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Showing posts from January, 2019

What to expect when having a tooth extracted

The process of having a tooth extracted may seem worrying but you’ll find it much easier if you know what to expect on the day and afterwards. Your dentist will make the process as comfortable as possible for you by numbing the area around the tooth to be extracted. In most cases, a small amount of bleeding is quite normal and your dentist will advise you what process to follow to allow healing as quickly as possible. Generally, you should avoid anything that might prevent normal healing. For example, it’s best not to smoke, rinse your mouth vigorously or drink through a straw for 24 hours afterwards as these could delay healing. For the first few days, if you need to rinse your mouth, do it gently. If you are suffering pain or swelling, apply a cold cloth or an ice bag. If necessary, your dentist will recommend something for any pain. At the beginning, don’t clean around the socket where the tooth has been removed but you should brush and floss the other teeth as usual.

How sugar in your diet affects your teeth

The sugar content in the food you eat has a big effect on your teeth and gums. When bacteria (plaque) come into contact with sugar in the mouth, acid is produced, which attacks the teeth for 20 minutes or more. This can eventually result in tooth decay. That’s why drinking sugar-filled sodas, sweetened fruit drinks, and non-nutritious snacks can take a toll on teeth. This is particularly true for children as their eating patterns and food choices affect how quickly they develop tooth decay. Foods that contain sugars of any kind can contribute to tooth decay. However, almost all foods, including milk or vegetables, have some type of sugar. Many of them also contain important nutrients that are an important part in our diet. To help control the amount of sugar you consume, read food labels and choose foods and beverages that are low in added sugars. Soft drinks,candy, cookies and pastries often contain added sugars.

How the food you eat can cause tooth decay

When you put food in your mouth, it immediately meets the bacteria that live there. Plaque, for example, is a sticky film of bacteria. These bacteria love the sugars found in many foods. So, when you don’t clean your teeth after eating, the bacteria and the sugar can combine to produce acids which can destroy the enamel – the hard surface of the tooth. In time, this can lead to tooth decay. The more often you eat and the longer foods are in your mouth, the more damage occurs. Many foods that are nutritious and important in our diet contain sugars – such as fruits, milk, bread, cereals and even vegetables. So the key is not to try and avoid sugar but to think before you eat. When you eat is also important because each time you eat food that contains sugars, the teeth are attacked by acids for 20 minutes or more. This means that foods that are eaten as part of a meal cause less harm. More saliva is released during a meal, helping to wash foods from the mouth and reduce the

How orthodontic treatment could help you

Orthodontic treatment is the process of straightening out crooked and crowded teeth, often using appliances such as braces. Most dentists are trained to treat some minor orthodontic problems but, if they feel a patient needs specialist treatment, they will provide a referral to an orthodontist. An orthodontist is a dentist who specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. One of the main aims of orthodontics is to straighten teeth and correct jaw alignment through braces, corrective procedures and other “appliances”. Braces are the most common appliance and there are two types: – Fixed, which are worn all the time and can only be removed by the dentist – Removable, which the patient can take out of the mouth Most patients wear braces for between one and three years, depending on what conditions need correcting. This is followed by a period of wearing a “retainer” that holds teeth in their new positions. There may be a little