Tag Archives: American Dental Association

Dental Health

Teeth Whitening Options: When Toothpaste is Not Enough Anymore

Leave a comment

When toothpastes are no longer capable of giving people that shiny and bright smile, teeth whitening is the only alternative left.

Having the perfect white teeth have long been advertised by toothpaste and other tooth products. Due to the aggressive marketing that they use, it is no wonder why a lot of people are finding ways to whiten their teeth more.

One of the options that they have is teeth whitening. The perfect candidates for teeth whitening are those that have teeth that are discolored because of age, due to possible smoking and many other factors.

Once teeth whitening was found out to work effectively, more and more people are enticed to try them out for themselves. And due to this need, there are now a growing number of ways in which people can have their teeth whitened.

Some of these are:

1. Teeth whitening systems.

This is the process of teeth whitening that you can do yourself and at home. Teeth whitening systems usually consist of whitening gels that needs to be placed in your mouthpiece for specific number of times. In order to maintain its effectiveness, you have to make sure that you comply with the required amount and time that is dictated in the whitening system.

If you want to have your own whitening system, you need to have a minimum of $500 set aside as a budget. You can also opt for those that cost less than $100 but they do not work as well as its expensive counterpart.

Before you buy the whitening system, it is advised that you check out their labels first. Most of them are already approved by the American Dental Association so you need to look for their seal of approval.

Another thing that you need to keep in mind is to follow instructions to the letter. Do not go beyond what is required. You can always consult a dentist if you have queries regarding the whitening system that you are using.

2. Teeth whitening done by professionals.

This is by far the most effective means of teeth whitening. The procedure is assisted by a dentist so you can be assured that everything will be done properly.

There are steps that are needed to be taken before the actual teeth whitening. You first have to be examined by a dentist so they will decide if you need teeth whitening or not. Then he or she will suggest what type of teeth whitening will work effectively for you.

The dentist will then tell you what you can expect from the procedure. Every whitening session varies from case to case. There are those that tend to be more successful than the rest. This will all depend on the condition that the teeth and how effective the procedure will be.

Before an individual is treated for teeth whitening, the dentist will first have to clean the teeth to prepare them for the cleaning process. Then cavities are filled in. The teeth whitening process will begin once your dentist has checked that your gums are as healthy as can be.

The two types of teeth whitening is not an assurance that your teeth will remain permanently white. Take note that the process is only temporary. Teeth whitening needs to be done repeatedly so that you can maintain that shiny white for longer times.

Children's Health

Common Oral Health Problems in Adolescents

Leave a comment

Adolescents face many oral health problems which may require them to visit a dentist or any other healthcare professional. Irregular teeth growth is a common problem and adolescents with braces are a common sight. Another problem is wisdom teeth extraction or the removal of the third molar. Dental cavities are yet another common problem in adolescents.

Orthodontics is a specialty in dentistry which deals with correction, development and prevention of irregular teeth, jaw and bite. Orthodontics also helps to correct jaw disorders and facial abnormalities. If a general dentist feels abnormalities in the adolescent, he/she will refer the patient to an orthodontist. The American Dental Association suggests that every adolescent above the age of seven should get an orthodontic evaluation done. Problems which require orthodontic treatment are crowded or crooked teeth, extra teeth, missing teeth, under-bite, overbite, jaw joint disorder, and incorrect or misaligned jaw position.

To get braces or any other orthodontic treatments, the appropriate age is ten to fourteen years. But regardless of the age, the same physical and biological process is used in correcting and moving the teeth alignments. Braces are also known as fixed orthodontic appliances. There are three types of braces used to move and reposition the teeth. The first consists of brackets which are made out of plastic or metal. They are either of tooth color or clear and are bonded onto the teeth. The second type is the lingual type of brackets which are attached to the back teeth and cannot be seen while talking. The third type is a band. It is a metal band which covers the teeth and wraps around the last ones.

When adolescents wear braces they have to take certain precautions in order to avoid any more oral health complications. The most important precautionary measure is to brush the teeth regularly after every meal. Since the food can be easily lodged in braces, it is a good idea to brush carefully with soft bristles toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. In the morning, the adolescent must floss between the braces and teeth. Food stuffs which are sticky or hard must be avoided as they are very difficult to remove. Foods like caramel, chew candy, popcorn, and nuts must be avoided. Cleaning must be done by the orthodontist or general dentist, every five to six months.

The wisdom teeth or third molars can grow in people of the age fifteen to twenty five. These teeth cause problem, because most of the mouths are too small to adjust new teeth and hence they need to be removed. If the wisdom tooth has place to grow, without affecting other teeth, they can be left to themselves. But if the adolescent experiences pain, facial swelling, mouth infection and gum-line swelling, then they should be extracted immediately. They can also destroy the second molars and impact other tooth. Various gum and jaw diseases can be caused. There can be a tumor development; cysts development and plaque build up. Hence, a surgery is performed to remove the tooth or teeth. The gum tissue covering the wisdom tooth is removed and the connective tissue connecting the tooth to the bone is detached. The tooth is then removed and the opening is sutured. A general dentist can perform wisdom tooth surgery in the local office using anesthesia.

Five times common than asthma is tooth cavities. The tooth above the gum line is made up of enamel, the hardest tissue within the human body. The tooth below the gum-line comprise of nerves, roots and dentin. Dentin is another type of tissue and isnt as hard as the enamel. The acid which leads to tooth decay is produced by bacteria. These acids, along with dietary sugar, attach the enamel and eat away the minerals within the enamel, until a cavity is formed. This is known as tooth cavity. The biggest prevention against dental cavities is brushing teeth twice a day and even better, after every meal with fluoride toothpaste and soft bristle toothbrush. Carbonated drinks must be avoided strictly and must be replaced with fruit juices and sugary food must be avoided. Intake of fluoridated water also helps a lot or fluoride supplements can be used as replacement.

PPPPP

Word Count 704