Teeth problems like Plaque

For the longest time, I thought I had the plague when my friends used to casually drop a clinical term every time I complained about this sticky substance coating my teeth. It wasn’t until I read up and discovered that I wasn’t in fact infected by a rodent disease and instead had a slightly discomforting oral problem called plaque, that I heaved a huge sigh of relief.

So since I was enlightened on this matter, it’s my turn to pass on the favour. Plaque is a sticky substance that is a by-product of leftover food particles and saliva which forms a layer covering the teeth. You have to be careful about removing plaque promptly because the longer you let it stay inside your mouth, you run the risk of it turning into tartar which is that hardened, grotesque thing that makes your teeth look yellow. It is also what emanates a strong stench that one can smell from a mile away. In fact, one of my friends very sweetly cared to point that out to me amidst my wedding ceremony which has made that day memorable for other reasons. However, with experience I have learned how to manage this issue better and I can declare with utmost confidence that you can do away with plaque rather easily.

Every solution starts with the fundamentals and this one does too. The road to respite from any dental problem begins with brushing, rinsing and flossing. I found that brushing with an electric toothbrush seemed more effective than a manual one. I also used fluoride toothpaste in my oral care regime which helped me considerably. Flossing helps remove food particles that are fiercely trapped in between teeth so make sure you get that done! I also started using Listerine, a powerful antiseptic mouthwash, which prevents plaque build-up because the mouthwash reaches out to parts that brushing usually misses out on. Someone also suggested increasing the consumption of raw vegetables and fruits as the juices help induce saliva which in turn keeps plaque away. Although I haven’t tried them myself, you do find discolouring solutions and tablets that stain your teeth to help identify spots that have plaque. This can probably make the whole cleaning process a lot easier!

On my part, I can say that just being careful and diligent and by following a strict regime drastically reduced my plaque problems and today, I’m reasonably plaque free! So, I’d just recommend you do the same and soon you’ll no longer be plagued by plaque!

Cavities Oral Problems

The Cavity Adversity

When the word ‘cavities’is mentioned, it sends a chill up the spine of most people. Even years after I endured those dreadful visits to the dentist where I lay writhing in pain on his chair, I still have horrible nightmares about those experiences. Who wouldn't forget them? It’s really quite inconvenient too. The pain and inability to eat makes it so.

Okay, let me get to the point of cavities. Considering my constant fear of landing up in a dental clinic yet again, I have taken some fairly manageable precautionary measures to avoid another visit.

To begin with, it’s important to know how cavities are formed. Germs and bacteria are the main culprits for absolutely anything that could go wrong with your teeth, they thrive on all the food remnants post your meals. The bacteria basically gangs up with plaque (that sticky layer that you feel on the inside of your teeth) to attack your tooth enamel. The enamel is like their main diet so they stay at it for a while, and before you know it your tongue will begin to feel the beginning of what is going to be a huge crater; one that sizes up to those found on the moon, or feels like that at least. Anyway, that’s how you get your first cavity and that is when you’ll mark your visit to the dentist on your calendar.

Now, to avoid this disaster in the first place, all you have to do is go back to your school lessons where they told you that brushing and flossing twice a day is going to keep all those nasty germs at bay!Brushing and flossing are the two most crucial steps towards fighting cavities. Choosing a toothpaste that contains fluoride will prove to be very beneficial against fighting cavities and other oral problems. However sometimes, just brushing and flossing is just not enough.Adding a mouthwash to your oral care routine will help in finding those hidden germs and kill them. I suggest using a powerful mouthwash specifically for cavities like the Listerine Cavity Fighter as it is quite an effective treatment. Rinsing after meals is essential so carrying it on the go will surely prove to be a ‘deadly solution’ for the germs in your mouth. Apart from these obvious measures you should avoid too much of snacking and sipping as that really encourages bacterial formation. If you want to avoid having to deal with the cavity issue altogether, you might want to get yourself a dental sealant which is basically a protective coat of plastic that protects the tooth although you’d have to pay your dentist a visit for that! I think sticking to your basics of rinsing, brushing and flossing are more than enough to keep you out of that dreaded dental clinic! 

Cavities Gum problems

Cavities and tooth decay are among the world's most common gum problems. They're especially common in children, teenagers and older adults.Tooth decay, also known as a dental cavity, is a common dental problem that can cause significant discomfort as well as serious long-term complications .

Read Related Topic
The Cavity Adversity

How to prevent or cure gum problems

Before I get to curing or preventing gum problems, you should know the difference between healthy gums and unhealthy ones. Healthy gums are generally a nice coral pink, smooth, cover your teeth properly at the base, and don’t contain any painful lesions. Those with gum diseases bleed, have tartar, are swollen, give you an unpleasant taste in the mouth, and pain a lot!

Your mouth constantly makes a sticky substance called plaque which contains bacteria that result in the formation of tartar and cause gum diseases. Gum diseases occur due to improper oral hygiene, smoking or chewing tobacco, low immunity, diseases like diabetes, stress, poor nutrition, and can even be hereditary, just to name a few…

Gingivitis and periodontitis are the most common gum diseases, and if not treated in time can lead to the loss of a precious tooth! Gingivitis brings on swollen gums, loose teeth and bad breath. This happens when your gums are neglected, so make sure you pay equal attention to your gums while taking care of your teeth! The advanced stage of gingivitis, is known as periodontitis. This occurs when the infection spreads under the gum line. It slowly damages the tissue and bone of the tooth.

Rush to your dentist right away if you think you’ve got the slightest hint of gum disease! If your gums are left untreated it could affect your overall health as well. Treating a gum disease means a strict oral care regimen, getting your teeth cleaned at a dental clinic, medication, and sometimes even surgery. When it comes to receding gums, the dentist deep cleans your teeth and the root surface below the gum line to remove the plaque and build-up of tarter. It’s not a very comfortable situation, and is best avoided by preventing any gum disease from ever occurring.

Preventing gum diseases is pretty easy. All you need to do is adopt healthy oral habits.

-Brush your teeth after every meal.

-Use a good dental floss.

-Rinse your mouth with a mouthwash like Listerine

-And visit a dentist regularly!

-Change your toothbrush once in three months.

-Adopt a balanced diet.

Now that you know, make sure you adopt at least a good 3 step oral care routine of brushing your teeth, flossing them, and rinsing with a mouthwash. It doesn’t have to be a grim grin on your face. Hope this helps. :)

Similarities between Finding Nemo & Oral Care

I was walking through a supermarket the other day, when I was asked to fill a survey about oral care. I knew It wouldn’t take me more than three minutes to answer a questionnaire based on good oral care, I mean, how much can anyone really ask about brushing your teeth, right?

So I started filling out a questionnaire which required no thinking at all, or at least that’s what I thought. The first question they asked me was, “Do you think brushing your teeth is important, for oral health or oral hygiene?” I obviously answer, like any other normal person would, in bold letters “Yes”. I don’t even know why someone would ask a question like that, doesn’t everyone know what oral health or oral hygiene means? Anyway the next few questions that followed were on the same lines- basic questions about flossing, mouthwash, visits to the dentist etc. The last question again was a no brainer; “What does complete oral health mean to you?” I promptly wrote “Brushing your teeth, twice a day”. I was extremely happy about my answers and frankly, I was secretly taunting the people who gave this survey.

I handed the survey back to the lady who’d asked me to fill it earlier.  I turned my back and started walking out of the supermarket, when suddenly my name was announced , but it wasn’t the sound of my name that irritated me, it was what they said after- “You got a five on ten in this survey”. That was humiliating to being with, especially for a perfectionist and ‘know-it-all’ like me. How could anyone get only fifty percent on questions that are based on good oral care? More importantly, how can someone as smart as I get only fifty percent. I walked right back and demanded an explanation.

Well, to be honest that was a great decision even though I didn’t admit it at the time. They explained to me, how brushing is not the only process involved in keeping your mouth healthy. In order to keep your mouth protected from diseases and healthy at all times, you need to follow a BFR routine. Which is Brushing, flossing and rinsing. Wow! To think that all these years I was oblivious to this fact seemed incredible. It also got me thinking about how many other people are ignorant about it, which is why I decided to share this event with everyone.  In the hope of highlighting how essential it is to keep your mouth healthy, in the right way. There is only one way to keep it really healthy, to clear your mouth of a virtually hundred percent of the germs.

I hope I’ve been able to express just how important it is to keep your mouth healthy, because a healthy mouth translates to a healthy body. Which is why as soon as they explained it to me, I walked to the “Oral Care Products” section of the supermarket and picked up my very first bottle of mouthwash; Listerine Original! Ever since that day I’ve been following the BFR routine and I’ve got to admit that my mouth feels cleaner and much healthier.

Related Topic : Bad Breath , Gum Problems

Getting Rid of Oral Problems

Getting rid of oral problems is no easy task. Fighting the problem begins with knowing what’s happening inside your mouth.

Oral problems can range from bad breath, a dry mouth, oral thrush, receding gums, bleeding gums, gum diseases like periodontitis and gingivitis, plaque, cavities, teeth grinding, tooth abscesses, tooth aches, discolored teeth, and leukoplakia (discolored patches in your mouth).

There are only a thousand things that could cause oral problems. Oral problems can occur due to improper oral hygiene, smoking or chewing tobacco, low immunity, diseases like diabetes, stress, poor nutrition, and can even be hereditary.

If your oral problems are at an advanced stage you’ve got no choice but to get proper treatment from your dentist. At this dreaded stage, the pain and inconvenience cause more trouble than you can imagine. You can’t eat or talk, either because your mouth hurts or because you’re under treatment! That’s why it’s a hundred times better to prevent any of it from happening or just stop it in its early stages.

The first thing you’ve got to do is get a routine check-up done by your dentist for oral problems. Get ready for additional trips if it’s bad. From there on you’ll need to form a complete oral care routine and stick to it religiously!

The most obvious step toward getting rid of oral problems is brushing your teeth daily. Here are a few things to do for your oral health.

• Make sure you brush after every meal. Brushing your teeth removes most of the germs on your tooth’s surface, but can’t reach the germs between your teeth and other hard-to-reach places.

• Dentists suggest using dental floss to clean the plaque between your teeth.

• Additionally, add a mouthwash like Listerine to your oral care regimen to remove bacteria that cause plaque, bad breath and gum problems from those hard-to-reach places.

Studies have shown that flossing and rinsing is more effective in reducing the formation of plaque and gingivitis compared to brushing alone. So yes, it’s worth the extra effort!

A mouthwash like Listerine ,not only prevents Bad Breath, but also fights oral bacteria, preventing the formation of plaque and gum problems, resulting in better oral health than brushing alone.

But getting rid of oral problems doesn’t stop once you’ve had your oral care routine going for a while. It’s a long term exercise that gives your mouth better health, and you have to continue the routine so long as you want to keep oral problems away!

The mouth rinse takes it all

If you think brushing your teeth twice a day will keep you off the dentist's chair, think again. The gums that protect your teeth need tender loving care too. Periodontal tissues, which surround and support the teeth, are vulnerable to diseases, too. Not following the right rituals of cleaning them can cause problems ranging from light inflammations to something as scary as loss of teeth.

Gum disease like gingivitis, which is the inflammation of the gums, and periodontitis, which can happen when gingivitis remain untreated, are the result of the bacteria that reside in the mouth.

Inching into gingivitis :

While bad mouth odor can be indicative that all’s not well in your mouth, the starting point of any gum disease is with the build-up of plaque on the teeth.

And Plaque? Well, plaque is that sticky, yellowish layer that forms around your teeth. While some bacteria are needed for your body’s daily functions, a lot of them are pretty harmful when they are not flushed out of the body, including those in and around the teeth. Brushing surely is the first step towards the oral hygiene. But sometimes, the plaque still remains unchecked either because of insufficient oral hygiene or because of skipping the advised once-in-six-months dental visits, giving vent to gum diseases like gingivitis.

That’s when the gums around the teeth begin to feel itchy, swell up bleed and become rather painful. It is best to not delay the visit to the dentist.

A periodontal problem

Your dentist might still be able to help remove the plaque from around the teeth area. If not treated even then, the plaque starts receding to areas under the teeth, affecting deeper tissues. The gingivitis has now transformed into a periodontal problem.

A worsened state of gingivitis is when the mouth odor is worse and the inflamed gums around the teeth start detaching themselves from the tooth. The periodontal (which is derived from ‘perio’, meaning around, and ‘dontal’, meaning teeth) tissues that slip downward, form pockets or spaces between the tooth and the gum. Thereon, the tooth can even start loosening and then simply fall out.

Exposed to the pain

So who can get gum diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis? If you smoke, are diabetic and maintain poor oral hygiene, you have a big chance of inviting periodontal trouble. Sadly, heredity, being born with crooked teeth or hormonal changes like those in women also play nuisance and put you at risk of gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis.

 

Prevention parameters

·         Try not to miss your six monthly dental appointments. The plaque deposit that doesn’t go away with brushing can be spotted and scraped off by the dentist. At least such visits will alert you to a potential attack of periodontal gum diseases.

Brush and floss regularly.
It helps reduce, and sometimes eliminate, plaque causing bacteria in your mouth.

      Introduce the habit of rinsing soon after you are done with your brushing and flossing. A powerful mouthwash like Listerine gets into crevices of your mouth where the toothbrush or floss couldn’t get to, and washes away germs that build plaque, thereby minimizing the onslaught of gum diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis.

Related Topics :

Oral Problems

Bad Breath cure