2. Toothpaste - how does it help us?

   What does the constant brushing help at? As the toothpaste makers state, we can say that teeth brushing prevents caries, gingivitis, plaque and scale formation. However, it is also shown that teeth brushing keep the heart healthy ( diminishes up to 6% the risk of myocardial infarction). It is known that toothpaste was invented many years ago. Teeth brushing was a common practice, but it was not used regularly by any other civilization.

   Why do we use toothpaste? - In the oral cavity up to 500 different organisms grow. They are found in food products and remain as residues in your mouth after eating. Most of these form the plaque which sticks to the teeth. These bacteria produce acids that affect the teeth, causing cavities. Therefore, it is recommended that we brush our teeth 2-3 times a day.

3. What is the toothpaste made of?

   Toothpaste contains substances such as baking soda, fluoride, sodium carbonate peroxide, hydrated silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide. Fluoride (a class of compounds) are associated with healthy teeth. Indeed, fluoride helps cleaning the teeth. The baking soda adds a good taste and a pleasant sensation to the toothpaste. This creates foam in your mouth when brushing. Baking soda combines with acids to form gas bubbles of carbon dioxide. Soda is slightly abrasive and will continue to clean the mouth for a short after brushing.

   Another important ingredient of the toothpaste is sodium carbonate peroxide. It whitens the teeth and kills bad breath germs. Hydrated silicon dioxide, used for hundreds of years, acts as a slightly abrasive. The White colour of the toothpaste is given by titanium dioxide.

4. Did you know that...

   - You need 17 muscles to smile :-) and 43 to frown :-(

   - Toothpaste's flavours are often based on plants such as mint and pepper? Most toothpastes are sweetened with articificial sweeteners.

   - Before toothpaste's invention, people used dry and abrasive objects in order to clean their teeth - things such as crushed walnut shells or even pumice stone.

   - Before the tooth brush to be invented, people used twigs or their own fingers to brush their teeth.

   - The tooth brush, as we nowadays know it, was invented in 1938. Archeological discoveries in Egiptian tombs dated to about 3.000 B.C. prove that the first tooth brush was a small bat which was chewed. It was actually a thin piece of branch, which was ground at one end. Some primitive peoples use such sticks even nowadays.

5. Zirconium - the future of dental aesthetics [slide 1/2]

   In the United States of America, as well as in Europe the latest trend in prosthetic treatments consists in the replacement of metal ceramic crowns (also known as the porcelain crowns) with the procelain crowns on zirconium support.

   Romania aligns with this trend through the modern dental clinics from our country. The dentists of our clinic use this new method because of its unparalleled aesthetic benefits.

   The benefits of using crowns based on zirconium oxide formula are various: the excellent resitence to pressure ( withstands the chewing activities and daily attrition without fracturing itself),a translucence similar to that of natural teeth.

   Due to the abcence of metal support, the light is reflected by a zirconium oxide ceramic crown similar to a natural tooth. Zirconium is thermaly inert as well.

6. Zirconium - the future of dental aesthetics [slide 2 / 2]

   It does not lead heat so that the thermal variations are not transmitted to dental pulp (nerve) and thus the risk of a pulp irritation decreases.

   Its characteristics:

   - Perfect compatibility with the tissues of the oral cavity, due to the fact that zirconium is practically bio-inert
   - Sustainability of the work, due to increased mechanical resistance of zirconium and to the total absence of corrosion in oral environment
   - The elimination of bad taste and marginal colouring ( phenomena present in the case of restorations based on classic ceramic crowns)
   

   During the execution of works based on zirconium,the dental technician is assisted by computer, the CAD / CAM technology (Computer Assisted Design / Computer Assisted Manufacturing), enabling the faithful reproduction of dressings made by the doctor on the restored tooth.

7. Myths about dentistry [1 / 2]

   There are a number of myths about dental affections, their treatment, the teeth care as well as the maintenance products of a healthy dentition (toothpaste, mouthwash, toothbrush). These myths can affect the brilliance of our teeth, as well as the oral hygiene.

   Myth: expensive toothpastes are always better than cheaper versions.
   Wrong! Some toothpastes, at low prices, can be very effective in teeth cleaning. Ask your dentist for the recommended brands of toothpaste which will keep the teeth clean and healthy.

   Myth: I do not need to consult my dentist if I do not have a visible problem with my teeth.
   Wrong! We are not specialists. The dental doctors can see affections hidden to our sight, affections in early development stages, before they turn into serious problems. Starting from advance a treatment for these dental affections can prevent other lasting affections.

8. Myths about dentistry [2 / 2]

   Myth: Generally speaking, my family did not have dental problems,so neither will I have.
   Inherited affections play a very small role in dental affections. Regular dental care as well as regular consultation of a specialist is the recipe for perfect oral health,and not family history with dental affections.

   Myth: Too hot / too cold food will hurt my teeth.
   Excesses damage. If you eat usually food very hot / very cold, your teeth will suffer on a long term. Instead, if this happens rarely, your teeth will not suffer.

   Myth: Dental treatments are very painful
   Wrong!The modern technologies used generally in dental treatments are usually painless. The anesthetics will often help you not to feel pain. However, some discomfort may occur during a tooth extraction procedure / caries treatment.

9. The use of toothpaste in 8 ways that you'd have never thought about [1 / 2]

   1) Toothpaste can be used to clean the iron plate. Namely on it the calcium from water is often stored and burnings occur, both damaging the ironed clothes. Apply toothpaste, leave a few minutes,wipe it with a soft cloth. To complete the cleaning process, rinse off with water and wipe again with a clean soft cloth.

   2) Jewelry cleaning . Use an old toothbrush with some toothpaste. The cleaning of very valuable jewellry is not recommended though. For this one it is recommended the professional cleaning.

   3) Disinfection and smell removal out of plastic containers kept closed. Brush the container with toothpaste, wait for a few minutes and rinse. Bad smell will be removed.

   4) Cleaning chrome objects (e.g., sanitary installations). For perfect shine, wipe with a soft cloth.

10. The use of toothpaste in 8 ways that you'd have never thought about [2 / 2]

    5) Cleaning the sink - while washing your teeth, rub the surface of the sink with toothpaste and rinse. Not only does it remove the limestone deposits,but also refreshes the drain pipe, preventing bad smells.

    6) Removal of drawings in pencil of your little artist - the child's drawings on the walls can be removed using toothpaste, applied on the dirty surface, scrub, and then rinse with warm water.

    7) Removing the smell of onion and garlic from your hands - Wash with toothpaste and then rinse with warm water.

    8) The filling of small holes in the walls. Toothpaste dries quickly, and the holes are plugged. It works also for the wooden carpentry painted in white.

11. The maintenance and teeth brushing

    Why is it important to maintain our teeth?
    To protect ourselves from caries, gingivitis, scale deposits. A constant maintenance of the teeth helps us to prevent pain and to keep a bright smile. In this article we will discuss some helpful tips related to effective teeth care.

    Brushing. Brushing your teeth is essential, but it is important not to hurt the gums, by pressing too hard on them. A hard brushing can cause their bleeding and teeth spacing. Dental doctors recommend daily brushing for 2 minutes, 2-3 times a day. Brush your teeth after every meal.

    If you have drunk soft drinks / a dessert containing sugar,a teeth brushing or mouthwash is recommended. If brushing and mouthwash are not possible, make sure you have at hand a sugar-free chewing gum.

12. Food and teeth yellowing

    Some simple changes in the way we eat can help our teeth. Drinking soft drinks for a short period of time is less harmful to teeth than its consumption in small sips for a longer period. The 3 important meals of the day are also recommended, in exchange of small snacks during the day.

    Teeth yellowing – Regular use of coffee and smoking are among the most well-known causes of teeth yellowing. Some toothpastes,which help to teeth whitening, reduce and even remove these effects. But these toothpastes can cause discomfort if your teeth are sensitive.

    Dental doctor – It is recommended a professional dental consultation once every 6 months. Your dentist can make recommendations regarding the oral hygene, prevent some dental affections, and discover problems that patients have not noticed.

13. Toothaches

    To understand the causes of teeth pain, it is important to have a basic understanding of a tooth structure: root implanted in the socket, followed by the neck of a tooth in relation to the gums, and the visible white crown, at the exterior.

    Toothache can be caused by an infection, caries, sensitive teeth, gums or even by the tooth nerve. Pharmacies offer a various range of medicines for these affections, medicins that can be obtained without prescription.

    It is recommended to contact a dental doctor for a consultation if the pain is strong, persists for more than 36 hours, or is accompanied by other health problems.

A

Abrasion – physiological loss of some dental substances through grinding;

Abscess - purulent accumulation , formed under the action of some germs;

Acrylate - acrylic resin used in the making of dental prostheses;

Adrenalin - a substance used in the deceleration of the anesthetic substance absorbtion in order to increase its locoregional concentration;

Alveolitis – a dry or humid infection located on the level of teeth sockets;

Amalgam - a material which does not present physignomic features, used in the case of extensive damages of dental crown for its consistency;

Anesthesia – the procedure through which the sensitivity is suppressed (especially the painful one);

Apex - the terminal part of the dental root;

Aphthae - painful affection of the oral mucous membrane, which manifests through a water blister and its collapsing leaves an ulcer;

B

Bruxism (teeth grinding) – parafunction which appears as a result of a strong contraction of the lifting mandibular muscles, often involuntarily,usually during the sleep , leading thus to dental modifications of the ATM;

C

Canine - the strongest and the most voluminous monoradicular tooth from the frontal dental group;

Cauterisation – the hemostasis achievement with the help of some physical and chemical agents;

Comprehensible dentistry - An innovative approach of displaying the stages of development, as well as the intervention procedures to the patients, as a movie.

Consultation – the first stage of any dental treatment, through which the dentist establishes the diagnosis and the treatment indications of oro-dental affections based on a clinical examination and by filling in the individual dental form;

Curettage – manual labour done with the help of a scoop in order to remove the pathological tissues of the wall's cavities having a therapeutic purpose;

D

E

Ectopy - Eruption of a tooth out of its normal position on the alveolar arch;

Edentate breach - an area which results by losing one or more teeth from the arcade;

Edentation - a physio-pathological condition that is characterized by loss of 1-16 teeth on a dental arch;

Enamel - Well-mineralized layer that covers the entire tooth crown;

Extraction - an intervention through which a sick tooth is removed and which also causes and maintains pathological processes that can not be solved through other conservative treatments;

F

Fluorine - Chemical element which increases the strength of a tooth in the cariogenic attack;

Fluoroprophylaxis - a therapeutic method which is aimed to increase tooth's resistance to cariogenic agents by administrating products that contain fluorine.

Fistula - a passage surgically created, designed to drain the secretions of a gland or cavities;

G

Gangrene - a septic process located in the pulp tissues.

Gingivitis - the inflammation of the periodontal membrane, manifested through changes in volume, colour and texture.

Gum - the component of superficial periodontal membrane which surrounds the tooth package.

Gutter - Prosthetic construction, used in mandibular fracture's immobilization or with a role in the dental whitening process.

H

Haemostasis – manual labor of stopping a hemorrhage.

Halisteresis - a reversible demineralization process of the alveolar bone.

Herpes - a Vesicular eruption, which appears frequently on the lips and mouth corner.

Hyperesthesia - a painful phenomenon occurring at the dental level because of the direct action of various mechanical and thermal stimuli.

I

Indirect dressing – a process through which the pulp is safeguarded against the physical and chemical agents using appropriate materials;

Infection - pathological condition caused by the penetration and development of a pathogen agent in the body;

Inflammation pulp - the totality of reactions and processes occurring in the dental pulp, due to the action of a pathogen agent;

Interdental space - a dento alveolar disharmony manifested through the interdental spacing, between upper or lower teeth (except for the upper central ones);

J

Jaw clicking - intra-articular or clicking noises, which occur because of various diseases;

L

Leukoplakia - a lesion of oral mucous membrane with a potential of malignization, favoured by irritative factors (alcohol, tobacco, etc);

Lockjaw - Involuntary contracture of the jaw muscles;

M

Mandibula - a mobile bone, in a horseshoe shape;

Mandibular fractures - lesions with the interruption of the mandibular bone continuity, caused by agressions, accidents, etc.;

Marginal periodontal membrane - Complex tissues that provide the tooth attachment to alveolar bone.

Maxillary sinus - pneumatic cavity located within the jaw bone's body;

Mezialization - the displacement to the central line of the teeth;

Mixed crown – a prosthetic work consisting of a metallic part and a physignomic one;

N

Neoplasm - the pathologic process of forming a new tumoral tissue;

Neuralgia - pain that occurs along a nerve trunk;

O

Occlusion - a static or dynamic relation between dental arches;

Odontalgia - pain of dental origin having different causes;

Orthodontia – manual labours which aim to straighten malpositioned teeth;

Osteitis - a lesion of the bone itself, of an infectious origin;

P

Pain - an alarm which the body activates in connection with the appearance of a pathological process;

Parotitis - the inflammation of parotid gland tissues;

Pedodontics - sthe science which deals with ontogenetic development of teeth and their main diseases;

Pericoronitis - a septic complication occurring during the process of wisdom tooth eruption;

Periodontal coating membrane - Fiber mucous membrane which covers the alveolar bone and surrounds the tooth package.

Plaque – a complex ecosystem which adheres to teeth and can cause caries but also affect dental supporting tissues.

Post extractional wound - an injury resulting from extraction;

Print - a faithful copy, the negative of a prosthetic field, used for the making of immobile and mobile works;

Prosthetic field - the totality of tissues with which the prosthesis comes in contact;

Prosthesis liner – a process through which the stability and the efficiency of the prosthesis is significantly enhanced by the help of of an acrylic material;

Pulp chamber – dental cavity which nestles the tooth pulp;

Pulpitis - inflammation of pulp due to the action of pathogen agents.

Q

Quincke Edema - allergic accident which manifests through increased eyelid and lips tumefactions accompanied by respiratory malfunctions.

R

Radicular canal – a canal which nestles the dental neurovascular bundle;

Radicular cement - dental tissue, poorly mineralised met at the level of tooth root;

Rebasing – a method of prosthesis' bases complete replacement wihout changing the dental arch.

Rubber dum - a very thin sheet of rubber, which is perforated and applied to the tooth in order to accomplish a sterile operative field;

S

Salivary gland - the mass tissue playing a role in the secretion of saliva at the level of oral cavity;

Sialosis – the alteration of a salivary gland's parenchyma;

Socket – a cavity within which teeth are implanted and which disappears once they are extracted;

Sprained jaw - an accident occuring during tooth extraction at patients with increased capsulo articular laxity.

Stomatites - inflammations located at the level of the mouth mucous membrane.

T

Telescoping - a phenomenon of maintaining the partial prosthesis through the friction that occurs between two metal surfaces;

Temporo-mandibular ankylosis - a constitutional type of obstructing (which leads to the fusion of the condilus with the glenoid cavity) the mandibular movements;

Tooth - a complex element of the jaw apparatus with an action dependent on muscular strength;

U

Ulceration - A solution of continuity at the level of a tissue/mucous;

Ultrasounds - Mechanical vibrations used in dental plaque dislocations during ultrasonic scaling;

V

Veneer - a prosthetic device that restores the visible part of a tooth;

Vesicles - elementary lesions occurring in various affections;

Vitalised ablation - a method of removing the dental pulp after its being anaesthetised;

X

Xerochilia - Dryness of the lips;

Xerostomia - Dry mouth syndrome;