Corona Virus – and Infection control at the Dentist’s Clinic !
As your dentist, we at Partha really care about your safety and work hard to prevent the spread of infection in any way. Before you enter the examining room, all surfaces, such as the dental chair, dental light, drawer handles and counter tops, have been cleaned and disinfected and wiped clean with Spirit .
At Partha dental , we also may cover some equipment with protective covers, which are replaced after each patient leaves like chair covers etc.
Non-disposable items like the dental tools are cleaned and sterilized between patients.
Disposable dental tools and needles are never reused.
Infection control precautions also require all dental staff in our Clinics, who are involved in patient care to use appropriate protective equipment such as gloves, masks, gowns and eye wear when needed. After each patient, disposable gloves and masks are thrown away. Before seeing the next patient, everyone on the treatment team washes their hands and put on a new pair of gloves.
Your well-being is important to your dentist and dental staff. That’s why infection control procedures are in place at our dental offices across Andhra, Telangana and Karnataka!
What about the new coronavirus?
With so many news stories, it’s understandable to be concerned about the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Please know that the precautions we as your dentist already take every day , will help prevent the spread of infection in his or her dental practice also helps prevent the spread of COVID-19 in general.
Remember ———If you are ill with flu-like symptoms, you should reschedule your appointment immediately and inform our Clinic.
5. Apart from that , we also are screening patients for travel and signs and symptoms of infection when they update their medical history with us, in our dental clinic and Skin, Hair , Laser Clinics!
6. Taking temperature readings as part of the routine assessment of patients before performing dental procedures.
7. Making sure the personal protective equipment they use is appropriate for the procedures being performed.
8. Using a “rubber dam “ when appropriate to decrease possible exposure to infectious agents. 9. Autoclaving handpieces after each patient. 10. Having patients rinse with a 1% hydrogen peroxide solution before each appointment. 11. Cleaning and disinfecting public areas frequently, including door handles, chairs and bathrooms.
We at Partha expect our patients to arrive on time for their appointments rather than too early; removing reading materials, toys etc touched by others and scheduling appointments in such a way , that it minimizes contact with other patients in the waiting room so as to prevent the spread of Corona virus through exposure!
12. As of now , we are asking questions to screen patients for the corona virus disease when confirming appointments or they arrive for treatment could include if they have traveled abroad in the last 14 days or been in close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with or is under investigation for COVID-19 and if they have a cough, fever or shortness of breath.
As Dentists we encourage patients who answer yes to these questions to contact their primary physician as soon as possible to find out if they should be seen or tested.
If undertaking any dental treatment through our dentists at Partha Clinics, you can be absolutely sure that all the necessary and appropriate precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have been taken and our being taken everyday . It is a fast spreading flu like virus and good hygiene practices are the only way to safeguard ourselves against thus pandemic . Safety is surety !
Imagine talking to someone important and suddenly you realize you have bad breath, not only is it embarrassing to you imagine the plight of the person in front. Bad breath is a very common oral health problem, one that has connections to mouth, even stomach and intestines and the digestive tract , because all of these can give you bad breath! In medical terms it is called Halitosis and there is specific remedy for it other than just brushing and mouthwash!
Bad breath is common first thing in the morning (morning breath) or whenever you wake after a sleep, and doesn’t necessarily mean anything is wrong with you. However, in some people bad breath stays with them throughout the day and that is when it is a problem.
How can you tell if you have bad breath?
It can be hard to know if you have bad breath problem or halitosis, because it’s difficult to judge whether your own breath smells normal or not. You can try breathing out through your mouth into your cupped hands and immediately breathing in through your nose, or licking the outside of your hand or wrist, waiting a few seconds, then smelling where you licked. But mostly it is others who will tell you that your mouth smells and that when they speak ; they cannot stand that odor.
If you are concerned about your breath, it may be best to ask your dentist or doctor to assess you for halitosis. Although it may feel awkward asking that question, but getting a dentist to assess you for bad breath is absolutely OK and in fact you must get a professional opinion about your bad breath because sometimes it could be a symptom of some other disease that needs attention. The next question in mind is what exactly causes one to have bad breath and why do some of us suffer from it?
There are quite a few different causes of bad breath, ranging from simple oral hygiene issues, to health conditions that need medical or dental attention. Some causes are temporary while some need constant monitoring! The usual culprits are: –
smoking
drinking alcohol
eating certain foods – such as those high in garlic, onion or spices
sleeping – saliva helps keep your mouth clean and when you sleep you produce less saliva, so you can get bad breath after sleeping (especially if you breathe through your mouth – mouth breathing – rather than your nose).
trapped food – when tiny bits of food are trapped in the teeth, gums and tongue, they are broken down by bacteria that produce foul-smelling chemicals, giving out a really foul smell.
gum disease (periodontal disease); caused when a sticky film of bacteria (plaque) builds up between your teeth and gums.
mouth infections – unhealed wounds, tooth cavities (caries), abscesses, and other sores in the mouth like ulcers
dry mouth syndrome – if your salivary glands don’t produce enough saliva, this can cause a dryness of the mouth leading to a bad smell and subsequent bad breath.
being hungry or fasting can lead to bad breath too,
ongoing infections in the nose or throat
ongoing tonsillitis or sinusitis
infections of the lungs and airways
gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD) or acidity in simple words
severe kidney disease causing uraemia
medications – some medicines when they break down in the body release chemicals that cause your breath to smell;
Most people’s mouths contain large numbers of bacteria, especially in dental plaque, the substance that builds up on, and between, teeth that are not cleaned regularly. The crevices in the surface of the tongue can also contain odor-causing bacteria and hence tongue cleaning is important too!
There are certain things that aggravate bad breath , which are:-
not cleaning your teeth daily – this includes flossing as well as brushing
wearing dentures that don’t fit properly or aren’t cleaned regularly
allowing your mouth to get dry – this can happen if you don’t drink enough water, or you breathe through your mouth instead of your nose
consuming more of garlic, onions and spices
Excessive dieting too causes bad breath due to changes in metabolism.
Treatment
Treatment for bad breath depends on the cause. In some cases, improving daily oral hygiene habits like daily brushing and flossing more vigorously, for example – is all that needs to be done. However, if the problem does not go even with that and there is some issue with your teeth or gums, you may need to see a dentist.
Getting your teeth professionally cleaned and removing plaque can solve bad breath issues. Dentists can provide any necessary dental treatment, such as a filling if there is tooth decay where food gets caught and causes bad breath. They can also advise you on things you can do yourself at home, like use toothpastes or mouthwashes designed to kill bacteria in the mouth.
If you have had your mouth checked by a dentist and find you still have persistent bad breath, see your doctor. Depending on the suspected cause, they may refer you to a specialist who can further investigate the issue.
How to prevent bad breath?
There are some simple things you can do to help prevent bad breath and be free from this embarrassment.
Brush your teeth and tongue thoroughly at least twice a day, using good quality toothbrush and a fluoride-containing toothpaste, paying particular attention to the areas at the back of your mouth and gums. This prevents plaque building up and removes the tiny food particles that would otherwise collect in the mouth and start to smell.
Clean between your teeth at least once a day, using dental floss or a small interdental brush (available from chemists and supermarkets). This helps remove plaque from places where your toothbrush can’t reach. You can also use a tongue scraper to clean the back of the tongue.
If you wear dentures or other dental appliances, make sure you clean these thoroughly every day.
Avoid eating too many sugary foods and drinks, which encourage bacterial growth in the mouth, and are also a cause of tooth erosion.
Stop your mouth from getting too dry by drinking plenty of water and chewing healthy foods like carrots and apples that encourage your saliva to flow.
See a dentist regularly to help prevent problems with your teeth and gums.
If you are a smoker, consider quitting. Not only does it make your breath smell bad, it also stains your teeth and makes you more likely to get gum disease.
Too much use of mouthwashes can stain your teeth and fillings and provide only temporary relief, so the best option is to keep the mouth clean and visit a good dentist like the one at Partha Dental to check out the reason and exact treatment for ending this embarrassing problem of bad breath.
Leap year is a phenomenon that started with the Gregorian calendar and it comes once in four years. But in Indian Saka calendar one has to add 78 years to get to the next leap year and the fun is 2020 is a leap year in both the calendars. So that’s amazing as well!
We all know, that this adding of an extra day to the calendar – we call as a “Leap Year”, and the last one was in 2016!
It was the Roman king, Julius Caesar who introduced the extra day in 45 B.C. to simplify the calendar, and make up for that additional revolution of the planet. However, the rare and mysterious occurrence brought with itself many superstitions that continue to survive, even to this day!!!!!
Among these superstitions and strange notions include the refusal to make any significant changes in life such as starting a new venture, getting married or having a baby. The Philippines’ leading health institute called The Makati Medical Centre, even sent out flyers and wrote blogs on some of these popular but baseless myths. Here, in our blog we too are trying to debunk the most popular and strange leap year myths that are known today.
Unhealthy children are born during leap year / Genius children are born in leap year
Both of these are myths as children being healthy or unhealthy , genius or average are all dependent on their genes. Children born during a leap year are no different from those born in any other year and it is unscientific to think otherwise. Many parents believe that children conceived during a leap year will be over achievers , but again that is a myth.
But first things first. What exactly is a leap year? Many of us do not know that ……The earth revolves around the sun for 365.24 days. To take the extra hours into account, people used to observe a 355-day calendar with an extra month every two years. When Julius Caesar came into power, he ordered this system simplified to a 365-day year with an extra day every four years.
But, as the chances of being born on the leap day itself are odd , therefore those born on February 29thare referred to as “LEAPERS” OR “LEAPLINGS.”
It is unlucky /lucky to be born on a leap day
Well, it is as you believe, luck or bad luck are just relative phenomenon, and most businesses celebrate it as a day to offer a promotional trip or discounts.
Statistics show that trips are taken, jobs are changed and businesses flourish even during a leap day, so why should one turn down a great offer – like a fantastic new job, or even marriage alliance just for a change in date!
Get a gold tooth implant on the leap day – to get good luck for life !
Dentists will be very pleased to hear this myth as they will get many requests for gold tooth implants. It is surely a lucky day for the dentists, can’t say about the patients though! Luck has to do with hard work and focus and not just good or bad omens.
One must not have surgeries scheduled on 29 th Feb or the leap day, as they may go wrong
Take a minute to check in with any hospital emergency room and you will see, life is going on just as usual even on a leap day. So if you need a surgery, leap day or not ; just go for it!
According to an old Scottish phrase, “Leap year was ne’er a good sheep year!” The superstition that Leap Days are particularly lucky or unlucky has been debated through history and across cultures, and there’s still no clear winner. It is just your belief that changes a lucky day into an unlucky day and vice versa.
Many in South and eastern India, believe that we must do “Daanam” or charity on this day to ward off any evil effect of the leap year! Hey! Charity is good on any given day, leap year or not . Remember what they taught you in school- Sharing is caring !
Another myth is to not bring any new changes in the leap year –
Change is not good. It seems that everything from a simple personal makeover to starting up a business is taboo for this year. The internet is full of superstitious articles and blogs asking you to not begin anything new in a leap year. It is just a myth and absolutely baseless. For some reason, people are convinced that the leap year is entirely unsuitable for new beginnings. According to Dr. Rene M. Samaniego , who is a psychiatrist the reason for this is that , “….the leap year is not a routine thing and is something different , so people try to make it even more different by tagging it as lucky or unlucky . Psychologically , most people are afraid of anything ‘supernatural’ or “different” from what they’re used to, so superstitions like these are created, to subdue their own fears.”
There are more deaths in the leap year is another very powerful myth
Mortality goes up for the simple reason as there is one day extra!!!!! The leap year drives the belief that the mortality rate increases around the world, yet official statistics show that the number of people born or dying in a leap year remain in the standard average and we have yet to get sufficient data to prove this myth!
No weddings, new businesses or babies in a leap year is an absolute myth.
Infact, one can contrast this to the old tradition of women proposing on leap day in Ireland. It is said that, St. Patrick gave women a day in a leap year to ask the men for marriage – and this fell on the last day of the shortest month. So many young couples propose to each other on this day!
Another regrettable myth in South east Asia is that it is unlucky for old people to celebrate their birthday in a leap year and could lead to their deaths!
Older people shouldn’t celebrate their birthdays in a leap year is a sad myth apart from being terribly unfair to them, everyone deserves to have fun on their big day! Dr. Samaniego, of Philippines Institute says that “Telling our grandparents about this could actually affect them more, and cause them to be nervous and expect the worse. We shouldn’t give them unnecessary anxiety and cause them to get nervous and become unwell.”
Leap year is just another extra day in our lives to do all the things we love and are grateful for. This is not a day to become superstitious or avoid living our lives the way we want to! So, go out there enjoy your life, let not any myths and false beliefs hinder the way you live- be happy, be healthy always – even on leap days!
“A smile that launched a hundred ship!”, is said famously for the beautiful Helen of Troy, because when she smiled it enhanced her beauty so much! A smile is God’s gift to us and defines are personality. Whether it is a photograph or a video, the first thing that catches our attention is a sweet smile. But not everyone is so lucky to have a perfect smile. Some of us feel that we don’t look pretty because we have a crooked smile and when one is unhappy it is difficult to look and feel confident. Even taking photographs, talking to others, and meeting new people can all feel like a challenge especially if one does not want others to see your smile!
When you’re unhappy with your smile, it’s hard to feel self-assured and that can affect your performance in life and relationships too. With Partha clinics dental care Smile Designing or SD technique, you can get your confidence back while enjoying a more positive dental experience. Not all dental providers offer Smile Designing treatment options. It is limited to a small group of expert dentists and cosmetologists who are trained in smile designing . But before we can decide whether we need smile designing, let us know what SD or Smile Designing really is?
Just as the name suggests, Smile designing is nothing but a dental procedure of aligning your teeth and jaw to give you that perfect, symmetrical smile and those shiny, pearly teeth. First of all, using a #D Digital Smile Design scanners several photographs of your face and jaw is taken from several angles and then it is decided what exactly needs to change.
Smile designing, is a multipurpose dental treatment protocol that offers a number of advantages over other treatment options. The procedure begins with a more advanced way to diagnose issues with the structural components within the mouth and jaw, as well as an intraoral and extraoral evaluation to assess the aesthetics of the mouth and decide upon the course of treatment. Dental smile designing allows for greater interaction and consultation between the dentist and the patient so that both of them know what exactly is needed.
Before, the procedure the computer software gives a visual look alike of your smile after the procedure. The “before and after” visuals help you to understand how the smile will look eventually.
In so many years of experience of Partha Dental, most patients have been very comfortable with Smile Designing and have loved the easy predictability of the entire process. Through the use of computer aided dental and visual software, it is easier to predict accurate results and stick to the treatment plan with fewer surprises that pop up along the way. Throughout the entire process of Smile designing, the dental cosmetologist keeps tabs by taking videos and pictures to see the changes and improvements. It is in fact a very safe and desirable procedure that many young Indians are now seeking out.
Simply resolving functional issues with the teeth, gums, and jaws isn’t enough for most patients. People want to have beautiful smiles that help them feel confident and attractive. Your smile is important to the way you look and feel, so if you’re always trying to hide your teeth, you may be portraying yourself in a very poor way and hence, smile designing will change the way you look and the way other’s look at you!
Smile designing is very individualized treatment and requires the patient to have a good line of communication with the doctor. It is not a “one-size-fits-all” treatment plan and it isn’t going to provide the same results to each individual situation. The results are different in each individual and as per their requirements.
What happens if I don’t like the result?
With Smile designing at Partha dental Clinics, you are not limited to a single course of treatment. Instead, the focus is on what you want and need. Before making the decision to improve your smile, you have to understand and research all options and determining which will be the best for your needs. After you have made this decision, you should feel confident in your provider and aware of the next steps in the process. Miscommunication or a complete lack of communication can be a real problem in smile designing and hence go to a dentist and cosmetologist that you trust. Ask questions and be free to clear all your doubts about the procedure.
At Partha Dental Care Clinics, we are duty bound to perform the best job we can to the maximum satisfaction of our patients and try to provide the best treatment to each one! Infact, any patient is a good candidate for Smile designing treatment if he/she wants his/her smile changed. The concept is based on the analysis of the dental and facial proportions and what looks best. This happens through the use of high-quality 3D digital videos and photographs, allowing the dentist at Partha Dental Clinics to understand how the procedure will work and how the end result will look. If you’ve always wanted to change something about your smile, this is the time to bring up your wants and needs.
Do not be shy! Smile designing technology is here to stay and will help you to have that killer smile that you always wished for. It is easy and aided by digital software and can be done with ease in multiple sittings.
Most of us only go to a dentist when we are in pain , but there are some very important and interesting secrets that no dentist will ever tell you . The top 10 among them are these. Not only are these interesting but useful too. Have a look here…
1. Pain isn’t your biggest problem
You would rush to a dentist as soon as you have dental pain , but as any dentist would tell you , dental pain is not your biggest issue. Pain is the last pit stop. Just like any other body part, teeth too have to be kept healthy and primed. Cholesterol does not pain but it kills, similarly dental decay, infected gums, bad oral health can lead to heart issues and other diseases, even without feeling any pain. Look out for infection and not just pain. Pain is not your biggest problem, infection is!
2. Brush your back teeth more than the front
Many of my patients have periodontal disease affecting their back teeth, but their front teeth are fine. Evidently, most people brush only what they can see! Proper oral hygiene requires ten minutes of brushing and flossing every day. The average adult spends two or three minutes total, and kids do even worse and most of us only brush in front and not at the upper back of the teeth . The trick to healthy teeth is to have the right brushing technique for the back of your teeth as well.
3. Flossing is essential, not mouthwash
Most advertisements and dental hygiene ads focus on brushing and toothpaste but very few speak about flossing. Brushing doesn’t go deep enough into the gums to reach the plaque that causes bad breath. One needs to floss every day and get a professional cleaning done every few months. Using a mouthwash is good but not essential . A mouthwash with alcohol dries out your mouth—you’ll smell nice and minty for a half hour, but then the bad breath can come back , hence brush and floss
4. Don’t stress about germs on your toothbrush
There’s no reason to sanitize a toothbrush unless you’re sharing it with other people. Those UV devices and other germ zappers are totally unnecessary. The exception: Replace your toothbrush if you’ve been sick or have had mouth sores.
5. Truth about the toothpaste never told…
There’s no a limit to the ingredients that any toothpaste may have – from salt and clove oil to fluoride. But, what does a tooth paste really do? New whitening formula? It can get rid of surface stains, but it can’t whiten like professional bleach. Fluoride is good but it alone cannot strengthen your teeth as shown, that depends on the food you eat and your oral hygiene. Tooth paste is a good accessory to proper brushing but is not a great medicine or treatment in itself. Any tooth paste will work as long as your brushing technique is proper.
6. Baby teeth are not important
Most dentists will not tell you the truth but baby teeth, but it is more important than you think. Kids having cavities and teeth rotten down to the gums tend to have bad teeth even when they grow up . In fact, young kids with tooth problems and cavities often struggle in school due to pain and school days lost due to teeth troubles. They’re distracted and easily agitated. Teachers will say they have behavior problems too, but what they actually have is – toothache.
Many times dentists have to extract a lot of baby teeth that are abscessed or heavily decayed. Parents think there’s no reason to pay attention to baby teeth because they fall out. But when a tooth comes out prematurely, other teeth crowd in to fill up the space. Without the right treatment, it turns into a mess. So baby teeth as much attention as permanent teeth.
7. Cold drinks destroys your mouth more than you know
Soda in tall glasses with ice is a sure teeth killer, but no one ever told you that! It cuts through teeth. And it’s not just the sugar—it’s the acid that stains and ruins enamel and the teeth. Soda lowers the pH level of the mouth, and softens tooth enamel. The acidity of the sweeteners and the carbonation can lead to tooth decay.
8. Listen to the dentist not just Google
Most patients listen more to Google and the sites they read than the actual doctor. It is better to listen to the dentist and incase of doubt, go in for a second opinion from another dentist . trust your doctor and not just the web results because your doctor can accurately diagnose and treat your tooth problems. “Not everyone takes my advice”, says Dr John Sullivan , MDS, Utah College of Dentistry ‘ and it never helps them to go by Google alone!”
9. Dentist love it when you ask questions
Contrary to what you think, dentists like to explain to you what is wrong with your teeth and how to correct it ; provided you are eager to know. So, go right ahead and ask as many questions as you like about the tooth problem and what they can do about it , what is the cost etc , any good dentist , worth his salt will be more than happy to help and counsel you .
10. Brushing at night is mandatory
Even if no advertisement or dentist ever tells you this, brushing at night is more important than early morning brushing because the bacteria ruin your teeth at night while you sleep especially if there is lodged food particles, sugar extracts or milk remains, hence you must brush at night before you hit the bed to prevent dental decay . Dentists can only work rightly when you cooperate with them and good oral health is only possible when both patient and doctor work hand in hand .
Hence these are the top 10 secrets your dentist may not tell you explicitly but they are actually life changing , if you decide to follow them !
As a dentist, I am often asked a lot of questions about RCT and I am trying to answer the most common ones here in this blog post today . The very first question is usually about what exactly is RCT treatment?
A root canal treatment is a very common dental treatment for repairing damaged and diseased root canal inside a tooth. This RCT dental treatment aims to repair tooth by fighting infections within the soft, dental pulp and/or on the tooth. A dentist will essentially remove the infected or inflamed pulp from a tooth and clean the canals, filling them with a replacement agent that works to prevent further infection and then seal the tooth with filling agent and laser.
In this day and age, with a range of high tech technology and anaesthesias available, no dental treatment is as painful as before. An experienced clinic with a range of anaesthetics and pain-relieving agents often make this as painful as a pin prick only!
Most of the times the patients do not feel any pain during a root canal treatment, which means the procedure can be pain-free. At Partha Dental, we make sure you’re as comfortable as possible throughout the whole procedure with minimum discomfort.
The stages of tooth decay infographic. Dental toothache symbol. Illustration of tooth with caries pulpitis and periodontitis
Root canals are needed when the dental pulp or root canal of a tooth becomes infected or decayed beyond repair and this is established after a tooth x-ray. As a result, the tooth can also die off, leaving the entire jaw line in a weakened state. This usually occurs when teeth are not kept clean and bacteria in the mouth gets into the tooth and infects the pulp or cavities are left untreated.
A dentist is the only person who can truly advise you about whether or not a root canal is needed to save a tooth. Although each patient is different, some generic symptoms that require RCT are as follows. These symptoms show that the tooth pulp is diseased, these are / include the following:
Continuous pain in the teeth, gums or jaw
Over-sensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks
Loose tooth and/or swollen or inflamed gums
Evidence of pus around the teeth or gums
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should book an appointment with Partha Dental immediately as the more you delay , the more you will pay to save the tooth and the more extended will be the procedure.
5. What is a Crown?
Mass Image Compressor Compressed this image. https://sourceforge.net/projects/icompress/
A crown is like a ‘cap’ or a ‘cover’ that fits over the top of a tooth to protect it from breaking, cracking, chipping or splitting. In many cases, a tooth that receives a root canal treatment will often require a crown as well. This is because without the root, the tooth will be weaker and will hence need a crown to keep it strong and durable.
6. What If I Decide to Not Have a Root Canal Treatment?
If an infected tooth root is not treated, it can lead to more severe problems with the tooth, gums and jaw bone. If this occurs, a tooth extraction, along with other surgical treatments, may be needed, ruining the entire mouth and jaw line . A root canal treatment is performed to essentially save a tooth.
7. Won’t It Be Easier to Extract the Tooth?
Tooth extraction is considered a last resort if a root canal treatment is not feasible. In most cases, a tooth will only be extracted if it is beyond repair.RCT is a much cheaper and easier treatment than getting a tooth extracted and then getting an artificial one.
8. Will the Treated RCT Tooth Last Long?
Root canals are known as one of the best ways to preserve infected teeth. If you employ good oral hygiene practices, a treated tooth or teeth should last a long time and many can last for the remainder of a life. Most people only get an RCT done once and it stays !
After a root canal treatment (and a crown fitting, if you need one), a tooth/teeth and gums should function as normal and you shouldn’t notice any differences in the feeling or performance of an RCT tooth versus your NATURAL teeth.
Root canal diseases are often the result of poor oral hygiene and failure to meet regularly with a dentist. To lower a risk, you should brush and floss teeth twice a day, use a daily mouthwash and visit a dentist at least once every 6 months for a DENTAL checkup.
If you are experiencing any issues with a teeth, our friendly dentists are ALWAYS AVAILABLE at Partha Dental, with quick appointments facility available for patients with severe tooth pain or problems.
