DRY MOUTH GEL

FREQUENTLY ASK QUESTIONS

Q: Who would benefit from using dry mouth gel?

A  :  Anyone experiencing symptoms of dry mouth or

        xerostomia caused by:

·       Drug-induced dry mouth from prescription or over the counter products

·       Sjogren’s syndrome

·       Radiation treatment

·       Mouth breathing during sleep

·       Other long lasting conditions which can impair salivary flow e.g. diabetes mellitus, chronic hepatitis c infection, and connective tissue auto immune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematous.

Q: How do you apply it?

A  : It is best applied by expressing an amount from the tube   

       onto a clean finger, and then smearing the gel around all

       surfaces in the mouth including the inner cheeks and lips. It

       can be applied at anytime with no limit on the frequency of   

       application. Note that it does not interfere with the actions  

       of fluoride or tooth mousse.

Q: How long does it last?

A  : Up to 4 hours of relief from symptoms of dryness can be

      expected when gel is used during the day time. Applying

      the gel immediately before bed will help minimize

      interruptions to sleep from symptoms of oral dryness.

Q: Can it also be used for denture wearers?

A  : It can be used under lower full dentures as a tissue

       protectant and lubricant. When placed inside an upper full

       denture, it may replace cohesive retention effect which is

      normally gained from saliva. However it does not replace

      the need for a separate denture fixative. Dry mouth gel

      does not stain or damage acrylic, chrome-cobalt or other

     denture base materials.

Q: Is it safe to swallow?

A : Yes-with normal usage (less than one tube per day)

Q: Are there any contraindications?

A : It is contraindicated for patient who has sensitivity or allergy

      to benzoate preservatives or any other listed component of

      the gel.

Q: When would you use a combination of dry mouth

      gel and tooth mousse?

A  :  You would use both products for dentate patients with

       impaired salivary flow. These patients are at greater risk of

       developing dentinal hypersensitivity, dental erosion and

       dental decay.

Dry mouth gel – soothes the symptoms of oral dryness providing lubrication and comfort

Tooth mousse- additional protection to teeth and boosts the levels of bioavailable calcium ad phosphate essential for good oral health.

DRY MOUTH

What is dry mouth?

DRY MOUTH is a very common condition. It is usually due to a decrease in the amount of saliva in the mouth. This neglected, but important secretion does much more than just moistens the mouth.

Functions of Saliva

1.   Protection : mouth, teeth, oral mucosal and esophagus

2.   Buffering

3.   Taste

4.   Mastication

5.   Swallowing

6.   Digestion

7.   Speech

What Are the Symptoms of Dry Mouth

·       A sticky, dry feeling in the mouth

·       Frequent thirst

·       Sores in the mouth; sores or split skin at the corners of the mouth; cracked lips

·       A burning or tingling sensation in the mouth and especially on the tongue

·       A dry, red, raw tongue

·       Problems speaking or difficulty tasting, chewing, and swallowing

·       Hoarseness, dry nasal passages, sore throat

·       Bad breath

dental caries

fungal infection

crack lip

dry, raw tongue

Why Is Dry Mouth a Problem?

Besides causing the aggravating symptoms mentioned above, dry mouth also increases a person's risk of gingivitis (gum disease), tooth decay, and mouth infections, such as thrush.

Dry mouth can also make it difficult to wear denture.

常刷牙，心臟好

多项研究发现，一口坏牙会增加心脏病危险。据英国（每日邮报）5 月28日报道，一项新研究揭示了刷牙习惯和心脏病的关联。每天刷牙两次的人，比不注重口腔卫生的人心脏病危险更小，常刷牙，心脏好。

研究发现，口腔卫生差及牙龈出血会导致700多种细菌进入血液系统，无论一个人是否健康，其患心脏病的危险都会大增。进入血液的细菌会刺激免疫系统，导致血管内壁发炎变窄，或者直接黏附在血管中的脂肪堆积物上，进一步诸塞血管。

英国伦敦大学学院研究人员分析了参加（苏格兰健康调查）的11000多名参试者（平均年龄50岁）。

调查问题包括：

1.  多长时间看一次牙医

2.  每日刷牙次数

3.  既往病史

结果发现：

1.  62% 的人6个月看一次牙医

2.  71% 的人每天刷牙两次

在为期8年的跟踪调查中，555 名参试者患有严重心脏病，其中170例为致命性心脏病。专家发现，与每天刷牙两次者相比，从不刷牙或很少刷牙者患心脏病增加70%。

研究人员把肥胖和吸烟等因素纳入考虑之后，这一结果依然成立。新研究还发现，口腔卫生差还会增加血液中C-反应蛋白的水平，该蛋白水平越高，说明体内发炎越严重。

美国预防心脏病专家苏珊娜。斯坦鲍姆博士表示，提及预防心脏病，人们谈论最多的是吸烟，锻炼和饮食，而保持口腔卫生则是必须关注的一大新因素。要预防心脏病，就必须做到不吸烟，常锻炼，正确饮食和经常刷牙.

ORTHONAGTHIC SURGERY

What does orthonagthic surgery involve? 

Basically, it is a form of controlled fracture of the facial bones to realign the lower jaw. This type of surgery improves the overall aesthetic appearance of the face as well as the bite in complicated cases. 

The actual procedure takes anywhere from two and a half to four hours, depending on the need for single or double jaw surgery, and would require one to two nights of hospitalization. Patients can return to their normal activities like eating and even non-contact sports like running is six to eight weeks.

With today’s technology, predictive facial change imagery can even be achieved using 3D CT scanning and surgical simulation software. Patients thus have a chance to see for themselves what the surgery outcome will be like, before going under the scalpel.

 

PATIENT EVALUATION

Although over/under-bite can be observed even from a young age, oral surgeon advises that the procedure should only be performed on patients who have reached skeletal maturity, i.e. when bones (and thus the jaws) have fully developed. Girls attain bone maturity around 14 to 15 years of age, while for boys, that is between 17 and 18 years.

The orthonaghtic surgery is relatively major, the physical and mental maturity of patient should be considered. Of course, these aspects can all be verified upon consultation, where bone scans and serial radiographs form part of the patient assessment.

Although such corrective surgery could take almost a year from consultation to full recovery, the long-term benefits outweigh the time spent. However, expert advice patients to express their esthetic goals to the surgeon to ensure a common understanding of the aesthetic outcome desired.

‘Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’.

YOUR BITE: WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?

A person's bite, or the way the top and bottom teeth come together, is a crucial aspect in the way a person speaks, eats, and swallows. The muscles of the face and jaw, the positioning of the teeth and the bite, the joints of the jaw, and the muscles of the head and neck, play a significant role in a person's well-being.

When we look good, we naturally feel good about ourselves. Conversely, if our appearance is not appealing, that may affect our self-esteem. Of the entire body, no other body part can compare with our face when it comes to considerations about one’s physical appearance. 

Having an over-bite/under-bite as a result of a protruding jaw line not only looks undesirable, but such a jaw shape may also affect our speech and eating habits.

What is under-bite?

An under-bite is referred to as a type of malocclusion, which is protrusion of the lower jaw due to misalignment, or having a bad bite. 

                                                         

Sufferers often experience irregular wearing of the teeth, causing the lower teeth to grow or extend past the upper front teeth. 

The risk for developing serious jaw problems and conditions for one to ignore the under-bite is higher. TMJ Disorder is a very popular condition that an under-bite will lead to.

Others symptoms include difficulty in chewing, speech and breathing problems. In general, about five percent of the population experiences this, and it is interesting to note that this ailment is high among Asians.

 

What is overbite?

Overbite is the opposite of under-bite where the upper jaw protrudes more than the lower jaw, causing the upper teeth to ‘overhang’. The upper and lower teeth do not coincide properly in overbite, causing the sufferer to experience the same set of problems.

 

Both conditions could also lead to temporo-mandibular joint disorder (TMD), where the misalignment causes excess pressure on the jaw point. TMD could lead to the limitation of the range of motion of the jaw point and pain in the area. Undergoing corrective surgery may prevent further complications.

“Having a good set of teeth means much more than just having the ability to flush a nice, warm smile.”

RISK FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE EXPRESSION OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE

Healthy Mouth = Healthy Body

Untreated periodontal disease in effect “seeds”
the bloodstream with disease - causing bacteria.

• SMOKING – Smoking increases the risk of getting gum disease by 4x more than nonsmokers. It is responsible for more than half of the adult gum disease.

• DIABETES MELLITUS – Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in U>S> Almost one-third of individuals with diabetes have severe periodontal disease.

• OSTEOPOROSIS – Periodontal disease caused a 4x higher frequency of height loss in the jaw.

• PRETERM BIRTH - Gums infected with periodontal disease are toxic reservoirs of disease causing bacteria. The toxins produced by the bacteria attack the gums, ligaments, and bone surrounding the teeth to produce infected pockets that are similar to large infected wounds in your mouth. The infected pockets provide access to your bloodstream allowing bacteria to travel throughout your body.Women with periodontal disease are 3-5 times greater risk of a preterm birth than those who have no gum disease.

• HEART DISEASE - One potential risk factor for heart disease is advanced gum disease.Thus periodontal disease increases severity and risk of heart disease and stroke. Periodontal bacteria ( C-reactive protein CPR ) gains entry into the systemic circulation with bactermia causing changes in blood vessel walls and exacerbated atherosclerotic plaque. The connection between gum disease and heart attacks is higher than the connection between high cholesterol and heart attacks?

• STROKE - Risk for stroke is 2.8 times greater for individual with gum disease than those without periodontal disease.

• PULMONARY INFECTION AND ORAL DISEASES   -Inhaling harmful bacteria from the infection in your gums into your lungs which can cause pneumonia, bronchitis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

CROWNS AND BRIDGES

WHAT IS A CROWN?

A crown is commonly called a cap. It may be thought of as a ‘cover’ as it covers, or replaces, that part of the tooth seen in the mouth.

WHY DO A CROWN?

A crown can be done for many reasons. Most often, it is done when a tooth is

·       Badly decayed or chipped

·       Discoloured or mis-shaped

chipped and discoloured teeth

 

HOW IS A CROWN DONE?

To put it simply, the tooth is trimmed to make space for the final crown. Moulds are then taken of this tooth for a custom-made crown to be made in a laboratory according to your dentist’s instructions. When the crown is ready, it is slipped over the tooth and firmly cemented in place.

 

WHAT IS A BRIDGE?

A bridge is a special kind of denture when the artificial tooth is fixed to natural teeth next to it (often by means of crowns). A bridge is compact and feels like natural teeth but it can only be done in specially selected cases.

WHAT IS A CROWN MADE OF?

It can be made of porcelain or metal or combinations of gold alloys and porcelain. Special types of glass and plastics can also be used. Your dentist will choose the material best suited for your case.

porcelain crown

metal crown

HOW DO I CARE FOR MY CROWN?

Carefully daily brushing and flossing are essential to keep the gums around the crown healthy. Also don’t crack ice, bones etc. as this may chip the porcelain. Regular check-ups by your dentist are also necessary. Remember, crowns and bridges are only as good as they are maintained.

WHY ARE CROWNS & BRIDGES EXPENSIVE?

Crowns & bridges are long-term restorations. Making them requires the considerable skill and time of your dentist and a technician working in a specially equipped laboratory. The crown itself is often made of precious metals. When you pay for your crown, you’re paying for all these.