Parents often wonder when is the right time for their children to visit dentist. In general, there is a “six months after the first tooth eruption” rule. Why is it imp0rtant to take your kids to the dentist’s before their first birthday? It is the best way to prevent common issues such as tooth decay and parents can learn how to clean their children’s teeth properly. Taking a child to the dentist’s at young age usually leads to a lifetime of proper oral care habits; children can acclimate to the dental office, therefore fear and anxiety is reduced.

The smile of those who are lazy about brushing and flossing cannot be saved by any toothpaste! But those acting exactly as per their dentist’s advice, the correct gel or toothpaste can prevent stained teeth, gum pain, cavities and other such dental problems. Choosing the best toothpaste from among the available brands can be quite difficult, because there are innumerable choices. The first and foremost thing you can do is to ensure that the paste has the seal of your country’s FDA, which indicates that the product is tested. And you should also keep in mind that the flavor of the toothpaste has nothing to do with effectiveness of your dentifrice.

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Amalgam filling was used to fill dental cavities since ages and just till one and a half century ago. Half of it is made from mercury while the rest is made from other material like tin and silver. Dentists were always in its favor because it was the strongest and longest-lasting dental filling, besides being the cheapest one. However, during the last two decades mercury has been labeled as an environmental hazard and is considered to be associated to kidney and brain damage, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. In January 2013 the Minamata Convention, a treaty by the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) committed itself to minimizing the usage of mercury across the world, including in dentistry. From all this, those of you having amalgam fillings in your teeth may wonder about what to do. But don’t worry; there is some relieving news for you.

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Sometimes you may feel guilty for your inappropriate oral hygiene that could result in damaged gums and teeth. Below mentioned are some of the poor oral health habits that you might have to change for your good.

Mouth ulcers (also called oral ulcers/ canker sores) are small open wounds inside the oral cavity caused by a physical damage to the thin mucous membrane lining the mouth. These sores may occur on the inner walls of the cheeks, on the tongue (tongue ulcers), inside of the lips, inside the mouth and, at time, even in the throat. Mouth ulcers first appear as blisters or tiny bubbles but gradually fester into open wounds and patches that are capable of causing extreme agony to the patient.
Mouth ulcers are caused by a physical trauma to the mouth. This trauma may be self-inflicted e.g. accidentally chewing/biting of the cheek or tongue while eating food, habit of biting the inner side of the lip with teeth, or over-enthusiastic brushing action which causes damage to the mucous membrane. At times, dental work may also cause damage to the mucous membrane, if the dentist is not cautious with his tools, though they usually do apply a protective layer of jelly to provide protection against accidental injuries.