Monday, November 30, 2009

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Keeping those whites pearly By CHAKARA BENNETT ~ Guardian Intern: When one thinks of going to get an annual check-up the first thought is usually of going into a private or public clinic to see a medical doctor. This is probably why most people miss out on an equally important annual check-up they should have—a routine dental examination. Dr. Gill Gibson, general dental practitioner, says that it is essential to have a routine dental cleaning and examination at least twice a year or maybe even more if needed. Getting an X-ray of your teeth should also be done once a year or more if necessary. It is important to be consistent with these examinations because many people don't realize that home cleaning and flossing do not adequately remove bacterial build-up or plaque. One would need the use of professional equipment and technique to properly remove it all. Gibson also notes that it takes up to six months for incipient decay to be detected with dental instruments. To prevent such problems from advancing it is essential to regularly visit your dentist. "If regular visits aren't maintained, one of the first problems that many patients can face is periodontal disease in which one of the first stages is gingivitis," said Gibson. "This can be recognized in the redness of gums and slight bleeding when brushing the teeth. n See Pearly on L10 If this is not detected and addressed it can escalate to severe gum disease which encompasses bone loss, infection and even tooth loss." However, although many persons may feel that their teeth are fine and that they can just brush them more carefully when there is bleeding, such problems should not be ignored. In the long run the disease process can become far more expensive than taking on preventative measures. Gibson, who has been practicing dentistry for more than 22 years, says that tooth loss and the procedures one may need to repair and replace one's teeth after major problems and the exorbitant cost assigned to it all can easily be avoided if regular check-ups are maintained. She says that it is also important to take children to the dentist regularly as soon as they have 20 teeth, which can happen when they are as young as two or three years old. At these early stages when children are starting to grow teeth and up until they are eight years old, parents should be the ones maintaining the children's dental hygiene by gently brushing and flossing their teeth. After that stage, parents should still regularly monitor and instruct children on the proper methods of teeth brushing until they can consistently and reliably do it on their own. Gibson advises: "To ensure that children's teeth remain in the best health, it is important to put a lot of calcium in their diets as well as to keep them away from too many sweet foods. But if they are going to eat sweets, ensure that it is at a set period of time in the day such as after dinner so that it doesn't happen throughout the day when you can't brush the teeth soon afterward." Another problem that many adults face with their dental health that they may not think too much about is sensitivity in their teeth. Gibson says that this often occurs from improper and aggressive teeth brushing. Using a hard toothbrush to clean one's teeth instead of relying on proper technique rather than the texture of the brush also contributes to this condition. Gibson advises that one should always use a soft brush to clean the teeth in between dental examinations. Hard brushes wears away the enamel at the tooth-gum juncture which can expose the dentin, the second layer of the tooth structure which contains nerve fibers. The exposure can result in the sensitivity and susceptibility to decay. Monday, November 30, 2009