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Showing posts with label dental care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dental care. Show all posts

Jun 24, 2011

Tips for Mothers:To Take of Themselves


Mother Take Care....

Some Tips:
• You are the centre of care,
About yourself you think very rare.
• Take the kids to the park,
When they play, go for the walk.
• Instead of the extra food going as waste,
Do not finish it, It would show on your waist.
• For everyone, you cook and serve breakfast,
Ending up busy, you skip it or fast.
Also............
• Don't nibble or taste food in excess, during cooking.
Eat fruits along with the kids, they would enjoy it too.
• When kids are off to school and you are alone, don't eat while watching television.
Keep healthy snack options to munch, when you feel bored.
• Eat meals with family, to maintain the meal timings.

Some myths:
Myth: Young women believe that breastfeeding will ruin the shape of their breasts/body
Breastfeeding helps you burn 500 extra calories a day. It helps the womb return to normal and does not affect the shape of breasts in the long term.

Myth: If a mother goes back to work too soon after delivery, her baby will not bond with her adequately.
The mother/child bond is forged by quality time together, not quantity. A working mother has to learn to ration her time and balance her responsibilities, but as long as a child receives love and attention from mother when she is around, bonding will take place.
 

Jun 22, 2011

5 Myths of Dental Caries


Brushing, flossing, and regular dental check-ups are standard for oral health care, but there are some more things you need to know about dental care - dental caries.

Check the myths and facts about dental caries below.

Myth: Sugar causes dental caries.

Fact: Lack of oral hygiene causes dental caries. Dental caries is a complex disease influenced by many factors such as the nutritional status of individual, bacteria naturally present in the mouth, salivary flow, dietary behavior, oral hygiene, water intake and overall health. In people who don't brush their teeth twice a day with a fluoride containing toothpaste, frequent intake of foods or drinks containing fermentable carbohydrates such as sweets, fruit-juices, dried fruits, potato chips, etc. are known to cause tooth decay.

Myth: Losing milk teeth due to tooth decay is fine

Fact: It is a common myth that losing milk teeth due to tooth decay is insignificant because milk teeth fall out anyway. If cavities are left untreated in milk teeth, they can develop into serious pain and abscesses. It can also result in damage to the crowns of the permanent teeth developing below them. If milk teeth are lost prematurely, the permanent teeth may erupt mal-positioned and require advanced treatment later on.

Myth: Dental caries is only a young person's problem

Fact: Adults and elders are more likely to have chronic health conditions, like diabetes, which are risk factors for periodontal disease. Commonly used drugs such as antidepressants, diuretics, antihistamines and sedatives increase the risk of tooth decay by reducing saliva production. Saliva is vital in fighting tooth decay because it helps neutralize acids, has a disinfectant quality, washes away bacteria, and helps prevent food from sticking to your teeth. Lack of saliva, means that the mouth is getting cleansed more slowly. This increases the risk of oral problems. Also, in adults and elders, receding gums can result in root decay.

Myth: Acidic foods like lemons have nothing to do with dental caries

Fact: Acidic foods such as lemons, citrus juices, or soft drinks don't cause cavities directly, but they may be putting your enamel in danger. Acids can cause erosion of the tooth-protecting enamel, weakening the tooth. If you lose the enamel's protection and expose the underlying dentin, your tooth is now more prone to decay.

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Smoker's Teeth



In India, around one million deaths per year attribute to smoking, and the majority of these occur in middle-aged adults. While most health warnings focus on lung disease risk, smoking also can cause a number of dental problems ranging from tooth staining to oral cancer. The following are the complications:

Periodontitis:

Smoking is among the most significant risk factors for gum disease and can reduce the effectiveness of treatment. Periodontitis is an advanced form of gum disease in which the gums separate from the teeth, allowing bacteria to grow below the gum line and break down bone and tissue. Periodontitis is irreversible and can lead to tooth loss.

Tooth Discoloration:

Tobacco is a major cause of tooth staining. While not dangerous, tooth discoloration can be unsightly and often is perceived as unattractive.

Oral-facial pain:

It is an unbearable type of pain affecting the oral cavity, teeth, jaw or face. While the exact cause is not always apparent, oral-facial pain may result from gum disease and other dental problems caused by smoking. Smoking is associated with increased incidence of tooth sensitivity, mouth pain and facial pain.

Oral Cancer:

Tobacco contains a number of chemicals known to cause cancer in humans. Smoking puts these chemicals in contact with the body, triggering cancer growth. All types of tobacco--including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, gutka, zarda, cigars, smokeless and pipe tobacco---increase the risk for developing oral cancer.

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Tooth Brushing - Right Way


What is the right way to brush your teeth ?

Proper tooth brushing plays an important role in the prevention of tooth decay and gum disease. To maintain good oral hygiene, you need to brush your teeth twice a day. It is important to use the proper equipment and technique to make sure you clean your teeth well.

Equipment: 

Throw away your old toothbrush after three months or when the bristles start to flare, whichever comes first.
If your bristles flare up much sooner than every three months, you may be brushing too hard. Try easing up. 
Use a soft-bristled toothbrush that allows you to reach all areas of your mouth. The use of harder brushes causes great risk of harming your gums.

Technique to brush teeth:

  • You should hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle while you brush. 
  • Place your toothbrush at the gum line, and clean the outer portion of two to three teeth at a time with a back and forth and rolling motion. 
  • Use the same technique to clean the inner surfaces of your teeth. 
  • Use the tip of your toothbrush to clean behind your front teeth with an up-and-down motion. To finish, gently scrub the chewing surfaces of your teeth, and brush your tongue from back to front to remove bacteria.

Importance:

Plaque is a sticky substance that develops on and around teeth within 20 minutes after you eat. Plaque releases enamel-eroding acids, which can cause tooth decay. 
 
If plaque is not removed, it hardens to form tartar, which also leads to decay. When plaque irritates the gums, gum disease and tooth loss can result. Proper tooth brushing and flossing is the best way to remove plaque and prevent tooth decay.

Proper tooth brushing is important for your oral and overall health. Ask your dentist about other products that may contribute to oral health.
Now say "cheese" with a better smile!
 

Oct 25, 2010

Caring For Teeth


How do you take care For Teeth ?

   We all need teeth to chew and speak clearly. Our teeth also affect the appearance of our faces as well as the all-important smile. 
It is therefore important to look after them properly by maintaining good oral hygiene, including tooth brushing, visiting your dentist for checkups often and taking a proper diet.

Tooth Decay -
  • Teeth decay when a thin, sticky layer forms on the surface. 
  • The layer, called plaque, contains many bacteria. When you eat sugary foods, the bacteria in the plaque turn the sugar into the energy they need, producing acid at the same time. This acid softens and dissolves the hard surface covering the teeth, in turn slowly producing the cavity. 
  • This surface that is affected is called enamel. The whole process in which this cavity is formed is known as demineralization, or simply tooth decay (caries).
  • When the cavity reaches the dentine, which is the white substance underneath the enamel one starts feeling pain since this substance is sensitive to pain unlike the enamel which doesn’t contain any nerves. Saliva that is produced in our mouth, lips to wash away and neutralize the acid also contains minerals that replace those lost from the enamel during the acid attack, in a process called remineralization. Demineralization and remineralization are processes repeated anytime we eat or drink.

Brushing of Teeth -

  • Caring for teeth properly means that when we brush our teeth the kind of toothbrush and the brand of toothpaste we use matter a lot. 
  • The toothbrush should be the one with soft bristles which helps in gradually removing plaque without injury to the gums and teeth. 
  •  We can easily make toothpaste at home, for example the strawberry toothpaste which is very effective for making teeth strong and clean. 
  • Strawberries have many properties that bleach and clean teeth, and these are very useful in removing tea and coffee stains from the teeth. 
  • We can also make toothpaste from hydrogen peroxide by mixing a teaspoon of baking soda and half a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide. We can then use this mixture at least one day in a week. This is very useful to reduce tartar and stain.
We should brush our teeth twice a day as a way of caring for teeth –in the morning after breakfast and at night. 
  • When we brush our teeth in the morning, it helps in removing plaque formed during the night since calculus develops after breakfast and bacteria activities occur at night. 
  • Brushing teeth at night helps in cleaning the surface of the tooth from food debris. 
  • Brush your teeth with little strokes by giving pressure to the tooth using the toothbrush with round tips to the surface of the tooth. 
  • The soft bristle of the toothbrush should reach the surface of the mouth.Here are some steps you should follow when brushing your teeth:
  1. Brush the teeth from the outer part of the front of the teeth gradually,
  2. After this, brush the internal part of the lower section of the teeth,
  3. Then brush the inner surface of the upper section of the teeth. Then the chewing surface gently,
  4. To end with the process move the bristles of the toothbrush to a complete section of the tongue to reduce deposits forming a plaque.

Dental Hygiene and Your Child’s Teeth

  • Caring for teeth for your baby should begin the very first point after birth. This can be done by wiping the baby’s gums with a soft, damp cloth after the baby is fed before the teeth appear. 
  • When the teeth appear, use a soft children’s toothbrush on them twice a day. 
  • At school age, you can start using fluoride toothpaste in small amounts since fluoride helps in making teeth strong by hardening the tooth enamel. Fluoride is contained in most our drinking water and if your water doesn’t contain it, you can give fluoride tablets to your child at the age of six months. 
  • Cavities are majorly caused by taking a lot of sweet liquids and sugary snacks or foods. 
  • Prevent cavities in your child’s teeth through by regularly cleaning them. 
  • It’s also important to consider what you eat and if you can, avoid sugary foods and drinks. Visit your dentist at least twice year with your child.


Read more on Dental care and hygiene -