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Bad
Breath
Proper oral hygiene eliminates many cases of bad breath.
Daily brushing and flossing removes the plaque and bacteria
that often cause bad breath. While brushing, take special
care to thoroughly brush the back of the tongue where
bacteria normally collects. Mints and mouthwashes can
hide bad breath, but do not eliminate this condition.
Avoid foods that have powerful odors and drink lots
of water to insure that the mouth is cleansed and full
of oxygen (an environment in which bacteria do not thrive).
For information on current treatments, contact a dentist
in your area regarding current products on the market
that can eliminate bad breath.
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Gum
Disease
Periodontal disease is a gradual infection of the gums
and, eventually, the underlying bones of the mouth.
It is caused by the build up of plaque on and around
the teeth that eventually calcifies into tartar. This
tartar releases bacteria, which contains toxins and
a sulfur compound that slowly decay the teeth and gums.
In the first stage of gum disease (known as gingivitis),
the bacteria begin to weaken the fibers that hold the
gums to the teeth. Gingivitis is characterized by a
swelling, inflammation, and bleeding of the gums. In
the advanced stage of gum disease (referred to as periodontitis),
the gum tissues have decayed significantly and have
pulled away from teeth. The bones below the teeth have
usually become infected and begun to dissolve.
The ravages of gum disease are best prevented by early
detection and proper dental hygiene. Brushing your teeth
twice a day helps to remove the thin layer of bacteria
that release the dangerous toxins into your mouth. Flossing
or other interdental cleansing is also important to
keep your mouth free from residual food and bacteria.
Finally, maintaining a balanced diet and taking regular
trips to the dentist helps stem the advance of gum disease
and keeps you healthy and smiling.
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Root
Canal
Prior to recent advances in medicine, damage to the
core of a tooth usually meant its quick removal. The
modern solution is a root canal, known in the medical
community as endodontic treatment. This procedure usually
involves several trips to the dentist and is performed
in the dentist’s chair. A root canal procedure
cleans, disinfects, and refills the interior of the
tooth, thereby preventing serious pain and permanent
damage to decayed teeth.
During the surgical portion of a root canal, the decayed
tooth is first anesthetized. A hole is made through
the crown of the tooth, down into the pulp. The surgeon
uses tiny metal instruments to extract the remaining
pulp from the tooth, and thoroughly cleans and disinfects
the canal(s). If the tooth canal is twisted, the surgeon
may have to enter the tooth through the gums to remove
the difficult-to-reach pulp. Once cleaned out, the canal(s)
is re-shaped to allow the surgeon to easily and completely
fill the interior of the tooth. The canal(s) is filled
with a rubberized inert material that helps prevent
future infection. A temporary seal protects the tooth
until the patient can return to the dentist’s
office. A permanent metal pin may be attached to the
root of the tooth to provide long term structural support.
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Wisdom
Teeth
Wisdom teeth are located at the back of the mouth, the
“third” molar at both ends of the top and
bottom row of teeth. As the wisdom teeth begin to grow,
they can become impacted, or trapped in the jawbone
and/or gums. As they continue to grow beneath the gum
line in an angled or horizontal direction, displacement
of the original line of teeth and wearing into the back
molars can occur. Wisdom teeth that are unable to “erupt”
above the gum line can lead to inflammation and infection.
In the case of a partial eruption, a pocket often forms
under the gumline, which can lead to the formation of
a cyst or tumor. If left untreated, wisdom teeth cause
permanent damage, including cavities, nerve damage,
gum infection, bone infection, and a weakening of the
jaw. Unfortunately, wisdom teeth often grow unnoticed
until they cause problems in the mouth or outlying areas,
such as the face. These problems can cause headaches,
pain in the ears, neck, upper or lower jaw.
As a rule of thumb, wisdom teeth should be extracted
when the oral surgeon first concludes that the teeth
are impacted and pose a risk to the patient. In certain
cases, surgery may require an incision into the gums,
partial bone removal, and/or sectioning of the tooth
before removal. The procedure is almost always performed
in the dentist’s office, on an outpatient basis.
The surgery is usually performed in less than an hour,
depending on the depth of the impacted teeth and their
angle of growth. The surgeon will recommend using a
local anesthesia, a mild sedative, or a general anesthesia.
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X-Rays
Dental problems often go undetected because they remain
hidden within the teeth and bones of the mouth. X-rays
identify these unseen developments. In addition to visually
identifying cavities, X-rays can detect trauma to the
teeth and bones, show impacted teeth, and illuminate
signs of periodontal or bone disease. X-rays are an
inexpensive and relatively harmless way to detect dental
problems before they result in serious and potentially
costly problems down the road.
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