ORAL HEALTH FAQS
Yes. To ensure both sides adhere to the appointment, it is important for customers to come in early. If customer were to come later than the agreed upon time, it is eligible for the dentist to start treatment on other customers whom also has appointments on the same day.
Bringing your ID is sufficient. Also do bring any supporting documents and referral letters (if any).
It all depends on the condition of the patient and how serious is the disease. On average, it is best to allocate at least 2 hours for a visit to a Government Dental Clinic.
Many of us does not visit a dentist regularly, but only going when we have oral health related problems. This is mainly due to the assumption of saving money. This practice however, would result in a more expensive treatment cost later on and more time spent to solve the problem. Most dental problems, does not shows signs and symptoms until it is too late. A more complex disease is more costly and need a longer time to treat.
Flossing is done to reduce the number of bacteria in a person’s mouth. Bacteria is contained in food debris that can be eliminated through flossing. Brushing functions to remove most food debris but not all. Floss is able to go to areas in between teeth to clean out those areas. If flossing is not practiced, the food debris will harden, forming calculus. Calculus cannot be removed simply by brushing, but instead requires professional treatment.
Make brushing fun! Many initiatives are done by the Oral Health Program to cultivate interest in brushing including through Rhythmical Brushing exercise and brushing with puppets. With children being interested in brushing, many oral health diseases could be prevented.
Tooth decay is a non-communicable disease. It happens as a result of poor oral health care and unhealthy diet. 5 simple steps to avoid tooth decay are:
- Brushing 2 times a day, after breakfast and before sleep
- Use fluoridated toothpaste
- Rinsing after a meal
- Flossing after eating
- Have a regular dental check-up
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Many dental diseases cannot be simply detected using the naked eye. X-ray enables a dentist to detect:
- Unseen tooth decay area
- Bone infection
- Gum problem
- Area of pus
- Tumour
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Early detection and treatment of an oral health disease could save time, money and reduce discomfort. X-ray is able to detect unseen damages to oral structures. The dentist will determine the need to take an X-ray.
Fluoride is a mineral found naturally in food that we take such as fish, spinach, apples and milk. Decreased in fluoride intake results in an individual being exposed to tooth decay. Fluoride is important for oral health because it prevents tooth decay by strengthening the tooth structure against acid produced by bacteria contained in food debris stuck to a tooth.
American Dental Association has stated that fissure sealant are one of the weapons in combatting tooth decay. Fissure sealant is a coating placed upon the chewing surface of a tooth. Fissure sealant plays an important role as a barrier and protection to tooth decay.
Piercing are a method of self-expression. However, piercing poses several problems. Symptoms after piercing includes pain, inflammation, infection, drooling, loss of taste, scarring, tooth damage and many more. Before piercing, it is best to see a dentist for opinion and advice. If piercing was done, and encounter problems mentioned, do see a dentist immediately.
Oral injuries can cause a lot of pain and should be treated immediately. If during the accident, a tooth was knocked out, follow the following steps:
- Rinse, but do not scrub the tooth to clean any debris and dirt on the tooth
- Place the tooth inside your mouth between the cheek and gum, under the tongue
- If the tooth could not be placed inside the mouth due to extensive injuries, wrap the tooth in clean cloth and soak it in milk
- Go to a dentist immediately. The chances of a successful reimplantation is higher if the procedure is done immediately (in a time span of less than a day)
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When an individual sleeps, the saliva production decreases. Decrease of salivary flow, results in bacteria being able to conduct its digestive process in the oral cavity without any obstruction. This in turn, produces sulphur as waste. Sulphur is naturally smelly. However, a prolonged bad breath even after brushing, may suggest a more serious problem. It is suggested that you visit a dentist as soon as possible if you encounter this problem.
You could use a sensitive toothpaste to deal with sensitive teeth. Other than that, food that are acid rich such as lime and soda water could result in sensitive tooth. If sensitive toothpaste does not work, it is best to see a dentist.
A periodontal disease is a disease involving infection and inflammation towards the gums and tooth supporting structures such as the bone. If the disease is not treated, it may result in bone destruction, which may lead to tooth loss. Untreated periodontal disease are attributed to increases risk in conditions such as heart diseases, stroke, low birth weight babies, premature birth, respiratory diseases and cancer. Some of signs of periodontal disease includes:
- Bad breath
- Inflamed gums
- Loose tooth
- Sensitive teeth
- Pus around tooth area
- Discomfort while chewing
- Bleeding gum
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Early stage of gum disease could be treated easily; however, a more advanced stage may require surgery. Periodontal disease could be prevented and treated successfully if check-up are done regularly and oral health care treatment is done properly.
The effect of whitening varies for different individual. Daily practices such as smoking, drinking alcohol or coffee, and consuming acidic food may result in faster tooth staining. Generally, whitening is effective for a couple of years. The whitening effect may fade, but a simple touch up may be done to regain its shine.
E-cigarettes does not produce smoke, but it still poses some risk such as:
- Difficulty in chewing
- difficulty in moving the tongue or jaw
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Pain in the oral cavity
- Lumps in the oral cavity
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Those using these products should make sure that regular check-ups are done.
Bleeding gums is one of the symptoms of periodontal disease. Most of the time, individuals with bleeding gums stops brushing regularly for fear of gum bleeding and pain. However, by doing this, the situation is worsened, as brushing is the best way to treat bleeding gum. A regular dental check-up is also important in treatment of bleeding gums. Painkiller may be able to give temporary relieve, however, for a more definite treatment, it is important to see a dentist.
There are many factors that cause staining such as the usage of tobacco and dietary choices. Hot beverages such as coffee and tea are particularly dangerous to a tooth as it may cause a change in temperature of the tooth. This constant change of temperature causes the tooth to constantly expand and contract, resulting in stains permeating in that particular tooth. Reduce intake of such substance to maintain a shiny smile. See a dentist regularly if you neo need an opinion and advice.
Mouth guard can prevent injuries to the face and oral cavity. A fitted kind is typically used as it is the most effective kind. Get a dentist advice on using a mouth guard. Disposable mouth guard can also be bought from a sports store. It is cheap, albeit less effective. Mouth guard care includes rinsing it after use. With proper care, a mouth guard could last for a few months.
Studies has shown a link between diabetes and gum disease. Ensure you get regular check-up as you might be more susceptible to gum diseases. If you also have conditions such as dry mouth or bleeding gums, do inform the dentist. Also, do mention what medication are taken.
Most pregnant women encounters a condition named pregnancy gingivitis. This condition causes swollen gums, bleeding, redness and gum pain. An advanced version of this disease; periodontitis may affect the baby’s health. Studies has shows a relation between periodontal disease and premature babies. Women who has pregnancy gingivitis are shown to be 700% more likely to give birth to a premature baby due to chemicals produced by bacteria causing gum disease.
There are several conditions that require premedication through antibiotic before treatment be done. This is to avoid any infection that may happen due to bacteria entering the bloodstream during treatment. It is best to obtain a dentist advice regarding the matter.
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can cause several problems, including:
- Infection
- Dry mouth
- Bleeding gum
- Pain around the oral cavity
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It is almost impossible to control these conditions when undergoing treatment as the immune system are affected. There are mouthwash that could be prescribed by dentist to reduce discomfort during treatment. It is important to see a dentist before chemotherapy/radiotherapy is initiated.
Visiting a dentist is more than simply checking teeth. Although patients using dentures no longer need to worry about tooth decay, denture problems still need to be checked. Oral cancer detection and denture replacement could be done. Denture fabrication should be done in clinic and not by irresponsible parties.
