CARE |
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In our continuing effort to provide good and long lasting dental solutions to our patients we thought it right to introduce a page on dental care that would include routine home care post treatment care and special care for toddlers. |
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| At Sparkle dental clinic we believe that our work is only as good as your maintenance. So if we want our dental solutions to last it is important that you follow certain basic home care regime |
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HOME CARE |
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Basic dental home care requires every person to follow these few steps regularly:
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Brushing twice a day is important. While brushing in the morning makes you feel fresh to begin the day, it is more important to brush at night before going to bed. At night the rubbing action of the tongue, the cheeks and lips on the teeth is absent. Moreover the saliva flow is also very minimal. All these factors create an environment for bacteria to proliferate on food debris present on the tooth. Brushing at night prevents this situation. |
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Brushing must be a 2-3 minutes (by the clock) activity with special care to clean on the inside surfaces of the teeth. Using a fluoridated tooth paste (1000ppm) is recommended. The paste used is not significant as long as it contains fluoride and triclosan. What is important is the brushing technique. Ask your dentist for a demo of the right brushing technique suitable in your given situation |
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Flossing is as essential as brushing in maintaining your oral health. Most people fin d it cumbersome because it is a new activity and has a learning curve like any other procedure. Flossing should follow brushing preferably with the paste in the mouth so that the fluoride in the paste is carried to the interdentally surfaces where the tooth brush cannot reach. |
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Having a proper balanced diet goes a long way in maintaining a healthy body and teeth. Eating raw vegetables, salads fruits etc have a natural cleansing action on the teeth |
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POST TREATMENT CARE |
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A patient undergoing any dental procedure must understand that a certain amount of initial discomfort is expected following the treatment. But the extent and severity of the discomfort extending rarely to pain, depends upon the initial condition of the tooth and the procedure carried out. Few instructions if followed carefully can prevent most of the Post op discomfort or pain.
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| Surgical extraction: |
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Usually involves the surgical removal of the wisdom tooth. After the surgery wound care for the first 24 hours is crucial in the healing of the surgical site. The cotton wool placed in the mouth should be kept bitten on to apply pressure on the wound to control bleeding. The cotton needs to be kept for a period of one hour during which the blood clots forms and gets stabilized. After one hour the cotton is thrown away and if there is still bleeding from the site a pack of clean cotton or a tea bag could be compressed on the site. If bleeding persists call your dentist for a check-up.Immediately after the surgery it is advisable to apply ice packs from the outside for a period of 4-5 hours after which ice pack has no role to play. |
After the anesthesia wears off the region may be painful and the pain may persist from one day to a week. The pain is usually controlled by the painkiller prescribed by the dentist. |
The following 24 hours after the extraction care should be taken not rinse or spit vigorously this may create a negative pressure in the mouth and dislodge the blood clot and initiate fresh bleeding. Avoid hot, hard and spicy food for the next one to two days.
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Stitches are usually placed to close the wound. The stitches are usually of silk thread and require to be removed after 5-7 days. Self dissolving stitches are not frequently used because the site is in an accessible region and the stitches can be easily and painlessly removed. Moreover the dentist also gets an opportunity to monitor the healing of the wound while removing the sutures. During the days that the stitches are in place try not to explore the region with your tongue or finger this may be painful or worse initiate fresh bleeding. |
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Possible complications:
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Persistent bleeding especially in patients taking anticoagulant (blood thinning) drugs like Ecosprin.
Even after the anesthesia wears off parts of the jaw, tongue or lip may still feel numb. This is called paraesthesia and it usually settles down in a few days to few months.
Call your dentist if some unexpected or unpleasant situation arises. |
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Extraction Normally the post op instructions are the same as for a surgical extraction except there would
not be sutures to be removed. The cotton wool needs to be kept in place for one hour and then need notbe replaced. |
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Fillings After a composite filling has been done the tooth may be sensitive to cold for a few days so it is advisable to avoid extreme temperatures for a couple of days after the fillings. |
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Root canal usually root canals treatment is done under anesthesia unless the tooth was adead one to begin with. After the anesthesia wears of the tooth may be tender especially on biting. It is advisable to avoid chewing on that side for 2 to 3 days.Painkillers are usually prescribed and may be required for a few days. Rarely there could be a swelling after the root canal treatment is initiated in a necrotic (dead) tooth this is treatable and settles down in 3-4 days. Contact your dentist if symptoms persist. |
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Scaling This most widely misunderstood treatment of all. The teeth do not get loose after cleaning nor does the process involve removal of tooth structure. Cleaning is done using an ultrasonic machine and the tips used do not have the ability to cut enamel or dentine, only the tartar is dislodged from the surface of the teeth. After the cleaning is done the teeth may be sensitive hot, cold or sweet but this is also a temporary phase. Sensitivity occurs due to exposure of the teeth surface which was previously covered by tarter. |
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| Bleaching can cause sensitivity of teeth which subsides in a couple of days. For the bleaching to be effective and long lasting it is important to avoid tea, coffee, red wine and other colored food stuff for at least a week after bleaching. Smoking must also be avoided. The action of the bleaching agent continues for few days and so the teeth gets whiter in the next couple of days after the bleaching so it is important not to take any of the above said food or aerated drinks. |
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Crowns and bridges require to given special attention while cleaning. Contrary to the popular belief that once a cap is placed the tooth is insured against cavity or decay, the opposite is true. This artificial prosthesis requires meticulous cleaning using floss besides brushing, especially at the joint of the cap and the tooth. Bridges require the use of Super floss to clean below the replaced teeth. Ask your dentist for a demo to use super floss. |
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CHILD CARE |
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| Cleaning Infant Teeth |
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Clean your infants teeth twice daily |
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Using a gauze piece with your index finger and thumb wipe it over the baby's upper and lower jaw |
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Use just enough pressure to the film that is covering the child's teeth and gum pads |
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Do not permit your baby to use a bottle containing milk or juice or anything other than plain water as a pacifier. |
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Once the child learns to drink from a cup avoid using the bottle. |
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BABY TEETH |
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| It's never too early for good dental care. With good tooth care your child can grow up cavity free. Start caring for your child's teeth from before the first tooth erupts. As your child grows teach your child, the best possible tooth care and visit your dentist regularly. |
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| Topical fluoride |
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| Fluoride makes the tooth enamel stronger. This helps prevent cavities. Ask your dentist if your child can be given fluoride supplements. The dentist may also apply fluoride to your child's adult teeth at regularly checkups |
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SEALANTS |
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What are Sealants |
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Sealants are a safe, painless and low cost way to protect your child's back teeth from decay. A thin layer of sealant is bonded to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. The sealant forms a hard shield that keeps food and bacteria from getting into the tiny growers in the teeth and causing decay. |
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Why should children have Sealants? |
| The chewing surfaces of back teeth have tiny grooves that form as each tooth develops. This is where most decay occurs in children. This is because the bristles of the toothbrush cannot clean the food and bacteria trapped within the grooves |
Which teeth to be sealed ? |
Usually premolars and permanent molar surfaces are sealed. |
Right Age for Sealants ? |
Between 6 to 14 years of age. |
How are Sealants Applied ? |
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| Applying Sealants is totally painless and non invasive procedure |
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Step 1 - The teeth are cleaned, dried and etched with a gel so that sealants can adhere. |
| Step 2- The Sealant is painted on the tooth surface and then hardened with a special light. |
Step 3 - The Sealant is carefully checked to see that all grooves are covered and that the Sealant does
not interfere with chewing. |
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Follow Up |
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| The dentist or hygienist will look at the Sealants at regular dental visits. If Sealants chip or fracture which is rare they can be easily replaced |
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| How Teeth Decay |
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| The surfaces of our teeth are not flat but have grooves and cusps. When we eat food it gets stuck in these grooves. If not cleaned properly bacteria are deposited within this debris. This is the start of the formation of PLAQUE. |
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| Plaque is a sticky invisible film of bacteria that is constantly formed on the surfaces of your teeth and gums. This plaque combines with sugars present in the food particles to form acids that in turn destroy teeth. These acids attack the tooth enamel. With repeated attacks the enamel wears away and a cavity is formed. When the acids penetrate deeper they attack the second layer that is dentin and the cavity penetrates deeper into the tooth. |
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