Oral Hygiene | Dentistry

Maintaining Good Oral Hygiene During Pregnancy

Putting toothpaste on a toothbrush. The toothp...

As you review your pregnancy calendar and plan the steps to take for your baby’s arrival, be sure to give some thought to oral hygiene maintenance. The health of your teeth and gums affects the development of your baby. When you are pregnant, the hormonal make-up of your body changes, making you susceptible to gum disease. Visiting the dentist before and during your pregnancy is an important step.

Avoid Dental Treatments During Pregnancy

Mark on your pregnancy calendar to visit the dentist for regular cleanings to avoid gum disease. However, major dental procedures should be done before or after the delivery of the baby. You want to avoid dental x-rays and medications that may affect your baby’s health.

Practice Good Dental Hygiene

While it’s always a good idea to brush after meals and floss daily, it’s especially important to do so while you’re pregnant. You want to limit the amount of bacteria in your mouth that might lead to gingivitis or gum issues. Be sure to use a soft toothbrush and brush for several minutes each time. Many people do brush their teeth, but do not do so for long enough to remove the bacteria and plaque. Also, choose toothpaste with a bland taste. Flavored toothpastes may exacerbate morning sickness and should be avoided for this reason.

Avoid Sweets

Limiting your intake of sugary snacks and drinks during pregnancy is a good idea for various reasons. It will help you to avoid tooth decay. Limiting these foods in your diet will also make room for eating highly nutritious foods, such as fruits, vegetables and proteins.

Filed Under: Dental care Tagged With: Oral hygiene, Periodontitis, tooth

Causes of Bad Breath

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Have you ever heard about Halitosis. Or bad breath as it is commonly known to many. It is an oral problem faced by people of all ages due to several reasons. Food particles stuck on the tooth starts to decompose in mouth and when we exhale the odor of bacteria and decomposed food causes Halitosis. Most of the bad breath can be prevented if the cause is found soon. But in rare cases Halitosis is caused by some medical conditions which have to be treated. The common reason where a person experiences a Halitosis are the type of food consumption, eating habits, oral hygiene, dry mouth, smoking, or any other medical conditions. The food we eat plays an important role in having bad breath. Garlic and onions are known for causing Halitosis. Improper brushing of teeth on regular bases is also a common cause of Halitosis. Brushing twice a day and using a fluoride based paste may prevent from bad breath. Bad breath is also caused by dry mouth where the production of saliva is reduced a condition known as Xerostomia. Saliva is a natural lubricant produced by mouth to help in chewing the food and helps in swallowing. If produced in fewer quantities may cause the food particles to be stuck in tooth which not only cause bad breath but also tooth decay.

When we think about smoking we think about lung cancer. But smoking also is a major cause for bad breath. During smoking the smoke we exhale comes from mouth. The smoke residues get deposited in mouth causing bad breath. Eating a mint after smoking prevents bad odor for a limited time but on a long run it is harmful. It is recommended to visit a dentist to find the exact root cause of Halitosis and a proper treatment to prevent it.

Filed Under: Dental care, Dentistry Tagged With: Dentistry, Halitosis, Mouth, Odor, Oral hygiene, Root cause, tooth, Xerostomia

New Born Dental Care

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Prevention is better than any form of cure. Parents should educate their children about tooth related problems and help them to develop a proper oral hygiene. Especially for a new born the care of the mouth is as important as much the growth of the child. Visiting a dentist at the end of his 12 month to see the development of his jaws and growth of his first teeth is necessary. Parents should ask quires and learn how to give a proper care for the further growth and formation of the teeth. Baby bottle tooth decay is very common in infants. It is caused of continuous feeding from breasts or bottle even after the child is grown. Feeding in this form should be stopped after a particular age.

The upper front teeth of the child are easily affected because of this decay as the lower teeth are protected by tongue during the process of sucking. Never allow the child to fall asleep with a bottle or a pacifier in his/her mouth. The liquid which forms helps the bacteria to turn milk into acid which causes decay. Make it a habit to clean the mouth after feeding with a soft clean cloth even before the first tooth appears. And when the growth is prominent use a small soft bristle brush without a paste to clean the tooth. Help the child to brush his teeth regularly twice a day as he grows up. Encourage him to brush every day the first thing in the morning. This cultivates a habit of healthy oral hygiene. Allow the child to use the tooth brush and don’t worry if the child like to brush his teeth all the time during the day, just a close inspection is required. Avoid eating of sweets and candies before sleeping to prevent further decay. A newborn is totally dependent on you to take care of.

Filed Under: Dental care, Dentistry Tagged With: Child, Dentistry, Health, Infant, Mouth, Oral hygiene, tooth, Toothbrush

Help Kids Learn Good Oral Hygiene at a Young Age

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When children learn good oral hygiene habits at a young age, they have a lower risk of developing serious dental problems later in life. Making it a fun part of their daily routine will help ensure that they make it a priority throughout their lives.

Provide school-age children dental floss and a toothbrush along with their lunch or in their backpack, and pay close attention to what the child eats. Monitor the school lunch menu, and ensure that they are eating healthy snacks.

Good healthy snacks include fresh fruits and veggies, and cheese and string cheese. Processed foods like chips and cookies contain sugars that can remain on the teeth for hours. Dried fruit seems like a healthy snack, but be careful. It also contains sugars that can leave a residue on the teeth for a long period of time. Substitute fresh fruit and veggies, like apple slices and carrot sticks.

Also very important is to monitor soda intake. The sugar and acid levels are harmful both to overall health, and to the tooth enamel. They should only be consumed as an infrequent treat. Teach kids at a young age to drink water or milk instead to reduce the risk of cavities and tooth decay.

Another risk to a child’s dental health is injury from sports and play that might damage the teeth. It’s best if children use a mouth guard when playing any type of sports, especially contact sports. Be sure that the mouth guard fits properly in the child’s mouth; some styles can be custom fit at home, or a dentist or orthodontist can tailor one to fit once permanent teeth come in.
Finally, kids need to have regular dental checkups, even before they are school-aged.

Dentists can tell early on if a child needs any preventative treatment. It is critical that children are taught to brush at least twice per day with a fluoride toothpaste, and to floss on a regular basis.

Painful and life-long dental problems can easily be avoided if oral health is made a priority early on. It will save parents money in the long run, too.

Filed Under: Dental care, Dentistry Tagged With: Dental caries, Dentistry, Health, Oral hygiene