Hope you have a wonderful Father’s Day this weekend!

When a man trades in his first name in favor of being called Dad, his life changes forever. And to those who look up to him, this tiny little word has so much more meaning than the three letters could ever hope to contain.

Smile and make someone’s day brighter!

Oral Care: Causes of Toothaches, Their Treatment and Prevention

Toothache, also referred to as Dental Pain or Dentalgia, is the most common dental emergency. Toothache refers to the pain in the teeth and their supporting structures, which is triggered by dental diseases or pain referred to the teeth by non-dental diseases.

What are the most common causes of Toothache?

Toothache is a constantly throbbing pain and may be set off by certain foods or drinks. Apart from Tooth Decay, various other dental problems including the following can cause toothache:

• Pulpitis (inflammation of pulp)
• Dental Caries
• Dental Trauma
• Dentin Hypersensitivity
• Tooth Abscess
• Tooth fracture
• A damaged filling
• Infected Gums
• Apical Periodontitis (inflammation of periodontal ligament and alveolar bone)
• Alveolar Osteitis
• Trench Mouth (a gum infection)
• Dyspepsia
• Acute Pericoronitis of Lower Wisdom Tooth

How can Toothache be treated?

The kind of treatment you receive largely depends upon the cause of your toothache. Dentists, after making a complete oral examination may suggest the following treatments:

• If toothache is due to cavity, dentists may fill the cavity or extract your tooth.
• If loose or broken filling is causing the problem, the dentist may put new filling in the place after clearing out the decayed or the broken one.
• Root canal treatment may be suggested for treating the infected gums.
• Pain medicines or antibiotics may be prescribed to speed up healing.
• Treatment of TMJ may involve surgery, stress minimizing techniques and mouth guard to check the tooth grinding.
• To lessen the pain and inflammation associated with toothache, Phototherapy with cold laser may be used.

How to prevent Toothaches?

Toothaches can be prevented by strictly following a hygienic oral regime and by keeping your gums and teeth as healthy as possible. For healthy gums and teeth, you need to follow the below listed practices:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day with a fluoride containing toothpaste
• Floss at least for once in a day to clean between your teeth
• Visit your dentists for regular and scheduled dental check-ups and professional cleanings
• Eat healthy diet; consume less sugary foods and drinks
• Do not smoke, as smoking can worsen certain dental problems

Contact Dr. Bikram Singh DMD for the professional and state-of-art treatment of acute and chronic dental problems. We not only provide treatment for the current ailments but also educate you by providing oral hygiene instructions that help you to check the recurrence of dental problems.

155 Parkway Office Court #104, Cary, NC 27518, USA

We are happy to have Kristen back at the office and we welcome Kennadi Grace!

How do the Hormonal Fluctuations in Women affect their Oral Health?

It is an established and well-known fact that women experience mood swings due to the hormonal changes at different stages of life. But these hormonal changes related with the puberty, menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause affect their oral health also and make them more susceptible to dental problems at certain stages of their life.

At which stages, do the women become more susceptible to oral health problems?

In a woman’s life, there are five main situations when the hormonal variations make them more prone to oral diseases. They are:

• Puberty: During the puberty, an increase in the production of women hormones viz. estrogen and progesterone is noted. This increases the blood flow to gums and alter the ways the gum tissues react to the bacterial plaque; thus resulting in reddened, swelled and bleeding gum tissues.
• Monthly Menstrual Cycle: Hormonal variations during the menstrual cycle lead to oral health problems like; red, swollen and bleeding gums, swollen salivary glands, canker sores and gingivitis.
• Pregnancy: The considerable changes in the hormonal level during pregnancy lead to gum diseases or gingival inflammation known as “pregnancy gingivitis.” At times, these changes heighten the inflammation so much so that it becomes localized and presents itself as a sore known as “pregnancy tumor.”
• Oral Contraceptives: Women taking birth control pills may develop gingivitis. It happens because these pills contain progesterone and they increase the level of that hormone in the body leading to inflamed gum tissue.
• Menopause: Due to menopause, levels of estrogen and progesterone decrease in the blood stream. Numerous oral changes can occur including; altered taste, discomfort in the mouth, pain and burning sensation, sensitivity to hot and cold beverages, tooth decay, gum diseases and loss of jaw bone due to osteoporosis.

Which preventive measures should women take to prevent these oral health related issues?

Visiting your dentists regularly and by following the below mentioned measures women can prevent these oral problems that they have to face at the certain stages of their life:

• Observe a good oral hygiene; i.e. brush your teeth twice a day using a fluoride containing tooth paste and floss at least once in a day.
• Pregnant women should consult their dentists regarding nutritional counseling and should observe strict plaque controlling measures.
• If you are pregnant and suffer from morning sickness, then rinse your mouth immediately after every vomiting.
• Women experiencing dry mouth during pregnancy and menopause should drink lots of water and chew sugar less gum or candy.
• To treat oral contraceptives related gingivitis, women should visit their dentists for professional cleanings.
• During the menopause, visit your dentist twice a year for oral examination and cleaning.
• Eat a well balanced diet.
• Avoid sugary and starchy food.

Contact Dr. Bikram Singh DMD for any of your oral health related issues. We use state of the art technology to diagnose and treat your oral problems and help you to attain and sustain a pearly white smile.

Most of the people reach out for over the counter medicated syrups to relieve and ease their cough, colds, flu and runny noses. But these syrups either sweetened or sugar-free are as bad for your oral health as any other sugar contained food, because they make you prone to oral cavities when you are already encountering other health related problems. So most of the dentists are not in the favour of using these syrups to get relieve from coughs and colds.

Good oral practices and habits during childhood lead to lifelong healthy gums and teeth. So Preventive Dentistry is all the more crucial and necessary for children. It is an established and proven fact that children with good oral health and healthy teeth are more alert and active as their healthy teeth and gums enable them eat and chew properly, thus making them healthy. Keeping this view in mind, American Dental Association (ADA) sponsors each February every year as National Children’s Dental Health Month.

Do you feel an electric stinging sensation when you eat ice cream or drink iced tea; bite down on a chocolate bar or gulp some hot soup? There are the chances that you have “Dentin Hypersensitivity or Sensitive Teeth.” When you have sensitive teeth, actions such as; flossing, eating, drinking, brushing etc. cause sharp pain in your teeth. Various reasons ranging from trauma to dental disease can cause sensitive teeth. People falling in the age group of 20 to 50 are more prone to this condition.

Fighting Against the Bad Breath

Bad breath is embarrassing for you and as well for the people around you. It adversely affects your social and interpersonal relations. In case of certain people, regularly brushing, flossing and rinsing mouth can eliminate plaque; while for others, a visit to the dentist for professional cleansing of the struck on plaque is essential.

How does a VELscope work?

VELscope is a contemporary technological progression in dentistry. It not only helps to prevent tooth decay or loss but also helps to save lives by recognizing pre-cancerous lesions at an early stage.