An Ounce of Prevention!
Practicing dental wellness is the best way to help ensure dental health as well as avoid really expensive and painful dental procedures. Consistent brushing and flossing have a huge payoff, including fewer or no cavities, and a much lower chance of having gum disease. Brushing twice a day and flossing once takes fewer than five minutes! Set a good example for those around you, particularly if you are a parent.
The sections below discuss some aspects of dental wellness, including the top 10 actions to take for oral health, definitions of common dental terms, a description of common dental procedures, a discussion of the latest cosmetic dental options and links to useful websites. Top 10 Actions for Oral Health
Dental Definitions
Common Procedures and Conditions
The Latest Cosmetic Dental Options
Dental Website Links
Top 10 Actions for Oral Health
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- Brush two times daily with fluoride toothpaste and a soft bristled brush to remove the food particles that start the decay process.
- Floss daily to remove food particles from between your teeth.
- Change your toothbrush as soon as the edges begin to splay out; splaying indicates the brush is losing effectiveness.
- Visit a dentist every six months to check your overall oral health and monitor potential problems.
- Have your teeth cleaned by a dental hygienist every six months; the hygienist removes any plaque or tartar building up on your teeth.
- Have x-rays taken once per year, this allows the dentist to monitor potential problems.
- Drink fluoridated water or talk to your dentist about fluoride supplements. Fluoride strengthens developing teeth and helps prevent decay in adults and children.
- Eat a nutritionally balanced diet - Calcium, Vitamin D, Magnesium and Zinc all contribute to strong teeth and bones; the B-Vitamins and Iron make healthy blood, which contributes to healthy gums; Vitamin C also helps maintain healthy gums.
- Limit sugary snacks and chew sugarless gum.
- Don't smoke or use smokeless tobacco, they increase your risk for oral cancer, gingivitis, periodontal disease and tooth decay.
Dental Definitions
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Amalgam - A silver/mercury mixture used for fillings. Anesthesia - A drug which the dentist uses to control pain during dental procedures. General anesthesia renders the patient unconscious, local anesthesia numbs only a specified area. Calculus - No, not Math 305! This calculus is a hard deposit resulting when plaque is left on the teeth. Remove plaque by brushing twice daily and flossing once. Calculus is also known as tartar. Caries - Another name for a cavity (tooth decay). Cavity - A small hole in a tooth caused by decay. Composite Resin - White plastic material with small glass or ceramic particles used to fill cavities. A common replacement for amalgam fillings. Crown - the portion of a tooth above the gum line, it also refers to a dental restoration that covers most or all of the natural tooth. Crowns are used when large surfaces of the tooth have decay. DDS and DMD - Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Dental Medicine is the degree awarded upon graduation from dental school to become a general dentist. There is no difference in the education between a DDS and a DMD; the designation is chosen by a particular University. Additional post-graduate training is required to become a dental specialist, such as an orthodontist, endodontist, periodontist or oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Dental Sealants - A thin plastic that is painted on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. Sealants are highly effective in the prevention of tooth decay. Endodontist - A dentist who specializes in dental pulp, tooth nerves and periradicular tissues. The most common endodontic procedure is the root canal, in which an infected root is removed and a protective filing placed. Prior to the advent of root canals, such teeth were removed. Gingivitis - The inflammation of the gums caused by improper brushing and lack of flossing. It is the first sign of periodontal (gum) disease and also causes bad breath. If blood appears when brushing or flossing, you may have gingivitis. Hygienist - A dental professional who cleans teeth and provides patient education. May also administer local anesthetic and nitrous oxide or perform periodontal scaling. Impacted tooth - A tooth that is stuck below the surface of the gum. Impacted teeth can become infected, and also push other teeth out of alignment. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon - A dentist with additional training and education in the diagnosis, surgery and treatment of diseases, injuries and imperfections involving both the hard and soft tissues of the mouth, upper jaw and face. The most common service performed by oral surgeons is the removal of wisdom teeth. Orthodontist - A dental specialist in the diagnosis, prevention, and correction of mis-alignments of the teeth. Pediatric Dentist - A dentist who specializes in the preventive, diagnostic and treatment oral health care for infants and children. Periodontist - A dentist who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the gums. Plaque - a colorless, odorless, sticky substance containing acids and bacteria that causes tooth decay. Plaque may be removed by brushing and flossing. Plaque is the precursor to Calculus. Prosthodontist - A dentist who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and maintenance of oral function, comfort and appearance. Prosthodontists use dentures, bridges and implants to correct missing or deficient teeth. Sensitive Teeth - Common name for dentin hypersensitivity or root sensitivity. Hot, cold, sweet or very acidic foods and drinks, or breathing in cold air, make the teeth sensitive or painful. Special tooth paste for sensitive teeth may reduce discomfort. Tartar - See CalculusCommon Procedures and Conditions
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Crown - A cap placed over a tooth to restore its shape, size and strength. Crowns are usually placed due to tooth damage (a large chip or crack), after removing a large area of decay or for cosmetic purposes (to cover stains or large fillings). Crowns may be made of metal, porcelain or resin. Metal lasts the longest, but doesn't look like a real tooth. Porcelain is nearly as durable as metal, but may chip. Resin crowns are the least expensive and look like a real tooth, but will likely need to be replaced at some point. Usually, having a crown placed involves two visits. In the first visit, the dentist shapes your tooth to allow the crown to fit and be same size and shape as your old tooth. The dentist will also make an impression so that the dental lab can make the crown. The dentist will place a temporary crown for function and appearance. During the second visit the temporary crown is removed and the dentist fits the permanent crown. Slight adjustments may be made to assure a good fit, and the crown will be cemented in place. Some dental offices now have sophisticated, computer controlled machines to make the permanent crown during the first visit. Filling - In this common procedure, the dentist removes the decayed part of a tooth and fills it with amalgam or composite resin, typically in one visit under local anesthetic. Gingivectomy - The surgical removal of gum tissue. This minor surgery involves removing a small amount of gum tissue around a tooth or teeth. It is performed to when excess gum tissue is in the way of repairing a diseased tooth or in some cases to improve the patient's appearance. After a local anesthetic is applied to minimize pain, the excess gum tissue is removed. A dressing is used to protect the area during healing. Periodontal Disease - Also called gum disease, is a bacterial infection that destroys the gums and surrounding tissues. If left untreated, the bones holding the teeth will dissolve, resulting in a loosening and eventual loss of teeth. Treatment can include removing the plaque from and around the tooth and smoothing the root surface. Antibiotics, surgery and bone regeneration material may also be called for. Dental implants may be required in severe cases. Root Canal - A procedure where the nerve of a heavily decayed tooth is removed and replaced with a filling material. To achieve this, the crown of the tooth is removed allowing access to the diseased pulp tissue. After removing the diseased tissue, a permanent filler is applied and a new crown created. Typically a root canal requires several visits to complete. TMJ Disorder - A condition that causes jaw and facial pain, headaches and restricts jaw opening and is usually caused by teeth grinding or mental and physical stress. The "temporomandibular joint" (TMJ) is the joint where your lower jaw connects to your skull. Treatment may include a mouth guard to prevent grinding, pain relievers, relaxation and stress management techniques, physical therapy, behavior modification, ice and hot packs. Surgery is generally a last resort. Wisdom Tooth Extraction - Wisdom teeth usually appear between the ages of 15 and 25. Most people have insufficient space to accommodate four additional molars, requiring extraction of the wisdom teeth. The extraction can take place either before or after the wisdom teeth surface. Early removal of wisdom teeth can prevent further problems such as a wisdom tooth pushing other molars out of position and infection. Wisdom tooth extraction surgery requires removing gum tissue and detaching the tooth from connective tissue, removing the tooth, and then closing the opening in the gum. The procedure requires anesthesia.The Latest Cosmetic Dental Options
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Accelerated Orthodontics - Using a combination of braces and other cosmetic procedures, teeth can be straightened in just a few months, compared to as long as three years with traditional braces. Composite and Porcelain Tooth Veneers - Thin veneers of either composite resin or porcelain can be applied to teeth to correct shape, size and color. Cosmetic Gum Surgery - Used to correct a smile that shows either too much or too little gum. Dental Bonding - A thin layer of material is applied to correct decayed, crooked or stained teeth. It can also be used to close gaps between teeth. Dental Bridges - Replace missing teeth by attaching a replacement tooth (or teeth) to existing teeth to close the gap. Dental Caps - If the external surface of a tooth is damaged from age, chips, cracks or decay, but the root and nerve are intact; a dental cap may be an option. After preparing the area and securing a custom made cap, the dentist cements the cap to the tooth. This procedure is similar to that used for dental crowns. Dental Implants - Used to replace a missing tooth or teeth. Implants use titanium anchors that are surgically screwed into the jaw, which then hold one or more manufactured teeth in place. Teeth Whitening - One of the most common cosmetic dental procedures used to remove/lessen stains and yellowing from teeth. Whitening can be done in the dentist's office or at home with supplies from the dentist. Whitening may require several visits and is not permanent. Personal habits such as tobacco use, and drinking coffee and tea, contribute to stains. There are also over the counter whitening systems available for purchase without a visit to the dentist. Tooth Contouring and Reshaping - Used for small corrections to help with crooked, chipped cracked or overlapping teeth. The edges of the tooth are sanded or ground to the correct size and shape and then polished.Dental Website Links
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The following websites contain information on a wide variety of dental subjects. MedLine Dental Health (this site is from the National Library of Medicine and has authoritative information on a wide variety of dental health issues)www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dentalhealth.html American Academy of General Dentistry (check Consumer Information)
www.agd.org American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (check Information for Parents)
www.aapd.org American Dental Association (check Your Oral Health)
www.ada.org American Dental Hygienists' Association (check Oral Health Information)
www.adha.org Colgate Oral Care (this site has both consumer information and special offers)
www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/OC/Information.cvsp