Maintaining oral health requires special care during pregnancy. An old wives tale tells us that a mother would lose a tooth for each child. But this certainly does not have to be true. During pregnancy, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." The practice of preventive dentistry really pays off during pregnancy. Due to a number of factors, gum tissue becomes more sensitive to plaque, oral hygiene and plaque removal takes on added importance. As far as dental decay is concerned, research shows that pregnancy has no effect. Calcium in teeth cannot be lost to supply the needs of the developing baby.

It's the acid in your mouth that causes tooth decay. Once acid eats a hole in the enamel of a tooth, bacteria have a field day in making the hole bigger and destroying the tooth, unless treated in time. Even prehistoric humans had this problem. But the problem became much worse when man began eating sweetened foods. Bacteria thrive on sugar. They multiply by the millions, producing acid in the process, the acid that eats away at unprotected teeth.

If you have a tooth that needs a crown to save it from further deterioration, how long will the new crown last? That depends on a lot of things. A crown carefully fitted to your tooth should last a long time if you take good care of it and keep it free of accidents or injuries. The material from which the crown is made will make a difference. Acrylic or porcelain, for example, are less expensive than gold or the new metals but not as durable or injury-resistant. But the greatest threat to any crown, no matter what the material, are the bacteria that cause decay.

Establishing a good doctorpatient relationship is the goal of every dentist. This relationship is based on mutual trust and respect. One of the ways a dentist shows respect for patients is keeping appointments on schedule. This is not always an easy. task. Unfortunately, emergencies do arise. When a patient is in pain or has symptoms of infection, the dentist must treat these problems as soon as possible.

The professionally applied fluoride treatment is a valuable weapon in the war against tooth decay. The dramatic reduction in cavities observed the past twenty five years is largely due to this. These treatments are so effective because we can apply a concentrated fluoride solution in a way that ensures it properly absorbed by the enamel. The teeth are first cleaned with a slightly abrasive paste.