Nowadays, the main concern for all health empleeys is HIV, Hepatitis B and C. Once you are infected, there is no way back. The same way dentist can be infected, the patient himself can as well. My personal opinion is that not a lot of people will ever tell you they have a desease...Dont ever let the dentist come near you without mask and gloves at least ( you dont know if he is the potential source of infection ), and watch out for the hygiene. Hygiene is the key for healthy work environment.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Infections
Being a dentist exposes you to bodily fluids of the patient such as blood and saliva. Therefore, you are exposed to infections unless you protect yourself with gloves, mask and glasses. These infections can occur if you prick yourself with the needle, if the saliva infected with virus or bacteria comes in contact with mucosa (such as oral mucosa ) or in the eye.
Nowadays, the main concern for all health empleeys is HIV, Hepatitis B and C. Once you are infected, there is no way back. The same way dentist can be infected, the patient himself can as well. My personal opinion is that not a lot of people will ever tell you they have a desease...Dont ever let the dentist come near you without mask and gloves at least ( you dont know if he is the potential source of infection ), and watch out for the hygiene. Hygiene is the key for healthy work environment.
Nowadays, the main concern for all health empleeys is HIV, Hepatitis B and C. Once you are infected, there is no way back. The same way dentist can be infected, the patient himself can as well. My personal opinion is that not a lot of people will ever tell you they have a desease...Dont ever let the dentist come near you without mask and gloves at least ( you dont know if he is the potential source of infection ), and watch out for the hygiene. Hygiene is the key for healthy work environment.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
How to use dental floss?
Dental floss is usually made out of plastic (Teflon) or nylon and is used to remove food and plaque from the teeth. 10 - 50m of floss is put in small plastic containers, on the top is a small blade used for ripping the floss. It should be used at least once a day, because it improves the oral hygiene and prevents gum diseases and cavities.
It is held between the fingers. Put in between the teeth in C shape, go around the neck of the tooth gently between the gum and the tooth (in the sulcus) and slowly pull down. That way you remove plaque and food that is stuck between the teeth. Bare in mind that plaque containes colonising bacteria, mostly Streptococcus mutans and other anaerobs that can produce acids as part of their metabolism which will eventually destroy enamel and cause cavities.
In the market, you can find so called flossing picks, but my suggestion is to use standard dental floss. It is easier to control it between your fingers and there is not a big chance to hurt gums while flossing.
Not to commercialize any brand, but Oral B is my favorite!
Flossing technique, see the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_KAs8kr3Qs
It is held between the fingers. Put in between the teeth in C shape, go around the neck of the tooth gently between the gum and the tooth (in the sulcus) and slowly pull down. That way you remove plaque and food that is stuck between the teeth. Bare in mind that plaque containes colonising bacteria, mostly Streptococcus mutans and other anaerobs that can produce acids as part of their metabolism which will eventually destroy enamel and cause cavities.
In the market, you can find so called flossing picks, but my suggestion is to use standard dental floss. It is easier to control it between your fingers and there is not a big chance to hurt gums while flossing.
Not to commercialize any brand, but Oral B is my favorite!
Flossing technique, see the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_KAs8kr3Qs
Friday, October 29, 2010
Dental implants
Dental implant is a root form endosseous implant. They have a "root" form and are placed in the bone. They can be used to replace missing teeth, to support crowns, bridges or dentures. It's a titanium screw with usually rough surface.
When you decide to have an implant, u will undergo many clinical procedures to make sure you are "the right patient" for the implant, meaning if your overall health allows such procedure as well as the bone quality in your jaws. You have to bare in mind that this is a surgical procedure, therefore pre surgical planning is needed, as well as observation of the patient after the implant has been placed. Usually orthopantomographs are made before the surgery, that way the doctor is able to see the bone structure and surface and the allignment of the teeth. Before the surgery all cavities should be restored as well as any gum conditions.
There is no estimated time to know weather the implant became a part of the bone. For some patients it takes a longer time, for others relativelly less. In general, doctors allow 2–6 months for healing.
For dental implant procedure to work, there must be enough bone in the jaw, and the bone has to be strong enough to hold and support the implant. If there is not enough bone, more may need to be added. Dental implant success is related to quality of the bone and the patient's oral hygiene which has to be flawless. A dental implant has failed if it is lost, mobile or shows bone loss of greater than 1.0 mm in the first year. This procedure is usually done by the oral surgeon.
When you decide to have an implant, u will undergo many clinical procedures to make sure you are "the right patient" for the implant, meaning if your overall health allows such procedure as well as the bone quality in your jaws. You have to bare in mind that this is a surgical procedure, therefore pre surgical planning is needed, as well as observation of the patient after the implant has been placed. Usually orthopantomographs are made before the surgery, that way the doctor is able to see the bone structure and surface and the allignment of the teeth. Before the surgery all cavities should be restored as well as any gum conditions.There is no estimated time to know weather the implant became a part of the bone. For some patients it takes a longer time, for others relativelly less. In general, doctors allow 2–6 months for healing.
For dental implant procedure to work, there must be enough bone in the jaw, and the bone has to be strong enough to hold and support the implant. If there is not enough bone, more may need to be added. Dental implant success is related to quality of the bone and the patient's oral hygiene which has to be flawless. A dental implant has failed if it is lost, mobile or shows bone loss of greater than 1.0 mm in the first year. This procedure is usually done by the oral surgeon.
Tooth whitening
Tooth whitening is also known as dental bleaching, but to be more precise dental bleaching is considered to be used when the teeth are whitened beyond their natural color.Tooth whitening means restoring a tooth's surface color by removing dirt, so basically toothpaste would be a home whitener. This is one of the procedures done basically for the estethic appearance and it is part of cosmetic dentistry. It is a bleaching process used to restore discolored or stained teeth to a healthy color. Main factors that cause tooth discoloration are:
- frequent drinking of coke, tea, coffee
- aging ( dentin below the enamel darkenes with age )
- smoking
- after root canal therapy
- after dental traumas ( the nerv dies and the tooth becomes darker ).
Tooth whitening is safe, especially with new products coming up all the time and under the supervision and directions of the dentist. There are many methods used: bleaching gel, bleaching pen, laser bleaching etc.Whitening products intended for home use include gels, liquids for rinsing, chewing gums, toothpastes and other products.The effects of bleaching can last for several months, but they depend on the lifestyle of the patient. Factors that decrease whitening include smoking, drinking of dark colored liquids like coke, coffee, tea and red wine.
Before you decide to have ur teeth bleached, it is better to consult doing so with your dentist. The reasons for this are possible allergies to the components of the materials used in the process as well as the evaluation of your overall health and dental status.
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