Arrghh

 

Your face folds with the sharp pain you feel in your tooth

 

Taking another, thinking it was not going to happen again 

 

It does, that same sharp pain in your teeth

 

If you ever felt pain or discomfort after a bite of ice cream or a spoonful of hot soup

Then that could be a sign of tooth sensitivity although it sometimes can be a sign of cavity but most times not.

It's common amgost people who have a discomfort to either cold or hot food temperatures

Symptoms of sensitive teeth

People with sensitive teeth may experience pain or discomfort as a response to certain triggers. You may feel this pain at the roots of the affected teeth. The most common triggers include:

• hot foods and beverages
• cold foods and beverages
• cold air
• sweet foods and beverages
• acidic foods and beverages
• cold water, especially during routine dental cleanings
• brushing or flossing teeth
• alcohol-based mouth rinses

Tooth sensitivity may be temporary or a chronic problem, and it can affect one tooth, several teeth, or all the teeth in a single individual. It can have a number of different causes, but most cases of sensitive teeth are easily treated with a change in your oral hygiene schedule.

Your symptoms may come and go over time for no obvious reason. They may range from mild to intense.

What causes sensitive teeth?

Some people naturally have more sensitive teeth than others due to having thinner enamel. The enamel is the outer layer of the tooth that protects it. In many cases, the tooth’s enamel can be worn down from:

• brushing your teeth too hard
• using a hard toothbrush
• grinding your teeth at night
• regularly eating or drinking acidic food's and beverages.

So how do you treat such a painful situation ?

Well...

If your tooth sensitivity is mild, you can try over-the-counter dental treatments.

Choose toothpaste that’s labeled as being specifically made for sensitive teeth. These toothpastes won’t have any irritating ingredients, and may have desensitizing ingredients that help block the discomfort from traveling to the nerve of the tooth.

When it comes to mouthwash, choose an alcohol-free mouth rinse, as it will be less irritating to sensitive teeth.

Using softer toothbrushes and brushing more gently can also help. Soft toothbrushes will be labeled as such.

It typically takes several applications for these remedies to work. You should see an improvement within a week.

One misconception people generally have is that brushing your teeth alone is the only way to having sparkling white teeth

 

So they go about stuffing themselves with chocolates and other teeth staining foods because "they have a whitening toothpaste" in their toilets cupboards

 

Well that's far from the truth 

 

Infact, there is another way you can get and maintain healthy teeth, before and after you either brush or whiten your teeth at the dentist's clinic

 

How?

 

Keep up with me!

 

One day, a man sent a DM (direct message) to our clinic's Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/idealdentals/ and complained of having brown teeth 2 weeks after he visited a beauty clinic to whiten his teeth.

 

He was bitter about the incident and asked what we could do to remedy his issue

 

First question I asked was :

 

What is your diet like ?

 

2 minutes after typing, what he explained his daily diet was, gave him the answers he needed but didn't know until...

 

It was all explained to him

 

So what did he do different that made his teeth so bad even after going for whitening treatment?

 

You see..

Eating patterns and food choices among children and teens even young adults are important factors that affect how quickly youngsters may develop tooth decay. 

 

When bacteria come into contact with sugar in the mouth, acid is produced that attacks the teeth for 20 minutes or more. This can eventually result in tooth decay.

Foods that contain sugars of any kind can contribute to tooth decay. Almost all foods, including milk and vegetables, contain some type of sugar; however; they are a necessary part of a healthy diet because many of them also contain important nutrients. 

 

To help control the amount of sugar you consume, read food labels and choose foods and beverages that are low in added sugars. Added sugars often are present in soft drinks, candy, cookies and pastries.

 

If your diet lacks certain nutrients, it may be more difficult for tissues in your mouth to resist infection. This may contribute to periodontal disease, a major cause of tooth loss in adults. Although poor nutrition does not cause periodontal disease directly, many researchers believe that the disease progresses faster and can be more severe in people with nutrient-poor diets.

To maintain a balanced diet, eat a variety of foods from each of the five major food groups and limit the number of snacks you eat. If you do snack, choose nutritious foods such as cheese, raw vegetables, plain yogurt, or a piece of fruit. And remember that foods eaten as part of a meal cause less harm because the saliva released helps wash foods from the mouth and lessen the effects of acids.

 

You see his choice of diet was limiting him, too much processed carbs and sugars

This was eaten daily in various forms which didn't do him any favours.

It's best to stick to healthier whole cooked meals and reduce or aviod teeth staining foods 1-2 weeks after going for a teeth whitening treatment.

As a rule of thumb, any food that can stain your white visibly should be avoided (oily foods especially red oil)

For drinks, using a straw will help massively in reducing contact with food stains and your white teeth.

 

If you will like to learn more about teeth whitening, contact us via https://www.idealdentalfoundation.org/contact

5 Stages of Teething In Children

Teething happens in 5 stages, lasts a significant amount of time, and can be very tough for both parents and infants to endure. Understanding what to expect during this difficult time, however, can help parents ease the discomfort of their baby as well as navigate their way successfully into toddlerhood.

The 5 stages of teething include:

Stage 1: (0-6 months) At birth, babies have a full set of 20 primary teeth in the jawbones beneath their gums. These are frequently referred to as “milk teeth,” because during this stage a baby’s diet usually consists of milk only.

Stage 2: (6-8 months) During this stage, the first teeth emerge. The lower and upper front teeth, the incisors, begin to erupt around 6 months, but signs and symptoms of pain or discomfort may become evident before 6 months. Prior to eruption, the uneven edges of the teeth may push against the gums, and the baby will typically start chewing on toys, hands, or other solid objects. Putting pressure on the gums alleviates pain and provides a distraction for babies, so make sure to give them appropriate chew items to ease their discomfort. There will likely be an obvious increase in drool during this times period, so keeping a small bib on the baby can make it easier to keep his/her chin dry. This will help keep a rash from forming around the baby’s mouth and chin, which can add to the discomfort.

Stage 3: (10-14 months) During this stage, the primary molars begin erupting. These teeth come in the back of the mouth in the lower and upper jaws. This stage is much like stage 2, but parents will notice an even more evident increase in drool, crankiness, and the need to chew on solid objects. During this time period, it is also common for babies to experience a bit of a loss of appetite, fever, and diarrhea. During stage 3, a baby’s sleep schedule may become more sporadic or get “off.” Unfortunately, it is typical for both babies and parents to lose sleep at night during this period of teething. If a baby’s pain seems to become overly severe or the baby seems to experience inordinate discomfort, consult the pediatrician for advised over-the-counter pain remedies.

Stage 4: (16-22 months) During this stage, the canine teeth (between the top and bottom molars and incisors) will surface. The same recommendations for stage 2 and 3 can be implemented during this period to keep the baby as comfortable as possible.

Stage 5: (25-33 months) For some children, this is the most painful stage of teething. During this time, the large molars emerge. These are the biggest teeth, and parents may find their normal soothing techniques are no longer effective. Try different methods to soothe the toddler until something helps. Many parents find it beneficial to give the toddler a hard vegetable to chew on, and this is also healthy. If implementing this method, make sure to keep a close eye on the child at all times to make sure he/she does not choke!

Helpful Hints For Soothing A Teething Baby

Some helpful hints for soothing a baby’s sensitive and sore gums include:

• Massaging a baby’s gums with a clean finger, damp washcloth, or clean dampened gauze pad. Providing this pressure to the gums can alleviate the baby’s pain.
• Providing a teething ring made of hard rubber. The liquid filled kind can break as the baby chews.
• Filling a bottle with water and allowing the baby to suck. Do not fill a bottle with milk or juice specifically to sooth teething. Extended contact with sugary liquids leads to tooth decay.
• Chilling a washcloth or teething ring for a baby to then chew on can also be very soothing. Do not freeze these items, however. Contact with objects that are too cold can cause harm to the gums and teeth.
• Giving the baby hard foods that are safe to chew on, if the baby is old enough to eat solid foods as part of his/her diet. Solid vegetables like a peeled and chilled cucumber or carrot can be helpful, but watch the baby closely, as pieces may break off and potentially become choking hazards.
• Drying the drool to keep the skin from becoming too irritated or a rash from forming. Keeping a clean dry bib or cloth under the baby’s chin can be helpful.
• Giving the baby over-the-counter remedies may alleviate pain as well. Before giving the baby any medicines, however, ask the pediatrician what is safe and appropriate for the child.

Imagine going to a family & friends event

 

Walking around you meet your Big Aunt who invited you

 

Greetings and more greetings flowed

 

You ask to be an usher because you dresssd well for the event

 

But before you continue talking,

 

You noitce your aunt looking disgusted by you 

 

What happened? You wonder

 

Trying to ask again, she starts moving backwards facing you still with that look

 

You move on to another relative

 

The same look

 

And another relative

 

The same look

 

Now an old friend

 

Same look of disgust

 

What's going on you ask yourself?

 

Well it has to do with your stinky breath and decaying teeth  your younger sister whispers in your left ear

 

Such situations shouldn't be in the first place and we will show you one method how to 

 

"Brush effectively so you don't get gum disease and stinky breath"

 

 

Ready?

 

Come along for the ride...

 

During our recent outreach to 1st Graders in International Community School Abuja, we taught them on Dental Education with a focus on the primary activity with affects our dental health

 

"Brushing Your Teeth"

 

One might think that knowing how to brush should be for children alone but that's far from the truth.

 

Many cases we have recorded would have been prevented if the basics of brushing was learned early and stuck to.

 

Hence why you as an Adult need this open secret you haven't learnt 

 

Dr. Zara made the children understand this and Dr. Judith gave a live example of how this is done with the kids 

 

This same secret is what you're going to learn today.

 

So how do you brush your mouth effectively to avoid gum disease, stinky breath and family running away from you?

 

The proper brushing technique is to:

• Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums.

 

• Gently move the brush back and forth in short (tooth-wide) strokes.

 

• Brush the outer surfaces, the inner surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth.

 

• To clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and make several up-and-down strokes.

 

Following these four simple steps will get you on your way to a shiny health teeth, however for a healthy mouth and smile, we recommends you:

 

 

• Brush your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled brush. The size and shape of your brush should fit your mouth allowing you to reach all areas easily.

 

• Replace your toothbrush every three or four months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed. A worn toothbrush won’t do a good job of cleaning your teeth.

 

• Make sure to use a NAFDAC approved fluoride toothpaste.

 

 

If you have any questions and enquires, contact our foundation via this link below 

 

=> https://www.idealdentalfoundation.org/contact