tooth infection hurt your liver?
The association between severe dental infections and accelerated liver disease can be speculated to be due to dental infection-associated systemic inflammation, which may lead to liver injury too.
#2. Can tooth infection cause fatty liver?
Several researches have also indicated that periodontitis might end up resulting into the progression of several liver diseases, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, as well as affecting liver transplantation.
#3. Can cavities cause liver problems?
Periodontal disease and tooth loss are positively associated with liver diseases also including NAFLD, elevated transaminase level, liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.