October 11, 2010 - Monday
The position of a successful person today is a health fashion: playing sports, giving up bad habits, visiting cosmetologists and massage therapists... However, not everyone, not everyone, monitors the condition of their teeth. And an important role in this is played by misconceptions that have taken root in people’s minds. Indeed, in the age of developed technologies and the active implementation of innovative projects, the other side of the crazy intensification of life is the desire to get away from the hustle and bustle and the desire to believe in the miraculous and unreal.
However, if you still think that dental treatment is painful, or that a miracle paste will preserve your smile, and chewing gum will protect you from caries, congratulations, you still have not managed to separate myths and reality, and your knowledge Dentistry is full of prejudices.
How to ensure that these stereotypes, or one might say myths, do not prevent you from taking care of your smile and what really needs to be done to correct the situation, will be explained by the chief dentist of the Sverdlovsk region, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Regional Dental Clinic Marina Pavlovna Kharitonova .
Fact : The Sverdlovsk region is one of the regions with a high prevalence and average intensity of dental diseases: 14% of 6-year-old children already have permanent teeth affected by caries. Recently, diseases of periodontal tissues have also become much “younger” - more than half of adolescents aged 12-15 years have been diagnosed with tartar and increased bleeding of the gums. 96% of people over 35-40 years old have teeth affected by caries and inflammatory processes in the tissues surrounding the teeth (periodontitis). More than 70% of people over 65 years of age need orthopedic treatment, i.e. in prosthetics.
Caring for your mouth in general
Remember that hygienic care is required not only for teeth, but also for gums, tongue, and the inside of the cheek. For this purpose, you can use a separate soft brush and clean the oral cavity completely. The condition of your teeth directly depends on the health of your gums. It is within your power to promptly remove pathogenic bacteria and massage your gums. It is not at all necessary to go for professional procedures; you can massage your gums at home using your fingers. This will significantly speed up the blood circulation process and prevent stagnation.
If a tooth falls out, you can do just fine without it.
Reality: Each tooth in our wide smile is a link in the dental chain. Each group of teeth performs its own function: some bite off food, others chew it. When a tooth is removed or falls out, the shape of the teeth and jaws changes. The teeth adjacent to the missing one begin to shift and fill the vacated space, which can subsequently cause difficulties with prosthetics.
Fact: Significant tooth loss leads to eating more monotonous and less balanced food, a lack of vitamins and microelements, which can affect brain activity.
What to do?
Lost teeth need to be restored, which can be done in various ways. The options of choice are restorative orthopedic structures supported either by implants or by natural teeth. Fact: The fewer natural teeth a person has, the higher the risk of developing coronary heart disease and heart attack. People with fewer than 10 natural teeth are seven times more likely to die from a heart attack than those with more than 25 teeth.
Choosing the right toothbrush and toothpaste
If you do not have problems with your teeth and gums, the best option is to use a brush with medium-hard bristles and use toothpaste without abrasive particles. If your teeth are prone to rapid tartar formation, dentists recommend giving preference to hard brushes. As for pasta, try to avoid little-known companies. Toothpastes with a whitening effect can be used no more than once a week. If you have problems with sensitivity or bleeding gums, choose suitable hygiene products.
If you follow all of the above measures in combination, you can maintain healthy teeth until old age.
No one has ever died from a bad tooth
Reality: Infection coming from a diseased tooth (odontogenic infection) is one of the most dangerous. A diseased tooth is a source of pathogenic environment in the body. Numerous colonies of microorganisms live and multiply in the mouth, some of them quite aggressive. From a “neglected” diseased tooth, microbes can travel throughout the body, both independently and by causing allergization of the body, which leads to a decrease in immunity. In addition, ulcers on the roots with a decrease in immunity can lead to the development of serious complications (abscesses, phlegmon, osteomyelitis, etc.), and sometimes cause conditions incompatible with life.
Fact: Scientists have proven that the presence of multiple chronic foci of infection in untreated teeth in pregnant women leads to miscarriage and low fetal weight during childbirth.
What to do?
At least 1-2 times a year, undergo examination and professional hygiene at the dentist, which will help identify and effectively eliminate pathology in the initial stages of development.
Fact: Expenses of Russian residents, according to data at the beginning of the century, on certain types of goods and services (per year): - for vodka, beer, cigarettes - $12 billion, - for medicines - $2.2 billion, - for dental care – $600 million
Why is there a need to strengthen enamel?
Caries is one of the most common problems that dentists have to deal with. It is because of its frequent occurrence that many people are forced to look for ways to strengthen their teeth. The disease is caused by:
- genetic predisposition to an abnormal process;
- disruptions in the functioning of the endocrine system;
- severe pathologies of the stomach and intestines;
- untimely removal of soft plaque and hard stone;
- non-compliance with dental cleaning techniques;
- refusal to eliminate non-carious enamel lesions;
- pathological abrasion;
- incorrect bite, due to which it is impossible to properly clean individual interdental areas;
- poor diet, habit of eating a lot of sour and sweet foods;
- alcohol abuse, tobacco addiction;
- habit of chewing foreign objects.
Often the enamel is greatly weakened due to hormonal changes. This is why many expectant mothers become patients in dental clinics.
Rule No. 5. Fluoride
Fluoride is also an essential trace element for our teeth. In the Urals, Mordovia, Moscow and the Moscow region there is enough fluorine in tap water, but St. Petersburg and the entire North-Western region needs an additional source of fluoride. There are now many drugs on the market containing large amounts of fluoride: toothpastes, multivitamin complexes, elixirs, chewing gum. But we must remember that too much fluoride is just as harmful to the body as its deficiency.
External factors
It is impossible to keep tooth enamel white and the teeth themselves healthy if there is a negative external influence. Such factors include addictions (taking drugs, smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol), bad habits (biting nails, objects, solid foods, chewing gum or sucking fingers, lollipops, etc.) the effect of chemicals on the body (self-bleaching, working on production or living in a high-risk area), constant hypothermia, etc.
How to keep your teeth healthy and beautiful throughout your life? Dentists give a clear and concise answer: it is necessary to adhere to a healthy lifestyle, regularly visit the dentist and promptly treat dental and other diseases. Children should be taught to monitor the condition of their teeth from an early age, and adults should find time to follow all doctor’s recommendations.
How do coffee, soda and candy affect enamel?
Frequent consumption of coffee gives the enamel a yellow tint. “However, this effect is also observed to varying degrees when consuming other foods and drinks that have coloring properties,” notes Kuzmina, “strong tea, chocolate, blueberries, red wine.” Over time, the enamel's sensitivity to food coloring increases; at the same time, the enamel becomes thinner
and loses its transparency, which worsens tooth discoloration. Some experts believe that caffeine has an antibacterial effect and kills streptococci, which are most often responsible for the development of tooth decay. True, the positive effect of coffee is noticeable if you drink no more than two cups a day and brush your teeth regularly. But carbonated and energy drinks, as well as sweets, cause undoubted harm to teeth. These foods contain large amounts of sugar, which plaque bacteria use as a food source. The acids released during the life process cause demineralization of the enamel. In addition, carbonated drinks themselves contain acid, which has a direct aggressive effect on the enamel, dissolving it.
Use toothpicks carefully
It’s not always possible to floss or rinse your mouth after lunch, let alone fully brush your teeth. A toothpick will help. Fortunately, most restaurants and cafes have learned to include a package of sharp wooden sticks among the items that must be on the tables (salt - pepper - napkins). Wooden toothpicks are preferable - they protect the enamel - but you can also use plastic ones. But in order not to damage the periodontal tissue - the ligaments of the gums and teeth - the toothpick must be used very carefully and it is better to replace it with a flosset.
Do you use floss?
Most of us are as familiar with these simple devices as dental floss. If the teeth grow sufficiently evenly and tightly, the spaces between the teeth and the side surfaces of the teeth turn out to be inaccessible even for very “advanced” toothbrushes. Meanwhile, these secluded corners are very attractive to bacteria. Caries that develops at the point of contact of two teeth can only be seen by a dentist, and sometimes it is difficult to treat.
Meanwhile, flosses help to reach the most inaccessible protected areas between the teeth, removing food debris from there and depriving bacteria of a chance to survive. You need to floss before brushing. Also, use them after every meal. For use in public places, a flossette was invented - a compact and easy-to-use dental floss.
What should be in your arsenal when caring for your teeth?
#1 – Toothbrush
The most effective cleaning is provided by a sonic brush. She removes everything unnecessary and carefully polishes the teeth. It is important to regularly change the attachment or the brush itself, depending on the design. Modern toothbrushes with artificial bristles are able to provide high-quality cleaning without microdamage to the enamel. But the shape and direction of the bristles usually do not play any role; it is important to brush your teeth correctly.
#2 – Toothpaste
Now there are a huge number of different toothpastes to choose from that can protect and even heal tooth enamel. When choosing, be guided by the composition of the paste and the dentist’s recommendations.
No. 3 - Irrigator
A very useful thing, it allows you to ensure hygiene of your wisdom teeth and the areas behind them. During orthodontic treatment and the presence of orthopedic structures, it is the irrigator that will keep your teeth clean and therefore healthy.
#4 – Dental floss
Allows you to remove food debris between teeth. Patients with fillings, veneers, etc. You should use caution when using a thread that has a thin metal wire in the weave.
No. 5 - Rinse aids
They allow you to provide not only hygiene, but also oral care.
No. 6 – Interdental brushes and monotuft brushes
Used while wearing braces.
How many times a day should you brush your teeth?
Firstly, you need to brush your teeth two, or preferably three times a day, immediately after your next meal. But usually you can’t brush your teeth during the day, so try to rinse your mouth after eating at this time.
But cleaning in the morning and evening before bed should become mandatory procedures for you. It is important for women to remember that going to bed with unbrushed teeth is like going to bed with makeup on.
How to brush your teeth correctly
Imagine that you have divided the oral cavity into four sections. And start brushing each of them sequentially for about half a minute, the lower teeth from bottom to top in the direction from the gums, the upper teeth from top to bottom, also from the gums. And then polishing movements back and forth.
There are toothbrushes with a built-in timer, they signal when you need to move to another area. In total, you need to brush your teeth for 2-3 minutes.
Proper nutrition
Any dentist, when asked how to keep teeth healthy and strong, will definitely point out the significant impact of the foods consumed on the condition of the oral cavity. To strengthen teeth, it is recommended to include in your diet foods that are rich in minerals such as iodine, fluoride, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium. Sweet, spicy and sour foods should be avoided. They can be consumed, but in small quantities. You should also limit foods containing dyes. Dentists also pay attention to the consumption of hard foods, which can lead to chips or cracks in the crown. If there is a significant deficiency of microelements, then the deficiency should be filled with ready-made vitamin-mineral complexes.
