A-Z info on dental terminology for a lay man.
http://c5.go2dental.com/dnoa_ilfdl/article-detail2.php?art_id=182&subcat=26
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Sedation Dentistry
Comfort Smile Dental
Dental Sedation
- Makes even a 4 hour appointment seem like 10 minutes.
- Relaxing and comfortable
- Total amnesia, you will not remember a thing
- Qualified medical sedationist administers sedation
- Safe and reliable
- All your work can be done at once
- Perfect for people who hate the dentist
If I'm Having Sedation...
- You must fast from midnight, a small amount of water is OK
- You cannot drive for the rest of the day.
Comfort Smile Dental
Sensitive Teeth
Comfort Smile Dental
Causes:
1. worn tooth enamel
2. Exposed tooth roots.
3. Other causes: a cavity, a cracked or chipped tooth, or a side effect of a dental procedure, such as bleaching.
4. Vigorous or harsh scrubbing, highly abrasive toothpaste, and excessive brushing and flossing
5. Tooth grinding (bruxism) can fracture teeth and cause sensitivity.
6. Acidic foods and drinks, such as carbonated drinks, citrus fruits, wine and yogurt — all of which can remove tooth enamel
Treatment:
Causes:
1. worn tooth enamel
2. Exposed tooth roots.
3. Other causes: a cavity, a cracked or chipped tooth, or a side effect of a dental procedure, such as bleaching.
4. Vigorous or harsh scrubbing, highly abrasive toothpaste, and excessive brushing and flossing
5. Tooth grinding (bruxism) can fracture teeth and cause sensitivity.
6. Acidic foods and drinks, such as carbonated drinks, citrus fruits, wine and yogurt — all of which can remove tooth enamel
Treatment:
If you're concerned about sensitive teeth, start by visiting your dentist. He or she can identify or rule out any underlying causes of your tooth pain. Depending on the circumstances, your dentist might recommend:
- Desensitizing toothpaste. After several applications, desensitizing toothpaste can help block pain associated with sensitive teeth.
- Fluoride. Your dentist might apply fluoride to the sensitive areas of your teeth to strengthen tooth enamel and reduce pain.
- Covering exposed root surfaces. If receding gums are the cause of your sensitive teeth, your dentist might apply a sealant to cover the exposed tooth roots.
- Root canal. If your sensitive teeth cause severe pain and other treatments aren't effective, your dentist might recommend a root canal — a procedure used to treat problems in the tooth's soft core (dental pulp).
Comfort Smile Dental
Oral Hygiene
Comfort Smile Dental
Good oral hygiene results in a mouth that looks and smells healthy. This means:
Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the most important things you can do for your teeth and gums. Healthy teeth not only enable you to look and feel good, they make it possible to eat and speak properly. Good oral health is important to your overall well-being.
What is Good Oral Hygiene?
Good oral hygiene results in a mouth that looks and smells healthy. This means:
- Your teeth are clean and free of debris
- Gums are pink and do not hurt or bleed when you brush or floss
- Bad breath is not a constant problem
If your gums do hurt or bleed while brushing or flossing, or you are experiencing persistent bad breath, see your dentist. Any of these conditions may indicate a problem.
Your dentist or hygienist can help you learn good oral hygiene techniques and can help point out areas of your mouth that may require extra attention during brushing and flossing.
How is Good Oral Hygiene Practiced?
Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the most important things you can do for your teeth and gums. Healthy teeth not only enable you to look and feel good, they make it possible to eat and speak properly. Good oral health is important to your overall well-being.
Daily preventive care, including proper brushing and flossing, will help stop problems before they develop and is much less painful, expensive, and worrisome than treating conditions that have been allowed to progress.
In between regular visits to the dentist, there are simple steps that each of us can take to greatly decrease the risk of developing tooth decay, gum disease and other dental problems. These include:
- Brushing thoroughly twice a day and flossing daily
- Eating a balanced diet and limiting snacks between meals
- Using dental products that contain fluoride, including toothpaste
- Rinsing with a fluoride mouthrinse if your dentist tells you to
- Making sure that your children under 12 drink fluoridated water or take a fluoride supplement if they live in a non-fluoridated area.
Comfort Smile Dental
Proper Brushing Technique
Comfort Smile Dental
Comfort Smile Dental
 |  |  |
Tilt the brush at a 45° angle against the gumline and sweep or roll the brush away from the gumline.
|
Gently brush the outside, inside and chewing surface of eachtooth using short back-and-forth strokes.
|
Gently brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen breath.
|
Proper Flossing Technique
Comfort Smile Dental
Comfort Smile Dental
 |  |  |
Use about 18" of floss, leaving an inch or two to work with.
|
Gently follow the curves of your teeth.
|
Be sure to clean beneath the gumline, but avoid snapping the floss on the gums.
|
Comfort Smile Dental
Holistic dentistry
"COMFORT SMILE DENTAL"
Holistic dentistry also called alternative dentistry, biologic dentistry, or biocompatible dentistry emphasizes approaches to dental care which consider the patient's dental health in the context of their entire physical as well as emotional or spiritual health in some cases.
Holistic dental community is diverse in its practices and approaches. They have strong opposition to the use of amalgam (silver fillings) which has Mercury in it. They also encourage non-surgical approaches to gum disease. Mainstream dentists criticize most of the practices and opinions of biologic dentists.
The Holistic Dental Network defines the field as: "an approach to Dentistry that promotes health and wellness instead of the treatment of disease. This approach to Dentistry encompasses both modern science and knowledge drawn from the worlds great traditions on natural healing...Holistic Dentistry acknowledges and deals with the mind, body, and spirit of the patient, not just his or her "Teeth". And lays out the following basic principles
- Proper nutrition for the prevention and reversal of degenerative dental disease
- Avoidance and elimination of toxins from dental materials
- Prevention and treatment of dental malocclusion (bite problems=physical imbalance)
- Prevention and treatment of gum disease at its biological basis
Holistic Dentistry is best described as looking at a patient as a unique individual and tailoring the treatment plan accordingly. Each patient has a unique immune system and a unique exposure to various stresses throughout life.
To assess a patient from a holistic viewpoint we would assess your exposure to mercury fillings, your structural strengths and weaknesses in relation to your jaw joint and your bite. We would also look at your available airway space which is compromised in the snoring and sleep apnoea patients. This may also lead to lower back and knee and Achilles problems. Recent scientific research has shown that optimising your bite position can increase your overall athletic performance by 10-15%.
The nervous feedback through your tooth nerve (The Trigeminal Nerve) can cause problems with all aspects of your emotions, your immune system, your nervous system and your hormonal system.
The big fancy name for this is Psychoneuroendocrineimmunology (PNEI). PNEI basically means that all your main regulatory systems which help you handle the stressful events in your life are interlinked. Your body will always try and stay in a balanced position (Homeostasis) so you never have too much or too little of anything. In Quantum Physics this is known as “The Goldilocks Effect”.
From a dental perspective the position of your jaw joint, the presence of mercury fillings (depending on size, quantity and length of time in your mouth), the presence of improperly sealed root fillings, a malocclusion (incorrect bite position), underdevelopment of the dental arches and a reduced oral airway space can all contribute to chronic disease states. Periodontal disease has been shown to contribute to Diabetes, cardiovascular disease and strokes.
Mercury Fillings
The silver coloured fillings in your mouth contain at least 50% mercury. Before this mercury goes into your mouth it is regarded as a hazardous material. When old silver mercury fillings are removed the remaining amalgams are regarded as hazardous waste. Mercury has been placed into people’s mouths for over 150 years with no scientific data showing it as a safe material. Modern advances in dentistry such as composite fillings and Cerec inlays have made the need for mercury obsolete. The newer materials are more biocompatible, and cosmetically pleasing.
Mercury: some facts and figures
- Mercury is the most toxic non-radioactive metal in the world
- A large posterior filling can have up to 0.5g of mercury in the mixture
- 0.5g of mercury in a 10 acre lake would result in an advisory warning not to eat fish from that lake due to the levels of mercury.
- According to the World Health Organisation (WHO 1991, advisory paper): The exposure to mercury from dental fillings is greater than all other sources combined (including eating fish).
- Mercury is transported via the trigeminal nerve through the blood brain barrier to the brain.
- Mercury targets tissue of high metabolic rate such as the Heart, Lungs, Kidney, Liver and Brain.
For the full scientific evidence please read: “The scientific case against mercury” by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, www.iaomt.org, Safe Removal of Mercury
It is important that old fillings are removed carefully. However, this does not just mean what happens in the surgery with the use of rubber dam, separate air supply, high speed suction and plenty of water to cool the fillings and so forth, but how the patient prepares before and after mercury amalgam removal.
To conclude, Holistic dentistry is gaining momentum among few people around the world. More and more dentists consider this approach in promoting health and wellness among their patients instead of treating the dental disease by conventional approach. Educating patients on dental practices will reduce the misunderstandings on certain dental procedures and the use of certain dental materials.
"Comfort Smile Dental"
Comfort Smile Dental
Welcome to Comfort Smile Dental located at 216 Dalton Drive, Desoto, Texas-75115.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)