Removable Vs. Fixed Bridges and Crowns

 

If you have teeth that are missing, you may want to get a tooth bridge that’s removable or fixed. Both these types have two different crowns, and basically, this fully supports your teeth that are replaced, also known as pontics.  And usually, this is in the area where the teeth and gums are lost as well. This is pretty straightforward, but we’ll go over both kinds here. 

Removable Vs. Fixed 

The difference in this is that there are different ways to place the crowns, and also the ability for you to remove this. They have various crowns that are on each side, clipping to the teeth that are existing, and filed by your dentist so that they fit well. If you get impermanent teeth, you’ll have to take these out so that they get cleaned each day. Removable ones tend to be cheaper, and you don’t need to get surgery. 

The thing about fixed bridges is they function, look and feel just like your actual teeth. They’re attached directly to an implant, which is a fixture made of metal that’s fastened directly to the gums, below this. This is something that’s becoming much more common, since implants basically give you a new smile. Implants are naturally anchored to the bone area through the process of osseointegration, which is a name for the bone fusing to the metal area, offering support that’s stable when speaking, eating, or doing whatever. Implants do take a bit longer, since it does require to be fused to the bone, but once they’ve fused, there’s an abutment, and a crown on top of this. 

Whatever option you choose is fine but remember that you can keep your oral health with both of these. The gaps are important to remove, as it can cause the teeth to shift or rotate into spaces that are empty, which impacts bite, can cause gum disease, and also TMJ issues. 

What it feels like 

If you’re going to get a removable bridge, the dentist will discuss how to wear it, how to remove it, and also if there are discomforts, what can be done to adjust this. The bridge does feel a little bit uncomfor5able, but once you get used to it, the eating and speaking can improve drastically. 

What about After? 

After this, you’ll notice that the bridge does fit directly into your mouth area. It’s going to feel awkward, but you basically take the bridge out to clean it, and also take it out when you sleep. You may struggle a little bit with this process, but your dentist can help you with this. Remember when you do place it in your mouth, you should not force it down by biting, as this can impact the bridge period. 

You may wonder what types of foods you should have with this. First, you’ll want to stick with foods that are softer, or cut into tiny little pieces. You should chew on each side in an even manner. 

Avoid foods that are chewy, hard, and sticky, especially those such as: 

• Steak. 

• Caramel, nuts 

• Gum 

These can all damage a new bridge, so try to avoid them, and talk to your dentist if you do have questions to fix this. 

To clean it, you basically remove it, put it on a towel, and then, clean it with a denture brush. You can try denture cleaner with this and try to avoid anything abrasive. You should then rinse it down with some cool water, and then, leave it in denture solution to clean it thoroughly.

Herpangina in Children

Children get scratches and bumps like anyone else due to their curiosity and interest in the world around them. But what if the bumps happen in their mouth, and not as a result of them falling? It could be herpangina.  Here, we’ll go over what herpangina is, and how to relieve the discomfort associated with this condition. 

What it is

It’s something that does come with mouth sores, but you also may get a headache, loss of appetite, fever, and even a sore throat, all of which can make swallowing hurt in a lot of cases. 

The sores in the mouth are like tiny fluid bumps or even blisters that are white or even whitish gray, with a border that’s red. 

Visible on the mouth roof, the back of one’s throat, and sometimes in specific areas in the mouth. Sometimes, a fever accompanies it, which can be quick, ranging from 101 to even as high as 106 in a lot of cases. The biggest thing to worry about is avoiding dehydration, as it happens a lot in this condition. 

Relieving Discomfort 

Because herpangina is a viral condition, the symptoms can be discomforting.  Many times, healthcare professionals diagnose this, but it’s mild, with no specifics in terms of treatment. 

There are different ways to relieve symptoms, which include: 

• Reducing fever and pain with acetaminophen and ibuprofen 

• Increasing foods or fluids that will help with lowering temperatures 

• Eating a diet that’s bland and not irritating 

• Gargling with peroxyl and cold water 

Try to also make sure that the oral health environment is maintained too. Have them brush their teeth and take care of it as best as they can. 

A mouthwash may be used too in this case, in order to heal the irritation a little bit faster. However, you should always check with the dentist, in order to ensure that rinses are appropriate for them before they get thrown into the oral care routines. 

Herpangina is a contagious disease, and it can be something that does spread to siblings and classmates. That means, practicing good oral hygiene and also practicing good overall hygiene is imperative. 

Disinfect the surfaces that a child has touched in a lot of cases. 

You may even need to isolate the child, keeping them at home, and away from other people, so that they don’t spread the infection. 

If they’re in daycare, you may need to keep them at home, until the symptoms resolve. 

Now, you don’t send them back until they’ve fully made a recovery. This can be a bit of a challenge for some parents, as they may believe that once the fever breaks, it’s okay. However, due to the contagious nature of this disease, it’s better to keep them at home until they’ve managed a swift, speedy recovery. 

Herpangina is a condition that has a lot of lingering effects if one isn't careful, and it can affect the mouth, along with the rest of the body. Like other colds and ways of getting sick, it can take some time for you to properly get used to this. With that said, if you notice that you have some issues, the best thing for you to do is to make sure that you get the treatment that you do. 

Herpangina is treatable, and it can be a bit scary for children. But with the proper treatment and wellness, you’ll be able to improve the aspects of this, and in turn, you’ll be able to, over time, create and craft the best experience that you can, and enjoy the results too.

How long will my Bridge Last

If you’ve gotten a dental bridge, you probably want to replace those teeth to make them function like the real thing, and to make them last the length that your real teeth do too.  Are they able to last a long time with the dental bridge? How can you make the lifespan better?  All those answers are here. 

Removable Vs. Fixed bridges 

When you’ve got bridges, you have two types: the removable ones, and the fixed ones. Removable is pretty simple. it’s removed, and they’re usually clipped onto the current teeth that you have, and your dentist files them down.  If you want to get this, you do have to clean every single day, taking them out. They tend to cost a lot lower, and they won’t require you to get surgery either. You can get fixed bridges too, one with the bridge that caps right over the tooth naturally, or there is one that’s put on each side, and one of them does get cemented.

There are also implants that you need to have put on via surgery directly to where the jawbone is. 

Over 3 million people in America alone have some form of dental implants, and these implants tend to last a long time. they get put into the bone, Osseo integrating where the bone gets fused to the metal, offering support, and allowing you to speak and eat like how you would normally. 

These can take a bit longer, and usually, after the implant is fastened onto there, there’s a pole that’s put on there, and then of course, the crown.

This is something that a lot of people have looked into as it can prevent the shifting of those empty spaces and reduces the rate of TMJ in the body.

How long do they last? 

There are various amounts of time, and this is something that’s really just impacted based on the diet you have, your oral care, and also, how you take care of it, and what sorts of activities you do. Usually, the removable ones last up to seven years, but if you do visit the dentist on the regular and take care of your teeth, they can last over a decade. This is something that you should be mindful of, since if they last longer than a decade, they might even last a whole lifetime. 

How to Care for this 

Caring for this is important, as it offers you good hygiene, in the same manner that you would your actual teeth. The goal is to brush these twice daily, floss these between the teeth either with interdental cleaners, or through using water flossers once a day.  You may also want to consider using tongue scrapers and mouth rinses, in order to ensure that everything is cleaned up. 

Another thing that you should do is see a dentist, since they can check and clean the teeth, ensuring that they look perfect, no matter what.

They also will give you everything that you need to know to care for the bridge health, so you’re not left hung to dry.

If you’re worried about your bridge getting gross, make sure that if it’s removable, you remove this, and then you want to clean it the same way you would anything else. 

Make sure that you brush it the same way you would a normal toothbrush, and consider denture cleaners too, but be mindful of anything that’s abrasive.

Don't leave the bridge in denture solutions or in water, as this can cause it to rust. 

Take care of it, and you’ll be able to make it last.

Milk and your teeth

It’s hard to make the correct choices for your own health sometimes. One big concern is milk. Is good or bad for you? And does it cause the decay of teeth? Research says that milk and teeth are good, but the reasons why this is might be surprising. There are also some which have been told that milk and teeth do not go hand in hand. 

Milk Starts Early 

Milk along with other diary products are a big part of your diet and having enough milk early on is important. Your body stores about 99% of that in the teeth and bones and having at least 200-1300 mg of calcium every single day since the moment you’re born is integral. Calcium is also the most common mineral that’s present within you too. 

The Benefits of milk 

There are a ton of benefits to milk, and the calcium within this is actually really important for overall teeth and bodily health. For starters, they contain what’s called casein proteins, which form a film that’s protective on the teeth surface. The proteins protect the enamel from decay as well. They’re also rich in phosphorus and calcium. Minerals do repair the damage issues from teeth. When the acid does break down the enamel, the minerals can help. 

They are pH neutral, which means they help to neutralize those foods and drinks that are sugary. Having this after a meal or snack can be good for protecting the teeth and preventing these acids from causing major issues. Finally, they stimulate the saliva in your mouth, which means they help to not only maintain, but also to repair the teeth, and a healthy amount of this does help you have a better smile as well. Remember though that consuming dairy is but one part of this, and consuming enough veggies, rains, fruit, and other items rich in minerals is vital to your own health and wellness. 

How to get more milk in your diet 

While a lot of foods do have calcium in this, milk tends to be the easiest way to get enough dairy. How do you manage to get this into your body though? Your body does absorb calcium best in both diary products and milk. There are also alternatives for those who us who are not the biggest fans of milk. Some of the best alternatives include: 

• Yogurt, Greek that’s plain with some fruit in it 

• Cheese of various kinds 

• Meals that use buttermilk in them 

• Ice cream and frozen yogurt 

• Soy milk that’s calcium-fortified 

A good thing to understand too is that fat-free along with low-fat products that are made of dairy do contain the same amounts of calcium that you’d get otherwise. You should definitely make sure that you do swap out soda for milk. Soda is abrasive on the teeth, wears them down over a period of time, and it can permanently damage your enamel, and then you have to have a professional handle it. 

Acidic drinks also cause tooth a sensitivity and pain, discoloration, cavities, abscesses, and even tooth loss in a lo of cases. This is something that ca be prevented by having something differ. While water typically is the best way to ensure tat you’re protecting your teeth, another option of course, is milk. Milk is simple, easy, and very effective for those who are interested. 

Drink more milk, and protect your teeth by having more dairy, as it’s good for you, and a little bit definitely goes a long way with something like this as well.

What causes a tongue to Tingle

You’ve probably felt the “pins and needles” sensation on your tongue or body before, where it suddenly creates a tingling feeling that radiates all over the body. But did you know that it’s very common for this tingling, also known as paresthesia, to occur and be a symptom in the body. Here’s what happens when this sensation occurs. 

What is paresthesia? 

This is considered a sort of “traffic jam” in your nerves.  That’s created due to the constant feeling of pressure directly on the nerve itself. This prevents those impulses from traveling through the body as they may normally do so. When you remove the pressure, they move again, but it’s much stronger and it causes the tingling to affect the area. 

However, the tingling is rarely from falling asleep in a weird position or maybe you were holding your foot in a certain way. Here, we’ll go over what this can do to the body, and the reasons why a tingling tongue occurs. 

Nerve damage post-Surgery 

If you’ve had oral surgery, you may experience this every now and then, where it causes a delayed onset sort of reaction to tongue tingling. This is usually in the lingual nerve or the inferior alveolar nerve, which can happen in rare instances. This may happen as a temporary measure too, where it disappears within a few weeks to a few months at most. If it lingers, talk to a doctor, since they may be able to figure out why that is. 

Oral Allergies. 

It may be a substance that your tongue is allergic too. 

This is rare for most people, and it may come about due to an allergy of the birch pollen. It also may happen after fruits and veggies that are raw. The best way to avoid this from happening is to monitor the foods that will cause this reaction. 

Canker Sores 

Canker sores are small swellings that are white and while not contagious, this can be quite annoying. It can happen on any of your soft tissue. While there isn’t one singular reason for this, your genetics or an immune system weakened may be the case, or it may be due to smoking as well. This may cause a burning sensation as well, but also may cause a tingling of the tongue area too. While it may not be painful, sometimes it can be the case. 

Hypo cases 

Hypo means that you’re not getting enough of something. In this case, you’re not getting enough sugar or calcium. For those who suffer from a deficiency in this problem, you may notice the tingling of the tongue. This is very rare though, and usually it’s a deficiency in either blood sugar or calcium that causes this, and usually won’t occur unless you are not getting enough calcium. You also may notice it with a  contraction of the muscles around the tongue too. 

If you have this, you should talk to your doctor about this, since they can help you figure out the cause of this, and the reason for all of this to occur. You also may want to talk to someone if the cause of this is diabetes. While there are some causes for this that may be of concern, don’t worry. Know your body, and if you do know what you’ve been up to, that also can help you figure out why you have a tingling tongue, and also why you might want to consider the right kind of treatments for this, in order to help with stopping this before it gets worse. 

Heart Disease and Oral health: The Connection

Did you know that your oral health is much more intimately connected than you think? There is now evidence between oral health and heart disease connections. New studies have shown that for those with mild to moderate gum disease, they may be at risk for heart disease compared to those with healthy gums. Oral healthcare does provide warning signs for a variety of conditions and diseases too, including those in the heart. 

So can Bad teeth really cause heart Problems? 

Yes, it can. This is because of the bacteria and germ spread that happens from the mouth to various other parts of the body, entering via the bloodstream. When they reach the heart, they’ll attach to damaged areas, creating inflation. Of course, according to the mayo clinic, this may result in endocarditis, which is an infection involving the inner lining parts of the heart. It can also cause a risk of atherosclerosis to form, along with stroke, both of which are linked by oral bacteria. 

Who’s at Risk? 

Those with chronic gum conditions, including periodontitis and gingivitis, are at a higher risk for heart disease due to bad oral health. This is especially true if it remains unmanaged and undiagnosed.  The bacteria that’s associated directly with oral infections does enter the bloodstream. It attaches to the blood vessels, increasing one’s risk for heart disease. 

Even if one doesn’t have noticeable inflation, good oral hygiene is something that can help with reducing the amount of biofilm that shows up, and also reduces your heart disease risk even more. 

Bacteria does move, and it can go to the bloodstream. This causes the C reactive protein, which marks inflammation for one’s blood vessels, to increase.

 

Yes, this can increase your risk for stroke, depending upon who you are. 

Signs, Symptoms and Prevention 

So what should you look out for if you may be at risk for this? 

Well, if you’ have gum disease, especially in its early stages, which puts you at risk for heart disease. 

Some other signs include: 

• Red, swollen gums that are sore to touch 

• They bleed when you brush, eat or floss your teeth. 

• There’s pus, or other infection signs around the teeth and gums 

• They’re pulling away from the teeth. 

• You’ve got bad breath, or bad taste in your mouth. 

• You have teeth that are loose, or feel like they’re moving away from the other teeth too 

Now that you know abut this, how can you prevent it? 

Well, the best way is oral hygiene.  Protecting your teeth and practicing good oral hygiene prevents the brunt of this. 

Brushing your teeth twice daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush that fits within the mouth is your first place to start. This helps keep the teeth surfaces adequately brushed.

Also, use an ADA-certified toothpaste proven as well by many to increase one’s gum health in about four weeks. 

Finally, make sure that you floss daily, and also see your dental hygienist to get regular cleanings, especially if you need it. 

When you take care of your oral health, you help your body health, and you also protect yourself from developing these heart-body connections, including heart disease and other such problems.  You’ll be able to keep the smile clean, healthy, and even beautiful, throughout all parts of your life. 

Your oral health does matter, and for a lot of people, there are a lot of great ways to make your oral health really shine. The best way to prevent bad things is to be proactive, so do something about this right away. 

Titanium Implant Allergies

One thing that happens when you damage your teeth, is the replacement option. Dental implants are one of these, and it’s a great way to replace them. That's because it feels and looks like an actual tooth.But what happens if the body rejects this, and also what might happen next? Implants are made with a metal alloy, and in a few cases, people do get allergies from the titanium in there and you’ll be able to recognize the symptoms and get a diagnosis from the dentist. 

What implants Are 

Implants are essentially a replacement for the tooth. It’s inserted into the jawbone in a screw or cylinder one.  It won’t make noise or slip, and then, an abutment joins the implant and the crown together.

 Once the surgery is finished, crowns get put on part of the implant, and further protrude through one’s gumline. 

Usually, dental implant surgery is something that takes some time to heal. It takes longer if you’re removing the tooth that’s damaged, struggling with bone grafting, and also the placement of the crown and the rest of it.  Once this is placed, then you just have to practice proper oral hygiene in order to heal that area. This does take a long time, especially months. 

Implant Rejection 

While titanium causes a lot fewer problems compared to other types of metals, there’s the allergy factor some people struggle with. 

The International Journal of Implant Dentistry notes that the corrosion and wear that happens with these implants can happen when the titanium alloy gets put into the tissues surrounding it.  

It can cause inflammatory reactions, bone loss, or even hypersensitivity that can create implant failure. 

How does one know if they have an implant allergy though? 

It usually involves the following: 

• Skin redness around the implant area 

• Hives on the skin and the surface of the gum. 

• Eczema and itching of the gums and skin. 

• Pain and swelling 

• Tissues and cell death around your implant 

• Yellow nail syndrome or other toxic reactions (this also does affect the airways and lungs) 

• Bone loss 

If this does happen, don’t wait, and contact the dentist right away! 

Diagnosis of the Allergy 

Most of the time, dental professionals may look at the mouth and the implant site.  They also may do diagnostic types of tests like the patch test to figure out where the allergy is happening. 

They may also use in vitro blood tests so that you can get a feel for the metal allergy. There is also the lymphocyte transformation test and the lymphocyte migration inhibition test to help you get a feel for the allergy to the area and the sites. 

They also may look at whether it’s an allergy or something else. 

If there is an allergy, they might use zirconia instead. However, due to the lack of long-term data, the professional may look to other options. 

Noticing that you might be allergic to the implant can be overwhelming and disappointing. But the cool thing about this, is that there are many new evolutions to implants that you can use, and plenty of options to choose from. Dental professionals will help you treat this allergy, ensuring that the gap within the mouth and the treatments are ideal for you. 

The sooner you do this the better, especially since it can cause issues with the body, and there is a strong chance that it could impact your health on other levels. You don't want that, right? 

Then start taking care of this right away, and start changing out the titanium implants, especially if you’re worried about the potential effects.