The history of dental care.

It would be difficult to list all the teeth cleaning tools that were used before the invention of the toothpaste: ash, pulverized stone, crushed glass, honey soaked wool, charcoal, gypsum, roots of certain plants, tar, cocoa beans, salt. In the beginning of the 19th century plant extracts or essential oils were added to chalk powder and teeth were cleaned with this mixture. This toothpowder was popular for a long time. The first toothpaste was made in the 19th century from chalk powder and mass in gel form. In 1847 the first toothpastes packed in tubes appeared and it was then that the toothpaste acquired its present form. Today the toothpaste and toothbrush is not enough to clean the teeth and protect them against caries. This may require dental floss, toothpicks, oral cavity stimulators and irrigators, mouthwash, deodorant and mouth spray, plaque disclosing tablets, tongue brushes, solvents and tablets for removable denture care.

The tooth and its structure.

What is it? Teeth are small hard structures in the mouth that are intended for primary processing of food. The teeth of animals, especially those of predators, differently from human teeth, are very important in their fight against other animals. Types of teeth: an adult person has 32 teeth, which are called secondary teeth. A child has 20 primary teeth which in the 5th – 12th year of life are gradually replaced by secondary teeth. Tooth structure consists of the crown and the root. The visible part of the tooth, which usually protrudes above the gums, is called the crown. Unless there is pathology involved, the roots are not visible because they are located in the bone and are covered with gums. Roots are covered with cementum and the so called cement-enamel junction is located between the cementum and enamel. It feels rough when passing a sharp instrument. Different teeth have a different number of roots of slightly different form. The tooth consists of several tissues, each of them possesses different characteristics: enamel, dentin, pulp and cementum. Enamel is very hard white tissue that covers the entire crown of the teeth. Enamel has no cells and is therefore not sensitive to stimuli. Dentin accounts for the bulk of the tooth. It is covered with enamel and cementum in the crown and root areas respectively. Dentin is invisible in healthy teeth; however, it becomes exposed due to enamel corrosion as a result of ageing, caries or other pathological conditions. The dental pulp is the central part of the tooth surrounded by dentin and having roughly the form of the tooth. People often call this tissue “the nerve of the tooth”, probably because it is one of primary causes of a toothache. Cementum. In a healthy tooth the cementum starts at the edge of the gums, at the thinner end of the enamel layer. Cementum becomes exposed as a result of bone erosion and gum recession, which are caused by various diseases or age.

Proper dental care.

Remember that inadequate oral hygiene has an effect on the condition of your teeth, gums and enamel. Proper daily dental care is necessary in order to avoid dental ailments. The following is a list of short recommendations that will help you maintain proper oral hygiene and healthy enamel: Brush your teeth twice a day after meals, for approximately two minutes, 30 seconds for each quadrant.

• Use fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride strengthens the outer layers of your teeth. Thanks to fluoride action, they are more resistant to caries. Flossing before brushing ensures greater effect. Fluoride will better penetrate the clean surfaces of enamel both on the top and sides of the teeth and in problematic interdental areas.
• It is recommended to eat 3-4 meals and a couple of snacks a day. If food is eaten too frequently, it destroys the pH balance in the mouth. Saliva neutralizes acids after each meal or snack; therefore, there must be at least 2 hour breaks between meals.
• Reduce the intake of sugar and sugar-containing products and eat them immediately after the main meal.
• Floss your teeth regularly, preferably after each meal or snack.
• Check your teeth regularly. Only your dentist can recommend you the method of brushing that is least harmful to enamel.

Food effect on your teeth.

Enamel is the strongest tissue in the human body. It is the first barrier of defense, protecting the teeth against damage and bacteria. However, acids may cause enamel demineralization. Even though modern diet is oriented towards a healthy way of life, we nevertheless eat a lot of acid products. Such healthy products as juice or fruit have high acid content. Each time you eat or drink acid food or drinks, your enamel softens and looses some minerals. This is why after eating acid food you should wait for one hour before brushing your teeth. During this time enamel is more vulnerable and a toothbrush may scratch away the surface layer of enamel irreplaceably. This is why after a meal the best solution is cleaning the interdental spaces with floss. Once bits of food are removed from between the teeth, saliva is able to penetrate into these areas and naturally restore the pH balance in the mouth thereby impairing the conditions for the development of caries. Saliva’s gradually neutralizes acid and ensures proper balance.

Caries is a danger to other internal organs.

Stone Age people already suffered from caries and now this disease has become unprecedentedly aggressive: it attacks both new milk teeth and secondary teeth, is fast progressing and is able to damage several surfaces of the same tooth. If left untreated, young people’s teeth are reduced to roots that cause severe inflammation of the jaw and surrounding tissues and provoke other illnesses of the human body. Upon penetrating into the blood, the inflammation is spread to other parts of the human body and causes diseases of the joints, stomach, kidneys, heart, etc. People should understand how much damage they may cause to themselves by not paying attention to oral health and forgetting about the two main tools that help protect it: the toothbrush and floss.