Brushing your teeth is a vital part of good dental hygiene, but painful gums can make it harder to maintain it.
Every dentist will tell you that the key to preventing dental diseases and complications is to floss and brush your teeth at least twice a day. But what if doing so causes your gums to bleed or is just plain painful?
It’s not normal to experience any sort of discomfort while brushing your teeth. If you find yourself flinching during your daily routine, it’s time to look into the root of the problem.
Possible Causes of Gum Pain
A variety of factors can cause gum pain. While some can be easily managed and treated at home, others may require a visit to the dentist’s office.
Brushing Incorrectly: Believe it or not, there is a wrong way to brush your teeth. Brushing too vigorously in a back-and-forth motion can cause the soft tissues of the gums to become irritated and swollen — especially if you’re using a hard-bristled toothbrush.
Gum Disease: Not brushing or flossing your teeth enough can lead to the build-up of plaque on your teeth and along the gum line. This bacteria-filled film can seep deep into gum tissue and progress into an infection, causing redness and inflammation.
Canker Sores (Aphthous Ulcers): These small oral wounds make the tissues of the mouth more sensitive and vulnerable to pain when touched. Often white with a red outline, they are relatively easy to spot.
Hormones: From puberty to menopause, an influx of hormones can bring increased blood flow to the gums, leading to swelling and soreness.
An Imbalanced Diet: Consuming too much acidic foods and beverages (like soft drinks, citrus fruits, and coffee) can slowly wear down the soft tissues in the mouth to where they begin to ache. A deficiency in vitamin B or C (which support healthy tissues and teeth, respectively) can also heighten sensitivity and pain.
Dental Instruments: If not fitted properly, braces, dentures, retainers, and other oral devices used to encourage and support dental structure can grind against the gums and inner cheek repetitively, irritating them.
Chemotherapy: An unfortunate side effect of chemotherapy is soreness and swelling of the gums, as the radiation used impacts both malignant and benign tissues.
Tobacco: Over time, tobacco drastically diminishes the health of your teeth and oral tissues. It can also ultimately lead to oral cancer.
Abscessed Tooth: Like gum disease, an abscessed tooth is frequently the result of poor dental hygiene and accidental injury. Pus collects near the root of a tooth due to bacterial infection, inevitably leading to uncomfortable inflammation.
Stress: It’s widely known that stress can damage your body in more ways than one. Your dental health is no exception. High cortisol levels induced by anxiety can lead to an inflammatory response.
Allergies: An adverse reaction to specific foods, drinks, and even dental hygiene products can produce symptoms of swelling, redness, and sensitivity.
Burns: Consuming hot foods or beverages can damage oral tissues and leave a sore, stinging sensation.
How to Treat and Prevent Gum Pain
Although brushing the affected areas may prove cumbersome, it’s crucial to keep your mouth clean to prevent any infections from developing or progressing. Make sure to use a soft-bristled toothbrush and gently move it in circular motions. Floss and rinse with mouthwash to complete your cleaning routine.
Additionally, adopt a healthy diet and lifestyle. Stop all use of tobacco and avoid irritating products that trigger inflammation. For other health issues that may be contributing factors (like hormones, stress, or cancer), speak with your primary-care physician to learn what treatment options may be available to you.
If canker sores and other small lesions are the cause for concern, keep the areas clean and monitor the healing process. They should go away on their own within two weeks, but if they don’t, contact a dentist immediately to schedule an appointment. Delaying treatment allows time for an infection to worsen.
Regular dentist visits and proper oral hygiene are critical for a healthy mouth. But there are other things you can do to help fight off bad breath and halitosis. Home remedies for bad breath can make a big difference to your oral hygiene over time, when used in conjunction with your daily dental care and visits. So adopt these simple but effective habits to treat bad breath.
Hydrate
Drinking enough water is one of the simplest steps you can take to curb bad breath. When your mouth doesn't have enough moisture to produce saliva, odor-causing bacteria can develop. Side effects from certain medications, medical conditions and diseases can deprive you of that necessary moisture, but not getting enough water can also contribute to dry mouth in otherwise healthy people.
Staying hydrated is important, particularly before and after heavy exercise, when rapid breath can increase dry mouth. While it's a healthy practice in and of itself, be sure to drink water when you first wake up. Dry mouth can occur while you're asleep, so hydrating first thing in the morning gives you a jump on a night's worth of collected bacteria.
Brush and Floss
Daily tooth brushing along with flossing are the most important actions you can take to ward off bad breath. According to the Indian Dental Association (IDA), bad breath is caused by the decay of food particles that are not removed from the mouth by brushing and flossing, and therefore you should brush and floss your teeth daily. So, it's recommended to brush two times a day for at least two minutes.
Today, flossing has become an integral part of daily oral care and the American Dental Association recommends you floss once daily at least. Correct flossing after each meal consistently cuts down on plaque, bacteria and odor-causing food particles. Flossing helps stop periodontal disease as well, another cause of bad breath.
Clean Your Tongue
Cleaning your tongue can effectively decrease halitosis-causing compounds. These compounds form on your tongue and in your mouth when bacteria and amino acids combine, emitting an unpleasant sulfur-like smell. So cleaning your tongue regularly is important in fighting halitosis.
Eat Healthy
It's common knowledge that certain foods like raw onion or garlic cause bad breath. Such foods, when ingested and excreted by the lungs, cause halitosis. But avoiding acidic foods (like vinegar) or high-fructose foods (like sugary cereal) cuts down on bad breath too. Both acids and sugars increase production of bacteria and bad breath.
Instead, choose a diet that curbs intestinal upset and odor-causing bacteria. The Indian Dental Association warns that sugar containing foods increases plaque formation and extends the length of time that bacterial acid production can occur, therefore you should reduce your sugar intake.
The IDA further notes that Cheese is considered as an anti-cavity food, it stimulates the flow of saliva, which helps repair early cavity formation. Fruits and vegetables act as natural cleansers, due to their high fibre content. The IDA also suggests to integrate plenty of fresh vegetables into your daily meals and eat fruit, nuts and celery or carrot sticks as snacks.
Use a Mouthrinse
Use a mouthrinse after every meal that can help reduce plaque and gingivitis and freshens breath. Mouthrinse alone is not an effective remedy but should be used in addition to regular brushing and flossing.
Use Traditional Remedies
Home treatments passed down over the years are a good complement to your daily dental care. Herbs such as fennel, for example, have long been used in some cultures as a breath sweetener. Fennel increases saliva production, and contains numerous antibacterial properties, and a few sprigs will do the trick after or between meals.
Fresh breath is a sign of a healthy mouth, and a healthy mouth is often a good indication of your overall health. These home remedies for bad breath are habits you can take up in your own home, and they're integral to fighting and preventing the underlying causes of bad breath.
You're experiencing some serious pain in your mouth, and you think a dental abscess (an infection in the teeth or gums) might be to blame. Are there any home remedies for abscessed teeth that will help ease the discomfort while you're waiting for your dentist appointment?
You have a few options for easing the pain, but home remedies won't get to the root of the issue and aren't likely to cure the abscess. Instead, think of home remedies as stop-gap measures. They'll help you in the short term, but they won't replace a visit to the dentist.
How to Cope with Dental Abscesses at Home
You're likely to come across a few recommended home remedies for abscessed teeth. While each option has its advantages, some also have a few risks or potential drawbacks. If your dental abscess is causing severe pain and you have to wait before your dentist can see you, understanding how each remedy can help and what its risks are may help you choose the best one for you.
Clove oil. Eugenol, the active ingredient in clove oil, has helpful anaesthetic and antibacterial properties. Applying a small amount of clove essential oil to the site of a dental abscess can temporarily numb the area, easing your pain. But there are a few drawbacks to clove oil. It can be strong-smelling and spread to other parts of your mouth accidentally. Additionally, if you ingest a lot of clove oil by mistake, it may require a trip to the emergency room. Ingesting too much can lead to a variety of symptoms, such as shallow breathing, a burning throat, rapid heartbeat and dizziness.
Salt water rinse. A salt water rinse can help wash away germs and pus from an abscess. Salt water can also soothe discomfort. While rinsing can provide some relief when you have an abscess, keep in mind that salt water alone won't be enough to clear up the infection.
Peppermint tea bags. Some claim that placing wet, cool peppermint tea bags on a dental abscess will help ease the pain. While placing a cooled tea bag on an abscess won't hurt you, it's also not very likely to help you either. There isn't enough evidence to say whether peppermint tea is helpful for any condition. The cold temperature of the tea bag may be somewhat soothing. If you happen to have some tea bags handy, you can try this home remedy. But don't rely on it to heal your abscess.
Don't use alcohol. One popular but ineffective home remedy has people soaking a cotton swab with alcohol (often whiskey or vodka) and applying the cotton to the abscessed area. While the alcohol may temporarily numb the pain, it won't clear up the infection. Any relief will be temporary, and this method is obviously not recommended for children with tooth pain. While alcohol can reduce pain, the use of alcohol as a pain reliever can be incredibly dangerous, as you often need a lot of alcohol to get any numbing effects. It's best to give this home remedy a pass.
Along with trying out natural home remedies to treat a dental abscess, people often turn to over-the-counter pain relievers. While pain medication may help improve your comfort, it's also a temporary measure. You'll still want to see your dentist to remove the source of the infection and heal the tooth or gums.
How Your Dentist Can Treat an Abscess
Your dentist might use a variety of treatments to heal a dental abscess, explains South African Dental Association. In some cases, your dentist will prescribe antibiotics to kill the germs. They might also clean the area around the tooth to remove debris, pus and germs, or perform a root canal if there has been considerable damage to the pulp of the tooth.
Although a home remedy can provide some relief, don't put off your visit to a dentist. The sooner you schedule treatment, the sooner your mouth will feel better and begin to heal.
Children’s dental state is a direct result of how well their teeth are maintained. Dental cleaning helps in smile improvement and boosts their confidence when speaking with people. Also, If they are introduced to early oral hygiene, they will hardly have dental problems as they grow into adulthood.
Every parent is concerned about their child’s health. Therefore, they will do a lot to see that they have healthy sparkling smiles even before their children’s permanent teeth begin to replace their baby teeth.
It may be challenging to teach healthy oral habits to young children, but you can help them practice until they can handle it themselves. If you do not want your child to have cavity problems, then it is necessary to teach or guide them on proper teeth cleaning.
Apart from that, you must take your child for regular appointments with a pediatric dentist. The dentist can carry out dental cleaning procedures. The following are the importance of dental cleaning.
Importance Of Dental Cleaning
To Keep Off Dental Problems Related To Cavities
Dental plaque is bad for everyone, including children. Parents who give proper brushing and flossing guides and assistance to their children will have saved them from accumulating plagues that can lead to cavities. Plaque is a thin film that gets stuck on the surface of the teeth.
As a result of poor dental hygiene, your child will develop plagues on the tooth enamel. The thin film caused by dirt and acid mixes with the bacteria in the mouth and becomes solid tartars that are difficult to remove. Tartars cover the enamel, and this leads to weakened protection. Thus it increases the risk of cavities.
To solve a cavity problem, you can take your child to see a professional dentist who will loosen the tartar on the teeth with some instruments. They will then perform a deep cleaning of your child’s teeth. Do not ignore any signs of a cavity in your child. If you do, a lot more problems will follow up, leading to gingivitis or related diseases. And at the end, it could also result in the loss of a tooth.
It is bad enough for an individual to lose permanent teeth; it will be more traumatic for children to lose their baby tooth before the right time due to cavities. Check if you have kids with poor diet and hygiene practices. They may have potential cavity problems. As parents, you may not spot these problems, but the dentist will spot them and ensure proper care and treatment for your child.
However, children who go to the dentist regularly for an oral examination will not experience cavities because they will learn a lot from the dentist including, the use of fluoride, the benefits of brushing and flossing, and the diet to avoid.
They will also spend their entire childhood days without any form of dental caries. If cavities are prevented at an early age, their permanent teeth will also get proper care when those teeth begin to replace the temporary teeth.
To Establish A Perfect Hygiene Routine
Brushing and flossing should be one of the most important things your child needs to learn. It should be the most practiced routine in your home, as it is necessary to have clean teeth. Babies and toddlers cannot brush their teeth on their own, and thus they need your assistance to do so. Try to brush their teeth at least twice daily to get them accustomed to this practice.
On the other hand, slightly older children also need proper guidance on the importance of brushing and flossing. Monitor every brushing session no matter how dedicated they are. However, children may need more than regular brushing and flushing to have a healthy mouth. Therefore, there will be a need for a dentist to expel the food particles that are trapped in areas that regular brushing and flossing cannot penetrate.
Teeth Cleaning Prevents Loss Of Tooth
A dental cavity can cause gum disease by inflaming the affected area. When tartars form on the teeth, it weakens both the gum and surrounding bones that hold the teeth together. With proper teeth cleaning, your child will not have gum diseases that can lead to tooth loss. You must take the child to a pediatric dentist to ensure that tartars are removed once in a while.
Dental Cleaning Brightens The Smile
Dental cleaning also involves getting rid of bad colorations on the teeth. In some children, due to poor diets, the teeth end up with a brown or yellow color that looks unattractive when they grin. To solve this problem, your child’s dentist will carry out painless teeth cleaning process to remove the hard stains from the child’s teeth. Such teeth stains, if ignored, will gradually become permanent stains.
It Imparts A Fresh Breath
It is not strange news that bad breath can be embarrassing, even in children, as they can also lose their confidence around other kids and people. The food they eat may not be the only reason for their bad breath. It could be a result of some underlying problems like gum diseases, mouth infections, or cavities.
Children can also have bad breath due to poor practice of oral hygiene. Teach proper cleaning habits to your child and also schedule dental cleaning sessions once in a while. It will improve their breath and make them feel more comfortable around people.
Save Money
It is better to invest in your child’s regular teeth cleaning than spend a lot more in the future on expensive dental procedures. If you properly manage your child’s oral health, they will not suffer tooth decay, gum diseases, and loss of teeth.
Some of these dental problems can cost a lot of money from your pocket. Nevertheless, with regular dental cleaning schedules, you will not only save your child from future problems but also save yourself from paying for expensive dental procedures to correct your child’s dental problems.
Enamel is the strongest surface in the body. It should feel firm and strong but can also be worn away over time due to eating highly acidic foods and drinking acidic beverages. If you’re less than confident when biting into hard, raw veggies such as carrots, check out these symptoms to see if your tooth enamel may be wearing away, leaving your teeth vulnerable to everything from chips and cracks to cavities.
SIGN #1: Dents on Teeth
If you start to notice indentations on your teeth, which can be referred to by your dentist as cupping, this could signal that tooth enamel has eroded.
SIGN #2: Yellowish Teeth
Another symptom that indicates that enamel may be wearing away is a yellowish color of the teeth, which happens when more of the dentin (or the hard, dense, bony tissue forming the bulk of a tooth beneath the enamel) within the tooth is exposed (dentin has a natural yellowish color).
SIGN #3: Chipped Teeth
If you start to see tiny chips and cracks in your teeth, this could be another red alert that the enamel on your teeth is eroding and your teeth are becoming weaker and less able to withstand biting and chewing without getting nicked.
SIGN #4: Sensitivity
If your teeth are becoming more sensitive over time, especially to extreme temperatures, like breathing in cold air, or drinking beverages such as hot teas and coffee or cool ice-water, then this could be a signal that your enamel is being stripped, making your teeth more vulnerable to decay. You may also feel a short jolt of pain when you eat very sweet foods, which your weakened teeth can respond to immediately.
Many people take their gums for granted. However, this precious pink tissue is actually a vital part of both oral and overall health. Not only can gum disease cause pain and tooth loss, but it is also associated with an increased risk of numerous systemic health conditions, including heart attack and stroke. What can you do to maintain healthy gums and protect yourself from the dangers of gum disease? Applying the following six tips can do much to support gum wellness.
1.- Brush Your Teeth at Least Twice a Day
Brushing is one of the primary means by which you can remove gum disease-causing bacteria from your mouth. You should brush every morning and every evening. However, if you find time to brush about 30 – 60 minutes after each meal, that is even better. Be sure to brush the backs of your teeth and the area along the gumline.
2.- Floss
Your toothbrush can get rid of disease-causing bacteria that accumulates along the gumline — but only to an extent. It cannot reach into the tight spaces between the teeth; only floss can do that. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that you floss at least once a day to maintain optimum oral health.
3.- Visit Your Dentist for Regular Cleanings
Visiting your dentist at least twice a year for a cleaning and checkup has two significant gum health benefits:
If your dentist spots any early signs of gum disease, they can help you reverse the condition before it becomes serious.
A thorough cleaning removes tartar (the bacteria-filled, hardened version of plaque) from along your gumline. At-home oral hygiene tools are not capable of removing tartar.
4.- Quit Smoking
Cigarettes interfere with the body’s ability to fight off infections, including gum disease. Smoking can also contribute to dry mouth and prevent the gums from healing efficiently when they suffer damage. If you smoke, now is the ideal time to work with your medical team to create a “quit plan.”
5.- Choose the Right Toothpaste
You should use an ADA-approved, fluoride-containing toothpaste when you brush your teeth. Some toothpastes are even specifically designed to prevent the formation of tartar, fight harmful bacteria, and promote gum health. Your dentist or hygienist can offer product recommendations to help you discover the right toothpaste for your circumstances.
6.- Add a Mouth Rinse to Your Oral Hygiene Routine
Rinsing with a mouthwash for 30 – 60 seconds before or after you brush your teeth can help you clean all the little nooks and crannies in your mouth where bacteria might accumulate. Some are geared specifically to fight or prevent gum disease, while others have more generalized oral health benefits. Whichever product you choose, be sure it has the ADA seal of approval.
Acids and bases might take you back to your middle school science class. However, their concept still applies to many aspects of life today. The foods and drinks we consume affect our oral health, for better or worse. The best way to protect and support your oral health is by eating the right foods. However, this is easier said than done.At Singing River Dentistry, and canperform a routine checkup and guide you regarding how your diet contributes to your oral health.
WHAT IS AN ALKALINE DIET?
If you paid attention in class, you should remember how the pH scale works. Foods between 0-6 count as acidic, 7 as neutral, and 8-14 as alkaline. Research shows that a high acidic diet can contribute to some chronic diseases such as type-2 diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. An acidic environment serves as a breeding ground for bacteria that cause disease, decay, and inflammation in your mouth.Eating an alkaline diet can counter many oral health conditions. This diet includes foods like fresh vegetables, fruits like tomato, lemon, and avocado, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds. You're probably wondering how naturally acidic fruits count as alkaline foods.Many fruits become alkaline once you digest them and provide several health benefits. However, citrus fruits can damage your teeth, so you should rinse your mouth after eating them.
HOW AN ALKALINE DIET BENEFITS ORAL HEALTH
Acidic foods can leach calcium, which forms your teeth' protective surface. Adding more alkaline foods to your diet can help neutralize or lower your acid intake to prevent tooth erosion. Too much acid wears down your teeth' outer layer (enamel), increasing tooth sensitivity and decay risk. Eating alkaline foods counters these effects.
The surface of your teeth is called enamel. It helps protect them from decay. Some wear and tear is normal, but there’s plenty you can do to keep that barrier strong. Take these simple steps for a healthy mouth and a winning smile.
1. Limit Sugary Foods and Drinks
Bacteria in your mouth feed on sugar from foods and drinks. Then they make acids, which soften and wear away your enamel. Chewy candies that stick on your teeth are can also cause damage. Soft drinks may have extra acids.
Soft drinks with artificial sweeteners are a smarter choice than ones with sugar, but they’re also acidic and will wear down enamel over time.
The best choice when you’re thirsty? A glass of plain water. Many flavored waters are acidic.
2. Eat Foods That Protect Enamel
Calcium in food counters acids in your mouth that cause decay. It also helps keep your bones and teeth strong.
Milk, cheese, and other dairy products help protect and strengthen enamel. Choose low-fat or fat-free items to help keep calories down. If you don’t eat dairy, look for foods with calcium added.
3. Avoid Over-Brushing
You can wear down your enamel if you brush too fast and hard. Hold a brush with a soft bristle at about a 45-degree angle to your gums. Then move it back and forth in short, gentle strokes, about the distance of one tooth.
Wait for up to an hour after eating sweets or citrus fruits before you brush your teeth. Acidic foods can soften enamel and may make it easier for you to damage it.
4. Use Fluoride
The American Dental Association (ADA) calls fluoride “nature’s cavity fighter” because it strengthens your enamel and helps repair the early stages of tooth decay. Fluoride also makes your teeth more resistant to acids that come from foods and from bacteria in your mouth.The ADA recommends fluoride toothpaste as soon as the first tooth appears and throughout your life. Rinsing with a mouthwash that has fluoride can also help prevent cavities and keep your enamel strong.
Eating a healthy diet is an essential part of practicing good oral hygiene. By ensuring you get all the necessary vitamins and nutrients your body requires and limiting any foods and beverages that can damage your teeth, your body can better protect your oral health. But is Vitamin K2 one of those vitamins that can benefit your teeth and gums? And if so, is taking a supplement beneficial? We'll give you some crucial details about Vitamin K2 so you can make choices for your oral health that you can smile about.
What is Vitamin K2?
Vitamins are essential for your body to perform a variety of essential functions. Most people can get enough vitamins by eating a healthy and well-balanced diet, and you can use vitamin supplements if you aren't getting enough of them through whole foods.
Vitamin K is absorbed with fats in your diet and is stored in your body's fatty tissue (it's fat-soluble). This vitamin comes in two types – vitamin K1 (the chemical compound phylloquinone) and vitamin K2 (the chemical compound menaquinone).
Where Does K2 Come From?
Vitamin K1 is mostly found in dark leafy greens and vegetable oils. Vitamin K2 can be found in:
Blue Cheese
Hard cheeses like gouda and swiss
Eggs
Pork
Chicken
And natto (a fermented Japanese food made from soybeans)
What Are the Benefits of Vitamin K2?
Vitamin K is essential for strong, healthy bones and plays a vital role in blood clotting. A study published in Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal says that vitamin K2 is also useful in keeping blood vessels' walls clear of calcium deposits.
How does Vitamin K2 affect your oral health?
So far, there haven't been any scientifically valid human studies on the effects of vitamin K2 on oral health. There have only been discussions and hypotheses put forward about the potential benefits of vitamin K2 for your teeth, such as one published in Medical Hypotheses. This hypothesis suggests vitamin K2 may play a role in preventing cavities; however, more research needs to be conducted on the subject.
How Much Vitamin K2 is Recommended?
According to the National Institute of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements, you can get the recommended amount of vitamin K by eating a well-balanced diet, and the recommended daily amount depends on age, sex, and whether or not you're a woman who is breastfeeding:
0-6 months 2 micrograms
7–12 months 2.5 micrograms
1–3 years 30 micrograms
4–8 years 55 micrograms
9–13 years 60 micrograms
14–18 years 75 micrograms
Adult men 19 years+ 120 micrograms
Adult women 19 years+ 90 micrograms
Pregnant/breastfeeding teens 75 micrograms
Pregnant/breastfeeding women 90 micrograms
Should You Take Vitamin K Supplements?
An article published by John Hopkins Medicine references various studies in which vitamin supplements have been shown to have a negligible effect on the health of the participants. They recommend eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and minimizing the sodium, sugar, trans fats, and saturated fats that you eat to best care for your health.
The Mayo Clinic echoes the sentiment, recommending vitamin supplements only if you can't get certain vitamins in your regular diet. For instance, if you're a vegan or vegetarian, you may not get enough vitamin K2 without eating any meats or cheeses. Some medical conditions may require vitamin supplements if you aren't able to absorb enough nutrients naturally.
If you have any questions about vitamin K2, your health and dental professionals can provide you with the best recommendations for your individual needs.
Vitamin K2 does have some essential benefits, but the impact of K2 on oral health is yet to be proven. You should receive a sufficient amount of menaquinones with a healthy diet, and the best way to take care of your oral health is by practicing good oral hygiene. Be sure to brush at least twice a day, and don't forget to brush your tongue. Consider using other helpful products like an antimicrobial mouthrinse and tongue scrapers. And be sure to see your dental professional for regular appointments. Vitamin K2 may not be a supplement that's known to protect your oral health at this time, but practicing good oral hygiene is a perfect supplement to make you smile.
Surgery to straighten your teeth may seem extreme, but there are benefits to including dental surgery as part of your accelerated orthodontic treatment. While typically you can’t escape wearing braces totally, with the surgery you will only have to wear them for a shorter period of time.
Teeth-straightening surgery works best for people with an overbite or underbite or jaw misalignment. If you only have a couple of crooked teeth surgery really isn’t necessary to get the results you are looking for.
What Does the Surgery Involve?
The surgery requires only local anesthesia and involves repositioning the gums and bones which hold the teeth in place. While it is a minor surgery, it is still surgery so there is always a slight risk of complications, including pain, swelling, bleeding and infection.
Will I Still Need to Wear Braces?
In most cases, the surgery is just one stage of treatment and you might need to wear braces after and sometimes before, but it is usually less time than when you just do braces.
What is Orthognathic Surgery?
If your crooked teeth result from misalignment of your jaw, your dentist might suggest corrective jaw surgery which will fix any skeletal deformities to realign your jaw. This surgery must be done in a hospital setting by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and typically involves surgical plates or screws and wires.
You may need to stay in the hospital for a couple of days to be monitored and then recovery at home for about 6 weeks. As with any surgery, there are risks for infection and complications.
This surgery focuses on correcting functional problems like trouble speaking or chewing and sleep apnea. Patients who also experience a lot of headaches and joint paint from the misalignment of your jaw are also good candidates. If you have a protruding or extruding chin, you could also benefit from this type of surgery.
How Expensive Is Teeth-straightening Surgery?
If you need orthognathic surgery then most insurance policies will at least cover part of the cost. However if you are just getting teeth-straightening surgery to accelerate the process of wearing braces, the cost will have to be out of pocket. Tall to your orthodontist about what types of payment options are available for you.
Do I Have Other Options?
There are other accelerated orthodontic treatment options as well. AcceleDent is a FDA-cleared medical device that you can use at home to stimulate the bone remodeling needed to properly align your teeth. The SoftPulse technology used in the device allows a consistent gentle pressure to be applied to the teeth. This pressure in conjunction with the pressure being asserted by the braces allows the repositioning of teeth to happen more quickly. Most patients see results after using it for just 20 minutes a day. You can cut your treatment length almost in half with this device.
How does it work: You insert the mouthpiece attached to the lightweight device around your braces or aligners. AcceleDent also contains a usage indicator that tracks how many sessions and how many minutes per session you have worn the device. This data can also easily be shared with your orthodontist. This device is only available by prescription from your orthodontist.
Propel Chairside Excellator is another accelerated orthodontic treatment option. This one has to be done in the orthodontist’s office though. Sometimes your doctor can use it during your normal orthodontic appointments, but that is not always the case. Ask him or her if you need to set up a separate appointment to take advantage of this treatment. The Propel system also accelerates the bone metabolism and shortens the duration of treatment.
Bottom Line…
If you are really serious about cutting down the time you have to wear braces, you’re best bet is to consult with a couple of orthodontists even before you choose the type of braces you will wear. Let them know your time constraints and talk to them about the pros and cons of Invisalign aligners vs. metal braces. Then ask them their opinion on accelerated orthodontics techniques and what they think would be best for your situation. Discuss if there are any risks with using any of these techniques. This way your orthodontic plan right from the start is geared to a fast, but safe and effective approach.
Whatever you do though, don’t try to move your teeth on your own. Don’t let your impatience to be done with treatment push you into something you might regret later. With homemade remedies and DIY approaches, you have no real guidance or safety net. There is no one telling you that you are doing right or wrong. It is much better to use an orthodontic-approved approach and have what you are doing monitored by the orthodontist. Why risk causing damage to your teeth and delaying your treatment instead of accelerating it?
Luckily, just making sure that you follow your orthodontist’s instructions exactly can also accelerate the treatment process.
By not taking proper care of your braces and teeth, you could be adding time to treatment instead of shortening it. For example, eating hard candy could damage the brackets and not cleaning your teeth properly could lead to cavities and other complications.
Make sure you wear the elastics your orthodontist might give you and don’t skip out on any of your appointments. If there are long gaps between you appointments, it could delay you treatment tremendously. Wear an orthodontic mouthguard while playing sports to protect against bent wires and busted brackets as well as damaged teeth and try to cut up your food into bite sized pieces to avoid any damage from the food you are eating.
Also avoid clenching your jaw which can also affect how your teeth move. While all these things are what you should be doing anyway, it might surprise you how much your treatment can be delayed when you don’t follow the instructions.
For best teeth-straightening results, do your research on the best orthodontists in your area and schedule a few consultations so you can find someone who you trust, who will be dedicated to protecting your oral health and to giving you the best results possible no matter which treatment plan you choose.
