Frequently Asked Questions about Dental Care and Oral Health:
- When should I take my child to the dentist for the first check-up?
In order to prevent dental problems, your child should see a pediatric dentist when the first tooth appears or no later than his/her first birthday.
- When do the first teeth start to erupt?
At about 6 months, the two lower front teeth will erupt, followed shortly by the two upper front teeth. The remainder of the baby teeth appear during the next 18 to 24 months but not necessarily in an orderly sequence from front to back. At 2 to 3 years, all of these 20 primary teeth should be present.
- Are baby teeth really that important to my child?
Primary, or "baby," teeth are important for many reasons. Not only do they help children speak clearly and chew naturally, they also aid in forming a path that permanent teeth can follow when they are ready to erupt.
- Are thumb sucking and pacifier habits harmful for a child's teeth?
Thumb and pacifier sucking habits will generally only become a problem if they go on for a very long period of time. Most children stop these habits on their own, but if they are still sucking their thumbs or fingers past the age of three, a mouth appliance may be recommended by a pediatric dentist.
- How often does my child need to see the pediatric dentist?
A check-up every six months is recommended in order prevent cavities and other dental problems. However, a pediatric dentist can tell you when and how often your child should visit based on their personal oral health.
- Toothpaste: when should we begin using it and how much should we use?
The sooner the better! Starting at birth, clean your child’s gums with a soft cloth and water. As soon as the teeth begin to appear, start brushing daily using fluoridated toothpaste and a soft, age-appropriate sized toothbrush. Use a "smear" of toothpaste to brush the teeth of a child 2 years of age and younger. For the 3-6 year old, dispense a "pea-size" amount of toothpaste and perform or assist your child’s tooth brushing. Remember that young children do not have the ability to brush their teeth effectively. Children should spit out and not swallow excess toothpaste after brushing.
- What are the signs of tooth decay?
In the early stages of tooth decay there are no symptoms, but your dentist may be able to spot a cavity in its early stages when examine or x-ray your teeth. This is why you should visit a dentist regularly, as small cavities are much easier to treat than advanced decay.
- How often should I change my toothbrush?
Worn-out toothbrushes cannot clean your teeth properly and may damage your gums. It is important to change your toothbrush every three months or sooner if the filaments become worn. When bristles become splayed, they do not clean properly.
- Is powered toothbrush better than manual toothbrush?
Both manual and powered toothbrushes clean the teeth effectively as long as they are used correctly. However, to clean the teeth thoroughly, the most important is to adopt a proper and effective tooth brushing technique. For people with special needs, such as physically and mentally disabled people, choosing powered toothbrush may enhance the cleaning effect. The technique in using powered toothbrush is different from that of the manual toothbrush. You should consult your dentist to achieve an optimal cleaning effect.
- Why are my teeth so important?
Your teeth vary in shape and size depending on where they are in your mouth. These differences allow the teeth to do many different jobs. Teeth help us to chew and digest food. They help us to talk, and to pronounce different sounds clearly. Finally, teeth help to give our face its shape. A healthy smile can be a great asset; and because this is so important, it makes sense to give your teeth the best care possible.
- Does the health of my mouth affect my overall health?
Definitely! The health of your teeth and gums may have a significant effect on the overall health of your body. Recent scientific literature suggests a strong relationship between oral disease and other systemic diseases and medical conditions. The most significant areas identified to date to have a suspected oral systemic connection are: cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, fetal development, diabetes, and kidney disease.
- What causes tooth discoloration?
There are many causes. The most common include aging and consumption of staining substances such as coffee, tea, tobacco, etc. During tooth formation, consumption of certain medicine such as tetracycline, or excessive fluoride may also cause tooth discoloration.
- What can Cause Tooth Erosion?
There are many different drinks and foods we consume that contain large amounts of acids. Some of the main causes include pure fruit juices and soft drinks. Tooth erosion can additionally be caused by medical factors such as: acid reflux disease, various eating disorders, and a decrease in saliva.
- How to avoid bad breath?
The single most important thing you can do is brush and floss your teeth on a regular basis. The majority of the time, bad breath is the result of bacteria or left-over food particles in your mouth. Therefore, if your desire is to stop bad breath, the easiest thing you can do is to brush and floss your teeth at least three times a day. In a relatively short period of time, you should start feeling and noticing the difference. Rinsing your mouth after brushing with mouth rinse is another very effective way to curb bad breath.
- Is it safe for women to visit the dentist while pregnant?
Yes it is both safe and recommended and especially important to treat dental problems during pregnancy, since mothers can pass cavity-causing germs to babies.
- My father lost all of his teeth, so how to clean the mouth of an elderly person without natural teeth?
The mouth of elderly people without natural teeth should be swabbed every night. Soak a piece of gauze or clean towel with water and squeeze out excess water. Swab the cheek first, and then swab the other parts of the oral cavity in sequence of gum, of upper arch, gum of lower arch, palate, and top surface of the tongue beneath the tongue and lips.
- What are my options for replacing a missing tooth?
When a tooth is lost, a whole series of events can begin to occur. Chewing on the affected side becomes more difficult and over time the remaining teeth can actually tilt and erupt into the open space. Depending on the location of the missing tooth, your dentist would most likely recommend a dental implant, a bridge, or a partial denture. All of these options have their benefits and drawbacks.
- My mother wore a denture; should a denture be worn at night?
Under normal circumstances it is considered best to remove a denture at night. Research has shown that removing the denture for at least 8 hours during either the day or night allows the gum tissue to rest and permits normal stimulation and cleansing of the mouth by the tongue and saliva. This promotes better long-term health of gums.
- I wore a denture; how can I make my denture fit better?
There are several options to help make your dentures fit better: - Sometimes your dentures just need to be repaired or adjusted.
- Alternatively, a "reline" may be needed where the inside of your dentures are coated with new material to improve their fit.
- New dentures are sometimes recommended.
- An over-the-counter denture adhesive or paste can be used in some instances to improve the fitting of the denture.
- Is it safe to have silver (amalgam) fillings?
Amalgam fillings are safe. A great deal of research has examined these fillings and found them to be an effective, long-lasting treatment for dental decay. Amalgam, or silver, fillings are made with mercury, silver, tin and copper. In some cases, other metals may be included in amalgam fillings, too.
Concerns have been raised over the years about the mercury in amalgam fillings. A variety of research studies have shown that the levels of mercury in people who have amalgam fillings are well below the point at which mercury may cause health problems. This has been found to be true even in those patients who had multiple amalgam fillings. No evidence exists that shows amalgam fillings increase the risk for health problems. So unless you are having trouble with your fillings or experience an allergic reaction to the material in amalgam fillings, there is no need to have them replaced.
Amalgam has been used for many years to replace decayed areas within teeth. It is an excellent material for this purpose. Also, they are best suited for larger fillings, such as those in molar teeth, as amalgam is a much more durable material than the material used in composite fillings. Some people prefer composite resin fillings because they are white. This enables them to blend in with your teeth and have a more natural look than the silver amalgam fillings.
- What is the success rate for dental implants?
Currently, dental implants have a high success rate of over 98 %. This success rate depends not only on the skills of your dentist but also on the area in which they were placed and on the care that you give them afterwards. With modern techniques and improved materials, the majority of implants last 30 years or more.
- Are dental implants healthy? It is said to cause cancer.
The titanium used for the implant material is a biocompatible tissue-friendly material. Brain surgery, spinal surgery, orthopedics etc. have been used safely for many years. Implant application has been successfully performed all over the world for almost 50 years and no cases of cancer have been reported.
