Archive for the ‘Oral Care’ Category

5 Misconceptions about Periodontal Health

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

Some people deal with periodontal disease by trying to deny they have it.  Some think they can get away with it without getting any form of treatment – that it just occur inevitably or as part of aging.  If you are one of those people, think again.  Here are some misconceptions about periodontal health that may help you make a decision to receive the treatment that you need.

1.  Periodontal disease is only caused by lack of oral hygiene.  This is not true.  Pool oral hygiene can undoubtedly contribute to periodontal disease but it is not the only factor that can increase your risk for this condition.  Smoking tobacco is one main cause of both gingivitis and periodontitis.  Poor diet and stress can contribute as well.  But do not abandon your daily oral routine and don’t disregard your dentist’s recommendations because proper hygiene still plays an important role in keeping periodontal diseases at bay.

2.  Bleeding gums is not something to be alarmed about.  Not true.  The occasional bleeding while munching something like a corncob may not be cause for worry but a persistent one is something that needs professional attention.  Swollen and red gums that bleed frequently are signals of existence of periodontitis.  If your gums bleed frequently, even if you are simply brushing or flossing your teeth, seek periodontitis treatment as soon as possible.

3.  Flossing every day is not really necessary.  This is a false belief.  The only way that you can reach small spaces between the teeth is through flossing.  A toothbrush cannot reach those small spaces, which are also a favorite breeding ground for bacteria.  Thus, keeping them clean is crucial.

4.  The only way to permanently go away from periodontal disease is through surgery.  No, this is false.  Once a periodontal disease is detected, one does not necessarily have to go for painful surgical treatment.  Natural and painless periodontitis treatment is also available.  Natural ways to deal with periodontitis abound in the internet.

5.  Lost tooth due to periodontitis can no longer be replaced.  This statement is not true.  If you lose a tooth due to periodontitis, modern dentistry offers several feasible replacement options.  One is tooth implant wherein a metal post is inserted into the existing bone structure and a prosthetic tooth is attached.  Bridges and partial dentures are also available as options.  But if you deal with periodontitis immediately, you may not have to worry about replacing lost tooth.

Periodontal diseases can arise due to many factors which may or may not be under your control.  Knowing the truth about this condition can help you understand what you may be facing.    Prevention is important but if you are already dealing with this problem, it is not too late.  Look for effective periodontitis treatment early on.

Getting rid of white solid lumps behind your throat

Saturday, January 7th, 2012

You may have been led here because you experienced symptoms similar to I have – having solid white debris behind your throat, or specifically, the tonsils. They’re usually hard and may carry along a number of symptoms. Now these may not bother you as much especially if they are few and tiny but if the materials grew enough to be a hindrance to our daily lives, it’s time to permanently get rid of them.

These white solid lumps you encountered are actually called tonsil stonesand may carry a few other names such as stink balls or tonsillolith. They may sound complicated but they’re simply debris that calcified into such state – if you’re curious, here’s how it happens: the tonsils are actually part of our immune system as a means to naturally filter out bacteria and other harmful things from entering our body. Now this may not necessarily be good at all times as the bacteria and other debris that is filtered out may get stuck at the tonsils causing them to calcify into what we know as these tonsil stones.

Tonsil stones could present a number of problems for people who have it, including: sore throat, swelling of the tonsils and difficulty in swallowing as effects of having the stones block out entry of food or liquid into the mouth as well as the stones continuously getting bumped where they’re lodged. There’s also the reason why they’re called stink balls – they’re one major cause of chronic bad breath. So they could actually pose a lot of problems for the person who would have them.

Fortunately, there are several treatment methods you can try to take them out but with only a few of them could be considered very effective: first, surgery is an efficient way to remove tonsil stones as you’re not only guaranteed removal but it’s safe as well. At-home removal using a pick could be risky as you could hit a blood vessel and cause infection. Salt water gargles could also alleviate the pain but will have little chance of removing the stones.

One efficient way to permanently get rid and prevent tonsil stones is by using special gargle solutions and toothpastes that could be bought online. This personally worked for me after countless times of doing manual removal – at-home removal worked but didn’t stop them from growing back. These solutions worked so if you’re having the same problems as I did, try them.