Dry mouth,  refers to a condition in which the salivary glands in your mouth don’t make enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. Dry mouth is often due to the side effect of certain medications or aging issues or as a result of radiation therapy for cancer. Less often, dry mouth may be caused by a condition that directly affects the salivary glands.

Saliva helps prevent tooth decay by neutralizing acids produced by bacteria, limiting bacterial growth and washing away food particles. Saliva also enhances your ability to taste and makes it easier to chew and swallow. In addition, enzymes in saliva aids in digestion.

Decreased saliva and dry mouth can range from being merely a nuisance to something that has a major impact on your general health and the health of your teeth and gums, as well as your appetite and enjoyment of food.

Signs And Symptoms :

• Sensation of dryness in mouth or throat, and saliva that seems thick and stringy.
• Halitosis
• Difficulty chewing, speaking and swallowing
• Alterations in sense of taste
• Discomfort when wearing dentures
• Frequent occurrences of tooth decay/dental caries
• Gum irritation and periodontal disease
• Dry or grooved tongue
• Mouth sores and dryness, cracked lips.

Causes

Dry mouth is caused when the salivary glands in the mouth don’t make enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. These glands may not work properly as the result of:

• Medications like anti epileptics, anti cholinergics
• Aging
• Nerve damage
• Other health conditions like Cancer , HIV Infections etc.
• Tobacco and alcohol use
• Recreational drug use

Treatments:-

Treatment is indicated according to the cause. Various treatment modalities are :

1. Change medications that cause dry mouth.
2. Recommend products to moisturize your mouth.
3. Prescribe medication that stimulates saliva production.
4. Protect your teeth by regular check ups
5. Sip water frequently
6. Chew sugar-free gums
7. Breathe through your nose, not your mouth
8. Try over-the-counter saliva substitutes

Peg lateral teeth, or peg lateral incisors, are terms used to describe a condition where the lateral incisors (the second tooth on either side of the front teeth) are undersized, conical and appear smaller than normal. This situation occurs when the permanent lateral incisors do not fully develop. Due to presence of peg lateral incisor, there will be a space between them and the adjacent teeth (this space normally would have been occupied by a fully developed lateral incisor) resulting in smile to appear abnormal.

There are several ways to treat and correct this condition. Porcelain veneers are the most common treatment for peg lateral incisors, and require little or no tooth preparation.  A porcelain shell is simply bonded over the smaller peg laterals making the teeth appear normal in size. If not enough space exists, it can be created by orthodontic treatment.

Causes of Peg Lateral incisors :

There are two primary causes of peg laterals

1. Genetics:  there seems to be a genetic component to this condition.  Some people with peg laterals have parents who had the same condition.
2. Developmental anomaly:  Sometimes the teeth just do not form correctly.

Some people are genetically missing the adult lateral incisors so the primary or baby lateral incisors remain in the position of the adult lateral incisors which looks abnormally small in an adult mouth.

How can we treat Peg Laterals :

(1) cosmetic bonding / Build up with tooth-colored materials

(2) Porcelain veneers

(3) Orthodontic treatment may be needed to position these teeth ideally for either of the above two options.  We work with many talented orthodontists to assist us when necessary for a more ideal result for you!

Sometimes the only treatment needed is to re position the peg laterals with orthodontic treatment or a removable appliance.

A free Dental check-up-cum-awareness camp was organised at Govt. Model   Sr. Sec. School, Khuda Lahora by Chandigarh police in association with the                THE DENTAL ARCADE.

Around  500 of senior citizens were examined in the camp. Apart from treatment the senior citizens were made aware about Dental health and oral hygiene by the team of expert Doctors-Dr. Vijita Mehta, Dr. Viniti Goel,           Dr Shivali Rai and Mr. Tejas Bhartiya

Sh.Ram Gopal central was present on the occasion along with                                    Mrs Poonam, Sh.Shadi Lal (Head constable) was also a part of event.

Ankyloglossia, also known as tongue-tie, is an oral anomaly present from birth and  may decrease mobility of the tongue tip and is caused by an unusually short, thick lingual frenulm, a membrane connecting the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. Ankyloglossia varies in degree of severity from mild cases characterized by mucous membrane bands to complete ankyloglossia whereby the tongue is tethered to the floor of the mouth.

Effects of tongue-tie

• Difficulty in eating
• Difficulty in speech
• Bad oral hygiene
• Mechanical/social effects
• Prevent the tongue from contacting the anterior palate which can result in an open bite deformity.
• Mandibular prognathism when the tongue contacts the anterior portion of the mandible with exaggerated anterior thrusts.

Treatment

Cutting through the

attachment/frenum

using LASER/BLADE under

Local anesthesia

(Frenotomy/Frenoplasty)

Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping one’s mouth clean and free of disease and other problems (e.g. bad breath) by regular brushing and cleaning between the teeth. … The most common types of dental disease are tooth decay (cavities, dental caries) and gum diseases, including gingivitis(inflammation of gums), and periodontitis (inflammation of supporting tooth structure).

Tooth decay is the most common global disease. Over 80% of cavities occur inside fissures in teeth where brush cannot reach food left trapped after eating. Thus saliva and fluoride have no access to neutralize acid and remineralize the  demineralized teeth, unlike easy-to-clean parts of the tooth, where fewer cavities occur.

Teeth cleaning is part of oral hygiene and involves the removal of dental plaque from teeth with the intention of preventing cavities (dental caries), gingivitis, and periodontal disease. People routinely clean their own teeth by brushing and interdental cleaning, and dental hygienists can remove hardened deposits (tartar) not removed by routine cleaning. Brushing properly twice in a day for at least 2 min is necessary.  Those with dentures and natural teeth may supplement their cleaning with a denture cleaner.

Good oral hygiene keeps teeth free from dental plaque build-up, staves off cavities and fights bad breath.

You’re at-home oral hygiene routine should consist of regular brushing and flossing.

Warm saline gargles or rinses with a appropriate medicated mouthwash after every meal is also a good practice. Ask your dentist for a mouth wash suitable for you.

A healthy diet that’s low in sugary foods and soft junk food is also an essential part of good oral hygiene.

Regular dental visits every six months allow your dentist or dental hygienist to provide oral hygiene instructions.

Your dentist may recommend oral hygiene products that cater to your mouth’s unique needs. And don’t forget our oral hygiene index — an excellent resource when you’re looking for information on good oral hygiene.