When it comes to restorative care, some smiles need more help than others. For patients who need to replace multiple teeth or fillings, or who need a root canal and crown, a full-mouth reconstruction may be beneficial. Similar to a smile makeover, a full-mouth reconstruction can involve multiple services, all used to help you restore your smile’s good health and functionality.
VISIT THE DENTIST DURING PREGNANCY
It’s a good idea to visit the dentist when you’re pregnant. This is because the hormones circulating in your body can affect your gums. Your gums are more likely to bleed and there is a greater chance of them becoming inflamed or infected. Having a gum infection can lead to your teeth being damaged. You’re also more likely to get a build-up of plaque (a type of bacteria) on your teeth.Serious gum infections are called gingivitis or periodontal disease. If you’re finding it difficult to stay healthy, this can affect the way your baby grows .
Diabetes Dental Tips
Keeping your own teeth is important for healthy eating. Natural teeth help you chew foods better and easier than you can with dentures . Because infections can make gums sore and uneven, dentures may not fit right. Be sure to tell your dentist if your dentures hurt.
Have a dental checkup at least every six months.
- Take good care of your teeth and gums. At least twice a day, brush your teeth with a soft bristle toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Use dental floss every day to clean between the teeth.
- If your gums bleed while you are brushing your teeth or eating, or a bad taste stays in your mouth, go to the dentist. Tell your dentist about any other changes you see, such as white patches, in your mouth.
What Is Dental Scaling?
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. Because the dentist or dental hygienist can’t see the plaque,
- 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.
Foods to Avoid When You Have Braces
What To Eat and What Not To Eat When You Have Braces
Braces or not, it’s always recommended to eat a well-balanced diet for its renowned health benefits. But if you have braces, it’s important to avoid special foods that can increase your risk for cavities or damage your braces.
Avoid Sticky and Sugary Foods
Cut down on sweets, chips and soda. Sugary and starchy foods generate plaque acid and that can cause tooth decay and promote gum disease. Sticky, chewy sweets like caramel can also cause wire damage and loosen brackets.
Cut Food into Small Pieces
Cut healthy, hard foods like carrots or apples into smaller pieces. This makes them less a threat to your braces.
Stay Away From Hard, Crunchy Snacks
These types of snacks, including popcorn, nuts and hard candy, can break braces or make their impact less effective
What Are Common Bad Breath Causes?
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.
FOODS THAT HELP PREVENT TOOTH DECAY
Food Choices That Prevent Tooth Decay: It’s no fun passing up sugary treats like cookies and candies. But when it comes to tooth decay, food choices play an important role. Some foods can harm your teeth, while others contain essential nutrients to keep them healthy and strong. To help prevent tooth decay, keep the following food choices in mind.
Fruit, Fiber and Veggies: Eating high-fiber foods keeps saliva flowing, which helps create mineral defenses against tooth decay. Good sources of fiber are dried fruits such as dates, raisins and figs, and fresh fruits, like bananas, apples and oranges. Other options include veggies, such as beans, Brussels sprouts and peas, along with peanuts, almonds and bran.
Proper Use Of A Fluoride Rinse Can Prevent Tooth Decay
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.
What is good oral hygiene?
Good oral hygiene keeps teeth free from dental plaque buildup, staves off cavities and fights bad breath. Your at-home oral hygiene routine should consist of regular brushing and flossing. A healthy diet that’s low in sugary foods 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.
Using a Flosser & Flosser Types
Using a Flosser
If you don’t like reaching into the back of your mouth, or if you are helping a child or elderly parent with oral hygiene, a flosser may be the right product to meet your flossing needs. A flosser is, in simplest terms, a piece of dental floss on a handle. Many types of flossers are available, and any of them will help promote oral health when you use them properly to clean between and around teeth. Which flosser you choose comes down to personal preference, but look for a model with a long handle for easier holding and a compact head that makes it easier to reach behind the back teeth—a particularly tricky spot to clean.
Flosser Type Some flossers are totally disposable and others have disposable, refillable heads. You can also buy flossers that have specially designed handles with no-slip grips to make them even easier to hold. Some flossers have an area that works as a tongue scraper, and others come in small sizes with child-friendly designs.
