Oral piercing may cause different types of complication in the people. It puts a risk to the dental health of the people. Once oral piercing is done, the chances of infection also increase in the area which is pierced. Different kinds of bacteria always remain present in the mouth. When blood vessels present in the tongue are damaged due to piercing, they may bleed in excessive amounts. This may cause excessive loss of blood. Swelling usually occurs after oral piercing is done. It becomes difficult to heal the effects of piercing because tongue is used a lot for different functions. In some cases, swelling may cause hindrance to the breathing process. The risk of different blood borne disease like hepatitis C, B, D, G and tetanus also increases after oral piercing.

When people have barbells fitted in to their tongue they tend to tap it again and again on teeth and gums. This may lead to broken teeth and gum diseases. A large number of people who have oral piercing usually come up with some kind of infection in their gums. The infection which may be caused to the blood vessels which are connected to brain and other crucial parts of body, may even take one’s life. If you search the internet you can get to know about such cases. In case unsterile instruments are used for piercing the tongue, cheek or lips, it may cause HIV or AIDS. If you have to get oral piercing done then visiting a reputable clinic will be the best option.

Dental abscess is collection of pus in the tooth following any infection, and it can be within the tooth in the roots, near the gums, or in the alveolar bone which surrounds the tooth.

Causes:

1. Tooth decay – Tooth decay can be some infection due to micro organisms, which can decay the internal parts of the tooth like pulp, root etc. This tooth decay can be only within the tooth, or sometimes can spread to the underlying tissues like Gingiva, or the surrounding bone.
2. Foreign body – Any foreign body like food particles or bacteria which are trapped in the tissues can cause infection.
3. Injury – Trauma, means sudden injury to the tooth can cause dental abscess formation.

Symptoms:

1. Stimulated or non-stimulated pain. You feel pain sometimes when you are chewing food or sometimes when at rest.
2. Redness in the tissue where infection has occurred and accumulation of pus has occurred.
3. Foul tasting discharge within the mouth from the place where infection has occurred.
4. Rise of temperature at that particular place.
5. Foul breath.

Treatment of Dental Abscess:
Treatment of the abscess includes the removal of the source, then the reduction of symptoms. First, there should be drainage of the pus collected. If there is pus within the tooth in the roots, then Root canal treatment has to be done. And if its in the surrounding tissues, then incising and drainage of the pus should be done.
Antibiotics are administered for removal and destroying of bacteria that caused the infection, and Pain relievers/analgesics are administered for relief of pain due to the infection and inflammation.

Prevention:
There is no preventive measure as no one can be sure when the infection can occur, or injury. But still, its always advised to maintain good dental habits.

Pulp Polyp, also called as Chronic Hyperplastic Pulpitis, or Proliferative pulpitis is a productive pulpal inflammation due to extensive carious exposure of any young pulpal tissue. This is a type of irreversible pulpitis, which is chronic and usually asymptomatic in nature.
It is characterized by development of granulation tissue, covered by epithelium and it results from irritation for a long time.

Causes of Pulp Polyp

• Dental caries in young tooth where significant loss of tooth is seen.
• Fractured tooth, causing trauma to the pulpal tissues.
• Mechanical irritation from chewing, and bacterial irritation provides stimulus.

Symptoms of Pulp Polyp

• They are asymptomatic, and sometimes the masticatory stress can lead to some tenderness.
• Sometimes, localized bleeding may occur.
• The polyps cover the entire cavity by enlarging itself.

Diagnosis

• Appearance of Polypoid tissue – A fleshy, reddish mass fills most of the pulp chamber or extends beyond the tooth structure.
• Polypoid tissue is less responsive when compared to normal pulp tissue.
• Radiographs show a large, open cavity with direct access to the pulp chamber.
• Response is seen on electric pulp testing too.

Treatment

Removal of the polypoid tissue, followed by the extirpation of the pulp. When the pulpal mass is removed, bleeding can be controlled by application of pressure. Formocresol dressing is placed after the entire pulp is removed.

General Tips For Good Oral Health

Eat balanced food, that have minerals and vitamins

Avoid eating sweets or sticky food between meals.

Brush your teeth after every meal.

Use a good tooth paste and tooth brush.

Visit your dentist once in 6 months.

If your child has protruding or misaligned teeth, start orthodontic treatments early (9 years age), for better results.

Never put off meeting your dentist. Minor pain and sensitivity, if untreated can lead to major complications.

Make use of the wealth of information on this site to maintain healthy teeth!!

Dental Visit

Dental Visit

Regular dental visits are essential for maintaining good oral health.

• Please understand that the dental procedures are no more painful as it used to be. Your dentist will use anesthetic sprays and injections to suppress pain.
  
• Chat with the dentist to let him understand your problems better
• If you are feeling any discomfort during treatment, signal the dentist to stop.
• During the dental visit, ask the dentist to explain each step of the dental procedure before hand, if needed.

Adult toothpaste is not recommended until a baby is about three because they may swallow it and get too much fluoride. However there are many varieties of babies toothpaste on the market, in a variety of flavors, colors and branding.

By the time babies are a year and a half, they are more interested in the toothbrush. It is worth giving them a toothbrush as soon as they become interested. By two years of age you can teach them how to brush with a toothbrush twice a day.

Take your baby with you to the dentist from being a tiny baby so he or she can get used to the sights, sounds and going regularly. This should help when a check up is needed once your baby’s teeth begin to grow.

You can help prevent tooth decay by buying the right toothbrush and establishing a regular teeth cleaning routine. Toothbrushes are usually sold with an age recommendation for use on the packaging, for example from birth to two years; choose one specifically designed for your child’s teeth . Children ’s teeth toothbrush should have a long, thin handle that fits in your hand and helps you to reach around all the teeth, and a small head with soft, rounded filaments. Once your baby wants to have a go himself, buy a toothbrush with a chunky, short handle and finger grips. The head should still be small and the filaments soft. You will however still need to assist with the cleaning. You may find it useful to buy a toothbrush with a colored area on the filaments to indicate the tiny amount of toothpaste that is required for cleaning a baby’s mouth. Change your baby’s toothbrush at least every three months, and sooner if the filaments are starting to splay.

Dental home care for babies

Dental home care for babies

Daily removal of food debris and plaque promotes sound teeth and healthy gums. Early initiation of removal helps establish a long life habit of oral care. A disease free and happy mouth brings satisfaction not only to the parents and babies but also the dental team that provides counseling and encouragement.

Parents should be educated about the dental disease process and they will be charged with the responsibility of cleaning their babies teeth daily.

Initially, oral hygiene for the babies probably should be performed when changing the babies diapers. A changing table is a convenient height and usually has appropriate lighting. As the baby grows, knee to knee position becomes preferable. Bathrooms are usually too crowded and not designed for the babies safety.

Finding an appropriate time is also important. The combination of a tired baby and an exhausted parent does not produce a favorable environment for a positive experience. Developmentally, babies are not prepared to accept or understand the activity. Games may be developed or music and singing use :, parents must try to create a positive experience . With time, the baby might become even more less tolerant, but parents should be encouraged to be persistent.

As soon as your baby’s first tooth appears, you should start caring for it. Brushing baby teeth, most experts recommend wiping the tooth a couple of times a day with a cloth. This keeps the residue from milk from sticking to the tooth. Also available are baby toothbrushes that fit on your finger, these have very soft bristles and can also be used to clean the tooth. This is a useful item to use, particularly as more teeth arrive.

Tooth Brushing Tips

Choosing a Tooth Paste

The big manufactures of toothpaste spend a great deal of time, money and research facilities on the maintenance of high quality in their product. Their reputation, and a portion of their economic existence, depends on this. These companies have spent considerable amounts testing their toothpastes and some have gone to the trouble of obtaining medical product licenses.

Pointers to choice

Toothpaste should of course be of acceptable taste to you and preferably should contain a small amount of fluoride. This has been shown to reduce dental decay buy a measurable amount. On the whole it is better to buy small tubes rather than the large ‘economy family size’. In this way the tendency for some pastes to harden in the tube will be avoided because the contents will be used quicker

Fluorides

A few dentists began using fluoride solutions as a preventive measure against dental decay over thirty years ago. This was by direct application, i.e. the regular painting of fluoride on the teeth of children from the age of two years. Since then the amount of the decay in such treated children has been negligible compared with other. But it can be a time-consuming procedure although inexpensive compared with the cost and discomfort of dental decay. The addition of minute quantities of fluoride to the water supply, to bring the concentration up to the level found naturally in some waters, has been shown to confer resistance to dental decay.

Studies of the action of drinking water containing one part of fluoride in a million parts of water have been carried out in many countries in the world. The conclusion was that fluoride at a level of 1 mg per litre has been drunk for generations by millions of people throughout their lives. Since fluoridation was introduced, millions more have been drinking water with fluoride at this level. Fluoride in water, added or naturally present, at a level of approximately 1 mg/litre over the years of tooth formation substantially reduces dental caries throughout life.

In the absence of water fluoridation your dentist or hygienist can put fluoride directly on your child’s teeth. This takes a few minutes and a strong recommendation is that it be applied at four-monthly intervals, i.e. three times a year.

Fluoride tablets and solutions can be obtained from your local chemist (see your dentist about prescribing the correct dosage) and these involve remembering to administer the correct amount daily, which may be a chore for some. But it is important to discuss all this with your dentist first. Some few complaints have been made about ‘allergic reaction’ to the fluoride tablet-administration. Investigations have rarely shown any true allergic response and any temporary upset has usually been due to other causes.

Diet and Dental Health

The prevention of dental decay begins with cutting down the amount of sugars taken in all forms. Most people think we refer only to sweets as the culprits. But there are other dangerous sugar-containing foods as well

Some of them are:
1. All sugars (including honey)
2. Soft drinks such as colas and
lemonades
3. Nearly all cereals
4. Cakes, biscuits and puddings.
5. Jam on your bread, marmalade on your toast.
6. Chocolates, sweets and toffees.
7. Peppermint sweets (they are the most dangerous because people believe the peppermint taste to be ‘medicinal’. These sweets are almost pure sugar).

As has been shown already, both dental caries and periodontal disease are the result of bacterial action, in the plaque, which collects on the teeth and gums.

A chocolate candy bar of about 50 grams may contain the equivalent of ten teaspoons of sugar! A slice of two-layer chocolate cake may be the equivalent of fifteen teaspoons of sugar!

These sugars are not an essential part of a normal diet. Hence reducing the total intake, will not only benefit the teeth, but also the general health. However, it is the frequency of sugar intake, more than the total consumption, which is important in influencing tooth decay. It was shown that the acid formed on the tooth in seconds from sugar might take twenty minutes or more to disappear from the mouth. Thus, small sugary snacks every two or three hours throughout the day will keep the teeth bathed in a dangerous acid state.

If Children must have sweets, they should have them only once a day (preferably during meal time). But it is better to recommend sugar-free snacks. A good list would contain:

Fruits: Apples, Oranges, Pears, Bananas
Vegetables: Carrots, Celery, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Cucumber, also Nuts, Crisps, Cheese (in cubes), Eggs, Milk, Yogurt.

In this way if we eliminate sugar, we reduce the formation of plaque by depriving the bacteria of the food, from which they form the acid.

The damage by erosion that, say, lemon juice can do to the enamel will have to be seen to be believed, So avoid frequent tooth contact with lemons, grapefruit, vinegar and other strongly acid substances.

The chemist’s shop may also be a source of danger to the teeth, many cough and throat sweets, lozenges, syrups, and elixirs are loaded with sugar, sometimes up to 50-60 percent. This is to make the product palatable.