Why most Indian Adults Need Teeth Scaling? 

Huge number of Indians tend to ignore or abuse their dental health. Most adults in the country need regular scaling due to their food and lifestyle habits. 
Teeth scaling is one of the most common methods used for treating gum disease. This procedure helps remove plaque and tartar (causes of gum tissue inflammation) build-up on your teeth. In a nutshell, it reverses the occurrence of gum disease, while preventing further development of it into a serious condition. A non-surgical procedure, teeth scaling is different from a normal dental cleaning as it involves cleaning the tooth areas that are under the gum line. It removes substances that cannot be removed through brushing.

The importance of scaling

In addition to giving you healthy gums, dental scaling is important for reducing your risk of having a heart disease. If you’re wondering how teeth scaling is connected to your heart, here’s how – several studies show that gum disease can increase your risk of heart disease as the bacteria that build up along the gum line get dislodged, enter your blood and attach themselves to the blood vessels, causing the formation of clots. These clots then cause a drop in your blood flow to the heart, bringing about a rise in your blood pressure, and consequently increasing your risk of a heart attack.

How often it must be done?

To keep your gums and teeth in good condition, it is best to go for teeth scaling every 6 months. This is because as you age your saliva becomes thicker with a decrease in its water content. As a result, your mouth becomes more prone to dryness, thereby allowing the food and bacteria to remain longer in the mouth, causing the formation of plaque. A soft sticky film on the teeth, plaque continues to form in your mouth and begins to mineralize into tartar within 10-14 hours. This makes it all the more necessary to get this job done on a regular basis.




Reality Check: 98% Adult Indians Need Teeth Scaling. Why?

How to heal tooth cavities naturally?

It is believed that tooth decay once occurred cannot be reversed or healed. But the recent studies have proven this wrong. According to the researches cavity can be healed by improved diet. Tooth decay primarily occurs due to bathing the teeth with the foods containing carbohydrates frequently. Bacteria from mouth feed on these foods and produce acids which destroy tooth enamel over a period of time resulting in cavity.

To heal cavities naturally, we need to include the foods rich in minerals like calcium, fat soluble vitamins lack of which cause cavities.

Ways to heal cavities naturally

1. Avoid sugar and phytic acid (phytate)

Sugar is the food for bacteria. So it is better to avoid sugar in your diet. You can replace sugar with pure honey which is much healthier option.

Phytate is mineral blocker found in nuts, seeds, soy products and grains. It does not only inhibit absorption of minerals in your body but also leaches out minerals from the teeth and bones. You can alter the way you eat the phytate containing foods. Prefer sprouted seeds, fermented soy foods, salted bread etc which cut down the amount of phytate.

2. Minerals

Calcium strengthens teeth. Hence increase your calcium intake by consuming milk, cheese and yogurt. With calcium, include phosphorous and magnesium rich diet also to aid calcium functions.

3. Fat soluble vitamins

Lack of fat soluble vitamins also cause tooth decay. Take diet rich in fat soluble vitamins a, e, k and especially vitamin d. Cod liver oil is great source of vitamin a, d, e. Vitamin k can be acquired from spinach, broccoli, skate liver oil, bone marrow etc. In addition to sunshine, milk, eggs and salmon are also rich in vitamin d.

4. Raw dairy products

Raw dairy products are loaded with calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, fat soluble vitamins. We must include raw dairy products in our diet. Raw cheese, butter, milk are the examples of raw dairy foods.

You can also try coconut oil pulling and activated charcoal / dry neem powder to brush your teeth which can prevent cavity naturally.

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How to Heal Tooth Cavities Naturally?

Gingivitis is a disorder, which is characterized by inflammation, swelling and irritation in the gums. Usually, the symptoms of this disorder are mild, so you might not pay much heed to them. However, if left untreated, this condition can result in other serious disorders, such as teeth loss and periodontitis. The primary cause of gingivitis is an improper oral hygiene.

The symptoms of gingivitis are:

    Red gums that bleed easily
    Swelling in the gums
    Tender gums that are receding
    You may have bad breath
    You may bleed from your gums during brushing and flossing

Causes: The most common cause of this disorder is bad oral hygiene, which facilitates the formation of plaque on your teeth. If the foods you eat contain excess sugar, the bacteria in your mouth may interact with them to produce acid (plaque) if you don't manage to maintain good oral habits. If not removed, the plaque can turn into tartar; plaque can be difficult to get rid of as tartar.

Treatment: The treatment for gingivitis usually begins with an initial evaluation and a professional cleaning to get rid of the tartar. You should use proper brushing and flossing techniques to prevent the recurrence of plaque. You should also follow up with the dentist on a regular basis for check-ups.

Scaling is the procedure by which the plaque from the teeth is removed. If the sources of problems are misaligned teeth and poorly fitted dentures, then these need to be fixed. There are certain home remedies for gingivitis such as:

    Use toothbrush that has soft bristles
    Visit a dentist for regular oral check- ups, it is very essential for the upkeep of sound oral health
    Regular flossing can help
    Use a non-alcoholic mouthwash which can help in removal of cavities and plaque to a certain extent, though not majorly
    Use fluoride based toothpaste to brush your teeth at least twice a day
    Clean your teeth regularly, avoid eating foods laden with sugar and eat plenty of vegetables

Gingivitis and Its Causes and Symptoms

If chewing food and retaining a sparkling smile is not enough for you, avoiding toothaches and a visit to the dentist could be reason enough to maintain healthy teeth. Ignoring your tooth health can lead to many problems. Answer yourself the following question. Would you like your teeth inside your mouth or in a glass tumbler beside your bed at nighttime? 

If you opted for the former, then going through the following tips and advices will go a long way in helping you sustain healthy teeth. They are:

1)  Brush and floss twice a day
Brushing and flossing twice a day, on a regular basis will help you maintain healthy teeth and gums in the long run. The ideal time to brush your teeth is 20 minutes after a meal. Opting for a toothbrush with a small head and soft bristles gives you better access to even the deeper portions of your mouth, thus providing comprehensive cleansing to your teeth. Moreover, softer bristles are generous on your gums as well.

2) Nutrition
Whatever you eat, either protects you or makes you more susceptible to diseases and disorders. This stands true for your oral health as well. As such, choosing the right foods early in your life is of vital importance. Foods such as cold drinks, cakes, candies and other such sugary substances facilitate the growth of germ and bacteria in your mouth, resulting in plaque and cavities. Choosing foods that are low in starch and sugar will reduce the development of germs and help eradicate cavities or plaque in the long run.

3) Smoking
Even the pack of smoke that you buy endorses smoking is injurious to your general health. Smoking causes reduced flow of blood to the mouth, which resultantly leads to increased chances of periodontal disease and mouth cancer. Smoking, moreover causes a decline in the ability of the bones and tissues to revascularize (self-heal). All else apart, just stop smoking.

4) Chewing gums
Chewing gums are highly beneficial especially after a meal. They not only increase the flow of saliva in your mouth, but also improves the flow of blood to your brain, thus enhancing your alertness by close to 10%. In addition, chewing gums help neutralize the acid in your mouth, thus helping you cleanse your mouth.

Tips to Maintain Healthy Teeth

Fluoride products for the teeth have immense importance in dentistry. Fluoride is one such chemical, the balance of which is highly required for strong and healthy teeth. However, there is an optimum amount of fluoride needed for teeth. Anything lesser than that or greater than that can cause harm and serious teeth and gum problems and tooth decay. The best option, therefore, is to get a fluoride based toothpaste or mouthwash, which will keep on providing the teeth with the optimum quantity of its daily dose of fluoride.

The benefits of fluoride products
Before delving into the types of fluoride products available, let's have a look at the benefits of fluoride on teeth. Fluorides actually save the teeth from dental caries. It happens such that fluoride makes a certain mineral bonding on the teeth which is called fluorapatite. This is not normally found in human teeth, but when teeth damage is done, then to heal it fast this compound is needed to repair the damages. This adds to the mineral bonding in the teeth and strengthens the teeth.  

The fluoride products
The various fluoride based products, which you may use are as follows:

1. Fluoridated water: Fluoridating water is a simple process where the optimum amount of fluoride is mixed with drinking water so that drinking the water automatically keeps on adding fluoride to the body and keeps in contact with teeth. This therapy alone is enough and needs no more therapies generally. But not all water reserves contain this, and it's not possible to add fluorides to all water reserves. That is why the other fluoride treatments are needed.

2. Fluoride toothpaste: This is one of the most common forms for fluoride treatments. Every common daily use toothpaste contains a 0.22 to 0.312 percent of fluoride, and this is highly beneficial to the teeth for healing of decay and fast repairs. It lets the teeth get stronger. 

3. Mouth Rinses: Fluoride mouth rinses are an option. The sodium fluorides commonly used in the rinses are used in small amounts in the product which is used just like toothpaste and washed off.

4. Fluoride foams and gels: The foam and gel are used when the teeth of the child or adult are under high risk of cavities. The foam or gel is rubbed on the teeth, and kept for a while and then washed off. The typical application time is 30 minutes. 

5. Varnishes: The fluoride varnishes are just like gels, and they are also used on the tooth surface similarly. It's the choice of the dentist or patient as to which one they want to go with. Besides, these slow fluoride releasing devices, medical supplements and lozenges are also there, which slowly release the optimum amount of fluorides to keep the teeth strong and healing.

Use of Fluoride Products for Teeth

Mouthwash has become an essential ingredient of one's oral hygiene kit. Though not a substitute for flossing or brushing, it offers additional oral protection. Due to a host of ingredients, such as alcohol,
Chlorhexidine, cetylpyridinium chloride, menthol, methyl salicylate, fluoride, antibacterial enzymes, hydrogen peroxide, essential oils, zinc chloride and other herbs and "natural" ingredients mouthwash has a number of benefits.

Alcohol is the basic ingredient in all of them. While fluoride protects against decay, chlorhexidine protects against gum diseases. Hydrogen peroxide produces a mild bleaching effect. Herbs and essential oils produce a freshening effect.

Benefits of using a mouthwash

1. Reduces formation of tartar and plaque.
2. Protects from oral problems like gingivitis and periodontal disease, especially if it contains cetylpyridinium or essential oils. Chlorhexidine is also effective in protecting plaque formation and gingivitis.
3. Kills bacteria in the mouth and prevents cavities or decay, especially if it contains fluoride.
4. Mouthwash, to some extent, covers up bad breath due to oral hygiene or oral disease and produces a fresher breath.
5. Certain mouthwashes containing cetylpyridinium chloride and zinc chloride produce a better breath freshening effect.
6. Helps manage dry mouth, especially if containing biotene.

Types of Mouthwash

1. Cosmetic
2. Therapeutic

The cosmetic one is usually for freshening up the breath and is not regulated by the FDA. The therapeutic ones contain active ingredients aimed at addressing one of the issues like plaque formation, bad breath, dry mouth, or decay. They kill bacteria, reduce plaque, fight gingivitis, and control decay. They are not a substitute for brushing or flossing but supplement these two very well. These are approved by FDA and are proven in terms of safety and efficacy. Rinses with zinc chloride are effective against bad breath, those with fluoride are useful in people who are cavity-prone, and chlorhexidine helps prevent gum disease.

Choosing a mouthwash: This depends on the oral health condition, and it is always advisable that the dentist prescribes the right rinse for you.

When and how to use mouthwash: When you are done with your brushing and flossing, rinse your mouth with a capful of the mouthwash liquid. Swish it around your mouth for about 30 seconds and spit it out. Avoid brushing, drinking water, or rinsing your mouth after using a mouthwash for about 15 to 20 minutes. This will give sufficient time for the active ingredients in the mouthwash (especially if it is a therapeutic one) to act in the mouth. Brushing after mouthwash removes all the effect of the rinse.

Mouthwash: All You Need to Know About it

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