Periodontitis is a disease, frequently encountered among the population, which can be stopped in its evolution, but not cured. This condition is harmful, but many patients ignore it, and most of them do not even know about the causes and/or the subsequent effects.

Without knowing the importance of dental check-ups at the dentist and oral hygiene, every year hundreds of thousands of patients come to clinics with various dental conditions which, untreated, have the effect of complicating the initial lesions and can ultimately lead to the loss of the teeth on the arch.

How Healthy Is Your Smile?

Dental Hygiene

Methods

The techniques employed to maintain dental health

An ideal diet and frequent tooth brushing are necessary to maintain the health of the teeth and gums.

– use dental floss at least once a day and brush your teeth after every meal or snack and before going to bed. These things remove the deposits that can cause the destruction of the teeth, gums and bones of the oral cavity.

– using fluoride-containing toothpaste to prevent cavities. You can also use tartar-removing toothpaste or fluoridated mouthwash…

– avoid foods with an increased amount of sugar. Sugar favors the formation of tartar.

– avoid tobacco because it causes diseases of the gums and can cause cancer of the oral cavity. Passive exposure to tobacco (breathing air with cigarette smoke) can also cause gum disease.

– tongue cleaning is practiced, with a special tool for this purpose or with a soft toothbrush. It is cleaned from back to front. Cleaning the tongue is particularly important for people who smoke or for those with a more pronounced relief of the tongue (many and deep furrows that furrow the tongue).

– regular visits to the dentist, depending on the occurrence of problems or how often cleaning the oral cavity is necessary.

Children’s Oral Hygiene

Oral care children should start around the age of 6 months, when a primary evaluation is done by the dentist. The second consultation will be done 6 months after the appearance of the first tooth, and then every 6 months or more often, depending on the dentist’s opinion.

The health of the child’s teeth is determined even by the state of health of the mother. Due to the fact that the child’s teeth are formed right before birth, it is necessary for the pregnant woman to have a balanced diet with an optimal intake of vitamins and minerals. It is important for a pregnant woman to have all her dental problems treated because she can get an infection in the type of pregnancy that can affect the child.

Tooth eruption

The eruption (the emergence of the tooth on the surface of the gum) of the first tooth is usually around the age of 6 months, although exceptions can also be found. The primary dentition (20 “milk” teeth) must appear between 6 months and 3 years in total. These teeth will fall out between 6 and 11 years.

The permanent dentition develops behind the “milk” teeth starting at the age of 6. The last permanent tooth usually erupts around the age of 12 to 21 years.

Specialist Consultation

It is recommended to visit the dentist once or twice a year.

– the dentist will check the teeth and gums, assess their condition, and determine whether cavities or other health issues are present.

– the doctor will clean the oral cavity, remove the tartar. These procedures are usually not painful.

– sometimes the doctor will indicate taking x-rays.

– you can put a protective mixture on the surface of the teeth, a mixture that prevents bacteria and food from sticking to the teeth and thus the production of caries and tartar.

– the doctor can apply a solution of flowers on the teeth or can recommend a series of applications with fluorides.

– if the person is prone to infections, it is recommended to take antibiotics before dental interventions.

The cases in which the person has a high risk of infection are:

– heart problems, which in association with an infection can lead to infectious endocarditis ;

– deficient immune system;

– recent operations with the implementation of prostheses, such as replacement of heart valves or hip prostheses.

The doctor can recommend a healthy diet.

If cavities or gum problems appear, they will be solved by the dentist, and the way to care for the teeth will be indicated. In some cases, antibiotic treatment is indicated.

When Is Dental Control Indicated?

– routine check. Most doctors recommend a checkup every 6 months, but people with low risk can only check up once a year.

– if the gums bleed when pressed or brushed.

– If the teeth shift or their relationship to one another changes.

– if the gums are red, sensitive or if pus appears.

– in case of toothaches. Before visiting the dentist, it is recommended to take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (for example, aspirin or ibuprofen ). Aspirin is not administered to people under the age of 20.

– in case of trauma to the face, jaw or teeth.

– if a wound in the oral cavity does not heal in 2 weeks.

– if bad breath persists.

Treatment

Starting Dental Treatment In Children

Until the age of 6 months, the dentist must evaluate the possibility of dental problems in the child. In order to forecast how the mother’s teeth will develop, it may also be necessary to examine the mother’s mouth and review her dental history. If the doctor thinks that the child will have teething problems, a check-up is indicated before reaching the age of 1 year or 6 months after the appearance of the first tooth, and then every 6 months or upon the doctor’s recommendation.

Experts recommend that the first dental check-up be carried out until the age of 12 months, and in case of problems, the consultation of a pediatric dentist is indicated. If the dental problems are not limited to the surface of the teeth, the consultation of a pediatrician is indicated.

Treatment – Generalities

The best way to prevent cavities and gum disease is proper oral hygiene.

Brushing The Teeth After The Meal

– routine tooth brushing is necessary. Before heading to bed, brush your teeth after each meal or snack.

– a soft brush is used, with a rounded end and small enough to allow brushing all the teeth. The brush is replaced once every 3-4 months.

– electric brushes can also be used. Studies have showed that oscillating action (front to back movements) electric toothbrushes are more efficient than other toothbrushes.

– the use of fluoride-containing toothpaste is advised. Tartar development can be avoided with some fluoride toothpastes.

– at the point where the gums meet the teeth, begin brushing at a 45-degree angle. Press lightly and move the brush back and forth, with circular movements. Avoid vigorous rubbing as this can harm the enamel and gums.

– clean the tongue, inside cheeks, and the entire surface of the teeth.

– brush the surfaces of the teeth with which you chew with extra care.

– the tongue is brushed. Bad breath is caused by tongue plaque, which also creates an environment that is conducive to bacterial growth.

Daily Flossing Of The Teeth

It is suggested that you floss at least once every day. The type of thread is not important, one of the Techniques is indicated:

1. The thread twisted on the fingers method

A piece of thread of 45-50 centimeters is broken. Wrap the thread so that there is a gap of 5-7 centimetres between the fingers on the middle finger of the left hand and the middle finger of the right hand.

2. The circle method.

Break a piece of thread 30 centimeters and tie the ends so as to form a width. If the width is too wide, twist the thread around the fingers.

The floss is slowly inserted between the teeth and pushed toward the gums. The thread is folded around the teeth so that it forms a U and then it is gently inserted under the gum. Make a movement up and down several times to scrape the plate. Just flossing between the teeth, without scraping, will not remove the plaque.

Using tools to clean between the teeth, such as an interdental brush for example, are as effective as dental floss.

During the first uses, the gums may bleed when flossing, but this will stop over time, as the gums become stronger and healthier.

Healthy Food

– the optimal diet contains cereals in the form of seeds, vegetables, and fruits and is low in fat and salt. Optimum nutrition is important in maintaining the health of the gums and in avoiding tooth loss.

– cheeses, nuts, yogurts, and other dairy products, and sugar-free gums are good for teeth. They protect the oral cavity from the action of harmful sugars and prevent the appearance of plaque.

– it is recommended to avoid foods that contain high amounts of sugar, especially candies, and lollipops. The longer the contact between sugar and teeth, the greater the damage will be.

– It is advised against eating snacks in between meals.

– do not take snacks before going to bed, because the food left between the teeth during the night has more chances to determine the appearance of cavities. During the night, salivary secretion decreases, and the oral cavity is not sufficiently cleaned during sleep. Avoiding tobacco products are also important. Tobacco causes oral cancer and gum disease, delays the healing of dental extractions or other surgical interventions in the oral cavity, and produces bad breath and stains on the teeth.

Oral hygiene involves brushing the teeth and using dental floss regularly, visits to the dentist for routine check-ups, cleaning the teeth, and an optimal diet for the health of the oral cavity. A diet like this consists of dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and meals high in cereal seeds.

Dental Clinic, We do care about your smile.