Dental Care and Oral Hygiene

Thursday, February 7, 2013 khaleej times

[835825]

Admissions are open

LEARN FROMTHE WORLD

P. O. Box: 4184, Ajman, UAE, Tel: +971 6 7431333, Fax: +971 6 7431222E-mail: admissions@gmu.ac.ae Web: www.gmu.ac.ae

WHY CHOOSE DMD?• Unique DMD Curriculum• A team of highly experienced and qualified teaching staff.• State of the Art Dental Laboratory Facilities• Comprehensive Dental practice through a broadspectrum of knowledge, simulations and clinical training

• Own Teaching Dental Hospital• Summer Training Program• Hostel & Sports Facilities

Explore new frontiers of learning

BECOME A DENTISTCOLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

DMD - Doctor of Dental Medicine

K H A L E E J T I M E SA DV E RT I S I N GS U P P L E M E N T

Farhana Chowdhury

It is probably the first thing youdo when you wake up everymorning, and the last thingbefore you snooze into a deep

slumber for the night. Dental careis an essential aspect of everydaycare. Toddlers usually learn thebasics at home or school where afamilymember or a teacher showsthe correct way to brush theirteeth and motivate the child tomake it a habit.Cleanliness is next toGodliness,

they say, and oral hygiene is just astep towards better health. Super-markets and various outlets boasta variety of brands in productsranging from toothbrushes, tooth-pastes and mouthwashes to inter-dental brushes, tongue cleanersanddental floss.Withdifferent fla-vours and content created for dif-ferent types of teeth, people arespoilt for choice. There are alsospecial products targeted at peoplewith sensitive teeth, offering reliefwhilemaintaining dental care.While dentists recommend

brushing three times a day, manyfail to go beyond once. Laziness,lack of proper information ondental care, or even poor familyhabits may cause one to skip thebasics, which eventually leads totooth erosion and other relatedproblems.Tooth decay, gingivitis, bad

breath, periodontitis andoral cystspose high dangers and sometimessolutionsmainly include tooth ex-traction, which can be a painfuland traumatic experience. Lack ofcertain vitamins can also affect

the condition of the oral cavity.Scurvy is a deficiency of vitaminCthat affects the gums.As you savour that delicious

meal, food particles do tend to getstuck between the teeth. It alsoforms a yellow, sticky film overteeth and gums known as plaque.This attracts bacteria that feed onthe leftover bits and release acid,which eats through the enamel,destroying the tooth structure.Most cases start showing up af-

ter months or years of neglectwhere cavities and infection af-fect, not only the aesthetic condi-tion of teeth, but also causes greatpain in the nerves and affects oth-er parts of the oral cavity.According to a survey conduct-

ed by the Dubai Health Authority(DHA) in 2011, dental care takesup only five per cent of the piechart as residents see other diag-nosis groups far more important.Part of this reasonmaybe becauseof the lack of insurance policiescovering dental check-ups. Theconsultation itself tends to be ex-pensive enough followed by sev-eral follow-up visits, enough todrive residents away and resort toover-the-counter painkillers toease their suffering.As always, prevention is better

than cure. Ensure you brush thricea day — before and after meals.Following a proper brushing tech-nique with a good toothbrush willalso help remove particles andkeep teeth clean. Fluoride, pres-ent in all toothpastes, helps remin-eralise the lost surface andmakesthe tooth more resistant to bacte-ria attacks.Bad breath is another common

concern among individuals, as itcan bring about a negative impactduring social gatherings and causeawkward situations during face-to-face interactions. Sugar-freechewing gums come as a saviour

Poor oral hygienecan lead to painfuldental experiences

Make it ahabit

LooksWooW is a state-of-the-art dental clinic located intheheart ofDubai on thegroundfloor of the iconic DubaiMall. Itis designed with modern interi-ors and equippedwith advanceddental equipment to deliver ex-ceptional dental services toachieve everlasting smiles.Apart from offering a full rangeof dental services, LooksWoowspecialises in cosmetic dentistryranging from revolutionary 3DTeeth Whitening System tocomplete smile makeovers tomaking you resemble Holly-wood stars. The clinic uses thebest materials and quality is al-ways guaranteed.LooksWoow is home to high-

ly-professional, licensed andwell trained dentists who givepatients the focused attentionthey deserve and the best adviceondental treatment options thatbest suits the smile. Dentists,staff and laboratory techniciansall work to fulfill and achieveone goal: Improve your oralwell-being.The sleek and soothing interi-

ors of the clinic are sure to im-part the feeling of being in a sparather than a dental facility—rejuvenated with the ‘Woow’effect.

Sketchingthe smileLooksWoow offersthe best advice ondental treatmentoptions andimproves your oralwell-being

World renowned Danish pia-nist and comedian Victor Borgeonce said, “A smile is the shortestdistance between twopeople”.Weall strive for healthy, beautifulsmiles.

While some are born with per-fect teeth, others have them “re-made or enhanced” with crownsor veneers, but we all have to lookafter them.Most people now recognise that

daily hygiene and regular visits tothe dentist can prevent problemssuch as dental decay (caries) andgum disease (periodontitis), butresearch shows that our teeth andmouth have a more direct link toour general health than previouslythought.Direct associations have been

made between poor oral hygieneand disease such as diabetes, car-diovascular disease, complica-tions during pregnancy and evenmale impotence.Prevention is better than cure,

so remember to brush your teethtwice a daywith a soft toothbrush.Use floss and interdental brushesregularly, and make sure to seeyour dentist every six months.

Besides routine careof your teeth visitingthe dentist is key togood oral healthcare

Prevention is betterthan cure

and are formulated with specialingredients that help balance thepH levels in the mouth and helpsremineralise teeth. The mintyfreshness temporarily helps get ridof the odour.While these along with breath

strips line shelves and cashiercounters, nothing comes close tothe age-old tradition of brushingteeth. There are brushes with dif-ferent kinds of bristles customisedto reach and clean different partsof the mouth during brushing. In-ter-dental brushes help pick outfood bits stuck in the gaps of teethclose to the gums, while tonguecleaners help scrape away decay-

ing food particles as well as thewhite or yellow coating of the bac-teria that cause foul odour, fungiand dead cells.UAE health authorities have

several campaigns that encouragepeople to maintain proper dentalcare. Schoolchildren often receivespecial lectures and visits in theirclassrooms from a certified den-tist in an attempt to pass downgood habits. They are also givencolourful gift packages that typi-cally include a toothbrush, tooth-paste,mouthwashanddental flossto encourage them to practice oralhygiene.

— farhana@khaleejtimes.com

Tel: 04 2231297, Fax: 04 2220376, Email: swedcdxb@eim.aeP.O. Box: 41331, Al Maktoum Street, Nasa Travel Bldg, #309 Opp. Al Reem Tower,

Next to Union Square Metro Station, Deira, Dubai

The only Swedish Dental Clinic in Dubai since 1985

A Combination of high technology with care, patience and skill

MOH approval : 301-2-01-29-02-13

Swedish Board certified Dentists

Restorative dentistry & preventative care

Crown, Bridgework & Veneers

Whitening & aesthetics

Orthodontics

LooksWoow

Swedish Dental Clinic

khaleej times Thursday, February 7, 2013

[835821]

Latha Krishnan

EvEryonE enjoys chewinggum! Chewing gum freshens ourbreath and some say that it evenhelps them concentrate better atwork. But how many people knowthat chewing sugarfree gum, suchas Extra by Wrigley, can help keepteeth healthy? Clinical trials havedemonstrated that chewing sugar-free gum after eating and drinkingcan benefit teeth and overall oralhealth.

Several dental associationsaround the world now recognisethe scientific evidence supportingthe oral care benefits of chewing

sugarfree gum. According to theWOHP (Wrigley Oral Health Pro-gramme), numerous studies, re-search, and clinical trials haveconsistently demonstrated thebeneficial effect of chewing sug-arfree gum in helping to reducetooth decay.

Doctor Mais Alaswad, theWOHP Representative in theUAE, affirms, “Chewing sugarfreegum can be an important defencemechanism to help protect yourteeth from decay. This works bystimulating saliva production, re-mineralising tooth enamel tostrengthen teeth, neutralising

plaque acids, and cleaning themouth of food debris.”

Before eating and drinking, theplaque pH on the teeth is at a nor-mal level and the teeth are safefrom damage caused by plaqueacids. After eating and drinking,bacteria in the plaque releases ac-ids and the plaque pH level on theteeth decreases. This can causethe minerals in the tooth’s enamelto be dissolved (demineralisation)giving rise to initial lesions (whitespots) which can over time weak-en the teeth, and can lead to toothdecay. Brushing the teeth aftereating and drinking cleans themouth of food particles and, inaddition, restores the plaque pHlevel on the teeth. But in thosesituations when brushing is notpossible, chewing sugarfree gumcan help.

Research shows chewing sugar-free gum for 20 minutes aftermeals and snacks has been provento reduce the risk of tooth decayby nearly 40 per cent. It increasesthe production of saliva, whichcan help clean the mouth of foodparticles and, in addition, can helpneutralise plaque acids on teeththat may damage the enamel. Thisreturns the plaque pH level on theteeth to a point at which damagedenamel may be repaired. This pro-cess, called remineralisation, ulti-mately helps strengthen yourteeth.

Stimulating the production ofsaliva is of vital importance. Ab-sence of saliva in the mouth (drymouth/Xerostomia) can causedifficulty in eating, uncomfort-able swallowing, general mouthdiscomfort, poor tasting ability,denture problems, increased tooth

Improve dental healthwhile on the goResearch showschewing gum for20 minutes aftermeals and snackscan reduce the risk oftooth decay by nearly40 per cent

khaleej times / ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENTDentalCareanDOralHygiene

decay and potential speech diffi-culties. Sugarfree gum aids in sa-liva production in the mouth anddelivers enhanced oral health.

Along with visiting the dentistregularly, brushing twice a day

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

7

6

5

4

3

Potential demineralization zone

Time (min)

before gum duringgum

after gum

InterproximalplaquepH

without gum

Chewingsugarfree

gumcanbeanimportantdefencemechanismtohelpprotectyour teethfromdecay

DoctorMaisAlaswad

and flossing daily, chewing sugar-free gum is a quick, easy way toimprove oral health betweenmeals and snacks, and is ideal forthe Middle East’s ‘on the go’ life-style.

Alongwithvisiting the

dentist regularly,brushing twiceadayand flossingdaily, chewingsugarfreegumisaquick, easyway toimproveoralhealthbetweenmeals,and is ideal for theMiddleEast’s ‘onthego’ lifestyle