Dr. K. Sarath Babu

What's in Your Mouth?
To understand what happens when your teeth decay, it's helpful to know what's in your mouth naturally. Here are a few of the elements:

Saliva ? Your mouth and teeth are constantly bathed in saliva. We never give much thought to our spit, but this fluid is remarkable for what it does to help protect our oral health. Saliva keeps teeth and other parts of your mouth moist and washes away bits of food. Saliva contains minerals that strengthen teeth. It includes buffering agents. They reduce the levels of acid that can decay teeth. Saliva also protects against some viruses and bacteria.

Plaque ? Plaque is a soft, gooey substance that sticks to the teeth a bit like jam sticks to a spoon. Like the slime that clings to the bottom of a swimming pool, plaque is a type of biofilm. It contains large numbers of closely packed bacteria, components taken from saliva, and bits of food. Also in the mix are bacterial byproducts and white blood cells. Plaque grows when bacteria attach to the tooth and begin to multiply. Plaque starts forming right after a tooth is cleaned. Within an hour, there's enough to measure. As time goes on, the plaque thickens. Within two to six hours, the plaque teems with bacteria that can cause cavities and periodontal (gum) disease.

Calculus ? If left alone long enough, plaque absorbs minerals from saliva. These minerals form crystals and harden into calculus. Then new plaque forms on top of existing calculus. This new layer can also become hard.

Bacteria ? We have many types of bacteria in our mouths. Some bacteria are good; they help control destructive bacteria. When it comes to decay, Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli are the bacteria that cause the most damage to teeth.

How Your Teeth Decay
The bacteria in your mouth need food to live and multiply. When you eat sugary foods, or even starches such as rice, the bacteria use them as food, too. The bacteria then produce acids that can dissolve tooth enamel (outer layer of the tooth).

It's not just candy and ice cream we're talking about. All carbohydrate foods eventually break down into simple sugars. Some of this process begins in the mouth.

Foods that break down into simple sugars in the mouth are called fermentable carbohydrates. These include the obvious sugary foods, such as cookies, cakes, soft drinks and candy. But they also include pretzels, crackers, bananas, potato chips and breakfast cereals.

Bacteria in your mouth turn the sugars in these foods into acids. These acids begin to dissolve the mineral crystals in teeth. The more times you eat each day, the more times your teeth are exposed to an acid attack.

This attack can lead to tooth decay, also known as dental caries or cavities. First, the acid begins to dissolve calcium and phosphate crystals inside a tooth. A white spot may appear on the enamel in this weakened area. But the loss of minerals develops beneath the surface of the enamel. The surface may still be smooth.

At this stage, the tooth can be repaired with the help of fluoride, proteins and minerals (calcium and phosphate) in the saliva. The saliva also helps reduce the acid levels from bacteria that attack the tooth.

Once the decay breaks through the enamel to cause a cavity, the damage is permanent. A dentist must clean out the decay and fill the cavity. Left untreated, the decay will get worse. It can destroy a tooth all the way through the enamel, through the inside dentin layer and down to the pulp or nerve of the tooth. That's why it is important to treat caries at a very early stage, when the process can be reversed.

Types of Decay
Young children can get a type of decay called baby bottle tooth decay or early childhood caries. It destroys enamel quickly. This type of decay is common in children who are put to sleep with a bottle of milk or juice. The bottle exposes the teeth constantly to carbohydrates through the night. Bacteria can grow rapidly and produce acid that decays teeth.

Decay can become worse if the parent does not clean the child's teeth. It can eat through enamel and leave a large cavity in a matter of months.

In older adults, the exposed roots of teeth can develop cavities. This is called root caries. Older adults are more likely to have receding gums caused by years of hard brushing or periodontal disease. They also are more likely to have dry mouth (xerostomia). The decrease in saliva results in less protection of the teeth. This increases the risk of decay. Many common medicines can cause dry mouth. Be sure to ask the doctor or pharmacist if any of your medicines cause dry mouth.

Decay can form beneath fillings or other tooth repairs, such as crowns. Sometimes bacteria and bits of food can slip between the tooth and a filling or crown. This can happen if the filling cracks or pulls away from the tooth, leaving a gap.

Preventing Cavities
Do you or your family members get cavities often? Dental research has found out that certain factors can affect your risk of tooth decay. These factors include:

The current number of decayed or filled teeth
Your fluoride exposure, including fluoride in drinking water, toothpaste and rinses, and fluoride treatments in the dental office
Parents or siblings with dental decay
How well you take care of your teeth
The amount of saliva and the balance of minerals, enzymes and buffering agents it contains
How often and what types of foods you eat (especially fermentable carbohydrates)
Ask your dentist about the best ways to reduce your risks and limit dental decay.

To prevent your teeth from decaying, you can do three things:

Strengthen your teeth's defenses with fluoride, sealants and agents that contain calcium and phosphate ions.
Have your dentist or dental hygienist place sealants on your back teeth.
Reduce the number of bacteria in your mouth.
Fluoride penetrates into teeth. It strengthens them by replacing minerals that acid has removed. The benefits of fluoride to teeth were first discovered in the 1930s. Dentists started to notice that people who drank water that naturally contained fluoride had less tooth decay. In 1945, communities started to add fluoride to water supplies. Adding fluoride to water systems has been the most successful cavity prevention method to date.

In the early 1960s, fluoride also began to be added to toothpaste. This also had a major impact on cavity prevention. Now almost all toothpastes contain fluoride. Everyone should brush with a fluoride toothpaste every day. Dental offices sometimes recommend higher levels of fluoride in toothpastes, gels and mouth rinses for both children and adults.

Sealants are protective coatings placed over the tops of the back teeth ? molars. They block bacteria and acids from sticking in the tiny grooves on the chewing surfaces of these teeth. Sealants can be placed in adults and children. Children can have sealants placed on their permanent molars once they come in, around age 6. Sometimes they are also used on primary (baby) molars. Dentists can put sealants on molars with signs of early decay, as long as the decay hasn't broken through the enamel.

You can never get rid of all the bacteria in your mouth. But you can take steps to control and disrupt the bacteria so they don't attack your teeth:

Brush twice a day.
Floss daily.
Reduce the number of times each day that you consume fermentable carbohydrates.
Some mouthwashes reduce bacteria in your mouth. This can help prevent decay. Chewing sugarless gums, especially those with xylitol, can help reduce the number of bacteria that cause cavities and increase the flow of saliva.

Most importantly, visit your dentist regularly. Then the dentist can find any decay early, when it can be treated and reversed.

Cost of implant cannot say but generally will be 25k. (10k for prosthesis) Advantages: replacement of missin teeth with fixed implant.If you don't have a posterior back tooth for support and are unable to place a bridge, better than the bridge because you don't have to grind the neighbouring teeth. Disadvantages;: cost.

Oral ulcers take about a week to heal. Apply dologel ct to the affected area and wait it out. If not healed contact me again. There might be something else if the ulcer is not healing. Take multi vitamin capsule twice daily in between like cobadex.

Teeth spacing can b corrected with braces or I can go fr aesthetic corrections by capping of your teeth n closing spaces.

medicine will give you only temporary relief. not a permanent solution. . there are so many reasons for teeth pain. you should visit to a dentist for identifying the exact reason for pain. .

It is considered a precancerous progressive disease the treatment is normally surgical a fibrotomy is performed and than covered with available mucosa/ skin with buccaneers fat pad in severe cases nasolabial flap and other treatments are also given consult a maxillofacial surgeon meanwhile sm fibro tabs r said to b of help but not a substitute to surgery.

Bad breath can be reduced or prevented if you: practice good oral hygiene. Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to remove food debris and plaque. Don't forget to brush the tongue, too. Replace your toothbrush every 2 to 3 months or after an illness. Use floss or an interdental cleaner to remove food particles and plaque between teeth once a day. See your dentist regularly -- at least twice a year. He or she will conduct an oral exam and professional teeth cleaning and will be able to detect and treat periodontal disease, dry mouth, or other problems that may be the cause of bad mouth odor. Drink lots of water. This will keep your mouth moist. Chewing gum (preferably sugarless) stimulates the production of saliva, which helps wash away food particles and bacteria.

Hi, * u, might be suffering from gastric disorder, due to hyper acidity which causes foul smell in mouth. * you should take light and easily digestible diet in time, avoiding, junk food. * take plenty of water to eliminate toxins and to regulate metabolic action to improve digestion. * go for meditation to reduce stress and anxiety. Homeoe-care: @ china 30-4 drops thrice a day @ cina 30-4 drops thrice a day @ echinacea q-10 drops with 1/4 cup of water, rinse your mouth twice a day. Report after 15 days take care,

Please Do think like that Don't loose your confidence Please Wake up early go for morning walk in greenery daily with relaxed mind Do pranayam and yoga daily Do meditation regularly Take Tab prothiaden 30 1 at nt Saraswatarishta 20 ml twice daily with water All for 3 to 6 mths Reconsult me on Lybrate after 15 days.

Don't rush, when you brush: for maximum results, brush your teeth for atleast 2 to 3 minutes.

it can cause ulcer usually...u can visit to a dentist for mild trimming of sharp portion of molar..it will help..

Hello, you need to take an X-ray first. if there is any infection present get it treated. Partly broken teeth can be repaired with composite restorations.

Apko smoker's palate ho skta hai. Agar koi adat hai. Jaisi smoking or gutkha use band karne se araam milega.

Get a new OPG done from any nearby diagnostics n consult your dentist. Yes!!! The spaces can be closed by using retainers or fixed ortho therapy, depending on severity.

When the pulp of the tooth becomes inflamed, septic or lifeless, one needs to go through the root canal treatment. 

This can be due to erupting third molars. This can also happen in joint subluxation or joint dislocation. You need to visit a dentist for complete resolution.

Hi there are various reasons for mouth ulcers it could be because of spicy food, medications, bad digestion, eating hard food etc. You can go for professional check up to get the exact cause and solution for the same. Without checking her clinically we can't suggest anything.

Kindly consult a dentist in person for further suggestion. We need more investigations to decide upon treatment. You may need braces or artificial enamel filling or root canal treatment. You may consult me in person too. Dental tips: - visit a dentist every six months. Gargle your mouth thoroughly after every meal. Scrub gently to clean your tongue with a tongue cleaner. Floss all your teeth inter dentally & brush twice daily, morning & night, up & down short vertical strokes, with ultra-soft bristles, indicator brush.

Tour teeth requires orthodontic treatment which can only be done under dentist. Take an OPG and Visit your dentist for proper diagnosis and treatment plan. Take care.

You may take cap bnc one a day locally apply metrogyl gel ointment suck on tab bifilac twice daily drink plenty of water. Take fibrous food you may add banana to your diet at night take isabgol husk two table spoon full n try to stay tension free.