Essential things everyone should know regarding discolored tongue

Tongue – The muscular organ that helps us to speak, taste the food items we eat and helps us in a diverse manner. It is made up of a group of muscles and covered with a pink tissue called mucosa.  Besides this, the tongue comprises with small nodules named Papillae which holds the taste buds.

A healthy tongue appears in pale pink color. The frequent usage of tongue stains the tongue as well as our teeth. You may notice people with white, yellow, brown and black colored tongue.

Such discolorations occur due to the accumulation of dead skin cells, bacteria on the tongue surface. Apart from this, various factors are related to the discolored tongue. Dr. Hussain Al Saleh, one of the best dentists in Dubai has explained them in this post.

What are the factors behind a white tongue?

In general, various disorders are linked to the white patches that appear on the tongue. They are as follows:

• Oral thrush – It is a kind of a yeast infection which causes white patches in various parts of our mouth like lips, gum layers along with tongue. This occurs as a side effect of certain antibiotics and medications. People who wear dentures are highly prone to oral thrush.
• Leukoplakia -  This is a condition that induces the excessive growth of cells. With the increased number of dead cells, the larger is the white colored patches on the tongue. Smokers and people who consume tobacco products are vulnerable to his complication.
• Oral lichen Planus – It is also a health disorder which leads to a white colored tongue but the root cause of this issue is not yet identified.

What causes a yellow tongue?

• Jaundice – Jaundice is a condition which makes certain parts of our body turns yellow.  If you notice yellow spots on your tongue, visit your Doctor immediately because it may be a symptom of liver disease or a bile duct blockage.
• Excess of Bilirubin – Bilirubin is a yellow pigment that produces due to the rupture of red blood cells. If our liver does not function properly, the pigment will not be removed efficiently. It leads to an increase of bilirubin in the blood and causes yellow patches on the skin, tongue, etc.

What makes our tongue appear black in color?

• Bacteria – Bacterial deposition is the main reason for the black colored tongue. Oral complications like dry mouth accelerate this problem. 
• Smoking - Nicotine present in cigarettes are powerful to dirt our lips as well as the tongue.
• Bismuth – Antibiotics which contain Bismuth like Pepto-Bismol cause hairy black tongue. 

People who receive chemotherapy treatments, who have diabetes also have high chances of the black tongue.

Why does your tongue appear dark red in color?

• Kawasaki Syndrome – This disease affects the blood vessels of our body. When the blood vessels are infected, they are inflamed and obstructs the blood flow. This in turn, causes swelling and redness in the body parts like tongue.
• Vitamin Deficiency – People who are deficient in Vitamin B-12 and folic acid have higher chances of the reddish tongue.
• Geographic Tongue – This is a condition that causes red spots on various spots of the tongue like a map structure. As it is harmless, you don't need worry. If it persists more than 2 weeks, visit your Dentist.

Poor Oral hygiene, smoking, alcohol consumption, imperfection in fitting dental instruments, certain oral complications are the main reasons for tongue discoloration. The above-mentioned factors take advantage of the bacterial growth and discolor our tongue at faster rates. 

We recommend everyone o include tongue cleaning as a part of your daily dental hygiene routine.

If you encounter tongue discoloration for many weeks or months, consult your Doctor because it may be a symptom of serious diseases like liver disorders, AIDS, etc.

5 essential tips to care for your Invisalign

Invisalign is a transparent orthodontic appliance that aids one in his/her journey to get a corrected smile. If you think that the clear retainers are opted for correcting small orthodontic problems alone, then you are not aware of the advanced series of the Invisalign braces. 

The advancements in Dentistry have brought modern clear retainers like Invisalign i7. It consists of 7 aligners and needs to be worn for just 14 days. Yes. The duration of the smile correction treatment is just 2 weeks with this. 

To know more information on the latest Invisalign retainers, visit our dental clinic in Dubai. We are ready to answer your queries.

In this blog post, Our Orthodontists have shared the important tips to care your Invisalign during orthodontic treatment.

Invisalign aligners caring tips

Unlike metallic braces, the clear aligners are more convenient and work effectively to correct your misaligned teeth and crooked smile. Keeping the Invisalign clean is an important part of the orthodontic treatment.

This is because bacterial invasion or damage to the braces prolong the treatment. Follow the Invisalign care tips given by the expert orthodontists in Dubai here.

1) Rinse the Invisalign

Whenever you take the Invisalign out from your mouth, rinse it well with lukewarm water. 

Avoid washing or rinsing the brace with water in extreme hot or too cold temperatures. If you clean with hot water, it will damage or discolor the orthodontic appliance. Likewise, the shape of the Invisalign distorts when you clean with hot water.

2) Don't forget to soak the Invisalign

Similar to dentures, Invisalign also needs to be soaked when you do not wear it for a while. Utilize the denture or Invisalign cleaning solutions available in the market. Otherwise, get the cleaning solution suggested by your Dentist.

Don't use mouthwashes to soak the Invisalign because ingredients in the liquid may damage the clear brace.

3) Brush the Invisalign without Toothpaste

Cleaning the retainer is important to extract the colonization of bacteria. This will help you to prevent plaque build up on the braces. 

Hence you need to regularly clean and brush the orthodontic  retainers. While brushing, don't use toothpaste. Similar to mouthwashes, certain ingredients in toothpaste are also scratches or marks on your retainer.

4) Clean your Teeth

Maintaining an effective dental hygiene is also a part in the orthodontic treatment. The Invisalign wearer should efficiently brush and floss his/her teeth to eliminate the germs clung to his/her teeth.

Otherwise, it will lead to plaque and tartar buildup under the aligners. It ends in tooth decay.

5) Avoid eating with Invisalign

Certain food items and colored drinks leave their mark on the retainer. It discolors the Invisalign. Similarly, the chances are higher for the food debris to stuck between the teeth and the retainer. Then it produces an unpleasant odor.

Conclusion

While purchasing the cleaning solutions or soaps to clean Invisalign, take a look whether the product contains abrasive materials or not. It is recommended to get the cleaning product after consulting your Orthodontist.

Apart from cleaning the Invisalign, keep a kit to carry the clear brace. It will help you to protect the orthodontic appliance from damage or cracks while traveling.

Dental procedures to repair a broken tooth

Our teeth are covered by a hard covering called Enamel. It is the hardest and most mineralized tissues in our body. Inspite of the sturdy outer covering, the teeth are vulnerable to chip, crack or even broken. Such fractured tooth leaves the sufferer with distinct discomfort levels and affects the smile aesthetics.

Broken tooth occurs when our teeth encounter an abnormal pressure or hit while biting a hard particle, falling down and due to other mundane accidents. Besides injuries, broken tooth occurs followed by teeth weakening due to decay, bruxism and other nutrition deficiencies.

With the advancement in Dentistry, restoring a broken tooth is possible as well as missing teeth replacement. Here are the dental solutions available to restore fractured (broken) teeth given by our Specialist Dentists in Dubai.

How does a Dentist revamp a chipped tooth?

Dental fillings, Tooth Crowns, Porcelain Veneers and Root Canal Treatment are the dental restoration options utilized to restore a chipped tooth.

Depending on the depth of the damage, a Dental Doctor chooses the appropriate restoration option.

Craze lines – It is just a minor crack on the tooth enamel. Such minor cracks do not require treatment. If you feel rough on the tooth surface, then visit your Dentist. Dentists treat the crazy lines by polishing the damaged region to extract the rough spots.

Chip – Minor cracks do not require restoration works. It rarely needs dental treatments. However, it is better to visit a Dentist for chipped teeth. This is because chipped teeth require little repairing works like polishing the chipped region to make it smooth.

Cracked tooth – A crack or fracture occurred in a tooth requires immediate treatments. This is because the crack remains in its place but develops to reach the end of the tooth root. Hence it is better to cement the crack with bonding materials and fillings. In certain cases, cracked teeth require dental crowns for restorations.

Split tooth – Back molar teeth have higher chances of split vertically. As there are two roots for a molar tooth, Root Canal Treatment is mandatory to extract the damaged root and to preserve the other. Then a tooth crown is mounted on the split tooth to restore its natural appearance.

Serious breaks – If the injury is quite deep and it exposes the inner dentin and tooth nerves, then Endodontic treatment (Root Canal Therapy) is essential to preserve the tooth. It is followed by placing a dental crown on the damaged tooth.

Split root – In this case, the crack begins in the root of a tooth and develop upwards towards the chewing surface. It is quite difficult to preserve a tooth with split root as it is infected in the root surface. Hence a Dentist will remove or extract the tooth to prevent infection.

Tooth broke by cavities – When the tooth decay becomes worse, it is followed by a crack in the tooth. Restoration options are chosen as per the seriousness of decay obtained by the Dentist. In certain cases, prevention is not possible and tooth extraction is required for such decay induced breaks.

Tips to care for broken tooth before visiting a Dentist

Home remedies for chipped tooth are not effective as treatments provided at a dental office. But they are essential to keep the chipped tooth until you get oral care treatments.

• Put the chipped portion of the tooth in a cup of water or milk. You should keep the humidity of the tooth until it is bonded. 

• Rinse your mouth with the salt water solution to prevent infection.

• Cover the sharp edges of the cracked tooth with dental wax or (sugarless) chewing gums. This is because the sharp edges may hurt the cheep, lip and other surrounding soft tissues.

• If there is any bleeding, then apply pressure with a piece of a soft cloth or bandage for few minutes. This will help to minimize the bleeding.

• Apply ice cubes or ice packs on the cheek over the chipped tooth side in order to reduce swelling.

• If the ice pack does not help to relieve the pain, then use over-the-counter medications like Tylenol.

Conclusion

No one can treat or restore a fractured tooth without visiting a Dental Clinic. We suggest you apply the tips for pain relief but visit your Dentist immediately when you encounter any unexpected accident that leaves you with a chipped, cracked or broken tooth.

Get a glowing smile with Dental Jewellery

We have the desire of presenting ourselves individually to stand out from the crowd. Piercing ears, tattoos piercing on different parts of the body are some instances to attain that. A sparkling smile also helps you to draw people's attention towards you.

Your smile is powerful to build new relations and boost your self-esteem. Consider what will happen if you decorate your teeth? It will offer you a glittering smile.

Dental Jewellery is the approach that will help you to procure such a shining smile. We hope that you may know that. If you are not are of this, scroll down to read this.

What is Dental Jewellery?

Dental Jewellery otherwise known as Tooth Jewellery is an approach involved in Cosmetic Dentistry for smile makeover. It involves bonding a dental accessory like gemstones on the front surface of a tooth. 

It is a dental approach applicable only for decorative purposes. You can get a range of jewel stones like crystals, diamond, gems, gold and much more nowadays.

Based on your choice of jewel material, your Cosmetic Dentist will adhere it to the prescribed tooth surface.

What is the procedure involved in Tooth Jewellery?

In earlier days, the process of fixing stones on teeth requires drilling. Then it is followed by adhering the jewel with the help of a bonding material. It has the risk of damaging the enamel or permanently break the tooth. Besides this, the bonded jewel cannot be evacuated.

The advancement of technologies has made this more flexible and reversible as well as other smile makeover treatments.

Nowadays, Dental Professionals do not drill the teeth for this cosmetic dental treatment as they have special glue as a bonding material to bond the jewel. The jewels are generally small in size and have diameter 1.8 mm to 3 mm and their thickness range from 0.4 mm to 0.9 mm. 

Beginning with cleaning the teeth, your Dentist adheres the jewel on the tooth surface. It is followed by exposing laser light to harden the jewel.

How do you care your tooth that contains jewel?

In general, the dental jewels are not durable as composite fillings. They can stay or last for 6 months to few years. Your dental hygiene routine determines the durability and lifetime of the jewel stones.

As the stones are minimal in size, they will not impede your brushing and other teeth cleaning routine.

Note:

You should not utilize electric toothbrush to clean your teeth for 24 hours after fixing jewel on your teeth.

In case, if you swallow the jewel stone, don't worry. They don't have any sharp edges or chemical (the stones are made up of acrylic, glass or other metals). Hence they will not harm your health. Your body will excrete the swallowed material as usual.

Similar to teeth whitening, gum whitening and teeth polishing, tooth jewelry also offers you a charming smile by making your teeth glittering. 

If you like to bond a jewel on your teeth, visit a Dentist who is specialized in Cosmetic Dentistry.

Gum Bleaching – What it is and What will you get with it?

Similar to the skin tones, the gum tones also vary for each person. You may see black or dark purple gums in some person. The darkening occurs due to aggravation in the gum tissues. Other than infection in the gums, there are few factors that cause black spots or darkening of gums.

Why does the gum appear dark in color?

In general, melanin is the pigment which is responsible for the dark color skin. It makes your gums also appear darker. Black gums produced by the higher amount of melanin production is a natural thing. Hence it is not necessary to worry or suspect it.

Melanocytes are the cell present in our body. It produces the melanin pigment. Other than the natural production of melanin, few of your habits increase the melanin production which leads to the gum discoloration.

Smoking and taking certain medications for a long time are the main reasons that trigger the increased amount of melanin pigment. Dental health specialists say that the rise of melanin production due to smoking is "smoker's melanosis".

If your gums are not darkened because of the mentioned reasons, then there may be a disease behind that. They include:

• Gingivitis (or other gum diseases)
• Addison's disease – It lacks the hormone production by affecting adrenal glands
• Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome – It causes blue or brown freckles on the skin including gums. It occurs due to a genetic disorder and causes polyps or cancer.

Gum whitening Treatments

Similar to teeth whitening treatment, it is possible to whiten your gums at a dental office. They are also known as Gum depigmentation or Gum bleaching.

An earlier approach to whiten the gum involves scraping away the gum with a rotary tool in order to remove the black patches. It causes intense pain and the healing process will take a long time.

Today, you can get advanced 4 Diode laser treatments to whitish your gum at many dental clinics.  With this treatment, the melanocytes are treated by the laser in order to reduce the production of melanin pigment.

It is painless and you do not encounter any discomfort during treatment. The laser treatment requires maximum 45 minutes to bleach your discolored gums.

Laser Gum Bleaching is highly preferred by people and dental health specialists also suggest it due to its convenience.

What can you expect after gum beaching?

The following things are not uncommon that arise followed by laser depigmentation. Don't worry or scare about these.

•        Some oozing of blood that comes out by mixing with saliva
•        Swelling
•         Light blood bleeding
•        Soreness or tenderness in the mouth
•        Sensitive gums
•        Discomforts in eating, speaking

As the thin and darkened layers on the gums are removed, a new tissue gets develop during the healing period. The new tissue appears pink in color.  The above discomforts are common and last until the treated gums heal. Generally, the whitened gums require 2 weeks to heal.

Gum Whitening Aftercare Tips

 Important tips to be followed after depigmentation of gums or gum whitening suggested by our Specialist Dentist in Dubai are as follows:

• Take the medications prescribed by your dentist. The medications will help you to reduce the inflammation or swelling followed by the laser treatment.
• Avoid spicy and hot foods for the first 3 days after the gum bleaching treatment.
• It is very important to avoid smoking for the first 7 days after the gum whitening treatment. 
• Keep your mouth clean with an effective dental hygiene routine program.
• Don't rinse your mouth on the day of the gum whitening treatment even after the treatment gets completed.
• Reduce your physical activity for many hours after completing the treatment. It will help you to speed up the healing process.

Similar to discolored teeth, discolored gums are also effective in diminishing the aesthetics of your smile. If you are embarrassed to deliver a beautiful because of the dark patches on your gum, don't worry. 

Just book an appointment with a Cosmetic Dentist to turn back your gums pink in color.

Why do you prefer Dental implants for Teeth Replacement?

Due to aging, the bone support of our teeth becomes weak. It makes the teeth fall down. Similarly, physical injuries also damage the inner tissues of a tooth and loosen the bone support which results in tooth loss. 

Missing tooth or lost tooth is one of the common dental issues with which most people are affected by.

Missing tooth is not just only a cosmetic issue. It will become a gateway for serious oral issues if it is left untreated for a while. People with missing tooth or teeth are at higher risk of facial deformities, gum diseases, etc. The chances are higher that the neighbor teeth of missing tooth also lose their bone support and fall down.

Hence it is important to fill the space with dental bridges or dental implants. You can also get single tooth dental implants to restore the missing tooth.

Benefits of single tooth implants over dental bridges

Both dental bridges and dental implants will help you to do teeth replacement and recover your beautiful smile.  

But in contrast, if we compare both the dental treatments, implant dentistry will stand top due to its benefits that are listed below:

• Dental implants restore the missing tooth without affecting the adjacent teeth. But in dental bridges, the adjacent teeth need to be minimized in order to support the cemented bridge.
• As years pass by, there is a subsidiary in the gum level present around the dental bridges. This makes the metallic base of the bridge becomes visible which affects the aesthetic of your smile. You will not encounter this defect or issue with dental implants or single tooth implants.
• The artificial tooth or teeth you got with implants are easier to clean when compared to bridges.
• In Dental implant surgery, a screw is inserted into the jaw through our gums. The bone integrates with the metallic screw after few days. This will act as a root for the artificial tooth (Dental implant) that assures the longer durability of the implant. Such tooth root and longer durability will not be provided by dental bridges.
• Dental implants give you the bite strength similar to that given by a natural tooth. But you can get only the half level of that strength with fixed dentures and dental bridges.

Disadvantages of dental implants

There are few disadvantages associated with dental implants that are as follows:

• Single tooth implants and Dental implants are quite expensive when compared to dental bridges.
• This requires dental implant surgery to fix the artificial teeth. The patient feels a slight pain in the implant site during the healing period which lasts for 6 to 12 weeks.
• The artificial tooth is covered with a dental crown to make the tooth appear like a natural tooth. Even though the implant lasts for many years, the crown lasts only 10 to 15 years.

Conclusion

Nowadays, most of the dental implants are Endosteal that fixes the implant in the jaw bone. This makes the implant comes along with you for your entire lifetime. 

Remember that the durability of the implants depends on your oral hygiene routine and your oral habits. You should be careful and follow certain measures like quit smoking for few days after the implant surgery to enjoy the benefits offered by the implants.