WHO SHARES YOUR TOOTHBRUSH?

Is it your spouse,twin,child or siblings? This is a a wrong way to show love as it is neither healthy for you nor those you share your toothbrush with. Sharing toothbrushes lead to transmission of infection from one person to another. It's better to clean the mouth with toothpaste only than share a toothbrush. Take this seriously and ensure your house help is not sharing with your children. Will expanciate on this later.

YOUR ORAL HEALTH:A REFLECTION OF YOUR MENTAL STATUS

Aside the utterances of a depressed or mentally ill person which is usually incoherent, the oral health through the condition of the oral cavity (mouth) speak volume about the mental status of an individual. With regular dental checkup, a dentist can be helpful in the early diagnosis of mental illness as oral lesions may be the first or only manifestation of a mental health problem.

Findings such as poor oral hygiene, generalized cervical abrasion, erosion of palatal surfaces of teeth, temporomandibular joint dysfuction syndrome, are pointers to mental instability.

Forms of Mental illness

-Anxiety/depression

-Bulimia and anorexia nervosa

-schizophrenia.

-psychosis

others

Common complaints at the dental office

-Bad breathe

-worm in my teeth

-severe pain which does not disturb eating and sleeping

Features of depression

-Increase carbohydrate consumption from decrease serotonin metabolism

-Impaired function of the immune system

-Both depression and antidepressant medication have been associated with xerostomia (Reese, 2003)

Effects of mental illness/medication on oral health

1.     A number of mentally ill present with poor oral hygiene while some engage in scrupulous cleaning. Force is exerted on cleaning the mouth thus causing wearing away of the cervical aspects of teeth, resulting in dentine sensitivity and its sequelae.

2.     Chronic facial pain in form of temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome.

3.     Bad breath where it does not exist (psychogenic halitosis)

4.     Dry mouth (xerostomia) thus superimposed infection, ulceration and mouth odour.

5.     Palatal erosion in condition of bulimia nervosa. Induced vomiting causes the acid from the stomach to dissolve the enamel of the teeth this leads to dentine exposure and its sensitivity.

6.     Antipsychotic drugs predisposes to dry mouth thus hindering the effect of saliva which include ease of swallowing and chewing, antibacterial effect and washing away of food debris.

7.     Caries and periodontal diseases

References

1.     Elter JR, White BA, Gaynes BN, Bader JD (2002): Relationship of clinical depression to periodontal treatment outcome. J Periodontol 73(4):441-9.

2.     Lieutenant Randy Reese (2003): Depression and dental health.Clinical update,vol.25 No 1.

EFFECT OF YOUR LOOK ON YOUR SELF ESTEEM

Your teeth form part of your appearance therefore there arrangement matters for an utmost outlook, confidence  and self esteem.

Malocclusion is the haphazard arrangement/malalignment of the teeth within the jaw bones.

It results from disproportion of teeth, jaw bone and soft tissues of the mouth and comprises one or more of these:

-proclined anterior teeth

-overlapping teeth (crowding)

-generalised spacing

-presence of diastema /diastemata

-abnormal positioning of teeth

-rotation of teeth

How happy are you with your teeth arrangement? Do you know that you can get your teeth rearranged to have a better look, function properly and prevent pain?

A 23 year old Nigerian undergraduate

The above appearance in a bride to be is not nice, consult a dentist for correction of this malocclusion for a better look to restore your confidence .

Causes of malocclusion

-Genetically inherited

Jaw disproportion

-Too large teeth responsible for crowding due to inadequate space on the jaw to accommodate the teeth.

-Too small teeth in a normal jaw or normal teeth size in a large jaw causes generalized spacing

-Too small jaw responsible for crowding due to bigger teeth than the jaw can accommodate

-Too large jaw is responsible for generalized spacing

Cleft of the lip/palate or both

While some teeth are missing, some are malformed and others may be malpositioned

-Acquired

 Habits of sucking thumb/tongue

Tooth loss without replacement

Effects of malocclusion

Prones the proclined teeth to fracture and its sequelae

Difficult mastication and eventual malnutrition

Temporomandibular joint pain

Impaired esthetics

Psychosocial problems from reduced self esteem

Treatment

Orthodontic treatment which utilizes appliances in form of devices and wires to rearrange the teeth.

Advantages of orthodontic treatment

-Reduces risk of tooth decay

-Reliefs TMJ pain

-Esthetic improvement

-Restores self-esteem and confidence

For more information contact us.

LIFE STYLE EFFECT ON ORAL HEALTH

Smoking

The habit of smoking is common in the society despite the warning packed with its advertisement. While many have attributed its use to “stress relieve” some engage in it as juvenile delinquency from peer group. Tobacco smoking habit exists in all categories of people irrespective of their social and economic status. Age and tribe are no barriers to smoking. It is good to know the ills associated with smoking and decide to be ready for its consequences otherwise don’t smoke. In some individuals smoking and alcohol consumption is preferred to smoking only and in this case it is more dangerous because the alcohol serves as a solvent to dissolve the nicotine in cigarette which irritates the oral mucosa and subsequent damage.

Smoking has damaging effects on the oral and general health of human.

Research has demonstrated the habit of smoking to be linked with stains, plague, calculus accumulation, periodontitis, smokers’ palate and ultimately oral cancer. Betel quid and smokeless tobacco engaged in by some tribes are associated with premalignant lesions, elevated blood pressure and worsening periodontal disease. Smoking can be active or passive. An active smoking is that engaged by an individual while passive smoking is one in close contact with smoke be it from cooking or smokers. All forms of tobacco smoking have been strongly linked to oral cancer (Regezi, et al., 2008).Tuberculosis, and other respiratory illnesses are predisposed to by smoking. The addictive effect of nicotine constituent of cigarrete makes it difficult for cessation while its carcinogenic effect predisposes smokers to cancer.

Alcohol consumption

Alcohol irritates the mucosa and acts as solvent for cancer causing substances e.g. tobacco thus increasing its chances of causing oral cancer. Aside oral cancer, alcohol consumption is associated with many ill health conditions e.g. alcoholism, malnutrition, chronic pancreatitis, alcoholic liver disease, and cancer (wikipedia)

Chewing Kolanut

Kola stains the teeth with black colour; the stains attract plague and calculus accumulation hence poor oral hygiene and eventual bad breathe (mouth odour).

Bruxism i.e. grinding the teeth unconsciously or in anger

This causes wearing away of the top surfaces of the teeth hence reduced occlusal vertical dimension thus causing pain at the temporomandibular joint (Joint in the region of the ears).

Consumption of carbonated drinks, soft drinks and fruit juices without use of straw causes erosion of teeth thus yellow colouration of surfaces of teeth from dentine exposure and subsequent dentine sensitivity to cold or hot drinks.

Sedentary lifestyle

This is an act of inactivity and dangerous to health as it is linked with high rate of heart attack and stroke. Muscle atrophy of disuse which makes daily activities of bathing and washing difficult. People with sedentary lifestyle are also prone to hypertension (James H. Rimmer, 2006)  

 Tooth picking

Is associated with periodontitis as discussed at dentistng.com

Some individuals are fond of picking their teeth with or without food. Improper tooth picking technique causes trauma to the gum and bone around the teeth. The teeth may become mobile, infected and later fall off on their own. Make use of dental floss instead of tooth pick.
Win yourself off detrimental habits to health.

 

DOES YOUR CHILD SUCK THE THUMB/TONGUE?

Digit (Finger) sucking is a relatively common oral habit behaviour engaged in by children. Other habits include, lip sucking and biting, nail-biting, bruxism, cheek biting, mouth breathing, and tongue thrusting .It starts from infancy and persists for years in some children. It is advisable that parents discourage their children and seek dental professional help when uncontrollable to avoid the damaging effects on their jaws, function of chewing, facial outlook and above all their self-esteem. Oral habits, especially if they persist beyond the preschool age, have been implicated as an important environmental etiological factor associated with the development of malocclusion (Shetty ,et al.,2013).

 A number of treatment options are available for this group of people which ranges from counseling to the use of a device. This is important in order to avoid severe malocclusion that can result from oral habits. Severe malocclusion in child will cost more and take a longer time to correct in adulthood.

        Effects of digit/tongue

1. Proclined anterior teeth

2. Anterior open bite





Proclined anterior teeth/anterior open bite due to thumb sucking

 

 

These  anterior teeth are prone to fracture and its sequelae which include abscess formation, Cellulitis and tooth loss.

6yr old Nigerian child with persistent thumb sucking



 

This child cannot cut food because the teeth cannot meet due to the gap formed by sucking the tongue/thumb thus impaired function of mastication.

3. Words escape through that space hence impaired speech

4. Temporomandiblar joint pain

Because the teeth are not in occlusion, there is pain from the two joints that holds the upper and lower jaws together found in the region of the ears.

5. Skeletal disproportion of the jaws

 

The upper jaw may be set far ahead of the lower jaw thus placing the upper teeth further protruded hence the risk of fracture and its sequelae.

6. Others

Tooth malposition, disturbed breathing habits, difficulties in speech, upset balance in the facial musculature and psychological problems (Singh,2009)

Consult a dentist today for an effective oral habit cessation to prevent malocclusion.

Reference

1.     Raghavendra Manjunath Shetty, Manoj Shetty, Nailady Sridhar Shetty, Hanumanth Reddy, Sunaina Shetty, Anil Agrawal(2013): Oral Habits in children of Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, India- A prevalence study. Int JOPHD Vol 4 No 1.

2.     Dr Surinder Singh(2009): DELETERIOUS EFFECTS OF ORAL HABITS. Indian Journal of Dental Sciences Vol. 1 Issue 2

 

 

 

EFFECT OF YOUR OCCUPATION ON YOUR ORAL /GENERAL HEALTH

A relationship exists between one’s occupation and the oral health. Certain occupations have direct effect on oral health while some exhibits indirect effect. At the dental clinic, a patient’s occupation is one of the questions asked; oftentimes patients wonder the relevance of that question to their dental problems. A number of oral diseases have been linked directly to occupational hazards.

Professionals

Ranging from Engineers to lawyers and others in various fields are engrossed with their work, while majority are busy on the computer all day, marketers are on the move and traders are  buried in their trade. What do you do for a living and how does it affect your attitude towards your health? 

Sakki TK , et al.(1998) documented that workers and men exhibit delay in dental visit, this is an indirect effect.  Over the counter pain killers have taken over the role of health care professionals. Patients with dental pain have taken to alabukun powder ,aspirin as well as battery water to “relieve “their pain however devastating effects on oral tissues is what they get instead of relieve  and some have died from swallowing battery water.   Persistent headache could be a sign of a myriad of illnesses e.g. hypertension, HIV infection, typhoid fever etc. You cannot know what your case is until you have consulted a specialist. Many people continue to take solace in analgesics, this makes some drop dead suddenly from stroke because such person might have been suffering from hypertension. What is your blood pressure as you read this?

Battery factory worker

Peterson and Charlotte (1991) demonstrated in their study that severe erosion and attrition of teeth is associated with sulfuric acid mists in work environment. Erosion and attrition cause dentine hypersensitivity and TMJ pain.

Tailor

Chipping of anterior teeth caused by needles and pins are observed in this group of people. The habit of holding their working instruments with their teeth has developed over a long time thus damaging effect on their dentition.

Farmer

This people are predisposed to parasitic infestation which leads to anemia; evidenced by palor of the tongue and oral mucosa and general body weakness.

Carpenter

Contacts with moist wood have been linked with deep fungal infections. Both the diagnosis and treatment of this lesion are froth with difficulties, it is important to guard against it through preventive measures.

Gateman, Road transport workers

Very poor oral hygiene is seen in majority of this group of people.

This is associated with level of education, low income, and lack of dental awareness. They move about with oral infections and tumours like it’s a normal thing.

Bankers

Banking does not directly affect your oral health however because bankers work round the clock in Nigeria, dental checkup is not a routine for them, when they are in pain, they endure until they can no longer endure and the problem is advanced then they show their faces in dental clinics.

Kindly find time to check your blood pressure and present in the hospital if strange occurrences persist. Your health is your wealth.

 

References

Sakki TK, Knuuttila ML, et al. (1998): Lifestyle, gender and occupational status as determinants of dental health behavior. J. Clin. Periodontol. 25 (7): 566-70.

Poul Erik Petersen and Charlotte Gormsen (1991): Oral conditions among German battery factory workers.Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology.Volume 19, Issue 2, pages 104–106.

 

 

POWERED TOOTH BRUSHING

Electric toothbrush

Electric toothbrush

 

 

Preamble

Powered tooth brushing refers to brushing the teeth with a toothbrush that utilizes electric power usually supplied by battery to function.

There has been a significant improvement in oral health care in Nigeria in the last century with emphasis on the use of tooth brushing to achieve clean and healthy teeth. And since we are in the age of technology, it is safe to say that the advent of powered toothbrushes has played some role in aiding this improvement. Individuals want an easy and convenient way of brushing leading to cleaner teeth with minimal plaque build-up hence prefer these types of brushes to the conventional ones. However, it is imperative to arm oneself with the necessary information before you buy that powered toothbrush. Individual dispositions, dentition and preference to type of technologies may determine that one type is more appealing than the others.

 History

Since 1960, when the first Powered toothbrush was produced, the past few decades has witnessed an improvement from the Electric toothbrush which uses electric power supplied usually by a battery to the more advanced sonic toothbrushes which emits ultrasonic waves at a minimum frequency of 20,000hertz or 2,400,000 movements per minutes! Cool right?

Effectiveness of Toothbrushes

The key to proper tooth brushing lies in not just in the type of toothbrush being used (whether manual or powered) but also in the technique of tooth brushing, including the amount of time spent. While, no evidenced-based studies have shown the use of powered toothbrushes to be superior or inferior to the manual tooth brushes, some show that most powered toothbrushes are no more effective than the manual ones -assuming that patients using a manual toothbrush will brush effectively. And of course, no matter what type of brush you use, it still does not rule out the importance of brushing at least twice a day, cleaning your teeth with a Dental Floss and seeing your dentist every 6 months. There are different kinds of techniques that can be used for tooth brushing. Visit your dentist to find out the one that best suits you.
How it works

ghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssz-6r1tPxg

Category of people that require powered tooth brushing

Powered toothbrush can be used by all and sundry however this group of people requires its use for optimal cleansing and oral health.

1. Powered toothbrushes are good for kids. As a parent, you can stimulate an early awareness in maintain a good oral hygiene as well as motivate a good habit of tooth brushing as your child grows. Children love it especially as most of them come in different cartoon heads and bright beautiful colours.

2. It may also be very useful for Geriatrics (Elderly).

3. Patients with poor manual dexterity e.g. patients suffering from arthritis and the physically challenged for requires it for better handling and control resulting in cleaner teeth and healthier gingivae.

Advantages of powered tooth brushing

1. Has superior interdental cleaning over the manual toothbrushes.

2. Cleans the teeth in a shorter time than manual toothbrushes.

3. Associated with improved gingival health.

Disadvantages of powered tooth brushing

Just like the manual tooth brushes, the bristles also lose its effectiveness over time due to bristle wear so you will have to change your brush every three months or as soon as you notice the bristle wear.

They are also quite expensive in contrast to the manual ones.

Conclusion

When next you consider buying that powered tooth brush, know that it’s not about its nifty preference but about how you really use it to achieve the end result- cleaner teeth and healthier gums. 

Author: Dr. Lawrence Osu

6 YEARS DELAY!!!

Delay in presentation of facial swellings is a common occurrence amongst Nigerians. When they decide to consult, they consult the wrong people. They begin with self-medication by purchasing over the counter drugs, followed by traditionalists, then religious leaders. When efforts are fruitless which is usually the case then paramedics advice are sort before medical specialist. The movement from one person to another takes time and associated with progress of lesion. Imagine an educated 20 year old female carrying this for 6years!!