Children's Dental and Oral Health

Oral health is an important part of overall health, and good oral health should start early for the child’s first line of defense against plaque, cavities and bad breath. From the time your child is born, you should start promoting a healthy and good oral hygiene for them.

Parents should ensure that their child’s teeth are well-developed and that they maintain a consistent oral hygiene routine as they grow. This is a continuing process to adulthood.

For babies, you should be careful in taking care of their teeth. You have to know the right way in cleaning their teeth. You can use a soft clean cloth or a ball of cotton soaked in clean water in taking out food debris or milk remnants left in their teeth’s surfaces. Check those surfaces regularly for spots or stains.  If your child’s mouth isn’t properly cleaned, they might suffer from halitosis and gum problems later on.

Tooth decay affects a lot of children mostly in this generation now that there are a lot acidic foods being advertised that easily destroy our teeth with cavities and tartar.

Untreated tooth decay causes pain and infection that may interfere in their eating, speaking, playing and learning. It might also affect their social skills as they won’t have the confidence in showing their decayed teeth to their friends or classmates.

Oral health should be instilled by the parents and must be disciplined to teach your children about dental education and awareness of oral hygiene.

You can encourage them to eat nutritious meals and limit sweet snacks and drinks. This will lower the risk of having tooth decay at a very early age.

Provide low-fat milk and dairy products but rich in calcium. It will strengthen the teeth’s surfaces as well as the enamel to prevent it from being too brittle.

Protect your child’s teeth with fluoride. Provide them toothpastes that contains fluoride. You can also opt for fluoridization with the help of your family dentist. They will you provide information which are necessary before your child undergoes such process.

Schedule regular dental check ups. A dental appointment at least twice a year will help you prevent unnecessary dental visits and additional expenses later on. It updates you on the condition of your child’s teeth as dentists routinely examine it every time you go visit them. 

Having healthy teeth allows your child to eat and chew properly. It also helps children to speak clearly and confidently show their most precious smiles.

Most importantly, it is advisable to educate your child what oral hygiene is and how it is related to their wellness. Poor oral health may affect their growth and school attendance and it also decreases their self-esteem having those black spots on their teeth which are very unsightly.

Special Toothbrushing Techniques

Did you ever wonder why you still have plaque or tartar on your teeth even if you brush three times daily? Or
Worst have that odorous smell or bad breath even when you swish mouth rinses frequently?

Here's the thing-- studies show that the amount of bacteria being removed does not depend on how many times you brush or gargle mouth rinses, but the quality of your toothbrushing technique.

You have to make sure that you have brushed every surface of each tooth and spent at least 10-15 seconds on each quadrant of your dentition. Make sure to buy soft-bristled toothbrush to avoid abrasion of your teeth surfaces which causes enamel to weaken, hence, bacterial invasion sets in. For children you can have them sing ( in their mind ) their favorite song and wait for it to finish before rinsing. This at least assures you that your child didn't just brush, but cleaned their teeth thoroughly.

Pregnancy and Oral Health

During pregnancy, women experience slight gingivitis and some might experience bleeding gums.
This is because there is a great effect of the hormones during pregnancy causing the gums to swell. This just means that pregnant women are prone to bacterial invasion with the inflamed gums. It attracts food debris to easily access the periodontal pockets causing it to build tartar and plaque.

Such is called "Pregnancy Gingivitis". This is usually noticed on the second month of pregnancy and might get worse up to the eighth month. This is caused by the increased levels of  Progesterone up to 10 times the normal level making the periodontal lining become hyperplastic.

Certain preventive measures can help minimize swelling of the gums. Pregnant women should consult their dentist at least every trimester to check and measure the development of gingivitis. Oral prophylaxis and good oral hygiene can also help.

Facts About Mouth Rinses

There are many benefits you can get from using oral rinses. They promote good oral hygiene too aside from your regular toothbrush-flossing routine. 


Oral rinses usually contain anti-bacterial solutions like cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) and povidone iodine which are very effective in fighting bacterial contamination and cavity formation.


You can rinse your mouth at least twice a day to ensure total protection from oral diseases.

Flossing Helps You Fight Stress

Recent studies have shown that flossing once daily will help decrease tension and stress. Of course you would need to do it correctly. Flossing meticulously cleans the gum lines and vertical walls of the teeth as this can access those which can't be cleaned by toothbrushing alone.

Ask your dentist to teach you the right way to floss your teeth then you will notice the minimal exposure of plaque as well as halitosis (bad breath).

HOME TEETH WHITENING SAFETY

Ready to get that “pearly white smile”? Here are some important tips on how to safely whiten your teeth without suffering from harmful effects of improper whitening treatment procedures. Know the essentials and preparations before getting that dazzling smile that you’ll always be proud of.

Cosmetic dentistry has truly placed a magical world for people to have what they’ve always wanted-- glistening white teeth. Some would say that having that beautiful smile boosts up their self-confidence and were able to increase their self-worth because of that very attractive teeth are not shameful enough to see. People are more and more informed of the many advanced technologies in dentistry and tooth whitening system is one of these. In order to get the right treatment and to keep them safe from such procedure, one must be educated about this type of dental treatment and he must be assured that his dentist is knowledgeable enough to achieve a successful outcome.

So how safe is teeth whitening? That is one question you should ask to your dentist first. You should always feel confident about whatever dental procedures you are undergoing because you are well-informed and properly oriented. Know the possible side effects and proper maintenance after the treatment. Also, ask how often should you visit your dentist to check on your teeth.

Next is to know the components of the whitening or bleaching system. The main component of your teeth whitening gel is Carbamide peroxide which is activated when being placed under a special laser for dental clinic settings while for home treatment it takes longer to achieve a lighter shade as you have to apply it every night using a custom-made tray. There are some special instructions that you must be reminded of before applying this whitening gel. You have to make sure you don’t apply it to the gum area as this can irritate soft tissues of your oral cavity and that includes your gums. Apply the gel only to the surfaces of your teeth. This is the reason why it is most recommended to just let your dentist do the treatment or if necessary have the entire procedure demonstrated before you do it at home.

Once you are ready for the treatment process you must take note of some side effects and if you experience one you must promptly tell your dentist to ensure proper management of such case.Pay attention to the instructions at your whitening treatment product brochure and always test for allergic reactions before applying it to your teeth. You can test it on your skin and observe if it does not itch or gets reddish in color. After such test you can then try it on your teeth.

For take-home whitening products, you will observe changes of your teeth’s shade after 4 days or so. Dental chair treatments only last for about 30 minutes since dentists have lasers to speed up the activation of Carbamide peroxide in the whitening gel.

Basic safety information is very important since you are dealing with one important part of your body--- your oral cavity. You have to be cautious enough and be ready to inform your dentist if adverse effects take place after the treatment process. Basically teeth whitening gels are specially made to produce a whiter, brighter teeth without causing too much damage to your teeth. But you still have to take the necessary precautions and maintain good and proper oral hygiene.

You are now set for your teeth whitening treatment. Treat yourself with this truly satisfying feeling of having to show off that pearly-white smile and boost up your confidence knowing that you have one of the most beautiful smiles in the world.

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Dentist On Duty: Appointments at the Clinic

Dentist On Duty: Appointments at the Clinic: "Most dentist usually have their patients shelled so as to avoid being congested in the dental office. This is also important to prepare thei..."

Appointments at the Clinic

Most dentist usually have their patients shelled so as to avoid being congested in the dental office. This is also important to prepare their patients for the upcoming dental procedure.

When making appointments, makes sure to call your dentist at least one week ahead of time. This will also help your dentist study your case further and be prepared for your next visit.

Random procedures done during dental appointments are the following:

- oral examination

- teeth X-ray

- pulp vitality tests

Fluoride Therapy

Plaque is one of the reasons why your teeth are prone to decalcification because of bacteria that creates cavities in your teeth's surfaces and eats and eats it all out. To prevent this, it is advised that you have to brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once a day. Brushing your teeth helps in keeping your gums healthy as it also stimulates excellent blood circulation to prevent to nourish your teeth and help prevent periodontal diseases.

There are common active ingredients that toothpastes have and one of these is called “fluoride”. It contains detergents and foaming agents that help eliminate food debris that causes tartar and plaque making the tooth resistant to bacterial invasion.

Fluoride strengthens the tooth's surfaces making it resistant to any fractures, sensitivity and decalcification. It is usually applied at 6 years of age when the permanent teeth starts to grow. You should ask your dentist for more information about fluoride therapy as this is very helpful in maintaining a healthy set of dentition.

About Root Canal Therapy

RCT or root canal therapy in an endodontic process of taking out the vital nerves of a tooth to prevent irreversible pulp diseases to set in.

This is done by accessing the root canal which houses the nerves that supply the teeth. Many are quite anxious to undergo this dental procedure as they say it is painful. The truth is-- its not. Dentists use local anesthesia when accessing the root canal to prevent painful signs of root canal therapy. Anesthetic solutions help relieve pain and allows the patient to relax and enjoy the entire procedure.

Root canal therapy involves a series of dental check ups and visits as this is not just a one-time setting procedure. The root canal is thoroughly cleaned and certain medications are being placed to speed up antibacterial processes. This is then filled with permanent restorations before opting to crown the root-canaled tooth.