TEETH CLEANING : MYTHS AND TRUTHS !

 Teeth Cleaning- (Scaling & Polishing)

          Teeth cleaning is a normal dental procedure, we all have heard about it, but never taken a chance to go for it.

   When we visit our dentist for our routine dental checkup we our often recommended to get our teeth cleaned at least once every six month for good oral hygiene. However many of us don't even go back to the dentist after that. We always have one or the other excuses to not get it done, and these excuses are based on Myths!

Lets just have a look to all those excuses that people come up with and examine if that are Myths or Truths.

First understand, what scaling is?

        Tooth scaling is a normal dental procedure with which plaque and tartar deposits that form on teeth are cleaned and scraped away using an ultrasonic scaler. The reason this tartar needs to be removed is because your body see this tartar as a foreign invader, and attacks it using the immune system to fight of the infection. This battle continues in your mouth at all times, which results in inflamed and bleeding gums. As this gum disease progresses so does the destruction to your gums and bone in your mouth.

So, by cleaning your teeth professionally by the scaler keeps your mouth healthy.

            "  MYTHS & their TRUTHS " - 

        Many of us must be having a lot of questions in our minds about scaling, all your questions will be answered here. Their are several myths about scaling that creates fear in patients, all these myths will be cleared with the actual facts.

Myth: Scaling wears off  teeth surface 

 TRUTH - The fact is scaling/ cleaning is done with an ultrasonic scaler which works on vibration along with a water spray, which has no potency of drilling or wearing off your teeth. It just works on the deposits and stains on the teeth by the motion of vibration.

Myth: Scaling makes your teeth loose

TRUTH - The food you eat gets deposited on and in between the teeth over and over, and after a long time it forms a hard semi-calcified layer between gums and teeth. As time goes this goes deeper between the gums, hence the gums get detached and recessed from teeth. So when these deposits are removed while scaling it gives you the feeling of loose teeth, but actually its the "bad support" of teeth that we are removing. In few days the gums get back to normal and your mouth is healthy again.

Myth: Scaling makes the teeth sensitive!

TRUTH - The tartar form a layer all over the teeth, and when the tartar is removed by scaling, the teeth get exposed to the oral environment and become moderately sensitive. But this sensitivity is temporary  and vanishes in couple of days as the gums get attached to teeth.

Myth: Scaling causes gaps between the teeth

TRUTH - When the gum disease is progressing at a moderate level, the usual gaps between the teeth get filled up with the tartar. When this tartar is removed by scaling, patient feel that the gaps have increased, infact these gaps were already there, now just they are cleaned they become prompt. With time these gaps goes off when gums take their position back.

Myth: Scaling is an operative and painful procedure

TRUTH - It is a popular belief that scaling is painful and is a major kind off operation to be performed, but virtually its a relatively painless minor procedure and can be performed without any anaesthesia. With just a feeling of mild scraping and vibrating sensations on teeth it can be completed easily. Some may experience a slight sensitivity during cleaning but again that's temporary and goes off as cleaning is completed.

After scaling polishing of teeth is a must. Polishing is done with a high powered brush and a rough polishing paste . This is the part where the grinding noise occurs and can cause some discomfort. In truth, this actually makes a zinging noise and more than the pain you might feel a slight tickling sensation. It gently scrubs your teeth, and it is extremely safe.

 What to take care after the teeth cleaning process? 

 After teeth cleaning your dentist will advice you several things follow those advice without a doubt. As there is no special care required, just continue with your daily teeth cleaning routine (brushing and flossing). You should also avoid more of acidic,very hot and very cold stuffs to eat for few days as it may cause sensitivity. Apart from this you can do your work no need to take any specific rest after scaling.

Who would need teeth cleaning?

Every individual can get this treatment at least once a year. Your dentist would advise upon having these treatments once every six months. Scaling is a necessary treatment, which many people ignore. You can have these teeth cleaning sessions at your convenience and not wait for something to go wrong in your teeth before undergoing them. These treatments are most advisable for children who are more prone to cavities.

What are the side effects of teeth cleaning?

There are no side effects when undergoing treatment. You might have slight jaw discomfort as your mouth will be in an open state for an extended period. If your teeth are sensitive, the cleaning may cause a minor zinging sensation in your teeth. But these are temporary situations, and they get eliminated on their own.

What are the benefits of teeth cleaning?

• Cleaned teeth can prevent gum disease and early loss of tooth
• Removal of stains from the teeth due to which there is discolouration of the teeth.
• Cleaning of teeth prevents cavities and tooth decay.
• Brightens up the smile, as many foods and drinks stain your teeth, cleaning removes stains and results in freshly polished teeth.
• There is a removal of bad breath that doesn't go with brushing or flossing thus cleaning keeps your mouth odour free.
• There is a markable change before and after cleaning, as teeth get totally transformed as tartar and plaque are fully removed.

Are the results of the treatment permanent?

Teeth cleaning are not a permanent fixture. It depends on what you eat and how well you maintain the hygiene of your mouth in between. It is safe to have these treatments once every six months especially if you are a smoker or if you are someone who is addicted to caffeine. The treatment is mandatory for children too to keep their cavities under check.

Hence,one should surely get scaling and polishing of teeth done twice a year,as there are no side effects. A six month visit to your dentist can help you to have all your teeth till you live! 

        Have a healthy smile! 😁

THANK YOU

REGARDS: Dr. MITALI PATEL

DENTAL CHECK-UP :- WHEN AND WHY??

                Dental Check-UP

     In general every individual thinks that if i am not in pain my oral health is in good condition and i need not to visit any dentist for checkup.

        But, even if you take excellent care of your teeth and gums at home, you still need to see a dentist on regular basis because many dental problems don't become visible or cause pain until they are in advanced stage. Your dentist can check for problems you may not see or feel. Regular visit allow your dentist to find early signs of disease,and problems can be treated at a manageable stage.

  On an average, it is important to visit a dentist atleast once,but ideally twice a year. Some people may require fewer visits, other may need more frequent visits. People with high risk of dental disease might need to visit every 3-4 months. 

  The high risk group includes:

     . Smokers

     . Pregnant women

     . Diabetics

     . People with recurrent gum disease

     . People with weak immune response

     . People with a family history of  

         any dental problem.

  IN A REGULAR DENTAL CHECK-UP

   An ounce of  prevention can go a long way when it comes to your oral health. Whenever you go to a dentist for a regular dental checkup following steps will be conducted

  

First: The soft tissues are checked for any ulceration or lesion, the dentist will also check the jaws and other muscles. A metal probe and a small angled mirror will be used, which helps them to see behind and between teeth and gums.

Second: Then the teeth are checked carefully for any cavities, fractures and broken fillings, along with other possible problems. Each tooth is checked sequentially to be sure.

Third: The dentist will then check your gums, for swelling,redness and spaces in the gums for any pockets.

Fourth: The examination will also include a check for plaque and tartar on your teeth. Plaque is clear, sticky layer of bacteria if it is not removed it will harden and will form tartar. You cannot remove tartar with brushing and flossing.

Fifth: The checkup finally includes a careful examination of your tongue, throat and palate. This is to look for any swelling, redness or possible signs of cancer.

The dentist may even take X-RAYS if necessary. This show hidden decay between teeth, trauma of jaws,problem with wisdom teeth and gum disease.

Benefits of regular check-up :-              

- Save your teeth.

- Keep your smile white and bright.

- Protect your over all health and well being.

- Keep bad breath at bay.

- Keep a check on any dental problem before hand. 

Result and Advice :

    After the examination is complete, your dentist will let you know exactly what is going on in your mouth and will advice you about next step. Sometimes it involves giving a next appointment for a procedure to be done, while other time the dentist will give you advice about what you can do at home to better your oral health. It is extremely important that you listen to this advice and put it into action as best as you can.

               

      Do not neglect regular dental check-up. Your oral health is too important to the rest of your health. As they say " prevention is better than cure ".

REGARDS : Dr. Mitali Patel

FLOSSING YOUR "32"

Dental Flossing- Necessary and Important

Dental Floss" many of us don't even know what is floss and how flossing is done.

               Dental flossing is an equally important,easy and effective way of cleaning as tooth brushing.
Did you know that when you don't floss, you miss cleaning 35% of tooth surface? That's because brushing cannot easily get into spaces between your teeth. Unfortunately,however bacteria can! Flossing completes brushing, American Dental Association (ADA) reports that up to 80% of plaque can be eliminated with this method.
People often think they have great oral hygiene because they brush their teeth twice daily. In reality they are only removing 50-60% of the plaque.

Brushing without flossing is like washing only 2/3rd of your body. That can cause  bad breath as well as cavities and gum diseases.

  What's a "Dental floss" ? 

It is a cord of thin filaments,a soft,strong thread usually made of nylon,for drawing in between the teeth to remove food particles and prevent plaque build up.

Types of floss:-   As time goes on new types of flosses have come to the market.                             

              -: Waxed: traditional string floss,waxed monofilaments.

               -: Un-waxed: traditional string floss, un-waxed multi filaments.

               -: Dental tape: waxed floss that has a wider and flatter design.

                -: Floss picks: single filament attached with a handle with two prongs in Y or F shape.

               -: Powered flosses: single filament attached to a battery working handle.

            Dental floss made of monofilament coated in wax slides easily between teeth,both waxed and unwaxed floss are available in varying widths. Factors to consider in choosing a floss include the amount of space between teeth and user preferences. The ability of different type of dental floss to remove dental plaque does not vary significantly.

Dental tape is recommended for people with large tooth surface area.

The floss picks have been produced to hold the floss, but the drawback of picks is that it cannot reach all the same areas a regular floss can, also do not give enough floss to use a clean section each time.

Some flosses are also coated with antibacterial agent like chlorhexidine or fluoride for additional benefits. Among these you can choose any floss of any brand name, which suits your teeth better.

                      How to floss??

     Although you would assume most adults know how to floss properly,this sadly is not the case, many people do it incorrectly or not at all.

To reap the benefits of flossing, it has to be done correctly. The researchers concluded that flossing when done properly has a substantial,positive effect on oral health.

   4 Simple Steps :-

  - Get a piece of floss approx 18 inches long and wrap it around both middle fingers,with more on one finger than the other, leave one to two inches of floss to utilize.

  - Hold the floss tightly between your thumb and index finger,slide it between your teeth up and down gently,during this curve the floss around the teeth in a C-shape as if the floss is hugging the tooth.

  - Glide the floss between your teeth using zigzag motion, making sure to go gently beneath the gum line. Don use much pressure as it can cause damage.

  - After you finish with one tooth,use a clean section of floss to scrape the next tooth,otherwise you're just moving the bacteria from one place to another.

BENEFITS OF FLOSSING :-  

- Prevents bad breath.

- Prevents tartar build up.

- Prevents gum diseases.

- Prevents cavities.                              

WHEN TO FLOSS ??                                                                                                                                                   After learning how to floss another big question arises, is when to floss? American Dental Hygienists Association says the right way is to floss before brushing and then rinse your mouth.The logic is simple,you floss to remove food particle and plaque away with the tooth brush."If you flossed after brush, all the bacteria would just sit on your teeth instead of being swept away".ADA says flossing first has another benefit by cleaning out bacteria between the teeth, the fluoride in your tooth paste has a better chance of getting into those tight areas. Fluoride helps prevent cavities.

Precaution:-

                      Flossing should not be painful, its normal for it to be uncomfortable when you first start bit within a week or two, that discomfort should ease.Beware of flossing too hard. It could damage the tissue between your teeth  and lead to bleeding and laceration of gums, don't be too gentle either, which might not complete the effect of the job.
From years of studies, we can confidently say that flossing makes a big difference in your oral and overall health. So give time for this new way of cleaning your teeth and feel even more fresh and healthy.

THANKYOU.

Regards: Dr. MITALI PATEL

Effective and Easy Brushing Technique

    #   EFFECTIVE AND EASY BRUSHING TECHNIQUE:

This article will help you how to brush effectively and easily,to keep a mark on dental problems.What is important is the quality of brushing rather than the number of times.

Even though we've been brushing from years and years,many of us will be surprised to learn that we're not doing it properly.The case in the point :did you know that proper brushing takes atleast two minutes.Most of them do not come close to brushing that long. Its strange to know that,from a day of 24 hours we don't even give 2 minutes for the most important part of our body.

Choosing the right tooth brush:

The first thing  we need  for proper brushing is a right brush.With so many types of toothbrushes available in the market,you wonder which one would  best suit your teeth.

Many of us opt for a hard bristle tooth brush,thinking it will clean better,but the truth is,hard bristled tooth brush can damage the gums,root surface and protective enamel layer of tooth.

So a soft bristled tooth brush will be the most safest choice.American Dental Association recommends that people should brush their teeth for 2 minutes twice a day with a soft bristled tooth brush.

How to brush:- 5 simple steps

 Step-1: Start with one corner at a time,place the tooth brush parallel to your teeth with bristles towards gums.Tilt the brush at 45° degree angle and bristles slightly under gum line.

Step-2: With firm but gentle pressure bristles under the gum line,vibrate the brush back and forth with small circular motions 15-20 times.Brush should cover atleast 3-4 teeth at a time. Now continue the same technique on tongue side and moving on to the section.

Step-3: To brush inside the front teeth hold the brush in vertical position and use bristle on toe of the brush,and give gentle up and down stroke.Repeat same on front surface.

Step-4: Move on to chewing surface,hold your brush flat on tooth and brush back and forth along the surfaces.

Step-5: Last but not the least,brush your tongue in a back and sweeping motion to remove odour promoting bacteria to freshen up your breadth.

Two minutes,twice a day:-

           American Dental Association recommends: to brush your teeth correctly spend atleast 2 min,which includes 30 seconds brushing each section of your mouth,both morning and at night.If you are not giving 2 min,you are not thoroughly cleaning each tooth.

You can initialy guage your time by using a timer,or by length of a song or by brushing in between commercial break while watching tv,this makes brushing even more fun.

 

"Don't",exactly don't brush too hard:-

You think brushing hard will clean your teeth more nicely,you are totaly wrong,its a misconception.Brushing your teeth with lot of pressure can damage and irritate gums,effect you enamel and may cause  sensitivity and may require an extensive dental treatment.So just give a firm and gentle pressure so your teeth gets cleaned properly and your gums gets a gentle massage.

Getting a handle on dental diseases is easy,it just starts with putting your hand around a tooth brush and move it effectively.Just go with this technique and you are ready to feel fresh all day.

THANKYOU

REGARDS:- Dr. MITALI PATEL