The Wisdom Tooth

      Mouth is the gateway to your body. Just like how food enter your stomach through your mouth, bacteria can also enter your system via mouth. What are the problems these bacteria are capable of producing? Read on! Infected gingiva- a reservoir of bacteria!    In individuals with periodontitis, bacteria and bacterial toxins have access to circulation (blood). Your body is constantly fighting these bacteria to prevent them from causing systemic infection.    To remind you, periodontitis is the extension of the gum disease (gingivitis),which is left untreated for a long time. Can poor oral hygiene affect your heart? Your brain?    Yes. And yes! As mentioned above, bacteria from an infected periodontium constantly try to enter your blood stream. Daily activities like brushing and chewing food hastens this process.                                     ...

      Don't we all dream of a perfect set of teeth without spacing or crowding? Well spacing is common in children and mostly gets corrected by itself as permanent teeth come in. Except in few cases, where timely diagnosis and correction can make that dream come true. This is where regular dental visits come into play!     Generalised spacing Localised spacing- Midline diastema   Midline diastema (spacing)- gap between two upper front teeth.   Causes of midline diastema include, High frenal attachment Mesiodens- an extra tooth between two upper teeth Ugly duckling stage (explained later in this post) Retained milk teeth Midline pathology- cyst, tumor Pressure habits   Some causes of generalised spacing can be, Pressure habits- Tongue thrusting, thumb sucking Macroglossia- Tongue size larger than normal Microdontia- Teeth size smaller than the jaw Macrognathia- Jaw size larger than teeth Loss of permanent teeth Unerupted ...

  Being in the middle of a pandemic, we think this would be the best time to discuss antibiotic over usage. To dodge another possible pandemic, it is high time we use the antibiotics in our hands wisely. New resistant strains of bacteria are growing so fast that we are running out of antibiotics to treat them. WHO has released a list of bacteria for which new antibiotics are needed. HOW DO ANTIBIOTICS WORK? To make something clear, not all antibiotics kill all bacteria. Certain antibiotics are effective against certain bacteria.    To simplify, these antibiotics specifically target the components or a particular process of microbes which is not found in the host (humans).      Generally by studying the symptoms or nature of the infection, the likely causative organism is decided and apt antibiotics are given. In unfamiliar scenarios, pus culture is done to find out the causative organism. ANTIBIOTICS IN DENTISTRY:     Use of antibiotic...

      "We become aware of the void as we fill it"! Be aware of the void (space) you may have in your mouth and fill it. As not filling it can lead to dire consequences. Read through to know more! Back to basics!    Primary (milk) teeth- 20   From 6months- 6years. After which permanent teeth start replacing primary teeth.    Permanent teeth- 32  28 out of 32 teeth come in by 14years. While 4 (wisdom teeth) teeth erupt between 18-25 years of age. This may vary from person to person. Know the names! Functions of teeth: Grinding and chewing Articulation Aesthetics Maintaining facial form  Apparently all these functions are lost when you loose a tooth.  Teeth have tight contacts with their neighbors. Hence when a tooth is lost, adjacent teeth will automatically start moving from their original position. This movement differs for different teeth.   What happens when you loose a front tooth?    The first and foremo...

 Instructions should include both What to do and Why it is important! You would have come across post-extraction instructions in your dentist’s office, but do you know the significance of these instructions? Read on to more.... Before going for an extraction, Patients MUST carry previous health reports and medications if they are under any treatment. Never withhold any information regarding your health. What should you notify your dentist before hand,    Any medications/ treatment (chemotherapy, dialysis) you are under,     Any diagnosed systemic illness- hypertension, diabetes, cardiac problems, seizures, bleeding disorders, renal (kidney) etc.   If you are a pregnant or a lactating mother,    Any recent hospitalization or surgery,    If you are experiencing breathing difficulties,     Not revealing any health conditions can have serious consequences. Do not ignore any of the above; thinking it is not related to teet...

   Always trust your gut! For that, you must have a healthy one. And probiotics are one of the many ways to get there. Though probiotics are having their moment only now, we have known them for thousands of years in the name of yogurt, wine, cheese, etc.    In the light of gut health being the key to overall health, we are here to discuss more about probiotics. ABCs of Probiotics:-    ‘Pro’- promoting, ‘biotic’- life; Probiotics are beneficial food supplement which improves the intestinal microbial balance. Our body has both good and bad bacteria. Maintaining balance between these is necessary for optimal health.        Prebiotics- a non-digestible carbohydrate that nourishes the probiotics & bacteria in the gut. This selectively stimulates the growth of good bacteria. Prebiotics include banana, barley, onion, garlic, rye, soya beans, sugar beet, tomato, whole wheat, asparagus, and artichoke.     Even prior to our first bre...