I have come across many parents who don’t feel the need to treat their children’s ‘milk’ or primary teeth… This is because they are temporary and will be replaced by permanent ones! Lack of awareness & ignorance of the parent, results in painful experiences for their children…

Often parents approach a doctor of medicine, instead of a dentist to treat a painful tooth without realizing that medicines provide only temporary relief but not long term benefits. In my opinion parents should keep a regular check on the progress of their children’s teeth as they rarely complain of a problem unless its really painful. And by that time, the tooth has decayed to a great extent!

Infants cannot clean their own teeth.. and one cannot use a tooth brush on such infants with recently erupted teeth. Hence parents should use a soft cloth and clean such teeth after feeding them. Later on once the child grows up and starts brushing on their own.. parents should keep a regular check on the brushing technique used by the child and visit the dentist at least every six months..

If the decayed tooth isn’t treated on time, not only is it painful for the child, but it also has serious consequences in the long run.. If the tooth reaches a stage where it cannot be restored, it may have to be removed. Primary teeth act as natural space maintainers for the permanent successors i.e they prevent faulty eruption of the permanent teeth which leads to crowding and malalignment of the teeth. Not only does the faulty arrangement of teeth affect the aesthetics of the child, but it also hampers the masticatory function i.e. the chewing of the food. Malalignment can lead to food lodgement and make their teeth more prone to development of cavities! Also, everyone knows that having a good smile always helps build a person’s self confidence….

 If such a situation does arise where the teeth need to be extracted, the child needs to be given artificial space maintainers that help maintain that space. All this and more can be taken care off by the dentist, only if the parents show some concern and make sure their child visits the dentist regularly! 

(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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“Today i shall definitely quit smoking!!… umm… or maybe tomorrow…next week… errr..mom’s birthday … next new years resolution??!!” I am sure if you are a smoker and you are reading this, the above statements sound familiar.. Most smokers keep planning in their heads the so called D-day when they will kick the cigarette butt a final goodbye! But the problem is that they do not know the right path to take…

Surveys have proved that most people who depend only on their will power to quit smoking, rarely succeed.. and even if they do.. in the long run, do not last for very long! Will power is definitely required but its not the only way to go about.. One needs to take help from others..& here are a few suggestions that i would like to give..

If you have a group of friends who are smokers too.. try to convince them into quitting.. and work on it together.. Encourage each other when someone falls pray to temptation.. Its not easy.. but as they say.. friends always make it easier.. especially when the going gets tough!

Seek help from information and counselling that is available.. there are lots of people out there who are willing to help you. All the information is easily available on various websites, tapes, videos etc. There are a lot of group activities conducted.. in which people come and share their experiences and problems. Believe it or not.. it works wonders! Just call up on the help line numbers available on the web.. and try it out!

Nicotine substitutes like patches, gums, sprays and medicines are easily available. They make the whole process of quitting smoking a lot more smoother.. Some people don’t prefer to take medications, but this is one of the better options! These substitutes help reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms and cravings that many smokers experience on quitting. Though they work in different ways, they all affect the regions in the brain that are implicated in addiction.

For those who don’t want to take medications.. hypnosis is another option, but there is no guarantee of the success rate of this method! Although it has proved to work for some people.. with few, if-any side effects!

At the end its for you to decide which method will work best for you ….and give it a shot! You may not succeed in the first attempt.. but in the end you will emerge as a winner.. and kick some butt!

(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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Normally it all starts with a severe tooth ache.. staring in the mirror for hours at the blackened tooth, trying to remove the food lodged in it..followed by lots of sleepless nights.. which ultimately leads to a forced visit to the dentist! The dentist examines the tooth.. while you shake in the chair.. fearing what he is going to do next with his weapon .. read “the drilling machine!”.. Finally when the dentist has finished his job and gives you the permission to go home.. phew!!  you are at peace! You are relieved its all over and now you don’t need to worry about the tooth.. That is where you go wrong!   

You need to be careful and take utmost care of the restored tooth too.. Getting the carious tooth or in common language.. the cavity filled or restored, does not permanently solve your problem. Especially if you are not going to take care of it. The restorative dental materials used, cannot match the superior strength of natural enamel and dentin.. Hence the restored tooth needs to be given extra attention and oral hygiene must be maintained really well..

There is always a possibility of secondary caries, i.e. decay to develop around the already restored tooth due to poor oral hygiene maintained by the patient. That is why a dentist always advises you to take proper care of the restored tooth. It is also important to go for at least a yearly check up to keep track of the progress of such teeth to help detect the problem in its early stages and avoid the painful complications!

There are various dental aids available in the market, that can help you take care of your restored teeth. Apart from cleaning such teeth with a regular tooth brush, it is also necessary for you to floss the area around it really well. Inter dental brushes are also easily available in the market. In case if part of the restoration cracks, chips, or breaks off.. don’t hesitate to visit your dentist. Many people avoid going to the dentist assuming that since its only a small part that has chipped off, they need not bother. Wrong again! You need to take care of it as soon as possible.. because this forms a path for new cavities to develop. Also if there are any sharp edges left behind by the chipped off restoration, it can irritate the surrounding structures and cause lot more problems and not to forget, a lot more pain. Hence one needs to visit a dentist as soon as any such complications arise!

My advice to everyone would be, dont live with the myth that “once restored need not be looked at ever again!” 

(3 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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Once thought to be the “coolest” thing to do… is actually the “hottest” topic of concern amongst dentists and doctors worldwide. Most teenagers who walk out of high school and take their very first step into college, they want to be the coolest of all. They want to “fit-in”. And the most common option taken up by them in most socities & cultures, is to start smoking. You are considered a social outcast if you are not seen holding a cigarette at a party or if you show some amount of disgust for the smoke!! But is it really worth it? Think again…

Everyone knows that smoking causes the most common disease.. Cancer… specifically Lung cancer. Yet every smoker believes that they are too strong.. and it wont happen to them! They will survive.. Well i would like to tell them.. ” WAKE UP!!! You are living in the world of your dreams… Reality bites.. and you are no different!! “

Today, India is one of the highest consumers of tobacco.. especially in the form of bidis and cigarettes. It is said, that two packs of cigarettes contain lethal dose of nicotine. People die not of the nicotine itself, but of the diseases, arising from its influence. It reduces the immunity of the body which makes a person more prone to various diseases. Smoking is as cruel as AIDS to mankind, they both open the doors of the organism to many diseases. A smoker has high risks of developing harmful diseases like high blood pressure(hypertension) , diabetes, breathlessness, asthama, obstructive lung dieases, oral and lung cancers. It has been proven that smoking increases the risk of experiencing heart attack by 8 times!! Smoking also causes increase in gastric juice secretion in the stomach which leads to acidity and peptic ulcers. The end result is the bitter truth - ” only one cigarette a day makes you 7 steps closer to cancer “

Being a dentist, I shall focus more on the effects of smoking on the oral hygiene. Smokers do not consider the effects of smoking on their teeth and tend to blame the loss of teeth on various other reasons.. some of them even blame it on their parents & genes.. claiming it is inherited !!!

Firstly the smoke irritates the lining of the oral cavity, stains the teeth and causes dryness of the mouth. This is because it reduces the amount of saliva secreted by the salivary glands. This inturn reduces the basic function of saliva, i.e. to keep the mouth moist and prevent bacteria. As a result of this, smokers tend to have more number of cavities in their mouths as compared to non-smokers. Secondly, lip cancer is common among those who tend to hold the cigarette inbetween their lips instead of their fingers. Thirdly and most importantly it affects the periodontal tissues in the mouth. That means it affects the structure that holds the tooth firm in the mouth. Harming this would first result in loosening of the tooth.. followed by you waving good bye to your teeth forever!! Other than that it increases the risk of oral cancer.. which may result is partial or complete loss of usage of ones mouth!!! Imagine not being able to eat your favourite food ever in your life again..!! Forget that.. imagine the effect it will have on the rest of your life!!! The pain is unbearable, you are not able to speak or eat.. your whole life becomes miserable!!

Most people believe that they will replace the tooth they lose with another one! But remember-nothing can replace it as good as the original.. A tooth is as important as any other body part. Will you allow something to cut your hand or leg.. and say that ” its ok, i shall replace it” ???!!! The answer is obviously “NO” . Then why take up smoking when it only harms you.. Be smart..
Its never too late… If you are a smoker.. QUIT TODAY!!!

Studies have shown that initially it will be difficult, but the effects will be very beneficial in the long-run. People live much longer once they quit smoking! In the beginning, your body will experience stress – dizziness, vomiting and total weakness. This will be a hard testing time for you, but in a month things will get better. You will notice your breathing to be easier, memory much sharper and muscle tone to come back to normal. In six months time your lung tissue will be cleaned off the tobacco dust. In a years time, the cardiovascular system will be restored. Five years of nonsmoking and your body will be as healthy as any non-smoker!! So quit smoking and live healthy!

(4 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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Scaling or professional dental cleaning of teeth is a procedure, which ensures maximum removal of food particles, plaque, calculus, tarter and stains from the all surfaces of teeth including those areas, which are not accessible with a regular toothbrush. It is extremely important to get this done every 6 months to maintain a good oral hygiene. In the few years of my work experience I have always come across patients with similar complaints that their teeth have become loose after scaling. This is true to a certain extent…. as the cleaning procedure has removed all the calculus and food particles that had wedged into the space between the tooth and the bone socket giving a false impression that the tooth is healthy and strong. But this is only a MYTH!!

The truth is that because of the poor oral hygiene maintained by the patient.. recession of the gingiva or more commonly known as the “gums” had occurred along with loss of the supporting bone, which led to the loosening of the tooth. The food particles had just taken their place….hence reducing the life of the tooth!! Scaling removes these harmful particles and helps restore the heath of the gums.. which ultimately results in non sensitive, strong & healthy teeth!!

And one more thing… scaling does not mean one does not have to brush their teeth! Sounds weird..??!! But there are patients who believe once u have got a dental clean up done .. you do not need to brush!! Brushing at least twice a day is equally or rather in my opinion even more important..!! Following this simple, non-painful procedure will definitely ensure very few visits to the “Scary Dentist”!!!

(4 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

(3 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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