NON-HEALING ORAL ULCER : MAY BE AN EARLY SIGN OF ORAL CANCER

Oral Ulcer is a breach in the oral mucous lining. Commonly called mouth sore.

Presentations of oral ulcers: This varies with causes, size, number, location, duration, and time of healing. It may appear as a pinhead sized lesion and multiple; referred to as herpetiform ulcers. 

2 to 6 in number of a 2 mm sized ulceration in any part of the mouth; called minor aphthous ulcer. While a single solitary or occasionally 2 large sized ulcer on the tongue, palate or gingiva called major aphthous ulcer. This appears raised with a rolled edge and yellow flow.

Causes of oral ulcers: Oral ulcer can be caused by a wide range of causes, which includes:

1. Nutritional deficiency

2. Stress- academic/physical exertion/emotional

3. Trauma-from teeth or foreign objects

4. Immunological reaction

5. Hormone mediated-menstruation/

5. Familiar tendencies

6. Systemic disease

7. Early cancer

Treatment:

This is based on the cause of the oral ulcer, as removal of causes allows for regression of the sore.

Warm water salt solution mouth rinse 6-8 times daily will heal herpetiform and minor apthous ulcer.

Vitamin C tablets 100 mg, 3 times daily will go a long way to promote healing

For large sized lesions that is not healing within 2 weeks, present to a dentist for assessment and management.

WARNING:

Late presentation of sinister cases can be fatal in case it is a cancer because oral cancer can begin as an ulceration, and early treatment can be lifesaving.

The picture shown below is a case of oral cancer, which started as a small ulceration. It did not heal for weeks and patient did not present to the hospital.

Patient eventually presented when condition was worse after 8 months, then the cancer had destroyed the upper jawbone and floor of the eye. He needs advanced treatment than he would have received if he had presented earlier. 

ORAL CANCER

                                                    A stitch in time saves nine!!!

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Beautiful pic!

HOW YOUR TEETH CAN SECURE YOU A JOB

 

 

Here are tips towards a smile that gets you noticed for employment.

1. Daily brushing after breakfast and the last thing at bed time.

2. Use dental floss for interdental cleaning after meal/mouth rinsing.

3. Fix your fractured or discoloured anterior tooth/teeth for an improved outlook.

4. Whiten your teeth with bleaching if they are discoloured.

5. Fix the haphazard arrangement of your teeth with orthodontics treatment.

AT THE INTERVIEW

Flash your radiant smile to all and respond with confidence. This is sure to earn you the job. For help on this matter, contact dental news.

Do not attend a job interview with the following funny looking teeth:

 

 

 

ORAL CANDIDIASIS

The oral cavity (mouth) forms normal habitat to a number of organisms; bacteria and fungi. They are considered normal oral commensals that cause no harm in the mouth as they are kept in check by the body immune system. In case of a suppressed immunity, these organisms may begin to cause harm as seen in candidiasis.

Candidiasis/Oral thrush is a fungal infection of the mouth and it’s environ, throat inclusive. It is caused by overgrowth of the fungi commonly candida albicans in the mouth in immunocompromised states as seen in:

1.      Diabetes Mellitus: In this condition, sugar in saliva acts as food for fungal growth.

2.       Prolonged/high dose antibiotic treatment: This condition kills the normal oral bacteria that keeps fungal growth in the oral cavity in check

3.      HIV infection

4.      Renal failure

5.      Use of immune suppressant drugs

6.      Long term steroid treatment

7.      Other forms of immune suppression states

8.      Neonates and elderly

9.      Ill-fitting dentures

10.  Xerostomia i.e. dry mouth

Candidiasis affects all age groups depending on the immune status.

The very young neonates acquire oral thrush during passage through the birth canal in mothers with vaginal candidiasis due to immaturity of the immune response. This clears within 2 weeks however if it persists, baby needs a pediatrician assessment.

Oral presentation of candidiasis

Whitish coat on any part of the mouth, tongue and throat inclusive.

 It may also present as soft, friable, and creamy coloured plaques on the oral mucosa.

This creamish /whitish plague can be easily wiped off, to expose an erythematous /reddish mucosa.

 

whitish plagues on surfaces of the mouth

coated tongue with whitish plagues

If you notice any stange and persistent coating of your mouth,consult a dentist for evaluation and treatment.

REQUIREMENTS FOR TOOTHBRUSING/TECHNIQUES

REQUIREMENTS FOR TOOTHBRUSHING

1. A medium textured toothbrush preferably one with a small head and  angulated handle  for accessibility to posterior teeth.

2. Fluoride containing toothpaste

3. Clean water 

 

                                                Smear’ – under 2 years.    Pea-sized’ – 2-5 years

 

 

 

 

The above illustration is good for children to prevent them from swallowing toothpaste.

Note that children should use a soft textured toothbrush to prevent gum damage.

Tooth brushing technique:  

Several technique are available but the  bass method is recommended.

This involves brushing the teeth surface with vertical strokes, brush the top surfaces of teeth and the inside (lingual surfaces) followed by the tongue.

Common mistakes during tooth brushing

1. More people brush with horizontal strokes, this causes damage to teeth and gum and presents with cervical abrasion and gingival recession

 

 

Cervical abrasion



gingival recession



 

 

2. Other people brush the teeth surface very well and ignore the lingual surface ,this results in accumulated plague and calculus on the inside of the teeth as demonstrated by this patient below

 

 

 

 

BLEACH YOUR TEETH AND NOT YOUR SKIN

Here is good news for those people with generalized yellow, orange, or light brown extrinsic discoloration. Teeth bleaching/Whitening procedure offer you whitening of your stained/discoloured teeth within 2 hours to 4weeks depending on the method employed.
Teeth whitening is a safe and conservative treatment method for mild to moderate disoloured teeth.  The likes of Tonto Dikeh will benefit from this treatment.

Teeth whitening techniques can be as simple as scaling and polishing in case of accumulated dirts being the cause of teeth stains. It is a simple procedure necessitating patient’s cooperation. It can be done in the dental office and at home under strict supervision/instruction of a dentist. Either home or office bleaching can be utilized likewise the combination of the two in cases with darker stains

Available teeth whitening methods include:

-Use of whitening toothpaste

-Whitening strips

-In office bleaching method

-Home bleaching method

before bleaching

after bleaching

 

 

See procedure after the cut.

Tonto Dikeh says "Look wat tobacco can do to ur Teeth.....".

Note the brown stains on her anterior teeth