Good
Dental Hygiene
by Austin Davis
From the moment you are born to the moment you
pass, dental hygiene is important. Most of us remember only the visits
to the office as a kid, the fillings covering our candy-born cavities.
Some of us see dentures in our future. But there is more to it than
that—healthy teeth require lifelong care and awareness of the problems
even the healthiest mouth can bring—tooth grinding, wisdom teeth, and
the ever-present tooth decay.
Why should you have your wisdom teeth removed? The
thought of removing these third molars isn’t enticing—especially for
those over forty, as bone surrounding the tooth becomes denser with
age, making the tooth even more difficult to remove. But there are
plenty of good reasons to go under the knife.
The cause of nearly all wisdom tooth-related
problems is the failure of the tooth to fully emerge from the gum—such
teeth are called ‘impacted’. Impacted wisdom teeth may place pressure
on the surrounding teeth, become irritated, and food and bacteria can
become trapped under the gum that covers the teeth, infecting it.
Wisdom teeth are also difficult to reach with a toothbrush or tooth
floss.
Despite the widespread modern image of the smiling
medieval peasant, his blackened teeth jutting in angles out of his
mouth, tooth decay was a rare occurrence before the 1700s brought the
spread of sugar plantations in the Americas. As sugar became more
available, cavities-- called ‘caries’ in the dental community, from the
Latin word ‘rot’—followed.
Cavities affect people of all ages, not just
children. As they age, the changes occurring in adults’ mouths foster
tooth decay, the gums recede from the teeth, exposing tooth roots to
plaque. Even infants are at risk: the practice of putting one’s child
to bed with a bottle filled with sweetened milk or fruit juice can
cause decay.
The chalky, sometimes squeaking, sound of tooth
grinding can alert your partner to your problem, even while you remain
asleep and unaware. Other tell-tale signs include tooth wear,
headaches, sensitive teeth, and fatigue and pain in the muscles of the
face. Tooth grinding, called bruxism, is a condition with a variety of
causes.
Stress, calcium deficiency, pinworms, and an
abnormal bite are all causes of tooth grinding. If your bruxing is
caused by stress, it can be easily cured by relaxation techniques and
cutting down on things like coffee and soda. However, if it is caused
by any of the latter, it is best to consult a dentist for treatment.
Since multiple factors can contribute to bruxism, you should see your
dentist at the first realization of tooth grinding—neglecting it can
lead to more serious problems, such as hearing loss.
It isn’t just your problem, either. Children of
tooth grinders are more likely to grind their teeth.
This is why it’s important for proper dental
hygiene to start at the beginning of your child’s life—and right now in
your own, if not earlier. Even before your child’s first baby tooth
comes in, you can prevent decay from getting an early start by watching
for baby bottle tooth decay and caring for setting an example with your
own dental hygiene. And when in comes that first baby tooth—to the
dentist office you must go.
Austin Davis may be contacted at http://www.freecarcity.com
