FREQUENTLY ASK QUESTIONS(FAQ)

1. How Often Do I Need To Visit The Dentist?
Plan to visit your dentist every 6 months for general cleaning and preventative check-ups. These biannual appointments are key to avoiding major dental issues and catching problems early on.

The total number of times you need to visit your dentist beyond these twice-a-year screenings will vary person to person. Unexpected dental issues like cavities, tooth pain, gum issues, or chipped teeth are unpredictable. This can lead to additional appointments with your dentist.

It’s important to monitor the health and wellness of your mouth, teeth, and gums. Remember to contact your dentist with any concerns you might have.

2. What Is Tooth Sensitivity And How Do I Prevent It?
Tooth sensitivity occurs when the enamel protecting your tooth and root thins or recedes. Tooth sensitivity can also be a sign of gum disease and tooth decay, so it’s important to talk to your dentist about it.

If you’re experiencing pain or sensitivity due to certain foods or temperatures, the first thing you should do is talk to your dentist.

Tooth sensitivity can come and go over time. It can also be triggered by hot, cold, sweet, or even acidic foods and drinks. Sometimes just breathing in cold air can be painful for your sensitive teeth.

Switching to a desensitizing toothpaste like Sensodyne might help reduce tooth sensitivity. But
if your sensitivity continues, you may need to make a few changes to your daily routine.

3.Is a mouthwash necessary to be used everyday?
There are many mouthwashes available in the market, which are nothing but mild antiseptics that refresh the mouth. These can be used as temporary solutions to combat bad breath. Prolonged usage of a mouthwash is however not advisable.

4. Which toothpaste is ideal for use?
All toothpastes work as foaming agents that help to clean your teeth of plaque and food remnants. The choice of most toothpastes is governed by their medicinal content and flavour. Any fluoridated toothpaste is a good general toothpaste for the family. Medicated toothpastes are available for specific purposes and should be used under the advice of your dentist only.

5. Does cleaning of teeth make them loose?
Teeth will not become loose because of the cleaning procedure. The teeth are held firmly in place due to the gums and the bone around them. The tartar gathered around the teeth causes infection of the gums and bone. This infection leads to receding of bone and gum levels and thus creates gaps between teeth. This tartar, if not removed periodically (once in every 6 months) can cause loosening of teeth. The cleaning procedure will help remove tartar and stop the gum and bone from receding.

6. Is root canal treatment painful?
Root Canal treatment is advised in cases where the nerve within the tooth is affected either due to decay, trauma or fracture. It involves the removal of the damaged or diseased pulp or nerve, cleaning and shaping the root canal and subsequently filling the canals with a suitable material. This treatment is done under Anaesthesia and hence painless.

7. Can I change the color of my teeth?
Yes, it is possible to brighten your teeth by a procedure called Teeth Whitening. It is simple procedure with predictable results and can be done at the dental clinic (Office Bleaching ) treatment if required. Superficial stains caused by smoking or excess intake of tea/coffee, wine can be effectively and conservatively removed for an instantly brighter smile.

8. Why do my gums bleed?
There could be various reasons why one would face a problem of bleeding gums like accumulation of tartar around the necks of teeth, using a hard bristle tooth brush, intake of certain medications like anti-epileptic drugs. It calls for immediate attention by a dental professional to detect the cause and suggest suitable treatment options.

9. What do I do to get rid of bad breath?
Bad breath or halitosis is a common oral health problem which could be prevalent not only due to dental problems but also some systemic diseases like diabetes, stomach upsets etc. Bad breath can arise due to negligence of oral hygiene, pyorrhea in gums, food lodgement in decayed teeth, unclean tongue. You could be either suggested the use of a mouthwash, taught proper brushing/flossing techniques and /or treated for dental decay or gum problems.

10. Is removing a wisdom tooth always painful?
Tooth removal is always performed under local anesthesia, hence it is painless. Wisdom tooth removal is unique in that the teeth are situated posterior most in the mouth and carry the risk of spreading infections into adjacent areas. Also sometimes the shape and position of these may necessitate surgical removal.

11. What is smile designing?
A good smile involves in it more than just healthy teeth and gums. It is a blend of symmetry, color, shape and lines that create a balanced harmonious smile. Many of us have good and healthy teeth as well as gums but are yet unhappy with our smiles. In such an instance we can go in for a smile evaluation to an esthetic dentist who will evaluate the smile for its missing, predominant or underplayed features and then proceed with their correction through various means. This process is called Smile Designing.

12. What is the right age for braces treatment?
The misconception that braces can only work for kids is not true, as people of any age can avail for this type of treatment. The treatment time may however be longer for adult patients as the bone is denser in them. But with newer treatment options like invisible, ceramic and lingual braces, esthetics and time of treatment are also not a problem.

13.  How is smoking bad for teeth and gums?
One of the most devastating effects of tobacco is the development of oral cancer. The risk of oral cancer increases with the number of cigarettes smoked each day and the number of years that the person has been smoking. Some of the other oral side effects of tobacco are tooth stains, delayed healing of oral wounds, increased severity of gum disease and bad breath.

14. Why do I grind my teeth at night?
Many factors can contribute to why we grind our teeth but the most common are:
• TMJ disorders (improper functioning of the jaw hinge joint)
• Stress
• Improper occlusion or biting position
Most of the time grinding can be resolved by a simple fix of a nightguard. A nightguard is a customized hard tray that fits over the chewing surfaces of your upper or lower teeth and prevents teeth from grinding together.

15. Why Should I Consider Dental Implants?
Dental implants are the ideal way to replace missing or weakened teeth. Most adult patients are good candidates for implants because they can help to prevent the remaining teeth from moving or loosening as a result. Implants are permanent and serve as a good alternative to dentures for anyone with an otherwise healthy mouth and jaw.

16. What age should a child go to the dentist for the first time?
Ideally your child's first dental visit should be scheduled by  the age  of one or within six months after the first tooth erupts. Primary teeth typically begin growing in around 6 months of age

17. When should I start cleaning my baby's gums?
Start cleaning your child's mouth even before her teeth come in. Wipe the gums off after each feeding with a warm, wet washcloth or a dampened piece of gauze wrapped around your finger. You can also buy thimble-like, soft rubbery devices (they fit over your index finger) to use for rubbing off excess food.

18. Is it OK to go to the dentist when pregnant?
Getting a checkup during pregnancy is safe and important for your dental health. Not only can you take care of cleanings and procedures like cavity fillings before your baby is born, but your dentist can help you with any pregnancy-related dental symptoms you might be experiencing.