Vitamins and Minerals You Need for Good Oral Health

Supplementing your diet with calcium and vitamins is not only necessary to prevent bone loss but it also improves your tooth retention but, along with routine dental care and good oral hygiene. Studies show that too much or too little of any of any of the nutrients can cause harmful effects on your mouth and teeth. To stay in good shape, your teeth and gums too need certain Vitamins and nutrients as well. It is so because your mouth is the gateway to your body. And if your mouth is unhealthy there is every possibility that your body can also be.

What are the different minerals and vitamins that we need to keep our mouth healthy?

Our routine diet should be rich in nutrients and incorporate lots fruits and vegetables in order to keep our mouth healthy. Proper supplementation of below mentioned vitamins and minerals can make our gums and teeth healthy:

Vitamin A: Vitamin A is often associated with good eyesight and clear and healthy skin; but it is also important for the development of tooth and healthy tooth enamel. It also helps maintaining healthy mucous membranes and salivary flow in the mouth. Vitamin A keeps your gums healthy and helps in healing gum infection or inflamed gum tissues. Beef, liver, milk, cheese, eggs, fish & egg yolks are the good source of Vitamin A. Moreover orange and yellow foods like; carrots, mangoes & sweet potatoes and dark leafy greens such as kale & spinach are rich sources of beta-carotene, which the body converts into Vitamin A for its use.

Vitamin B3 (niacin): Lack of Vitamin B3 can lead to bad breath and canker sores in the mouth. To heighten your B3 levels, consume chicken and fish.

Vitamin B12 and B2 (riboflavin): Deficiency of Vitamins B2 and B12 can develop sores in the gums, tongue and other soft tissues in the mouth and can also make your  gingivitis more serve. Red meat, chicken, liver, pork, fish as well as dairy products like milk, yogurt & cheese, bagels, spinach & almonds are the riche sources of Vitamin B2 and B12.

Vitamin C:  You need to have strong gums for strong teeth. Vitamin C is necessary for the health of corrective tissue and collagen in your gums. Lack of Vitamin C can cause swollen and bleeding gums, scurvy and loose tooth. Its deficiency can make any of your gums issues even worse. This vitamin is needed for bone strength and also helps to repair and maintain teeth. Citrus fruits, strawberries, bell pepper, broccoli and sweet potatoes, are good sources of Vitamin C. When Vitamin C is taken with bioflavonoid it prevents the formation of plaque around the teeth.

Vitamin D:  Vitamin D helps to fight against the tooth decay. Vitamin D also helps your body to consume calcium. Deficiency or lack of Vitamin D leads to burning mouth syndrome. Milk, egg, fish, cod liver oil are the good sources of Vitamin D.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E is a powerful anti-oxidant which helps in healing of mouth tissues and decreases the soreness of gums during infant teething. Foods like; sunflower seeds, turnip green, tomato paste and peanut butter are the good sources of Vitamin E.

Calcium: Sufficient amount of dietary calcium is needed to keep your teeth in good shape. You need to understand that if its levels are low it gets reabsorbed into bloodstream but put back into bones only when levels are higher. As your jaws and teeth are mostly made up of calcium, your risk developing gum diseases and tooth decay in its deficiency becomes higher. Calcium also helps to prevent osteoporosis, which can cause bone fractures and weak bone tissues around the teeth. Dairy products like; milk, cheese, yogurt are the best sources of calcium, you can also get it from beans, oysters, sardines, canned salmon, green leafy vegetables, cauliflower, cabbage, almonds and fortified orange juice and soy milk.

Phosphorus and Iron: Deficiency of iron can cause your tongue inflamed and sores can develop inside your mouth. You can get sufficient amount of iron from foods like; liver, red meat, bran cereals, some nuts and spices as well. Phosphorus together with calcium makes most of our teeth and bones. 85% of Phosphorus is found in our bones and teeth.

Contact Dr. Sikander Singh DMD for any of your oral health related issues. We will help you fight back and prevent any oral health related issues and help you retain pearly smile using the state-of-art techniques and technologies.

Dental Tips to Prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Care of teeth should start at a young age so that your children could enjoy a good oral health for a life time. Number of problems can affect the oral health of your child including tooth decay, thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, lip sucking and early tooth loss. Though the permanent teeth replace the baby teeth but keeping baby teeth healthy will help to develop stronger permanent teeth and as well eliminate the enamel defects.

What do you mean by Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

Baby bottle tooth decay also known as nursing caries, childhood caries and nursing bottle syndrome, occurs if baby’s teeth remain in constant contact with sugars from fruit juices, milk formula, sugar water or any other sweet drink. The unswallowed milk in breast-fed infants’ mouth can put them into risk for tooth decay. Sugars in the mouth, present a breeding ground for the bacteria which ultimately results into tooth decay.

What happens if baby bottle tooth decay left untreated?

If left untreated, early tooth decay can lead to various other problems including:

• Decayed tooth cause pain, thus making it difficult for a child to chew and eat properly.
• Baby teeth are also ‘space savers’ for adult teeth. But if they are damaged or destroyed earlier, permanent teeth cannot get placed into proper position, hence resulting in crowded or crooked permanent teeth.
• Poorly destroyed or decayed teeth could lead to a tooth abscess, and this infection may spread elsewhere in the body also.

How can you prevent your child’s tooth decay?

You can prevent your child’s tooth decay by following below mentioned steps:

• Do not give your child a bottle filled with sugary liquids or milk to calm or comfort him during the day. Give plain water or substitute it with a pacifier.
• Do not dip your child’s pacifier in the sugar, honey or any other sugary liquid at anytime of the day.
• Do not put child to bed with a bottle filled with sugary liquids, give small amount of water or use a pacifier; as too much of water is also harmful.
• While sleeping, do not nurse your baby continuously throughout the night because breast milk also contains sugar and can cause tooth decay.
• Do not add sugar to your baby’s food.
• Make sure to wipe your child’s teeth and gums with a wet cloth or gauze after each feeding. This helps to remove any excess sugar or bacteria forming plaque that have built-up on teeth and gums.
• Take your dentist’s counsel about the fluoride needs of your baby. If fluoride is not present in your water, fluoride supplements or fluoride treatments may be suggested or needed.
• Educate your baby to drink from a feeder cup by his or her first birthday. It will reduce their teeth’s exposure to sugars.
• Do not feed sweets to your child very often and in large amount and particularly not before bedtime. As during sleep, saliva flow reduces.
• Give your child tangerines, bananas, pieces of cucumber or carrot sticks at snack time. You can also try other healthy snacks like rice cakes, toast and plain pop-corn. Dried fruits should be given occasionally as they tend to stick to their teeth.
• Do not give your child fizzy drinks as they contain large amounts of sugar and acids as well which can erode tooth’s outer surface.
• Avoid giving fruit-flavoured, baby juices’ to your babies and particularly in feeding bottles.
• Always ask for sugar-free medicine, particularly the cough syrups, from your doctor.

Baby bottle tooth decay is the most common childhood disease worldwide. Contact Dr. Sikander Singh D.M.D. at Aesthetic Dental Arts for any of your child’s oral health related issues. Our diligent dentist will educate you about preventive care to safeguard your child against oral health problems.

Early Detection of Oral Cancer

Oral Cancer is considered as the sixth most common form of cancer with 30,000 newly diagnosed cases each year and causing 8,000 deaths every year. If not detected and treated in earlier stages, oral cancer spreads and leads to chronic pain, functional loss, disfigurement of face and mouth and even death.

What is Oral or Mouth Cancer?

Uncounted growth of cells causing damage to the surrounding tissues is known Cancer. Oral cancer seems as a sore or growth in the mouth that does not go away. It includes cancers of tongue, cheeks, floor of mouth, soft and hard palate, sinuses and pharynx. If not detected early, it may also lead to death.

What are warning signs of Oral Cancer?

Along with going to the dentist regularly, you should also perform self examinations to detect the early warning signs. If any of the following signs come into vie; contact your dentist immediately

• Sore lasting more than two weeks
• Lumps , growth or inflammation in or near your mouth and lips
• White or red patches in your mouth or on your lips
• Frequent bleeding from throat or mouth
• Difficulty in swallowing, chewing or speaking
• Unexplained numbness or loss of feeling in any area of face, mouth or neck
• Pain or tenderness in any area of face, mouth or neck
• Recurrent sores on neck or face or in the mouth that bleed easily and lasting more than two weeks.
• Chronic sore throat, hoarseness or change in voice
• A change in the way your teeth or dentures fit together
• Sudden weight loss

Who are at the greater risk of developing Oral Cancer?

Men are at the higher risk of developing Oral Cancer as compared to women. The risk of developing Oral Cancer is greater in the individual who:

• Smoke cigarette, pipe or cigar
• Use dip, snuff or chew tobacco products
• Drink alcohol
• Are over the age of 40
• Are exposed to sun
• Take diet low in fruits and vegetables

What can you do to detect Oral Cancer at earlier stage?

To detect Oral Cancer at early stage, ask your dentist for a routine oral exam, whenever you visit him. You can also perform self-examination to check any early signs of disease:

• Look and feel your lips and front of your gums, using a mirror and bright light
• Look and feel the roof of your mouth by tilting your head back
• View the inside of your mouth, lining of your cheeks & back gums
• Look at the surface of your tongue and floor of the mouth
• Feel both the sides of neck and under your lower jaw for lumps and enlarged lymph nodes.
• If your dentist find any tissue in your mouth that looks suspicious, he can perform brush biopsy
• Your dentist may take a small sample of the tissue for analyzing any abnormal cells
• Your dentist may advice Scalpel Biopsy
• If your cancer is diagnosed, your dentist can advice more tests including; X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, Endoscopies and PT Scans

Oral Cancer, if caught early enough, is a treatable condition with wide spectrum of therapies available. To diagnose this disease early, regular dental visits and check-ups would be highly beneficial and helpful.

Contact Aesthetic Dental Arts, York PA for the skilled and state-of-art diagnosis and treatment of any of the dental problems & diseases. Our certified and professional dentist uses leading-edge and minimally invasive techniques and technologies to make your smile as beautiful as bright forever.

Gum Diseases

What are the potential signs and symptoms of Gum Disease?

Gum disease is the inflammation of soft tissue or gum around the teeth, which if left untreated can affect the bone which supports and surrounds your teeth. As the symptoms of gum disease start appearing in the advanced stage, it lies in the category of silent disease. This disease begins with the growth of bacteria in your mouth and may end with tooth loss, if not properly treated. Whether your gum disease will stop or get worse, depends largely upon how you take care of your teeth.

People usually start showing the signs of gum disease by the age of 30 or 40. Men are more prone to gum disease than women. There are the chances of developing gum disease in teenagers too but it appears in its milder form.

What are the potential signs and symptoms of gum disease?

Gum Disease may start developing slowly and painlessly but it shows few obvious signs including:

• Gum bleeding; during and after brushing
• Swollen, red or tender gums or some other pain in the mouth.
• Receding or pulling-away gums that make your teeth look even longer.
• Continuous bad breath or bad taste
• Bleeding while flossing or eating hard food.
• Loose or separating teeth.
• Mucus between gums and teeth
• Deep pockets between gums and teeth.
• Change in the way teeth fit together while biting
• Change in the fit of partial dentures

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, consult your dentist immediately, as these symptoms if not treated properly may lead to periodontists.

 Contact Aesthetic Dental Arts, York PA, for any of your dental problems. Our professional and diligent dentist makes use of leading-edge technologies and minimally invasive techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of dental diseases.

Tooth Colored Restorations

What do we mean by Tooth Colored Restoration?

Tooth Colored Restoration, most commonly referred to as White Fillings or Composites, is a metal-free dental restorative material which is safe, predictable and natural-looking. Dentists use this material to restore functionality and integrity to the missing tooth structure that in turn improvises your overall dental health including bite, strength and appearance of your smile.

Why is Tooth Colored Restoration is more preferable?

Tooth Colored Restoration is more preferable over the metal fillings because of its numerous benefits including the following:

• Tooth Colored Restoration does not harmfully affect the overall health of the patients. They are made of ceramic composites and do not contain harmful metals like mercury, as was used in the past.
• Tooth colored fillings are similar to the color of your natural teeth that make them virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth.
• Amalgam fillings assume dark colors or get pigmented but the tooth colored fillings keep your teeth free from stark dark spots and make your smile pristine and confident.
• Tooth colored fillings get bonded to your tooth and prevent further fractures.
• These fillings are made from strong bonding materials that can be shaped according to the requirements of the tooth.
• These composites can be used for back and front teeth alike, without compromising aesthetics.
• Tooth Colored fillings unlike metal fillings, do not wrap due to temperature fluctuations.
• Minimal amount of damaged tooth is removed for the placing tooth colored fillings that further strengthens tooth and minimizes the chances of future breakage.
• The resin used in tooth colored fillings contains fluoride that checks the tooth decay.
•  These fillings minimize the sensitivity to hot and cold temperature and as well strengthen the structurally weakened teeth.
• The Tooth Colored fillings are ideal for filling new cavities, replacing conventional amalgam fillings, repairing chipped teeth and to remove the gap between the teeth.

At Aesthetic Dental Arts, our professional and highly skilled dentists use leading–edge technologies and materials in order to provide you the comfort and care with great aesthetic and natural looking results. We work closely with you to keep you well-informed about your treatment options.