• Tuesday, February 02nd, 2010
If you are having a serious problem with your gums your dentist may recommend you see a periodontist (gum specialist).
Regular gum treatment can be quite extensive involving cutting and sewing the gums. An alternative to this, which can sometimes be done is called periodontal laser therapy.
What happens during laser therapy is that a highly concentrated laser or beam of intense energy is directed at the infected area of the gum. The pinpointed accuracy of the laser enables the dentist to target a section of the gum where the tooth and gum meet, and this critical area is so small that it can hardly be seen with the naked eye. By zapping it with the laser, the infection is destroyed and the harmful bacteria are destroyed before they can spread to other parts of the gum tissue.
With periodontal laser therapy there is no cutting. Since no incisions have to be made to get past the gum and to the infected area, there are no stitches to heal, there is no bleeding to worry about, and there is only minor discomfort instead of serious pain associated with conventional gum surgery. The process puts the patient at less risk, it happens very fast, and then the wounded part – where the laser has essentially burned away the infection – is sealed.
If you are concerned about the surgery involved in conventional periodontal treatments ask you dentist to recommend a periodontist who is familiar with the latest procedures.
• Monday, February 01st, 2010
Just as with a pain in any other part of the body a toothache is the body’s way of telling you there is something wrong.
The ache of a tooth is caused by something having broken through the natural defenses of the teeth and gums such as the hard enamel on the outside of the teeth.
A usual cause of a toothache is the cavity. Here bacteria has broken through the enamel and caused a small hole. This exposes, to a greater or lesser degree, the underlying nerve causing pain.
If the gums are infected – perhaps from not flossing on a regular basis – the infection can spread and causing swelling and inflammation around the nerve of the tooth – which will, in turn, cause a bad toothache.
Whatever the reason, if you get any sort of pain in your gums or teeth, see you dentist right away. Taking care of the problem quickly will save time, money and most importantly, pain.
• Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
When bacteria accumulate in areas where food has been trapper between the teeth or at the back of the tongue bad breath can result.
It’s important not only to brush well but to get rid of the bacteria that collects at the point farthest in the back of your tongue.
A device used in many other cultures which has recently seen an upsurge in the United States is a tongue scraper. This is a simple device made of plastic or metal. You scrape the device across your tongue and it removes this hard to reach bacteria build up which helps freshen your breath. When you use a tongue scraper every day you’ll notice less and less of a build up as time progresses.
• Tuesday, January 05th, 2010
I mentioned in a previous post that canker sores are not to be confused with cold sores. This would probably be easier to do if I mentioned what a cold sore is and looks like.
Here is a definition of cold sore from the National Institute of Health.
Herpes labialis is an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus. It leads to the development of small and usually painful blisters on the skin of the lips, mouth, gums, or lip area. These blisters are commonly called cold sores or fever blisters.
This is a virus and is contagious. It can spread by touch or by someone touching the infected area or by contact with anything which has become infected(such as a hand, a towel, razor, tweezers).
Part of the treatment of cold sores includes ensuring you don’t spread the virus to others or other parts of your own body.
Wash blisters gently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus to other areas of skin. An antiseptic soap may be recommended. Applying ice or warmth to the area may reduce pain.
The warning signs of cold sores are:
Skin lesions or rash around the lips, mouth, and gums
Small blisters (vesicles) filled with clear yellowish fluid
Blisters on a raised, red, painful skin area
Blisters that form, break, and ooze
Yellow crusts that slough to reveal pink, healing skin
Several smaller blisters that merge to form a larger blister
Mild fever (may occur)
If the symptoms do not go away in a week or two you should see your doctor.
• Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
Currently there is no known cure for canker sores. However, there are treatments which can help ease the pain and discomfort and help them heal.
The type of treatment depends in part on the severity of the sore.
Minor canker sores can be treated with home remedies or over-the-counter products.
Some of the home remedies include bathing the area with a salt water and sodium bicarbonate solution and swabbing with a solution of water and hydrogen peroxide.
Saltwater and Sodium Bicarbonate:
Mix ½ tsp sale with ½ cup warm water. Swish this solution around in your mouth and then spit (preferably in the sink). You can also add baking soda to the mix and make a paste. Cover the canker sore with this paste and it should take some of the pain away.
Hydrogen Peroxide Remedy
Mix even amounts of hydrogen peroxide and warm water. With a cotton swap gently dab the solution onto the canker sore. Do not swallow the solution.
Major canker sores such as those that do not go away or have developed secondary infections must be treated by your dentist. These treatments can include prescription antibiotics or steroids. Canker sores is a problem you dentist has seen many times and he or she will be able to help.
• Monday, December 14th, 2009
A canker sore is a small ulcer or lesion that occurs on the inside of the mouth. They can appear on the top surface or the tip of the tongue, underneath the tongue, on the roof of the mouth or on the gum. Canker sores appear round or oval with a red border and yellow or white center. Canker sores are not contagious.
Canker sores are not the same as cold sores. Cold sores develop on the outside surface of the lips and are a different condition.
A couple of days before you actually see the sore you may feel a tingling or burning sensation in the area where the sore is about to appear.
• Tuesday, December 08th, 2009
Do you get twinges in your teeth when you bite into a ice cream cone? Does even the thought of chomping down on a piece of ice make your teeth cringe? Do your teeth hurt when you drink a very hot or very cold beverage? If so, you have sensitive teeth.
Sensitive teeth can be caused by several different things. Two common reasons are cavities and fractured teeth. If your dentist rules out these problems then this sensitivity is probably being cause by a small crack in a tooth, worn enamel or an exposed tooth root.
No matter the cause. Sensitive teeth can be treated. The first step may simply be to purchase and use toothpaste made especially for sensitive teeth. This can be found in most of the larger drug and grocery stores.
The other problems can be treated by your dentist and by good oral hygiene.
• Friday, December 04th, 2009
When wisdom teeth come in healthy and properly positioned they are a valuable asset to your mouth.
However, too frequently problems occur which make it better to have them removed. Sometimes a person’s jaw is not large enough to accommodate their wisdom teeth. This can make it difficult for these teeth to come through or if they do come through can cause other teeth to go out of alignment.
Sometimes wisdom teeth may only partially comer through, grow sideways or remain trapped beneath the gum and the bone.
Here are some reasons your dentist may want you to have your wisdom teeth removed.
The wisdom tooth only partially comes through leaving an opening for bacteria to get in around the tooth. This can result in pain, swelling, stiffness of the jaw and general illness.
A cyst forms causing problems with the gums or bone near the wisdom tooth.
The poorly aligned wisdom tooth is causing or likely to cause damage to the adjacent teeth.
If you have any doubts about whether your wisdom teeth need to be removed get a second opinion. However, if they do need to be removed remember many, many people have had their wisdom teeth pulled and it has caused no difficulty or change in their looks or eating habits.
• Friday, November 20th, 2009
The way you look and the way you feel about yourself, your own feeling of self-confidence are affected by your teeth and your smile.
Here are some cosmetic procedures that help, when needed, to give you a brighter nd more confident smile.
Teeth whitening: Whitening, also called bleaching, brightens teeth that are discolored or stained. Teeth whitening can either be done completely in your dentist’s office or can be done with a combination of in-office and in-home procedures.
With Bonding a tooth-colored material is attached or ‘bonded’ to the teeth to improve the appearance of teeth that are chipped, broken, cracked or stained.
Veneers are custom-made shells that are placed on the front part of a tooth that is chipped, worn, slightly crooked or permanently stained
For children or adults braces are the standard treatment for teeth that a crooked, crowded or do not meet properly.
If you have any attention on the look or feel of your teeth talk to your dentist about what cosmetic procedure he or she recommends to give you that perfect smile.
• Saturday, November 07th, 2009
In keeping with my purpose of ensuring patients understand what their dentist is talking about I thought I would give a brief definition of abscessed tooth.
An abscess is an accumulation of pus anywhere in the body. With regards to dentistry an abscess is a painful infection at the root of the tooth or between the gum and the tooth. This is usually caused by severe decay but can also be caused by trauma such as breaking a tooth.
The most obvious, to the patient, symptom of a tooth abscess is a severe and continuous toothache. Other symptoms may include a fever, pain when chewing and redness or swelling on the gums.
