Medical Vision Dental

HEALTHY BABY TEETH

Did You Know…?

It is a little recognised fact that a child’s dental care actually begins in the womb.This makes it more important for pregnant mothers to take special care of their health.  Pregnant women should make sure they eat a well balanced diet full of nutritious foods that contain all the vitamins and minerals that their bodies may need during their pregnancy. You should go for a full dental examination when you discover you are pregnant, as any cavities or gum disease will need to be treated as early as possible. Pregnant women in the UK are still entitled to free NHS dental treatment. If you are lucky enough to have a good dental insurance plan then it is likely that you have already been advised that a visit to the dental surgery during your pregnancy would be a good idea.

The Childs Developing Teeth

Your child’s first teeth usually begin to break through the gums from the age of about 6 months old.  As every child is different the age can vary greatly so do not fret if the your child’s first teeth break through a little earlier or later. Every child has 20 primary teeth making their appearance between the age of 6 months and 3 years old. These first teeth are not around for long; usually children start losing his or her milk teeth between the ages of 6 and 11 years old.At around six years old your child’s molars should come through. The last of a person’s permanent teeth usually come out somewhere between the ages of twelve and twenty-one.

By eight months of age, your dentist should be able to tell you of any concerns with your baby’s developing teeth. It may still be early days, but it’s good to be aware of any initial problems if any with your baby’s tiny mouth.While they may not be medical doctors, dentists often have a wide range of knowledge and experience within the dental surgery field which help them advise on a range of related issues. There are many great reasons to suggest that taking your child for regular dentist visits is a good idea, but the one I like most is familiarisation. You have a better chance of avoiding fear of dentists in your child if you take them with you to your own appointments. 

When Should Your Child’s Dental Care Begin?

Parents should schedule their child’s dental visits for every six months.  Starting proactive dental care from around the time your child turns one is a great idea. From the appearance of the very first tooth, there is still a lot that parents can do. Naturally you cannot use a tooth brush on a baby’s very first teeth, nor can you use adult toothpaste either. A toothbrush will have bristles which are much too hard for a baby’s teeth and adult tooth pastes have fluoride in them. Whatever the pros and cons of putting fluoride into toothpaste it is a subject which will no doubt continue to be debated, but probably the best idea is to avoid it when your baby is still very young. Toothpaste is essentially just the lubricant at this stage, and the best thing is to use a soft cloth to simply wipe your baby’s teeth and gums. This will be enough to remove the sugars from breast milk, formula or other drinks containing sugars. It’s the sugars in the foods which cause tooth decay at such a young age. Simply wipe their teeth and gums after each feed and this will go a long way. At around two years old it is easier to introduce a low fluoride toothpaste into the cleaning regime. Your dentist will be happy to advise you when choosing a brush and toothpaste for your child.

If your child has any dental problems arising from illness or injury, for example, then they should be seen by a pediatric dental specialist. Certain underlying issues behind dental problems – such as poor circulation, for example – may require additional treatments, which your pediatrician may suggest that you look into.

Helpful Tips

1. Avoid Sharing Cutlery.- Parents and carers may often share spoons and forks with their children. You may leave saliva on the spoon which may contain tooth decay bacteria. By practising good oral health habits within your family you can help reduce the risk of early tooth decay in your children.If you do use your baby’s spoon or test the milk from the teat of their bottle, make sure that you wipe it before giving it to them. Keeping your own teeth and gums healthy reduces the risk of transferring tooth decay bacteria to your child.

2. No Bottles at Night.- While it may be tempting sometimes, be aware that putting your baby or child to bed at night with a bottle of milk or juice puts them at risk of tooth decay due to the acids present in the sugars which the drink contains. This may often be easier said than done!

3. A Healthy Diet Means Happy Teeth. - Give your child nutritious foods to maintain healthy gums, develop strong teeth, and avoid tooth decay. These include fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Try to avoid too many foods that are high in sugar and processed carbohydrates, such as pastries, white pasta, and white bread. Even seemingly innocent fruits which we all try to get our children to eat more of contain sugars which can be harmful to their teeth, so it’s important to strike the right balance.

4. How to Clean the Teeth. - A soft cloth is sufficient to clean around your baby’s gums and first teeth as they start to come through.  As more teeth come in you can clean them with a soft toothbrush, using only water rather than toothpaste for the first few months.

5. Fluoride Is Important For Healthy Teeth. - By the time, your baby is 1 year old, begin to use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste while brushing your child’s teeth.

6. Flossing Time – You should begin flossing your child’s teeth as soon as you notice their teeth beginning to touch each other.

7. On Their Own – Your child can learn how to brush his or her own teeth at about 3 years of age. Children should be brushing their teeth in the morning and before bedtime by 4 years old.  Even though they are brushing their teeth on their own, you should still watch them and make sure they are brushing their teeth the right way.

As they get older it is important to teach them how best to take care of their teeth – good dental hygiene practices now will help them keep beautiful teeth in the future. Dencover dental insurance have dedicated an entire web site to helping you maintain beautiful healthy teeth and offering tips and advice on the best ways that you can insure your smile.

In the course of my daily work, I get to hear from a lot of people. The stories are often marvelous. Most of them are in relation to dental health but I also get to hear stories about peoples’ experience in overcoming other disease conditions as well.

One of the stories I recently heard was from a customer of mine. She bought a special device from me. She had a dental appointment in less than 2 weeks from the time she received the package. I was not certain that two weeks was enough time for this tool to work its magic, and she had even less than that amount of time.

The results were outstanding. She said that the hygienist told her that there was a 70% improvement in her gum health. She was absolutely delighted. This was a person who had, just a few months prior spent thousands on a dental surgery to help her gums.

Unfortunately, just a short time later, she was being told that she needed another ‘deep cleaning’ treatment. This is also known as a scaling and root planing or SRP treatment.

The first time she called me, she was very distraught over this constant ‘need’ for expensive dental work. She could not understand why she had spent so much money and continued to need even more treatments!

I understand her feelings all to well. Though I managed to avoid the first expensive treatment that was recommended, I still dread the idea of getting charged for something that ultimately is only a treatment that will very likely need to be repeated later on. This is what she found annoying too!

There are many things that can be done to improve dental health from home. In fact, if you ask any dental professional they will tell you that what you do at home has more impact on your dental health than what they do in the office.

However, as patients we are seldom told WHAT to do at home beyond simple brushing and flossing. Unfortunately, the same professionals will tell you that up to 75% of the population suffers from some form of gum disease right now! The only reasonable conclusion is that most people need more to gain and maintain their dental health than mere brushing and flossing has to offer!

We are in need of a revolution in home dental health care. Your dentist will be delighted to see the health of your gum tissue improve. Since gum disease really is the number one cause of tooth loss, you can bet that getting this area of your life under control can really help you to save your teeth and even keep them while you get older even while your friends may be getting more and more tooth replacements in the form of implants or dentures.

Having and keeping your own natural, living teeth is superior to having either implants or dentures. As the old saying goes: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"!

Next: Learn more about what you can do to keep your teeth for the long haul and prevent expensive dental treatments and surgeries!

Get your free report: How To Stop Gum Disease at: http://www.HowToSTopGumDisease.com

David Snape is the author of the book: What You Should Know about Gum Disease. ISBN: 978-0981485508 – Available online at most book retailer sites. It can also be ordered by most book stores.

Disclaimer: This article is for information and entertainment purposes only. It does not intend to render advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have or think you might have gum disease or any other health problem, visit your periodontist or physician for advice, diagnosis and treatment. The USFDA has not evaluated statements about products in this article.
 

Acidic Foods Cause Tooth Decay.

Irreversible tooth decay can be caused by eating too many of the wrong types of food. Having good dental insurance may protect you from the expense of treatment, but how many times have we heard that prevention is better than cure? Sugars are a major cause of tooth decay but a less known fact is that certain other foods can also cause serious damage to your pearly whites.

Better Known Tooth-Decaying Foods Include:

• Soda and carbonated soft drinks – both regular and diet.
• Most brands of energy drink.
• Juices.
• Chocolates and sweets.

These foods normally have a very high sugar content. Plaque and bacterial growth result primarily from the consumption of sugary foods. Foods which contain acid can also damage your teeth. Some acidic foods include:

• Most fruits.
• Pickles.
• Sauerkraut.
• Jams.
• Yogurt.

Often acidic foods will not strike us as causing tooth decay, as they may be good for us in other ways.

The antioxidants in red wine may be good for us too if the wine is drunk in moderation. Tartaric acid is found in both grapes and wine. Tartaric acid occurs naturally in grapes giving a sharp taste.

Health advice points us to a diet rich in fruit in its various forms, and yet the citric and malic acid found within them can be devastating to our teeth. Malic acid is naturally occurring and is usually present in unripe fruits before the formation of citric acid. This is the substance which makes fruits taste sour. Too much malic acid consumption can cause mouth irritation.

As mentioned before, fizzy drinks usually contain lots of sugar, but they also have phosphoric acid in them. Phosphoric acid is used by the food industry as an additive to create tartness in foods. There is a great deal of controversy regarding its health effects.

Foods such as sauerkraut and pickles are preserved in vinegar – acetic acid – or in brine which produces lactic acid. Lactic acid is found primarily in sour milk products such as yoghurt, cottage cheese and koumiss.

Weight control can be helped by eating fruits and low-fat yogurts, and wine is also said to be good for us in moderation. What is it, then, that makes them so bad for our teeth?

Tooth enamel is damaged by the acids found in a number of foods, like those listed above. The enamel is a thin hard layer of tissue on the outside of the tooth. The job of the enamel is to prevent the wearing down of the tooth by providing structural protection.

Acid from foods causes the enamel not only to soften, but also to dissolve. The dentin underneath the tooth’s enamel becomes more exposed as the enamel thins and loses its shape. The dentin is dark and can cause the teeth to look yellow in colour.

Limiting the Effects of Food Acids.

Knowing this does not mean you should not eat any of these acidic foods, indeed many are beneficial to the body in other ways. You should be aware of foods which may cause problems if allowed to stay in your mouth. If you have a regular dental care routine you can help prevent your teeth being attacked by tooth-decaying bacteria and acids.

If you have a desire for sour apples, salt and vinegar crisps or a glass of wine or two, the best way to control the acid in your mouth is to rinse your mouth with water after eating or drinking. Don’t brush your teeth immediately after consuming acidic foods.

The enamel which covers the tooth is softened by food acids – brushing your teeth immediately can cause serious damage as this enamel will still be soft. Ask your dentist to check your enamel if this is something you have been practising after meals. Don’t leave it too late to check – you may even find that a good polish is enough to bring them back to normal.

Other ways of controlling the acidic food in your mouth is to drink through a straw to keep the drink from excess contact with the teeth. Please do not attempt this when drinking wine though – you could be drunk very quickly!

You can also help prevent tooth decay by chewing sugar-free gum – this stimulates the flow of saliva which in turn helps to wash bacteria away. Practising good dental hygiene will help to minimise the damage caused to your teeth by food acids.

Your dentist will advise you if acidic foods are causing decay to your teeth. For those that have UK dental insurance, UK policies often cover the cost of both routine check-ups and hygienist visits too. Why delay – schedule your dental check-up today.

“Learn how to maintain beautiful teeth by developing a good relationship with your dentist”

We would all like to have beautiful teeth? Just brushing will not be enough! It takes more than just brushing and a good dental insurance plan to have beautiful teeth. You can make a big difference to your smile by putting a little extra effort into taking care of your teeth. If you want to keep your teeth and mouth healthy for a lifetime then all you have to do is follow a few easy steps.
Here are some simple techniques for gorgeous teeth:

• Understand what your teeth need in order to stay healthy. Don’t be put off by the cost of hygeinist visits, as any good dental insurance policy will cover the cost of these. As we are all individuals, so are our own particular oral conditions, so talk to your hygienist or dentist about any particular health issues which may affect yours. This is the only way that your dentist can help you keep your teeth looking great.
• Certain medical conditions can also affect the health of your teeth. Be sure to tell you dentist if there have been any changes to your general health; pregnancy, heart disease, diabetes and cancer treatments can all have an affect on your dental health and may require a change to your oral care routine.
• Information about any medicines, supplements or remedies which you are taking should be shared with your dentist. Medications can affect your teeth’s health, so be sure to tell your dentist if you have experienced a change in any medication you are currently taking since your last dental visit.
• Regular communication with your dentist is the key to success. A good relationship with your dentist is important as you need to feel comfortable enough to talk about important and sometimes personal issues which could have an effect on your oral health. In this way he or she will have the information necessary to give you the best dental care and oral health advice.

Some helpful tips summarised

•  Keep a journal with questions that you may want to ask your dentist.
• Take your diary with you to your appointment as there’s nothing more frustrating than forgetting to ask about things that have been in our heads.
• If you are sick at the time of your visit do tell your dentist.
•  Tell the dentist if you developed any medical/health issues recently.
•  If you are on any new medications or were taken off any old medications, be sure to let your dentist know about these too.
• If you have any inflammation in your mouth don’t wait for the problem to become serious or the pain to get worse – call your dentist.

It is important to establish a line of communication with your dentist. Don’t be afraid to talk to your dentist as it is his job to help you keep your teeth healthy and beautiful.

Today, more and more people are securing individual dental plans. A majority of people are realizing that getting one is beneficial for them.

Individual dental plans

However, what exactly is an individual dental plan and what features does it have to offer to its subscribers?

Actually, an individual dental plan is a type of dental coverage that doesn’t require a middleman. Essentially, these are dental insurance plans that are sold directly by providers to people who need them.

Providers of this plan don’t have to hire the services of an independent office or sell to the office of an individual.

Besides, most companies are now eliminating the possibility of providing dental insurance to their employees forcing them to look for one themselves.

It is important to take advantage of a dental insurance plan so that you can save up on expensive dental costs if you need it done.

There is no denying the fact that having dental treatments conducted will be rather expensive and prices are rising every day, hence, it is essential that you keep your budget intact when you need dental procedures done to any member of your family.

Find out more

When you subscribe to a dental plan, you will be required to pay for monthly or yearly fees. However, with this payment, you will be able to get discounted rates and coverage on your dental procedures.

Hence, you no longer have to worry about having to make full payments; instead you are able to save up just by taking advantage of a dental policy.

When you choose individual dental plans, there are several things that you need to keep in mind.

Every policy will contain different good points and bad points and it will also have a variety of features.

When searching, you will come across several dental plans that are in the market for you to pick out.

Before buying, it is important that you think about your needs first. Ask yourself whether you would want to be able to pick out a dentist for yourself or if you are fine with choosing from a list given by your provider.

Another thing to take note of would have to be the rates. There are some companies that offer higher premiums when it comes to individual dental coverage, but most of the time, these companies offer a very comprehensive dental plan.

Some providers that offer this would even include coverage for major dental treatments. Even if you might not need these treatments all the time, if you do need them, they can become quite expensive if you don’t have assistance from coverage.

Moreover, also think about the scope of the coverage that you’ll get. This can either be limited to your state or nationwide. Some plans are recognized statewide so there is no need to worry if for some reason, you would need to transfer out of state.

So if you need to look for a good dental plan, it is important that you do your research.  Compare different packages and offers from different companies so that you can get the best individual dental plans that are available.

To find out more, click here

Gum disease is a condition that seems to plague a good number of people, but most especially those who are advanced in age. It is also said to be a silent killer, spawning certain types of heart disease.

However, the question is, is there even a way to prevent it, given its propensity?  It is said that over thirty million people have this condition. Causes for this range from poor dental hygiene, lack of hydration to other conditions such as diabetes.

What are your treatment options then? Of course, the preventive care would include regular (and proper brushing of teeth) plus flossing. But if you are already afflicted with gum disease, then you may choose from surgical and non-surgical treatments. In either case, it is important to do what you can do keep your own natural teeth – if at all possible.

When it comes to non-surgical treatments, which best follows AAP guidelines stressing that periodontal treatment should be accomplished in the least invasive but most cost-effective manner as well, the most common would be scaling and planing followed by adjunctive therapy.

It is said that after scaling and planning, most patients would not require additional therapy. However, because of its limitations, there may be a need for some patients to undergo surgical treatments.

Surgical treatments would involve pocket reductions procedures, regenerative procedures, crown lengthening and soft tissue grafts. Of course, these could be much more costly but could be a necessary measure in order to prevent the disease from further spreading and branching off into other complications.  Protect yourself from periodontal disease.

*Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only and does not intend to advise upon, diagnose or treat any health problem whatsoever. If you have or think you might have a health problem, visit your doctor or dentist for advice, diagnosis and treatment The USFDA has not evaluated statements about products in this article.

Dental disease, specifically those affecting the gums, is one of the most common diseases that affect virtually millions of people. There are many factors that could cause this. As opposed to what some may say about gum disease and tooth loss being only an outcome of plaque and too much intake of sugar, there are actually some other factors that may not have been well disclosed to many as well.

For instance, pregnancy can actually cause the onset of gum disease faster. This is because hormonal changes during pregnancy can create an environment where it is much easier for plaque to flourish and where the gums are more susceptible. So if you are pregnant, you may want to go ahead and see your doctor for preventive procedures as well.

On a side note, oral contraceptives are also shown to increase an individual’s susceptibility to gum disease. People who are taking medications on a regular basis are also prone to dental diseases. Medications can often dry the mouth which also allows bacteria to flourish.
If you are in the habit of grinding your teeth, it is also high time you reverse it, as grinding creates more space in between the teeth and increases the likelihood of pocket traps in the gums.

You may also be interested to know that there is now a test to determine whether you are genetically susceptible to gum disease. This is important because for those who are genetically predisposed to this condition, the amount of oral hygienic measures they take will prove useless in the long run unless other preventive measures are taken.

This article is for information purposes only.  It does not seek to provide advice, diagnosis or treatment.  If you have or think you might have a health problem of any kind, visit your doctor or dentist for advice, diagnosis and treatment.  The USFDA has not evaluated statements about products mentioned in this article.
 

gum disease

 There is a rampant occurrence of gum disease worldwide.  It may be suggestive of a lifestyle problem.  We tend to be too preoccupied, with what seems to be equally important, but you have to know how destructive gum disease could be to our total wellbeing.  Products like Oramd, might help.

You may hear experts say that just because you brush and floss regularly you become less susceptible to gum disease.  And upon research I found out that it is not merely brushing, flossing and visiting your dentist regularly that saves you from the dreadful inflammation of gums and its detachment to the bones that hold the teeth.

Good and proper oral hygiene practices could spare your gums, too.  In a magazine I have read, it says, good oral hygiene when practiced properly gives back highly satisfactory results.  A friend confirmed that, too. 

She had really bad case, imagine blood lubricating her oral cavity instead of just saliva and it is foul smelling, too.  It’s really unsightly but I am proud to say that she is doing what she can to reverse the problem. There is a fine set of mouthwashes made by therabreath that might be helpful.

Socially, it has wounded her but she is starting to pull herself back together.  Gingivitis could really go out of hand with neglect.  It can cause recession of gums and reducing the bones that hold the teeth in place.  Can you imagine how painful that is?  It is thrice more painful than a decaying tooth.

 Some people wonder why, despite their religious biannual visits to the hygienist, their gums are still red and flabby.  Gingivitis is a serious, fast-progressing and life threatening condition. The hydrofloss is something that some hygienists recommend!

Research says that using some products could do more harm than good.  For instance, the floss – it is just a piece of thread, you might think but when used improperly – it could destroy the continuity of your gums thus causing gum recession leading to tooth mobility and worse, tooth extraction.

*Disclaimer:  This article is for information purposes only, It is not intended to diagnose, treat or offer advice. If you have or think you might have a health or dental health problem of any kind, visit your dentist or doctor for advice, diagnosis and treatment.  The USFDA has not evaluated statements about products mentioned. 

When dental health is the topic, I can see images of teeth running inside my mind. Nothing more than visions of teeth – healthy and not, then I started to realize, it is not just about teeth but the underlying tissues and bones. I have been missing a lot because I have focused myself on just caring for my teeth.

When we say dental health, it should be the entire oral cavity. It is not just caring for your pearly whites, you might be missing a lot, like me and my very little knowledge about it. I have learned through research that you may have really white teeth with the crowns unblemished but you can’t really tell if it is healthy. I have encountered once, a patient waiting in the dental reception sharing to me his story what terrible condition he has. I can see his teeth almost brilliant white and he told me he is totally caries-free. A portable oral irrigator can be useful when travelling.

So what could be the problem? It startled me when he actually pushed his incisors with his tongue and I saw the incisors literally moved into slanting position. And then it suddenly came to me, he has putrid breath too. I can see how sorry he is having overlooked his dental obligations because aside from time constraints, he thought his dental health is perfect. This is a really pitiful situation but I couldn’t tell him anything that could calm him, at this point when I am so unsure even of my own condition. An oral irrigator can help to fight / prevent gum disease

I tried to consult every search engine and it is surprising to find out that what could have gotten the case worse is improper oral hygiene practice. But of course there could be certain conditions that have aggravated the situation. It is funny how we have lived our lives with our oral cavity and how little do we know about it.  Learn how to stop gum disease before it is too late. 

Disclaimer: If you have or think you might have gum disease or any other health problem, please visit your doctor or periodontist for advice, diagnosis and treatment. This article is for information purposes only and does not intend to provide advice, diagnosis or treatment for any health condition.

Author:  Scotty M. Wells

It is quite amazing when you stop to consider all of the different ideas and notions about proper dental care. These seemingly conflicting theories leave the patient – or more accurately – the consumer, in a sea of bewilderment most of the time.

For instance, is fluoride in mouthwash and toothpaste good or bad? Many dental experts believe that toothpaste, mouthwash and even topical treatments of fluoride harden your teeth and are therefore good. Other researchers say that any fluoride containing product put in the mouth spikes blood fluoride levels. Fluoride apparently tends to accumulate in parts of the brain as well.

Research like that done by Dr. Phyllis J. Mullenix, PhD. clearly makes you question even small amounts of fluoride showing up in our drinking supply and food supply – as many foods are exposed to fluoridated water. She also discusses that when they wanted to study even lower doses of fluoride for extended periods of time, that her funding was cut.

There are even dentists who are against fluoride’s use in the human body for any reason. Confusing, isn’t it? Who do we listen too? I can’t answer that question definitively for you but here are some thoughts that I will share on this aspect of dental health.

I am personally against fluoridation of drinking water. Despite the arguments in favor of forced medication of our drinking supply, I think it is wrong to ‘force’ any medication on a population. This behavior effectively side steps each person’s right to choose. On the other hand, the choice of personal dental care products is just that: a choice. Each person as the right to choose whether he uses fluoridated rinse and toothpaste.

When it comes to adding fluoride to the drinking supply, many scientists and professionals are against the use of fluoride while many others are in support of it. When you have this kind of debate between scientists, isn’t it best to error on the side of caution? Follow the links below to learn more about what I think is useful on the topic of dental health.

The HydroFloss Oral Irrigator

An Ozonator

Therabreath Products for Bad Breath and Dental Health

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David is the author of the book: What You Should Know about Gum Disease. ISBN: 978-0981485508 – Available online at most book retailer sites. It can also be ordered by most book stores.

Disclaimer: This article is for information and entertainment purposes only. It does not intend to render advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have or think you might have a dental health problem or any other health problem, visit your periodontist or physician for advice, diagnosis and treatment. The USFDA has not evaluated statements about products in this article.