Month: January 2023

It can be difficult to sleep at night when you have dental problems, but fortunately, most dental problems are easily treatable or preventable. Brushing and flossing (ideally twice a day), eating the right diet, and having routine oral health checkups are all key steps in preventing oral health problems. Understanding what causes common oral health complications can help prevent them.

• Gum Disease

Often referred to as periodontal disease or gingivitis, gum disease is caused by bacteria accumulating in your mouth as a result of plaque buildup. It is estimated that eight out of ten adults suffer from gum disease. An individual suffering from gum disease may experience the foul breath, pain in the gums, sores on the gums, especially while chewing, and red, swollen, or bleeding gums. There is a risk of contracting gum disease for everyone, just as there is with dental cavities. If you experience gum disease symptoms, you should seek treatment from your dentist to avoid further complications, such as tooth loss.

• Tooth Decay

Dental decay, also known as dental caries or cavities, is a common dental problem in the United States. This condition is caused by the combination of plaque with acidic or sugary foods that you consume. As a result of these acids, your tooth enamel slowly erodes and develops holes. A person’s lifestyle has a direct impact on their risk of developing a cavity. You are less likely to suffer from tooth decay if you practice good oral hygiene. To prevent rotting teeth, prevent plaque from forming. So, whenever you have a dental cavity or any periodontal disease, you should see a dentist immediately.

• Dry Mouth

An oral health condition known as Xerostomia, or dry mouth, is caused by a lack of saliva. There are several reasons why taking certain prescription medications can result in this adverse reaction. As a result of Xerostomia, your teeth and gums are deprived of essential lubrication, cleaning, and moisture. In order to determine whether your teeth are rotting due to reduced salivary flow, your dentist will examine them. Keeping your mouth well hydrated will help to prevent dry mouth dental problems, in addition to regular dental appointments.

• Tooth Sensitivity

Many people around the world suffer from tooth sensitivity. In general, sensitive teeth are characterized by discomfort or pain when exposed to cold beverages, sweets, hot beverages, cold air, or ice cream. When flossing and brushing sensitive teeth, some patients may experience discomfort. Fortunately, it is possible to prevent tooth sensitivity by following good oral hygiene practices. You can prevent tooth sensitivity by brushing properly with fluoride toothpaste, using a soft-bristled brush, and minimizing your consumption of acidic or sugary foods. A dentist should be consulted if you have already developed tooth sensitivity. As a result, your dentist will determine the actual cause of the problem.

• Oral Cancer

People all over the world are affected by mouth cancer, which is a serious and common dental condition. One person dies from oral cancer every hour, according to the Oral Cancer Foundation. The good news is that oral cancer is preventable and treatable in its early stages. Among the risk factors are the use of alcohol and the use of tobacco, especially chewing tobacco. The majority of dental cancers are diagnosed as pinkish growth or lump in the mouth. See a dentist as soon as you notice any growth in your mouth. During a dental examination, your dentist will examine your head, mouth, and ears for indications of potential problems. There is no denying the fact that any form of cancer is fatal. By maintaining regular dental appointments and exams, you can prevent mouth cancer.

All in all, healthy teeth require a lifetime commitment. In order to maintain healthy gums and teeth, you should consult a dentist on a regular basis. As recommended by the dental expert, you should visit the dentist twice a year for a checkup and cleaning of your teeth.

We all love to have great gums, teeth, and overall unproblematic oral health, don’t we? Though Unfortunately, most of us will definitely come across some form of toothache, oral disease, gum discomfort, and other mouth-related issues that deserve a visit to the dentist at least once in our lifetime.

That being said, toothaches are actually more common than you think it is, as it is a pain that comes from or around a tooth. There are so many factors, reasons, and causes that contribute to giving you a bad toothache, and the severity of the pain can make it easy for you to decide if you want to treat it at home or go to a dentist to check out the proper cause and get it treated accordingly.

One will know if their toothache is severe or not depending on the level and duration of pain it causes. For instance, if there is very mild pain for around a week, then a regular home remedial routine should do the trick and help in getting rid of the pain sooner or later.

However, if there is immense pain even for 1 or 2 days, where the pain makes it challenging to consume solids and liquids or even to talk, then you surely need to go visit your nearest dentist as the high level of pain may hint that there sure is something serious behind the aches and drastic measures are required. 

What are the common causes of toothaches?

As mentioned before, there could be a handful of reasons which could cause toothaches. Let’s take a look at some of the most common causes given below : 

• A previous filling that was damaged or not proper.
• Tooth/teeth decaying but left unnoticed or unattended.
• A tooth that was fractured internally.
• Infected or diseased gums.
• If any hard food item or anything else is stuck in between the teeth.
• Grinding or clenching your teeth together too many times without realizing it will cause pain.

Apart from the reasons given above, toothaches also arise due to reasons which can’t be rectified or spotted with the eye. Such as, the pain might be caused by the insides of the tooth, gums or even close to the jawlines and ears. Whatever the case, it is best to get it treated immediately, either by a dentist or through homemade treatments.

What are the natural ways I can treat my toothache without going to the dentist?

Warm water gargling – Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water can do wonders as it will loosen the tension between your teeth, acts as a mild disinfectant, and will soothe your entire mouth from your tongue down to your throat.

Cold bag massage – Not only heat but lower temperatures will also have a surprisingly good effect on your painful areas. All one has to do is wrap ice in a medium-thick cloth or pour cold water into any heating bag and hold it against the area of pain for around 10 to 20 minutes; repeating the process every few hours will soon result in pain reduction and sensations.

Peppermint tea – Like any other green tea, this tea too has a lot of medicinal qualities that can be used to treat toothache either by drinking or just by pressing the tea bag against your jaws.

Hydrogen Peroxide – Just like warm salt water gargling, the same can be done with hydrogen peroxide by mixing 3% of this chemical with a glass of water and gargling it as it also contains a lot of anti-inflammation oxidants and greatly helps in reducing the level of pain. But do not swallow, as that might turn fatal.

After everything, if all the above homemade methods do not work or do not yield the results you were hoping for, it is best advised that the next thing you do is to book an appointment with your nearest dentist and try getting your issue sorted out as soon as possible.

If you have ever gone to a dentist for your teeth concerns involving misaligned, crooked or uneven teeth, then you must have heard about Invisalign. It is also called plastic braces or aligners and is one of the most common dental products. 

To define it in simple language, an aligner is an orthodontic device that is a clear\transparent material made from plastic.  It is an excellent replacement for traditional dental braces. Invisalign works precisely like the standard metal brace. They help adjust your teeth and give you a perfect smile.

There are many benefits of aligners, like comfort, less pain, ease of removal, and faster results, but people still think twice before investing in them and have questions like “is Invisalign worth the money”? So, in this article, we will discuss some benefits/advantages of the same that will help you assess whether investing in aligners is ideal for you. 

Why should you invest in Invisalign?

Before jumping onto the advantages, it is essential to understand one thing. Whether you need aligners or not depends on the condition of your teeth. There are a lot of dental issues that require special attention, and sometimes a traditional brace works better than the Invisalign. 

Therefore, before going for either a traditional brace or modern aligners, you must consult your dentist, who will guide you on which one is best depending on your teeth’ condition. Now that we have discussed this critical point, let us see what benefits make aligners worth investing in: 

• Aesthetically pleasing teeth: The most prominent advantage of Invisalign is that they offer you an aesthetically pleasing way to make your teeth look perfect. Traditional wire braces force you to advertise to the world that you are in the dental process of strengthening your teeth. It can be embarrassing to wear braces because everyone can see them. Wire braces can significantly influence adults’ decisions to straighten their teeth, and many choose aligners instead. The main advantage of aligners that attracts patients is their invisibility. After all, you can get a beautifully straight smile without anyone knowing!
• Provides comfort: Another benefit of Invisalign is the amount of comfort it provides.  With aligners, the mouth is much more comfortable than traditional wire braces due to the soft plastic trays. Snags and tears are common problems with traditional braces. It harms the tissues in the lips and cheek causing discomfort and pain. The process of straightening teeth with traditional braces is also more painful sometimes. Your dentist uses a series of plastic trays to slowly move your teeth into a better position, requiring less pressure than traditional braces. 

• Invisalign is easy to clean: Unlike traditional wire braces, aligners do not require a lot of cleaning. Therefore, taking care of them like a traditional brace is no hassle. If you do not take care of your traditional brace, it can cause poor dental hygiene cause various issues. But with modern plastic braces, you can easily remove and properly clean them. Patients may also feel uncomfortable due to the inability to clean the metal braces. Hence, aligners have become the preferred choice among patients. 
• Fewer food restrictions: The plastic trays of Invisalign are removable, and you can easily take them out while you eat, so there is no fear of damaging the trays. Traditional metal braces require you to restrict your eating habits to avoid chewing foods that could harm the appliance. Generally, food items like chewing gum, sugary items, and extremely cold or hot food are not allowed with traditional braces because they can stick to the brace and damage its quality. In addition, traditional brace wires can also be damaged by hard-to-chew foods. Wanting to have straight teeth doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favorite foods!

Lastly,  we hope these above-mentioned points have helped you clear your doubt regarding whether investing money in Invisalign is a good idea. Both aligners and traditional braces have their own benefits, and it depends on your requirements and which one you choose.