Dr-Rasheed's Oral & Dental Surgery

20/12/2025

🚨 A Dental Infection Can Become a Medical Emergency

A dental abscess is not just a local tooth infection. It is a pocket of bacteria that can break through surrounding tissues and enter the bloodstream if left untreated.

Once oral bacteria spread beyond the mouth, they can trigger a systemic inflammatory response known as sepsis. This condition disrupts normal organ function and can rapidly become life-threatening without urgent medical care.

Warning signs may include facial swelling, fever, difficulty swallowing, fatigue, or a rapidly worsening toothache. These symptoms should never be ignored.

Early dental treatment—such as drainage, root canal therapy, or extraction—can stop the infection at its source. Oral health is closely linked to overall health, and timely care can prevent serious, avoidable complications.

20/12/2025

Did you know a tooth can keep growing if it loses its opposite partner?

This condition is called supra-eruption (also known as overeruption). It occurs when a tooth continues to move out of the gum and supporting bone beyond its normal position, causing it to appear longer than neighboring teeth.

It most commonly happens after tooth loss or extraction. Without normal biting contact, the tooth is no longer held in a stable position and slowly erupts further.

Over time, supra-eruption can disturb bite alignment, expose sensitive root surfaces, and increase the risk of decay and gum problems—making future dental treatment more complex.

Early replacement of missing teeth, such as with dental implants, bridges, or partial dentures, helps maintain proper bite balance. Regular dental check-ups allow early detection, when treatment is simpler and more predictabl

20/12/2025

Missing Teeth Can Make Your Face Look Older

Teeth are not just for chewing. Each tooth sends daily pressure to the jawbone. When even one tooth is lost, that stimulation stops, and the bone underneath slowly begins to shrink.

As the bone shrinks, facial support is lost. Over time, the face can look shorter, cheeks may sink, lips appear thinner, and wrinkles around the mouth deepen—making the face look older.

Losing multiple teeth accelerates this process. More missing teeth mean greater jawbone loss, faster facial collapse, and more visible changes in face shape and aging.

Replacing missing teeth early—especially with dental implants or well-fitted prosthetics—helps restore stimulation, protect the jawbone, and preserve natural facial structure and long-term oral health.

20/12/2025

Most people brush their teeth every day—but the tongue often gets ignored.

Overnight, the tongue accumulates bacteria, dead cells, and food debris that brushing alone may not remove. This buildup is a common cause of morning breath and reduced taste sensation.

Tongue scraping is a simple, evidence-supported oral hygiene practice that helps clear this surface coating. When done gently and regularly, it supports fresher breath, improved taste, and better overall oral cleanliness.

Rooted in traditional medicine and supported by modern dental science, tongue cleaning is not a full-body detox—but it is an effective way to reduce harmful oral buildup.

For best results, use tongue scraping alongside brushing and flossing as part of a complete daily oral care routine.

19/12/2025

17/12/2025

Celebrating my 11th year on Facebook. Thank you for your continuing support. I could never have made it without you. 🙏🤗🎉

17/12/2025

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.

16/12/2025

Higher maternal vitamin D levels throughout pregnancy are linked with lower odds of early childhood tooth decay in offspring, according to a large cohort study tracking over 4,000 mother-child pairs.

Researchers measured maternal plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D across all trimesters and found those with higher levels had children with fewer cases of early childhood caries by age 6.

Vitamin D plays a role in calcium/phosphate balance and enamel formation during tooth development and may support local immune defenses against cariogenic bacteria, making adequate levels particularly important in the second and third trimesters when primary tooth mineralization occurs.

These findings emphasize the importance of prenatal nutritional screening and maintaining sufficient vitamin D through diet, safe sunlight exposure, or supplementation as part of comprehensive prenatal care to help reduce future childhood tooth decay risk.

📄 Source:
Xu N, Chen Z, Wang B, et al. Vitamin D Levels During Pregnancy and Dental Caries in Offspring. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(12):e2546166. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.46166

16/12/2025

When a tooth is lost, the jawbone beneath it no longer receives stimulation from chewing. As a result, the body begins to break down the unused bone — a process called bone resorption.

Research shows that up to 25% of the jawbone can be lost within the first year if a missing tooth is not replaced. This bone loss mainly affects the alveolar bone, which supports the teeth, and it progresses most rapidly during the first 6–12 months.

Over time, bone loss can lead to shifting teeth, bite problems, facial changes, and difficulty placing dental implants later. What starts as a single missing tooth can gradually affect overall oral health.

Replacing missing teeth early — especially with options that restore chewing forces — helps preserve jawbone strength, facial structure, and long-term dental health.

09/12/2025

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09/12/2025

Tooth decay and gum disease are not just dental problems — they are two of the most widespread diseases in the world, affecting most of the global population, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Nearly every adult will experience cavities at some point, and most will develop some form of gum inflammation. These conditions start quietly with dental plaque: a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on teeth and along the gumline.

When these bacteria feed on sugars in our diet, they produce acids that break down enamel, leading to dental caries. At the same time, plaque irritates the gums, causing gingivitis — redness, swelling, and bleeding when brushing. If untreated, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis, where the supporting bone and tissues around the teeth are destroyed, leading to loose teeth or even tooth loss.

The good news is that these diseases are largely preventable. Brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between teeth, reducing sugar intake, and visiting the dentist regularly can protect oral health for life. Caring for your mouth does not just save your teeth — it supports your overall well-being, because oral health is linked to heart health, diabetes control, immunity, and quality of life.

03/12/2025

A new 21-year study from the University of South Carolina has found that people with both gum disease and tooth decay face an 86% higher risk of stroke compared to those with healthy mouths — even after accounting for smoking, diabetes, and other cardiovascular factors.

Researchers followed nearly 6,000 adults over two decades and discovered that chronic oral inflammation and bacterial infection may trigger changes in blood vessels and increase the likelihood of clots — a key cause of ischemic strokes. Poor oral health doesn’t just harm teeth; it may silently strain the brain and heart.

The study also revealed that individuals who visited the dentist regularly were 81% less likely to have both gum disease and cavities, and 29% less likely to have gum disease alone. Routine scaling, professional cleanings, and early treatment of cavities could play a major role in reducing stroke risk.

🔬 Source:
🔍 doi:10.1212/WN9.0000000000000036.