Dental cavities are the most common chronic disease in children. Yet cavities can be prevented with dental visits and good at-home oral hygiene care. Still, on average, one in five elementary school children has at least one untreated cavity. One reason for this is due cost. Some parents struggle to get their children to a dentist because of dental care and the cost of losing money due to taking time off work.

According to a new study, School-based dental care cut cavities in half among thousands of elementary students. “The widespread implementation of oral health programs in schools could increase the reach of traditional dental practices and improve children’s oral health, all while reducing health disparities and the cost of care,” said senior author Dr. Richard Niederman

One reason seniors sometimes need better dental care is that they need a dental office that they are familiar with and comfortable with. Finding a dental office that they can trust and feel satisfied with will help them make and keep dental appointments

Many people know that a lack of attention to oral health can undoubtedly lead to problems focusing on their mouth and teeth. However, fewer people know that poor oral health care can also have ramifications for more widespread disease throughout their bodies. Good oral health care helps prevent tooth decay, tooth loss, gum disease, heart disease, diabetes, pneumonia, and oral cancer.

However, when oral hygiene is neglected, it is not only the health of the teeth and gums that suffer. For instance, the risk of getting pneumonia increases with poor oral hygiene. Since air must pass through the mouth to get to the lungs, a more significant amount of bacteria in the mouth increases the odds that those bacteria enter the lungs and cause an infection. Regular brushing and flossing can help reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth and thus reduce the chances that harmful bacteria enter the lungs and cause disease.

Studies have established a link between oral health and overall well-being. It is essential to know for people of all ages, especially seniors. As we age, we become more susceptible to various oral and dental problems, and maintaining appropriate hygiene practices like regular brushing and flossing is crucial to staying healthy. However, many seniors tend to defer their oral health care needs. However, this makes it all the more important to continue encouraging this population to take the time to care for themselves and their oral health.

There are other dental X-rays besides Bitewigns your dentist may have to do to provide you with the best dental service.

• Occlusal X-rays: Occlusal X-rays are done when your jaw is closed to see how your upper and bottom teeth line up. It can also detect anatomical abnormalities with the floor of the mouth or the palate.
• Occlusal X-Rays. Occlusal X-rays are a technique that captures all of your teeth in one shot.
• Panoramic X-Rays. Panoramic X-Rays are a type of X-ray where the machine rotates around the head. Your dentist may use this technique to check your wisdom teeth, plan for implanted dental devices, or investigate jaw problems.
• Periapical X-Rays. Periapical X-Ray is a technique that focuses on two complete teeth from root to crown.

What are Bitewing X-Rays?

Bitewing X-rays involve biting down on a unique piece of paper so that your dentist can see how well the crowns of your teeth match up. Bitewing X-rays are used to check for cavities between teeth. Many insurance plans provide Bitewings X-rays at little to no cost as they typically fall under preventive dental care services.

While dental X-rays do involve radiation, the exposure levels are so low that they’re considered safe for children and adults. If your dentist uses digital X-rays instead of developing them on film, your risks from radiation exposure are even lower.

If you are experiencing dental pain issues but can not get into the dental office right away, here are some tips that you might benefit from trying:

• Over-the-counter pain relief medication
• A warm salt water rinse
• A hydrogen peroxide rinse
• Garlic
• Cloves
• Peppermint tea

Remember that these are temporary solutions; seeing a dentist for dental pain is necessary.

Treatment of Misaligned Teeth: Misaligned teeth can cause dentist issues beyond the appearance of your smile. Orthodontic treatments such as braces can help align the teeth. A person with severe misalignment or decay may need surgery.

Treatment of Gum Recession: If you have receding gums, your dentist may perform scaling and root planing procedures to remove plaque beneath the gum line (typically called a deep cleaning). Sometimes, the person may need surgery to graft healthy gum tissue onto areas of the severe recession.

Tooth Decay Treatment: When treating tooth decay, your dentist may remove the decayed area of the tooth and insert a dental filling. If the decay is severe, more intensive treatment may be necessary, such as a root canal, a crown, or a tooth extraction. One way to avoid or reduce your risks of having tooth decay is by having good at-home dental care habits and by visiting your family dentist regularly. 

You increase your risk of gum disease and tooth decay if you have misaligned or crowded teeth. Both of these dental issues can expose the roots of your teeth. You can reduce your risk of tooth root exposure by maintaining good dental care habits at home and visiting your dentist for proper preventive dental care at least twice a year if advised by your dentist.

Tooth Decay It is important to take care of any signs of tooth decay ASAP. Untreated tooth decay can lead to tooth-root exposures. In most cases, this happens slowly over time. Therefore you can avoid tooth root exposures by taking care of tooth decay (cavities) immediately. As tooth decay eats through the protective enamel coating of your tooth, you may have increased sensitivity or pain. Eventually, the root may become visible, especially if the decay is so advanced that the tooth breaks.

What are receding gums?

Receding gums is when your gums pull away from your teeth or draw downward, exposing parts of the tooth that your gums would typically conceal. Severe reducing gums issues may expose your tooth roots. Exposed tooth roots may also cause your teeth to become more sensitive or painful. Some of the factors that can increase your risk of receding gums can include:

• Gum disease
• Brushing too hard
• Aging
• Smoking/Chewing Tobacco
• Badly fitting dentures
• Damage from surgery or injury
• Genetic predispositions

Injury to the mouth may cause an exposed tooth root, such as if you break or move your teeth during an injury; this can cause the roots to become visible. For example, a blow to the face may cause a tooth to shift in the gums, exposing its root.

It is essential to know that an exposed root may not be visible depending on the location of the affected tooth. Such as, if the tooth with an exposed root is in the back of your mouth, you may not notice what is going on, but you may certainly feel the symptoms of an exposed root. However, you maybe be able to see an exposed root if

• Damage to the gums exposes the deeper structures of the tooth.
• The top of the tooth has broken off, leaving the root visible.
• The tooth is beginning to rotate, loosen, or fall out.

A person with an exposed root may also experience the following:

• Pain when brushing the teeth
• Bleeding gums
• Changes to the shape of the gums or teeth
• Tooth sensitivity to hot/cold and sweet foods or drinks.

You only see about half of your tooth as the rest sits below your gumline and anchors the tooth into your jawbone. The part that is not visible is called your tooth root. All your teeth have a least one root but some of your teeth have two to three roots. When exposed to the air, your tooth root can become damaged and cause pain.

The American Association moves to develop a unified system to verify coverage and obtain cost estimates in real time. Requests for proposals were sent to vendors the week of Jan. 4 to collaborate on a solution. The ADA wants to identify a solution to the problems dentists currently face regarding eligibility and benefits verification by assessing the feasibility of implementing a system to allow dental insurance companies to provide dentists with accurate information regarding a patient’s dental benefits through an online portal or app. Source: ADA