Tuesday, 23 October 2012

ORAL CARE FOR KIDS



                          ORAL CARE FOR KIDS


Tooth decay affects children more than any other chronic infectious disease. Untreated tooth decay causes pain and infections. This may lead to problems such as eating, speaking, playing, and learning. Tooth decay and other oral diseases that can affect children are preventable. 


Tips for good oral health in a child:

  • Eat nutritious food.
  • Avoid in between snacking.
  • Use a fluoride toothpaste
  • Frequent dental check ups.

Effects of Early Childhood Cavities

  • Tooth loss
  • Ear and speech problems
  • crooked permanent teeth
  • Tooth decay
  • Severe pain

Nutrition for Children

When a  child eats or drinks sugars, the germs in the mouth mix with the sugars to make a mild acid which attacks the  enamel. It can make holes (or cavities) in the teeth.
 Milk contains natural sugar.If a child is put to bed with a bottle of milk, the milk stays in the mouth for a long time. This may cause cavities.
Water is the best drink to have between meals. 


Cleaning Teeth

Young children are not able to clean their own teeth.  Start cleaning your child's mouth even before your child has teeth.  The goal is to wipe all parts of the gums and teeth.

Taking care of your child's teeth is an important part of taking care of their overall health.



Monday, 13 August 2012

Quick Review- 6 Major Dental Problems


Quick Review- 6 Major Dental Problems


1) Burned Palate

Causes:

  •    Impatience
  •    Hot pizza
Treatment:
Apply Kenalog in orabase. It ia a corticosteroid paste which protects from burn. It speeds heeling.

2) Burned tongue

Causes:

  • Hot tea or coffee or any other hot drinks.
  • Improper flame technique.  
Treatment:
Make a solution of one teaspoon of salt a cup of hot water. Rinse your mouth with that solution.

3) Canker sore

Causes:

  •    Doritos
  •    Salsa
  •    Sharp and spicy foods

Treatment:

Take small cotton and apply vegetable oil to it and hold it against the sore. It will protect it from irritation. Repeat it twice a day.

4) Lost tooth

Causes:

  •    Jell-o-shells
  •    Dikembe Mutombo, etc
Treatment:
Push it in a right way and bite down gently on a soft cloth or a tea bag. It will help to hold it. Periodontal ligaments break during knocking of  teeth.

5) Jaw Soreness

 Causes:

  •    Temperomandibular joint dislocation.
  •    Improper alignment of your jaw.
  •    Unconscious grinding of teeth.
Treatment:
Try your side or back with a supportive pillow instead of face down.

6) Chipped or cracked teeth:

Causes:

  •    Hot food and ice cold drink immediately causing disparity of temperature.
Treatment:
  •    Seal the tooth.
  •    Use teeth whitening products.

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Monday, 6 August 2012

Instant Tooth Pain Relief Remedies

***Do not hesitate to consult a professional….

Tips:
  • Almond extract : Take a cotton swab, dip it in almond extract and place it on the painful tooth.
  • Cloves : This is one of the best remedies known till today to instantly reduce pain. Keep biting a couple of cloves till pain relieves or place a few drops of clove oil on the affected tooth. But please make sure not to add excess clove oil since it is toxic.
  • Ginger root : Take a fresh piece of ginger and keep chewing it with the painful teeth. Can give instant relief.
  • Cucumber : Slice a fresh piece of cucumber and place it over the sore area. But if you are sensitive to cold make sure to bring to room temperature before placing it. ** Considered more effective if taken with a pinch of salt.
  • Ice pack : Place an ice bag over the cheek of the affected tooth. This helps reduce pain by causing local numbness.
  • Peppermint extract :  Take a cotton swab, dip it in peppermint extract and place it on the painful tooth.
  • Potato : Mash up the potato, add a pinch of salt to it and place it on the affected tooth till pain is relieved.
  • Tea : Prepare a hot cup of tea and then use the hot tea bag to put over the area of pain. The tannins present in tea can help numb the pain.
  • Lime : Cut a piece of lime, place it in your mouth and give it a small bite to release the juices.
  • Onion : Slice a small piece of onion and place it near the gum area for instant pain relief.
  

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Sunday, 5 August 2012



Bad Breath Causes

Most of the people complaints about bad breath. But actually one who notices that he has breath through the comments of somebody. It will be irritating to the person. Can you imagine that situation?

Don’t worry about such situations. We have solutions make your breath fresher. Now we are going to discuss about the major causes of bad breath.

Actually bad breath is not a disease. But the worst fact is the bad breath can generate a negative impact relationships, business and even in marriage. Most of the people especially females use cosmetics products to freshen their breath.

Sometimes dentist may fail in their treatment. People were not satisfied with their treatment and return back to their home and seek treatment in their own way. First of all you should know what the causes of bad breath are. Here are some causes of bad breath.

Causes:

  • Use of dentures especially made up of metal and acrylic can generate vulganit smell.  So you can use clean dentures.
  • Abnormal arrangements of teeth or crowded teeth can cause accumulation of food debris causing bad breath.
  • Poor oral hygiene due to decomposition of food remnants between your teeth.
  • Due to some oral disorders like Recession gingiva (Opening root of the tooth), Pseudo pocket associated with wisdom teeth etc.
  • Infection to the oral cavity such as sores, swollen gums, inflamed tongue etc.
  • Due to the lack of vitamins, easy bleeding gums, bitten tongue, mouth drooling a lot, fever and a weak body.
  • Tooth cavities are main problems because the cavities are the main site of accumulation of food debris.
  • Bad breath can also be a symptom that affect the whole body such as uncontrolled diabetes, heart diseases etc.
  • Can also be due to carcinoma or some tumor of the oesophagus or stomach which can produce liquid or foul smelling gas and regurgitation to the oral cavity.


Now you can the appropriate treatment and avoid the bad breath. Be happy and have good confidence in your talk and smile.

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Wednesday, 1 August 2012


Signs And Prevention Of Enamel Erosion

The hardest tissue in the human body is the enamel. Enamel is the outer covering of the tooth. Enamel erosion is the process of demineralization of enamel minerals.

Signs of enamel erosion
According to the different stages of enamel erosion signs can vary to a certain extend.
Chips and cracks: It is appreciated at the tip of the teeth. As the enamel erodes the edges of teeth become irregular, sharp and rough.
  • Cupping: As enamel erodes cuts and marks are obtained at the surface of the teeth. This process is called cupping.
  • Sensitivity: The erosion results the teeth to become sensitised to hot, cold, and sweet foods. It may cause a characterised pain in the early stages of erosion. But the teeth become hyper sensitised to temperature and certain tastes. You feel a painful jolt that takes your breath away.
  • Discolouration: Yellow colour is formed as the dentin is exposed due to the erosion of the teeth enamel.

The chance to get cavities or tooth decay increases as enamel erodes. Enamel erosion makes an entry to the main body of the teeth. If it continuous, goes further inside and may affect nerve fibres supplying it adjacent parts. This will leads to painful abscess or infection.

Prevention of enamel erosion
  • You should brush and floss daily.
  • You should consult your doctor for a dental check up every six months.
  • Drink more water throughout the day if your mouth is dry or having less salivation.
  • Avoid highly acidic foods.
  • Avoid highly acidic drinks.
  • Rinse your mouth immediately after every meal especially highly acidic foods or drinks.
  • You can use straws while drinking carbonated drinks, so as to avoid in contact with teeth.
  • Actually chewing gum increases the saliva production up to ten times. Saliva in a small extend strengthens the teeth. So you can use sugar free gum with xylitol. Xylitol is a chemical used in beverages and foods to reduce the acidic contend. 
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Sunday, 29 July 2012

Oral Cancer



                                         ORAL CANCER

 

Oral cancer is a cancer that occurs in any part of the mouth; on the tongue's surface, in the lips, inside the cheek, in the gums, in the roof and floor of the mouth, in the tonsils, and also the salivary glands.

Signs and Symptoms

Early stages of oral cancer does not show much detectable symptoms.. Smokers and heavy drinkers are more prone to have oral cancer. Most commonly seen signs and symptoms are:
  • Red or white patches on the mouth or tongue.
  • Mouth ulcers and mouth sores.
  • Painful tongue
  • Jaw pain and stiffness.
  • Sore throat.
  • A swelling in the mouth that persists for over three weeks. 
  • Pain when swallowing.
  • Loose teeth.
  • Irritating sensation in the throat.
  • A hoarse voice.
  • Pain in the neck.

Risk factors for mouth cancer

. The risk factors for mouth cancer include:
  • Smoking

  • Tobacco(chewing and smoking).

  • Heavy alcohol consumption  


  • Diet -red meat and junk foods are the main cause of oral cancer.

  • Radiotherapy in the head and/or neck area. .

  • Exposure to certain chemicals - especially asbestos, sulphuric acid and formaldehyde.

  • Sun exposure on the lips

  • HPV(human papilloma virus) infection

Diagnosis:

  • Biopsy - Under anesthetic sample of tissues is collected from the mouth to see if there are cancerous cells.

Tests for staging:

  • Endoscopy - A lighted scope is lowered down the patient's throat to see whether the cancer has spread beyond the mouth.

  • Imaging tests like:
    • X-rays
    • Computerized tomography (CT) scans
    • Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI) scans
    • PET (positron emission tomography) scans

 

 Stages of cancer of the lip and oral cavity

Staging the cancer (identifying its stage) provides a universally understood definition of a particular cancer's progress. It helps in the planning of treatment protocol for that particular cancer, helps in determining prognosis (predicting likely outcomes), and also allows accurate end-results reporting.

  • Stage I - the tumor is below 2cm in diameter and has not reached nearby lymph nodes.

  • Stage II - the tumor is between 2cm and 4cm in diameter and has not reached nearby lymph nodes.

  • Stage III - The tumor is above 4 cm in diameter and has spread to the nearby lymph nodes on the same side of the neck.

  • Stage IV - The cancer has spread to 2 or more lymph nodes either on the same side of the neck or to the opposite side of the neck. Sometimes the cancer may also spread to other parts of the body.


Treatment

Treatment will depend on position and stage of the cancer as well as the patient's general health and personal preferences.

Surgery  include:
  • Surgical removal of the tumor
  • Surgical removal of cancer that spread to the neck - mouth cancer tends to spread to the lymph nodes in the neck. The surgeon may perform a neck dissection - cancerous lymph nodes and related tissue in the neck are surgically removed.
  • Mouth reconstruction - Surgeons may transplant grafts of skin, muscle or bone form other parts of the body to reconstruct the face if there is a change in the appearance or patient’s ability to talk during the surgery.
  • Radiotherapy (radiation therapy) - It involves the use of beams of high-energy X-rays or particles (radiation) to destroy cancer cells.
  • Internal radiotherapy (brachytherapy) - often used to treat patients with early stages of cancer of the tongue.

    Radiation therapy applied to the mouth may have the following side effects:
-Tooth decay
-Mouth sores
-Bleeding gums
-Jaw stiffness
-Fatigue
-Skin reactions (similar to burns)
  • Chemotherapy – used in advanced stages of oral cancer.
Chemotherapy involves using powerful medicines that kill cancer; they damage the DNA of the cancer cells, undermining their ability to reproduce. Chemotherapy medications can sometimes damage healthy tissue, and patients may experience the following side-effects:
-Fatigue
-Vomiting
-Nausea
-Hair loss
-Weakened immune system (higher vulnerability to infection)
Side effects are temporary.
  • Medication using monoclonal antibodies - this involves drugs that change aspects of cancer cells that help them grow. Cetuximab (Ebitux) is used for some head and neck cancers - it stops the action of a protein found in many kinds of healthy cells, but is more prevalent in the surface some cancer cells. The protein is called epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR).

Cetuximab may have the following mild side effects:
-Nausea
-Diarrhoea
-Breathlessness
-Inflammation of the eyes

Complications of oral (mouth) cancer
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Speaking problems
  • Depression. 

Prevention

Oral cancer is sometimes associated with known risk factors for the disease. Many risk factors can be modified but not all can be avoided.
  • Tobacco and alcohol use: Tobacco use (cigarettes, pipes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco) is responsible for most cases of oral cancer. Alcohol, particularly beer and hard liquor, are associated with an increased risk of developing oral cancer. The risk of developing oral cancer is higher in people who use both tobacco and alcohol. Avoiding or stopping the use of tobacco decreases the risk of oral cancer.

  • Sun exposure: Exposure to sunlight may increase the risk of lip cancer, which occurs most often on the lower lip. Avoiding the sun and/or using a sunscreenor colored lipstick on the lips may decrease the risk of lip cancer.

  • Other factors: Some studies suggest that being infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV) may increase the risk of oral cancer.

  • Chemoprevention: Chemoprevention is the use of drugs, vitamins, or other agents to prevent or delay the growth of cancer or to keep it from coming back. Tobacco users who have had oral cancer often develop second cancers in the oral cavity or nearby areas, including the nose, throat, vocal cords, esophagus, and windpipe. Studies of chemoprevention in oral cancer are under way, including chemoprevention of leukoplakia and erythroplakia.
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Saturday, 28 July 2012

does phytic acid affect remineralization of teeth


Does phytic acid affect remineralization of teeth

Studies have shown that phytic acid reduces the absorption of many essential minerals involving calcium, magnesium, iron etc. calcium is an essential mineral for remineralization of teeth

Food rich in phytic acid

Mainly grains, beans, soy beans, edamame, coconut flour, corn

Remedies to reduce phytic acid in your diet

Grain

Grains have the highest phytic acid content. The phytic acid in grains can be reduced by eating grains after soaking or sprouting them. Bake them using long rise time and good pH content

Beans

Beans can also be soaked

Corn

It is difficult to reduce phytic acid in corn

How to sprout

Soak the grains overnight, drain and place them in a container with cheese cloth cover. In 2 days they will give out small tails and sprouts


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