The Wisdom Tooth

    Myth is nothing more than ancient gossip! Some of the dental myths have existed for years and are being passed down to generations. It's high time that we decipher the truth behind these myths. Root canal treatment is painful & horrifying.         Untreated decayed tooth is more painful than root canal treatment itself. The treatment is usually done under local anaesthesia and you can be at ease once the treatment is completed. Like my great grandfather, I'm going to brush my teeth using neem sticks!    This is nothing but a folk tale. Neem branch only does more harm than good. It can easily wear off your enamel causing sensitivity. The same goes for tooth powder. I do oil pulling regularly, I won't have any teeth problems.   Oil pulling is only an adjunct to your regular oral care ( brushing & flossing ). Though oil pulling can reduce bacteria, it is only up to 20%. Also, already existing cavities and hard deposit...

  All that glitters are not gold! Same way all your white teeth are not healthy and vice versa. Moreover a healthy adult tooth is yellowish white in color. So before you want to whiten your teeth, think twice. If your answer is still yes...glance through! Know about the stains in your teeth!   Stains in your teeth can be external or internal. External stain due to beverages   External stains can be due to plaque build-up, tobacco, beverages (tea, coffee) Internal stain- fluorosis   Internal stains are hard to remove. They can be due to fluorosis, any defects in development of teeth (dentinogenesis imperfecta, amelogenesis imperfecta), dental decay or trauma. How to remove these stains?   As in any process, the first step would be to decide the cause. This can be done by taking proper history and evaluation of teeth.   Usually whitening of lower teeth is not required. Because they are covered by lower lip while speaking.   Teeth whit...

     Mouthwash has become an essential in millennial's households. But do you really think you need it? Do you know the benefits and downsides in using mouthwash everyday? Read on! Know what is in your mouthwash!      Mouthwash contains 18-26% alcohol except the non-alcoholic ones (duh!),       Chlorhexidine- antimicrobial which also inhibits plaque,      Cetylpyridinium chloride- antibacterial,      Essential oils- for flavor and fragrance,      Medicated mouthwashes contain fluoride and other antibiotics which the dentist prescribe for specific purpose. Perks:       As we all know, mouthwash can give fresh breathe in no time. It also inhibits plaque (bacteria) build up.  Downside:       Extensive use of it can cause teeth staining due to the chlorhexidine in it.      Alcohol causes dehydration of mouth.  Also it is let...

      By Guest author,       Dr. Abhinaya. J      Nothing is more memorable than a smell!  Do you all know what Halitosis is? Wondering what it could be?  Everybody likes a pleasant smell, so we use various products for our clothes, rooms, closets, hair, body, and also our mouth if needed.  But do we all know how our mouth smells like?  Is it pleasant or bad? Guessed it yet? Most of us have the problem of bad breathe which is   called HALITOSIS- causing social anxiety.  Don't we all want to know what causes it or Why we have it? How to smell good, not just by using products but by treating what may cause the bad odour. Reasons why we may have it? It could be anything,      -The food we eat,   -Tobacco,      -Poor dental hygiene,   -Dry mouth,   -Any infection   -Medications we take   -Gum problems   -Faulty resto...

    Do the right thing at the right time or you will regret later! The right time to visit a dentist would be as early as possible. Many parents have the same question....when and how to tell if your child needs braces. We would like to give an overview on dental braces for your kids. Why is it important?     Though aesthetics play the most important role in deciding whether to get braces or not, there are also other factors that come into play.       Improperly aligned teeth, are difficult to clean causing decay and gum diseases make pronunciation of some letters difficult may lower self-esteem and make people socially anxious.         Reasons for irregular arrangement of teeth:     To know more about oral habits, check our previous post . Know the basics!      Irregularities in teeth arrangement can be due to, Abnormality in underlying bone(jaws)       ...

   All bad habits  start slowly and gradually and before you know you have the habit, the habit has you. Hence it is important to identify those bad habits at an early stage. We have listed some of the habits your kid may pick up during the early stages of life and how to treat them.  Thumb sucking:                          It is normal during first one and half years of life. If it persists beyond pre-school, it is abnormal.     The habit develops when there is a sense of insecurity, neglect or during teething.  If the habit persists for a long time, then your child's teeth may look like this. How to find?      Thumb appears reddened, chapped with short nail.  How to prevent?   • feed whenever your baby is hungry  • feed in natural way (breast feeding)  • the habit should be nipped at the bud  How to stop the habit?   ...

      Flossing trend is back, only this time to make you smile brighter. Yes! I am talking about dental flossing. Everyone knows the importance of flossing yet only a handful actually do it. We believe if you know the proper way to do it, you may start flossing your teeth. So here we are with a new post. Significance of flossing:             A tooth has 5 sides, when you brush you are cleaning only 3 sides. Then what happens to other sides? That is where bacteria are staying happily. Flossing is the best way to clean those two sides.       You can put a stop to plaque build-up thus preventing infection of gums (also following periodontitis) by flossing. Which one to pick?       There is no one “right” floss for everyone. You can try different types and use which is comfortable for you since there is no difference in plaque removing ability.   ...