Tuesday, October 10, 2017

How to Properly Brush your Teeth

 Brushing your teeth, like washing and combing your hair, may feel a bit mineral, but the thing is, it’s actually something that you want to do right, and if you’re not using the correct techniques, you won’t have a smile that looks good, and you won’t be happy with this.



The correct Way 

When you brush your teeth, you’re eliminating bacteria and plaque  that’s there. when it’s not removed, it leads to dental decay, cavities, and also gum disease.



The correct brushing technique can prevent this, and you’ll want to make sure that you get this right.

The steps to do this are the following: 

  1. Work on the outer surfaces of where the teeth are, and then brush the teeth that are upper, followed by lower. Going with each tooth will slow this, so you’re not missing much. 

  2. Take the brush, and then tilt this at around a 45 degree angle, brushing against this to eliminate debris and plaque. Move this in a backwards and forwards motion using short strokes that are as wide as the tooth.

  3. Brush the inner parts of the teeth. Due to the insides not being as visible, you might feel tempted to skip this, but the inside is just as important as the outside. Using the same 45 degree angle to brush these parts on the inside, will help you eliminate the plaque 

  4. Clean up those surfaces that you chew on, suing the same backwards and forwards strokes, and you’ll want to also get the top, where the teeth gets food usually

  5. Brush out the tongue, as it helps freshen out the breath, and also removes bacteria that’s usually going to create odors for people.

Some Tips 

If you’re curious about how you can get this better, then you’re in luck. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your brushing experience.



  • You should brush for at least two minutes twice a day. Utilize a timer to ensure that you get the attention properly on the teeth.

  • You should use a toothbrush that’s soft bristled. A smaller head might be better for smaller mouths, as it reaches different areas.

  • Electric toothbrushes are good for those who want to limit using their hands or have bad dexterity. For those who struggle with brushing, this is also a good idea.

  • You should try to get a toothpaste that’s fitting for the needs that you have. No two people need the same usually, and depending on issues, you may go for a type of toothpaste.

  • You should replace the toothbrush every few months, or when you start to see some wearing and tearing on the toothbrush that’s there. Whatever comes first, make sure to change this regularly.

  • Another thing to do, is that after you get sick, replace your toothbrush, so that you’re not worrying about any sorts of nasty bugs and decay left on there 

  • See a dentist regularly and ask them about your brushing habits and what you can do better, especially if you need it.

Most people brush their teeth, but they don’t pay a ton of attention to how they do it, creating an issue. If you’re someone who is curious about brushing your teeth, or who has a little bit of trouble with doing it, look at this handy how-to article, and see for yourself the difference it makes. Prevent tooth decay and save some money and pain by not letting decay set in, and instead, make sure that you have proper oral care in place, and optimized as well too.


Wednesday, May 17, 2017

What is a compound Odontoma

Your dentist tells you that you’ve got a compound odontoma. It sounds scary, but while it is a growth, it is treatable. Your dentist might detect the tumors with the x-rays that they take, and usually, it doesn’t cause problems.  Here, you’ll learn what it is, and what your dentist would like to do in most of these cases. 

What Do Odontomas Do? 

Odontomas are tumors that aren’t cancerous, and it is rare, but they don’t cause harm to the body itself. The growths usually replicate the tissues that the teeth are made of, including dentin, enamel, and also pulp, and other tissues. They do grow slowly and occasionally show up in the oral cavity as well. These are usually odontogenic tumors, and usually, they develop between the ages of 14 and 18 years old but can happen at any age. They occur a lot more in females in the upper jaw area. 



While there isn’t an exact cause, they can be associated with infection, trauma, along with inflammation when someone’s young. People with Gardner syndrome or Herman’s syndrome may also be prone to this too since in most cases, this also happens with impacted teeth, and usually, they aren’t fully erupted either. 

Complex Vs. Compound 

There are compound odontomas, which are tooth-like in structure and are more uniform, similar to how normal teeth are, whereas complex odontomas are usually more of a mixture of disorganized masses of tissue. 

Compound ones are twice as likely as the complex ones, and they usually are a small group of teeth on x-rays too. There have also been instances where patients have multiple types of compound odontomas, and they can sometimes be diagnosed by different doctors. 

The diagnosis and Treatment 

Usually, these are only done by dental professionals who are able to find this through an x-ray of their jaw. Why they are benign, it’s recommended that you do get minor surgery if it occurs as well. If a patient has no symptoms and the tumor is still allowing the teeth to come in, the main thing they do at this point is monitor it, and then take action if needed. 



Usually, you have a dentist along with an oral maxillofacial surgeon who will help you with this and will decide if you have surgery or if you just need to monitor this sort of thing. These can be found in routine x-rays, or if the dentist sees something on a routine ex-ray that needs to be explored further. 

The big thing to understand though is that a tumor doesn’t equate to cancer, so you might not need treatment right away. But seeing a dentist regularly will make sure that the gums and teeth are checked for proper oral health, and also the neck and head are too. Oral cancer can occur in these areas, even if the tumors that are found are benign. 



Usually, regular checkups and x-rays do this, and they can take some further steps as needed, which is why you should definitely go in for checkups too and to make sure that you’re taking care of your body as best as you can. There are tons of great ways to prevent this from getting worse, and really just proper monitoring and understanding of these can help the patient understand just what exactly is going on, and also from there help you better get a feel as well for this, and in turn help with making sure that you get the most that you can out of this, and to ensure the proper treatment for this is maintained.


Wednesday, May 3, 2017

What a Wharton’s Duct Is

 Have you ever wondered what saliva is able to move around so easily? Is there a substance that makes this possible? Yes, it’s called the Wharton’s duct.  This is something that’s considered a submandibular duct, and they’re basically saliva channels that are transparent.  Whether you’ve got issues with transporting saliva or are just curious about what goes on in the mouth, this is something that’s fascinating, and here, we’ll give you the full outline of what this is. 

Where They’re Located 

You may wonder where it’s located. 

Basically, look at your underside of your tongue.  You’ll see two openings beneath there, and that’s where saliva is able to enter directly within the mouth, and they’re a huge part of your oral health. 



They are pretty easy to find, as they’re on both the right and the lefthand part of the floor of the mouth. 

This is something that actually manages at least 2/3 of the saliva that you create every single day, to speak and also to chew with. 

The best way to describe it is that it’s like a main water pipe within your mouth. The duct is basically a small tube that’s about 5 centimeters long, and basically carries all of the saliva. Every single submandibular duct will start at the left and right sides, and they’re underneath where your tongue is, and they then empty out directly into a cavity that’s called the sublingual caruncles. 

Why it’s Called this 

Like a lot of the other parts within our body, this is because of the scientist that’s responsible for finding them. 

This wsa done by a man named Thomas Wharton, who was a scientist that was able to study the different bodily glands within. He’s also the first one to pinpoint the structures within his documentation of the neck and the head anatomy. 

He even located the organ within the lower neck area, and he definitely loved to write about these structures. 

Why this Matters 

You need saliva in order to properly lubricate your mouth, so the ducts and organs that are there do play a big role in the movement of your mouth, and it’s absolutely essential. 



The movement of saliva directly from your glands is vital for the everyday activities. Whether you’re speaking, chewing, swallowing, or even washing some of the debris that’s on your teeth, these are all partially done because of saliva. 

There are some issues that can relate to this that mayhappen. The most common is called calcifications of the duct, which creates what’s called a salivary stone. 

If it gets blocked up, that means that the saliva cannot pass through the same way that it normally would. This also prevents it from continuing down the same path to get these essential functions. 

It also can cause pressure and pain in the buildup where the gland that’s blocked is. 

If it doesn’t get treated, this is also then responsible for what’s called xerostomia, or also known commonly as a dry mouth condition. 



It can also lead to bad breath, or halitosis, and it can cause a ton of more serious problems down the line too if you’re not careful. 

Lots of people don’t realize that the saliva that we have is very important, and those with dry mouth are more at a possible risk for dental decay and gum disease too. 

If you notice some issues with the salivary glands, or you have a blocked salivary duct, then you should make sure that you also do talk to your doctor, to get the treatment for these symptoms immediately.