Halitosis is the general term used to describe bad breath, regardless of the origin of the abnormal smell (oral or other). Today's society is very demanding with image and it requires that your look is as pleasant as possible, not just in friendship relations but also in social and work relationships. Bad breath or halitosis might ruin social communication of any kind. We speak about oral halitosis if the abnormal smell substances come from oral sources, and this is the most frequent in healthy individuals (approximately 90% of the cases). Abnormal smell can also emanate from non-oral sources, such as   respiratory tract or digestive tract.

What is the reason of oral Halitosis?

Most of the halitosis have their origin in local oral factors, because of the emission of Volatile Sulphur Compounds (VSC), responsible of bad breath. Other factors include the saliva flow, the impact of food debris between teeth and the diet. Saliva, in healthy condition, has a pleasant smell; however, alkaline changes in its pH and reduction in oxygen concentration produce its decaying and the emission of volatile sulphur compounds responsible for the bad breath. 

The same happens during sleeping time, when the salivary flow is minimal. This favours the stagnation and the start up of the putrefaction mechanisms.

It is important to follow a proper daily oral hygiene:

• Brush your teeth with manual or electric tooth brush in the morning, right after every meal and before going to bed.
• Use the most appropriate tooth paste and the mouth wash to complete your hygiene.
• . Don't forget to clean the interproximal spaces with dental floss or ribbon (closed spaces) or interproximal brushes (open spaces) .

Bad breath is a common problema, but the lack of information and the psychological barrier around this disorder make it difficult for the patient to look for solutions actively. Do not stay inactive. Not looking for a solution might be even more embarrassing as you can bother others and this can negatively affect your interpersonal relations. Taking good care of your body includes caring about your mouth too.

  Dr. Claudio A. Sorrentino

  www.dentalpalermo.com.ar

Taking care of all the elements that make up the oral cavity is very important. Neglecting any part of this set (deficient oral hygiene) may result in diseases like caries and periodontitis and, over time, might even cause the loss of teeth. This is why strict oral hygiene is essential even before your first tooth erupts and throughout your entire lifetime.

In order for brushing your teeth to be a truly effective habit, it must be a daily routine performed when you wake up in the morning, after every meal and then again right before going to bed. Regularity is a determining factor in maintaining oral health, since dental biofilm continuously builds up, and the only way to avoid its harmful effects is by removing it from the oral cavity. Proper technique is also crucial. If brushing is not performed adequately, it does not accomplish its purpose and, even worse, it can be harmful to your teeth and irritate your gums. You can always ask your dentist for help.

Take care of your teeth throughout your lifetime
Proper oral hygiene must start during the first month of life. The first tooth appears around the sixth month. At this age the use of a brush or dental floss is not necessary, but it is advisable to clean your baby´s teeth and gums with wet gauze after giving the baby his/her bottle or any type of food. For optimum development of baby's teeth and in order for your baby to become familiar with healthy oral hygiene habits, it is a good idea to visit the paediatric dentist on a regular basis.

At age 6, children have the ability to rinse out their mouths, and their teeth start to fall out. Therefore, using a children's tooth gel together with a soft-bristled toothbrush is advisable. Parents must show their children how to brush properly and make them aware of the importance of the daily oral hygiene.

In their teens your children have already adopted regular oral hygiene habits – brushing at least three times per day. They have graduated to an adult toothbrush and toothpaste. Now interproximal cleaning is important for complete oral hygiene.

Adults need to maintain optimum oral hygiene habits and visit the dentist regularly throughout their lives. This should even increase with age. As one grows older, the production and secretion of saliva decreases, meaning that saliva's function of stabilizing the pH of the mouth (acidity level) might be affected. This can be solved by using specific toothpaste for Dry Mouth and a whole range of products that can help slow down the oral aging process.

  Dr. Claudio A. Sorrentino

  www.dentalpalermo.com.ar

Denture adhesion and cleaning

Removable dentures are meant to replace absent teeth and to support bone structures that degenerate over time once natural teeth are lost or damaged. This implies that through the use of oral appliances that can and should be removable (making them easier to clean), people can chew better, look better and talk more normally, greatly improving their quality of life.

Every person has different needs and different oral characteristics, meaning that every denture is unique. Being that these appliances are worn for long periods of time, patients must be taught how to clean and take care of them daily, to avoid major consequences.

Denture placement is a decision that is made exclusively by the specialist and the patient. If the decision is for the patient to wear a complete denture, it should adapt perfectly to the tissues for perfect occlusion; otherwise, chewing could make the denture move and detach from the gums, which is a primary problem that arises with this type of prostheses.

Adaptation and getting used to

 
Removable dentures are not mere mechanical instruments, but rather, they transmit force to the teeth, gums and bone, which is why they require a special adaptation period, which may be longer or shorter depending on the person and the denture. In the end, the patient is likely to forget s/he is wearing dentures at all, but patience is needed, and during this adaptation period, frequent visits to the dentist are required in order for the proper adjustments or corrections to be made.

Recommendations:

Cleaning and taking care of your denture

• Brush your denture after every meal. When using Fittydent you do not need to remove dentures from your mouth to brush them.
• Dentures must be taken out to be cleaned, at least once per day to avoid calculus build-up and to prevent stains from forming. Then, thoroughly rinse with water. It is very important to clean the metal parts, particularly those that are in direct contact with the denture. In order to do so, soak dentures in the cleansing solution to obtain a deeper cleaning effect (internal or concave side of the clasps).
• It is advisable to take out dentures while sleeping, so that tissues can take a break for some hours every day from the pressure that they might receive.

  Dr. Claudio A. Sorrentino

  www.dentalpalermo.com.ar

Taking Care of Sensitive Teeth

If you are suffering from sensitive teeth – or dentine hypersensitivity – the chances are you haven’t been caring for them properly; you have neglected them to an extent where they hurt when you bite into cold or hot things and cause you a lot of discomfort accordingly. However, there are means of tackling this unfortunate problem. We will look at ways of taking care of sensitive teeth.

Sensitive teeth is a physical feeling when the nerves inside the dentin of the teeth are exposed to different elements; this feeling can range from a slight discomfort to a sharp-shooting pain. The causes for sensitive teeth can vary, and they range from general wear and tear to decaying teeth due to neglect.

A recent study showed that 57 per cent of people suffered – to some degree – from sensitive teeth, with the 30-39 age bracket seems the most instances. Most of these people cited cold things are the reason for the pain, but others mentioned hot and sweet stimuli as well. These figures are a lot higher than had been envisaged by dental experts.

 So what can you do to take care of your sensitive teeth?

 1.    The first thing you should do is discuss the issue with your dentist. Explain your pain, your symptoms, and he should be able to seal the sensitive area with a bonding agent – or a fluoride gel – which can be rubbed into the sensitive teeth and gums after your daily brushings. Over time, this will cure the pain which is observed from sensitive teeth.

2.    Use a tooth-brush with ultra-soft bristles; these can be found in any pharmacy or dental shop. Avoid brushing your teeth in a horizontal method as this exposes the roots more so than with the vertical method.

3.    Your dentist should be able to prescribe you with the most effective toothpaste for sensitive teeth. Some tooth-pastes are specifically produced and customized to deal with the problems of sensitive teeth.

4.    Avoid the things which cause the pain until as such time as the problem has abated and resolved itself. If foods such as ice-lollies, or cold drinks wakes you wince with pain, then avoid them as best you can. Every time you indulge in sweet or sour foods such as candy, acidic foods such as wine and grapefruit juice, chew some sugar-free gum or brush your teeth – when practical to do so – to help the treatment progress. To take care of your sensitive teeth, keep these points in mind.

  Dr. Claudio A. Sorrentino

  www.dentalpalermo.com.ar