“SECRET OF BEAUTIFUL SMILE”

Healthy living is a secret of happiness. Most of the people are aware of keeping a sound body image and workout daily to remain fit. But when it comes to dental health, many people living in the underdeveloped countries neglect it that leads to poor oral condition with halitosis (bad smell), periodontal problems, calculus deposits, stains and multiple other oral and dental problems.

Always keep in mind that healthy teeth not only give you a brighter smile but also enhance your confidence amongst peers. Being a dentist, I would like to share some basic points that everyone should know.

First of all, it is important to remember that “PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE” so try to save your teeth before it’s too late.

ALWAYS BRUSH YOUR TEETH AFTER EVERY MEAL

Get into the routine of brushing your teeth twice a day, every morning and evening after meal time. Always use a toothbrush with soft and round bristles. Replace your toothbrush whenever bristles become shapeless. Place the brush at 45 degrees between your teeth and gums and gently rock the brush back and forth in the circular motion. Brush your front teeth vertically and avoid any horizontal movements. Never forget to clean your teeth from the back side of your teeth i.e. towards the tongue.

Electric toothbrushes are also available for people who are aged, febrile and handicapped. They have rotating and oscillating movements and run through the battery. They are helpful in case you are lazy and do not want to use manual toothbrushes.

SELECTION OF TOOTHPASTE:

Use fluoride containing toothpaste as fluoride helps in remineralization of demineralized dental tissues. It prevents tartar control and inhibits growth of bacteria.

You can use fluoride-containing mouthwashes if you have a problem of bad smell (halitosis) or on the occasional basis.

FLOSSING:

Proper brushing technique cleans all the tooth surfaces except interdental surface (between the teeth). Flossing is required to clean interdental surfaces.

The finger-wrap method: Cut off a piece of floss 18 to 20 inch long. Wrap one end around your left middle finger and the other end around your right middle finger, until your hands are about 2 to 3 inches apart. Gently use the floss between the teeth, do not impinge on the gums otherwise, you will injure them. Flossing is usually required every alternative day and especially after eating meat.

HEALTHY DIET

Eat fibrous food like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and whole wheat. Decrease intake of juices containing sugar, sticky sweets and chocolates, raisins and always brush after you take them. Avoid taking snacks between meals.

It has been researched that yogurt, cheese, and sugar-free chewing gums (containing xylitol) are good for the teeth. It prevents accumulation of plaque by increasing level of saliva and hence provides an alkaline medium that inhibits cavity formation.

Avoid Tea, tobacco, pan and smoking. These products lead to bad stains on your teeth and ugly smile. Tobacco, chalia, pan, gutka (usually taken in Asian countries) may cause mouth cancer.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR CHILD’S TEETH AS WELL

Many people have a misconception that taking care of primary (baby teeth) teeth is not important as they will shed away. THIS CONCEPT IS COMPLETELY WRONG!!

Primary teeth are guides to permanent teeth, if you don't take care of your children's primary teeth, it will lead to the delayed eruption, shifting and crowding of the permanent dentition.

Hence, dental care starts from the birth. When your baby is on breastfeeding, good nutrition of mother plays a vital role in your baby's dental health.

If you bottle feeds a child, do not put your baby to bed with a bottle of juice, milk, or other sugary liquid. The opportunity for tooth decay to develop increases while these liquids stay in the mouth. Always remove the bottle from the mouth when a child is asleep, also clean baby mouth with wipe cotton or cloth.

First primary teeth erupt at the age of six months, start cleaning or brushing with a soft brush. In the case of dental cavities, consult a pediatric dentist.

Do not use adult toothpaste for children as they usually swallow it and swallowing fluoride in excess can lead to fluorosis (systemic disease causing mottling of enamel and brittleness of bone)

First permanent tooth appears in the oral cavity at age of 6 years. Consult a dentist for use of sealants which are flowable resins inserted into pits and fissures of teeth to inhibit cavity formation in the deep grooves and fissures.

Encourage your children for brushing twice a day by giving them cartoon brushes and flavored toothpaste.

If accidentally your child primary teeth fall off before time then consult your child's dentist. They give your child a device called space maintainer which will prevent shifting or drifting of adjacent teeth and will keep the place for future permanent teeth. In this way, the chances of crowding will minimize.

If your child has actively participated in sports, give them mouth guards to protect tooth injury.

Keep your teeth clean and healthy and spread the smile of life!

Braces vs Invisalign Orthodontic Treatment

The common question that is being asked by most of my patients is which treatment choice is better for straightening teeth Invisaligh or conventional braces?

The answer to this question is based on number of parameters that need discussion. First of all, I would like to give a brief overview of both treatment methods and then we will shed light on the pros and cons of each method. 

Braces consist of either visible metallic or less visible nonmetallic (polycrystalline, monocrystalline, polycarbonate, ceramic with metal slots etc.) brackets that are glued to your teeth individually and are secured together through arch wires and elastomeric bands. These are fixed and cannot be removed on patient's choice. 

On the other hand, Invisalign consists of series of aligners (plastic trays) which are removable and nearly invisible. On your initial visit to an orthodontist, impressions and pictures of your teeth and gums are taken and sent to the Align's dental laboratory. The Align laboratory uses CAD/CAM technology (computer aided design/computer aided manufacture) to fabricate the series of aligners. These trays are advised to be worn for 24 hours a day except for meal times to be effective. They will work by slowly and subtly moving the teeth with each new tray providing better results. 

Here are the few major differences between braces and Invisalign for straightening teeth:

Braces	vs	Invisalign
Fixed appliances, cannot removed by patient	Versatility	Clear/ nearly Invisible, can be removed by patient on sensitive occasions
24/7 for an average of 2 years  depending on patient’s severity of crooked teeth	Wearing time	22-24 hrs/day for 12-18 months
Metallic braces are comparatively cheaper	Cost	Comparatively expensive
Brushing brackets and wires by inter-dental tooth brush and superfloss is recommended; water pick may be helpful.	Oral hygiene maintenance	Brushing teeth without trays in mouth. Invisalign cleaning system or dipping trays in warm water.
Every three to four weeks	Follow up visits	Change aligner trays every two weeks; visits every four to six weeks
Retainer likely needed for minimum of 1 year depending on patient needs. Later, ongoing retainer wear  only at night	Retainer after treatment	Retainer likely needed for minimum of 1 year depending on patient needs. Later, ongoing retainer wear  only at night

Although, Invisalign attracts a lot of patients due to its less visible quality, it is not suited for every candidate. It is limited in terms of treating complex malocclusion cases where traditional braces are more effective. However, it is ideal for adults who have mild to moderate malocclusion. It also offers other advantages of being less invasive, easy to remove and wear, no issues with food getting caught between wires and brackets, less pain and easy to clean. Nowadays, Invisalign offers versatility in providing treatment to teenagers in whom teeth are in the process of eruption (Invisalign Teen). These aligners have eruption tabs that guide or allow the teeth to erupt as well as compliance buttons that determine the wearing time of teenager children. 

The traditional braces may look worse and non-attractive but they are more effective for complex and difficult cases. They are fixed appliances so chances of leaving them out is not possible and hence they give better results without patient's compliance. However, you may feel pain or discomfort from wires and brackets on initial visits that can be relieved by simple painkillers. Other disadvantages could be breakage of brackets on eating hard and sticky food stuff and hence particular attention has to be given on food items. In addition, there may be more chances of white spot lesions or tooth discoloration after braces removal if proper oral hygiene measures are not taken during the treatment.

The bottom line is: Whatever treatment is chosen for your teeth, it is important to strictly adhere to the guidelines or instructions provided by your orthodontist.

For any further questions or comments, you are most welcome!

Cheers,

Dr. Aisha Khoja

Finding a good dentist is important

Whether or not you were made to feel guilty by snarky TV commercials promoting dental services or you have an oral emergency, the point is you have decided that now is the right time to make an appointment to see a dentist. Good for you! Now, the next step in the process is to find a dental care provider in your area that is worth your money. Believe it or not, selecting a dentist, much like finding a primary care provider, can be laborious and very much confusing if you are not sure what you are supposed to be looking for. However, with the help of the Internet, performing due diligence in locating the right dental care provider, can prove to be well worth it in the end.

The first thing any potential dental patient needs to do is determine what exactly you are seeking dental services for. For example, a dental cleaning, a severe toothache or looking to purchase braces. Although, this information is critical in determining whether or not a dental specialist (i.e. orthodontist for dental braces) will be required, the dental specialist will likely instruct you to first see a dentist in order to ensure that a general exam was performed.

Knowing ahead of time that you will need to see a specialist and what kind of specialist can and will prepare you for your initial consultation with the general dental care provider, at which point you can ascertain if he/she is indeed knowledgeable. Once the initial consult is performed by the general dental care provider, he/she will then recommend the specific specialist needed to adequately address your problem.

The next pertinent pieces of information needed in selecting a dentist pertain to research regarding the dental care provider’s specific credentials as well as aspects of patient care (i.e. reputation). First, you should inquire about the dental care provider’s training, specifically with respect to any procedures you want him/her to perform.

Additional research may also be required once a specialist is recommended to perform further treatment; while you may want to initially trust your dental care provider, it never hurts to make sure that the recommended specialist meets your own expectations. Second, in researching dental care providers, be sure to locate one within a reasonable distance from your residence. This piece of the puzzle will play a significant role, particularly in times of emergency.

Third, find out the office hours, i.e. is the potential dental care provider you are interested in available for emergency services. Next, inquire about services available to promote patient comfort. While this information may seem like frivolous nitpicking, it can be especially beneficial to know ahead of time whether or not the dental care provider will take care to ensure your comfort during a procedure. 

Last, but certainly not least, be sure to find out about costs as well as if the dental care provider offers payment plans. It should go without saying that knowing what the financial expectations are upfront can better prepare you as a patient before any procedures are performed.

Clearly, not only does selecting a dentist require a decent amount effort on the part of the potential patient, but such effort can and will prove beneficial for the life of the relationship between you and the dental care provider. Built on more than just trust, such a relationship between the patient and doctor should be established in a manner that fosters the healthy exchange of knowledge and respect for one another.