Sugar Consumption in Relation with Teeth Decay

 

Holydays are coming and we all know that having a sweet tooth during the festive season is not helpful to resist the sugary temptations. Sweets come in different shapes, colors and tastes so it takes an extra effort to suppress the cravings for processed sugar. In this article, we will describe the negative effect that sugar has over dental and general health and share with you some handy piece of advice on how to protect your teeth.

When consuming food rich with sugar and carbohydrates, specific bacteria in our mouth feeds on sugar and turns into an acid causing tooth decay.

What Causes Bad Breath or Halitosis?

Halitosis or chronic bad breath can't be resolved by using that mints, mouthwash or a good brushing can’t help resolving. It remains for an extended amount of time and may be a sign of something more serious. 

What are the causes for Halitosis? 

Dental Issues: Cavities and deeper pockets from gum disease give bad breath bacteria extra places to hide in your mouth that are difficult to clear out when you’re brushing or cleaning between your teeth. Either can contribute to halitosis.

Mouth, Nose and Throat Infections can lead to postnasal drip that may also contribute to bad breath. Bacteria feeds on mucus your body produces when it’s battling something like a sinus infection, leaving you sniffy and stinky.

Diabetis and Oral Health

 

You might be wondering what the connection between oral health and diabetes is. This disease not only affects the eyes, nerves,  kidneys and  heart  but also your mouth. Uncontrolled diabetes significantly increases the risk of periodontal disease and affects the hard tissues. People suffering from diabetes have much fragile oral health than people who are not suffering from this disease which is why they should take a special care and pay higher attention. Most common issues diabetics face are:

-candidiasis (fungal infection in the mouth cavity)

- periodontitis (degenerative disease of the supporting tissue of teeth)

- tooth loss due to late treatment of periodontitis

- dry mouth

- caries

Osteoporosis and Oral Health

 

 What is osteoporosis?

 Osteoporosis or a porous bone disease is characterized by reduced density and bone thinning which affects negatively the overall life quality of a person. People suffering from osteoporosis are mostly prone to hand, vertebrae or hip fractures. It is well-known that the spine is our body-bearer; vertebra fracture may lead to humpback, pain in the back, lower back area as well as lower limbs, imbalanced body posture and decreased physical activity.

Bad Childhood Habits as a Reason for Orthodontic Issues - Short, Informative Interview with Dr. Dobrila Kangova , General Dentist at Korona Dental

The normal and correct growth as well as development of facial and jaw structures including muscles and soft tissues begins since early age when the milk teeth erupt; however, each deviation would contribute to development of orthodontic issues.

Which are the most common causes of orthodontic irregularities?

Great percent of orthodontic problems are genetically inherited, in particular the skeletal ones related with the jaw and the bones. They develop due to irregular functions, bad habits and premature extraction of primary teeth or prevalence of dental trauma.

 What do we mean by bad oral habits in childhood?

 The presence of a bad oral habit throughout the stage when the child grows and develops may cause an orthodontic issue. Until what extent the issue will develop, depends on the frequency and repetition of the bad oral habit, intensity and timeframe related with the age of the child. Most common bad habits include prolonged finger, pacifier and objects sucking, lip-biting and tongue thrusting which pushes the teeth forward.

The Impact of Oral Hygiene over Dental Health - short inteview with Dr. Tane Kasapov

 Dental hygiene is a concept including several measures and actions taken by each induvial to prevent diseases of hard and soft oral tissues. The essence of oral hygiene is about eliminating dental plaque and suppressing microorganisms. 

What is dental plaque?

 Dental plaque is a build up layer of bacteria that sticks to surface of the teeth. It is clinically defined as a resilient structure that adheres to the  intraoral hard tissues.

How to achieve an impeccable oral hygiene?

 Good oral hygiene is achieved with dental plaque removal through mechanical or chemical plaque control. Mechanical dental plaque removal is done by using a toothbrush, a toothpaste and interdental hygiene products such as tooth floss, interdental brush and Waterpik.

Pregnancy and Oral Health

 This post will try to give some answers on dental health during pregnancy and how to take care of your teeth. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can make your gums more vulnerable to plaque, leading to inflammation and bleeding. This is also called pregnancy gingivitis or gum disease caused by a build-up of plaque on the teeth.
The points below provide a simple guideline how to look after your teeth and gums which should turn into a general practice: 

- Clean your teeth carefully twice a day for 2 minutes with a fluoride toothpaste.
- Floss once a day to remove small bits of food from between your teeth, which will help to prevent the build-up of plaque.
- Brushing is best with a small-headed toothbrush with soft filaments.

- Avoid having sugary drinks and foods too often.
-  If you're hungry between meals, snack on foods such as vegetables, fresh fruit or plain yoghurt, and avoid sugary or acidic foods.

Periodontal Disease

 

 Periodontal disease degenerates the bone and soft tissues that support the teeth themselves caused by bacteria (germs) present in the inflammatory process. It affects one or more teeth. Most often due to lack of hygiene, dental plaque starts to build up on teeth. The gums are reddening, swollen and gradually start bleeding. This phenomenon is called gingivitis. Longer persistence of gingivitis when untreated transforms into periodontitis. Over time, plaque bacteria begin to produce toxins that irritate the gums and inflammation becomes chronic. As such, it leads to loss of bone and soft tissues - the natural teeth supporters. This phase is followed by stability destruction, thus to gradual teeth loss.

In order to avoid or at least slow down the progress of gingivitis, it is essential to regularly brush your teeth, floss and visit the dentist for a check up, early diagnosis and  get advice on preventive measures.

What is Endodontic Treatment?

 

 Endodontic treatment or tooth devitalisation is made when the soft part of the tooth, i.e. the pulp or nerve is inflamed or infected, which may be a consequence of deep cavity, inadequate medical treatment, crack or a tooth trauma. The pulp treatment and healing is done under anesthesia (if necessary) and it is completely painless. Very often the root canals are anatomically different, curved and narrow, which takes appropriate modern treatment i.e. technical treating of the root system itself. In our dental office we work with modern equipment and powerful methods and techniques, however there are often unsuccessful endodontic cases where previously treated teeth are poorly filled or contributed to a broken instrument.

Yet, these cases can be successful if retreated. In addition, the earlier you visit the dentist the better, since the chances to save your teeth are much higher.

Teeth Whitening, Effect, Duration, Age?

      

Nowadays, teeth whitening is a popular procedure for those who want a bright and esthetic smile. It can be done professionally at the dentist and it is a painless procedure. The color change may vary from one to three shades, depending on the teeth natural color of the patient. To maintain long-lasting effect, it is recommended to repeat the procedure every 6 to 12 months. The effect and benefits of whitening depend on a several factors, such as consumption of tobacco, coffee, tea, wine, colored food, regular oral hygiene and dental visit. Another procedure that can be performed is home teeth whitening however, results from this procedure are achieved slowly. Usually the dentist provides a silicone guard and whitening paste as well as guides the patient how to use it at home.

Teeth whitening is recommended to be done above the age of 18 when the mineralization of the enamel is already finished, which on the other hand at younger age the physiological procedures are still in growth and development.

Causes for Tooth Sensitivity

We are quite sure plenty have felt the uncomfortable pain caused by the food we enjoy most, whether it is cold or hot or it tastes sweet or sour. There are several reasons for teeth sensitivity: cavities, abraded enamel, retracted gums i.e root visibility or old and broken tooth seal. 

Let us first briefly explain what is tooth morphology, so you may get a clear-cut picture of the tooth layers. and its parts. The tooth crown or simply the visible part of the tooth is covered with enamel (the hardest substance in the human body). Under the enamel there is dentin, easily porous and soft substance and then follows the tooth nerve or pulp. The root anchors the tooth firmly to the bone, it is covered with cement and underneath there is a layer of dentin and finally the pulp. If this balanced physiological integrity is disturbed, i.e the protective layer of enamel and cement is affected, it contributes to an easy transmission of the stimuli to the pulp itself.