Tooth erosion is the wearing away of tooth enamel by acid. The enamel is the hard calcified tissue that covers and protects the outside of the tooth. It is also the hardest substance in our bodies.

Symptoms of tooth erosion can range from sensitivity to more severe problems such as cracking. Be sure to let your dentist know if you experience any symptoms of tooth erosion.

Early Symptoms of Tooth Erosion

• Discoloration – Since the dentin of the tooth is exposed during tooth erosion, discoloration or yellowing of the teeth can occur.
  The more dentin that is exposed, the more yellow the teeth will become.
• Tooth Sensitivity – Sensitive teeth are very common symptoms of tooth erosion because the enamel that protects the teeth wears away, leaving exposed dentin.
• Rounded Teeth – During the early stages of tooth erosion, it is common for teeth to have a rounded look.
• Transparent or Sand Blasted Appearance – It is not uncommon in the early stages of tooth erosion for the teeth to have a sand blasted look or for the tips of the front teeth to look transparent.

Advanced and Severe Symptoms of Tooth Erosion

• Cracking – If tooth erosion continues into the advanced stage, the edges of the teeth can start to crack and have a rough feeling.
• Dents – Little dents, also called cupping, can start to appear on the biting areas of the teeth.
• Extreme Sensitivity – Since the enamel wears away during tooth erosion, the teeth can become extremely sensitive during the advanced stages of tooth erosion.

If you suffer from chronic, severe bad breath, also known as halitosis, it’s important to identify the cause so you can determine an effective treatment.Halitosis has many causes, including the following:

• Tobacco use. If you smoke, quit. Your bad breath may be due to other causes, too, but tobacco use is a guarantee of bad breath.
• What you eat, or don’t eat. Certain foods, such as garlic, contribute to bad breath, but only temporarily. Once they are absorbed into the bloodstream, the smell is expelled through the breath.
• Dry mouth. If your mouth is extremely dry, there is not enough saliva to wash away excess food particles and bacteria, which can cause an unpleasant smell if they build up on the teeth.
• Infections. Bad breath that seems to have no other cause may indicate an infection elsewhere in the body. Bad breath can be a sign of a range of conditions including respiratory tract infections, chronic sinusitis or bronchitis, diabetes, or liver and kidney problems, so it’s important not to ignore the problem.

The best way to improve bad breath is to follow a thorough oral care routine including twice-daily tooth brushing and daily flossing to remove the food particles and bacteria that can cause bad breath. Mouthwashes only improve bad breath for the short term.

Bruxism includes various behaviours like:-

• Gnashing of teeth
• Grinding of teeth
• Clenching of teeth
• Gritting of teeth

Signs of teeth grinding-

1. A chipped tooth
2. You have a headache when you wake up
3. TMJ pain disorder
4. Chronic grinding of teeth
5. Pain in jaws
6. Loosening of teeth from the gums
7. Losing of teeth
8. Fracturing of teeth
9. Wearing away of teeth and enamel
10. Receding gums/Recession
11. Recurring headaches
12. Tooth pain

Treatment which really help include:-

• Using a warm, wet washcloth on the jaw in front of earlobe
• Massaging jaw muscles, the neck, and face to relieve tension on trigger points
• Getting physical therapy
• Doing exercises to relax the jaw
• Using muscle relaxants to relax the jaw

Treatments for bruxism designed to reduce symptoms or get rid of teeth grinding include:

• Reducing stress
• Don’t open your mouth too wide.
• Drinking more water

• Getting more sleep
• Not chewing gum or on other objects as it allows your jaw muscles to get more used to clenching and makes you more likely to grind your teeth.
• Consciously relaxing the face and jaw throughout the day
• Buying a teeth grinding mouth guard
• Avoiding alcohol, which increases the urge to clench the teeth
• Avoiding caffeine, which can make you jumpy and tense

• Do not chew on pencils or pens or anything that is not food.
• Train yourself not to clench or grind your teeth.
• If you notice that you clench or grind during the day, position the tip of your tongue between your teeth. This practice trains your jaw muscles to relax.

The most popular and widely used of these solutions is mouth guards which are custom fabricated according to your mouth.

How to get rid of stains?

Stained teeth can be due to poor oral hygiene, consumption of tobacco etc. So, it is important to change your habits in order to have a good smile. Get professional cleaning done and maintain hygiene.

 How to fight bad breath?

Foods like onion or garlic are notoriously known for causing bad breath. Other items that can be responsible for it are coffee, alcohol and cigarettes. Eating a healthy balanced diet, staying hydrated, washing your mouth at regular intervals, brushing right and giving up on smoking can help.Mouthwashes can help for transient time. Start flossing and cleaning tongue.

 Toothaches are really painful. What to do?

There can be causes like accidents or falls, misaligned or impacted wisdom teeth, gum disease,caries, etc. If your tooth is hurting, it is recommended that you visit a dentist to get relieved of your pain, instead of self medication.

 After how much time, toothbrush should be changed?

Replace your toothbrush when the bristles start splaying or bending, or every three months, whichever comes first.

    Why is smoking bad for my teeth?

Smoking or chewing tobacco can leave extrinsic stains on the enamel of the teeth. Tobacco contains staining elements that cause a gradual yellowing of teeth and affect the appearance of your teeth.

   What can be reason of dry mouth?

Dry mouth is not a disease, it’s a symptom of other diseases like diabetes, hypertension, Parkinson’s or a side effect of several medicines.A dry mouth can increase tooth decay and fungal infections of mouth.

 How many times should I brush?

While it is ideal to brush thrice a day, brushing twice everyday for 2 minutes can be sufficient to prevent germ build up and maintain good oral hygiene.

A dental abscess is an infection at the base of a tooth. It means a fund of pus has formed at the tip of a tooth root in your jawbone.However, it can spread to the goo near the tooth, If the infection is not treated. This causes swelling and pain. More serious infections spread to the face. This causes your face to swell (cellulitis). This is a veritably serious condition. Once the lump begins, it can spread snappily. A dental abscess generally starts with a crack or depression in a tooth. The pain is frequently made worse by drinking hot or cold potables, or smelling on hard foods. The pain may spread from the tooth to your observance or the area of your jaw on the same side.

Helpful Tips

There are different categories of mouth rinses, but those that contain fluoride can help prevent cavities by protecting teeth against cavity-causing bacteria. Using a fluoride rinse can enhance your regular oral care routine, but remember that using a fluoride rinse does not replace twice-daily tooth brushing and daily flossing for complete oral health.

Follow these steps to get the most from your fluoride mouth rinse:

Brush and floss first. Teeth should be as clean as possible to get the full benefit from a rinse.

Use the right amount. Use the amount of rinse indicated on the label or as directed by your dentist.

Swish like you mean it. Keep your mouth closed and swish the rinse vigorously for at least 30 seconds.

Spit. Don’t swallow mouth rinses. The sodium fluoride in most fluoride rinses can be toxic, if large quantities are swallowed. If you allow your child use mouthwash, supervise to be sure that he or she spits it out and doesn’t swallow it.

To get the most benefit from a mouth rinse, avoid eating, drinking or smoking for at least 30 minutes so you don’t dilute the fluoride.

Dental scaling is the most common nonsurgical way to treat gum disease, which is also known as periodontitis.

If your disease is moderate, but not severe, your dentist may recommend scaling to treat the disease and keep it from getting worse.

Scaling is nonsurgical, but it is a different type of procedure from a standard dental cleaning because it involves cleaning the areas of the tooth below the gum line.

There are two types of scaling instruments and some dentists or dental hygienists may use both:

• Scaling with hand-held instruments. Your dentist or periodontist will use a dental scaler and curette to manually remove (scale) the plaque from the teeth.
• Scaling with ultrasonic instruments. Ultrasonic scaling instruments clean plaque from the teeth with a vibrating metal tip that chips off the tartar and a water spray to wash it away and keep the tip cool.