Vishnu Dental Care

Nobody is happy with their teeth and everybody wants whiter, brighter teeth. In the last few decades, tooth whitening is one of the most commonly done cosmetic dental procedures. Majority of these people are in the age of 10 to 25, who are very conscious about their looks.

What needs to be understood is that dental whitening is permissible to a certain extent. Not many people realize this and continue to use teeth whiteners even after the desired result is achieved in an effort to get it a couple of more shades lighter. This is something that we need to watch out for. 

Safety of tooth whitening: Some of the supposedly unsafe aspects of tooth whitening are most products used currently are tested both on patients and in laboratory and are proven to be completely safe. However, overuse or misuse of these products can lead to issues. The active chemical ingredient in most of these products is hydrogen peroxide. Most of the products contain about 10% carbamide peroxide, which breaks into hydrogen peroxide and urea. There are claims that this is carcinogenic. However, this is not the case and there is no strong correlation. Also, if the application is done correctly, there is very minimal exposure to hydrogen peroxide directly.

The second issue that most people associate with tooth whitening is tooth sensitivity and gum irritation. Both these symptoms are directly related to the percentage of carbamide peroxide. It is shown that products with more than 10% produce more teeth sensitivity and gum irritation than those that contain less than 10%. Improper tray selection can lead to gum irritation. Also, patients who are overzealous and go about whitening their teeth further can end up with severe sensitivity. The explanation in these cases is the enamel is worn off by the chemical leading to exposed dentinal tubules which, even when exposed due to caries, can cause sensitivity.

Listed below are some ways to avoid or reduce sensitivity: 

1. When using the bleaching tray applicator, use it only for the recommended period of time. Do not keep it longer to make the teeth whiter.
2. Use a paste that is meant for sensitive teeth. The potassium nitrate in these will help relieve sensitivity.
3. Use a product with fluoride so that the teeth can remineralize. This can be used before and after tooth whitening for up to 4 minutes.

It is advisable to avoid tooth whitening in some cases like the following: 

1. Pregnancy
2. Breastfeeding
3. Ceramic crowns or bridges in the front teeth - these cannot be bleached
4. Gingival disease with gum recession and exposed root - the sensitivity is sure to quite high

Munching foods like apples, pears, carrots or celery after brushing can help in preventing discoloration as they trigger tooth-bathing saliva which helps in keeping the teeth whiter. 

When you think of what strikes you first about anybody, majority of people would say the smile. There is nothing more endearing than a warm, friendly smile. When you think more about it, the smile has a huge emotional component to it.  This is in addition to the esthetic and artistic value that a smile carries.  There are some people who are renowned for their smiles, which is said to be so bright, which led to the term '1000-watt smile', good enough to light up a big room!

Dentistry has evolved over the last few decades to play a major role in a person's appearance. From the shape and size of the teeth to the contour of the jaws and lips to the angle of the smile, there is something dentists can help with.  There are specific proportions that are believed to produce a perfect smile, width of the eyes, distance between the eyes, width of the mouth, etc. With more and people realizing that their smiles can be improved, the demand for these is also increasing.

The new development in improving smile is the Digital Smile Design (DSD) that was developed by a ceramician (technician involved in making ceramic crowns) in Brazil in 2007, Mr. Christian Coachman. This basically involves taking a series of digital photographs and videos of the patient. These are then transferred to the computer and analyzed for the various proportions mentioned above.  These images are then manipulated to achieve the correct proportions and reproduce a smile with the correct dimensions. To be doubly sure, these images are also shared with a larger group of dentists and then approval sought. 

Detailed discussions are held with the patient on how this will reflect once the change is done. Once changes suggested by the dentist are accepted by the patient and incorporated, then the patient's smile is reconstructed using the calculated analysis and post that the smile correction is done.  A successful digital smile design is a great example of teamwork as multidisciplinary teams from dentistry are involved.
The result is an enhanced smile that improves the patient's perception of beauty and also improves their confidence levels and feelings of self-worth and self-esteem. It is to be noted that what a person wants to express with his smile can be taken into account when designing a smile.

The major advantage of DSD is that there is no need for any special equipment and the digital equipment that is part of most dental setups is sufficient to design a smile. Smile designing is only poised to grow more popular in the coming years, with the greater focus on appearance and beauty.

Enamel loss is nothing but tooth-enamel erosion, and this is quite a pathetic kind of oral condition. If the eroded enamel does not get restored, then your oral condition will get deteriorated to a great extent. 
Teeth enamel plays the most important role in protecting teeth and if this layer gets eroded, then your teeth will get heavily damaged. Your teeth will not only get eroded, but the real dental color will also get changed. 

Why enamel erosion occurs? 

-  Drinking excessive hot or cold: your enamel is very much sensitive to hot or cold food items as a result of which email loss is invited. 

-  Having fruit drinks: Citric acid in the fruit drinks is the element that can cause enamel erosion.

-  Sugary diet: Excessive sugary diet is the very prominent cause of this kind of dental condition, and  thus you should take more and more of non-sugary foods.

-  Environmental factors: There are many environmental factors that are responsible for enamel loss, and they are corrosion, stress, tear, wear, friction and others.

-  Medications: Few medications are there that can cause enamel erosion and these medicines are antihistamines, aspirin and many more.

-  Gastrointestinal troubles: These kinds of troubles are prone to the frequent erosion of tooth enamel and thus these problems need to be resolved as soon as possible.  

What are the leading treatments for restoring enamel loss?

-  Using fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash: There are many talented dentists who are strongly recommending the usage of both fluoride mouthwash and toothpaste so that tooth decay can be easily prevented. These products are now commercially available over-the-counter. 

-  Routine dental check-up: Daily dental check-up is needed so that oral condition can be checked so that the causes and signs of enamel loss can be detected, and then only perfect treatments can be easily applied. 

-  Taking vitamin-D supplements: there are many drugs and supplements that are enriched with vitamin-D, and they can be taken on a regular basis so that decayed enamel can be easily restored in a safe manner. Coconut oil can be taken in addition to these supplements for getting greater oral benefits. 

-  Cosmetic restoration options: There are many enamel-restoration options that can be cosmetically performed. Some of the popular options are crowning, filling, and others. On the other hand, leading a healthy lifestyle is also very important in this regard.