The bacteria in plaque react with food to produce acids that attack & weaken tooth enamel which in turn leads to development of cavities.

Plaque can also irritate the gums, leading to gum disease, which in its early stage, is called Gingivitis.

Avoiding cavities & gum disease is simple if you get into the habit of cleaning them properly & visiting your dentist regularly.

• Brushing twice a day
• Use toothpaste that contains fluoride
• Clean between teeth daily (Flossing)

Proper brushing is the first step to maintaining healthy teeth & gums. It takes at least three minutes using a recommended brushing technique clean your teeth.

You should spend 30 seconds brushing each section of mouth (Upper right & left, Lower Right & left, Front upper and lower). Replace your toothbrush every three months or sooner if the bristles begin to look worn out.

Keep sweets and sugary foods to a minimum. Instead, choose sugar free foods for snacks. Good choices include vegetables, fresh fruits, bread & plain popcorn.

Don’t smoke or use tobacco.

Cut down on carbonated soft drinks. Many contains acids that can damage tooth enamel.

If you can’t brush after eating, a piece of sugar free chewing gum is a good substitute. That’s because chewing gum increases your saliva, which is the mouth’s built in defense system against the development of harmful plaque.

You should spend 30 seconds brushing each section of mouth (Upper right & left, Lower Right & left, Front upper and lower). Replace your toothbrush every three months or sooner if the bristles begin to look worn out.

Regular visits to the dentist are essential for early detection of cavities. Immediate medication will prevent further decay and damage to the cavities.

Cavities can be detected in the following ways:

• • By the naked eyes when there is a change in the color of the tooth
• • By a dental instrument called explorer
• • By an x-ray of the teeth
• • By increased sensitivity of the teeth to hot and cold temperatures

If you have a damaged tooth, root canal treatment may help to save it. Inside your tooth there is pulp, When the pulp cannot repair itself from disease or injury, it dies. A fracture in a tooth or a deep cavity commonly cause pulp death, as the pulp is exposed to bacteria found in your saliva. When the pulp becomes infected, it is best to remove it before it spreads to the tooth and surrounding tissues. The whole tooth may be lost if the infection is left untreated. Root canal treatment can save your tooth.

Root canal or endodontic treatment is a process whereby inflamed or dead pulp is removed from the inside of the tooth, enabling a tooth that was causing pain to be retained. Once a tooth is fully forms it can function almost as a well as a normal healthy tooth, after it has been root canal treated, and can remain in service for many years.

If you look after your teeth and gums, your root canal treated tooth may last a lifetime. However, you must have regular checkups to ensure that the tissues around it are nourishing the root of your treated tooth.

For the first few weeks, your new denture may feel awkward or bulky. However, your mouth will eventually become accustomed to wearing it. Inserting and removing the denture will require some practice. Follow all instruction given by our dentist.

Replacing missing teeth should make eating a more pleasant experience. Start out by eating soft foods that are cut into small pieces. Chew on both sides of the mouth to keep even pressure on the denture. Avoid foods that are extremely sticky or hard. You may want to avoid chewing gum while you adjust to the denture.

It can be difficult to speak clearly when you are missing teeth. Consequently, wearing denture may help. If you find it difficult to pronounce certain words with your new denture, practice reading out loud. Repeat the words that give you trouble. With time, you will become accustomed to speaking properly with your denture.

If you currently wear removable dentures of any kind, it is advisable that you have these checked regularly. It is recommended if you have any remaining natural teeth you should have these and your dentures reviewed every six months or as directed by your dentist. If you have no natural teeth and wear removable full dentures, your dentures should be reviewed at least every two years.

Handling a denture requires care. It is a good idea to stand over a folded towel or a sink of water just in case you accidentally drop the denture.

Brush the denture each day to remove food deposits and plaque. Brushing your denture helps prevent the appliance from becoming permanently stained.

Use soft bristled toothbrush to clean denture and avoid using hard bristles, which can damage the denture. A denture cleanser can be used as prescribed by your dentist. Some people also use hand soap or mild dishwashing liquid to clean their dentures, which are both acceptable. Other types of household cleaners and many toothpastes are too abrasive and should not be used for cleaning dentures.

A denture could lose its proper shape if it is not kept moist. At night, the denture should be placed in soaking solution or water. However, if the appliance has metal attachments, they could be tarnished if placed in soaking solution. Your dentist can recommend the proper method for keeping your dentures in good shape.

The two major types of tooth whitening systems are in office (active) or home (passive). Sometimes your dentist may recommend either system or a combination of both, to give you the best results in the least amount of time. Regardless of which type of system you choose, it is important that you follow the recommendations of your dentist. Self treatments (as advertised on television) can be dangerous!

Not necessarily. It is only one alternative to lightening of discolored teeth. Determining whether or not you are a candidate for teeth whitening is largely based upon diagnosing the exact cause of tooth discoloration.

Another consideration in determining whether tooth whitening is for you is the strength and condition of your teeth.

Yes. Hydrogen peroxide (the whitening agent) is actually produced in the body in small amounts and the effects have been studied for many years. Our dentists know that the whitening process should not be abused, because bleaching teeth well beyond the recommended level can lead to damage of the enamel. When bleaching is carried out according to your dentist's instructions, it appears to be a safe, simple procedure. The only minor complications are rare cases of slight gum irritation and heightened cold sensitivity in the enamel.

It would also be wise to check first with your dentist to see if all your teeth will be likely to bleach evenly. Bleaching will be unlikely to alter the staining effects of certain types of antibiotic drugs (e.g. tetracycline) that may have been used during childhood.

This may vary depending upon the circumstances, however teeth can still become dirty and they will continue to age in a normal way with the passage of time. You should keep the trays and obtain new bleach stocks from your dentist to repeat the whitening periodically (usually once a year). The trays will continue to fit your mouth for many years in most cases.

• • They can treat cases untreatable with conventional methods of dental bridges and dentures
• • They can perfectly restore chewing functions
• • They avoid cutting down and overloading the natural teeth occurring with conventional means of replacing tooth loss
• • They prevent further resorption of the jaw bone following tooth loss
• • They help restore a patients self esteem and confidence since it gives the feeling of regaining the real teeth
• • They give superior aesthetic results

You are suitable for oral implants if you fulfill following requirements:

• • You must be medically fit to undergo surgery
• • You must have enough bone to support implant(if not bone grafting may be required)
• • There must be enough space to accommodate the prothesis over the implant
• • You must realize to what extent the treatment can meet your expectations

Implant is a two step procedure consisting of surgical phase and prosthetic phase. After thorough diagnosis and treatment planning surgery can be done in a dental studio under local anesthesia which may take an hour or two. Usually, a healing period of 3-6 months is required for the jaw bone to fuse with the implant. After this healing period, the prosthesis is constructed over the implant. Usually a simple implant treatment may take 4-7 months to complete. Longer periods are required for complex situation such as cases requiring bone grafting.

This is impossible to predict. Though research has demonstrated a long life once the implants have been integrated with bone, each patient is different, and longevity may be affected by overall health, nutrition, oral hygiene and tobacco usage. Individual anatomy, the design and construction of the prosthesis and oral habits may also have an influence.