Archive for the ‘general topics’ Category

bad tooth

Posted by Dental News Team On August - 15 - 2009

Want to bet that your fillings/crowns/inlays or missing teeth are only or mainly on the side!

kunststoffHow come you only have bad teeth on the side – o.k. maybe in your upper jaw as shown in the picture in blue. Here you probably have crescent-shaped fillings, unless you’ve already gone one step further – and have crowns.

But how come only specific teeth go bad? If one does, then the others should too! But don’t worry, there are others like you – if you take a look at other people’s mouths you would be able to see that they too only have „bad teeth“ on the side.

schlechte_zaehne

Here you can see x-rays, and it’s pretty obvious that the fillings (marked in red) are only on the side ….

If you have read this article, then you know that there is no such thing as bad teeth. But then why do we only have fillings on the side …

Well, the window display, the front of your teeth, gets cleaned thoroughly, and the back teeth get only a very quick brush while the fresh taste of toothpaste makes your mouth feel cleaner than it actually is. The plaque which is not removed from the side teeth (cleaning deficits in the side teeth) causes cavities – usually starting in childhood, as dentist tend to drill rather than inform. This is how we end up with all our fillings in our side teeth. Bad habits coupled with a lack of information lead to bad teeth!

Armed with this knowledge we can now do something to improve our dental hygiene – here’s how to properly clean teeth:

  • Start brushing at the back, leaving the front for last
  • Use an oral irrigator at least once a day, don’t worry, at first your gums may bleed and hurt. But this will soon pass
  • Clean properly, and then take a plaque tablet (which you can get at any pharmacy) – after brushing … check the insides of your teeth, if there is any plaque left, then you will need to brush that area again. Your hands and mind will get used to this, and you will learn a new cleaning technique!

The aim is to learn to clean your back teeth as well as the front, if your dentist does good work and provides your teeth with ceramic inlays, then you will avoid drilling for a long time.

A good dentist will explain all these things to you during an initial session – before the start of treatment – because the best kind of treatment is – prevention!

Tomorrow you will find out why many people have crescent-shaped fillings in their front teeth!

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How do you clean dentures?

Posted by pedro67 On August - 14 - 2009

Proper cleaning for dentures and can a dentist clean a denture?

mgEverybody knows the famous glass of water on their grandmother’s night-stand, but this is not the way to treat dentures! Not cleaning dentures properly can lead to infections and costly treatment!

The best thing to do is use a soap or cleanser and a toothbrush. Anything which might roughen up the surface of the denture is unsuited for use.

Should the soap and brush not help you reach the desired effect, then visit your dentist, who should be able to polish your dentures to a shine!

kunstNowadays many dentures are made entirely of plastic, although usually dentures should have a metallic core.

Plastic dentures tend to get discolorations, and they cannot be bleached. This type of denture not only turns out to be more costly, but it is also harder to clean, and the neighbouring teeth are put under more strain.

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sedation dentistry

Posted by Dental News Team On June - 3 - 2009

SEDATION DENTISTRY / CLINIC – is it possible to perform dental treatment under general anaesthesia or is this just false advertising?

narkoseDental treatment under general anaesthesia is definitely possible, but may not be the best treatment for your mouth, as general anaesthesia is not a panacea!

Many of the materials used in dentistry take up to 24 hours to dry before treatment can be continued. Under general anaesthesia some of these steps may can be skipped. This may result in loose crowns or roots years later.

A responsible dentist will of course inform you of these risks – any dentist who promises perfect work while you sleep is not acting responsibly.

General anaesthesia is the best method for surgery such as

  • Removal of cysts
  • Extensive surgery on the palatal ridge
  • Multiple tooth extraction

These “”bloody”” procedures can best be performed under general anaesthesia. But the actual general treatment should be performed in many separate sessions. This is the only way to ensure that you as a  patient are well informed and can adjust your habits accordingly.

Sometimes you may hear the term half-sleep, or sedation, but general anaesthesia is general anaesthesia, no matter what you call it, and the medicines used are always  the same! A respiratory device as well as monitors for the heart, oxygen levels and circulation should always be used. General anaesthesia without intubation and technical monitoring can be very dangerous!

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