Author: enquiries@dentalbusinessmasters.com

Accidents will happen at times, no matter how careful one may be.

What is important is what you do in such situations. 

Being mindful and avoiding accidents is the best case scenario but being able to handle the situation is essential. 

This makes or breaks the situation. 

Dental emergency is one such condition where accidents happen but emergency care may be the difference between saving the tooth or losing the tooth. 

 

The first thing to do in a dental emergency is contact your dentist and ask for an emergency appointment.

Till the time you reach the dental office, follow the following tips as a first aid.

• Knocked out tooth –

Your phone rings. It is the school calling to inform you that your child has knocked out his tooth while playing. Sounds familiar?

We know many people you have had a similar experience but unsure what to do in such a situation?

First and foremost, check if it is a permanent tooth or a milk tooth. In case of a milk tooth, visit the dentist with the knocked out tooth.

In case of a permanent tooth, keep the knocked out tooth in a glass of milk and visit the dentist immediately. The dentist may be able to place the same tooth in the socket and be able to save the tooth.

 

• Cracked tooth – 

Don’t worry if you ever experience a cracked tooth. It is a dental emergency as immense pain follows immediately.

Call your dentist and visit for immediate treatment.

You can apply ice to reduce swelling due to trauma.

 

• Toothache –

Throbbing dental pain is one of the most painful experiences one may ever face in life. A tooth can not repair itself and hence needs some treatment to relieve the pain.

In case of dental pain, you may take a pain killer tablet to get temporary relief. But do visit a dentist for further intervention.

 

• Objects stuck in between teeth –

Objects getting stuck in between teeth can be very irritating. But the best thing to do is brush your teeth and use a floss to remove the stuck food particle. 

Do not use sharp toothpicks or pins to remove it. It will cause more harm than good.

 

Accidents do happen but it is always better to be careful.

You can take following care to prevent dental emergency :

• Use of mouthguard – Use a mouthguard while playing sports is essential. 
• Use of helmets – Helmets protect one’s head and face during accidents
• Regular dental check ups – 6 monthly dental check ups decreases the possibility of toothache.
• Brush 2 times a day and rinse with water after every meal.

 

Taking measures to protect your teeth is the most ideal situation. But knowing what to do in a dental emergency can save your teeth.

The wonder of life begins in the womb of a woman.

We have often heard about pregnancy glow. But along with the joy of becoming a parent, it’s important to pay attention to your oral health.

Pregnancy creates a havoc of hormones in the mother’s body. These hormones affect oral health.

Condition of oral health affects the health of the baby. This makes it vital to take care of your dental health.

 

Pregnancy And Periodontal Health

Periodontal health gets affected during pregnancy. It is seen that many pregnant women have gingivitis during pregnancy. That means their gums get swollen and inflamed. This is exacerbated by the hormones. 

If not treated on time, gingivitis will lead to periodontitis causing deterioration of oral health. Poor periodontal health is related to preterm labour and low birth weight of the baby.

 

Pregnancy And Dental Cavities

Along with hormonal imbalance due to pregnancy, eating habits change during pregnancy. Frequent snacking becomes the norm during pregnancy. It is important to eat healthy for the baby but at the same time it is important to keep cavities away. Dental cavities during pregnancy can cause pain which you may not be able to get treated right away. Dental treatment can be done during the second trimester. It’s better to take care and avoid dental pain rather than bearing the dental pain for months.

 

Dental Care During Pregnancy

It is better to take care during and before pregnancy to avoid dental issues during pregnancy :

• Have a dental visit for routine check up once you plan pregnancy.
• It is advisable to get all treatment done before getting pregnant.
• Brush twice daily every day without fail
• Floss daily.
• Rinse and gargle with water after you eat anything.
• Have your regular dental check up in the second trimester.

 

Take care of yourself to take care of your angel.

Ever experienced that you have woken up as you were snoring loudly?

If yes, then you might be experiencing sleep apnea without even knowing.

Snoring is quite common. It can happen even when someone is too tired.

What’s important is to know if one is suffering from sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea is a potentially grave issue when you wake up because you have stopped breathing momentarily. 

Sleep Apnea is of 2 types:

1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea : It is when one’s breathing stops due to some obstruction like the falling of soft palate at the back of the throat.
2. Central Sleep Apnea : It is when there is a problem with the brain signalling the breathing muscles. There is no obstruction in the airway. This condition is usually associated with systemic conditions like heart failure, stroke, and brain tumours.

 

Sleep apnea usually affects men but can affect anyone. It is more prevalent in 

1. Age over 40
2. Someone who has deviated septum or other airway obstruction
3. Someone who is overweight
4. Anyone with large tonsils

 

Signs of sleep apnea are :

1. Waking up startled in the middle of the night
2. Restless sleep
3. Feeling difficulty in breathing
4. Feeling tired upon waking up.
5. Loud snoring.

 

Sleep apnea can potentially cause many problems if left untreated like :

1. High blood pressure
2. Stroke
3. Depression
4. Heart failure

 

Sleep apnea can be treated and it is advisable to do so. It can be treated by :

1. Change in sleeping position : Falling of soft palate can be prevented by simple sleeping on one’s side instead of back. Thus, preventing obstruction in the airway.
2. Oral appliances : If the jaw is supported and brought ahead, it prevents sleep apnea. This can be achieved with some oral appliances. They are advised in mild to moderate cases.
3. Surgery : In severe cases, it is advisable to go for surgery to avoid future complications. Surgery is recommended when other treatments have proved to be unsuccessful. The surgery is usually to relieve the upper airway of the obstruction present. A surgery as simple as correction of deviated septum can relieve one from sleep apnea.

If you are experiencing any signs of sleep apnea, don’t feel shy to consult your dentist or physician. The earlier the diagnosis, the easier the treatment.

Self expression is the dominant necessity of human nature.

Oral piercings have become a form of self expression and fashion.

Oral piercings come in various forms and shapes like studs, rings, diamonds and so on. One chooses the type based on their liking.

If you are thinking of getting an oral piercing, do read this article before doing so!

Even Though oral piercings are latest fashion they pose following risks:

1. Infection – Our mouth is full of good and bad bacteria. Placing a foreign body in such an environment increases the chances of infections. Many have the habit of constantly touching the oral piercings increasing oral infections.
2. Pain and Swelling – Each and everyone reacts differently to a foreign body. One may experience swelling and pain after having oral piercing. In some extreme cases, it may prove to be life threatening. 
3. Prolonged bleeding – An unfortunate mistake might lead to uncontrolled bleeding during placing the oral piercing.
4. Chipped or cracked teeth – The oral piercing can strike teeth causing them to chip or crack. They may also interfere with dental fillings, dental crown or bridge.
5. Injury to the gums – Oral piercings can cause injury to gums and soft tissue. This may lead to gum recession leading to unsightly appearance, risk of decay.
6. Interference with normal oral functions – A foreign body like oral piercing increases the saliva flow. This may cause difficulty in pronunciation of some words.
7. Interference with dental treatment – Oral piercing can come in between dental x-rays, dental treatment.
8. Risk of swallowing of oral piercings – Loose oral jewellery poses a risk of swallowing.

 

If you already have an oral piercing it is important for you to take care of your oral health.

Tips to take care of your dental health :

1. Brush twice daily and rinse with water after every meal. Keep the mouth healthy to reduce the risk of infection.
2. Avoid touching the oral piercing constantly. Constant touching to the jewellery increases chances of infection.
3. Check the oral piercing to check if they are tight enough to avoid it being swallowed.
4. Wear a mouth guard during playing sports.
5. Visit your dentist every 6 months for a regular dental check up.

 

With proper care you will be able to flaunt that oral piercing without damage to your dental health.

Nothing is more pure, soulful than a smiling baby.

Preserving this innocent smile is definitely possible. But sometimes due to many reasons this smile gets affected by dental cavities. 

And if you are wondering, do small children also suffer from cavities? Then the answer unfortunately is ‘YES’!

The decay that affects small children is called as ‘Baby Bottle Tooth Decay’

It commonly affects the upper front teeth.

Signs of baby bottle tooth decay :

• Pain and discomfort in the mouth
• Visible tooth decayed upper front teeth
• Child is uncomfortable every time he/she eats
• Swelling 

Treatment of baby bottle tooth decay

Let your child’s first dental visit be even before the eruption of the first tooth. If your child has any cavities, they can be detected at the very first sign by the dentist. 

It is advisable to get the cavities treated as early as possible. 

Treatment may include fillings or a root canal treatment depending on the severity of cavities.

Prevention of baby Bottle Tooth decay

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. You can do the following things to prevent your child from having baby bottle tooth decay

• After every feed, make sure to clean your baby’s gums with a damn cloth.
• Avoid sharing saliva through spoons and utensils
• Brush even the first tooth with the help of finger toothbrush
• Avoid bottle feeding at night. Make sure to remove the bottle before your child sleeps.
• Make sure to clean the child’s tooth/teeth even after night feeding.
• Avoid sugary drinks in bottle
• Ensure that pacifiers are clean before and after use. 
• Don’t dip pacifiers in honey or sugary syrups.
• Have regular dental check ups for your child along with yours.

Together we can prevent the little ones from experiencing the pain and discomfort of baby bottle tooth decay.