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Dentistry is all about you and your teeth. You need to take care of your teeth in a premium way that will keep your teeth healthy; therefore the dentist Dubai treatment is convenient and best. In case you have any type of dental problem, you would first need dental consultation where the doctor will examine your teeth and then offer the most suitable treatment. The dental services will help to restore and maintain your oral hygiene.

One should maintain good oral habits from a young age and learn about oral health by visiting the dentist on a regular basis. Sometimes, even after taking good dental care, one cannot get rid of different dental problems and they can plan to take treatment from the best dentist Dubai who make use of the latest technology in the market and assure patent oriented treatments with outstanding quality.

Types of dental treatment:

In Dubai you can get good quality dental treatment for all types of teeth problems, in case the teeth is missing or you want your teeth to be straightened, then  dental veneers are an ideal solutions. These veneers are of different types that a patient can choose as per their convenience. The doctors make use of some type of appliances to fix or straighten the teeth. For crooked teeth, overcrowded teeth, reverse bite, open bite, etc. the dentist Dubai doctors offer the best treatment.

The dentists deal with different dental problems in Dubai and help you get rid of various problems. They will give you treatment like, teeth whitening, crowns and bridges, inhalation sedation, etc. Those who want to straighten the crooked teeth can make use of invisalign instead of traditional braces as these aligners are clear and transparent and are removable as well. Now, you do not need to feel embarrassed when you wearing these aligners. There are series of clear and removable aligners which one can use and this treatment is ideal for adults and children as well.

Some accidental cases or severe cases may require teeth braces for resolving teeth problems and in Dubai, one can choose from premium range of braces to align the teeth properly. Thus, it depends on the teeth condition and dentist’s advice which will suit you better.

Why Dubai is best for dental treatment?

Orthodontics is a vast branch of dentistry and all the orthodontic problems are addressed by the best and experienced dentist Dubai who have great skills and good amount of knowledge to deal with different dental issues of the patients successfully. They use advanced mechanisms and offer cost effective treatment to the patients. So, add a sparkle to your smile by booking an appointment today with the best dental surgeon in Dubai.

 

Cocoona Dental Care Dubai
Villa 898, AL RAAJI Street,
Al Wasl Road, Dubai. UAE
Phone: +971 04 3884589
PO Box : 73279
E-Mail: info@cocoona.ae
Web: http://dentalcaredubai.com

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You try to stay healthy and avoid having to visit a dentist any more than necessary, then along comes Candy Month. It seems a shame not to do something to help celebrate. You can still enjoy a bit of candy and not put a great deal of risk on your healthy teeth by following a few simple routines.

Brush/Floss Daily

Continue brushing your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes at a time. Don’t forget to thoroughly floss at least once daily. If you can’t brush right away after indulging in candy, rinse your mouth with water or chew gum with xylitol to help break down some of the sugar. You may also try munching on an apple or celery to help get the saliva flowing in your mouth. This will help the mouth clean itself somewhat until you can brush.

Choose Carefully

Some candy is more dangerous to your teeth than others. Sour or acidic candies eat away at the enamel of teeth, weakening them. Candy that is hard stays in the mouth longer, exposing teeth to sugar over a longer period. Chewing candy can leave particles stuck between teeth or on chewing surfaces. Try to avoid any candy that is sour, hard or chewy.

Maintenance Checkup

By seeing your dentist for regular cleanings, you can make sure your teeth are in their best possible condition. When you start out with healthy teeth, a piece of candy here and there won’t do as much damage as it would with poor dental hygiene.

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Are you wondering if your grind you teeth at night? Studies have shown that up to 25% of all people do some teeth grinding at night. Teeth grinding normally only happens at night and most people have no idea that they grind their teeth until there dentist tells them, or if they start to experience pain in the morning

  1. Grinding sounds at night why sleeping.
  2. Jaw pain in the morning which can cause headaches
  3. Flat or worn down teeth. Even cracked teeth.
  4. Sores on the inside of the mouth
  5. Sensitive teeth –Enamel will be worn causing sensitivity with the teeth.

If you feel like you are experiencing bruxism (teeth grinding\clenching) visit your dentist and they can evaluate you further. The first step in preventing teeth grinding damage is to get a professional fitting teeth grinding guard. A night grinding guard is designed to take the force of grinding\clenching instead of having the teeth. The guard protects the teeth and will normally solve most people’s issues. Here is an example of a teeth grinding guard that we provide on our website.

Night Guard
Hard Flexible Bruxism Teeth Grinding Guard
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Grind Teeth and Need a Retainer?

Do you grind your teeth at night (bruxism), but also need a retainer to keep your teeth straight? This is a question that we are commonly asked.  There is a few solutions to this problem, and you need to pick which one would work best for you.

  1. Hard Night Guard and a Retainer: The primary function of a night guard is to protect the teeth from grinding\clenching. With a hard night guard its secondary function is to prevent the teeth from shifting. A night guard will not work as well as retainers do to prevent the teeth from shifting. We recommend getting both a hard night guard and retainers. You can wear the night guard most nights, but want to wear the retainers a couple nights a week to confirm the teeth are not shifting, or the retainers can be worn during the day.
  2. Essix Plus Retainers: The new essix plus material is much more wear resistant than the standard essix material. Essix plus retainers will be able to take moderate teeth grinding but not heavy teeth grinding. If your a heavy teeth grinder you will either have to get the night guard retainer option or replace your essix plus retainers more often.
Essix-Plus-Retainer-Single2-logo
Teeth Grinding Retainer

Depending on your level of grinding helps decide the correct option for you. If you have questions please contact us at Info@SportingSmiles.com or at 262-290-2396

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Are your clear retainers cracking or breaking?

Prevent Retainers breaking

One of the downsides of Essix retainers are they are fragile and can easily break if not properly cared for. The most common reason retainers break is improper removal. The second most common time retainers are broken is when they are being cleaned.

5 Ways to prevent Dental Retainers from breaking.

  1. Get Essix Plus Retainers- They are two times stronger than standard essix retainers and the same thickness.
  2. Remove Correctly- You want to use one finger on each side when removing the retainers to prevent flexing and twisting the retainers.
  3. Support During Cleaning- When brushing the retainers you don’t want to hold on to one side and brush the other side. You want to support the retainers in your hand or on a towel when brushing the retainers.
  4. Clean Correctly- You do not want to use alcohol based mouthwash with retainers. The alcohol in retainers will dry out and damage the retainers. We recommend using freshguard when cleaning your retainers. We have a video on youtube showing how this is done.
  5. Storage- You want to store your retainers in a case when not in use. You also what to keep away from pets. Dogs are known to eat retainers.
Upper + Lower Dental Retainers
Upper + Lower Dental Retainers

If you properly take care of your retainers they can last for many years. If you retainers have broken please visit SportingSmiles.com for a replacement.

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Not all custom whitening trays are the same quality. They might be made of similar materials, but there are small differences that can make them more comfortable and effective.

Home Teeth Whitening
Sporting Smiles Home Teeth Whitening

First you want your whitening trays to have reservoirs. Reservoirs are small pockets that are on the whitening trays on the front of the tooth’s surface. These reservoirs allow for more room for the whitening gel to come in contact with the teeth. Whitening gel will naturally expand as it whitens the teeth. The reservoirs allow for the expansion of the whitening gel without the trays pulling away from your teeth.

If a low quality material is used to create the whitening trays then your trays can yellow quickly. All materials will yellow in time, but low quality material will yellow quicker.  You want to use a good cleaning product like fresh guard by efferdent to prevent your whitening trays from yellowing.

The way the whitening trays are trimmed affect the comfort or the whitening trays. If the whitening trays are just trimmed straight across and don’t follow the contours of the teeth iy allows the bleaching gel to come in contact with the gums. You can experience a burning sensation of the gums and less of the gel will come in contact with the teeth lowering the effectiveness.

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Invisalign and Clear essix retainer might look the same, but they are designed to do different tasks.

Invisalign is designed to move and straighten the teeth in small stages. With Invisalign you typically will have sets of clear aligners that you wear for two weeks at a time then go on to the next set of aligners. This process slowly puts pressure on the teeth moving them to there new position. The amount of aligners depends on how much movement is needed to straighten the teeth. Invisalign uses 1mm clear essix material to create these aligners. After the teeth are straighten, a set of retainers are required to prevent the teeth from going back to their original location.

Upper & Lower Dental Retainers
Upper & Lower Dental Retainers

Clear Essix retainers and designed just to prevent the teeth from shifting. Retainers will not move or straighten you teeth, they will prevent them from shifting further. Retainers are made using 1mm clear essix material the same as invisalign.

Both Essix retainers and invisalign are made from the same material and are cleaned and taken care for the same. Retainers can last for many years while the invislign aligners are designed to only be used for a short period of time.

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Type of Mouthguards NBA Pros use.

Basketball is the number one sport for maxillofacial injuries. This is why you are seeing star NBA players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry wearing mouthguards.

Curry MouthGuard
Curry MouthGuard

Basketball is more prone to facial injuries due to hand or elbows contact or players colliding with each other. It is not uncommon for two athletes to fight for a rebound and take an elbow to the mouth causing a tooth to break or even be fully knocked out. The cost of having a tooth repaired or replaced can range anywhere from $300 to $15,000 depending on the repair that has to be done. Wearing a custom fitted mouthguard for basketball can minimize the damage or even prevent it fully. Sadly most basketball players will only start to wear a mouthguard after they have had a dental injury or have seen another player have a dental injury.

NBA basketball players will typically wear a 3mm Clear mouthguard that is custom made from an impression of their teeth. These mouthguards are made my taking a dental impression and then have a dental lab manufacture the mouthguard. Being custom made makes these mouthguards are extremely comfortable and doesn’t affect breathing or communication with other teammates. Custom made laboratory mouthguards are nothing like boil and bite mouthguards that are purchased at a sporting goods store. The fit of a custom mouthguard will snap on your teeth and provide more protection than a boil and bite guard.
3mm_Clear - Copy

At SportingSmiles we recommend wearing a mouthguard soon as you have all your permanent teeth. Wearing a mouthguard should be a standard part of your equipment not only during games, but all worn during practice to protect the teeth. A properly taken care of custom mouthguards should last many years and give the maximum protect available.

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How to get a replacement dental retainer

Did your dental retainer crack, break, or is lost? If you lost your retainer you don’t want to put off getting a replacement retainer. Your teeth can start to shift without a retainer being worn. If your retainer is cracked or broken you want to continue to try to wear it if possible while ordering a new retainer.

You can get your replacement retainer 2 ways:

  1. Dentist or Orthodontics: Your dentist or orthodontics can make you a replacement retainer. The price from a dentist fluctuates greatly depending on location and dentist. This cost can be anywhere from $200 to $600 per retainer.
  1. Order Online: Order a self-impression kit online at SportingSmiles.com and take your impression at home and mail it directly in to a dental lab to be created. This cuts out the middle man while still getting the same quality product. Upper and Lower retainers cost $95 with shipping included.
SportingSmiles Impression Kit
SportingSmiles Impression Kit

Clear Essix style retainers can’t be repaired when they are cracked. If you have Hawley wire retainers a dental lab might be able to repair them instead of replacing the retainer. After you get your replacement retainers it is always a good idea to have a spare set. SportingSmiles has the ability to reorder upper and lower retainers for $65 after the initial set has been ordered.

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Pulling out teeth has always been a big concern for parents as they fear that it might hurt their child. There is also a worry amongst parents that kids might swallow their teeth while eating something. Thus, in order to make this process less painful for kids here are some great tips to pull out tooth that is ready to come out:

1. Encourage your child to use their tongue against the loose teeth or rocking the teeth back and forth with their finger.
2. Using of gauze or a clean tissue to wiggle the tooth back and forth to determine if it’s ready to come out.
3. Applying of oral analgesic on the region surrounding the tooth will numb the area and you can then easily pull out the loose tooth.
4. Avoid forcing the teeth to come out as it can lead to profuse bleeding an infection.
5. Try waiting for the teeth to fall on its own. If the loose teeth is not hurting or distracting your child then waiting can be a better option.

Thus, these tips can be really useful for your child to handle the inconvenience of painlessly pulling out a loose tooth.

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Root canals are as effective as dental implants but dentists mostly emphasis on saving a natural teeth before going for extraction and replacement with an implant. They both serve unique purpose. Dental implants replace missing and damaged teeth following different surgeries by inserting metal post in the jaw and affixing a crown to the post. The replaced teeth works and looks like natural teeth. On the other hand root canal treatment helps in treating sensitive teeth, teeth pain and oral irritations. The damaged or innermost part of the teeth is removed, and replaced with specific materials to save the natural teeth. The extent to which one’s teeth are damaged depicts the most appropriate treatment option.

Root Canal Treatment Procedure

  1. After thorough oral examination, an appointment is being set for root canal treatment.
  2. On the day of treatment, gum area is made insensitive with numbing gel and then teeth, tongue and skin are numbed with local anesthetic.
  3. The damaged tooth is then separated from the other tooth with small rubber sheet on metal frame. This also halts the entrance of liquid and tooth chips from entering to mouth and throat.
  4. The pulp is then removed from the tooth with drill and other tools. This is followed by filling gum line with medicines, temporary filling materials and then with a final root canal filling.
  5. Crown (a permanent filling) or capping is often required after root canal. An impression of tooth is taken to make a crown that perfectly matches the drilled tooth.
  6. In some cases a temporary crown may be fitted to the drilled tooth until a permanent crown is made and cemented into the place.

Implants Procedure

  1. X-ray examination and CT scan is done to determine the position and angle to place the titanium implants.
  2. Gum flap is raised and a hole is drilled into jawbone at the pre-defined position and angle. Dental implants are then inserted into the hole and gum flap is closed with sutures.
  3. Jaw bone unites with dental implants in 3-6 months. Once it gets united the second stage of surgery is started i.e. removing a small piece of gum wrapping the dental implant is removed and a healing component is inserted onto implants. This helps gums to heal in a healthier shape around the dental implants.
  4. The healing component is replaced by an impression component when gums surrounding the implant will heal-up. The impression of dental arches is then taken to know the position and angle of the dental implants.
  5. False teeth are then fabricated in dental labs.
  6. Lastly the false tooth is fixed onto the dental implant.

Which option to go with?

When a dentist feels that the tooth can be salvaged by restoration process then root canal treatment is followed while on the other hand when there seems no hope of restoration then dental implants is the last option left.

Root canal and dental implants are quite unique in their purposes and procedures. In root canal treatment, teeth is saved from extraction and in dental implants, an extracted tooth is replaced with false tooth. Both procedures are equally important and cannot be compared to each other. They both have almost equal success rate. Both have same goal i.e. to preserve the dentition.

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Do I Need My Wisdom Teeth Extracted?

Wisdom teeth usually appear sometime between the mid-teen years and a person’s mid to late-twenties. This final set of molars is the last to develop, and is usually referred to as the “wisdom teeth,” because of how much older a person is once they finally come in.

Although wisdom teeth don’t always need to be extracted, that’s not the case for everyone. In some cases, pulling them can make it easier for you to enjoy a straighter, healthier smile.

Your dentist may recommend wisdom tooth extraction if they are:

  • Infected, decayed, or causing pain

  • Crowding the other teeth

  • Impacted against adjacent teeth

 

Proactively removing your wisdom teeth can help you avoid unnecessary problems like tooth decay or crooked teeth later on.

What if They Don’t Hurt?

“If it doesn’t hurt, I don’t want to do anything about it.”

When it comes to your wisdom teeth, pain may come and go, or be completely absent. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always mean that everything is perfectly healthy. In many individuals, our jaws are too short for the wisdom teeth to fully erupt. This causes the tooth to only be partially-erupted, or wedged into the next tooth.

A partially erupted wisdom tooth allows food and plaque to build up under the gum flap around the tooth and can’t be cleaned with a toothbrush. This causes cavities and gum disease around the wisdom tooth—as well as the healthy tooth next to it. Removing the wisdom tooth is a small sacrifice when it comes to keeping the rest of your smile free of dental diseases.

Your Wisdom Tooth Exam

Your wisdom tooth exam will consist of a private consultation, followed by a panoramic x-ray to assess the development of your jaws and teeth. Depending on how your wisdom teeth are arranged next to the other teeth, and if there is not enough room for them to erupt properly into your mouth, it may be best to proactively remove them.

Keeping You Comfortable During Your Procedure

There’s no need to feel worried about having your wisdom teeth pulled. Choose a dental surgeon licensed to offer the proper sedation options (up to and including general anesthesia) that allow you to “nap” right through the entire visit. The surgery will be over before you even realized what happened. Sedation not only helps you relax; it also makes it possible for your dentist to work more efficiently. And, of course, your safety is always the top priority!

Are you or your teen beginning to experience swelling, discomfort, or other symptoms related to wisdom teeth? Call your dentist today. Don’t suffer the pain or risk even bigger dental problems down the road. In many cases, getting your wisdom teeth removed is, indeed, a wise choice.

 

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Finding the best pediatric dentist in can be overwhelming. When it comes to taking care of your son or daughter’s smile, here are 4 important things to look for in a good children’s dentist:

1. Someone Who is Patient

Kids require a lot of extra attention and patience when it comes to keeping them calm and comfortable throughout their appointment. You want your child’s checkup to be something that they enjoy and look forward to in the future. If your child’s dentist rushes you in and out, you’re unlikely to get that extra level of individual care and personal touch most people hope for and pediatric patients, especially, deserve. Truly taking the time that your child needs, and walking them through the visit step by step in a kid-friendly manner and language, can have a huge impact on whether or not little ones feel like cooperating for an exam, cleaning, or filling.


2. An Office With Flexible Hours

With soccer, karate, and homework, parents are constantly working around a busy family schedule, especially if they juggle multiple children or a busy career at the same time. Finding a children’s dentist with flexible office hours like early mornings, evenings, and Saturdays makes it easier to work in essential dental checkups without having to skip school or take time off work. Some offices advertise extended hours, but then wind up reserving those appointments for only specific types of procedures. Be sure to check when you call.

 

3. A Children’s Dentist in Your Insurance Network

The next time you call a dental office, don’t ask if they take your insurance. Instead, ask if they’re in-network with your insurance carrier. There’s a big difference, especially if your child needs any dental work done. Having a children’s dentist that is part of your network means there are no unexpected out-of-pocket expenses to keep an eye out for. You’ll get an accurate treatment plan with detailed pricing that’s easy to understand.

 

4. Sedation Dentistry for Kids

Sometimes kids need a bit of help to sit through essential dental treatment. Especially if their needs are complex, or the child is restless and anxious. Most pediatric dental experts offer sedation dentistry for kids to help them relax. This allows the dentist to work more efficiently and complete all (or most of) the treatment in just one appointment.

Finding a great dentist for your kids may seem like trying to find the famous needle in the haystack. By sticking to the five characteristics above, however, you’ll quickly separate the wheat from the chaff. Don’t compromise when it comes to your child’s oral health—they’ll thank you for your diligence down the road.

 

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Chipped Tooth: Know the Treatment Options

Where dental problems are concerned, a chipped tooth may seem like a minor event, especially if there is no pain. It is something, however, that needs to be fixed. Once the enamel coating is cracked, the nerves beneath can become exposed to all types of bacteria. Your tooth can easily become infected or a cavity can develop. What is painless now may cause a great deal of pain not too far down the road.

Choices
There are a few different paths a dentist can take to repair a chipped tooth. The method or combination of methods that is chosen will depend upon how badly the tooth is chipped, where the chip occurs and patient preference.

  • Bonding – This method requires the dentist to use a type of tooth-colored putty. He will paint the putty onto your tooth and mold it, so it fills in the chip.

  • Veneers – This is a tiny covering for the front of your tooth. Think of it as a mask. The veneer is shaped and then attached to the front of your natural tooth with special dental glue.

  • Crowns – This procedure is used if the chip is larger or if it is in a place that is difficult to repair in a simpler manner. An impression of your tooth is made to form a mold. A porcelain-type liquid is molded to the shape and size that fits your mouth. This tooth is placed over the existing one to help protect it from further damage.

  • Root Canal – The natural root is removed and replaced with a metal peg that is attached to the underlying bone. This forms a solid base to keep the tooth from deteriorating.

  • Implant – An artificial tooth is attached to an artificial root that anchors it to the jawbone.

At Vegas Dental Experts, we provide a range of restorative and cosmetic dentistry procedures to help you achieve a beautiful smile.

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TMJ disorders can be extremely painful if left untreated. Hormonal imbalances, traumatic injuries to the face and neck, and continually clenching the teeth are all predominant causes of TMJ. If a person has been diagnosed with TMJ disorder, the first thing they should is evaluate their own habits. Chewing gum or eating foods that are extremely chewy can cause symptoms flare.

Treatment for TMJ disorders may vary from person to person. A few of the best treatment options include:

  • Night Guards – An occlusal splint or night guard is used to keep the jaws aligned and prevent them from being tightly clenched together. Night guards are custom made using molds of the teeth. A rigid orthotic is created for the patient to wear while they are sleeping or during other physical activity. Most occlusal splints are similar to the mouth guards that are worn by athletes who participate in full contact sports.
  • Massage – Massage therapy is used to relax the muscles of the jaw, neck and cranial area. Massage increases the flow of oxygenated blood to the area and also relieves the tension and stress within the muscles. Massage also improves flexibility and allows the jaw to move more freely without causing additional discomfort.
  • Physical Therapy – Physical therapy involves the use of exercises that both condition and strengthen the muscles of the face and jaw. Physical therapy is used to increase range of motion and maintain flexibility. Improving flexibility also helps to improve the function of the jaw and alleviates pain. Prescribing physical therapy for the treatment of TMJ disorders is quite common.
  • Osteopathic Manipulative Technique – This special technique used by osteopaths can actually improve range of motion and flexibility after approximately six months of treatment. Osteopaths use the technique to remove stress placed on the jaw from clenching or traumatic injuries.
  • Acupuncture – Acupuncture is a technique used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to improve the flow of “qi” in the body and remove blockages. Acupuncture alleviates pain and discomfort without harmful side effects.

At Vegas Dental Experts, we provide a range of restorative and cosmetic dentistry procedures to help you achieve a beautiful smile.

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Reasons for Bad Breath & How to Cure

Having bad breath can be embarrassing. It can be a reason for you to avoid social situations. If you brush your teeth regularly, you may be confused as to what is causing your problem. Here are some possible causes:

*Tooth decay – Decaying of teeth or unhealthy gums can cause the bacteria that results in bad breath.

*Medications – Medicine that dries your mouth can cause bad breath. These medicines can include those for diabetes, sinus and allergies or liver conditions.

*Stomach problems – Acid reflux can result in stomach contents being brought upward, causing the smell to be released into your mouth.

*Tobacco and alcohol – Both of these substances leave behind odor-causing elements.

*Food – Certain types of food such as onion and garlic can also be a reason for your breath to be less than pleasant.

What to Do
Besides eliminating things like odor-causing food, tobacco and alcohol, make sure you are consistent with your dental hygiene. Brush and floss twice a day and don’t forget to include your tongue (as not brushing your tongue could be the reason).

If you think it might be medication, discuss some counter-active measures with your doctor. He may be able to give you a medicine that doesn’t dry your mouth so much, or prescribe something to renew the moisture that the medication takes away.

Keep up on dental exams so any problems with teeth or gums can be caught early. Checking on your oral hygiene is good and is one of your best defenses against the dreaded halitosis. Taking care of bad breath is all a matter of finding the cause and then working to counteract it.

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Oral Care for Babies Before Birth

You know that taking care of your teeth and gums is important, but did you know that the state of your dental health can adversely affect your unborn baby? A study that was conducted in 1996 found an alarming connection between pregnant women with gum disease and both early births and low birth weight. It was found that these women were more apt to have babies under 37 weeks and less than 5.5 pounds. In addition, the children of these women were more likely to experience child dental health problems before they reached the age of five.

Child dental health

Why This Happens
Bacteria is present in all of our mouths, but newborn babies don’t have either good or bad bacteria. Bacteria that causes gum disease and tooth decay is harmful and that may be what causes the early births and low birth weight. It is also why dental health in these children is poor.

A baby acquires bacteria in its mouth during its first few months,; and most often, it is from the mother. If the mother’s teeth or gums are in bad shape, the harmful bacteria is transferred to the baby and his new teeth are at risk.

What To Do

Make sure your teeth and gums are in good condition while you are pregnant. Pregnancy itself often causes problems like extra acid from morning sickness, gum disease from hormonal changes and dry mouth.

All these can adversely affect teeth, so it is essential to maintain regularly scheduled dental visits during your pregnancy.

Once your baby arrives, he should first visit a dentist at around six months .Before then, get him used to having his gums touched so transitioning to brushing his teeth will be easier, and eventually he will be able to brush his own. Your good dental health will give your baby a healthy head start.

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Better oral hygiene and regular dental visits may play a role in slowing cognitive decline as people age, although evidence is not definitive enough to suggest that one causes the other. The findings, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, come from the first systematic review of studies focused on oral health and cognition--two important areas of research as the older adult population continues to grow, with some 36% of people over age 70 already living with cognitive impairments.

Researchers have questioned whether an association exists between oral health and cognitive status for older adults. "Clinical evidence suggests that the frequency of oral health problems increases significantly in cognitively impaired older people, particularly those with dementia," said Bei Wu, PhD, of Duke University's School of Nursing in Durham, NC. "In addition, many of the factors associated with poor oral health--such as poor nutrition and systemic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease--are also associated with poor cognitive function."

To look for a link between oral health and cognitive status, Dr. Wu and her colleagues analyzed relevant cross-sectional (data collected at one specific point in time) and longitudinal (data collected over an extended period of time) studies published between 1993 and 2013.

Some studies found that oral health measures such as the number of teeth, the number of cavities, and the presence of periodontal disease (also known as "gum disease") were associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline or dementia, while others studies were unable to confirm any association. Researchers were also quick to note that findings based on the number of teeth or cavities are conflicting, and limited studies suggest that periodontal conditions such as gingivitis are associated with poorer cognitive status or cognitive decline.

"There is not enough evidence to date to conclude that a causal association exists between cognitive function and oral health," said Dr. Wu. "For future research, we recommend that investigators gather data from larger and more population representative samples, use standard cognitive assessments and oral health measures, and use more sophisticated data analyses."

CARY FEUERMAN, DMD

PERIODONTAL ASSOCIATES

Journal Reference:

  1. Bei Wu, Gerda G. Fillenbaum, Brenda L. Plassman, and Liang Guo.Association Between Oral Health and Cognitive Status: A Systematic ReviewJournal of the American Geriatrics Society, April 1, 2016 DOI:10.1111/jgs.14036

Source:  Science Daily

Wiley. "Is there a link between oral health and the rate of cognitive decline?." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 1 April 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160401073706.htm>;.

Photo Source

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Teeth and gums that are healthy and strong are two of the biggest contributors to a winning smile. In reality though, few of us have been naturally blessed with a dazzling set of perfect strong white teeth to show off to the world!

When we see a strong healthy smile, we tend to immediately associate it with a strong healthy body, and often this assumption proves very true. Having one or more teeth missing can seem like the end of the world, yet it really doesn't have to be. The ideal solution to a missing tooth is a dental implant. What makes dental implants so perfect for the job? It's the fact that they are implanted into the jaw, allowing them to merge with your bone structure, that makes them deserve such a high recommendation.

The Pros

- Existing teeth and structures such as bridgework and crowns are supported and receive less stress when a dental implant is in place.

- Since dental implants do not require an aggressive approach to the surrounding teeth, the natural tooth tissue can be preserved.

- Bone resorption or deterioration is greatly reduced when a dental implant is set. This in turn minimizes the risk of losing jawbone height.

- The adjacent teeth benefit from a dental implant and often are able to avoid future interventions that would otherwise be necessary.

- In the long run, implants are more durable than an ordinary tooth restoration.

- Implant overdentures can give necessary support and stability to existing dentures that have become loose with time.

- Premature wrinkles can be avoided since overdentures can improve the facial contours.

- Improved food chewing and even clearer speech can come as a result of overdentures. In fact studies have indicated that, in comparison with full dentures, overdentures can more effectively improve speech and chewing ability.

 

The Cons

- Completion of the prosthesis is dependent on both a surgical procedure and a healing period.

- The cost of procedures in the field of dental implants can be more than that of conventional treatment.

- A risk of mechanical fractures exists, for example in the bridges, connecting screws or fixtures. However it should be noted that under 5% of all patients treated have such complaints. Complications can arise as a result of stress concentration or mouth trauma.

- Since the shock-absorbency which exists in natural teeth, does not exist between a tooth and an implant, porcelain fractures of the bridgework or crown can occur.

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