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Causes of tooth decay

• Poor oral hygiene
• High sugar levels in the diet
• Less content of saliva in the oral cavity

Which children are at risk of tooth decay

All children having bacteria in their oral cavity, so all are at risk for teeth decay.

Following conditions will raise your children risk for it

• High level of bacteria leads to decay
• A diet with high levels of sugars
• Less water content or no fluoride in it
• Poor oral hygiene
• Less saliva flow in their mouth

What are the symptoms of tooth decay in a child?

• White spots begin to form on the teeth in areas affected, because of these spots enamel is starting to break down this leads to sensitivity of their teeth.
• An early cavity appears in light brown color then it goes deeper, it turns in to black color.
• Kids having decay they will feel pain around the tooth
• Some people feel sensitivity to certain foods like sweets and hot or cool drinks.

How to prevent tooth decay in kids

• Start brushing your child’s teeth as soon as first teeth appear in their mouth, brush the teeth and tongue and gums with fluoridated paste.
• For children younger than 3 years use only a small amount of toothpaste above 3 years can use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
• After two years of floss your child’s teeth daily.
• Make sure your child eats a well-balanced diet and limit the snacks that are high in sugars and sticky – these include chips, candies, and cookies.
• Prevent the transfer from the parent’s mouth to the child’s mouth by share eating utensils.
• If a child uses a bottle at bedtime, only put water in it. Juice or some drinks having sugars can or may lead to decay of your child’s teeth.
• Talk with your child’s health care provider or dentist about using a fluoride supplement if you are living in an area without fluoridated water and also ask the dentist about dental sealants and dental fluoride varnish.
• Schedule routine dental checkups of your child every six months
• Counseling the child about oral hygiene.

What treatments are available for decays?

• Treatment depends upon the child’s age and how the condition is
• Scaling or oral prophylaxis
• If tooth decay is in the early stages it will be treated by filings.
• If tooth decay is deeper and the child gets pain, it will be treated by pulpotomy or pulpectomy and procedures like direct or indirect pulp capping.

If tooth loss occurs at an early age then space maintainers have to be given to maintain space for proper permanent teeth alignment. For more information, click here.

The post TOOTH DECAY AND KIDS – IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW appeared first on Positive Dental.

1. Examination
2. Investigations

Examination:

The dentist examines the hard and soft tissues in the oral cavity. Hard tissues such as teeth in upper and lower jaws, bone consistency and also check for any deformities or defects. Teeth are checked for decays, fractures, malalignment, defects, and decay on the crown and root portions, attrition of teeth, abrasion and any other natural or unnatural defects on the teeth are identified.

Soft tissues include cheek, tongue, and floor of mouth, palate, and gums. The dentist checks for any abnormal morphologies or any growth, discontinuity, discoloration, swelling and etc.

Plaque and calculus are a major part of dental disease these are checked in both hard and soft tissues. Once both hard and soft tissues examination is done, the clinician will assess the oral hygiene status and recommend the required or necessary ailments.

Investigations:

The doctor with the assessment will come to a provisional diagnosis if any will prescribed or advice the required investigations such as X-Rays, OPG, Cephalogram, Blood investigations, and other investigations.

To summarize the dental check up:

• Dental doctors will assess the oral hygiene status.
• Tooth risks such as decay, gum or bone diseases
• Need for replacement of missing teeth.
• Restoration of decayed teeth.
• Jaws problems.
• Deposits (plaque and calculus) on teeth.
• Investigations – x- rays, OPG and etc.
• Educate patient regarding maintenance of oral health.

The post WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR DENTAL CHECK UP appeared first on Positive Dental.

When a root canal treatment is done?

The most common complaint in the dental clinic is the decay of tooth and pain. Decay can be classified into 5 types, but only if the decay extends into the pulp chamber (that which has nerve endings and blood supply) only then there is a need for Root Canal Treatment. If the decay is superficial localized to enamel or dentine, the decay can be removed and the decayed tooth portion can be replaced or filled with Dental cement (GIC, COMPOSITE, MIRACLE MIX AND etc.).

Decay involving the pulp or the nerve can be from any surface of the tooth. In a few cases we can see no decay but due to trauma to teeth or periodontal problems can lead to tooth tenderness, which requires Root canal therapy. In all the aetiologies there is a microbial invasion into the pulp which suggests the need for RCT.

RCT is also known as Root Canal Therapy, Endodontic therapy or Endodontic treatment. RCT is a symptomatic treatment that involves the removal of infection from the infected tooth. This will eliminate microbes from the root canal and the tooth is filled with inert material known as gutta-percha (GP).

ROOT CANAL THERAPY CAN BE DIVIDED INTO 4 STEPS of which 3 are concerned to infection control and eradication. The 4th step is to retain or repair the tooth to its original anatomy.

1. Access opening
2. Cleaning and shaping
3. Obturation
4. Crown placement

Before coming to a conclusion of diagnosing the patient that he/she has to undergo RCT we need to perform a few investigation or diagnostic tests!

• Tenderness of tooth
• Fracture of tooth
• Mobility of tooth
• Pulp testing apparatus
• Pulp vitality tests
• Radiographs

In the first step, the tooth diagnosed in identified using the above-mentioned tests. The tooth once identified then local anesthesia is administered for that particular tooth. One anesthesia is achieved then the dentist prepared a cavity or access to canals that are used to clean the tooth.

For more information about Root canal treatment, click here.

The post WHAT IS RCT? THERE IS NOTHING TO BE SCARED OF REALLY..! appeared first on Positive Dental.

• Smile design
• Dental veneers
• Composites
• Bridges
• Crowns
• Teeth whitening

People with good dental hygiene and teeth with no deformities may be unsatisfied or unhappy with their smile. People are self-conscious about their teeth, gums, and smile. In modern dentistry, we have methods for these people to manifest a fully customized smile makeover treatment plans.

No two smile are alike, no two makeovers are alike. Each patient has a unique smile. The Smile makeover procedure starts with a detailed plan and moves on to the treatment, designed to realize the distinctive needs of the patient. It is the least invasive and yields remarkable results.

A smile makeover can be inscribed to varied aesthetic flaws like

• Missing teeth
• Discolored teeth
• Cracked or chipped teeth
• Eroded, crocked or disproportionately sized teeth
• Gummy smile and
• Uneven gum line

When teeth are severely damaged, broken or decayed, a dental crown is a solution to transfigure its appearance and functionality (after conservative or endodontic treatment). Missing teeth can cause a change in occlusion (bite). Temporomandibular joint disorder, speech impediments, teeth shifting, periodontal diseases and increased chances of tooth decay. Dental bridges are most commonly used to replace missing teeth. Dental bridges are highly durable and will last many years.

A crown or bridge can be made in all porcelain or all ceramic material that covers the entire tooth, thus improving the tooth appearance and strength. In modern dentistry, the old metal crowns which were unattractive have been replaced with tooth-color ceramic crowns, which makes it impossible to distinguish between natural tooth and crowns placed.

Crowns fill the space of missing teeth, maintain facial shape, prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position and restore the chewing and speaking ability. It will most importantly restore your smile and confidence. Positive dental provides the best dental implants in Hyderabad.

With a skilled and experienced dentist, with all parameters considered a complete smile makeover can be done which lasts for more than a decade giving people self-confidence and the confidence to smile in public.

For more information on Smile Makeover and the best dental implants in Hyderabad, click here.

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Why do people have sensitive teeth?

The tooth is the hardest structure in the human body. It is covered with enamel which is harder than bone. Enamel provides a protective covering to the crown portion of the tooth or the part of the tooth that can be seen in the oral cavity. Beneath enamel, there are two layers (Dentine and pulp). The other two layers are sensitive to heat, cold and sweet. Enamel does not have any nerve interventions, thus forming a protective layer.

Once there is loss of enamel due to attrition, abrasion, fracture, decay or other means. The patient will experience sensitivity. Other means can be due to the usage of a toothpick which in turn may cause gum injuries, use of dental floss, use of drugs that cause gum swelling, poor oral hygiene maintenance, gingival recession due to old age, habitual gum recession (usage of tobacco products) and etc.

Attrition of tooth can be attributed to two factors

1. Deep bite
2. Bruxism or habitual grinding of teeth

Deep bite is a condition where the upper front teeth cover the lower front teeth thereby exerting excessive pressure resulting in loss of enamel which leads to sensitivity. Bruxism is a habit which is due to excessive grinding of teeth, even when the person is not having any food, the person grinds his or her teeth and thus continuous friction of teeth results in enamel loss.

Abrasion is also a cause for loss of enamel but it is caused due to external factors such as excessive brushing causing cervical abrasion and people who have regurgitation show abrasion on the inner surface of the tooth, excessive usage of toothpicks and floss also cause abrasions. All these factors lead to the discontinuity of enamel causing sensitive teeth.

In a few cases when a person chews or bites on something hard, there may be a fracture of the part of tooth structure which makes the tooth devoid of enamel and exposes dentine that may lead to sensitivity. The decay of teeth is the most common complaint of the patient, during the decay of teeth; there are enamel and dentine loss which results in the unveiling of dentine and pulp causing sensitivity of teeth.

Preventive measures to avoid sensitive teeth:

1. Usage of soft bristled toothbrush
2. Avoid brushing of teeth for longer time
3. Maintenance of oral hygiene
4. Proper usage of teeth cleaning tools
5. Precise use of dental utensils (toothpicks, floss, inter-dental brush and etc.)
6. Don’t brush too hard
7. Learn proper Technique of brushing

Soft bristles toothbrush use in one of the inhibitory or prophylactic methods to avoid sensitivity. One has to select a proper toothbrush which is delicate enough to clean the teeth and not injure the teeth at the same time. The toothbrush must have soft or extra soft bristles and must be gentle on the teeth.

Brushing of teeth for a long time is a good idea to have good oral hygiene? NO, it’s a bad idea. Brushing for two minutes in a proper manner which enables oneself to remove all the plaque and food debris from the mouth is sufficient. You have to make sure that all the tooth surfaces are cleaned properly. Even if you brush for 10 – 15 minutes a proper technique is important. If there are flaws in your technique you may leave behind the bacteria that may, in turn, lead to gingivitis or periodontitis.

Brush for minimal time i.e. 2 minutes with precise technique cleaning all the tooth surfaces. People often wonder about their smile and oral hygiene. If one has good oral health, the likelihood of teeth related problems is reduced. Proper maintenance with regular dentist visits will allow individuals to maintain and preserve oral hygiene. Thus avoiding any gum or teeth related problems.

To maintain oral health, proper dental tools or gadgets available such as dental floss, toothpicks, interdental brush, and mouth wash can be used. These gadgets must be used with absolute precision as they can not only maintain good oral health but also cause more damage to the teeth or gums.

Hence one must be able to master or learn the proper technique to use the dental gadgets which aid in the maintenance of oral hygiene. Cleaning of teeth is a daily routine to all individuals, but it must be done with care using proper technique and the right amount of force. Brushing hard will damage the gums and teeth. A good technique and proper amount of force ensure good oral hygiene of one individual.

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