Healthy smile is more than something cosmetic. Studies indicate that the health of your teeth and gums can indicate the status of all your general health. Poor dental hygiene has rallied to a high risk of certain diseases in adults. Some people such as diabetics and pregnant women are at greater risk of developing gum disease. (Read about "Diabetes" "Healthy Pregnancy")
In children, the problem is equally serious. The American Dental Association (ADA acronym in English) indicates that when a child has serious tooth decay can affect your overall health and lead to problems eating, speaking and even cause school absences. You can read more about ways to avoid problems in oral hygiene.
Oral Hygiene
It was thought that old age was losing natural teeth. We now know that this is not true. According to the National Center for Information About Oral Hygiene (Nohic acronym in English), following some simple steps to keep your teeth and gums - as well as visiting your dentist regularly - you can keep your teeth for life.
First, what is plaque? The board is composed of invisible masses of harmful germs that live in the mouth and stick to the teeth. Some types of plaque cause tooth decay. Other types of plaque cause gum disease.
It is therefore important to remove all food debris and plaque from teeth. Remove plaque at least once a day - twice a day is much better:
* Use dental floss to remove germs and food particles between teeth. Note! Insert the floss between your teeth gently. I do not 'hit target', it might injure the gums. Rinse.
* Brush teeth. Use any tooth brushing method that is most comfortable, but do not rub vigorously from side to side. Small circular motions and short movements of the other way are best. Use fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride protects teeth from decay. Rinse.
It is also important to avoid sugary foods. Harmful acids form in your mouth every time you eat a sweet. If you eat fewer sweets, bacteria produce smaller amounts of acid which destroys tooth enamel.
Sealants can also be important. Sealants are plastic coatings, thin, applied on the surfaces of the molars. Sealants can be placed in dentists' offices, clinics, and sometimes in schools. Sealants are applied by painting the teeth with a liquid that hardens quickly forming a protective layer Sealants cover the chewing surfaces of molars, preventing the entry of germs and food particles that cause tooth decay.
Once the children are the molars are permanent sealants should be placed before the tooth can cause damage. Adolescents and young adults who have no cavities or fillings (fillings) in back teeth can also get sealants.
Finally, see your dentist preferably twice a year for checkups. If the dentist finds cavities, tooth decay needs to be cleared by digging and then the tooth has to be filled. It is important to tell your dentist about any health problems you may have before any treatment. Whether diabetes or any heart problem. (Read about "Diabetes" "Heart Attack")
Dry Mouth (Xerostomia)
The National Center for Information about Oral Health (Nohic acronym in English) defines dry mouth or xerostomia as the condition of not having enough saliva or spit to keep your mouth moist. It may not sound like something drastic, but dry mouth can cause serious side effects. May cause difficulty in proving, biting, swallowing and speaking. It can lead to chapped lips and / or blisters. You can also increase the risk of developing dental decay and other oral infections.
People get dry mouth when the glands in the mouth that make saliva are not working properly. Potential causes include:
* Medicines - More than 400 medicines can cause the salivary glands produce less saliva. Drugs for blood pressure and depression often cause dry mouth. (Read about "Medicine Safety" "Hypertension: High Blood Pressure" "Depression")
* Disease - Some diseases affect the salivary glands. All diseases such as Sjögren syndrome, HIV / AIDS, diabetes and Parkinson's disease can cause dry mouth. (Read about "Sjögren" HIV / AIDS "" Diabetes ")
* Radiation therapy - The salivary glands can be damaged if exposed to radiation during cancer treatment. (Read about "Cancer: What It Is")
* Chemotherapy - Drugs used to treat cancer can create saliva thicker, causing the mouth to feel dry.
* Nerve damage - Injury to head or neck can damage the nerves that tell the salivary glands create saliva.
Treatment depends on the cause of dry mouth. She blames the medication, ask your doctor about replacing them. There are medications your doctor may suggest to help the salivary glands work better.
Other things that can help include:
* The use of artificial saliva or other products sold in pharmacies
* Taking enough fluids
* Chewing gum (chewing gum) without sugar
* Avoid snuff, alcohol or spicy food (Read about "Quit Smoking" "Alcoholism")
Remember, if you have dry mouth, needs to be very careful to keep your teeth healthy. (See also Oral Hygiene.)
Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease is a gum disease that is not uncommon. So much so that the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR acronym in English) indicates that 80 percent of Americans have some form of gum disease or periodontal disease. The problem begins with the plate. (See also Oral Hygiene.) The plaque is not removed can harden and form bacteria into tartar. Once this happens, the brush is not enough. Only a professional cleaning by a dentist can remove tartar.
If plaque and tartar are not removed, the bacteria cause gum inflammation called gingivitis. In gingivitis, the gums become red, swollen and may bleed easily. Gingivitis is a mild form of gum disease and is usually reversible with daily brushing and regular cleaning by a dentist. This form of gum disease does not include any loss of bone and tissue that holds the denture in place.
When gingivitis is not treated, can progress to periodontitis. In periodontitis, gums pull away from teeth forming pockets that become infected. The body's immune system resists bacteria when plaque spreads and grows below the gum line. Bacterial toxins and enzymes that attack body infection usually begin to wilt under the bone and connective tissue that holds the tooth in place. If untreated, the bones, gums and connective tissue that supports the teeth is destroyed. The teeth eventually become loose and have to be removed.
The NIDCR said that gum disease is commonly found in men and usually develops after age 30.
Other things that may increase risk include:
* Smoking (Read about "Quit Smoking")
* Pregnancy (Read about "Healthy Pregnancy")
* Menopause (Read about "Menopause")
* Diabetes (Read about "Diabetes")
* Tension
* Medications that reduce saliva flow (see above)
* Diseases such as cancer and AIDS (Read about "Cancer: What It Is" "HIV / AIDS")
* Genetic
Good oral hygiene is essential to prevent gum disease. (See also Oral Hygiene.) Should also see your dentist immediately if you smell bad, gums red, swollen, fragile or bleeding, loose or sensitive teeth. If gum disease is present, the dentist will need to completely scrape the tartar above and below the gum line. Medication may be required and / or replace damaged tissue or bone.
However, once again, your best bet is prevention through good oral hygiene.
In children, the problem is equally serious. The American Dental Association (ADA acronym in English) indicates that when a child has serious tooth decay can affect your overall health and lead to problems eating, speaking and even cause school absences. You can read more about ways to avoid problems in oral hygiene.
Oral Hygiene
It was thought that old age was losing natural teeth. We now know that this is not true. According to the National Center for Information About Oral Hygiene (Nohic acronym in English), following some simple steps to keep your teeth and gums - as well as visiting your dentist regularly - you can keep your teeth for life.
First, what is plaque? The board is composed of invisible masses of harmful germs that live in the mouth and stick to the teeth. Some types of plaque cause tooth decay. Other types of plaque cause gum disease.
It is therefore important to remove all food debris and plaque from teeth. Remove plaque at least once a day - twice a day is much better:
* Use dental floss to remove germs and food particles between teeth. Note! Insert the floss between your teeth gently. I do not 'hit target', it might injure the gums. Rinse.
* Brush teeth. Use any tooth brushing method that is most comfortable, but do not rub vigorously from side to side. Small circular motions and short movements of the other way are best. Use fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride protects teeth from decay. Rinse.
It is also important to avoid sugary foods. Harmful acids form in your mouth every time you eat a sweet. If you eat fewer sweets, bacteria produce smaller amounts of acid which destroys tooth enamel.
Sealants can also be important. Sealants are plastic coatings, thin, applied on the surfaces of the molars. Sealants can be placed in dentists' offices, clinics, and sometimes in schools. Sealants are applied by painting the teeth with a liquid that hardens quickly forming a protective layer Sealants cover the chewing surfaces of molars, preventing the entry of germs and food particles that cause tooth decay.
Once the children are the molars are permanent sealants should be placed before the tooth can cause damage. Adolescents and young adults who have no cavities or fillings (fillings) in back teeth can also get sealants.
Finally, see your dentist preferably twice a year for checkups. If the dentist finds cavities, tooth decay needs to be cleared by digging and then the tooth has to be filled. It is important to tell your dentist about any health problems you may have before any treatment. Whether diabetes or any heart problem. (Read about "Diabetes" "Heart Attack")
Dry Mouth (Xerostomia)
The National Center for Information about Oral Health (Nohic acronym in English) defines dry mouth or xerostomia as the condition of not having enough saliva or spit to keep your mouth moist. It may not sound like something drastic, but dry mouth can cause serious side effects. May cause difficulty in proving, biting, swallowing and speaking. It can lead to chapped lips and / or blisters. You can also increase the risk of developing dental decay and other oral infections.
People get dry mouth when the glands in the mouth that make saliva are not working properly. Potential causes include:
* Medicines - More than 400 medicines can cause the salivary glands produce less saliva. Drugs for blood pressure and depression often cause dry mouth. (Read about "Medicine Safety" "Hypertension: High Blood Pressure" "Depression")
* Disease - Some diseases affect the salivary glands. All diseases such as Sjögren syndrome, HIV / AIDS, diabetes and Parkinson's disease can cause dry mouth. (Read about "Sjögren" HIV / AIDS "" Diabetes ")
* Radiation therapy - The salivary glands can be damaged if exposed to radiation during cancer treatment. (Read about "Cancer: What It Is")
* Chemotherapy - Drugs used to treat cancer can create saliva thicker, causing the mouth to feel dry.
* Nerve damage - Injury to head or neck can damage the nerves that tell the salivary glands create saliva.
Treatment depends on the cause of dry mouth. She blames the medication, ask your doctor about replacing them. There are medications your doctor may suggest to help the salivary glands work better.
Other things that can help include:
* The use of artificial saliva or other products sold in pharmacies
* Taking enough fluids
* Chewing gum (chewing gum) without sugar
* Avoid snuff, alcohol or spicy food (Read about "Quit Smoking" "Alcoholism")
Remember, if you have dry mouth, needs to be very careful to keep your teeth healthy. (See also Oral Hygiene.)
Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease is a gum disease that is not uncommon. So much so that the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR acronym in English) indicates that 80 percent of Americans have some form of gum disease or periodontal disease. The problem begins with the plate. (See also Oral Hygiene.) The plaque is not removed can harden and form bacteria into tartar. Once this happens, the brush is not enough. Only a professional cleaning by a dentist can remove tartar.
If plaque and tartar are not removed, the bacteria cause gum inflammation called gingivitis. In gingivitis, the gums become red, swollen and may bleed easily. Gingivitis is a mild form of gum disease and is usually reversible with daily brushing and regular cleaning by a dentist. This form of gum disease does not include any loss of bone and tissue that holds the denture in place.
When gingivitis is not treated, can progress to periodontitis. In periodontitis, gums pull away from teeth forming pockets that become infected. The body's immune system resists bacteria when plaque spreads and grows below the gum line. Bacterial toxins and enzymes that attack body infection usually begin to wilt under the bone and connective tissue that holds the tooth in place. If untreated, the bones, gums and connective tissue that supports the teeth is destroyed. The teeth eventually become loose and have to be removed.
The NIDCR said that gum disease is commonly found in men and usually develops after age 30.
Other things that may increase risk include:
* Smoking (Read about "Quit Smoking")
* Pregnancy (Read about "Healthy Pregnancy")
* Menopause (Read about "Menopause")
* Diabetes (Read about "Diabetes")
* Tension
* Medications that reduce saliva flow (see above)
* Diseases such as cancer and AIDS (Read about "Cancer: What It Is" "HIV / AIDS")
* Genetic
Good oral hygiene is essential to prevent gum disease. (See also Oral Hygiene.) Should also see your dentist immediately if you smell bad, gums red, swollen, fragile or bleeding, loose or sensitive teeth. If gum disease is present, the dentist will need to completely scrape the tartar above and below the gum line. Medication may be required and / or replace damaged tissue or bone.
However, once again, your best bet is prevention through good oral hygiene.
