As we were growing up, mom always told us we should brush our teeth after every meal and go easy with sweets because they lead to cavities. When it comes to dental care, we all know the basic rules: brushing your teeth at least twice a day, flossing and rinsing with mouthwash, going to the dentist every six month for a checkup. But some questions regarding dental care and hygiene still remain unanswered. Not anymore. Here are the top frequently asked dental questions and their answers.
1. What is tooth sensitivity?
Tooth sensitivity means the appearance of mild pain and discomfort when eating something sweet or drinking hot or cold beverages, when you brush your teeth and floss. Several factors can cause tooth sensitivity such as: cavities, gum disease, dental fracture, enamel abrasion. The good news is that it can be treated.
2. Which toothbrush is better: the manual or the electric toothbrush?
Both types of toothbrushes have their advantages and disadvantages. Whether you use an electric toothbrush, or a manual one, he most important thing is to clean your teeth at least twice a day (morning and evening) for two-three minutes.
3. Are whitening toothpastes efficient?
Additionally, compared to other toothpastes, those with whitening effect contain abrasive elements and various chemical agents that help them have a mild bleaching effect. They cannot however, be as efficient as professional dental whitening and are not effective against tartar buildup. These toothpastes are ideal for patients who smoke, drink coffee and tea, as they prevent the teeth surfaces from getting a yellow color.
4. What is a cavity?
Dental cavities are a destructive substance at dental level. Cavities occur by decomposing bacteria from food that remains on the tooth surface. Decay can be prevented by cleaning your teeth twice a day for two minutes and by keeping professional hygiene appointments made by the dentist. If cavities do occur, you should go to the dentist for treatment because untreated, it can lead to complications and even tooth loss.
5. What is fluoride?
Fluoride is a mineral that strengthens tooth surface and helps prevent cavities, so it is a necessary element in proper dental health care. Dentists use fluoride to treat early-stage cavities.
6. What is a root canal treatment?
If dental cavities advance to the pulp, causing inflammation or infection, then the dentist must remove the pulp. Treatment consists of removal of root infected pulp, cleaning the root canal and filling it with special material. With modern technology, this is not a painful procedure and after two or three sessions, the tooth is fully restored
7. What causes bad breath?
Among the frequently asked dental questions is that concerning bad breath. Dental studies have shown that 85% of patients with bad breath, known as halitosis, have a dental cause. These are: gum disease, cavities, dry mouth (xerostomia), bacteria in the mouth. Mouthwash only covers bad breath for a limited time, but it does not treat the cause. You need to go to the dentist to treat the disease.
8. Why is tartar removal necessary?
Tartar removal is necessary to get rid of buildup on the teeth. Tartar comes from saliva and plaque and has a yellow-white color. The darker color is given by extrinsic colorants (coffee, chocolate, wine, tobacco, dark colored beverages). If plaque remains on the teeth and gums are affected in the next stage, the bone that supports the teeth might seriously suffer. Tartar removal should be done on average every 6 months.
9. Why do we need straightening teeth?
Half the population has crowded or crooked teeth or a prominent jaw or mandible and uneven bite. If there is no space, however small, between the teeth, or if they are crooked, the risk of plaque and cavities is high. The toothbrush cannot enter into all spaces between the teeth and therefore the patient is not getting adequate dental care. In addition, when the bite is uneven, muscles and jaw joints are overworked. In some cases, people with such problems suffer from headaches. Wearing braces right throughout a period recommended by the doctor can fix these flaws in teeth.
10. What is dental gangrene?
Gangrene is an infection. This dental infection can be accompanied by gum swelling around the tooth. The causes are cavities and tooth trauma. If there is a dental cavity, the bacteria can reach the pulp causing infection. Untreated, this infection can spread to the entire mouth and throughout the body.
11. How safe are dental X-rays?
No exposure to any source of radiation, be it your home appliances, the sun, or the dental X-rays, is not good for your body’s tissues and cells. Due the advances in technology, the dental X-rays emit very low radiation levels. Now, the radiation time is much shorter, and the area being X-rayed is very small. However, your dentist should recommend dental X-rays only if you really need them.
12. Why are baby teeth important?
By the age of 3, your child should have all 20 baby teeth. It is extremely important to start teaching your child good oral hygiene practices as soon as possible. Teach your kid to toothbrush twice a day and take him/her to a first dentist check at age 1. Baby teeth are prone to cavities and you should absolutely avoid them. Tooth decay in baby teeth have a negative impact on the permanent teeth.
We hope these frequently asked dental questions also include some of the questions you were looking to answer. Do you have other questions that we did not cover in this post? Just leave us a comment below and we’ll be delighted to answer you!