Sunday, June 26, 2011

Oral Bacteria May Stop Dental Plaque

What is Plaque?
Plaque is a sticky, colorless film of bacteria and sugars that constantly forms on our teeth. It is the main cause of cavities and gum disease, and can harden into tartar if not removed daily.
Your gums and teeth are directly connected to the blood stream, therefore, they are your first line of defense against disease and should be treated with the care they deserve. Poor dental health has be linked to heart disease, stroke, gum disease and even premature births, according to recent research.







Dental plaque is difficult to see unless it's stained. You can stain plaque by chewing red "disclosing tablets," found at grocery stores and drug stores, or by using a cotton swab to smear green food coloring on your teeth. The red or green color left on the teeth will show you where there is still plaque—and where you have to brush again to remove it.
Stain and examine your teeth regularly to make sure you are removing all plaque.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Tooth Abscess Antibiotics

Tooth abscess, also known as dental abscess and root abscess, is a condition in which pus is collected in the tissues surrounding a tooth, due to a bacterial infection. It usually occurs in the tissues around a decayed tooth or due to a failed root canal. Tooth abscess is of three types - a periodontal abscess, a gingival abscess and a periapical abscess. A gingival abscess occurs in the gum tissue without affecting the tooth, a periapical abscess occurs in the dental pulp or the root of a tooth, and a periodontal abscess occurs in the tissues and bones of a tooth.

The practice of prescribing antibiotics for an abscessed tooth before extracton has died out. It used to be the norm many years ago, but no longer is. Once the tooth is removed, the abscess is gone as well.

That being said, you cannot get antibiotics over the counter for the reason mentioned by the dental student. They have been overused and often times do not work. You need to at least see a dentist to get a prescription for the correct amount of antibiotics to treat your particular case. Do not take any that have been prescribed to someone else and that they have left over. Antibiotics are designed to be taken at specific intervals and a person must take all of the prescribed amount for them to work properly.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Problem Of Dental Fluorosis

Dental fluorosis is a health condition caused by a person receiving too much fluoride during tooth development. The critical period of exposure is between 1 and 4 years old; although fluorosis can affect people of any age despite claims that it only affects children
Ingestion of excess fluoride, most commonly in drinking-water, can cause fluorosis which affects the teeth and bones. Moderate amounts lead to dental effects, but long-term ingestion of large amounts can lead to potentially severe skeletal problems. Paradoxically, low levels of fluoride intake help to prevent dental caries. The control of drinking-water quality is therefore critical in preventing fluorosis.

 The condition and its effect on people fluorosis is caused by excessive intake of fluoride. The dental effects of fluorosis develop much earlier than the skeletal effects in people exposed to large amounts of fluoride. Clinical dental fluorosis is characterized by staining and pitting of the teeth. In more severe cases all the enamel may be damaged. However, fluoride may not be the only cause of dental enamel defects. Enamel opacities similar to dental fluorosis are associated with other conditions, such as malnutrition with deficiency of vitamins D and A or a low protein-energy diet. Ingestion of fluoride after six years of age will not cause dental fluorosis.

Equipment test kits for HTM 01-05 compliance

Prestige Medical's new kits are in response to increasing requests from dentists for help with the challenges of meeting the requirements for testing, recording and storing data.


Each kit is designed to provide, in one simple format, all the materials needed to perform the appropriate daily/weekly/quarterly tests for the year.

A specially-designed log book is also provided into which to record the test data obtained.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Deep Teeth Cleaning For Perfect White Smile

Deep teeth cleaning process is used to remove the problem in order to avoid unnecessary consequences. However, besides all its benefits, professional teeth cleaning process has some complications you should expect afterward.

Without deep teeth cleaning left tartar and plaque provokes bacteria to thrive. The bacteria irritate the gums, it makes them bleed more easily. It can be noticed while eating, brushing or flossing your teeth. These first signs show that you have an early stage of gum disease called gingivitis and teeth cleaning should already be applied.


If it’s not treated then the inflammation will continue spreading down towards the tooth base causing a “periodontal pocket”. A deep teeth cleaning is still possible and necessary. If not then the bacteria can cause more damage.

Gum disease can destroy the support structures of the teeth. It will make you loose them. Unfortunately the highly possible damage is irreversible. Besides, the person can notice that only when everything gets quite sever. However, if gum disease is caught in time the professional teeth cleaning is able to halt its progression.

In order to do this your dentist may need to apply a periodontal therapy. It includes scaling and polishing your teeth, like deep tooth cleaning. An antiseptic mouthwash containing chlorhexidine may also be recommended. You’ll be shown how to brush your teeth correctly, too.

Mechanism In Saliva Production Could Lead To Advanced Therapies For Patients With Dry Mouth

University of Louisville researchers are one step closer to helping millions of people whose salivary glands no longer work because of disease or damage from treatment of diseases.

The scientific finding of Douglas Darling, PhD, professor, Department of Oral Health and Rehabilitation, UofL School of Dentistry, and his team identified a protein sorting mechanism used by the salivary gland. The National Institutes of Health supported study published on-line first this week in the Journal of Dental Research.


The scientific discovery could form the basis for advanced therapies for patients whose salivary glands are damaged or no longer function due to radiation therapy, prescription drugs or Sjogren's Syndrome - an immune system disorder often defined by its two most common symptoms - dry eyes and a dry mouth.

The salivary glands are essential for lubrication, defense and beginning digestion in the mouth. The largest of the salivary glands - the parotid - secretes important proteins into the saliva. As with all salivary glands, it has multiple secretion pathways, therefore it must sort proteins destined for saliva into the correct pathway for secretion. This can be tricky as there are seven possible pathways. One pathway takes proteins to the salivary duct, other pathways carry different proteins to the 'back' side of the cell to be secreted into the blood or to form a supportive matrix for the cells. Transport along these pathways occurs by sorting the proteins into vesicles (hollow membrane sacs) that carry their "cargo" to the correct destination.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Single and Multiple Tooth Replacements

Dental implants are a technology the gives you a permanent tooth. A titanium screw is drilled into the jaw bone where the old tooth used to be. As the bone heals, it grows in and around the screw, essentially creating a new root for a tooth. The healing process after this surgery can take from two to six months. The lengthy healing time is important because it allows the bone to adhere firmly to the screw, thus preventing it from moving after the tooth is attached to it and begins to be used. After the bone is healed, a new porcelain tooth is attached to the titanium screw. Made of an extremely strong and durable metal called titanium, the single tooth dental implant will stabilize your bite, help prevent possible speaking or chewing difficulties and maintain your beautiful smile.

Missing teeth can change the alignment of your bite, which may cause jaw joint discomfort. In addition, your surrounding teeth can shift which may create spaces where harmful plaque and tartar collect. Over time, this may lead to tooth decay and gum disease.



 Single Tooth Dental Implants May Be the Answer

Single and multiple tooth dental implants are crafted to look and feel like your natural tooth. It can be used in either the upper or lower jaw, where it functions either as a single tooth or as an anchor for other replacement teeth. Because the single tooth implant can stand alone, no adjacent teeth are affected during any part of treatment.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Fibrous dysplasia of the bone (types, description)

Fibrous dysplasia (FD) of the bone is a peculiar condition that affects either all bones or a single bone in the body. Most cases are diagnosed in adolescence and young adulthood and remain unchanged throughout life. The initial manifestations of fibrous dysplasia are most commonly found in persons aged 3-15 years.
In the past, many conditions that could not be satisfactorily explained have been included under this disease. The bone in this condition is fibrous or plastic in quality and is defective in form as well.


Types

Fibrous dysplasia of the bone is divided into two types:

1· Monostotic fibrous dysplasia
2· Polystotic fibrous dysplasia

In monostotic type only one bone is involved, and hence the prognosis of this type is definitely better. In polystotic type, more than one bone or a group of bones is involved, and the prognosis is poorer. 

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Xylitol: The sugar substitute that helps to prevent tooth decay

Wouldn't you find it amazing if you were told that there was a sweet tasting food item that, if just consumed in moderation on a daily basis over time, could reduce your potential for experiencing tooth decay on the order of 30 to even 70%. And, in addition, this food's beneficial effect could persist for some years even after you had discontinued consuming it?

Well, actually, this "miracle" food item does exist. It's a sugar substitute called xylitol. And while an absolute consensus regarding its exact mechanism of action and degree of benefit does not yet exist, there seems to be little reason why a person shouldn't use xylitol or xylitol formulated products as one of the means by which they can help to minimize their risk for dental cavities.