The toothbrush has 70 years!

The first toothbrush with nylon bristles appeared on the market over 70 years ago -  in 1938. Since then, the basic tool to maintain dental hygiene has modified in a thousand ways.

Although the toothbrush still consists of a head provided with a handle. The predecessor of the modern toothbrush looked quite different: the most common were the delicate twigs of shrubs and trees.

Remember to brush your teeth after every meal to avoid painful illnesses. In order to improve the effect visit a dentist for a dental hygiene treatment in Poland.

Decayed teeth cause diseases!

It's been confirmed by dentists in Poland that chronic inflammation in the mouth increases the risk of serious health problems! Let's take a closer look.

What diseases can be cause by the bad condition of the teeth?

- Cardiovascular diseases

- diabetes

- Sinus disease

- Renal disease

- sores

- tumors

- Complications of pregnancy

What can be a source of danger?

- Deep carious cavities

- Improperly cured root canaled teeth

- Inflammation associated with difficult extraction of wisdom teeth

Which signals should be particularly vigilant?

- Bleeding gums

- swelling

- Malodour

The best cure is prevention, however. Remember to visit your dentist every 6 months!

 

When your dentist asks about sex...

A visit to a dentist abroad can involve not only dental treatment in Poland, but also a talk with the patient about his/her habits and sexual preferences. This can happen to patients who visit their dentist in the UK. Dentists working in the UK were asked by the Department of Health to be more engaged in the fight against cancer. Oral cavity cancer happens more and more often to patients from Great Britain: in 2009 more than six thousand such cases were reported but it is estimated that by 2030 this number would increase to more than 9 thousand. The involvement and commitment of the dentist should be manifested in the form of an interview with the patient, during which the doctor would ask about the diet, oral hygiene, and whether the patient is having sex especially oral sex, and if so, with how many partners and how often.

HPV virus is responsable for the development of the oral cavity cancer. It moves mainly through sexual intercourse but not only- the researchers found out that oral sex also increases the likelihood of developing cancer of the mouth, especially in case of contacts with multiple partners.

The prevention of the oral cavity cancer is extremely important because such cancer is particularly difficult to diagnose, and its treatment is not always successful. Therefore, patients should pay special attention to any changes in the oral cavity which do not want to heal. 

The influence of smoking and sleep on oral health

Recent studies have shown that smoking is the most important lifestyle-related factor in the progress of periodontal disease. Smoking is then followed by another important factor: lack of sleep ... Studies show that the state of the health of the oral cavity, in addition to brushing your teeth and using dental floss, is significantly influenced by other factors. Changes, such as a little more sleep, give the patient a better chance of improving the health of the oral cavity. It is also important to remember about the relationship between oral disease with systemic diseases.

It is believed that periodontal disease, which affects the teeth and gums, and can ultimately lead to the loss of
teeth can be caused by an imbalance of bacteria in the oral cavity. However, recent studies prove that also other factors play a major role. Researchers analyzed the impact of various factors related to the mode of life of various workers on the progress of periodontal disease, such as regular exercises, alcohol use, smoking, hours of sleep, hours of work, diet, stress, and eating breakfast. Of all the factors associated with the style of life of patients, scientists pointed to smoking as having the biggest influence on the development of periodontal diseases. The results, published in the Journal of Periodontology has also shown that 41% of those who experienced deterioration of periodontitis are smokers. Second largest factor associated with lifestyle and causing periodontal disease is the lack of sleep. The difference is visible already in case of people sleeping 7-8 hours per day compared with those who sleep only 6 hours or less. A definite impact on the development of periodontal disease is also living in stress and alcohol abuse.

If you have problems with periodontal diseases, visit your dentist abroad.

Oral hygiene and eating disorders

Diet plays an important role in maintaining the proper condition of the soft tissues of the mouth and the teeth. While there is no doubt that sugar and sweets have a terrible impact on dental health, it may be a surprise for you that iron or vitamin D deficiency in the diet may be the cause of many serious diseases, which are also depicted in the health of your mouth. Dentists in Poland stress that the oral cavity is a structure in which we can find early signs of eating disorders.

Symptoms of eating disorders are most commonly seen in case of elder people. Most of them are also users of dentures abroad. Eating disorders that cause negative changes in the woven mouth are very often also the cause why people stop using their dentures due to pain and tenderness in the tissues. They stop wearing their dentures even for meals, and thus there is no chance for proper fragmentation of the food. Big pieces of food enter the stomach, which is very often already seriously ill, and casue irritation of the tissues and decay, thus worsening the health status of an elderly person. Older people often resign from eating valuable foods that require chewing. Thereby they miss an opportunity to provide the body with valuable nutrients. A good solution of the problem is a valuable, well-balanced diet and a visit to the dentist for dental treatment abroad to improve the health of your teeth and oral tissues.

Older people often complain of taste disorders as well, due to the fact that with age the number of taste buds responsible for the receipt of taste stimuli decreases. Another cause of taste disorders can be also dentures - if these problems do not disappear after a few weeks of adapting to the new dentures, please go to your dentist.

Taste disturbance may occur after the completion of 45 years of age or in case of postmenopausal women.

All you need to know about snoring and apnea

Normal breathing involves a smooth flow of air through the throat and lungs. When you are awake, the muscles help to maintain the surrounding structures so that the air reaches the lungs and does not encounter any obstacles along the way. During sleep, the muscles are at rest but the airways in the throat should remain open to allow air supply to the lungs.

Snoring is a serious problem affecting 60% of men and 40% of women between 40 and 60 years of age. Medicine and dentistry abroad usually treat snoring as an inconvenience. Many relatives of such patients believe snoring is a serious social problem as it deteriorates the sleep of the relatives as well. In response, they have to prod their partners or sleep in separate bedrooms. Snoring can lead to a more serious condition called apnea. Snoring occurs when patient's tongue falls back and partially clogs the airways. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the tongue completely blocks the airways.

Apnea is the cessation of nasal breathing for ten seconds. Thirty or more episodes of apnea during 7-hours sleep at night is considered to be sleep apnea. People affected by the disease have hundreds of episodes of apnea during one night, each lasting from 10 to 200 seconds. This limits the amount of oxygen delivered to the body and brain and disrupts the normal sleep cycle. Daytime symptoms of sleep apnea range from a mild inability to concentrate for extreme sleepiness at the time of quiet sitting. These patients may fall asleep while watching TV, at work or even while driving! Severe cases of sleep apnea can be life threatening. It can cause hypertension, which can provoke a stroke or heart attack. Because sleep apnea is a medical disorder with serious health implications, all patients are advised to consult a doctor or specialist in sleep disorders before starting oral treatment apparatus.

Facts about snoring:

- One in eight people snore

- About 18 million people suffer from periodic apnea

- 28% of men over age 65 suffer from periodic apnea

- Up to 50% of patients suffering from periodic apnea have high blood pressure 

- In the case of patients with periodic apnea, the risk of heart attack and stroke increases 

- Almost 60% of the population suffers from sleepiness during the day, a side effect of periodic apnea 

- Snoring stops or decreases significantly in the case of patients wearing special apparatus in the mouth

- In the U.S., diseases that result from complications of sleep, cost the state 15.9 billion.

What can I do to have a good night's sleep?

- Every day, go to bed at the same time

- Avoid alcohol

- Exercise regularly to be under the control of your weight and blood pressure

- Avoid caffeine after 18:00

- Avoid large meals before bedtime

- Before going to bed, do some relaxation exercises

- Invest in a good mattress and pillow

- Keep the temperature in the room in a comfortable range

- Create a relaxing environment in the bedroom

How to reduce the risk of snoring?

- Train sleeping on your side

- Lose weight if you are overweight

- Use a decongestant

- Before going to bed, avoid alcohol and sleeping pills

Facts and myths concerning chewing gum

There are many legends concerning chewing gum- some claim that they have salutary effects, other say the opposite. How is it in reality?

Well, dentists recommend chewing gum after meals, but it should be noted that this needs to be done when it is not possible to wash the teeth. Another important piece of information is that the gum should be sugar-free, as any fruit or sweetened gums have a devastating impact on tooth enamel and support the development of caries. Chewing gum should be controlled, ie it should be done in moderation. Chew gum for no more than 15 minutes, because this is the optimal time to restore a neutral pH in the mouth. Moreover, it is worth noting that chewing gum stimulates saliva production, which in turn has a neutralizing effect on acid in the mouth. Saliva also washes away food remains and, at the same time, cleans the teeth. Another aspect in favor of sugar-free chewing gum is that is reduces the risk of tooth decay - even though the composition of the gum does not contain sugar, there are some components of sweeteners, which show slight antibacterial activity.

We can also observe some psychological aspects of chewing gum, namely the facial muscles are relaxed, and the accompanying stress is minimized or completely resolved. People suffering from bad breath should also form a habit of chewing gum, but it is worth noting that this is not a cure, because the bad smell coming from the mouth always has its basis in a disease (including untreated caries, xerostomia - dry mouth, throat diseases, digestive system or stomach ulcers).

Other advantages of sugar-free gums:

• increase the concentrations

• reduce tension through stimulation of specific regions of the brain

• help weight loss

• an important factor in anti-smoking therapy

• to a moderate extent, prevent the occurrence of heartburn

• neutralize stomach acids

Disadvantages:

People with an unhealthy habit of chewing gum for a few hours are exposed to the overload of the temporal-mandibular joint. What is more, it may even lead to hypertrophy of the masseters and unesthetic look of the face- asymmetry of the jaws. Besides, the long and passionate chewing can also lead to the occurrence of another disease, which is bruxism.

Also, you should not also overdo the amount of the gums, because each leaf contains sweeteners, which in excess use, can cause disturbances of the gastrointestinal tract.

Gum should be chewed only after meals, because only then their action is justified and beneficial - chewing gum between meals can cause damage to mucous membranes of the stomach, and in extreme cases lead to ulcers. It is worth mentioning that the users of fixed braces should completely avoid chewing gum.

Facts and myths about chewing gum:

• Fact - gum freshens the breath

• Fact - gum can lead to falling of the dental fillings

• Myth - gum does not whiten the teeth, it can be complementary to other, effective ways of whitening or used prophylactically to prevent discoloration

• Myth - gum will not cure visible cavities 

• Fact - frequent and long-lasting chewing may be the cause of bruxism

• Fact - chewing gum calms down, reduces stress and tension