Oral Lichen Planus

Lichen planus is most often defined as an oral disease that affects the lining of the mouth with inflammation.
Lichen planus is a pruritic, papular eruption characterised by its violaceous colour and polygonal shape, sometimes with a fine scale. Most patients come down with their first case between the age of 45 and 60, although a slowly increasing number of reports dealing with younger patients have trickled in. While lichen planus is most often associated with the interior of the cheeks, many cases will find the entire mouth is affected, including the gums, the tongue, the lips, and in rare cases, the throat or esophagus. Women are much more susceptible to lichen planus than men, although the reason for this is pure speculation. Lichen planus also occurs on the skin, as a skin disease, and often must be referred to specifically as skin lichen planus to differentiate between the oral type.

Oral lichen planus is an autoimmune condition which can be brought about by many external factors like allergens in dental materials or toothpaste, certain drugs, an allergic reaction to food, food additives, fragrances, dyes or other substances.

Lichen planus is a self contained disease that can last for weeks, months, and in some cases, years. It is not contagious. It is often mistaken for genital diseases, as the genitalia are often the most noticeably affected during the early development stage. Because the symptoms and outbreaks occur rapidly and then disappear, often for weeks, treatment is difficult. While some patients find great relief in cool compresses or tub soaks and cool baths, most patients require medical treatment in order to relieve their symptoms.

Lichen planus is most often recognized as a rash that irritates the wrists, ankles, forearms, and the mucous membranes of the genitals. The neck, lower back, nails, nostrils, and scalp are also commonly attacked as the rash progresses.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby bottle tooth decay (also known as baby bottle tooth) is a condition that occurs when sweet liquids are allowed to have frequent contact with your baby’s teeth. A common cause of this ailment is putting your baby to bed with a bottle of formula, milk, juice, soda, or sugar water. This can also be caused by giving your child several sweet drinks throughout the day.

 According to the ADA, “As soon as a baby’s first teeth appear, usually by age six months or so, the child is susceptible to decay.”¹ Treatment of baby bottle tooth decay varies greatly, from fluoride application to full coverage of teeth with stainless steel or veneered crowns, depending on the progression of the decay. It is best to contact your pediatric dentist as soon as possible to evaluate your child’s risk.

Treating The Causes Of The Oral Dryness

Since dry mouth is caused by many things, it should not be surprising that there are different ways to treat  it. If your physician or dentist can determine the cause of your oral dryness, he/she may be able to provide you with a specific cure. The trouble is, this is easier said than done.

If the dryness is due to drugs, it may be possible for your doctor to advise you to stop taking those drugs, reduce their intake or switch to another “less drying” medication. Sometimes, especially, in life threatening diseases, it may not be possible to change a patient’s drug intake pattern.. If the dryness is due to a specific disease, e.g. diabetes, proper treatment of the disease will decrease the intensity of your oral symptoms. Occasionally, we do not know the causes of the diseases which produce dry mouth. This, for example,  is the case with Sjögren’s Syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions. In such cases, we try to relieve the symptoms of the disease  rather than treat the disease itself.

Do you need an apicoectomy?

An Apicoectomy, or Root-End Resection, is the removal of the root tip and the surrounding infected tissue of an abscessed tooth. This procedure may be necessary when inflammation and infection persists in the area around the root tip after root canal therapy or root canal retreatment.Your teeth are held in their place by roots that extend all the way into your jawbone. Your front teeth usually have one root while other teeth like your premolars and molars may have two or more roots. The tips or the end of the roots are called the apex and this is where the nerves and the blood vessels enter the tooth. These nerves travel through the canal of the root all the way into the pulp chamber. The chamber is found inside the crown which is the part of the tooth that is visible in your mouth.

During root canal treatment, the canals are cleaned and any inflamed or infected tissue is removed. An apicoectomy is necessary when infection develops and refuses to go away after a root canal treatment. Root canals are very complex and they have several small branches off the main canal. There are times where even after root canal treatment; there will still be infected debris in the branches. This will prevent healing and may even cause more infections later on. In an apicoectomy, the root tip or the apex is removed along with the infected tissue. A filling is placed afterwards so that the end of the root is sealed. Apicoectomies are usually referred to as endodontic microsurgery since it is usually done under an operating microscope.

Dentistry: How To Detect People With Undiagnosed Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is more common in middle-aged and older people. Being overweight greatly increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes may have few symptoms and as a result many cases are not diagnosed. 
Over 6 million people in the U.S. (both adults and children) have undiagnosed diabetes.In a study, Identification of unrecognized diabetes and pre-diabetes in a dental setting, published in the July 2011 issue of the Journal of Dental Research, researchers at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine found that dental visits represented a chance to intervene in the diabetes epidemic by identifying individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes who are unaware of their condition. The study sought to develop and evaluate an identification protocol for high blood sugar levels in dental patients and was supported by a research grant from Colgate-Palmolive. The authors report no potential financial or other conflicts.

"Periodontal disease is an early complication of diabetes, and about 70 percent of U.S. adults see a dentist at least once a year," says Dr. Ira Lamster, dean of the College of Dental Medicine, and senior author on the paper. "Prior research focused on identification strategies relevant to medical settings. Oral healthcare settings have not been evaluated before, nor have the contributions of oral findings ever been tested prospectively."

For this study, researchers recruited approximately 600 individuals visiting a dental clinic in Northern Manhattan who were 40-years-old or older (if non-Hispanic white) and 30-years-old or older (if Hispanic or non-white), and had never been told they have diabetes or pre-diabetes.

Types of Dental Filling Materials

To treat a cavity your dentist will remove the decayed portion of the tooth and then "fill" the area on the tooth where the decayed material once lived.
Fillings are also used to repair cracked or broken teeth and teeth that have been worn down from misuse (such as from nail-biting or tooth grinding ).

Today, several dental filling materials are available. Teeth can be filled with gold; porcelain; silver amalgam (which consists of mercury mixed with silver, tin, zinc, and copper); or tooth-colored, plastic and glass materials called composite resin fillings. The location and extent of the decay, cost of filling material, patients' insurance coverage and your dentist's recommendation assist in determining the type of filling that will best address your needs.

Questions About Snoring Problem

The noise of snoring is caused by the vibration of the soft tissues in the upper airway. During sleep the muscles of the upper airway relax resulting in the formation of bottlenecks or even complete obstruction of the airways. The body reacts by increasing the velocity of the air which in turn causes vibration of the soft tissues which generates the noise of snoring.

Q Who is likely to snore?

A Research has shown that approximately 40% of the adult population snore. As a person gets older the chances of snoring increases. (i.e. in men aged 60 this increases to 60%.) The chances of snoring are also increased if a person is overweight or drinks alcohol.

Q What is Obstructive Sleep Apnoea?

A This is a medical condition. People suffering from it are heard to gasp for breath while they are asleep. Additional symptoms are daytime drowsiness or the feeling of not having a full nights sleep. Where Sleep Apnoea is suspected an anti-snoring device may still be prescribed but it is essential that you consult your medical practitioner and if he confirms that Sleep Apnoea is suspected, that you are referred to the sleep clinic of a hospital for further investigation.

Not everyone that snores suffers from Sleep Apnoea - but nearly everyone who suffers from Sleep Apnoea will snore.