Category: Oral Health In Dental

Dentistry is the medical area dedicated to the study of teeth and related structures and to the treatment of diseases that affect them. This specialty is in charge of everything related to the stomatognathic apparatus, which is made up of all the organs and tissues of the oral cavity, and in some areas of the skull, neck, and face.

This discipline is responsible for protecting people’s oral health, preventing and remedying oral diseases. The main oral ailments, such as cavities, periodontal pathologies or tooth loss, can be prevented by constantly maintaining a routine of adequate oral hygiene and regularly visiting the dentist , a professional dedicated to this specialty.

In this sense, Dentistry is essential to enjoy optimal oral health and to maintain quality of life, since in the long run all the aforementioned diseases and even others, such as certain infections, canker sores and oral cancer.

How is dental health in charge of dental health?

Oral cancer

This pathology is usually prevalent in men and older people. Tobacco and alcohol are the two main factors that usually cause this disease.

Dental caries

This oral disease, often accompanied by a sensation of pain or discomfort, originates when the dental tissues are destroyed, affecting the dentin or even, on certain occasions, the pulp to different degrees.

Treating cavities in time is essential to avoid other major problems such as tooth loss, periodontitis and damage to the supporting bone.

Periodontal diseases

The main pathologies that affect the gums are gingivitis and periodontitis. The first is a process by which the gums end up becoming inflamed, while the second is an aggravation that damages the soft tissues and bones that support the teeth until they fall out.

Cleft lip and palate

It is a congenital defect that appears in one of every 500 or 700 newborns. It occurs when the upper lip and palate do not develop properly during the first months of pregnancy.

Tooth loss

The total loss of dentition is a very common phenomenon that usually affects a large part of the elderly. The main reasons for the loss of teeth are in the presence of cavities and periodontal diseases for a long time.

Oral trauma

Between 16% and 40% of the population suffer oral trauma and blows that affect the teeth, especially in children.

Why do oral diseases usually appear?

The importance of oral health is such that, without it and without the necessary care to maintain it, we are at the mercy of a large number of serious oral diseases. The main reasons why oral pathologies appear are an incorrect oral hygiene routine, a poor diet, and the consumption of tobacco and alcohol.

In addition to causing this type of ailments, more severe chronic diseases can be triggered, such as cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as diabetes.

The importance  of oral health, prevention and dental treatments

The vast majority of oral conditions can be treated with proper dental care. Having a good and trusted dentist is very important to maintain optimal oral health, as he will take care of timely preventive treatments and correct any abnormalities in the teeth and gums.

Some of the dental treatments that the dentist performs most frequently are the following:

– Deep dental cleaning. It is advisable to go to one of these cleanings at least 1 time a year, even once every six months to maintain the health of the oral cavity.

– Elimination of cavities. It consists of removing the affected tissue and subsequently placing a dental filling in that hole.

– Tooth extraction: Remove parts affected by caries or periodontal disease in very advanced stages.

– Orthodontics: Correction of dental alignment and malposition.

– Endodontics. It consists of removing the pulp from the tooth and filling it with gutta-percha to keep the tooth in the mouth.

– Oral Implantology. Placement of dental implants to replace missing or extracted teeth .

– Dental Aesthetics. Procedures to improve the appearance of the teeth.

At present, Dentistry has evolved in such a way that it has been achieved that a dentist can cover various areas, always from an approach that contemplates the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases that affect any part of the mandibular structure.

The World Dental Federation has presented the current definition of oral health. It reads: “Oral health is an integral part of overall health and well-being.” Thanks to a healthy mouth, you can freely communicate, smile, express emotions, smell, taste, touch, chew food, and swallow it. However, this is also something more, according to the definition of the World Dental Federation. Oral diseases affect interpersonal relationships, leading to avoidance of social contact, even social isolation, and also increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, pancreatic cancer, pneumonia, and other systemic pathologies

Therefore, today oral health is viewed not only in terms of a beautiful smile, but also of well-being and overall health!.

Why is it worth visiting the dentist?

Dental examination should be performed regularly in children every 3 months, in adults every 6 months. The dentist may recommend shortening or lengthening these periods, depending on the condition of the patient’s oral cavity. Regular checkups will help you keep your teeth healthy for many years.

Regular visits by children are especially important . A dentist can make friends with a small patient, assess the hygiene and condition of milk teeth or emerging permanent teeth. Early detection of unfavorable habits of a child (sucking a pacifier, a finger, taking air with the mouth, not with the nose, etc.) will allow for quick treatment by eliminating dysfunctions and parafunctions, using simple exercises or orthodontic appliances.

The dental examination also allows for the assessment of personal oral hygiene, verification of the effectiveness of brushing and flossing, giving instructions and determining the best method of tooth cleaning. Your dentist may recommend changing the toothpaste or using an appropriate toothpaste rinse adapted to the patient’s needs. If the plaque is not removed regularly, it hardens and tartar is formed . It is the cause of periodontal diseases, but also contributes to the development of caries in the teeth (it is in the plaque that cariogenic bacteria live and multiply). Hard plaque cannot be removed with a regular toothbrush. Professional cleaning is essential here using an ultrasound machine in a dentist’s office.

Systematic visits give the dentist a chance to check the oral cavity , early detection of caries and, consequently, early treatment of the tooth, which reduces further tissue damage and ensures easier, less invasive, and thus cheaper dental treatment. Sometimes it is necessary to perform a diagnostic X-ray, which, apart from caries foci, helps to detect possible pathologies in the tissues around the tooth located in the bone.

Treatment of periodontal diseases is the more effective the earlier it is detected. Prophylaxis of periodontitis (hygiene instruction, professional tooth cleaning ) may prevent the disease from fully developing and irreversible damage.

Visits to the dentist’s office are also necessary when the patient no longer has his own teeth. During the use of dentures, the base in the mouth changes and the dentures no longer fit. Mismatched dentures cause pressure sores, prevent proper biting and chewing, and disrupt proper speech. Regular visits to the dentist will enable the relining (“renewal”) of the prosthesis, detection of abnormalities in the occlusion and will give the doctor a chance to assess the oral mucosa under the prosthesis.

Prophylactic examination of the oral mucosa, tongue, and throat performed by the dentist during the follow-up visit will allow for the possible detection of neoplastic lesions that are fully curable at an early stage. Oral cancers are usually painless, therefore patients are not aware of this serious disease for a long time.

SANDBLASTING TEETH

Over time, a deposit builds up on the surface of the teeth, which causes unsightly discoloration. This deposit can be removed by a dentist during the sandblasting procedure. Teeth sandblasting is performed depending on the individual needs of the patient, e.g. every few months. Removing plaque from the teeth, in particular from hard-to-reach places, gives the teeth whitening effect, prevents the multiplication of bacteria, and consequently prevents caries and periodontitis. We recommend sandblasting to heavy smokers, people who drink a lot of coffee, tea and patients who wear orthodontic appliances.

The procedure is carried out using a sandblaster – a special device that directs a stream of dental sand onto the teeth. Sandblasting prepares teeth for whitening and complements the treatment of tartar removal (scaling).

After professional tooth cleaning, which includes sandblasting and scaling treatments, we protect the teeth with a special varnish in order to strengthen the tooth enamel and to better protect the teeth against caries.