Periodontal or gum disease is one of the chronic inflammatory diseases caused by bacteria attacking the tissues that surround and support your teeth (gums or gingivitis). This is one of the most dangerous and most frequent dental problems which nowadays can be found in every three of four Americans over 35. At the same time, according to the research carried out by Harris Interactive Inc, only 60% of adult Americans have enough information on how to recognize the symptoms and prevent gum disease. Many people are also not aware about the fact that this disease is one of the leading reasons of tooth loss.

Periodontal disease usually starts with formation of bacteria (or plague) around your teeth, that within the time accumulates and hardens into calculus (or tartar). After this, bacteria begin affecting the gums around your teeth, so such effects as bleeding or receding gums, sensitive or swollen gums can take place. On the second stage of the disease, bacteria can grow below the gumline and affect the teeth, make them lose and damage the connective tissues.

Therefore, the following symptoms must give you a signal about inflammation and possible serious problems with your gums:

•    Bleeding gums;
•    Swollen or sore gums;
•    Too red or too pale gums;
•    Gum recessions;
•    Painful teeth;
•    Loose or shifting teeth;
•    Bad breath.

On its early stages gum disease can be quite painless and hard to be detected. Certainly, the earlier the disease is detected, the more effective medical treatment will be. Generally, the treatment is aimed on removing the tartar from the roots of teeth and assisting gums in healing and reattaching. Modern medicine offers the following options for periodontal disease treatment: operative procedures, laser treatment, antibiotic treatments, scaling and root planing, medications and other periodontal procedures.

The specialists recommend regular dental check-ups and healthy diet as the most effective preventive measures for gum disease. Do not delay seeing your dentist after you have noticed the first symptoms of possible inflammation in your gums. Also, always remember that proper dental care (regular brushing, flossing, as well as visiting your dentist twice a year) is sufficient for keeping you gums and teeth healthy for a lifetime!

Tags: dental care, gum disease, loss of teeth, oral hygiene, periodontal disease

Posted: September 13th, 2008 under Dental Care for Every Day.
Comments: 2

Many people consider dental powders to be something old-fashioned as the effectiveness of modern toothpastes is very satisfying for proper dental care. However, sometimes tooth powders do their job better than any toothpaste. The composition of tooth powders is based on finely powdered abrasive elements (such as chalk or calcium phosphates) and a detergent or sweetening agent (essential flavored oils, sugar, menthol, etc.). Some tooth powders also contain bicarbonate which is perfect for whitening our teeth. At the same time, in contrast to so popular toothpastes, dental powder does not contain fluoride and xylitol: important chemicals that can prevent tooth decay.

The first examples of dental powder appeared in the end of the eighteenth century in the Great Britain. The powder was made of calcium carbonate (powdered chalk), sometimes mixed with magnesium carbonate, brick dust, porcelain dust and other abrasive substances. To make the taste of the powder more pleasant and soft, the pharmacists and dentists used to add menthol oil, anise oil, cinnamon oil or oil of cloves. In those times such tooth powders were quite expensive because only rich people could afford using a toothbrush for oral hygiene: poor people were still cleaning their teeth with their fingers.

Nowadays, advanced technologies of contemporary dentistry allowed receiving very powerful dental mixtures from only natural elements that are as much effective as chemicals, but do not harm our health. Modern tooth powders contain therapeutic essential oils (such as tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, peppermint, etc) that reduce bad breath, have very good antiviral and antibacterial effects, as well as different sea salts with useful microelements and micronutrients. Some dental powders are enriched with the vitamins and minerals that can rejuvenate the tissues in mouth.

Therefore, the advantages of dental powders include lower costs, greater cleansing power and the absence of dangerous chemical agents (which are sometimes carcinogen and very harmful to our organism). Many specialists underline that modern toothpastes contain a great variety of dangerous chemicals (including the soaps, mutagens, toxins, etc.) and using such pastes can bring to various allergies, problems with digestive system and other serious diseases. That is why some dentists tend to recommend children below 6 to use only tooth powders based on natural elements.

Nevertheless, toothpastes with their moderate abrasive effects, more effective chemical content and a great variety of tastes remain unbeatable competitors of dental powders. Moreover, being more popular and highly demanded, toothpastes can be considered as generally more effective against various new resistant dental bacteria. There are a number of large powerful manufacturers such as Colgate, Unilever and the others, which spent millions of dollars for medical researches and improving the quality of their products. Taking into account all the above, it is possible to come to the conclusion that the best strategy for effective oral hygiene can be keeping both modern soft toothpastes and natural powerful dental powders in your bathroom. By using a toothpaste one day and dental powder the other day you can enjoy the specific benefits of both these mixtures for effective dental care and keep you teeth clean and healthy.

Tags: dental care, dental powder, tooth brushing, toothpaste, toothpowder

Posted: August 18th, 2008 under Effective Brushing.
Comments: 1

The majority of us already know what toothbrushes are better: manual or powered ones. However, not many people understand that the right answer on this question is: the one which you actually use and find the most effective. Undoubtedly, powered toothbrushes can be considered advantageous only because they are newer and more expensive than old-fashioned manual ones. That is why a great deal of us prefer using electric toothbrushes, believing that more costly option is the best and the healthiest. The novelty of such toothbrushes also motivates people for more serious approach to daily dental care procedures.

The market of powered toothbrushes has been developing very fast, and nowadays the variety of electric toothbrushes can be compared to the variety of manual ones. You can find rotating, vibrating, oscillating, pulsating, counter-rotational and other types of electric toothbrushes, available in our shops and pharmacies. When choosing between an electric and manual toothbrush, take into account professional recommendations of your dentist and learn more about the pros and cons of both types of the toothbrushes.

The advantages of electric toothbrushes (in comparison with manual):

• Electric toothbrushes last longer than manual ones.
• Brushing with powered toothbrushes require minimal efforts and less brushing force, that is why they are especially suitable for children.
• Electric toothbrushes cause less damage to your gums and tooth enamel because the majority of them have pressure sensors.
• Brushing with electric toothbrush requires minimal skills.
• Powered toothbrushes can be effective for those people who have some problems with making the movements necessary for proper brushing (for example, people with arthritis or other physical limitations).
• Buzzing effects of electric toothbrushes have a special positive influence on your teeth that can hardly be achieved using a manual toothbrush.
• The majority of powered toothbrushes have timer, therefore, your toothbrush can let you know when two minutes necessary for effective brushing are up.
• Also, the majority of electric toothbrushes come with toothpaste dispenser.
• Generally, the handles of electric toothbrushes are more ergonomic and comfortable for a firm grasp.

The disadvantages of electric toothbrushes (in comparison with manual):

• Powered toothbrushes are bulky.
• Electric toothbrushes are more expensive than manual ones. The prices for modern powered toothbrushes vary from 30 to 120 dollars.
• It is harder to maneuver electric toothbrushes as effectively as manual ones.
• Since not much of efforts are required, frequently people rely only on vibration and rotation of power toothbrush bristles and fail to clean their teeth and mouth properly.
• As all the electric toothbrushes need battery replacement or recharging, they can be less suitable for traveling.
• Electric toothbrushes can not clean your tongue as good as manual ones because electric toothbrushes do not come with a tongue scraper.
• People with problematic and very sensitive teeth have to use manual toothbrushes as it is impossible to find electric toothbrushes with soft and extra-soft bristles.

Therefore, depending on your personal preferences, you can use either manual or electric toothbrush – both of them will be effective if you like brushing your teeth and do really care about your dental situation. All you have to remember is the fact that not the type of your toothbrush, but the way you brush your teeth, as well as the frequency and duration of your brushing sessions are the most important factors for effective oral hygiene and good health of your teeth.

Tags: dental care, electric toothbrush, manual toothbrush, powered toothbrush, tooth brushing, toothbrush

Posted: July 29th, 2008 under Effective Brushing.
Comments: 2