American Medical Association Family Medical Guide - American Medical Association [790]
Bottled water with added fluoride also is available. Try to drink eight glasses of water every day. Because the enamel on their teeth is still forming, children under 13 should have fluoride applied to their teeth every year. Your dentist may recommend using a fluoride mouthwash or tablets and may apply a fluoride gel to your teeth. In addition, be sure your entire family uses a fluoride toothpaste.
• Use disclosing tablets from time to time to monitor the effectiveness of your brushing and flossing techniques. Disclosing tablets contain a nontoxic red vegetable dye that temporarily stains plaque so you can see how well you are brushing and flossing your teeth. After brushing and flossing, chew a tablet and swish it around in your mouth for about a minute, spit it out, and inspect your teeth. Areas with plaque will be stained reddish pink. To remove the plaque, brush and floss these areas again until the stains are gone. Because the dye also stains the mouth and tongue, you should use disclosing tablets right before going to bed.
• See your dentist twice a year (or as often as he or she recommends) for an examination and cleaning. Regular examinations will help ensure that your dentist can detect and fill any new cavity before the decay spreads and treat any gum disease before it becomes serious. Your dentist will take X-rays of your teeth every year or two to look for potential problems that can’t be detected in an oral examination.
Going to the Dentist
See your dentist at least twice a year or as often as he or she recommends. (If you use tobacco products, if you are pregnant, or if you have diabetes or a weakened immune system, your dentist will recommend frequent oral examinations.) Regular examinations are necessary not only to detect and treat tooth decay but also to check your general oral health. Neglected teeth and gums are vulnerable to the various disorders described in this chapter and can increase your risk of developing infections that can enter the bloodstream and threaten your health. Dentures, like natural teeth, need to be checked regularly, and all dentures eventually wear down and need to be replaced. If you have a full set of dentures and have no problems with them, you still need to see your dentist regularly for oral examinations.
Dental Checkup
At your regular dental checkups, the dentist or hygienist will usually ask you questions about your general health before the dentist examines your teeth. This information is vital and may affect your treatment. For example, people who have some heart conditions and have a tooth removed, or any other treatment that causes the gums to bleed, have an increased risk of bacterial endocarditis (see page 593). To prevent this complication in people who are at increased risk, a doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics to eliminate any infection before the tooth is removed. Because stress can increase the level of glucose in the blood, people who have uncontrolled diabetes (see page 889) may become ill if they experience stress during treatment. The dentist will ask if you have any allergies, because people who have allergies may have a dangerous reaction to some drugs, such as penicillin. The dentist also needs to know about over-the-counter and prescription medications you are taking to help avoid possible harmful drug interactions. All dentists use universal precautions—such as wearing safety glasses, latex gloves, and a protective mask—to help prevent the possible spread of infection.
Dental examination
During a checkup, your dentist will examine your teeth for early signs of decay. He or she also will examine your gums and mouth for signs of disease or other problems. The dentist also may