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stress and oral health

Exploring the Link between Stress and Poor Oral Health

You may be aware that chronic stress causes physical and emotional symptoms like headaches, digestive disorders, anxiety, and depression. However, did you know that stress can also affect your oral health?

According to a recent report shared by the American Psychological Association, Americans increasingly suffer from the physical symptoms of stress, affecting their overall wellbeing and increasing healthcare costs.

Stress in an inseparable aspect of the modern life; yet, constant anxiety and worry can wreak havoc on your oral health. The information shared in this article will help you recognize the relationship between stress and poor oral health, and offer valuable tips on managing stress for superior oral wellbeing.

How Stress Affects Oral Health

When subjected to stress, the ‘fight or flight’ response is triggered in the human body, releasing stress hormones and chemicals (like Cortisol and adrenaline) that have a detrimental effect on the immune system and cause a range oral health issues. Here’s how stress can adversely affect your oral wellbeing.

Stress Increases the Risk of Oral Infections and Sores

Stress has a huge negative impact on your teeth, gums, and jaw bone.

Research reveals a strong link between continued stress and gum disease or periodontal disease. Since individuals with high-stress level tend to indulge in unhealthy habits like smoking, consuming alcohol and drugs, binging on high-sugar food items, and maintaining poor oral hygiene, they are at an increased risk of developing the common symptoms of gum disease like tender, swollen, and bleeding gums, dental caries, bad breath, and loose teeth.

The constantly increased levels of Cortisol during stressful periods alter the immune system, thereby affecting the body’s natural ability to heal injuries and fight pathogens (like plaque and bacteria). Thus, a stressed individual is vulnerable to dental conditions like tooth decay, loss of bone, gum infections, mouth ulcers (canker sores), and cold sores.

In fact, constant stress can cause individuals to unintentionally bite their inner lips or cheeks, injuring the oral tissue and causing great discomfort when eating or conversing.

Stress Leads to Teeth Grinding or Bruxism

Clenching or grinding teeth is a common issue seen in individuals struggling with chronic stress and anxiety. Constant teeth grinding or bruxism contributes to a variety of dental woes, namely migraines, earache, chipped, misaligned, or flattened teeth, and sore and tight jaw muscles (referred to as temporomandibular disorder or TMD).

When stressed out, the nervous system activity heights. In order to gain relief, the individual grinds his/her teeth in sleep. Since the person isn’t aware of this excessive wear and tear, the teeth and underlying gums get severely damaged and become prone to inflammation and infection.

Stress Causes Dry Mouth

Chronic stress is proven to adversely affect the salivary flow rate, thereby affecting one’s quality of life. Have you noticed how badly you feel the urge to have a glass of water right before a stressful presentation at work? Stress causes hormonal imbalance in the body, thereby impacting the production of saliva in your mouth.

Apart from containing essential digestive enzymes, saliva is required to wash away the dead cells that accumulate on the tongue and the food particles between the teeth and gums. Moreover, saliva contains natural chemicals that neutralize the acid produced by plaque and bacteria.

The lack of saliva creates an acidic environment in the mouth and leads to the decomposition of the dead cells, damaging the teeth and causing foul breath.

3 Strategies to Manage Stress for Improved Oral Health

If you are suffering from any of the above-mentioned symptoms, it is wise to visit your dentist for expert dental care advice. In addition, use the tips shared below to manage stress and overcome the aforesaid dental conditions.

Manage Your Time Effectively

When you have a lot on your plate, even 24 hours a day may seem meager. Managing your time effectively can help you prioritize and organize your tasks, allowing you to live a less stressful and more enjoyable life.

Several mobile applications allow individuals to set reminders, organize their day, and accomplish important tasks with ease. Use technology to manage your day efficiently and reduce work-related anxiety.

Setting healthy limits and communicating them to others show that you respect your abilities and care for your wellbeing. Learn to say ‘no’ to requests that can create unnecessary anxiety in your life.

Make Self-Care a Priority

The first thing that is impacted under stress is your ability to take care of your body. Though it may make you feel selfish, it is important to prioritize your health over other pressing matters.

Avoid depending on alcohol, cigarettes and drugs, and indulging in other compulsive behaviors to escape stress. Instead, develop healthy habits like exercising and meditating regularly, eating well-balanced meals, avoiding high-sugar food items, and getting enough sleep.

Take time out from your hectic schedule and develop hobbies that help you relax and live a fulfilling life.

Ensure oral hygiene by brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Remember to floss regularly to get rid of the stubborn plaque and calculus between the teeth.

Seek Professional Support

If you are overwhelmed with stress, don’t hesitate to ask for professional help.

Your dentist knows how stress affects your oral health and can offer you valuable advice on enhancing your oral routine during stressful periods. Therefore, it is advisable to see your dentist or oral hygienist regularly.

Furthermore, your dentist can refer you to a psychologist or a healthcare professional trained in stress management, enabling you to cope with pressure and live a healthy life.

Summing It Up

A certain amount of stress is healthy as it drives us to achieve our life goals. However, chronic stress can contribute to poor oral health and ruin your overall wellbeing systemically in combination with other chronic diseases. Being aware of how stress can affect your oral health can help you recognize the early warning signs, enabling you to take effective measures to reduce the ensuing painful oral symptoms.

Use the smart tips shared in this article to manage stress and avert the risk of developing dental disorders.

Patient Experience in your Dental Practice

How to Increase Patient Experience in your Dental Practice

Marketing your dental practice is not merely a matter of what services you offer; it is also about how existing and potential patients perceive what you offer.

When you focus on this aspect, you will understand whether your practice is meeting the goals and objectives you desire. Any shortcomings will then be observed and if you find that you are missing out on growth opportunities, you have to initiate corrective action to ensure that your dental clinic meets the expectations of your patients. Generating goodwill and spreading brand awareness are crucial for any successful venture and your dental practice should not be an exception.

Here are a few strategies that, as a dentist, you can implement to increase patient experience and ensure that they have a positive impact on your practice.

Know What is Expected

Knowing what is expected of you by patients is crucial to begin with. Your priorities will be oral care of your patients but unfortunately, from their side, that might not always be on top of the list. Understanding their concerns and goals is essential for you. You have to make time over the year to discuss oral hygiene and care and smile goals with each of your patients. Only then will you be able to stitch together oral care routine for them as well as anticipate what cosmetic services they might need. Helping a patient to know what is required should form an integral part of your practice in addition to the hands-on work that you carry out.

However, you should be careful not to show that you are being too pushy and throwing a sales pitch for your services. It should be a counseling session on oral health and care.

Set a Theme

Once you have understood patients’ expectations, you have to set a theme for your clinic based on the specialization that you have opted for. Patients then will feel more at home in your clinic. An example will illustrate this point better. Suppose you are catering to cosmetic dentistry and a large percentage of patients are interested in it. The ambiance of your clinic should have a spa-like atmosphere with ample scope of pampering your patients. The emphasis will be on well-planned aesthetics instead of mere functionality with staid furniture and fittings.

On the other hand, if your practice is more of family dentistry, a fun and kid-friendly environment will help. The key is to anticipate patient expectation and plan accordingly.

Be Open About your Clinic

When people go out for dinner, it is the little experiences that count – chef visiting the table or a complimentary appetizer for instance. Word soon gets around about the service of the restaurant and it becomes a highly recommended establishment.

Your dental practice is no exception. Make further attempts to create a lasting impression. You can take first- time patients on a guided tour of the facilities to put them at ease, more so before complex procedures. Show them the dental care products that are used by you. If they are, for example, top of the line teeth whitening items from Active Smile Australia they will doubly be assured of the quality of services at your clinic. This experience will make patients less apprehensive about a dental procedure.

First Impressions Matter

Studies have shown that creating a positive first impression goes a long way toward enhancing the ultimate patient experience. Starting from the first phone call that sets up an appointment to the time patients step physically into your clinic every small thing counts. The friendliness of the reception staff and the comfort of your waiting hall will significantly help in putting them at ease. This feeling at the beginning will set the stage for how firmly they can establish a relationship with you and your team pre and post treatment. A satisfied patient is your best marketing agent, and you can be assured of referrals through word of mouth compliments. In fact, the first phone call is crucial and you should have the right people who can make use of it as a powerful marketing tool.

Have a Good Team Around You

A dentist is not a one-person army and has to depend on a team of dedicated individuals to enhance the patient experience. Build a team that can enrich patient interactions as well as improves the brand value of your clinic. The rule of thumb is that a positive employee experience is closely and intricately linked to patient experience. Create an environment that is easy for the staff to work in, right from the receptionist to your fellow dentists. Have a system of rewards in place that will actively support their inclination to give off their best.

Educate your Patients

Most people today are tech-savvy and technologically driven and hence would love to know about the high-tech equipment in your clinic. You might have all the latest intraoral cameras, digital X-rays and CEREC restorations but it all comes to naught if the patients are not conscious of it. You can make patients aware of the technology that you are using, either when they are in your clinic or through detailed posts on your website.

By this effort of educating your patients, you will be sending out a message that all the latest cosmetic and restorative dental care services provided by you are of superior quality and that they are getting the best treatments that technology has to offer. Since you have invested time and money in installing these devices, you might as well make it work for you.

Have Patient-Centric Processes

One of the primary factors that should always be on your mind is that you should provide your patients with a trouble-free experience. For this to happen, you have to streamline your patient interaction processes. Much before they visit your clinic, they should be aware of all the formalities. Do they have to bring their ID or their insurance card on their first visit? Do they have to follow any dietary or medicinal restrictions before they visit? Your backup team should be able to handle these aspects of patient care optimally.

These are some of the ways that you can follow to increase patient experience in your dental practice in Australia.

Dentures

The Importance of Taking Proper Care of Dentures

No one will deny the fact that a smile is the most beautiful thing one can experience and it radiates positivity and connection towards the other person. But your wide smile can be affected with age and by losing teeth you might face many health issues and personality issues too. Dentures are the best solution out there which can solve the problem related to teeth.

Sometimes, usually in old age, missing teeth are replaced by dentures for a healthier smile and oral health restoration. But having dentures placed in the mouth becomes a maintenance issue for people as well. It is important to learn to clean them properly and regularly.

Another fact to be considered here is that it is an investment to get well-fitting dentures and the better you care for them, the longer their lifespan will be.

Some people are able to use the same set of dentures for about ten years, because of the way they care for them. Once broken, dentures must be replaced, requiring another investment, earlier than expected.

But it is possible to take care of the dentures using the following tips and avoid facing premature denture replacement.

Cleaning the Dentures after Meals

Whether you are using partial, or full dentures, they should be cleaned properly for long-term use. Just as with natural teeth, when you eat meals, food particles get trapped in the dentures. So, the dentures should be cleaned after every meal by rinsing them and even brushing them. This will increase the lifespan of your dentures eventually.

Store the Dentures Properly

Storing dentures becomes really important as they are fragile in nature and can be easily broken if they are not kept and handled with proper care. Any high stress or pressure while the dentures are not in use can break them easily. Unless you have permanently implanted dentures, you have to keep extra care of them. Also, it should be kept in mind that the dentures should not be bent severely during cleaning.

Oral Hygiene

Along with cleaning the dentures for their long life, your overall oral health needs to be maintained for a healthy smile and well-fitting dentures. Oral hygiene to keep any remaining natural teeth, as well as the gums, healthy, is also needed for complete oral care protection. By keeping small things in mind one can take proper care of their dentures.

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Soaking and Brushing of Dentures

Dentures are made up of a special kind of material which retains its shape when submerged in soaking solutions, or water. So, don’t worry about its shape and health. As a common practice, it is best to soak dentures overnight and brush them once a day to remove plaque and food particles. This common practice, when done in regular intervals, can help you out and can help you out in having a beautiful smile without any dullness.

Regularly Visiting Dentist

Using dentures for completing your set of teeth and ensuring that you take care of them properly will extend their life-span, but you may not realize when the dentures need replacement, or if your oral health is compromised. Visiting dentists on a regular basis will help you to stay on top of your overall oral health.

There are no specific guidelines which one has to follow. But by keeping all the above-mentioned points in mind one can surely maintain a good health of their dentures. And by doing this one can save money and time from unnecessary replacements.

Invisalign

Top 3 Alternatives to Invisalign

Let’s be honest. Most of us who have endured the old, bracketed and wired braces, wish we could have skipped the awkward months of teeth realignment. Luckily, invisible aligners are been becoming more popular amongst every age group. So why choose invisible aligners and what are the best alternatives to Invisalign?

Invisible aligners give you the chance to correct oral issues, such as overbite, widely-spaced teeth, or even crooked teeth. Those with extensive oral issues may want to seek a more traditional dental route. However, for those with minor realignment needs, invisible aligners will do the trick!

Braces and invisible aligners were both created to serve one purpose: Improve the overall health and appearance of your smile. Even though they both have a common goal, there are several benefits to choosing the invisible aligner route, over braces.

  • Invisible aligner trays are removable
  • It is less likely that someone notices you are in treatment
  • You will feel more comfortable, having avoided the wires and bands
  • Dental cleanings are easier

Alternatives to Invisalign

If you should choose to go the invisible aligner route, there are a few different options. One of the most popular being Invisalign. Invisalign is a tray formed, and worn most hours of the day, to correct your specific oral needs.

The cost of Invisalign may vary depending on how many teeth require readjusting. If you’ve ever tried Invisalign, you may notice it is a bit costly. As severity being the leading factor in cost, you can expect to dish out anywhere from $2,800 to $4,800. Those who decide to use Invisalign typically end up paying a bit more out-of-pocket, as only about 25-50% of the cost will be covered by insurance.

Much like most prescribed medicines, Invisalign does have alternatives. These alternatives can help save money, while serving the exact same purpose, with the exact same results. Three of the more popular choices when steering away from Invisalign are:

  1. Smile Direct Club
  2. Snap Correct
  3. Clear Correct

Each invisible aligner company is different. Find the one that fits your lifestyle the best, and you will be on your way to a happier (and more smiley) you!

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Smile Direct Club

While we don’t always admit it, a smile is important. As one of our most notable features, we want our teeth to look good. With the Smile Direct Club, you can develop the smile you want, from the comfort of your own home.

The process the Smile Direct Club uses takes a lot of pressure off the trip to the orthodontist. As you age, staying closer to home can become a vital part of your healthcare. Leaving your home may present uncertain risks, causing stress and a bit of anxiety.

One of the biggest bonuses of this method of oral alignment is the cost. The initial impression kit is only $95! Once your dental plan is approved, you will have the option to pay all at once or enroll in a payment plan. The payment plan will require you to put $250 down up-front, then $80 per month thereafter for 24 months. However, if you decide to pay the cost up front, you will likely save a little bit more money.

It is important to note that Smile Direct Club may come with some uncertainties. When you decide to go this route, you skip out on seeing a dentist. If you’re not seeing a dentist in person, results may not always come out the best. It is usually suggested you get an in-person impression of your teeth, to receive the best results. Incorrectly straightened teeth could potentially develop more dental risks.

SnapCorrect

When it comes to invisible aligners, you want them to be exactly that. Invisible. Unlike the opaque style of Smile Direct Club, SnapCorrect aligners come perfectly clear. They also have contoured edges, whereas Smile Direct Club trays tend to have a raised border.

If cost is a deciding factor for you, SnapCorrect and the other mentioned alternatives typically end up costing the same. However, with SnapCorrect, you will also receive one set of free retainers.

SnapCorrect aligners are not created with 3D printers. This means you have less of an opportunity to develop irritation in the gums. Also, the aligners will be fitted more snugly to your teeth, making them more comfortable, and easier to wear.

Let’s talk about speed. There is always a larger demand for invisible aligners when a big event is coming up. Whether it be graduation or a wedding, SnapCorrect has you covered. As a huge benefit, you will receive your custom aligners within one month!

However, much like its competitors, SnapCorrect comes with the risks of not seeing a dentist in person. A common issue is the amount of time it takes to fix a tray or replace retainers. Unfortunately, when you go the mail-order approach, you do not necessarily get the same attention and priority a dentist may give.

ClearCorrect

As a huge benefit to your life, ClearCorrect is a very easy to maintain option. Aside from the usability, ClearCorrect comes with many perks. ClearCorrect uses advanced 3D modeling technology, sent directly from your dentist. Due to this technology, and orthopedic intervention, ClearCorrect ensures all their aligners will be perfectly fit to your teeth.

With Invisalign, you receive 20 to 30 aligners, for both the upper and lower sets of teeth.  Whereas, when ordering with ClearCorrect, you receive 32 steps of treatment, delivered in eight phases.

When comparing the costs of alternatives to Invisalign, you may be surprised. ClearCorrect comes in two forms of treatment: limited treatment and full treatment. The ClearCorrect Limited treatment may end up costing you somewhere around $3000. For the ClearCorrect Full treatment, you will end up paying out closer to $5000. If cost is a big deciding factor for you, it may be smart to go a different direction.

It is important to note, much like Invisalign, ClearCorrect is administered by a dentist or orthodontist. The initial fitting and treatment decision will be determined solely by your physician to meet your specific needs.

Choosing the Best Invisible Aligner

If you are worried about cost, you may try going the Smile Direct Club route. They are extremely affordable and allow you to start the process of realignment from the comfort of your own home.

When it comes to having the perfect fit, SnapCorrect seems to be the one to go for. They avoid 3D modeling, ensuring that a comfortable fit takes priority.  Ultimately, what is more important than ensuring they fit properly?

As far as general effectiveness, ClearCorrect and Invisalign seem to have the best reputation. However, it seems that ClearCorrect may provide you with more options for treatment. Therefore, giving you a more personally designed, better treatment outcome.

At the end of the day, each company has their differences and perks. It is up to you to decide on which fits your lifestyle the best.

Please remember, none of these aligners should be used in place of a dentist or orthodontist if your dental circumstances are severe. However, in the case of minor alignment issues, it is suggested to use one of the aligners mentioned above.

 

 

Tips to Get Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth

10 Fun Tips to Get Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth

Who told parenting is an easy job? Kids get fussy over all things – especially brushing their teeth. In this article we give you 10 tips to get your kids to brush their teeth.

It is indeed a hard task to get them to brush their teeth. If they don’t, their oral health will take a wrong turn. Trying to convince them with arguments is, as all parents know, utterly useless. They always seem to have ready responses for all the arguments of the parents. What follows is usually shouting or even sometimes spanking.

This is more likely to affect them in an adverse way. They may develop psychological abnormalities over time. There is also the possibility of them performing these tasks just because they fear you, without understanding the importance.

The best way to inculcate these good habits (brushing teeth in this case) in them is to condition them cleverly through reinforcements, which increases the chances of them becoming permanent habits.

So, here we go with 10 Fun Tips to Get Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth.

#1 Keep up Routines

No matter how hard and long the day was, make sure you stick to the routine. Brushing teeth twice a day should be a hard and fast rule. This will make it a habit more efficiently. It is also advisable to set time aside exclusively for brushing teeth.

#2 Reward Appropriate Brushing Behaviour

It may be as simple as stickers. Prepare a chart and let them stick one sticker each time they brush their teeth properly. They may encash these as their favorite reward once a month. To encourage their learning and explorative spirits, you may reward them with science gifts occasionally.

#3 Make up Stories with Their Favourite Characters

If your kids have a cartoon character which they can’t have enough of, give some work to your creativity and make up stories that motivate them to brush their teeth. Your kids would love it!!

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#4 Make brushing a family custom

Where do you think kids learn from? Definitely from their family. So, make brushing a family activity just like meals. This helps your kids brush their teeth and what more, it also helps keep a better family relationship.

#5 Customise Toothbrushes and Toothpaste

Go Shopping with your kids and let them pick up their favorite toothbrushes and toothpaste. Toothpaste nowadays comes in a variety of flavors which appease kids easily. Even toothbrushes often come with cartoon characters which the kids will love.

#6 Make Brush Time Fun Time

You may want to put on your kids’ favorite song while they brush their teeth or even make it an experience by singing songs that encourage them to get the job done. For example, you can modify “Row, row, row your boat” to “Brush, brush, brush your teeth”. This works for little ones though they are silly.

#7 Encourage them to be Little Dentist

We have all done this. Who did not want to be a teacher while playing the classroom games? You can take the advantage of the roleplay that kids love to do to encourage brushing. You can play with them playing the parts of both the dentist and the patient.

While being a dentist, you can give some tips on how to maintain clean mouths. While being a patient, you may become a model of how a patient should behave with the dentist. Kids can even play dentists with their favorite stuffed toys.  This helps them understand the importance of brushing and oral hygiene and it is also fun.

#8 Compliment their Brushing

No matter how bad they do it initially, compliment their brushing, this keeps their spirits high and keep using brushes twice a day. Later, you could give them tips on how to improve their brushing skills. Make sure you recognize it when they try to inculcate those tips while brushing, and never discourage them when they do it wrong.

#9 Decorate the Bathroom

This doesn’t mean you will have to put up banners, bands in your bathroom. Try to make your bathroom brushing friendly by putting up a mirror (if not present), create some interesting ambiance like decorated toothbrush holders made using high-quality glass bottles. Get your kids involved in making this.     

#10 Tell them the Consequences of Not Brushing Their Teeth

This is the fun that parents get to enjoy. Scare your kids how not brushing teeth leads to tooth cavities which may make a dentist visit necessary. Tell them that a dentist uses ez io needles, which can be very painful. Be careful as this may lead to fear of dentists in the future. This seems to be rude, but anything to make them brush their teeth. Use this tip only if the other tips don’t work, or maybe you can combine it with the other tips also.

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These were a few tips on how to get those naughty tiny tots to the bathroom to brush their teeth. Make sure you educate them on the importance of oral hygiene in an age-appropriate manner so that they know the reason for your insistence.

All the Best!

 

 

Sedation dentistry given by a denstist

Anesthesia and Sedation: Fixing The Dilemma When Visiting Your Dentist

An impending visit to the dentist is sufficient to put anyone through sleepless nights and mental trauma. Even the thought of getting a tooth extracted or root canal treatment can send shivers down the spine of some people, especially children. For these individuals, anesthesia or sedation might be an option. 

The pain involved may be too much to handle. Making the patient unconscious by administering some medicines has increasingly been proposed as a possible way out.

Sedation and Anesthesia are two medical terms often used by people in a misinformed way. Most of them know that these are used for making a person unconscious but the scientific difference between the two is lesser known.

Let’s have a detailed look at these two terms and other aspects of the whole process of ‘making a person unconscious’.

WHAT EXACTLY IS SEDATION?

Wikipedia defines ‘Sedation’ as the reduction of irritability or agitation by administration of sedative drugs, generally to facilitate a medical procedure or diagnostic procedure.

In other words ‘Sedation’ is a state of partial unconsciousness. When under sedation, the patient may respond to stimulation but is unaware of the surroundings otherwise.

A patient under the effect of a sedative will open his eyes or move his hands when asked to. It is a form of a ‘light sleep’ employed to make the patient unconscious for various medical purposes including endoscopy, vasectomy, and dentistry.

It can be of various levels such as minimal sedation, moderate sedation, and deep sedation.

Sedation generally used for dental purposes is referred to as ‘Oral Sedation Dentistry’. For dental purposes, some oral sedative drugs are administered which reduce the patient’s fear and anxiety of the impending operation. Commonly used drugs for dental sedation are diazepam, zaleplon, and hydroxyzine.

Dental patients with a fear of needles and sharp instruments, commonly referred to as ‘Prior Dental Trauma’, are often given a dose of oral sedatives. The dose can be single or incremental depending on the patient and the type of dental operation to be performed. Removal of wisdom teeth is a common example where dental sedation is used.

WHAT IS ANESTHESIA THEN?

Anesthesia has been used in some form or the other for a long time. It’ll be interesting to note that in ancient times Belladonna flower plant was used as an anesthetic for surgery. This deadly nightshade is still used for mild sedation.

Under the effect of anesthesia, the patient is sent into a state of complete unconsciousness. He or she is completely unaware of the surroundings and does not respond to any external stimulus. It is a temporary state of induced loss of senses.

Dental anesthesia

Dental anesthesia is a broad term. It is a sub-field of anesthesia and further includes local anesthetics, sedation and, general anesthesia. A patient is said to be under local anesthesia when only a specific part of the mouth is under the effect of the drug used for anesthetizing the patient.

The mouth tissues are made numb in this process blocking the nerves which transmit the pain signals to the brain. For dental purposes such as filling cavities or preparing the tooth for a crown, injectable anesthetics are used.

General anesthesia, on the other hand, completely suppresses the activity of the central nervous system and sends the person to a state of complete unconsciousness. Some texts also refer to the most advanced level of sedation as ‘General Anesthesia’.

Even painful stimulus is not sufficient to arouse the patient. Although for a majority of dental purposes, local anesthesia is used and is quite sufficient, still many dentists tend to choose one out of sedation and general anesthesia.

HOW DO SEDATION AND GENERAL ANESTHESIA DIFFER?

Sedation generally relieves the patient of the anxiety of a dental operation. The medication reduces the memory, sight, and smell of the clinic thus preventing the patient from any possible trauma.

Anesthesia, on the other hand, is given with a goal to achieve hypnosis, analgesia and muscle relaxation. As opposed to sedation, one of the major goals of anesthesia is to make it impossible for the patient to move. The most common method used for sedation in dentistry is ODS (Oral Dental Sedation).

It is preferred because it is the easiest to administer, most effective, doesn’t involve any needles and has a lower cost. The patient wakes up gradually from the effect and is under medical examination till recovered fully.

Feeling tired or groggy is common among the patients. The other risks involved include apnea and hypotension. Anesthesia, on the other hand, involves the usage of a dental syringe.

The anesthetic solution is injected into the patient’s body.  Nausea and vomiting may be witnessed in the patient.

WHICH ONE SHOULD YOU PREFER?

Whether you should go for sedation or anesthesia depends on a number of factors –

  • Your medical history – The drugs used for sedation or anesthesia must not have any side effects on your body. The doctor must be completely aware of your medical history before proceeding further with the kind of drug to be used.
  • Type of patient – Patients with hypertension, heart defects, kidney diseases or any other medical problem like latex allergy should avoid sedation under normal circumstances. Special procedures must be used to minimize the risks involved.
  • Equipment – As anesthesia involves the use of a dental syringe, it may not be much recommended for those suffering from dental trauma or having high levels of anxiety. Oral dental sedation can be a better option here.

Hence, both sedation and anesthesia have their own prospects and consequences.

Choosing one out of the two involves a subjective approach and must be done after proper consultation with the dentist keeping in mind the medical history, mental state and age of the patient.

Both have their own risks and must be mitigated by experts in a professional manner.

Why-You-Really-Need-A-Cosmetic-Dentist

Why You Really Need A Cosmetic Dentist

Many people are not aware of the fact that when looking for a dentist there is a choice between a general dentist and a cosmetic dentist. For those who are inclined towards a perfect set of teeth, need to look for the cosmetic dentist and for those who are more concerned about the health of their teeth need to opt for a general dentist.

A cosmetic dentist is a professional, who can offer you the perfect smile with the perfect set of teeth.

Reasons for Choosing a Cosmetic Dentist

Replacing Teeth

For those who are uncomfortable with the missing gap in their teeth, a cosmetic dentist is a right choice. Your smile can be restored with apt replacements. Dentures, dental bridges, dental crowns, and dental implants are the procedures of a cosmetic dentist.

Teeth Whitening

There are many who suffer from discolouration of teeth. As compared to the general dentist, a cosmetic dentist can offer you more options. Besides, they have the required skill and expertise for teeth whitening.

Professional whitening of teeth with a cosmetic dentist tends to be safer and more effective, as compared to the general dentist. You need to be aware of the fact that discolouration of the teeth can happen due to various reasons. This might be due to ageing or bad food habits, staining, or even chemical damage. As teeth’s whitening is cost-effective, many people opt for this treatment.

Teeth Straightening

There are possibilities of avoiding braces for the straightening of teeth when you visit the cosmetic dentist instead of the general dentist. Braces are not the only option and can be problematic for many.

The cosmetic dentist offers you the choice between porcelain veneers and clear braces. This dentist works in accordance to the need and requirement of their patients.

Improving Your Smile

A smile offers health benefits, which many are unaware of:

  • A perfect smile can work as a motivation for a better oral care.
  • Misaligned teeth can cause headaches. Crooked teeth tend to put pressure not only on the gums but also on the nerves. Hence, only cosmetic dentistry can help you eliminate this problem, offering relief.
  • A healthy smile gives you the confidence to interact and socialize to a greater extent. This leads to a reduction in the overall stress.
  • Cosmetic dentistry helps you in looking younger. This feeling is positive for anyone.

Choosing a Cosmetic Dentist

Dentist

Once you have decided to visit a cosmetic dentist for your dental problems, it is time to find out the best one. It is definitely advisable to follow some sure and certain tips while choosing the right one so that, you opt for the apt dentist as per your requirement.

Training and Experience

Besides the qualifications of a cosmetic dentist, the experience and the training acquired can make a difference to the treatment. These experienced professionals have more knowledge and are confident to handle any type of dentistry work.

Reviews

In case, you decide to opt for an online search, besides the other factors, it is important to go through the reviews and ratings listed here. You get a clear picture of what you are heading for, how much knowledge does the cosmetic dentist have and other relevant information.

Anaesthesia and Technology

A dentist who is into modern procedures has the latest technology like digital X-rays, chairside monitors, intraoral cameras, and dental lasers. This can make a difference to the quality of treatment offered.

Payment Options

Insurance generally does not cover cosmetic dentistry. It is advisable to ensure the mode of payment before you sit on the dentist’s chair for your treatment.

Thus, find yourself a good and experienced cosmetic dentist by following the aforementioned tips.

Invisalign

Oral Hygiene Tips for Teens with Invisalign Braces

If you are considering Invisalign braces to straighten your teeth discreetly, it is important that you know how to care for your teeth and your Invisalign braces throughout the treatment to get the best results.  In this article, we provide 5 tips to take care of your teeth and braces.

Invisalign is a highly effective teeth straightening system which uses customized clear braces that need to be maintained in top condition if you want to achieve the smile of your dreams seamlessly and enjoy the results for long-term.

These invisible braces can be removed for brushing and eating but that does not mean you don’t need to clean them or you can skip brushing your teeth before you wear them again.

 Why it is Important to Clean and Care for Your Invisalign Braces

Lack of good oral hygiene leads to the buildup of bacteria in your Invisalign braces, leaving your teeth susceptible to decay, deterioration and ddiscolouration– all of which will eventually negate the cosmetic and oral health benefits of your Invisalign treatment.

Busy teens often struggle with Invisalign hygiene which causes their teeth aligners to stain and stink over time. Following these 5 simple Invisalign hygiene tips will help in keeping the clear braces in their top condition for a positive outcome.

5 Tips to Take Care of Your Teeth and Keep Your Clear Braces Clean

Use Technology to Your Advantage – Schedule a Reminder

Leaving for school early in the morning, coming home late and falling asleep over homework at night – this schedule makes it difficult to follow the Invisalign hygiene routine.

Setting reminders on the phone makes it easier for busy teens to keep both the Invisalign braces and the teeth clean by brushing them carefully twice a day. When brushing your Invisalign braces, avoid toothpaste and be sure to use a soft bristled brush, gently working on your aligners using circular motions.

Print a Calendar and Put it Up in the Bathroom

Teens often forget to change their clear braces on a regular basis. This can cause the Invisalign braces to turn yellow and dirty.

Creating a calendar and putting it up in the bathroom next to the medicine cabinet will act as an effective reminder for changing and cleaning the invisible braces.

Get a Cleaning Kit for Optimal Oral Health

Using an Invisalign cleaning kit is the best way to keep your clear braces fresh and clean throughout the treatment. The kit is very simple to use – all you need to do is soak your clear braces in the cleaning crystals while you are eating and meanwhile it will remove all the buildup and plaque in just 15 minutes.

Store the Teeth Aligners Safely When not in Use

Aligners can be easily removed when you are eating, playing or when you need to clean them but this creates a new problem. Teens often forget their aligners on the bathroom sink, at the dinner table or in the lunch tray. This is when the clear braces come in contact with bacteria, allowing them to survive and thrive.

So, every time you remove your aligners rinse them off with water and store them in a clean, dry container until you need to wear them again.

Consult Your Orthodontist

Orthodontic Treatment

Invisalign is a highly effective tooth straightening treatment and a great investment that gives you a healthy, beautiful smile but it is equally important that you take proper care of your clear braces.

An orthodontist can help you understand the importance of maintaining Invisalign hygiene and also recommend safe and effective ways to care for your clear braces and your teeth throughout your treatment.

To protect your flawless smile following your treatment, you should brush and floss regularly. Additionally, you should drink a lot of water following every meal to help remove harmful bacteria and food.

Of course, there would be times when you eat outside and are unable to brush your teeth at night but make sure you rinse your mouth with a mouthwash on such occasions to keep your teeth in top shape.

What options Do Adults Have When It Comes to Straightening Their Teeth

What options Do Adults Have When It Comes to Straightening Their Teeth?

If you are an adult looking for dental procedures for the solution to the problem that you are facing, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we provide a list of procedures and treatments that you can adhere to as a solution to your dental worries.

As old age begins to conceive its mandatory aspects, bones, teeth and facial signs of aging become very prominent. Adults fear and avoid resorting to treatments as they think their dental predicament is permanent and cannot be restored.

However, in reality, it is highly the opposite, especially for dental problems. There are procedures and service can prevent decaying and increase teeth durability for the longest time and are meant and recommended especially for adults. These are your options.

Invisalign

Invisalign is a procedure that use a modern more effective method to align teeth in a straight line. A set of aligners are formed specifically for your teeth embrace. The Invisalign method uses aligners that are plastic and practically invisible, so people around you won’t even realize you’re going through a procedure until you tell them or they notice the remarkable change.

The aligners do not involve the use of wires or brackets of any sort and rely on the sole plastic for their existence. These aligners are changed every week as the teeth begin to change and all it will take is two weeks or slightly more for the procedure to fully complete. The treatment of Invisalign does not hinder with your daily routine or cause any sort of discomfort to you.

Crowns

Ageing factors are hard to ignore but considerably can be prolonged and managed. One such dental predicament that adults face is incessant decaying of teeth. In some cases the tooth cannot be restored using fillers, hence an entire is to be inserted.

An advanced machine aids to the procedure, where it restores the missing part of the tooth while the patient sits and waits. In turn, the procedure ends up restoring your teeth into a straight line.

Dental Implants

In case of missing teeth, which is common in adults, dental implants can be installed for restoration. The dental implants are inserted into the gums after which the tooth is placed inside the implant as a puzzle and end restoring a straight line of your teeth.

This procedure is highly recommended but needs consultation from a specialized dentist before using it to solve your problem. The reason is this that adults often have weak gums, these gums, therefore, do not have the strength to hold the dental implant fittings.

In case you are an adult with strong gums and the dentist has given to you the go sign for this, then you can begin the procedure of getting dental implants.

Veneers

Dental veneers

Dental veneers are one of the best options available options for getting their teeth straightened by adults. They are known as porcelain veneers because of the thinnest character they have.

Dental veneers are casings of ceramic that are bonded or attached to the patient’s tooth, preferably front one, in order to obtain the straight uniformity of the teeth.

They are used as a solution to discolouration, yellow, chipped or crooked teeth. Each veneer is constructed and created to complement the teeth next to the one being veneered, basically to fit flawlessly as a natural inhabitant of your mouth. They do not require special care, are durable and therefore constitute all features of the best solution for adults wanting to straighten their teeth.

Braces

Braces are the go-to treatment for all people and the one that brings out remarkable results over a long period based on the teeth situation of the individual.

Metal braces, even though widely used, remain to be uncomfortable for adults to manage, as they require routine visits to the dentist for tightening, replacing bands etc. Moreover, most adults might consider themselves way past the age to get braces.

But little do they know the types of available braces that fit the criteria of ‘adult braces’. For instance
Tooth Colored Braces
Tooth-coloured braces work the same as the normal metal braces, the only thing that makes them different is the duration which happens to be longer than normal metal braces. Moreover, they are bulkier than metal braces but being tooth coloured does not make them entirely invisible.

Lingual Braces
Lingual braces or braces that fit on the back of the tooth are preferred by patients for a lot of reasons. The most prominent reason for their popularity is that other people cannot see them on, this relieves adults of the embarrassment and discomfort that having braces on gives them. However, the lingual braces are much more expensive than normal braces and require more time to show results.

Orthodontic Plates

Another option that reasons and bodes well for adult use is the installation of Orthodontic plates. These plates are installed to change the shape, reshape and align the teeth as space is created. Orthodontic plates work best for adults that have teeth bunched up together or are appear stuck in between other teeth.

The reason orthodontic plates are used is that they create room and space for teeth that appear bunched up. This is so as the main reason of non-straightened teeth is the under development or comparatively small development of the jaw, so the teeth grow In whatever space is available to them which resultantly makes them crooked.

Reasons for Preference:

  • Adults give preference to restoring teeth than to getting extractions; hence, this treatment protects the teeth from potential removal.
  • They are invisible and removable and do not result in tooth decay.
  • Widen the jaws and creates a big beautiful smile.

Final Thoughts

To sum it up, if you want to straighten your teeth, you can adhere to consultation with a specialized dentist to analyze your dental situation. After analysis, a dentist will recommend and help you to select the treatment that will give you the best results.