My Dental Clinic

22/12/2025

Dental implants are a highly effective solution for replacing missing teeth and, unlike natural teeth, they don’t develop cavities. However, implants still require careful care, as the surrounding gums and bone remain vulnerable to bacterial infection if neglected.

When plaque builds up around an implant, it can trigger peri-implant mucositis, an inflammation of the soft tissue. If untreated, this can progress to peri-implantitis, a more serious condition where the supporting bone is gradually destroyed. Because this often occurs without pain, damage can become severe before it’s noticed.

Maintaining implants involves daily brushing, flossing, and routine dental checkups. Professional cleaning helps remove plaque and detect early inflammation, safeguarding both your oral health and the longevity of your smile. Proper care protects your investment and ensures your implant functions for years to come.

(Source: American Dental Association)

15/12/2025

Baby teeth need more than routine brushing — 10 essential care steps every parent should know.

These additional measures are critical because primary teeth directly influence nutrition, speech development, facial growth, and the health of permanent teeth.

Below is a clinically grounded, parent-friendly checklist of what truly makes a difference:
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1. START ORAL CARE BEFORE TEETH ERUPT

Clean your baby’s gums with a clean, damp gauze or soft cloth after feeds.

This helps reduce early bacterial colonization and prepares the child for future brushing habits.

Why it matters:
Harmful oral bacteria establish early — often before the first tooth even appears.
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2. FLUORIDE: USE IT CORRECTLY (NOT AVOID IT)

From the first tooth, use fluoride toothpaste:

• Rice-sized smear (under 3 years)
• Pea-sized amount (3–6 years)

Fluoride strengthens enamel and prevents early childhood caries (ECC).

Common myth: “Fluoride is unsafe for babies.”
Reality: Correct dosage is safe, evidence-based, and protective.
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3. FEEDING HABITS MATTER MORE THAN SUGAR QUANTITY

Avoid:
• Bottle or breastfeeding to sleep after teeth erupt
• Frequent sipping of milk, juice, or sweetened drinks

Encourage water between meals.

Key concept:
It’s not how much sugar — it’s how often teeth are exposed.
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4. DO NOT IGNORE WHITE SPOTS

Chalky white areas near the gumline are early decay, not “stains”.

At this stage, decay is reversible with fluoride and dietary changes.

Action:
An early dental visit can prevent drilling later.
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5. FIRST DENTAL VISIT IS NOT OPTIONAL

Recommended by age 1 or within 6 months of the first tooth.

Purpose:
• Risk assessment
• Parent education
• Preventive guidance
• Fluoride varnish if needed

This is prevention — not treatment.
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6. PROTECT BABY TEETH FROM TRAUMA

Once the child starts walking:
• Childproof sharp edges
• Supervise high-risk play

Dental trauma to baby teeth can damage the developing permanent tooth underneath.
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7. PACIFIERS & THUMB SUCKING: TIMING IS KEY

Acceptable in infancy.
Should be stopped by age 3.

Prolonged habits can lead to:
• Open bite
• Narrow palate
• Speech issues

Early guidance helps prevent future orthodontic problems.
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8. NIGHTTIME IS THE HIGHEST-RISK PERIOD

Saliva flow drops significantly during sleep.

Never put a child to bed with:
• Milk
• Juice
• Sweetened liquids

If feeding is necessary, clean the mouth afterward.
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9. PARENTS’ ORAL HEALTH AFFECTS THE BABY

Cavity-causing bacteria are transmitted from caregivers.

Avoid:
• Sharing spoons
• Cleaning pacifiers with your mouth

Healthy parent mouth = healthier child mouth.
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10. BABY TEETH ARE NOT “TEMPORARY” IN IMPACT

Untreated decay can lead to:
• Pain and infection
• Poor nutrition
• Speech delays
• Early tooth loss
• Crooked permanent teeth
• Increased cavity risk for life
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Baby teeth deserve the same level of care as adult teeth — sometimes more.
Early prevention is simpler, safer, and far less expensive than treatment later.

12/12/2025

Back in 2016, researchers made a surprising discovery inside an old monastery tomb—a set of 400-year-old false teeth. And these dentures were far from simple. They were crafted from five real human teeth, taken from different people, and held together with a gold band and tiny pins. The level of detail and effort that went into this is remarkable.

What makes it even more fascinating is that, until this find, early dentures were mostly known from old written descriptions. This was the first real physical evidence showing how people actually made them centuries ago. Researchers even found tartar on both the teeth and the gold, proving someone wore this for a long time.

It’s a reminder that dental problems—and creative solutions—have always been part of human life.

11/12/2025

A knocked-out permanent tooth can be saved — but you must act quickly. The best chance of success is when treatment starts within 30–60 minutes. Here’s what to do right away:

1. Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown (the white part you see in the mouth). Never touch the root.

2. Rinse gently with clean water if it’s dirty. Do not scrub or remove any tissue attached.

3. Put it back into the socket if possible and gently bite on a clean cloth to hold it in place.

4. If you cannot reinsert it, store it in milk, saline solution, or inside the person’s cheek to keep the root cells alive.

5. Go to a dentist or emergency room right away.

This applies only to permanent (adult) teeth. Baby teeth should never be put back into the socket, because doing so can damage the developing adult tooth underneath.

🔹Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice.

10/12/2025

10/12/2025

Many parents instinctively blow on a baby’s hot food to cool it down. It feels harmless, but tiny saliva droplets can carry harmful oral bacteria. The main concern is Streptococcus mutans — the primary bacteria responsible for dental caries (tooth decay). When this bacteria is transferred into a child’s mouth before their natural oral microbiome is fully developed, it can start colonizing early.

Once S. mutans establishes itself, it feeds on sugars from milk, juice, or snacks and produces acids that damage enamel. This significantly increases the risk of Early Childhood Caries — one of the most common and preventable childhood diseases. Babies and toddlers are especially vulnerable because their enamel is thinner and still developing.

Simple prevention steps matter. Allow food to cool naturally, use separate utensils, and avoid sharing spoons, bottles, or pacifiers. These small habits support healthier oral bacteria balance and protect your child’s smile from preventable decay.

05/12/2025

A new study shows that children born to vitamin-D-deficient mothers are more likely to develop tooth decay in their first years of life.

Vitamin D is essential for proper enamel formation before birth. When maternal levels are low, developing baby teeth may mineralize poorly, resulting in weaker enamel that is more vulnerable to early childhood cavities.

Researchers at Zhejiang University in China followed more than 4,000 mother–child pairs and observed a consistent pattern: higher maternal vitamin D throughout pregnancy was linked to fewer cavities and healthier smiles in early childhood.

Screening and improving vitamin D during pregnancy — through safe sunlight exposure, balanced nutrition, and doctor-guided supplementation — may help protect children from cavities before they are even born.

Source:
Xu N, Chen Z, Wang B, et al. Vitamin D Levels During Pregnancy and Dental Caries in Offspring. JAMA Netw Open. 2025

03/12/2025

Although root canal treatment has long been recognized for its ability to relieve dental pain and preserve natural teeth, new evidence suggests its benefits may extend far beyond the mouth. A recent study indicates that this routine dental procedure could also help reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Published in the Journal of Translational Medicine, the study evaluated whether treating apical periodontitis (AP)—a bacterial infection of the dental pulp that can drive widespread inflammation—could positively influence blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and other systemic inflammatory markers.

Researchers tracked 65 adults for two years after receiving root canal therapy for AP. More than half demonstrated meaningful health improvements, including better glucose control, improved lipid profiles, and lower inflammatory markers.

These findings highlight a promising connection: resolving chronic dental infections may support cardiovascular and metabolic health, underscoring the importance of timely root canal treatment for whole-body well-being.

📄 Research paper:
Zhang, Y., Le Guennec, A., Pussinen, P. et al. Successful endodontic treatment improves glucose and lipid metabolism: a longitudinal metabolomic study. J Transl Med 23, 1195 (2025).

25/10/2025

774 likes, 11 comments. “Criminal invented the toothbrush? 😲”