Wisdom Teeth are not that pain in mouth as they have something useful after all!
The wisdom tooth you always thought was good for nothing but unnecessary pain may be worth something after all. It is a good source of stem cells. The soft pulp inside the wisdom tooth contains mesenchymal stromal cells,which are similar to those found in bone marrow,a common source of stem cells. Tooth pulp is more easily obtained than bone marrow,especially when it comes to wisdom teeth,which most people removed anyway.International studies conducted with stem cells extracted from wisdom tooth have shown tremendous promise in regenerating damaged bones,cornea and cardiac muscles.YOU don't necessarily have to remove the wisdom tooth to extract stem cells from the pulp.Usually,the pulp has million cells,20% of which will be stem cells. It can be extracted from a person between 17 and 30.Dental stem cells are very easy to extract. They have high quality of stem cells in them and can be applied for many regenerative applications.Scientists from Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology confirmed that third molars-commonly know as wisdom teeth are valuable reservoir of stem cells."Thus everyone might be carrying around his or her own personal stem-cell repository should he or she ever need some."

Use of Tobacco- an invitation to Oral Cancer!

What is oral cancer?

Oral Cancer is a disease that starts as an uncontrolled growth of cells in the mouth. It leads to disfigurement of the face, debility of body and eventually Death.

Oral Cancer is the most common of cancers in India with as many as 64,460 cases reported every year.That makes it as common as cancer of lungs,breast or cervix.the figure continues to rise rapidly because of bad oral habits such as Tobacco chewing, smoking,etc..

What causes oral cancer?

The main culprit is Tobacco whether in smoked form ( cigarettes,bidis,hooka,cigar,chillum)or in smokeless form ( Gutka,Paan with tobacco,tobacco toothpaste,Zarda,Kiwam,Manipuri tobacco,Gudhaku). Tobacco chewing is the biggest cause of cancer and has made cancer of Head and Neck the number one cancer in India.

India is the second largest producer of tobacco in the world and a large part of the production is consumed within the country.Tobacco worth Rs.24,000 crore is sold annually and the government has to spend Rs.27,000 crore annually on free health services to couter balance the harm it causes.

1 out of 10 indians adults dies of tobacco related diseases.

90% oral cancer are caused by Tobacco products.

The morbidity and mortality caused by tobacco exceeds its contribution to the revenue of the country.Tobacco is not only causing health hazards but also socio-cultural,economic,environmental and professional hazards. Tobacco is no more a personal affair but an epidemic that affects not only the addict but also the people and environment around
him.
WHAT ARE THE EARLY WARNING SIGNS?

• A white or red patch in the mouth or on the tongue.
• A painless ulcer which doesn't heal for over two weeks.
• Difficulty in eating,drinking and speaking.

If any of the above signs or symptoms appear, you must see your dentist immediately.

CAN I EXAMINE MYSELF?

YES,you can. In fact, it is strongly recommended because early detection can greatly increase the chances of a complete cure.

• Stand in front of a mirror in good light.
• Open your mouth wide. Look for small lumps or swelling, ulcers, a red or white patch.
• If you have dentures, take them out and inspect your mouth.
• Inspect the lips with your mouth both open and closed.
• Stick your tongue out and inspect the margins, as well as below the tongue.

If you see something that is unexplained, visit your dentist immediately.

HOW TO AVOID ORAL CANCER?

• Avoid bad oral habits like Tobacco chewing, gutkha and smoking.
• Eat a diet rich in fibre, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and dairy products such as buttermilk.
• Visit your dentist twice a year.
• Brush twice a day and maintain good oral hygiene.

Low cost vs. High cost Dentistry!!

Why there is difference in the cost of treatment?
Are Dentists compromising on the quality of treatment given to the patient by not charging the required amount?
Is it safe to compromise?
Are Dentists posing threat to themselves, their patients, society and their environment?
Is patient educated enough to know what is right or wrong?
OR patient just wants the work done at minimal cost without knowing the conseqences!
Are Dentists doing the authentic practices?
Should we (Dentists) not take a stand for the treatment we(Dentists) are offering?

These are some of the questions which both Dentist and Patient should ask from themselves
before giving and taking the treatment, respectively.

5 W and 1 H in Dental Practice!

WHY? People don't visit dentist!

WHAT? Stops them to visit dentist!

WHERE? People go first!

WHEN? People should go to a dentist!

WHO? should visit a dentist!

HOW? They should overcome their fears, apprehensions and hesitations!
People go either in pain or in emergency! WHY?

People go first to a chemist to have the symptomatic relief! They are self-medicating themselves and giving invitation to resistant bacteria which is a threat to the patient itself and other people too.

People go for curative treatment rather than preventive ! WHY?

People will be spending more for their nature of procrastination i.e., delaying the problem.
For example : 1) If the patient has a pit or small cavity in the tooth, he waits till he feels the pain rather than getting that small cavity to be filled. The result is - tooth has undergone so much decay that it can't be cured with simple filling and patient has to undergo R.C.T(Root canal Treatment) or Extraction of tooth! In a sense , patient has to spend more and has to suffer more pain just by delaying the treatment.
2) If the Child patient especially, during mixed dentition period i.e., 6-11 years of age has malaligned teeth then child should visit a dentist because some problems which can be prevented by giving appliances at that age ,can become serious problem later on .
3) If the patient has an edentulous space i.e., space created due to a missing tooth ,then one should go for artificial prosthesis as soon as possible. Otherwise, the other teeth adjacent to the created space will tilt or supraerupt into that space. In a sense, the whole dentition will get affected just by one missing tooth or to put it in other words , just by delaying the treatment.
" With delay or procrastination, you are inviting more trauma to yourself and to your pocket".
Visit your Dentist every six months. So that your Dentist might tell you the problem which you are not aware of.
Keep smiling!

STOP! Drinking "SOFT DRINKS" Now OR You will be looser

Guess! What's the pH of soft drinks?
It's 3.4 , the acidity is strong enough to dissolve teeth and bones. And you will be amazed to know that if you put a broken tooth in a bottle of any soft drink , it will dissolve in 10 days.Can you believe it ? On the other hand, the fact is teeth are the strongest part in your body which remains intact for years even after your death. Imagine what the drink must be doing to your soft intestines and stomach lining?
Our human body stops building bones at the age of about 30. So, you can imagine the effects of soft drinks on your teeth and bones. Soft drinks do not have any nutrition value in terms of vitamins and minerals. It is high in sugar content , carbonic acid, chemicals. colors etc. Our body needs an optimum temperature of 37 degree centigrade for digestive enzyme functioning. The temperature of cold soft drinks is very much below 37 degree centigrade or even close to zero degree centigrade. This will dilute the enzymes and stress the digestive system. The food taken will not be digested. In fact it will be fermentated ! The fermented food produces gases, decays and become toxin which gets absorbed by the intestine, circulates in the blood stream and is carried to the whole body. Hence toxins cumulated in other parts of the body, developing into various diseases. Think! Before you drink soft drinks.

A dentist could be your most important doctor!

The Checkup That Can Save Your Life- A Dental Checkup!

Your mouth is a window of your overall health . A timely dental checkup can detect undetected or undiagnosed systemic/oral diseases which can be life threatening if goes undiagnosed. A few to name are oral tumors(cancers), Cysts etc.,.......

Regular Dental checkups can pay off in other ways too. Dentists can spot signs of diabetes and heart disease, along with a variety of skin and autoimmune diseases. It can mean early diagnosis and early treatment- vital, especially if it's cancer. All of which means that your dentist can do much more than save your teeth and gums. He/She can save your life.
"Oral cancer is extremely dangerous and disfiguring. Its incidence in India is relatively high." WHY......?
"Most Indians haven't ever been to a dentist. People go to one only in pain".
"Only two decades ago, Indians had fewer dental caries than we do today".

Myth No.4

Myth No.4 - Oral Health Doesn't Affect Overall health !
Fact - When the gums are infected, bacterial by-products can enter the blood stream and travel to major organs causing other problems. Research suggests that this may contribute to a number of undesirable conditions including heart diseases such as rheumatic fever and creating life threatening infections in previously damaged heart valves. What's more, scientists believe the resulting inflammation releases infection-fighting compounds that can inadvertently damage
other tissues. The arteries may be the most common target. People with periodontitis were twice as likely to die from a heart attack and three times as likely to die from a stroke according to a study that examined 18 years of medical histories.
Pregnant women with serious periodontal disease have about four times the risk of delievering preterm babies , and they face an increased risk of preeclampsia, in which blood pressure climbs sky-high after the 20th week, threatening the lives of both mother and foetus. Researchers found treating seriously infected gums reduces preterm births five folds. In pregnant women , even the mildest form of periodontitis can flare up and become a big problem later on.