CARE OF DENTURESPlaque bacteria sticks to all hard surfaces in your mouth. Removable partial or full dentures require proper care to keep them clean, free from stains and looking their best. For good denture care:
Take out your dentures over night or at least for one hour a day to rest your mouth and give it air. This will help prevent thrush like infections. Partial dentures can hold food and bacteria against your natural teeth leading to decay of the remaining teeth.
• Remove and rinse dentures after eating. Run water over your dentures to remove food debris and other loose particles. You may want to place a towel on the counter or in the sink or put some water in the sink so the dentures won't break if you drop them.
• Handle your dentures carefully. Be sure you don't bend or damage the plastic or the clasps when cleaning.
• Clean your mouth after removing your dentures. Use a medium-bristled toothbrush on natural teeth.
• Brush your dentures at least daily. Gently clean your dentures daily by soaking and brushing with a non-abrasive denture cleanser to remove food, plaque and other deposits. If you use denture adhesive, clean the grooves that fit against your gums to remove any remaining adhesive. Do not use denture cleansers inside your mouth.
• Acrylic dentures- after brushing soak in one small drop of thin sodium hypochlorite (Miltons solution or similar) diluted in 250 ml of water for 15 minutes. Rinse well with water. Then soak dentures overnight. Most types of dentures need to remain moist to keep their shape. Place the dentures in water overnight. For special dentures follow the manufacturer's instructions on cleaning and soaking solutions.
• Metal based dentures (chrome cobalt) – follow the same procedure as for acrylic dentures but only soak in one drop of sodium hypochlorite diluted in 250 ml of water for 5 minutes. Then rinse well and soak dentures in water overnight. Soaking too long or with too strong a solution of sodium hypochlorite will tarnish the metal of chrome cobalt dentures.
• Rinse dentures before putting them back in your mouth. The soaking solution contains harmful chemicals that cause vomiting, pain or burns if swallowed.
• Schedule regular dental check-ups. Your dentist can also check the inside of your mouth to make sure it's healthy. People that wear dentures should also be checked for mouth cancer like the rest of the population.
Here are a few things you should avoid:
• Abrasive cleaning materials. Avoid stiff-bristled brushes, strong cleansers and harsh toothpaste, as these are too abrasive and can damage your dentures.
• Whitening toothpastes. Toothpastes advertised as whitening pastes are especially abrasive and generally should be avoided on dentures.
• Hot water. Avoid hot or boiling water that could warp your dentures.
CARE OF BRIDGES Bridges are permanent false teeth stuck at one, or both ends to natural teeth to replace a missing tooth. Dental work no matter how well placed, will have ledges and areas that will trap more plaque than natural teeth. The gum line should be thoroughly brushed and you should use special floss to clean UNDER the bridge work every day to prevent gum disease and tooth decay of the supporting structures.
TOOTH WHITENING – This can be very damaging to the teeth and skin tissues of the mouth if the procedure is carried out by a non-professional. There are many home products on the market including tooth whitening or smokers toothpastes. These are extremely abrasive and eventually may lead to tooth wear and sensitivity or worse. You need to know the product and how to use it – or not use some of them at all!!
Sore mouth or cracks at the side of the mouth. Tongue problems & Burning mouth syndrome.
Some of these things may be due to stress improper diet -lack of vitamins, minerals. Vegetarian diets may be short of certain vitamins if not carefully planned. Other things may cause a sore mouth such as under lying illnesses. The rule is, if you have something that does not improve for 14 days, get it checked out by a professional.
Wisdom teeth.Why do we have wisdom teeth?
Adults can have up to 32 teeth. The wisdom teeth are the last to appear, right at the back of the mouth. They usually appear when you are between 17 and 25, but sometimes they appear many years later.
People often have jaws that are too small for all 32 teeth to fit - 28 is often the most we have room for. So if all the other teeth are present and healthy there may not be enough space for the wisdom teeth to come through properly.
Do wisdom teeth always cause problems?
If there is enough room they will usually come through into a useful position and cause no more problems than any other tooth.
Often there will be some slight discomfort as they come through, but this will disappear once the tooth is fully in position.
What is an impacted wisdom tooth?
If there is not enough room, the wisdom tooth may try to come through, but will get stuck against the tooth in front of it. The wisdom tooth will be at an angle, and will be described as 'impacted'.
What problems may occur?
If part of the wisdom tooth has appeared through the gum and part of it is still covered, the gum flap may become sore and perhaps swollen. This is called ‘pericoronitis'. Bacteria and bits of food can collect under the gum edge, and it will be difficult to clean the area properly.
This is a temporary problem that can be dealt with by using special cleaning methods, mouthwashes and possibly antibiotics if it very severe. If the problem keeps coming back, it may be better to have the tooth removed.
What can I do to help relieve the discomfort of wisdom teeth?
A mouthwash of medium-hot water with a teaspoonful of salt will help to reduce gum soreness and inflammation (check that it is not too hot before using it). Swish the salt water around the tooth, trying to get into the areas your toothbrush cannot reach. Do this several times a day. An antibacterial mouthwash containing chlorhexidine can also reduce the inflammation (this can cause brown staining on the teeth). Pain-relieving tablets such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can also be useful in the short term. The tablets should always be swallowed and not placed on the area.
What if this does not help?
If the pain does not go away or if you find it difficult to open your mouth, you should see a dentist. They will be able to see the cause of the problem, and give you the right advice. They may clean around the tooth very thoroughly, and may prescribe an antibiotic.
What are the main reasons for taking wisdom teeth out?
Far fewer wisdom teeth are now taken out than in the past. If the tooth is not causing problems, your dentist will not want to remove it. They will only remove wisdom teeth:
• when it is clear that they will not be able to come through into a useful position because there is not enough room, and they are also causing some pain or discomfort
• if they have only partly come through and are decayed - these teeth will often decay as it will be difficult to clean them as thoroughly as your other teeth
• if they are painful.
Why X-rays are taken.X-rays are taken to see the position of the root or to see any damage to the tooth structure beneath the gum level or if there is an abscess, and to decide whether there is room for a wisdom tooth to come through into a useful position. X-rays can also show how good the bone is that is supporting your teeth and if there is any periodontal (gum) disease.
A good link for dental care ideas:
http://www.toothclub.gov.hk/en/en_adu_01_02_01_03.html