Oral Trauma

Oral structure or teeth may be damaged due to an accident. There might be slightly loose, dislocated, fractured, or even avulsed (the entire tooth knocked off). Injury of oral tissues or oral structures such as lips, gingivae, oral mucosa, alveolar bone, or even upper or lower jawbones may be resulted. There might not be any apparent damage to the teeth

Bleeding can be stopped by pressing on the injured area and a dentist should be consulted immediately.

What is/are the treatments for tooth trauma?

A.Smoothen the fractured portion and apply topical fluoride on the tooth surface

B.Fill the tooth

C.Artificial Crown

The dentist will remove the decayed, fill the cavity, and cover the tooth with an artificial crown.

D.Endodontic file.

The dental specialist, endodonist will remove the nerve and infected pulp, the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed. In most cases, the tooth’s natural crown will need to be replaced with an artificial crown.

Reference information: , www.bjdental.com

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

To prevent teeth coloring

There are several factors affecting the color of teeth, like natural aging process, nicotine stains, drinking coffee or tea, accumulation of plaque and tartar deposits etc. To prevent teeth coloring, you are recommend to brush / floss after meal and regular dentist cleaning. 

Improper use of bleaching agents will damage gums and tooth supporting tissues. Be careful when using bleaching agents and consult your dentist for proper usage of bleaching agents and it’s harmful to health if bleaching agent is ingested accidentally, so it is recommended to consult your dentist before.

What is/ are the treatment(s) for tooth whitening?

1. Laser Bleaching. The blue light has been clinically-proven for bleaching tooth enamel and can be done in dental office.  

2.Take Home Dentist Supervised Bleaching.

Impressions (mould) of teeth are taken to make a model and a custom whitening tray is constructed from this model. The trays are filled with a gentle whitening solution, and are inserted and worn over the teeth overnight.

Comparisons of the professional tooth whitening and Over-the-counter whitening toothpaste

	Professional tooth whitening	OTC whitening toothpaste
Treatment Time	~1 hour	1 month
Color Change	Average of 8 shades	1-2 shades
Fadeback	Less	More
Duration	Long lasting	Loss of results with discontinued use
Stains	Superficial and interprismatic stains	Superficial stains only

Reference information: www.bjdental.com

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

Artificial Crowns and Veneers?

Periodontal plastic procedures can give you a perfect smile and boost your confidence so you can be at your best. Cosmetic surgery has become more popular than ever before especially now that people are living longer and aging more gracefully with the help of plastic surgery. Periodontal plastic surgery has also felt this trend as it has experienced a significant shift toward cosmetic-related surgery to help make smiles last a lifetime.

1) Artificial crowns

A dental crown is a customized tooth-shaped "cap" that is placed over a tooth - covering the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and/or to improve its appearance. The crown can (i) protect a weak tooth from breaking; (ii) restore tooth that has been severely worn down; (iii)  Cover misshapened or severely discolored teeth.  Preparing a tooth for a crown usually requires two visits to the dentist -- the first step involves examining and preparing the tooth and the second visit involves placement of the permanent crown.

(2) Veneers

Severely stained or chipped teeth may require Veneers, ultra-thin sculpted pieces of tooth-colored porcelain that fit over the front of your teeth.

At first, the dentist will check and examine your tooth. To prepare a tooth for a veneer, your dentist will remove the enamel from the tooth surface, which is an amount nearly equal to the thickness of the veneer to be added to the tooth surface. Next, your dentist will make an impression (mould) of your tooth. The veneer color can be adjusted with the shade of cement to be used. Next, your tooth will be cleaned, polished, and etched -- Once properly position on the tooth, your dentist will apply a special light beam to the dental veneer, which activates chemicals in the cement causing it to harden or cure very quickly. The final steps involve removing any excess cement, evaluating your bite and making any final adjustments in the veneer as necessary.  The Veneer could be removed technicially by dentist if needed. 

Reference information: www.bjdental.com

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

Common Dental Problems - Wisdom teeth, Sensitive teeth

Wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars that most people get in their late teens or early twenties. Sometimes these teeth can be a valuable asset to the mouth when healthy and properly aligned, but more often, they are misaligned and require removal. Poor alignment of wisdom teeth can crowd or damage adjacent teeth, the jawbone, or nerves. Partially erupted teeth are also more prone to tooth decay and gum disease.

What is/are the treatment(s) for wisdom teeth?

1) Extraction as same as any other tooth.

2) If a wisdom tooth that is underneath the gums or embedded in the jawbone, it will require an incision into the gums and then removal of the portion of bone that lies over the tooth.

Dental Floss

Proper flossing removes plaque and food particles in places where a toothbrush cannot reach – under the gumline and between adjacent teeth. It can important as it can preventing periodontal disease, bad breath, etc. Flossing daily is a good ways to clean between your teeth. 

Bleeding gums may be a sign that you have some form of gum disease, such as gingivitis or periodontal disease. If bleeding gums persist, you should consider to consulting your dentist.

Sensitive teeth

If enamel has been worn off or damaged, then it will lose its protective function and the dentine will be exposed. The dentine has many fine dentinal tubules connecting to the pulp. The patient will suffer sharp pain when stimulated.

To protect from damaging enamel, you should not brush with a toothbrush with bristles that are too hard, or brushing with excessive force can abrade the enamel of teeth. Also, you should avoid frequently eating or drinking highly acidic food or beverages and frequent grinding of teeth.

Reference information: www.bjdental.com , www.invisalign.com.hk

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

Common Dental Problems - Diabetes, Dry Mouth

Diabetes

Long term research have shown a significant link between diabetes and oral health.

When your blood sugar levels are poorly controlled, the oral cavity is more prone to develop infections such as, gingivitis, periodontitis, thrush (a fungal infection of the mouth) ultimately leading to tooth loss.

Diabetic patients should follow your physician’s instructions on blood sugar levels control, regular dental check-ups and practice good oral hygiene with twice-a-day brushing, flossing and using anti-cavity dental rinse.

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth is the condition that occurs when you don’t have sufficient saliva to keep your mouth wet. The symptoms include mouth sores, dry feeling in your mouth, tongue and throat, cracked lips, trouble chewing, swallowing, tasting or speaking. There are several reasons why salivary glands might not work properly, like side effects of medications, disease (like diabetes), undergoing radiation therapy, chemotherapy and nerve damages.

Dry mouth may cause you difficulties in tasting, chewing, swallowing, and speaking. Also, it can increase your chance to developing dental decay, gum disease and bad mouth. You should  consider to consulting your dentist for treatment. 

What is/are the treatment(s) for dry mouth?

1) Prescribe medicine that will help make the salivary glands function more efficiently.

2) Use artificial saliva

3) Professional Fluoride treatment

4) Instructions and nutritional counseling by oral hygienist.

Reference information: www.bjdental.com

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

Improve your smile?

There are several factors affecting the color of teeth, like natural aging process, nicotine stains, drinking coffee or tea, accumulation of plaque and tartar deposits etc. To prevent teeth coloring, you are recommend to brush / floss after meal and regular dentist cleaning. Improper use of bleaching agents will damage gums and tooth supporting tissues. Be careful when using bleaching agents and consult your dentist for proper usage of bleaching agents and it’s harmful to health if bleaching agent is ingested accidentally, so it is recommended to consult your dentist before.

What is/ are the treatment(s) for tooth whitening?

1. Laser Bleaching. The blue light has been clinically-proven for bleaching tooth enamel and can be done in dental office.  

3. Take Home Dentist Supervised Bleaching.

Impressions (mould) of teeth are taken to make a model and a custom whitening tray is constructed from this model. The trays are filled with a gentle whitening solution, and are inserted and worn over the teeth overnight.

Comparisons of the professional tooth whitening and Over-the-counter whitening toothpaste

	Professional tooth whitening	OTC whitening toothpaste
Treatment Time	~1 hour	1 month
Color Change	Average of 8 shades	1-2 shades
Fadeback	Less	More
Duration	Long lasting	Loss of results with discontinued use
Stains	Superficial and interprismatic stains	Superficial stains only

Reference information: www.bjdental.com, www.toothclub.gov.hk

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

Improve your smile? Artificial Crowns and Veneers?

Periodontal plastic procedures can give you a perfect smile and boost your confidence so you can be at your best. Cosmetic surgery has become more popular than ever before especially now that people are living longer and aging more gracefully with the help of plastic surgery. Periodontal plastic surgery has also felt this trend as it has experienced a significant shift toward cosmetic-related surgery to help make smiles last a lifetime.

1) Artificial crowns

A dental crown is a customized tooth-shaped "cap" that is placed over a tooth - covering the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and/or to improve its appearance. The crown can (i) protect a weak tooth from breaking; (ii) restore tooth that has been severely worn down; (iii)  Cover misshapened or severely discolored teeth.  Preparing a tooth for a crown usually requires two visits to the dentist -- the first step involves examining and preparing the tooth and the second visit involves placement of the permanent crown.

(2) Veneers

Severely stained or chipped teeth may require Veneers, ultra-thin sculpted pieces of tooth-colored porcelain that fit over the front of your teeth.

At first, the dentist will check and examine your tooth. To prepare a tooth for a veneer, your dentist will remove the enamel from the tooth surface, which is an amount nearly equal to the thickness of the veneer to be added to the tooth surface. Next, your dentist will make an impression (mould) of your tooth. The veneer color can be adjusted with the shade of cement to be used. Next, your tooth will be cleaned, polished, and etched -- Once properly position on the tooth, your dentist will apply a special light beam to the dental veneer, which activates chemicals in the cement causing it to harden or cure very quickly. The final steps involve removing any excess cement, evaluating your bite and making any final adjustments in the veneer as necessary.  The Veneer could be removed technicially by dentist if needed.

Reference information: www.bjdental.com ,

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

Oral Problems─Sensitive Teeth

A. Cause of sensitive teeth

Sensitive teeth are mainly caused by exposed dentine. If enamel has been worn off or damaged, then it will lose its protective function and the dentine will be exposed. The dentine has many fine dentinal tubules connecting to the pulp. When it is stimulated by eating or drinking hot, cold, sour, or sweet food and beverages, or when it is contacted by a toothbrush or dental floss, sharp pain will be felt.

B. Causes for exposed dentine ：

Brushing with a toothbrush with bristles that are too hard, or brushing with excessive force can abrade the enamel of teeth.

Frequently eat or drink highly acidic food or beverages will lead to acidic erosion of the enamel.

Frequent grinding of teeth (bruxism) causing enamel to wear off.

Suffering from Periodontal Disease which causes gum recession and exposed root surface.

C. Management

Dentist will apply topical fluoride on the tooth surface or perform a filling according to the condition.

Use a "mouth guard" made by the dentist to avoid further attrition of teeth.

Use desensitizing toothpaste to relieve tooth sensitivity. You should consult your dentist before purchasing or using this type of toothpaste.

D. Prevention

Use a toothbrush with soft bristles.

Brush with a gentle force.

Avoid frequent intake of highly acidic food or beverages such as fruit juice, sports drink, soft drink, yogurt, red wine, white wine, etc., to avoid acidic attack.

Avoid biting on hard food such as bone or nut to prevent enamel from fracturing.

Sufficient sleep and exercise to relieve stress to avoid bruxism (grinding teeth)

Reference information: www.bjdental.com , www.toothclub.gov.hk

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

Common problems for cleaning baby's mouth

Reference information: www.bjdental.com , www.toothclub.gov.hk

• If my baby does not want to open her mouth, then how can I clean her mouth?
  When you put your finger near your baby's mouth, your baby will slowly open her mouth as she thinks that you are trying to feed her. Try it with patience and you should be able to make your baby open her mouth.
  
  
• What if my baby bites my finger when I try to clean his mouth?
  It is natural for your baby to bite your finger when you try to put your finger into his mouth. Keep wiping his mouth and it will be opened again.
  
  
• I cannot reach the gums at the back of my baby's mouth. What should I do?
  You can put your finger at the corner of your baby's mouth and then reach inside along the inside surface of her cheek until you reach the gum at the back of the mouth. At this point insert your finger gently in-between the upper and lower gums (as shown in the picture). Your baby will open her mouth and you can wipe the gums at the back.
  
  
• When is the best time to wipe my baby's mouth?
  Since new born babies have not established a regular feeding pattern, it is difficult for parents to decide which meal will be their last meal of the day. Parents can then set a fixed time to wipe their baby's mouth every night.
  When your baby grows older (over 6 months old) and has established regular feeding habits, you can wipe your baby's mouth after the last meal of the day.
  
  
• I fed my baby and wiped his mouth before putting him to bed. Yet he did not want to go to bed and asked for milk again, what should I do?
  The reasons for wiping your child's mouth after the last meal of the day are to get your child accustomed to cleaning his mouth regularly and going to bed with a clean mouth. Generally, it is only out of habit that children ask for milk before going to bed. Parents can feed them with water, or keep them preoccupied by patting, singing a song or telling a story.
  
  
• If ulcers (Aphthous Ulcer) are found inside my baby's mouth, should I stop wiping his mouth?
  You should keep wiping your child's mouth and try to avoid touching the ulcer. If it is not possible, then stop wiping until the ulcer has healed. In general, ulcers will heal within a week's time.

When the first tooth appears, parents should wipe their children's mouths and teeth every day

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.