FAQs - Yandina Smiles

Frequently Asked Questions

Below you’ll find answers to the questions we get asked the most about dental health guidelines.

What are the basic dental health guidelines?

Brush your teeth twice a day with a soft brush.
Floss your teeth once a day, either in the morning or at night before bed.
Use mouthwash - after brushing and flossing - twice a day at most but the frequency is largely detemined by the ingredients of the mouthwash.
Dental checkups every six months.

What are cavities?

Cavities or dental decay and plaque build-up is caused by bacteria in the mouth interacting with sugary or starchy food. These bacteria in your mouth release acid when they break down carbohydrates in foods and beverages. If you avoid cleaning your teeth after meals or drinks, the plaque build-up is worse.

This is why dentists usually recommend reducing the intake of sugary foods and recommend brushing and flossing regularly.

What is calculus or tartar?

Plaque build-up occurs when there’s a lack of dental hygiene and high consumption of sugary and starchy foods. Poor dental hygiene can cause the plaque to harden over time, forming calculus, also known as tartar.

You’ll need to seek professional help to clean calculus/tartar. Book a session with Yandina Smiles dentists to have a pain-free and safe experience.

What is gum disease?

Gum disease is a term used for diseases that affect your gums and supporting tooth structures. The two major gum diseases are Gingivitis and Periodontitis.

Gingivitis

The inflammation of the gum tissue called Gingiva causes gums to bleed when brushing.
It is commonly caused by dental plaque build-up around your teeth.
It can be cured by adopting good oral hygiene practices, brushing and flossing to clean the particles between teeth.
In case of hardened plaque (Calculus or Tartar), you'll need specialised treatment.

Periodontitis

It is an extension of gingivitis, which means the inflammation of the gums has now spread and is affecting the supporting bone and ligament structure of your teeth.
It is a result of severe dental plaque buildup.
You can identify periodontitis with symptoms such as red & swollen gums, bad breath, receding gums, and bleeding while brushing or flossing, among others.
To treat periodontitis, you'll need to get a professional cleaning of dental plaque to improve your gum health.
In some rare cases, you may require a surgical procedure. The aftercare includes practising oral hygiene to prevent further problems. It also includes follow-up appointments with the dentist.

What is tooth sensitivity? Does it always mean a cavity?

The sudden appearance of pain and discomfort while consuming sweets or hot and cold beverages is referred to as tooth sensitivity. Tooth sensitivity is also characterised by the pain a person feels while flossing or brushing their teeth. It is an extreme response to stimuli. When the stimulus is taken away, the pain vanishes.

If you are experiencing tooth sensitivity don’t be in a hurry to think that you have a cavity. That’s not always the case. Tooth sensitivity can be caused by factors other than cavities, such as gum disease, gum recession, dental fracture, or enamel abrasion. Most of these can be treated by your dentist.

Is an electric toothbrush better than a manual toothbrush?

That is not necessarily the case. The age-old adage goes, it is the tooth brusher, not the brush, that makes the difference. You can brush well with a manual toothbrush and poorly with an electric toothbrush. Having said that, electric toothbrushes take a lot of the manual dexterity/hand skills needed out of the equation and are more efficient at removing plaque (you need to be more diligent and dexterous with a manual brush to get the same results)

Is whitening toothpaste effective?

Whitening toothpaste work to a certain extent. These toothpastes contain abrasive elements and various chemical bleaching agents that help them have a mild bleaching effect. However, the resulting whitened teeth don’t compare to professional dental teeth whitening.

What causes bad breath?

One of the commonest causes of bad breath is consuming strong-smelling chemicals found in food such as garlic or onions.
Halitosis, another term for bad breath, can be caused due to several reasons, including xerostomia (dry mouth), cavities, gum disease, and mouth bacteria.
Using a mouthwash can temporarily cover your bad breath, but it is not a treatment.
A visit to a dental professional can help you identify the underlying cause and effectively eliminate your bad breath.

Do I need braces or orthodontic treatment?

The majority of our population suffers from dental issues such as uneven bite, malaligned teeth, or crowded teeth. The causes for each vary. Some have problems with the underlying bones, like a prominent jaw. An uneven bite can overwork jaw muscles and joints, causing headaches for some people.

Ideally, your teeth should have a tiny space inbetween. However, some people don’t have the space. Others may have crooked teeth. Either way, such dental issues make it harder to follow oral hygiene practices, resulting in cavities and gum diseases. Since your toothbrush cannot enter all spaces, your teeth lack the dental care they need for optimal health.

Getting an orthodontic treatment for these problems and wearing braces for a dentist-recommended period can fix these issues.