| Tell Me About... How to Brush |
How to Floss Tooth Development |
Root Canal Treatment Oral Cancer Self Exam |
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How to Brush
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1. Outside of front teeth Hold your toothbrush at a 45° angle where your teeth and gums meet. Move the brush back and forth in a gentle motion. |
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2. Outside and inside of back teeth Use short, angled brush strokes. |
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3. Inside of front teeth Tilt the brush vertically and make up-and-down strokes. |
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4. Chewing surface Hold the brush flat and use a gentle motion. |
How to Floss
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1. Setting up and inserting floss Pull about 18 inches of floss form the dispenser and wrap the ends around your middle fingers. Hold floss tightly, using your fingers to gently guide the floss between the teeth. |
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2. Removing plaque Holding the floss tightly against the tooth, move the floss away from the gum, scraping the floss up and down against the side of the tooth. |
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3. Cleaning the whole mouth Repeat flossing procedure on each tooth, upper and lower, using a clean segment of floss. |
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4. Flossing back teeth Don't forget to floss behind back teeth or where there is no adjacent tooth. |
Tooth Development
Root Canal Treatment
Q1: What is root canal treatment?
Inside every tooth is a nerve. If decay reaches the nerve or if the tooth fractures, bacteria can cause infection. This may cause pain and lead to abscess formation in the bone around the roots.
Q2: Why should a tooth need to be root treated?
The purpose of the treatment is to eliminate the bacteria from the root canals and remove the cause of the infection.
Q3: How is a root canal treatment done?
This is done by accessing the nerve and removing it. The root canals are located and measured. They are then cleaned and shaped with fine instruments. The canals are then ultimately filled with special materials.
Q4: Is it painful?
No. Local anaesthesia is used throughout the procedure and every possible step is taken to ensure that you are completely comfortable while the work is being carried out. Following treatment there is a possibility of some discomfort which may require a painkiller or an antibiotic.
Q5: How long does treatment take?
Root canal treatment is a skilled and time consuming procedure. Most courses of treatment will involve one or two appointments of one or two hours duration.
Q6: Is success guaranteed?
Root canal treatment does enjoy a very high level of success. However it should be remembered that it is impossible to guarantee the success of any medical procedure. Even with the best treatment healing may not occur and further steps may need to be taken to treat the condition. However, this is uncommon.
Q7: What happens after root canal treatment?
A tooth with no nerve is more brittle so it is essential that the tooth is properly protected. A crown is often necessary. Once restored the tooth can be used normally, but until then it is wise to be cautious.
Oral Cancer Self Exam
Oral cancer is a disease that kills more than people nationwide than either melanoma(skin cancer) or cervical cancer. Only half of all patients diagnosed with oral cancer survive more than five years. However, the good news about oral cancer is that it is now easier than ever to detect it early - when the opportunity for a cure is great.