Seattle Invisalign Dentist, Seattle Washington

A Seattle invisalign dentist advises that it is more important than ever to brush and floss regularly when you have invisalign, so the teeth and gums are healthy after orthodontic treatment. Patients who do not keep their teeth clean may require more frequent visits to the Seattle invisalign dentist for a professional cleaning. Adults who have a history of gum disease should also see a periodontist during orthodontic treatment.

Your Kirkland dentist may have discussed with you the benefits of having healthy teeth and proper jaw alignment. Crooked and crowded teeth are hard to clean and maintain. This can result in tooth decay, worsen gum disease and lead to tooth loss. Other Seattle orthodontist problems can contribute to abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, inefficient chewing function, excessive stress on gum tissue and the bone that supports the teeth, or misalignment of the jaw joints. Treatment by an orthodontist can be less costly than the additional care required to treat dental problems arising as a result of orthodontic problems. For most people, a beautiful smile is the most obvious benefit of orthodontics. After your braces come off, you'll feel more self-confidence and social acceptance.

A quick note on some oral health conditions:

Oral refers to the mouth, which includes the teeth, gums, and supporting tissues. It is easy to take your oral health for granted, but it is key to living each day comfortably. These tissues allow you to speak, smile, sigh, kiss, smell, taste, chew, swallow, and cry. They also let you show a world of feelings through expressions. Taking good care of these tissues can prevent disease in them and throughout your body.

The health of your mouth can be a sign of your overall health. Many serious diseases, such as diabetes, HIV, and some eating disorders, show their first signs as symptoms in the mouth. This is why it is important to have complete, regular oral exams.

Most of us think of problems with the mouth in terms of cavities, toothaches, and crooked or stained teeth. Lacking healthy teeth and gums has an effect on how we look, but it also affects the health of our bodies.

Cold sores (herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infections). If you’ve ever had a cold sore, you’re not alone. A half million people get one every year. Once exposed to this virus, it can hide in the body for years. Getting too much sun, having mild fevers that occur with a cold, or stress can trigger the virus and cause tiredness, muscle aches, sore throat, enlarged and tender lymph nodes, and cold sores. These sores are very contagious and usually form on the lips, and sometimes under the nose or under the chin. The sores heal in about seven to 10 days without scarring. You can buy medicines at the drug store or grocery store to put on the cold sore to numb or relieve the pain. If cold sores are a problem for you, talk with your doctor or dentist about a prescription for an antiviral drug to help lower your chances of getting these kinds of viral infections.

Canker sores. These common, but mostly harmless, sores appear as ulcers with a white or gray base and a red border inside the mouth. They occur in women more often than men, often during their periods. The reason why they appear is unknown but some experts believe that problems with the immune system, the system in our bodies that fights disease, bacteria or viruses may be involved. Fatigue, stress, or allergies can increase your chances of getting a canker sore. You also might get one if you have a cut inside your cheek or on your tongue. Canker sores tend to be tiny and heal by themselves in one to three weeks. If you get a large sore (larger than 1 centimeter) though, it may need to be treated with medicine. Staying away from hot and spicy foods can help the pain. Using mild mouthwashes or salt water, or swabbing the sore with milk of magnesia or with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water might also help. There is no proven way to prevent canker sores, but if you get them often, take note of anything that might be irritating your mouth, and talk to your dentist or dental hygienist.

Continued As a general rule, an emergency appointment may be made when there is severe pain, a loose band, a broken wire or something sticking out that you can't take care of. It's important to know the names of the parts of your appliances. It will help, when you phone the office, to be able to identify what part is broken or out of place.

A Kirkland dentist usually checks for malocclusion in children during regular dental visits. If the jaw or teeth are out of line, the dentist may suggest a visit to an Seattle orthodontist. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that all children get a checkup with an orthodontist by age 7.

What can you eat? Let's talk about what you shouldn't eat! If you've been wanting to drop a few pounds, the first week wearing braces is just your chance! For the first day or so, stick to soft foods. Avoid tough meats, hard breads, and raw vegetables. You'll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as you're wearing braces.

Orthodontic appliances can be made of metal, ceramic or plastic. They may be removable or they may be brackets bonded to the teeth. By placing a constant, gentle force in a carefully controlled direction, braces slowly move teeth to a correct position. This is a great time to wear braces! Gone are the days where a metal band with a bracket was placed around every tooth. You can choose brackets that are clear or metallic color. You can choose the color of the ties that hold the wire in the brackets. Wires are also less noticeable than they used to be and the latest materials move teeth faster and with less discomfort to patients.

The most obvious sign to a Kirkland dentist teeth that are crooked or stick out. Malocclusion can range from mild to severe. Most of the time, having crooked teeth is only a cosmetic problem, meaning people don't like the way their teeth look. But in severe cases, it can cause problems with eating or speaking.

When you get your braces put on by your Seattle orthodontist, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness is severe, take aspirin or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain. The lips, cheeks and tongue may also become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this. We'll show you how!

Treatment time typically ranges from 12 to 24 months. Early treatment procedures may take as few as six months. This varies from patient to patient, depending on such factors as difficulty of the existing problem, age of the patient, certain physiological characteristics of the patient and (most important) patient cooperation during treatment. The success of orthodontic treatment is keynoted by cooperation. It is very important that all instructions be carefully and completely followed.

The incidence of dental caries in children and adolescents in most European countries has been declining for some years. This is largely attributed to exposure to fluoride, primarily from fluoride toothpaste, and improved oral hygiene. Over the same period the diet, including the intake of sugar and other carbohydrates has remained fairly constant. Where dental caries is largely under control by fluorides and regular dental care (as in most European countries), moderate consumption of sugars is not a major risk factor except in individuals who are highly susceptible to dental caries or do not use fluoride toothpaste properly.

More than half of all 5 to 7 year-old European children have no dental caries in their primary (milk) teeth. In general, those who have dental caries have only one tooth affected. The “DMF-T index” which refers to the number of Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth is used to measure the prevalence of dental caries. In 12 year-old European children dental caries levels began to fall during the 1980s and continued to fall during the 1990s reaching the WHO global oral health goals set for the year 2000. DMF-T figures in this age group range from 1 in Finland and the Netherlands, to 3 in Portugal, although it is higher in some Eastern European countries. In some countries dental caries is becoming polarised with 80% of decay being found in just 20% of the population. For these high-risk groups targeted intervention strategies are recommended.

In many countries the reduction in dental caries seen in children is now extending to adolescents and young adults. Elderly people are now keeping their teeth longer. The risk of root caries, when gums recede, can also be controlled by the preventive measures described.

Good oral hygiene and the use of fluoride are now considered the main factors responsible for preventing tooth decay and promoting good oral health. The following advice is also important for keeping teeth caries-free.

· Start dental care early says a Kirkland dentist, brush baby’s teeth with a fluoride toothpaste as soon as they appear in the mouth. Do not habitually allow infants to fall asleep while drinking from a bottle of milk, formula, juice or sweetened drink. These sweet liquids pool around the baby’s teeth for long periods of time and can lead to “baby bottle tooth decay”.

· Brush teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste And if possible, clean between the teeth with dental floss or toothpicks once a day. Do not eat after cleaning teeth at bedtime as salivary flow decreases as we sleep.

· Visit the dentist about every 6 months for a check-up And seek dentist's advice before using aesthetic products (e.g: teeth whiteners) that could have a deleterious effect on the teeth.

· Do not nibble food or sip drinks continuously Allow time between eating occasions for saliva to neutralise acids and repair the teeth.

· People at high risk from tooth wear and erosion should take special precautions, such as:
- decrease frequency and contact with acidic foods and drinks;
- avoid brushing teeth immediately after consuming acidic foods, drinks, citrus fruits and juices.
This allows time for remineralisation to occur. Fluoride mouthwashes and sugar-free chewing gum
may be useful after taking acidic food or drinks as they encourage remineralisation.

· Sugar-free chewing gum is “tooth friendly” as it helps increase saliva flow and clears food debris from the mouth.

Good dental health is the responsibility of individuals, communities and governments although their relative importance varies. For example in some European countries water fluoridation is not yet publicly acceptable and so responsibility for preventing tooth decay lies largely with the individual.

Dental professionals play an essential role in monitoring dental health and treating or preventing any problems. Access to good dental care, including regular check-ups is vital. For some people, especially those from lower socio-economic groups, access to dental professionals may be limited. These groups are important targets for dental health education programs. Schools also play an important role in educating children on the importance of good oral hygiene and diet.

RATIONALE:

• When pregnant women have unfilled cavities or untreated gum

disease, they can transmit the bacteria that cause these problems

to their babies through their bloodstream. Gum (or periodontal)

disease has been shown to contribute to pre-term, low-birthweight

babies.

• Broken teeth and oral lesions can be indicators of serious oral

health problems and should be examined by a dentist.

• Good nutrition, including supplements where prescribed, has

positive effects on the mother’s oral and overall health, which in

turn lead to healthier development of her baby.

PRACTICE:

Pregnant women should be encouraged to:

• Practice daily oral hygiene including thorough brushing and

flossing

• Have a professional dental cleaning and exam as early as possible

in the pregnancy,

• ideally in the second trimester

• Have serious oral health problems treated by a dentist

• Avoid sweets, soda pop, and starchy snacks which can cause

cavities

• Increase calcium intake along with vitamins A and D through

dairy products, leafy green vegetables and supplements, when

recommended

Don't be alarmed if a wire or band comes loose. This happens occasionally. If wire protrudes and is irritating, use a blunt instrument (the back of a spoon or the eraser end of a pencil) and carefully, gently push the irritating wire under the archwire. Simply get it out of the way. If irritation to the lips or mouth continues, place wax or wet cotton on the wire to reduce the annoyance. Call our office as soon as possible for an appointment to check and repair the appliances. If any piece comes off, save it and bring it with you to the office.

This is to be expected throughout treatment. Don't worry! It's normal. Teeth must loosen first so they can be moved. The teeth will again become rigidly fixed in their new--corrected--positions.