Considering Dentures?

In this article we will give you a basic overview of the pros and cons of dentures, to help you make an informed decision. In future articles, we will go into each area with much more detail.

Pros and Cons of a Dentures

Advantages:

• Dentures will unquestionably provide you with a great smile and a very natural appearance. They are made of durable materials and will last very long when correctly taken care of. Normally dentures last from five to ten years. They can also correct numerous problems, from speech to chewing, for many patients.

• Replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance and your health.

• Dentures help keep facial muscles from sagging, which can make a person look older.

• You'll be able to eat and speak - things that people often take for granted until their natural teeth are lost. If you have had trouble with your natural teeth for a number of years, you might not have been able to eat the foods you wanted or speak comfortably for quite a while. You will be able to smile again. Some denture wearers have said that simply being able to smile again really changed their entire outlook on life.

Disadvantages:

• There is no question that dentures will take some getting accustomed to. There is regular maintenance required, and initial speech issues to overcome, although these should be temporary, lasting only a couple of days. Mouth tenderness or abrasions may occur, but are usually caused by poor dental hygiene, and not removing your dentures when needed.

• It is normal for your mouth to change over the life of your dentures, so even though they last long, they still may need to be replaced to achieve a better fit before they are actually worn out. With age, the gum ridges in our mouths can shrink, causing dentures to become loose. Bone can also shrink, causing jaws not to line up properly. Loose dentures can cause sore spots in your mouth as well as stomach problems from not being able to chew food properly. A loose denture could also cause changes in your facial features.

• With a denture a person typically chews at only 15-25% efficiency compared to a person chewing with their natural teeth. In the case of a full upper denture, the upper palate is covered which may change or reduce the taste of foods you are eating.

Who may be a Candidate for Dentures?
If you have lost, or are in the process of losing all of your teeth, a complete denture is something to discuss with your cosmetic dentist. If some of your teeth remain and are healthy, a partial denture may be your way to a good, healthy smile.

This process should be thoroughly discussed with your dentist as there are numerous personal and medical factors to consider. You may instead be a candidate for dental bridges or dental implants as possible procedures.

An Overview of Dentures
If teeth are lost or must be extracted, dentures provide an easily removable replacement that can be fashioned to look very much like natural teeth. Dental implants are the fixed alternative to full dentures. New advancements in dentistry have led dentures to become more comfortable and better fitted to your gums. Your dental specialist will carefully position the denture, and construct it so that it fits properly on your gum and against your other teeth when you bite down. “Neuromuscularly” fitted dentures provide the most comfort.

Dentures are detachable replacements for missing teeth, that are usually made out of an acrylic resin which may at times incorporate porcelain or metal for supplementary structural support. There are two main types of dentures, complete and partial. Both complete dentures and partial dentures are finely crafted and custom-fitted to the individual patient. If you correctly take care of your dentures they will appear natural and provide you with a perfect smile and a great bite. Additionally, dentures will help to strengthen the muscles controlling your expressions that require the support of your teeth, ridding you of pronunciation problems caused by missing teeth and aid with chewing.

How are Dentures Accomplished? It is fairly common to require some teeth to be extracted, and surgery in some cases is necessary to improve the bony ridges that will stabilize your dentures.

The procedure begins with a wax bite impression of your mouth that will give your dentist exacting measurements. A try-on appointment will fine tune the color, shape, and custom-fit of your dentures. After your final dentures are fabricated, they will be placed and you will be instructed on their required care.

Types of Dentures:

1. Complete Dentures These replace all of your teeth, both upper or lower. Their comfort depends on muscle tone, bone stretgh, tongue, and amount of saliva present. Patients begin wearing their conventional dentures after the gums have healed from the teeth that were pulled.
2. Immediate Dentures Immediate dentures are placed all at once, right after your natural teeth are pulled, and may require additional adjustments after the healing process. It can take months for your bone and tissue to stabilize after tooth extractions.
3. Upper Dentures Upper dentures tend to be a bit easier to adjust to. These are made of the same materials as a set of complete dentures, but are designed to provide you with upper teeth only.
4. Over Dentures Over dentures are a type of conventional denture comparable to complete dentures. The difference is that not all teeth are extracted and they use one or more of your natural teeth for their support. This type provides greater stabilization during chewing. Over dentures cost more and usually require more preparation dental appointments until the procedure is fully complete.
5. Partial Dentures Partial dentures are designed to correct the gaps in your smile when only some of your teeth are missing. Metal attachments fasten the dentures to your natural teeth. Partial dentures maintain tooth alignment by preventing your remaining teeth from shifting. Partial dentures can also help prevent your loss of further teeth due to decay or gum disease.

How Much do Dentures Cost?
Costs will vary depending on where you live and your specific needs. These are procedures for which you should definitely research your dental insurance coverage. Much of the cost is often covered, and you may be able to work out a payment plan with your dental office for your co-payments.

TMJ Disorder and Further Treatment Options

What Doctors Treat TMJ Disorder?
Given that TMJ disorder sufferers have so many diverse symptoms, management can include numerous different physicians of varying specialties. Headaches may be treated by a neurologist, ear pain can be evaluated by an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist, and pain can be treated by a pain management specialist. A dentist may utilize splints to correct bite issues, while an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon (OMS) can assist with both surgical and non-surgical interventions. Other healthcare professionals that may form part of a patient's care team can include Physiotherapists, Acupuncturists, Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Orthodontists, Nutritionists, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Massage Therapists, and of course the family doctor (PCP or GP).

It is well worth noting, however, that a well-qualified dentist, using the correct procedures, can often alleviate many of the other symptoms involved in your TMJ disorder, lessening the need for any other professional care.

Alternative medicine
Because stress has been shown to contribute to TMJ disorders, stress-relieving relaxation techniques may reduce jaw clenching or teeth grinding and help alleviate TMJ disorder symptoms. Possible beneficial techniques include:

• Deep breathing. To practice deep breathing, sit comfortably on a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Breathe in deeply through your nose, and allow your abdomen to expand as you breathe in. Hold for just a second, and then exhale through your mouth, gently pushing in your abdomen with your hand.

• Progressive muscle relaxation. This involves relaxing a series of muscles one at a time. Begin increasing the tension level in a group of muscles, such as a leg or an arm, by tightening the muscles and then relaxing them. Then move on to the next muscle group. It may also prove beneficial to apply warm, moist heat.

• Guided imagery. Also known as visualization, this method of relaxation involves lying quietly and imagining yourself in a wonderful, lovely place. Your ideal vacation or getaway. Allow yourself to completely experience the setting with all of your senses, as if you were essentially there. For example, imagine lying on the deck of your sailboat as it coasts along the Mediterranean Sea. Picture the perfect azure sky, smell the salt water, hear the sounds of the soft waves, and feel the warmth of the golden sun on your skin. The messages your brain receives as you experience these senses help you to relax.
  

There are some TMJ sufferers who are actually unaware of the cause of their condition. Many people, who technically have TMJ disorder, manage with their symptoms, since they do not interfere severely with their lives. Patients with TMJ disorder quite often grind their teeth to find a comfortable bite. This causes flat areas on the tops of the teeth called occlusal wear facets. Wear facets often fit together revealing the bite that the body has been trying to create. Constant grinding also flexes and dissolves tooth roots. A notch at the bottom front of the tooth called an abfraction. Many hygienists confuse this for overzealous tooth brushing, but there are many patients who never brush who still have them.

When a patient's jaw joints or jaw muscles are irritated, there can be deviation of the lower jaw to one side on opening. This is called mandibular opening deviation. For a variety of reasons, the human face does not always grow symmetrically. Facial asymmetry can cause TMJ problems. Repeated jaw muscle spasm can cause muscle shortening with limited opening. Looking at the side of a person's face, you can often make out the lower jaw. The bottom of the lower jaw is typically parallel to the floor. Conversely, many TMD patients have a sharp downward angle. This TMJ symptom is called a sharp mandibular plane angle.

TMD sufferers often have speech irregularities that add to their muscular and functional problems. A dished out profile can be an indicator of a TMJ problem. It is often seen in patients who have a shortened facial height, which forces the TMJ towards the ear. As a defensive reflex, the body uses the chewing muscles to pull the jaw joint forward. This can often bring on muscle spasm and pain. Like a dished out profile, a short lower facial third can be a reflection of this same problem.

Another TMJ disorder symptom is when the corners of the mouth get red, swollen and painful. It's called angular chelitis and is also seen when denture patients are wearing worn out dentures. An imbalance in the chewing and facial muscles occasionally causes an uncharacteristic lip posture, which can cause the face to look unusual. The horizontal facial fold under the lip and above the chin can be excessive. This is called a deep mentalis crease. It is not uncommon for a TMJ patient to have a forward head posture. This abnormal posture causes the head to be positioned forward. It stretches the anterior neck muscles and pulls the lower jaw backward into the patient's ears.

It is not unusual to see swelling of a TMJ sufferer’s face. This TMJ symptom is called facial edema. Some sufferers have unusual movements of their necks (cervical torticollis) and lower jaws. (mandibular torticollis). Headaches truly plague TMJ sufferers. The most common TMJ related headache is a located on the side of the head over the area of the temple. This is called a temporal headache and is often misdiagnosed as a migraine.

The disparity of a TMJ patient's facial, chewing and neck muscles can cause problems swallowing. This is called dysphagia. Because of the instability of the jaw, head and neck, cervical problems are frequent. This can lead to occipital headaches located at the back of the head. Postural problems are a characteristic TMJ disorder symptom. This abnormal posture may be due to the modification of the body to mouth breathing and the need to hold the head forward to breathe better. In severe cases, forward posture can cause thoracic outlet syndrome and paresthesia of the fingertips. (Paresthesia is an abnormal or unexplained tingling, pricking, or burning sensation on the skin)

Deprogrammers
The idea of deprogramming is based on the reflexive relaxation of the lower jaw when the back teeth are not allowed to engage. The various muscles that open and close the jaw learn and remember the level of contraction required to execute their movements in a coordinated, relaxed way. They learn which positions of these muscles cause pain, and which don't, and store all the information in your brain in the form of "engrams" which are similar to automatic, unconscious computer programs that your body uses each time you open or close your mouth. In persons with TMJ disorder, these movements can be quite complex.

The Treatment of TMD

The Bruxing Guard

The solution to treating these patients is to decrease the patient's inclination to clench and grind her teeth. Even if, when the teeth are closed together, and the joints do not line up correctly, all the symptoms tend to fade away if the patient does not tend to keep the teeth together with the forces distinctive of bruxing. The most conventional and least expensive treatment for TMD is the construction of a hard acrylic bruxing guard (flexible plastics are now being used as well). These are horseshoe-shaped plastic appliances, which usually fit over the top teeth and have a smooth surface on the underside so the lower teeth can slide over the plastic without resistance. This prevents the teeth from locking together, and relieves a lot of the force placed on the teeth and joints. If an appliance like this is worn long enough, the bruxing habit may ultimately disappear altogether, which would be the ideal treatment goal if it always happened. Unfortunately, bruxing guards still allow the patient to clench against the guard. Since clenching is linked with overuse of the temporalis muscle, patients may still encounter tension headaches even though they wear their guard religiously.

The Bite Adjusted Bruxing Guard

Bruxing guards perform even better if they are structured so that when the lower teeth come in contact with the appliance, the joints are forced to sit in their most natural, relaxed positions in the most upper part of the socket. This position can be determined quite simply by a process known as deprogramming during which a piece of plastic is inserted over the top front teeth that does not allow the posterior teeth to make any contact. Usually, within an hour or so of wearing one, the jaw has relaxed into a more natural position with the joints in a more desirable position. A bite registration is then taken with the deprogramming device in place so the new bruxing guard can be designed to the new bite-adjusted jaw position, which corresponds to a more physiologically acceptable joint position. Deprogramming has an additional advantage in that if it works, it will relieve the symptoms very quickly and can be worn until the more permanent bruxing guard can be built.

The main disadvantage with this treatment modality is that your teeth do not look any better after you have cured the pain associated with TMJ disorder, and if the bruxing habits do not disappear on their own, the patient must continue wearing a bruxing guard whenever he is likely to be bruxing. In addition, patients still can clench against any bruxing guard. Therefore, even a correctly balanced bruxing guard will not consistently relieve all tension or migraine headaches, even though it usually will lessen their occurrence. The major advantage to this treatment modality is that it is economical and can often alleviate long-standing pain that has been a major impediment to a normal lifestyle for many years.

The Orthodontic Option

Another treatment option is orthodontics. In this case, the natural teeth are moved into a more correct position that allows the joints to sit correctly in their sockets. The correct position is established through a science called cephalometrics, which is a subcategory of diagnostic x-rays. A tremendous side effect of considering orthodontics to treat TMJ disorder, is that not only will you be left with a lovely smile when all is said and done, but the process is much more likely to break the bruxing habit than nearly any other treatment, as well.

We recommend considering checking out this website for referrals to highly qualified dentists who specialize in TMJ disorders:

http://www.top3dentists.com/pages/tmj

Sleep Apnea From a Dentist's Perspective

Dentists play a very important role in the team approach to the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. Physicians, dentists, psychologists, and respiratory therapists all combine their collective knowledge to treat each patient properly and effectively.

Dentists who are specifically trained in aspects of sleep medicine and have a command of multiple appliance modalities are of immense help to physicians in treating sufferers with sleep disordered breathing problems.

Snoring

Nearly one-half of all adults snore. The problem is exaggerated with overweight persons.
Snoring occurs when there is a partial obstruction to the free flow of air through the mouth and nose. The sound occurs when loose structures in the throat, like the uvula and soft palate, vibrate as air passes over them. Snoring can get worse when the muscles in the back of the throat are too relaxed either from drugs taken to help induce sleep or alcohol intake. Snoring can also be caused by an overly large uvula and soft palate, nasal congestion, a deviated septum or other obstructions in the nasal and pharyngeal airways. In children, large tonsils and adenoids can be the cause of snoring. Pregnant women often snore because of a narrowing of the airway and increased weight due to the pregnancy.

Is Snoring Serious?

Yes, snoring can be serious both socially and medically. Snoring can bring great disharmony to marriages and cause sleepless nights for our bed partners.

Medically, snoring can be the forerunner of obstructive sleep apnea that has been associated with heart failure, high blood pressure and stroke. On its own, snoring has been connected to Type II Diabetes. Sleep apnea typically interrupts loud snoring with an episode of silence in which no air passes into the lungs. Eventually the lack of oxygen and the increase of carbon dioxide will awaken you forcing the airway to open, usually with a loud gasp.

The CPAP

The most frequently prescribed medical treatment for OSA is the “Continuous positive airway pressure” unit, or CPAP (pronounced "C-Pap") and a newer variation called BiPap. These apparatuses have a high flow fan, a hose and a sealed nasal mask to which the patient is attached to while sleeping. Clinical studies have shown that CPAP is highly effective in relieving most apnic episodes. In addition to the CPAP unit, physicians usually prescribe a weight loss regimen, and abstinence from tobacco and alcohol. Unfortunately, patient compliance is generally a problem due to the noise of the air compressor, the constriction of movement caused by the hose attachment, stuffy nose and skin irritation caused by the nosepiece, and complaints of being able to have less intimacy with a bed partner.

Due to these and many other complaints from users of the CPAP units, OSA research teams carried out extensive trials on mandibular advancement appliances (airway dilators, or "snore guards"). These projects and trials resulted in a 1995 review by the American Sleep Disorders Association. The review determined that oral appliances are a good alternative to CPAP in cases of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea.

The dental treatments for obstructive sleep apnea are superior to the CPAP unit from the point of view of patient compliance. Dentally oriented treatments for this problem fall into two groups; detachable appliances that advance the lower jaw while the patient is asleep, (airway dilators, more commonly known as snore guards) and surgical solutions, some of which advance the lower jaw permanently.

If an actual case of obstructive sleep apnea is assumed, the dentist normally uses his skills in conjunction with the help of a qualified physician specialist who can assess the need for, and ultimately the success or failure of the treatment. This makes sense since it is the physician who can order and construe the medical tests involved in the institution of the foundational diagnosis.

The Detachable OSA Appliances (Snore guards)

Anything that advances the lower jaw forward (bringing it into protrusion) will cause to lift the tongue and epiglottis away from the back of the throat relieving some of the limitation caused by the relaxation of the muscles during sleep. In order to wear such an appliance, it is crucial that the patient have adequate numbers of healthy teeth in both upper and lower arches for the appliance to attach to. If the patient lacks healthy teeth, dental implants may still make it possible to wear a detachable snore guard.

Note that detachable snore guards separate the upper and lower teeth and therefore perform the functions of a bruxing guard in addition to those of the snore guard. Consequently, a snore guard may not only treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, but it may well treat the symptoms of TMJ disorder as well. However, in very severe cases of organic joint dysfunction due to TMJ, the forward repositioning of the lower jaw may aggravate the damage to the jaw joint and thus a snore guard may not be appropriate for those sufferers.

To create a detachable snore guard, an impression will be taken of both the top and bottom teeth, and models are poured in plaster. Then the patient may be instructed to bite into a slab of wax with his lower jaw protruded as much as possible without actually straining. This is called a protrusive bite registration. Both the models and the protrusive bite registration are then sent to the lab. The laboratory returns the finished appliance, which can take a number of different forms depending on what your dentist orders.

Different Types of Snore Guards

There do exist different types and brands of snore guards, and many orthodontic laboratories have their own brand of appliance that they use. You, together with your dentist, must decide on the correct type of snore guard for you, based on specific needs. Some snore guards are very effective at relieving the obstructions causing OSA, but they are limited by the ability of the TMJ to move forward. As a general rule, the maximum advancement of the lower jaw that can comfortably be achieved with a fixed-jaw-relation snore guard is in the range of 3 to 5 millimeters. This is normally enough to relieve the airway, and will work quite well for most people. The drawback to a fixed relation guard is that the appliance cannot be adjusted to bring the lower jaw further forward as the joints (TMJ) relax over time. Adjustability is very desirable since obstructive apnea is a progressive disease and further jaw protrusion often becomes possible as the joint ligaments stretch further.

Oral appliances (OA) that treat snoring, UARS, and OSA are devices worn in the mouth similar to sports mouth guards or orthodontic retainers. They are made of plastic and fit partially or completely within the mouth. Currently there are over 40 different types of oral appliances available. OA's may be used alone or in combination with other means of treating sleep apnea, such as weight management, surgery and CPAP. There is no one particular appliance that will work for every patient. Any dentist supplying oral appliances will be familiar with several different types.

Categories of Appliances:
There are currently two categories of appliances in general use.

1. MRD - Mandibular Repositioning Device

• A more commonly prescribed appliance.
• It repositions and stabilizes the lower jaw, tongue, soft palate, and uvula.
• It also helps to increase the muscle tone of the tongue.

2. TRD - Tongue Retaining Device

• This device advances the tongue and actively holds the tongue forward to open the airway, thus preventing it from falling backward and blocking the airway.
• These devices are most useful in patients with large tongues, poor dental health, no teeth, and chronic joint pain.

Indications for Use of an OA:

• Primary snoring
• Mild OSA
• Moderate / Severe OSA sufferers who are intolerant or refuse the CPAP unit ( as set forth by the American Sleep Disorders Association)
• Poor tolerance of nasal CPAP
• Poor surgical risks
• Non-successful UPPP surgery
• Use of appliance during travel

Advantages of using an Oral Appliance:

• Oral appliances are much small and convenient making them easy to carry when traveling
• Treatment with oral appliances is reversible and non-invasive
• After becoming acclimated to wearing the appliance, most people find them easy to wear and more comfortable than the CPAP unit.
• Quiet
• Easily adjustable
• More comfortable than the CPAP unit, generally resulting in increased compliance

Are There any Side Effects From Using Oral Appliance Therapy?
Patients using oral appliance therapy may experience the following side effects:

• Excessive salivation or dryness.
• Morning soreness in the teeth or jaw muscles.
• Tooth movements (generally minor)

Most of these side effects improve within just a few weeks of regular use and some adjustments of the appliance. Patients with arthritis and chronic jaw joint dysfunction may experience more difficulty tolerating an OAT.

Top 3 Dentists is a resource for anyone looking for the optimum in dental practice. Being at the top doesn’t mean being the most expensive, but it does mean being the most qualified.

Search for the Top 3 Dentists in your area who practice in that specialty. Please note that some of our Periodontists (or other specialists) may require a direct referral from a General Dentist. In such cases, you would simply choose one of the general Top 3 Dentists to perform a comprehensive examination on you — and then ask for a referral to the specialist of your choice.

Check out this website for referrals of highly qualified dentists: http://www.top3dentists.com/pages/sleep_apnea

How To Choose The Right Dentist

When it comes to getting the right dental care, there’s nothing as important as choosing the right dentist. The whole process is not as simple as you might think either. Most of the experts in the field suggest that getting the right dentist is a very personal undertaking that demands you first ask yourself what you will expect from this oral health professional.

So we started to ask many of the highly trained dentists, how would they choose a dentist for themselves? The following are the criteria that these dentists considered.

1. Continuing Education: Unlike what we thought, none of these dentists looked at the dental school training. They only looked at the training the dentist have received after graduating from dental school. Most dentists take about 25 hours of continuing education, and the highly qualified and trained dentists usually take upward of 100-200 hours of continuing education.

2. The type of continuing education course: So now comes the question of are all continuing educations the same? The answer was no. Many dentists take courses that do not mean much. The courses and institutions that were highly respected by our panel of dentists were courses at LVI or The Las Vegas Institute, The Pankey Institute, Dawson Center, The Hornbrook Group, The Rosenthal Institute, Nash Institute, Kois Center, OBI or Orognathic Bioesthetic International, Misch Implant Institute, Medical College of Georgia, UCLA Aesthetic Contiuum, MAP Institue, Center for Advanced Dental Education, Brock Rondeau Seminars to name a few.

3. The accolades: These are Fellowships, Diplomate, Mastership awards or board certifications that these dentists have received from different organizations. For many of these the dentists would have to go through vigorous written, oral and practical examinations in order to receive such awards. Depending on which organization they have received these, this would give an indication to the other dentists as to the training and the level of expertise these dentists would have in different fields of dentistry.

4. Years in practice: But most importantly the years they have had these special training for. For example, someone might be practicing dentistry for 20 years, but was doing the same wrong thing. Another one might be practicing for 20 years but have only started to learn these advanced principles for one year, and another dentists has been practicing for 10 years, but have been going through these vigorous and advanced training for 5 years. They all picked the latter of the three choices.

5. Before and After photos: This gives an indication of the work they can perform, make sure these are the dentist’s own work. Some dentists believe it or not, they buy before and after photos and they actually show case these as their own work on their website and in their office. Make sure they have performed cases that are similar to yours and look at the results.

6. Patient testimonials: Ask for 3-5 references. Patients who have had similar procedures done. Talk to them to see what their experience was.

7. After that you can start selecting the names of the dentists that you think you’d like to see.

A great source for finding the highly trained dentists is www.top3dentists.com. The dentists on this site have been invited to join. So unlike any other dental referral source that any one dentist can join, the dentists listed at www.top3dentists.com have been carefully evaluated to make sure they have the highest level of training the each special area of expertise. So now your job is much easier, all you need to do is to choose the one that you think you can get along with the best. Remember, you want to have a long term relationship with your dentist, so you must become a part of their family. Do they like you and do you like them so much that you would be happy to go to visit your dentist?

To find a right dentist, visit www.top3dentists.com.

Tooth Erosion and You

There are several things that you’ll need to watch for when it comes to tooth erosion. No matter how good your dental care plan is and how diligently you look after you teeth, tooth erosion can work away at your teeth regardless of what you do to try and stop it.

Tooth erosion usually shows itself as a sensitivity. Either very hot or cold food or drinks can make you a little edgy, but lesser forms of this problem run all the way to a simple discoloration. While tooth erosion can be a serious problem, there are things that can be done about it and most of these preventative measures are quite simple. First off the experts suggest that you learn to rinse your mouth with water after you eat to neutralize the acid that’s present in many foods.

As well, it’s a good idea if you wait for at least one hour after eating or drinking acidic foods as part of your dental care routine. This allows your teeth to remineralize. It’s important to remember that exposure to these acidic foods can harm your teeth and lead to tooth erosion.

How to prevent halitosis

What is halitosis?
Halitosis is a technical term for something all of us abhor – bad breath. Socially unacceptable, bad breath causes tremendous humiliation. Let us look at the causes of bad breath:

• Poor oral hygiene
• Smelly food
• Use of tobacco
• Smoking
• Certain medication

How can you prevent bad breath?
Preventing bad breath is not a difficult task. You need to follow a few simple tips.

• Follow a proper oral care routine. Keeping your mouth clean is the best way to avoid bad breath. Brush, floss, and clean your tongue regularly.
• Drink plenty of water. Keeping your mouth hydrated helps keep bacteria off your mouth. Drinking water also helps rinse your mouth.
• Watch what you eat. Avoid smelly food like garlic. If you cannot do without it, make sure you clean your mouth thoroughly after consuming it.
• Ask your doctor to provide alternate medicines. If the source of bad breath is your medicine, ask your doctor to give you alternatives. If you cannot take different medicine, ask your dentist for advice on preventing bad breath.
• Cut down on smoking and drinking caffeinated beverages. Smoking and drinking too much coffee and tea aggravate bad breath. Try to cut down on these.

Get the best dentist in your area to help you with understanding the reasons for your bad breath.

I’ve never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful.
-Author Unknown

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Root Canal Treatment (2)

How painful is the root canal treatment?
Unfortunately, a lot of people refuse to go for the root canal treatment thinking that it is painful. The root canal treatment is definitely a major dental procedure but it is not painful as it is made out to be. A local anesthesia is applied and the patient does not feel much pain apart from a little discomfort in some cases.

Does the affected tooth need extra care after the root canal treatment?
For a few days, you may have to handle the treated tooth with care. Once the tooth is completely fixed with crowns and other aids, treat this tooth the same way as you would take care of the others. Follow a good dental care routine. Top it up with balanced meals and plenty of water. Also, make sure you visit your endodontist regularly.

Does the tooth become dead after the root canal treatment?
The tooth becomes dead technically as it does not have the natural dental pulp underneath it. However, after the treatment, the tooth is fixed properly in your mouth and it can function the same way as your other teeth. The tooth is functionally dead only when it is out of your mouth.

Doesn’t the tooth discolor after the root canal treatment?
Sometimes, the affected tooth discolors. However, your endodontist will be able to restore your tooth’s color with the variety of cleaning and whitening options available.

Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles.
- George Elio