What does everyone have but no one really wants? If you guessed plaque, you’re right! Plaque is an unfortunate byproduct of necessary habits like eating and drinking, but this is you can deal with it.
What is plaque?
Plaque is a soft, sticky film that builds up on your teeth and contains millions of bacteria. The bacteria in plaque cause tooth decay and gum disease if they are not removed regularly through brushing and flossing.
When you eat, the bacteria in plaque use the sugars in your food to produce acids that eat away at the tooth enamel. Repeated attacks cause the enamel to break down, eventually resulting in a cavity (or hole) in the tooth surface.
What happens if you don’t remove plaque?
Plaque that is not removed daily by brushing and flossing between teeth can eventually harden into tartar. Brushing and flossing become more difficult as tartar collects at the gum line. As the tartar, plaque and bacteria continue to increase, the gum tissue can become red, swollen and possibly bleed when you brush your teeth. This is called gingivitis, an early stage of gum (periodontal) disease.
Gingivitis is reversible with good oral hygiene and professional treatment; however, if left untreated, gingivitis can advance into periodontitis. Periodontitis, a more severe form of gum disease, occurs when bacterial infection causes your gums and the bone supporting the teeth to break down. Your gums may begin to recede, pulling back from the teeth. In the worst cases, the bone supporting the teeth is destroyed and can lead to tooth loss.
How to identify plaque
Plaque is colorless and difficult to see. Heavy plaque deposits can be easier to see and may look like a thick white deposit or food stuck to the teeth. If you're not sure if you see plaque on your teeth, you can use a disclosing tablet (found at your local pharmacy) or you can rinse with a few drops of food coloring in two ounces of water. The disclosing tablets or solution will temporarily stain the plaque so you can see it more easily. You can then brush and floss until the stain is gone.
How to fight back against plaque
Since plaque is constantly growing in your mouth, the best way to remove it and to prevent tartar build-up is to brush and floss your teeth every day.
Brush your teeth twice a day, using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque from tooth surfaces and protect your teeth from decay. Since plaque is a sticky substance, you must brush and floss to help remove it. Mouth rinses alone will not provide enough plaque removal to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
Clean between teeth daily (preferably before bedtime) with floss or an interdental cleaner to remove plaque from the places where your toothbrush can’t reach. Flossing is essential to preventing gum disease.
Eat a balanced diet and limit snacks between meals, which can provide more sugar for the bacteria in plaque to convert into decay-causing acids.
Visit your dentist at least once a year for professional cleanings and oral exams.
Getting your wisdom teeth extracted is never a fun process, and when you are told you have to get them removed, a million questions race through your mind. One of the most common is how long it takes to recover after wisdom teeth removal. Keep reading to have all your questions related to recovery time answered!
Recovery Time for Wisdom Teeth Removal
After the wisdom teeth removal, you should expect around 3 – 7 days before fully recovering from your wisdom extraction. However, that timeline can become as long as two weeks if the extraction is particularly complicated or extensive. Most people will return to daily life within three days after their wisdom teeth are removed.
Prevent blood clots in the extraction spots from dislodging by avoiding strenuous activities for the first several days. Normal daily activities, though, are fine after a day or two, and you can return to work/school so long as you do not have to perform excess physical activity.
Recovery Process on the Day of the Surgery
How recovery works for you on the day of your surgery depends on whether you get general anesthesia. If you get general anesthesia, meaning you are put under for the surgery, you will likely find yourself waking up in the recovery room after the procedure. You will probably be tired and experience a sort of high until the anesthesia effects wear off.
Since you cannot drive after your surgery, you will need someone to drive you home. You can take over-the-counter medications for the pain, and your oral surgeon will tell you which ones are safe to take. Use ice packs to lessen the swelling and help with the pain.
Normally, the pain of wisdom teeth extraction peaks around 6 – 12 hours after the surgery, as this is when the anesthesia has worn off. You should rest for the next two days and only eat soft foods to help your recovery move speedily.
What To Avoid for the Shortest Recovery Time
After having your wisdom teeth removed, there are several things you should avoid to speed up your recovery time. These are not the only things to avoid, and your oral surgeon will provide you with post-op care instructions to help your recovery go as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Smoking or partaking in anything with nicotine in it
Drinking alcohol
Spitting
Using a straw
Strenuous physical activity
The above should be avoided for the first several days after the surgery. Drinking and smoking should be avoided for up to a week after the surgery to help ensure the safest and shortest recovery possible.
Wisdom teeth extraction can be an anxiety-inducing process, but it is one of the most common procedures worldwide. The recovery period can be slightly longer if you had a difficult wisdom teeth extraction, but you should be back up and enjoying life within several days.
You need a tooth replacement if you have at least one missing tooth. It is embarrassing and uncomfortable to have even one missing tooth. This can be bad for your dental health. Replacing the missing tooth is possible with dental implants, dental bridges, or dentures. If you want to know why you must prepare to get a tooth replacement, here are the details.
Tooth loss may affect mental and general health
Losing a tooth leads to difficulty in chewing and speaking. Having a hole in a smile can be embarrassing and irritating the longer it stays that way. Adults with missing teeth suffer on a different level. Self-image degrades. Speech patterns change. These consequences of tooth loss affect the person’s mental state.
Missing teeth can cause depression. This can reduce the person’s ability to maintain relationships. It can even deny the person a much-deserved advancement at work. A missing tooth can make eating difficult and painful. This can affect the person’s general health. The inability to eat favorite foods can affect a person’s well-being.
Digestion starts in the mouth. Some foods must go through a good amount of chewing to extract the nutrients from them. A patient with incomplete teeth cannot chew every piece of food well. This may change the level of the patient’s nutrient intake.
A tooth-replacement system can change all of this into something positive. Chewing, smiling, and speaking better elevate a person’s positive attitude. Every person deserves to have a good quality of life after tooth loss. A person who has a complete set of teeth can be productive, happy, and healthy again.
Neighboring teeth can loosen and shift
A mouth with a complete dentition is stable. The teeth support each other as the person speaks, chews, and smiles. Tooth loss breaks this stability. A gap causes the remaining teeth to loosen or move. This changes the patient’s bite. It also leads to tooth decay and periodontal disease.
Causes temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder
Muscles along each side of the jaw help in rotating and chewing. These are temporomandibular joints. The joint system of the jaw can develop a TMJ disorder if there is tooth loss. A missing tooth changes the patient’s bite. This misaligns the teeth and the way the jaw functions.
A TMJ disorder is painful. That is why the patient should get a tooth replacement right away. This restoration can bring back the proper alignment of teeth. The jaw does not need to change in movement anymore. Tooth replacement can prevent and help correct TMJ disorders.
The facial structure changes
Tooth loss can start dental shifting, bone loss, and sagging of facial skin. The face has a sunken-in appearance, making the patient look older. Tooth replacement helps restructure the face into a younger-looking one. This is enough to bring back the patient’s self-image.
Benefits of tooth replacement
There are many options available for replacing teeth. Patients often think about the most stable way to achieve this. By replacing the entire tooth structure, the patient can maximize the benefits of tooth replacement. Here are some of these benefits:
It restores the person’s bite force. The titanium post acts as dental roots. They merge with the jawbone for months. Then, the artificial porcelain tooth will go on the top part of the post with the help of the titanium abutment. These materials are durable enough to support a person’s bite force. The patient will be able to bite and chew like before.
It prevents bone loss. Implanting the titanium rod into the jawbone will mimic the missing dental root. The rod will stimulate the jawbone. This will tell the body to send nutrients to that area of the jawbone for tissue repair and replacement. This will then prevent jawbone loss.
It matches natural teeth. The dentist will match the color of the artificial tooth with the remaining natural teeth. Knowing which tooth is real and which is not is a secret between the dentist and the patient.
It supports natural speech. Since the tooth replacement is one with the jawbone, the patient can pronounce words without any problem at all. There will be an adjustment period, but the patient will get used to the dental replacement over time.
It supports facial structures. Since tooth replacement prevents jawbone loss, it also prevents the loss of support for facial structures. This prevents the development of a sunken look. It makes the individual look years younger.
You should consider a tooth replacement if you have missing teeth
Tooth loss is a huge problem. It has negative effects on the person’s physical, mental, and emotional health. Considering tooth replacement options can prevent consequences like depression or TMJ disorders. An appointment with your dentist can start your personal journey back to optimal health.
You may be brushing and flossing regularly, but that doesn’t mean you are completely free from dental problems. It’s important to keep up with all of your dental appointments to ensure good health. Here are some of the signs you need to visit your dentist right away:
A chronic toothache
It’s tough to ignore a toothache. You will find yourself calling a number you got from an online search when you type the phrase “dentist near me in Indianapolis“. However, the pain may subside after taking some pain relievers. This should not be a reason to ignore that visit to your dentist. The pain may be gone, but the cause of the pain could still be there.
Persistent bad breath
Bad breath will not only make you uncomfortable; it will also have a devastating effect on your self-esteem. You have been brushing twice a day, flossing regularly, and using the most recommended toothpaste. But, still, the bad breath is still haunting you.
If this sounds like you, then you need to book an appointment with your dentist soon. This is because the bad breath could be a sign of a bigger underlying dental and health issue that requires urgent care. It could be tooth decay, gum disease, or any other illness.
Bleeding or sore gums
You may notice some blood when brushing and this could be caused by brushing too hard. Or, it could be that you are starting a flossing routine. But when this becomes regular, you need to see a dentist near you. This could be a sign of gingivitis, which when detected early, is completely curable. This also applies if you notice that you have sore and inflamed gums.
For you to have and maintain a good oral health, you should have regular visits to your dentist. This will not only help in detecting the problems early, but it will ensure that you have the right treatments before the problem escalates. If you notice any of the above signs, kindly give your dentist a visit.
Many people don’t give much thought to their toothbrush, but if you’re going to get the most out of your teeth-cleaning efforts, it’s definitely worth paying more attention. This is especially true when you have braces, since cleaning your teeth while in orthodontic treatment is extremely important. Here are some essential toothbrush facts to help you successfully clean your teeth during orthodontic treatment and beyond, including when to replace your toothbrush.
When to Replace Your Toothbrush
It’s easy to lose track of time when it comes to how long you’ve had a particular toothbrush. For the most part, it’s something that people casually add to their shopping lists once they notice their toothbrush looks unusable. But the ideal time to purchase a toothbrush and to add your old one to your housecleaning tools or trash can is around three months. Even though your toothbrush may seem relatively new, the bristles wear down over time and bacteria growth may become problematic after more than a few months.
Hard vs. Soft Bristles
So, what should you look for next time you head to the store to replace your toothbrush? Many people are under the impression they need to be tough on plaque to fully clean their teeth. However, choosing a hard-bristled toothbrush can end up being hard on your enamel and gums instead. This is why it is best to choose a soft-bristled toothbrush that will gently clean away plaque and food particles instead of damaging your teeth.
Electric vs. Manual Toothbrush
In addition to the bristle type, the issue of choosing between a manual and an electric toothbrush is also a hot topic. It used to be doctors recommended sticking to a manual toothbrush to clean teeth with braces, but more modern studies show that electric toothbrushes remove more plaque and bacteria. This is likely due to general improvements in electric toothbrushes over the decades. You can still effectively clean your teeth with a conventional toothbrush too, just remember to brush all surfaces of each tooth and to brush for around two minutes.
Should Your Toothbrush Be Wet or Dry?
Now for the real debate — should you wet your toothbrush before brushing? As heated as some people may get arguing about this on social media, the answer remains unclear. There are medical experts on both sides of this issue, so what you end up doing is really a matter of personal preference.
How to Store Your Toothbrush
The way you store your toothbrush when it is not in use is a very important way to avoid bacterial buildup and to make sure your teeth-cleaning routine is sanitary. Ideally, you should have a toothbrush holder that allows you to store it upright where the bristles can air out. Be sure to give it a good rinse after you are done using it and tap it dry before you place it in its holder.
Recent studies have shown that dental discoloration is one of the most common issues preventing people from joining social interactions with wide smiles. Therefore, it is essential to try beneficial and effective treatments to bring back the brightness of your smile as early as possible. According to dental professionals, one of the most prevalent solutions commonly offered to fix this problem effectively is the straightforward option provided by cosmetic dentistry, known as teeth whitening. The good news is that all dedicated cosmetic dental practitioners at Golden Mile Dental will do their best to achieve the desired shade of your teeth through painless and safe procedures.
The following item is the most effective type of this experimental treatment:
In-Office Type: It is necessary to mention that some patients should only undergo this method because the other at-home options are unable to create pleasing results for those candidates who suffer from severely discolored and stained teeth. In this helpful essay, you will be familiar with all essential information about in-office teeth whitening options then you will confidently make up your mind to have the best choice to whiten your natural teeth.
What Is In-office Whitening Option?
Generally, in this modern and technical world, cosmetic dentistry has become one of the most popular branches of dentistry. Its effective and successful treatments are frequently requested worldwide. But the critical point that should be taken into account is that, in some cases, the only problem that ruins your smile and decreases your confidence to show it off is your yellowish teeth. In such cases, you should make your urgent visit with your highly-skilled dentists without hesitation and discuss with them the proper type of teeth whitening services that can meet your needs successfully. As soon as you have your trip to the dedicated cosmetic dentists’ offices, they will thoroughly examine the condition of every single tooth to ensure there are no other dental problems. If any minor dental issue is detected during the initial evaluation, various treatments should be performed before the whitening process. That’s why all professional dental experts state that those who decide to brighten their teeth will take a significant step to keep their oral health in good shape because any minor to severe dental issues, including fractured, decayed or infected teeth, are adequately treated before the beginning of in-office whitening method.
Are There Better Alternatives?
Although you will take countless benefits from the teeth whitening option, you may not achieve your desired shade if you suffer from severe dental discoloration. But it doesn’t mean you never achieve the stunning smiles you always wanted. Thanks to significant advances in cosmetic dentistry, equipped aesthetic practitioners have a wide range of practical options to surprise their valued patients by concealing their stained teeth. Teeth bonding is one option that can produce desired results at an affordable rate. Besides, dental veneers are another popular solution that not only can gift you a shiny smile but also can cover several other dental imperfections fairly simply.
Tooth pain can become a nuisance, especially if it is triggered by eating. As irritating as this throbbing pain can be, tooth pain is usually a sign of more serious issues with the tooth in question and is a symptom of a variety of other conditions.
If you are feeling tooth pain consistently after each meal, it might be a good idea to schedule an appointment with your dentist. Here are some issues that might be causing that throbbing pain, and what the treatment options are for each.
Tooth Decay
More commonly known as a cavity, tooth decay is usually the most common culprit of causing toothaches. Cavities form when bacteria eat through the hard external enamel of the tooth, leaving the inner nerves and tissues exposed. While having some level of bacteria is essential for a healthy oral environment, as the bacteria helps externally digest food and kill off microbes before the food enters your esophagus, eating too many sugary foods tends to feed the wrong kind of bacteria, increasing the number of harmful bacteria in the mouth.
Harmful bacteria can form plaque and acids that eat away at the tooth enamel, eventually leading to cavities if you don’t properly take care of your teeth. White, brown, or black spots on your teeth could be visual signs that you might have cavities.
Treatment
Most cavities can be treated by a filling, in which the cavity is drilled out, the crevice is cleaned and then filled back in. In severe cases, more extensive work might need to be done if the infection has compromised the health of the tooth.
Abscess
An abscess forms when the pulp of the tooth becomes infected and dies, decaying and leaving behind puss and bacteria. This most commonly occurs when a cavity is left untreated for too long and bacteria is able to eat away at the tooth pulp for extended periods of time. This can cause severe tooth pain and is usually a persistent throbbing.
Treatment
Treatment for an abscess usually involves cleaning out the pulp of the tooth as well as cleaning any of the underlying gum if the abscess has caused any gum disease, and then either performing a root canal if the gum is still structurally sound, or have an implant put in if the gum has been eaten away to the point where the tooth will no longer hold.
Tooth Fracture
A tooth fracture can be caused by a number of things. This can range from biting into something too hard like ice, natural weaknesses in the tooth due to a defect, or falling and striking your jaw or tooth causing it to fracture. The fracture allows substances like water, air, and bacteria to enter the tooth and irritate the pulp, triggering a pain response.
Treatment
Your dentist can usually repair a tooth fracture through the use of dental glue, veneer, or fillings depending on the size and severity of the fracture. Your dentist may also need to perform a root canal or apply a crown depending on the damage done to the tooth pulp.
Damaged Filling
If you have already gotten a filling previously, it is possible to damage your filling the same way you would fracture your normal enamel, through either biting something hard or falling and striking your jaw or tooth. Grinding or clenching your teeth can also wear down your filling as well. This can cause your fillings to either crack, chip, wear away, or even pop out completely.
Treatment
In the case of a damaged filling, your dentist will likely drill out the old filling and replace it with a new one to ensure your filling stays structurally sound.
Gingivitis
Gingivitis, or gum infection, can also cause serious tooth pain. Bacteria from infected gums can build up around the roots of the tooth and deteriorate the roots, weakening the structural stability of the tooth. The bacteria can also wear away the gums as well as eat away at the bone that holds the tooth in place. Gum infection is the leading cause of lost teeth in adults.
Treatment
Deep cleaning or ‘scaling’ may be required to remove the bacteria from your gums, which can be extremely painful, and more extreme measures like root planting might be required to keep your gums healthy if you have gum infections. In extreme cases, dental surgery may even be required in order to save or replace a tooth that is at risk of falling out.
Grinding Your Teeth
Grinding your teeth can eventually lead to pain if you do it often and consistently enough. Not only does grinding your teeth wear away at the surface enamel on the tops of your teeth, but it also puts added pressure on your gums and roots, as well as increase your risk of cavities and tooth fractures. Teeth grinding commonly occurs at night while asleep or as a response to stress.
Treatment
If you grind your teeth at night, the most common treatment is to use a mouth guard to prevent your teeth from grinding together. If it is more related to your stress response, learning new coping techniques can help reduce your tendencies to grind your teeth.
Erupting Tooth
If a tooth is coming in and piercing through the gum, this can cause some pain as the tooth grows in and makes its way through the gum. This is most common in adults when wisdom teeth start coming in, though erupting teeth can also become impacted if they grow in the wrong direction or are blocked by other teeth. This can cause severe pain as well as shift and weaken the teeth that they are pressing against, throwing off the entire mechanism of your jaw and teeth.
Treatment
Teeth that are erupting properly can cause pain around the eruption site, but since the pain isn’t a sign of other issues you can simply use topical gels and pain relievers to help numb the area or reduce pain sensitivity. If you have an impacted tooth then minor oral surgery is often required to either make room for the new tooth or to remove the impacted tooth entirely like in the case of a wisdom tooth growing in sideways. If you have an impacted tooth, it is better to resolve the issue sooner rather than later since the pressure on your other teeth can cause your teeth to shift, further compounding the problem. If your teeth shift too much you may need braces to realign your teeth into the proper positioning, which is both extremely expensive and can take years of treatment to resolve.
Conclusion
Tooth pain is almost always the sign of another condition, though it can be hard to determine the cause without visiting your dentist for an exam.
(11/12/2024) by West Hollywood Holistic Cosmetic Dental Care
Your toothbrush is home to more than 100 million bacteria including E. coli and staphylococci (Staph) bacteria, according to researchers at the University of Manchester in England. And the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that fecal germs were on your toothbrushes too.
All that sounds gross, but you needn't panic. Your mouth is also full of bacteria and your toothbrush probably won't make you sick, but there are ways to keep it clean so you stay healthy.
Mouthful of Bacteria
"There (are) hundreds of microorganisms in our mouths every day," says Gayle McCombs, RDH, MS, associate professor and director of the Dental Hygiene Research Center at Old Dominion University.
Even plaque – the stuff you are trying to brush off your teeth – is composed mainly by a type of bacteria.
None of this is cause for concern unless there is an unhealthy balance of bacteria in the mouth.
How Brushing Your Teeth Hurts
Brushing your teeth, particularly with an electric toothbrush, can actually push germs under your gums, says R. Thomas Glass, DDS, PhD, professor of dentistry and pathology at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences.
Most of these germs already exist in your mouth so you probably won't get sick from them. However, if others use your toothbrush (or you use someone else's) germs can be spread.
The thing to worry about is recurring illness. "When your resistance is low, that's when this becomes clinically important," he says. "In essence, you are re-infecting yourself," says Glass.
Could Your Toothbrush Be Making You Sick?
You probably won't get an infection from your own toothbrush. Even if your brush is covered in bacteria, your immune system can usually take care of any bacterial invaders. However, you should still care for your toothbrush properly and keep it clean. The following slides discuss some ways to care for and store your toothbrush properly to minimize the chance of illness.
Don't Brush Where You Flush
Where you store your toothbrush in your bathroom is important. In most bathrooms, the toilet is very close to the sink, where most people keep their toothbrushes. Every time you flush, bacteria are released into the air – and you don't want that bacteria to get on your toothbrush.
"It's just common sense to store your toothbrush as far away from the toilet as possible," says McCombs. Keep it in a medicine cabinet if possible, and always close the toilet lid before flushing to minimize the spread of bacteria onto your toothbrush.
Toothbrush Holders
Toothbrush holders as well can pick up bacteria that are spread by toilet flushing. A study by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) found that toothbrush holders are the third-most germy household items (behind dish sponges and kitchen sinks). Remember to clean your toothbrush holder regularly to remove germs.
Toothbrush Storage Tips
After you've moved your toothbrush as far from the toilet as possible, and cleaned your toothbrush holder, here are some storage tips to keep your toothbrush as germ-free as possible:
Rinse your toothbrush thoroughly with tap water every time you use it.
Let your toothbrush dry thoroughly between brushings. Don't use toothbrush covers, which can create a moist enclosed breeding ground for bacteria.
Keep your toothbrush upright in a holder, rather than lying it down.
Don't ever use anyone else's toothbrush, or let someone use yours.
Keep toothbrushes separate. If toothbrushes touch, they can swap germs.
Do Toothbrush Sanitizers Really Work?
There are products available that claim to sanitize your toothbrush. Some use ultraviolet light; others are sprays or rinses. There are even brushes with built-in antibacterial bristles. While some of these products do kill some germs, there is no evidence using them will reduce your risk of illness.
The American Dental Association (ADA) states soaking your toothbrush in an antibacterial mouth rinse after use may reduce the number of bacteria on your toothbrush.
Just make sure you do not try to sterilize your toothbrush in a microwave or dishwasher. According to the ADA, most toothbrushes are not made to withstand these conditions and doing so might damage the brush and reduce its effectiveness.
When to Toss Your Toothbrush
The ADA recommends replacing your toothbrush every three to four months, or more often if bristles become frayed, if you are sick, or if you have a weakened immune system. For an electric toothbrush, replace the head as frequently as you would a regular disposable brush. Children's toothbrushes may need to be replaced more often than adult brushes.
Remember, "Bacteria cause gum disease, and decay, and bad breath," says dentist Kimberly Harms, DDS, consumer advisor for the ADA. Harms recommends brushing and flossing as often as possible, and rinsing your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash before you brush to eliminate bacteria before they get onto your toothbrush.
Dentin hypersensitivity is a common condition caused by exposed dentin, which can result in severe, persistent pain and discomfort. Although it can affect people of any age group, it is mostly seen in people between ages 20-40.
Common triggers for dentin hypersensitivity include:
Thermal (hot or cold foods)
Chemical (sour foods)
Tactile (hard foods)
How is dentin hypersensitivity fixed?
After taking a detailed history of your condition and identifying predisposing factors, your dentist may recommend:
At-home desensitizing therapy in mild to moderate cases
In-office desensitizing therapy or clinic treatment sessions if the pain is very severe or home therapy isn’t working
Endodontic therapy in extreme cases
At-home desensitizing therapy
Your dentist may advise you to use a toothbrush with soft bristles and give you toothpaste, mouthwash, chewing gum, etc., that contain desensitizing agents such as potassium nitrate, potassium chloride, or potassium citrate. Potassium causes diffusion (transport) along the dentinal tubules (internal dentin structure) and reduces the excitability of the interdental nerve fibers by blocking the axonic action.
In-office desensitizing therapy
This therapy can provide immediate relief from symptoms of dentin hypersensitivity. In-office desensitizing agents are materials that undergo a setting reaction (glass ionomer cement and composites) and those that do not undergo a setting reaction (varnishes and oxalates).
Either of these is applied over the dentin as a replacement of the enamel and helps form a protective cover that reduces tooth sensitivity.
Endodontic therapy
This involves removing the dentin-pulp complex of the affected tooth and filling it up. It is commonly known as root canal therapy.
What causes dentin hypersensitivity?
Our teeth are covered with a hard cement-like structure called enamel, under which lies the dentin layer, which has numerous nerve endings.
If there is loss of the protective layer of enamel due to abrasion or tooth decay and the dentin is exposed, this can cause excessive stimulation of the nerve endings and lead to severe pain or discomfort.
How is dentin hypersensitivity diagnosed?
People with dentin hypersensitivity may have symptoms such as chipped or fractured enamel or tooth decay. Many complain of pain or irritation when that part of the tooth is exposed to hot or cold foods.
To assess the severity of the condition, your dentist may apply slight pressure or a jet of air on the affected tooth and monitor your response.
How can dentin hypersensitivity be prevented?
It’s important to maintain good oral hygiene on a regular basis, which can help prevent tooth decay and damage to the enamel.
Poor hygiene, faulty brushing techniques, using a toothbrush with hard bristles, using abrasive toothpaste, and excessive scrubbing can lead to erosion of the enamel layer.
While your tooth enamel is the hardest substance in your body, certain lifestyle habits, medical conditions, and food choices can cause it to erode and become sensitive.
We put our teeth through a lot in our lifetime, including the hours we spend eating and drinking. The tooth surfaces must deal with a constantly changing environment. One area that sometimes gets overlooked when choosing our diet is the acidity in maybe causing to our teeth.
Enamel is the hardest substance found in the body but even this amazingly tough outer tooth layer can be damaged by a pH environment lower than 5.5. The pH 0 being the most acidic. If these harsh conditions occur frequently then the top layer can be eroded away over time.
The appearance of acid erosion differs from other types of tooth substance loss as it is smoother in appearance making it less obvious to spot. Here’s what to look out for:
Saucer shaped depressions, wearing away of biting surfaces and edges that have a smooth shiny appearance.
Thinner enamel or dentine which sometimes has a darker yellow/brown coloring.
These visual symptoms are often accompanied by sensitivity to hot, cold, and sweet stimulates
The surface of the tooth can also feel different to the tongue and touch usually feeling rougher.
Causes include internal factors such as:
Gastroesophageal reflux or acid reflux. This can be caused by food/drink, smoking, pregnancy, and medical conditions such as hiatus hernia.
Bulimia is eating disorder which causes frequent vomiting to control a person’s food intake. This causes the enamel to be in contact with strong acids in the stomach.
Binge drinking and alcoholism can also induce regular vomiting. The acid in the stomach has a pH around 1.
External factors:
Foods include acidic fruit such as citrus fruits, apples, and tomatoes.
Anything that has been pickled or preserved in vinegar is also a high risk.
Drinks such as sodas, alcohol and fruit juices are obvious dangers but there are some hidden risks with people not realizing the acidic dangers. These might take you by surprise.
Lemon slice in hot water. Often taken for its health benefits but the pH of lemon juice is around 2 so adding this to hot water almost creates hot acid. As a comparison the pH of soda usually sits around 2.5.
Carbonated water has a pH of 3-4 which is often overlooked.
Sport drinks and flavored waters.
Here what to do to help reduce and prevent loss of tooth surface:
Avoid regular intake of food and drink that is acidic. If you’re drinking something that is acidic then drinking through a straw can reduce the amount of contact, do not hold carbonated drinks in your mouth before swallowing. Eating the most acidic item first follow but something less acidic can help.
Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day for 2 minutes with a soft manual brush or good quality electric toothbrush, preferably one that has a pressure feature.
The American Dental Association recommends waiting 60 minutes after eating or drinking to brush your teeth as this can cause the softened enamel to be brushed away. The saliva will help return the pH levels but chewing sugar-free gum can also help this process.
Visit your dentist and dental hygienist regularly to ensure a healthy mouth and get tips and guidance for your home care. Also seek medical guidance for any of the internal issues that could be causing erosion.
