Bulimia is a health problem that can make you have an uncontrollable binge on food. People who suffer from this eating disorder usually go through a phase of regretting on the foods they’ve overeaten which involves ways like vomiting or overusing laxatives to keep from putting on additional weight. The sufferers may even start over-exercising to get rid of the extra pounds while eating more and more at the same time.
Statistics shows that the percentage of women suffering from bulimia is more than that for men. Parents are mostly concerned about teens that normally develop this condition as a result of emotional stresses or other triggers.
Not only is the condition highly dangerous for your well-being, it is equally devastating for your oral health. So, is it really possible for the dentist to detect if you’ve bulimia? The answer is yes.
Signs a dentist typically looks for…
• Inflammation in the jawline or cheeks
• Front teeth having a clear appearance at their edges or teeth appearing worn from stomach acid
• Dryness or soreness in the tongue
• Bruised mouth’s roof
• Sore throat
• Unusual or impacted tooth enamel
Inflammation of the dental pulp can lead to pain in the teeth. Dental pulp is characterized by a soft tissue structure composed of nerves, blood vessels and connective tissues. The tooth pulp has no function in a completely developed tooth, but it might be the cause of toothache.
Pulpitis can be classified into two forms, namely; reversible and irreversible pulpitis.
A mild inflammation can cause reversible pulpitis, which might resolve before causing infection. Irreversible pulpitis is severe and can cause tooth abscess and pulp necrosis.
Germs in the tooth decay causes tooth pulp inflammation. People experiencing cavities are likely to develop reversible pulpitis, due to which the teeth become sensitive to hot, sweet and cold. Pulpitis occurs when the root surface gets exposed as a result of gum recession.
Reversible pulpitis causes the teeth to become sensitive and, if left untreated, this extended sensitivity can lead to irreversible pulpitis. People experiencing irreversible pulpitis suffer from pain on biting.
Make sure to consult a highly skilled dental professional if you experience sensitive teeth. Normally, canal therapy is recommended by dentists to treat irreversible pulpitis.
Dental bonding is a procedure in which a tooth-colored resin material is applied on the tooth with the help of adhesives and a high intensity curing light. This material bonds with the tooth and gives a natural appearance. It is a painless procedure which can be done in minutes.
The uses of dental bonding:
Procedure of dental bonding:
Symptoms:
The common symptoms associated with malocclusion are:
Signs:
The most important sign of malocclusion is improper alignment of teeth with problems in eating and speaking.
Diagnosis:
The diagnosis of malocclusion is based upon:
Treatment:
Malocclusion is a very common occurrence and almost every person has some degree of malocclusion, but most of the times no treatment is required.
Treatment when required involves orthodontics and surgery which is rarely required.
The usual procedures are:
So, you fear visiting the dentist’s office and at the same time, you’re also concerned about your dental health. Well, here are a few tips that’ll help you cope with this fear:
Dental implants can be used to replace missing teeth and restore smiles. They are great alternatives for people who are in good health and have lost their teeth due to several reasons. Dental implants can change and improve the quality of a person’s life significantly. Dental implants are used to replace a person’s original tooth root in the mouth where teeth are missing. They are basically a replacement for natural teeth roots. Inserting dental implants following tooth extraction will preserve the bone because the bone and natural implants form a solid and long lasting bond. The dental implants (roots) and teeth replacement (crowns) functions the same as natural teeth allowing for proper biting or chewing.
The numerous benefits to having tooth implants make them a popular choice for many people throughout the world. The benefits of dental implants include:
Dental implants are becoming a common restorative dental procedure. They are designed to permanently replace missing teeth. They help people maintain function so that they can maintain their natural appearance thus, improving your life and health as well.
Gum graft surgery is the surgical method used for repairing receding gums, especially when roots of the teeth get exposed due to receding gum line. Receding gums can give rise to several problems such as tooth decay, plaque formation, cavities and teeth hypersensitivity. Sometimes receding gums can also lead to complications like loss of the underlying jaw bones that support the teeth. The gum tissues, which are known as gingival actually act as a barrier against bacteria and also protect the teeth from trauma or injury. So, loss of gum tissues or recession exposes the roots and the underlying bones to microorganisms, which can eventually result in cavities, caries, hypersensitivity and tooth erosion.
A very thin layer of tissue is removed, generally from the roof of the mouth and grafted onto the gums around the exposed root of a tooth. This is a procedure which is very commonly necessary for individuals who have suffered from periodontitis. This is a serious disease that is caused by untreated gingivitis. It leads to pockets in the gums, which go as deep as the roots and sometimes, leave the bones exposed. Gum grafting ia an amazing way of repairing the gum loss.
In gum graft surgery, a surgeon removes some tissues from the roof of the mouth or palate, and then places and sutures it to the receding gum line, in order to cover the exposed part of the root. Sometimes, the surgeon removes the surface skin of the roof of the mouth, along with connective tissue and then relocates it to the affected areas. However, this procedure can leave an exposed wound at the donor site and can be quite painful. Therefore, most of the time, gum graft surgery involves the removal of the connective tissues that lies in between the surface tissue of the roof of the mouth and the bone. For this, the surgeon makes an incision to get the connective tissues from under surface of the palatal tissue. This procedure involves less pain and even the wound is much smaller.
The healing process with gum grafting surgery is usually relatively quick. Uniformity of the gums can be seen in as soon as six weeks time. Your periodontist might instruct you to rinse your mouth several times a day with lukewarm water or a special prescription to aid in the healing and in relief of any associated discomfort.
Dental work often involves the extraction of teeth or cutting into the oral tissue. Due to the painful nature of the procedures involved, dentists use anesthetics to diminish the pain at the time of the operation. Most dentists use local anesthesia, which is the injection of agents that temporarily numb the nerves. Nitrous oxide is also used. It is an inhaled gas that diminishes the pain during the operation.
One potential side effect of dental anesthesia is the development of hematomas. Many dental anesthetics are given via injection. If the needle punctures a blood vessel, blood can seep and collect below the surface of the skin or the gum tissue. This leads to swelling and intense pain. Basically, the pain dissolves within 7-10 days without any treatment.
Local anesthetics for dental procedures are designed to numb the nearby tissues. Because it takes time for these to wear of, a patient may experience temporary paralysis or numbness in the mouth or the face. This can cause the eyelids or part of the face to droop. It can also make speech or eating difficult. Sometimes it causes a tingling effect all over the body, but this effect automatically disappears within a few months. This effect is known as paresthia.
In some cases the compounds used for dental anesthesia rapidly travel to the blood stream and are absorbed by the body. This primarily affects the brain, leading to toxicity of the central nervous system (CNS). CNS toxicity can cause unusual excitability and irritability coupled with a rapid heartbeat and difficulty in breathing. It can also cause sweating and paleness, as well as the sensation of being hot or cold. Patients can also develop double vision, confusion and in extreme situations convulsions or seizures.
Nitrous oxide has also a number of side effects when it is used. If too much is used it can cause hypoxia, which is a subnormal amount of oxygen in the blood. One sign of hypoxia is dizziness resulting from low oxygen flow to the brain. It can also cause air filled portions of the body to expand, so it should not be used if you have bowel obstructions sinus or middle ear problems or a collapsed lung.
The basic side effect is prolonged numbness. Generally anesthesia is given for few minutes or hours for completing the surgery but sometimes the numbness extends to last for days or months and this result in the patient biting his tongue or lips. In severe cases the numbness remains permanent.