The last molar teeth in the mouth are called as wisdom teeth. While in some people they erupt completely into the mouth and function with no problem whatsoever, in others, they remain embedded in the bone, erupt incompletely, erupt at an angle, or are covered by bone or a flap of tissue. They are absent in many.
Of late, dentists recommend removal of wisdom teeth, more a preventative than remedial measure. Some of the reasons for wisdom tooth removal are listed below-
Impaction: Often, wisdom teeth do not have enough space to erupt in their normal position. This can only be evaluated properly on an x-ray. If the x-ray shows that the tooth is unlikely to erupt because of being blocked by a root or bone, this needs to be removed.
Pericoronitis: The tooth partially erupts into the mouth but is covered by a flap of gum. This attracts food and bacteria to accumulate, leading to decay and infection, a condition called as pericoronitis. Very common in the lower wisdom teeth, it leads to severe tooth pain, painful swallowing and swelling of the lymph nodes. This is the most common cause for wisdom teeth to be removed. An x-ray will reveal the tooth to be infected and sometimes periapical abscess may also be present.
Cysts: Impacted teeth can develop fluid-filled cysts which can cause severe and even permanent damage to the jaw bone, adjacent teeth and nerves. Dentigerous cysts are the most common type.
Alignment: Misaligned wisdom teeth exert a constant mild pressure on the adjacent teeth which can hamper the alignment and reverse the effects produced by braces. The bite may be altered also, thereby necessitating removal.
Adjacent Tooth Damage: If the malposed wisdom tooth is causing pocket formation or decay in the adjacent teeth, it is time to get them removed.
Recurrent Sinus Infections: With their proximity to sinuses, there could be constant pain and pressure and infection of the sinuses. This is another indication for their removal.
However, not all wisdom teeth need to be removed. If they have erupted fully, are healthy, produce a good bite, and can be cleaned easily, they do not require removal.
During the teenage years and through 20s, check with your dentist on the health of the wisdom teeth. X-rays can be taken to monitor them and for early identification of problems. If they need to be removed, it is easier to take them out when you're young. The bone surrounding the impacted tooth is less dense, and therefore easier. The ability of the body in general and the jaw bones in particular to heal is also better at a younger age. 


Wisdom Teeth - When To Get Them Removed

An immune system disorder distinguished by dry mouth and dry eyes is known as Sjogren s Syndrome. It can also cause dryness in places that require moisture, such as throat, nose and skin. Sjogren s syndrome is often linked to other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus (disease in which the immune system destroys its own tissues and causes inflammations). Sjogren s syndrome normally affects people over the age of 40, and it mostly affects women.

Symptoms 
Sjogren s syndrome has mainly two symptoms, and they include:

Dry eyes: You feel like there is sand in your eyes as it burns and itches
Dry mouth: You have difficulty speaking or swallowing
Sometimes, you might experience other symptoms as well, such as:

Joint pain, stiffness and swelling
Inflamed salivary glands
Dry skin or skin rashes
Vaginal dryness
Continuous dry coughs
Sustained fatigue
Causes
The exact cause of Sjogren s syndrome is not known, but research strongly suggests that the autoimmune disease could be caused by genetic factors; especially if the illness has been found in more than one member of the family. Also, families with members suffering from type I diabetes, lupus and autoimmune thyroid disease can cause one or more members of the family to develop Sjogren s syndrome.

Complications
The complications of Sjogren s syndrome include:

Dental cavities: Saliva protects the teeth from harmful bacteria that cause cavities. Since your mouth is dry, you become more susceptible to develop cavities.
Yeast infections: Oral thrush, an oral yeast infection, is likely to develop if you have Sjogren s syndrome.
Vision problems: Dry eyes can cause corneal ulcers, sensitivity and blurred vision.
Problems in the lungs, liver or kidneys: Inflammations can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia in your lungs; may cause cirrhosis or hepatitis C in your liver; and may lead to kidney malfunctions.
Lymphoma: Some people with Sjogren s syndrome might develop lymphoma, or lymph node cancer.
Peripheral neuropathy: Another complication of this illness is peripheral neuropathy, which is a tingling, burning and numbness sensation felt in your feet and hands.

Treatment
Sjogren s syndrome is either treated with drugs, or with surgery. Doctors may prescribe drugs to increase the production of saliva and to treat inflammations. Alternatively, surgery is done to either seal the tear ducts or insert silicon or collagen plugs to close the ducts temporarily.

Dry Mouth and Eyes - Complications Associated With It!

Root canal treatment is a procedure to save or repair a decayed tooth. Without proper treatment, the decayed tooth might get infected and adversely affect the health of the gums as well as rest of the teeth. Abscessed tooth (pus formation in a tooth owing to an infection) may also pose as another major complication if this condition is not treated at the right time. In this procedure, the pulp and the nerve of the decayed tooth are removed; this absence of a nerve in your tooth should not affect your daily routine and also not inflict any pain.

When is root canal treatment needed?
Root canal treatment is only required when dental X-rays show that the pulp has been damaged by a bacterial infection. The pulp will begin to die if it's infected by bacteria, allowing the bacteria to then multiply and spread.

The symptoms of a pulp infection include:

pain when eating or drinking hot or cold food and drink
pain when biting or chewing
a loose tooth
As the infection progresses, these symptoms often disappear as the pulp dies. Your tooth then appears to have healed, but the infection has in fact spread through the root canal system.

Further symptoms eventually occur, such as:

pain when biting or chewing returning
swelling of the gum near the affected tooth
pus oozing from the affected tooth
facial swelling
the tooth becoming a darker colour
It's important to see your dentist if you develop toothache. If your tooth is infected, the pulp can't heal by itself.

Leaving the infected tooth in your mouth may make it worse. There may also be less chance of the root canal treatment working if the infection within your tooth becomes established.

Antibiotics   medication to treat bacterial infections   aren't effective in treating root canal infections.

What happens during a root canal procedure?
A root canal can be performed by an endodontist (root canalling specialist) or a dentist. To treat the infection in the root canal, the bacteria need to be removed. This can be done by either:

removing the bacteria from the root canal system (root canal treatment)
removing the tooth (extraction)
At the very onset, an X-ray will be performed to see the size of the infection and the condition of the surrounding gums. The dentist will then apply anesthesia on that spot. It is important to keep the spot as dry as possible. Next, the dentist will put a rubber sheet around your teeth, after which a hole will be drilled to remove the decayed tissues. After the process, you wash your teeth, either with sodium hypochlorite or normal water.

Before having root canal treatment, you'll usually be given a local anaesthetic. This means the procedure shouldn't be painful and should be no more unpleasant than having a filling.

Root canal treatment is usually successful. In about 9 out of 10 cases, a tooth can survive for up to 10 years after root canal treatment.

Root Canal Procedure For Infected Tooth Nerve!

Why it's more important to brush your teeth in the night than in the morning

Most people wake up every morning and stumble to wash their teeth first thing. Do you believe that brushing your teeth in the morning is sufficient to keep your mouth healthy?

While it is important to brush your teeth in the morning for good oral hygiene, what goes on in your mouth all night is even more important. Brushing your teeth once a day is barely enough to maintain perfect oral hygiene. By brushing twice a day you can make the difference.

Do you know why it can be important to brush at night since you are only about to sleep?

Here are a few things that brushing before bed does.

1. Reduces acid build up

Everyone has acid being constantly produced in their mouths. The saliva secreted contains calcium which neutralizes the acid being built up. At night the saliva secretion slows down which allows the acids to get accumulated. The acids keep corroding the teeth all night. When you brush your teeth, the fluoride present in the toothpaste stimulates saliva secretion. So by brushing before bed you ensure that the saliva secretion does not fall drastically. In the process you prevent your teeth from getting corroded.

2. Reduce bacterial multiplication

The saliva in our mouth not only neutralizes the acid it reduces bacteria from multiplying as well. During the reduced saliva production, as you sleep, the bacteria in your mouth multiply manifold and attack your teeth and gums. This is why keeping your saliva secretion regular by brushing before bed is of utmost importance.

3. Reduce the decay of food particles

After you have your dinner just rinsing your mouth is not enough. Tiny food particles that get stuck in your teeth rot overnight. It is best to go to bed with a clean mouth rather than a mouth with tiny decaying food particles.

No matter how much of a task it might seem like, brushing at night is as important, if not more important, than brushing in the morning.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.

Is it More Important to Brush Your Teeth in the Night Than in the Morning?

5 Natural ways to whiten your teeth

Stained or yellow teeth are very common and may persist for a long time despite proper brushing, because of certain habits such as drinking tea, coffee or smoking frequently. The good thing is you can get rid of yellow teeth naturally. 

Here are 5 easy ways:

1. Use a scrub made of strawberry, baking soda and salt.
Enriched with vitamin C, strawberries helpin the breakdown of plaque, resulting in whiter teeth. Moreover, the presence of an enzyme known as malic acid in strawberries, make them natural teeth stain removers. The salt generally performs the function of the scrub to remove the gunk that causes stain.

Directions: Mix 2/3 large strawberries (mashed) with ½ teaspoon of baking soda and a pinch of sea salt. Use a paper towel to dry your teeth and apply the mixture on them with a toothbrush. Leave on for about 5 minutes and then rinse your mouth with water. Repeat every night.

2. Apply a paste of lemon juice and baking soda 
Being mildly abrasive, baking soda acts as an effective scrub and eliminator of stains from your teeth’s surface. Lemon juice is known to have natural bleaching properties, which make the mixture perfect for giving you sparkling teeth.

Directions: Make a paste using few teaspoons of baking soda and the requisite amount of lemon juice. Ensure that your teeth are free from saliva and then use a toothbrush to apply the paste on your teeth. Rinse your teeth properly with water after a minute.

3. Use coconut oil to rinse your mouth
Coconut oil contains lauric acid,which helps get rid of bacteria present in plaque, the ones that are responsible for the yellowing of teeth. Elimination of the bacteria will remove plaque and give you whiter teeth.
Directions: Swish 1 tablespoon of coconut oil through and around your teeth. Continue for 10-15 minutes and then spit it out. Use water to rinse your mouth and then brush your teeth. Repeat every morning for visible results within a few days.

4. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on your regular toothpaste
Sea salt is known for its exceptional cleansing and exfoliating properties, which makes it a highly effective remedy to curb yellowness or discolouration of teeth.

Directions: Top your regular toothpaste with a pinch of salt before brushing. Alternatively, you can also brush your teeth only with salt once every week to get whiter teeth.

5. Brush your teeth with a neemstick
Neem bark is considered to be an elixir of oral health due to its anti-microbial properties. In          fact, neem has been used for cleaning teeth in India since ancient times.

 Directions: Soak the tip of a neem stick in water overnight. Take out the topmost woody layer of the stick in the morning. Brush your stick using this stick and rinse your mouth with water afterwards.

CAUTION: However, these are not permanent cures and plaque build-up can recur due to your eating and drinking habits. For a long lasting cure, you could go for a professional teeth-whitening session at a dentist’s clinic.




5 Natural Ways to Never Let Your TEETH Turn Yellow!

Bad breath isn't just an indication of what you eat. Apart from being a turn off for people who come in contact with you, it could also hint at health problems.

Here are 5 reasons that cause bad breath and ways to overcome the same.

1) Unhealthy Teeth And Gums - Most of the bad breath and halitosis problems result due to unhealthy teeth and gums. Basically, people who don't take care of their dental hygiene are prone to the problem. 
Solution - Clean your teeth and rinse your mouth properly to get rid of the annoying rotten egg stench.

2) Lack Of Hydration - If you are not drinking enough water, you can have bad breath. Saliva washes away smell causing bacteria. But not having enough water will lead to lesser saliva, which will lead to dead and rotting cells that will stink. 
Solution - Drink atleast 8-10 glasses of water daily, at regular intervals.

3) Allergies - Nose and asthma related allergies are one of the leading causes of bad breath. 
Solution - Make sure that you get rid of the allergies via proper care. Also, hydrate more when you have any allergy, like sinus problems or tonsil infection, it helps in clearing allergies out.

4) Eating the wrong stuff - Garlic, uncooked onion and too many spices can also lead to bad breath. 
Solution - Use moderate spices and always rinse your mouth after each meal. Also, avoid foods that are high in sugar as they promote more bacteria. 

5) Acid Reflux - If getting gaseous feeling in the pit of your stomach is a common problem for you, then you might have bad breath too. Heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux are common causes of bad breath. 
Solution - Avoid foods that can cause a reflux and try light eating. It will take care of other health problems too.

If you have any questions on improving oral and dental hygiene, please click on 'Consult Privately.

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Bad Breath - 5 Reasons You Might Suffer From It And What Can You Do About It

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