Smile SenseA guide to your smile!

• Don’t eat ice cubes. It might be refreshing but can cause tooth fracture.
• To clean the sulcus ( below your gumline) rotate the toothbrush in a 45° angle and get the bristles in there.
• To clean a deep pocket , tie one or two knots on your floss to catch the food particle.
• When you outer bristles of your toothbrush flare, get a new toothbrush.
• After you eat a sweet snack and can’t brush, rinse with water at least.

To read more on toothbrushing, CLICK HERE

To read more on flossing, CLICK HERE

People experiencing sensitivity while eating or drinking hot or cold food or beverages due to worn tooth enamel or gum recession can be treated with desensitizing toothpaste.

Such toothpastes has compounds that block sensation from traveling from tooth surface to nerve endings. Their use should be restricted and not used in cases where patient is experiencing pain due to caries/ cavities or due to tooth fracture.

Use of desensitizing toothpaste in every situation of dental pain can mask the cause, neglecting the proper cause and aggravating the situation.

Dental plaque is a bio film of micro organisms which stick to the tooth surface and can harden to form calculus and/ or cause dental caries/ decay. To read more about Dental plaque and its effects CLICK HERE

Here is the latest in various ways to prevent plaque from accumulating

Tooth paste:

Use of a toothpaste which contains Triclosan can be very effective in preventing plaque formation.

Colgate Total is one such toothpaste and stays active for around 12 hours after brushing.

Arm and Hammer’s Brilliant Sparkle Gel toothpaste shows plaque dissolving properties, which breaks the bond between plaque and tooth surface. This showed 88% more plaque removal than a leading competitor at a trial conducted by University Park Research Centre, Indiana, US.

Polyphenols :

Green tea, red wine and cranberry juice contains polyphenols which prevents plaque formation and remove cavity causing bacteria.

Cranberry juice has shown to help wash away 50% of cavity causing bacteria at a trial at University of Rochester Medical Centre In US.

At a study at University of Tohoku, Japan of 25,000 people, it was found that one cup of green tea a day improves the dental health and reduces tooth loss by 20%.

Olive oil:

Researchers at University of Madrid has shown that a anti – bacterial component of olive oil, oleuropein, stops ‘gram negative’ bacteria, that cause gum disease and bone loss, from preventing it to attack to the tooth.It also covers the tooth surface with fat molecules that prevent plaque from attaching to it.

Chewing gum:

Chewing gum containing Xylitol has shown to reduce plaque formation and dental decay. According to Journal of Dental Education, you should chew a Xylitol based chewing gum once a day for 4 weeks to notice any reduce in dental plaque. Studies conducted at Harvard school of dental medicine has shown a 30 -60% less decay on chewing xylitol gum regularly.

Professional help:

The best way to clean plaque built up is getting is cleaned professionally. This is done by scaling.

Regular brushing and flossing are the best way to prevent plaque built up though.

Image credits : Wikipedia, flickr

Image Credit: Oral B

Electric toothbrushes or powered toothbrushes were initially created for patients with limited motor skills as well as orthodontic patients , specially those who wear braces. Claims have been made about they being more effective compared to manual brushing with different studies have thrown up contradictory results.

The first successful electric toothbrush, The Broxodent was conceived in Switzerland in 1954 by Dr. Philippe Guy-Woog. It was brought to USA by E.R. Squibb and Sons Pharmaceuticals in 1959 at the Centennial of American Dental Association. While Broxodent might have been the first and a superior product, the electric toothbrush to catch public attention was GE Automatic toothbrush, introduced in the early 1960s. It was battery operated compared to plug and use  Broxodent. By the 1990s, Phillips Sonicare and Braun’s OralB powered toothbrushes were the market leaders.

Motions:

They are basically 3 types -

• Vibrating ( This looks like a normal toothbrush which can vibrate)
• Oscillating ( This uses Rotating – Oscillating motion to clean – Most used)
• Sonic ( Hardly used)

Parts of a powered toothbrush:

• Handle
• Tooth brush head ( This can be replaced)
• Charging stand.

Features of powered toothbrush:

• Different settings for sensitive tooth, normal tooth, gum massaging.
• Pressure signals to indicate when you are brushing too hard.
• Timers to track your time taken for brushing.
• Digital reminders to replace your brush head.
• LCD screens to show various information.

Use:

• Patients with limited dexterity
• Patients undergoing orthodontic treatment.
• Patients with limited mouth opening.
• Children.

Here it should be mentioned if manual brushing is followed meticulously, its results are comparable to that in case of powered brushing.

Image Credit: Flickr

Researchers have already studied the various effects of gaming with weight gain,violent tendencies and other teen problem but a recent study by researchers at The University of Iowa, shows the kids who play video games can face a new unexpected problem of poor dental hygiene. Gamers are more likely to eat unhealthy, sugary foods and drink soft drinks which can lead to dental problems. After all, few gamers will pause in the middle of a level to brush their teeth.

What to do?

• Limit the time playing video game.
• Discourage snacking while gaming.
• If food and drinks are required while gaming stick to dairy products, fruits and drink water.

Those who spend time gaming while snacking are twice as likely to have dental decay.

Toothpaste in the form of paste or gel is used as an accessory to aid in the cleaning of the tooth and gums. The cleaning is done by the mechanical action of the toothbrush and toothpaste aids in cleaning, masking bad breath or deliver certain active agents like fluoride or xylitol. Toothpaste does contain some toxic ingredients and hence is not meant to be swallowed.

Ingredients / Composition:

• Mild Abrasive – 15 -45% – Mechanically cleans the teeth – Silicon oxide, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, aluminium oxide, granular PVC
• Water – 20 -38% – Vehicle and solvent
• Humectants – 25 – 40% – Maintain consistency of paste – Sorbitol, mannitol,propylene glycol.
• Detergents – 1 – 5% – Removes loose debris – Sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium N-lauryl sarcosinat
• Binding agent – Upto 2% – Binds solids in paste form – Synthetic cellulose
• Flavoring agents – Upto 1% – Peppermint oil, spearmint oil, Oil of Wintergreen
• Sweetening agents – Upto 2% – Saccharin
• Therapeutic agents

1. Anti bacterial agent – Triclosan, Delmopinol,metallic cons, zinc citrate trihydrate, xylitol
2. Anti caries agent – Sodium monoflurophosphate, sodium fluoride,stannous fluoride
3. Anti calculus agent – Tetrasodium pryophosphates, zinc citrate, zinc chloride, gautrez acid.
4. Desensitizing agent – Potassium nitrate, strontium chloride, potassium citrate.
5. Whitening agent – Sodium bicarbonate, hydrogen peroxide.

• Preservatives Upto 0.5% – Benzoic acid
• Colouring agents – Upto 0.5% – Titanium dioxide gives white colour. Dyes are used to get, red, blue or other colours.

Recent Developments:

Depending on the various therapeutic agents, toothpaste are classified into

• Toothpaste for kids ( Have fluorides)
• Natural / Herbal toothpastes
• Whitening toothpastes ( Contains abrasive silica particles and not suitable for regular use)
• Breath freshening tooth pastes.

Image credit : Wikipedia

Effects of chemotherapy and radiation on hair, eyebrows and digestive system are well documented. It also wreaks havoc on the tooth and gums.

Effects on teeth and gums:

• Decreased saliva leading to dry mouth.
• Saliva keeps the mouth clean. Without adequate saliva, incidence of decay in tooth increases.
• Weakens the tooth.
• Gum recession
• Mouth sores.

How to counter these effects?

The oncologist will advice you not to undergo any dental treatment during chemotherapy or radiation therapy. This is because, bacteria present in the mouth can spread through the blood and cause further complication as the body, as in itself it is under lot of pressure during these therapies.

After completion of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, you can visit the dentist for any dental treatment. Small fillings and cleaning can be done immediately but periodontal surgery and other extractions have to be deferred for some period especially if radiation therapy was done.

During chemotherapy and radiation therapy it is best to follow these steps:

• Maintain  oral hygiene by following brushing and flossing regimen daily.
• Use non – alcoholic mouth – rinse twice daily.
• Use of certain remineralizing toothpaste can also be advocated.
• Ulcers can be treated symptomatically by use of some anaesthetic gel to decrease irritation.
• Using saliva substitutes can be advised but taking regular sips of water is the best way to keep the mouth moist and clean.

After completion of the therapy usually the mouth sores disappear. But dry mouth and gum recession persists and may require treatment.

If it is possible, it is advisable to go for a complete dental check up and treatment before chemotherapy or radiation therapy starts. During therapy, oral hygiene should be maintained and if any dental needs surfaces it should be attended to immediately after completion of therapy.

So you are traveling and don’t have time for proper oral hygiene. You should understand that while you are busy, the bacteria in the gums and tooth are also busy causing harm to you. You should hence carry a few basic tools for proper oral hygiene.

Your travel kit:

• Toothbrush.
• Toothpaste
• Dental floss ( it is always better to carry this rather than use other objects like toothpick, pins to clean your teeth).
• Mouth-rinse ( If you can carry a small bottle it will do).

If you can, prepare a similar kit for your workplace where you do spend a considerable time and end up taking a few meals and snacks.

Fluorides and sealants are the two procedures advocated for prevention of dental decay or caries. Sealants were developed in the 1970′s and have helped protect a number of teeth from cavities.

Dental sealants are plastic resins that are applied to the grooves of the chewing surfaces of back teeth (molars) to prevent caries.

Where is dental sealant placed?

Some back tooth, specially molars ( and some premolars) have narrow and deep grooves which are difficult to brush, can be sealed with the help of dental sealants so as not to allow food and plaque to accumulate in the grooves and cause decay or cavities. Not all tooth require sealants and such a diagnosis can be made by a dentist.

When is dental sealant placed?

Sealants are best used for children in the age group of 6-15 years of age as they are most caries prone. It can also be placed in an adult.

How is dental sealant placed?

It is a painless procedure which doesn’t require any drilling.

• The tooth is cleaned, dried and isolated with rubber dam/ cotton to prevent contamination from saliva.
• A solution containing a acid is placed on the grooves. This makes the surface of the tooth rough for better adhesion to the sealant.
• The acid solution is washed off and the tooth dried.
• Sealant is carefully applied on to the pits & grooves. Some sealants harden on it own ( self cure), some require a Blue light ( light cure).
• The occlusion is checked for any difficulty in biting and the patient can be ready for daily life immediately.

How long does dental sealant last?

Usually dental sealants are known to last for around 5 years. Some cases of it lasting for around 10 years have also been noted. The sealant is lost by natural wear and tear and hence might be required to be replaced if lost. If you notice a part of the sealant has broken or chipped, it is better to get it redone, as a broken or chipped sealant will not provide protection to your teeth.

How much does dental sealant cost?

In US it costs anywhere between $ 25 -50. In places like India is can cost US$ 10 – 20. Most dental insurance covers sealant for a child below the age of 15 years. Mostly adults are NOT covered for sealants in dental insurance.

Long – term effects of dental sealants:

• Natural wear and tear can give rise to chipped or broken sealant leading to cavities forming below the sealant.
• There are 12 brands of sealants available in the market. Each have ADA (American Dental Association) seal on them. According to recent safety studies performed on them, none of them proved to be hazardous for use. Resins are known to be made from BPA. The amount of BPA that leaches from the sealants are negligible on a daily basis. The levels of BPA present in the saliva ( not any trace is found in the blood) is 50000 times lower than what is required to cause toxicity eve in animals.

So it is safe to assume that sealants are perfectly safe for use in children and their preventive effect on dental decay is alone worth it. Sealants are underused even after their obvious positive effects on future dental conditions.

Most of us would have chewed gum sometime in our lives. Chewing gum is made from natural rubber, Chicle ( mainly found in Japan) or more commonly from synthetic rubber. Chewing gum is one of the oldest candies in the world. Prehistoric men and women chewed on resins from tree.  In 1848, John B. Curtis, developed and sold the first commercial chewing gum named, ‘State of the Maine Pure Spruce Gum’. William Semple was the first to file a patent on chewing gum on December 28, 1869.

Types of Chewing gum:

There are various flavours, like, mint, wintergreen, cinnamon and fruity. They are also seen in various forms like,

• Gum ball
• Bubblegum – Used for Blowing gum
• Sugar-free gum
• Center-filled gum
• Medicated gum
• Stick gum
• Tube gum
• Ribbon/tape gum.

Heath effects:

• Dental Health – Sugar-free gum sweetened with xylitol has shown to reduce cavities and plaques. Addition of calcium lactate can also lead to increased recalcification. Sorbitol containing gum shows no positive effect and sugar containing gum show increase in the incidence of cavities. Gum also freshens breath on a temporary basis.
• Stress reducer- Specially used by armed forces, athletes and high stress professionals. It increases flow of blood to the brain leading to increased brain activity and arousal responses. This increases encourages a more relaxed state and improved mood.
• Increases concentration – US military supplies gum to its forces to increase their concentration.
• Carcinogenic – Vinyl acetate, present in some of the gum base is a carcinogenic material. Government of Canada describes it as ‘potentially high hazard substance’. Its presence is hidden in the term ‘ gum base’.
• Curb your sweet tooth – A standard gum contains 5-10 calories per serving. Chewing on it after a meal can help you to avoid a high – calorie dessert and thus avoid weight gain.
• Nicotine Substitution – Certain medicated chewing gum can be used to replace the urge for nicotine in cigarette or tobacco products.

Fun facts about gum:

• The colour of the first gum was pink as that was the only colour left while manufacturing the gum. The colour pink is still the most predominant colour.
• The country with largest number of chewing gum manufacturers is Turkey, about 60.
• Over 1000 varieties of chewing gum are sold all over USA.
• Chewing gum consumption varies with country. In USA, people chew around 182 stick per person per year. In UK it is 125, Germany 103, Russia 84, China 20 and India 4.
• The largest bubble ever blown was 23 inch in diameter by Susan Montgomery Williams of Fresno, California on July19, 1994.
• Spearmint, peppermint and cinnamon are the most popular flavours of gum today.