As one of the five senses, none anchors a person's existence the way sight does. visual contact with other people and the environment gives a feeling of belongingness, of participating in the order of life.
A perfect set of pearly, white teeth compliments visual contact, sending hearts a-flutter with just a single smile. as most of us communicate, teeth is essential both for speech or aesthetic purposes.
when permanent, they are meant to last a lifetime, even outlasting your existence. Just as sight or a good set of teeth is valuable, their loss or deterioration is most devastating. the eye, the teeth and the other sense organs are meant to serve you for life.
Babies
Some tip:
when playing with the baby, hold the toys at least 30 centimeters away fromhis eyes. hang mobiles also at the recommended distance.
do not expose his eyes to direct sunlight. indoors, position his crib in such a waythat he does not face the glare and where the rays of the sun do not strike him.
when taking him for a walk, use the stroller`s canopy over his head or put abonnet on him.
to prevent a baby from inflicting injury on his own eyes (e.g, by poking orscratching), cut his fingernails short or put mittens on him.
when wiping his eyes, start from the corner nearest the nose bridge and gentlymove outward. always use clean towel, and use them only for his eyes.
if any of the baby`s ayes has a discharge, take him to a doctor immediately.if he has strabismus (crossed-, wall-, or wandering eyes), consult an
ophthalmologist immediately.
if he has any other eye abnormalities, consult a doctor.
Strabismus (Squint)
Strabismus occurs when the eye muscles do not work together causing a misalignment. The disorder is commonly known as cross-eye, walleye and wandering eye.
if untreated, strabismus can degenerate into amblyopia or lazy eye. the brain rejects the blurred image it receives from the defective eye and eventually the child stops using
that eye. vision is thus greatly decreased.
Treatment for squint and lazy eye: glasses, eye patch, eye drops or surgery. no child is too young to be examined for a squint.
Preschoolers
To protect the child's eyes from infection and accidents, teach him:
to avoid touching or rubbing his eyes, particularly when foreign matter ( e.g.,dust or sand particles; metal, plastic, or wood bits;eyelash) accidentally enters them.if he wants to touch his eyes (e.g.,to remove dried secretions), he must remember to first wash his hands thoroughly with soap and water.that sharp and pointed objects are dangerous. he must not play or run with them, or worse, poke them at someone else's eyes. for example, when handing over a pair of scissors, the handle, not the sharp end, must be pointed at the other person.Flex those eyes muscles:
Proper use of contact lenses Contact lenses are as practical as they are aesthetic. They do not cause many of the dis- comforts that eyeglasses do: weighing down on the bridge of the nose, fogging over when playing off and smashing to pieces. and contact lenses can correct some eye defects that glasses cannot.
Of course, contact lenses do have some disadvantages-the risk of eye infection is one but these can be eliminated with proper care and use. A main drawback of contact lenses, thought is that they have to be replaced frequently due to protein buildup: every 5 years for hard lenses and about 18 months for soft lenses.
Wearing contact lenses:
1.Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching the contact lenses. Rinse off traces of soap. 2.Take one lens, put it in the palm of your hand, and pour some drops of the saline solution to rinse it.
3.Repeat the rinsing process about twice more to remove all traces of the disinfecting solution (used for soaking the lens).
4.Put the lens on.
5.Take the other lens and repeat the procedure.
Inserting contact lenses:
2.remove lens from container & rinse thoroughly.
3.place lens on index finger.
4.keep both eyes open, while holding one upper lid open.
5.put on the lens.
Cleaning and storing the contact lenses:
1.Wash your hands and the lens container thoroughly with soap and water.
2.Wash the lens container thoroughly.
3.Remove the contact lens from one eye and put it in the palm of your hand.
4.Pour some drops of the cleaning solution, gently rub the lens, then rinse it with the saline solution.
1.wash hands properly.
2.wash lens container thoroughly.
3.take out lens.
4.place lens on palm of hand and place a few drops of cleaning solution ever lens.
5.rinse lens.
6.store in lens container by immersing in disinfecting solution.
5.rinse the lens by gently rubbing it in the cleaning solution.
6.pour disinfecting solution into the con- tainer and immerse the lens in it for strorage. 7.remove the other lens and repeat the procedure. (do not clean both lenses at the same time to prevent mixing them up.)
8.soak the contact lenses in a protein-removing solution at least once a week to clear away eye protein that has a accumulated on the lenses.
E Y E C A R E T I P... When outdoors, wear sunglasses that protect against ultraviolet light to prevent development on contract.
On Color Blindness...
*It is hereditary.
*It affects more males than females.
*It requires no treatment.
*Affected persons cannot see certain shades f colors.
Permanent teeth are meant to last a lifetime, so take very good care of them . There are 32 permanent teeth, 12 more than the primary teeth. As early as the age of 6 years, the first permanent molar erupt behind the second temporary molars. Because they don't replace the primary or temporary teeth, these first permanent molars are mistaken for temporary teeth. first permanent molars should be given equally extra good care, a they are key to good occlusion (bringing of the opposing surfaces of the teeth into contact). Toothbrushing and flossing help to keep the teeth and gums from developing plaque, and prevent plaque build-up and hardened plaque or tartar. toothbrushing also helps to massage the gums to maintain its health and integrity. Without toothbrushing, gums begin to be in- flamed and continue to worsen unless the regular habit of toothbrushing is resumed.
Brushing teeth
Brush your teeth if possible after every meal. Brush your gum margins with a soft but firm toothbrush. point the bristles at 45 degrees to the axis of the teeth and jiggle the brush so that the little space between the gum and the tooth is cleaned out. Do this systematically one or two teeth at a time so that all the gum margins and sides of teeth are clean. then place brush on chewing surfaces and brush with a to and fro movement. Do not hurry your brushing. instead brush about 160 strokes to make a thorough cleaning.
Hold toothbrush with the bristles
at 45 degrees to the gum margin.
Flossing
Flossing Floss your teeth nightly at bedtime before brushing your teeth . Flossing gets rid of food particles and dental plaque (an invisible film of bacteria) between teeth and in areas which the toothbrush cannot reach. do not force floss between teeth where the contact between them is much too tight. use a generous length of floss (about 30 cm) and wind each end around middle fingers. with the help of forefingers or thumbs place a taut stretch of floss between the 2 teeth. Slide floss gently along the side of one tooth up till the gum line and then back to the free end of the tooth. then floss the surface of the other tooth. Repeat this systematically until all the spaces between teeth have been flossed. Vigorous swishing after Snack
Snacking between meals must be followed by vigorous swishing with water between and around the teeth.
Role of diet and fluoride
Eat a balanced diet daily with foods from all three food groups:
1.Carbohydrates - rice, noodles,pasta, bread, potatoes, cereals, other starchy foods. 2.Proteins - beancurd, dried peas and beans, fish, poultry, red meat, milk, eggs.
3.Vitamins and minerals - fruit, vegetables. ensure that you have enough calcium-rich food (milk/cheese/yoghurt, dilis/sardines, beancurd, dried peas/beans, green leafy vege- tables) from young. Calcium is essential for building teeth (and bones).
A diet low in refined sugar helps to prevent tooth decay. so cut down on cookies, sweets, chocolates, sweet drinks and parties. sticky sweet foods like cookies that lodge in the teeth are worse than sweet drinks that do not stay long on the teeth. if you must take these foods, brush your teeth or at least rinse vigorously afterwards.
To prevent accidental fracture of teeth, do not bite hard nuts, bones or crab shells, and ice.
Role of fluoride
Fluoride act in three ways to protect the teeth against decay.
1.Fluoride in the drinking water is absorbed readily by developing and newly-erupted teeth from the birth of the child up to 12 years og age. it gets incorporated into the teeth during tooth formation, resulting in harder and more decay-resistant teeth.
2.Fluoride also works on the bacterial plaque. if high concentrations are applied to the teeth by a dentist, the growth of bacteria on tooth surfaces can be reduced and organisms killed. Lower concentrations, as in toothpaste,have an anti-enzymatic effect that results in reduced production of acid , therefore decreasing the incidence of tooth decay.
3. Fluoride in the saliva and from other sources like drinking fluoridated water and using toothpaste with fluoride allows fluoride ion uptake by the enamel and therefore inhibits erosion of enamel.
Dental check- ups
Dental check-ups are necessary at least every 6 months. it is a preventive measure. people with gum disease may need to see the dentist every 3 months. gum disease and tooth decay are silent diseases, only drawing and your attention by pain, and often too late and by then requiring high-cost preparative work. the dentist usually examines your teeth, gum, old fillings and other dental work present; looks for any unusual appearance of the soft tissues which may be due to other mouth disease. sometimes x- rays need to be taken. you will be advised on what need to be done and how to maintain your mouth at optimal health.
Normal tooth: 1.Crown
2.Enamel
3.Dentine
4.Gingival crevice
5.Gingivae C gums
6.Pulp
7.Cementum
8.Nerves & blood vessels
9.Root
10.Bone
Medical History
Your dentist needs to know your medical history before he begins treatment. if you are suffering from any diseases, are taking medication or are allergic to any drugs, please inform your dentist. this is especially so for those with history of heart disease, rheumatic fever, high blood pressure, diabetes or AIDS or those who are pregnant.
DO'S AND DON'TS
Tooth extraction:
Decayed teeth are usually extracted only as a last resort if they cannot be saved by some other dental procedure. but occasionally, even good teeth may have to be extracted if the jaw is too small and orthodontic treatment is necessary. So if you have just had a tooth extracted, here are some tips to help the wound heal painlessly and well:
To stop the bleeding, bite firmly on a folded sterile gauze for 5 minutes
Diseased tooth: 1. caries (tooth decay)
2. hardened plaque (calculus)
3. dead pulp
4. abscess
*to prevent the wound from bleeding again, for the next 12 hrs:
- Avoid drinking alcoholic drinks, hot water and doing vigorous exercise
- Avoid dislodging the blood clot which has formed in the wound. don't rinse vigorously in the area don't pick at it. the blood clot contain all the healing factor to close the wound.
- if bleeding start again, fold a clean tissue paper or handkerchief ang bite on it until bleeding stops.
*To prevent infection, the next day use a warm salt mouthwash twice a day or a chlor-hexidine mouthwash. you can start cleaning the other teeth in the area but avoid the wound.
*Diet. on the day of the extraction, eat what you can manage, using the teeth on the other side, so take soft food.
*Medication. take painkillers if necessary. take antibiotics and other medication if prescribed. the course of antibiotics must be completed once started, unless an allergic reaction occurs.
*see your dentist in 5 days to remove sutures (stitches) if any.
Care of dental fillings:
after a decayed tooth has been drilled to remove the decayed material, your dentist will fill the hole with `filling'. fillings may be made of white cementum, amalgam, or even gold.
*Amalgam fillings.after the filling is placed do not bite on that side for 24 hours, especially if the fillings are large and involve the sides of the teeth.
*Amalgam and white fillings. if the filling feels high do not bite on it. return to your dentist as soon as possible to adjust the high spot. Some white fillings can only be polished immediately.
Decayed teeth are usually extracted only as a last resort if they cannot be save by some other dental procedure.
Care of crowns & bridges:
*Clean crowns and bridges: the same way you clean your teeth. take care that the margins of the crowns where they meet the tooth surface, near the gum , are free from bacterial plaque. a special bridge floss or floss and threader should be used to clean under bridges daily.
Care of dentures:
*Removable dentures (false teeth) must be removed after each time you eat , and should be brushed clean.
*also brush your teeth and gums taking care to brush all sides of isolated standing teeth before replacing denture. denture wearers should keep a small pocket toothbrush.
*at night, clean dentures and teeth and place dentures in a denture cleaning solution over- night. it is advisable to remove dentures at night to avoid accidentally choking on them, to ventilate the gums and prevent tooth decay caused by bacteria in stagnant saliva under the denture borders.
*always ensure your dentures are well-fitting.
*remove dentures when participating in contact sports like rugby, hockey, soccer etc.
Care of braces:
*some pain or discomfort can be felt when the wires are first tightened, and there can be initial checks, and difficulty in cleaning teeth and chewing.
*avoid sugary/sweet foods since it is difficult to clean teeth properly.
*chop up food into smaller pieces.
*take painkiller if pain is unbearable on fracturing teeth.
*place dental wax on wires or orthodontic the brackets which cut into cheeks or lips.
*use an orthodontic toothbrush for cleaning the brackets and wires as well as the gum line. *See your dentist regularly for check-ups and cleaning every 3 months.
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