Definition and Causes of Halitosis

Breath odor or bad breath (halitosis) is a term used to describe a bad odor coming out of the mouth while exhaling, both when speaking and breathing. The emergence of odor is caused by several things, but the most is problem with the bad digestive organs and oral health conditions.

Causes of bad breath (halitosis):

1. Low Dental health and Oral Health

Leftovers and tartar which are not cleaned regularly will accumulate on tooth surface and the tartar gets into the gums, then can decompose and cause bad breath.

2. Gum disease

Gingivitis, Periodontitis

3. Bacteria

If the teeth are not cleaned regularly, the bacteria will accumulate in the mouth and wedged between the teeth. The compound of these bacteria makes bad breath.

Oral bacteria found between the teeth, cavities, and tongue surface or tonsils (tonsillitis), if they are left too long without cleaning, it will emit bad smell gas that affects the odor released by mouth.

4. Tonsil

A hole on the inside of tonsil (tonsillitis) called crypts is one culprit of the emergence of oral odor. On the swollen tonsil, It is often wedged leftovers and germs that cause bad breath. 

5. Stomach Disorder

Stomach disorder or intestines can cause bad breath, especially when burping.

6. Dry mouth

Lack of drinking water and dry mouth are also contributor to the cause of bad breath problem. Therefore, when waking up in the morning, the smell of the mouth is bad.

7. Broken Teeth 

Cavities, a lot of plaque, tartar, and broken teeth that are not treated can be the cause of bad breath. Such teeth become a nest of germs and leftovers that cannot be cleaned thoroughly until eventually rot, and can spread mouth odor. Tongue and swollen gums can also be the sources of bad breath if never cleaned.

8. Disease

Bad breath as a sign of disease symptom is bad breath caused by the absence of disease or inflammation of the organs.

Forms of Dental Topical Anesthetic

Forms of Dental Topical Anesthetic:

1. Spray Form

It contains certain local anesthetic agents that may be used for this purpose because of the action goes pretty fast. The active ingredient contained in the solution is 10% lignocaine hydrochloride in water base released in small amounts of aerosol container.

The addition of a variety of fruit flavors is intended to make the preparation more tolerated by children, but it can actually cause problems due to stimulation of excessive salivation. When anesthesia is done by using spray, the solution can generally be easier distributed and the effect will be more extensive than we want. Anesthetic onset time is 1 minute and the duration is 10 minutes.

2. Ointment

It contains 5% lignocaine hydrochloride that can also be used for the same purpose, but it takes 3-4 minutes to give the effect of anesthesia. Some pharmaceutical industries even include hyaluronidase enzyme in their products in hopes of helping the penetration of local anesthetic agent in the tissue. Amethocaine and benzocaine are generally added in this preparation.

3. Emulsion

It contains 2% lignocaine hydrochloride that can also be used. This emulsion will be very useful if we want to print the entire oral cavity of a patient who is very easy to get nausea. A teaspoon of emulsion can be used by the patient to gargle around the oral cavity and oropharynx and then allowed one to two minutes; the rest is spat right before printing. The emulsion can also be useful for reducing postoperative pain after gingivektomidan that is not harmful if swallowed accidentally.

4. Ethyl chloride

It is sprayed on the skin or mucosa that will evaporate quickly so as to cause anesthesia through cooling effect. Clinical benefit only happens if the spray is directed to limited area by cotton or a cotton bud until ice steam arises.

Approaches in Dental Health Education

Approaches in Dental Health Education are divided into four (4):

1. Persuasively Approach 

The goal of this approach is making sustainable behavior change within the educational targets, although the process takes relatively longer time.

In this approach, it can be done by giving positive remuneration for the educational target that the behavior has changed as we want, by giving gifts, praise, and certain incentives.

2. Pervasively approach

This approach provides real examples and repetition of every event that needs to be learned or imitated by educational target. Here, there is imitation process that is changes in behavior caused by the repetition of events or actions. This educational approach is suitable for educational targets with low educational level or toddlers.

3. Compulsively Approach 

Indirect approach to the educational targets we mean.

4. Coercively approach 

Approach by means of coercion, instructive or by threats or specific sanctions if it is not implemented the behavior wanted.

How to Maintain Healthy Teeth

How important the role of mouth for us, it can give pleasure and be a source of unpleasant. Have you ever felt pain of toothache?

Dental and mouth diseases still become problem because of high prevalence of dental disease. Both in developed and developing countries, dental disease is many still suffered.  

Actions required:

1. Maintaining oral hygiene

2. Tooth filling

3. Tooth revocation

4. Making denture

We can maintain dental hygiene by brushing teeth.

Why brushing teeth?

1. To maintain oral health

2. Breathing becomes fresh

3. Brushing removes leftovers required for the formation of plaque on the tooth surface. Plaque is a thin layer, sticky leftovers, attaching to the tooth surface, containing bacteria, the main cause of tooth decay and gum disease, growing 20 minutes after eating. Wrong way in brushing may result in tooth abrasion.

How to brush your teeth:

1. Move the toothbrush with a soft movement and rotation.

2. Brush the outside and inside surfaces of teeth, each upper and lower tooth with the bristles position 45 degree opposite to the gum line.

3. Brush all parts of the tooth surface that is used for chewing

4. To clean the inside front teeth (upper jaw teeth, the palate / lower jaw teeth, tongue), brush with an upright position and move slowly through the gum line towards teething.

5. To clean the outside front teeth (lips), brush with a little horizontal position and move slowly through the gum line towards teething.

6. Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and make the breath fresher

7. Choose a toothbrush with soft bristles, because the hard one can make gums hurt and cause abrasion of the teeth, thinning of the tooth structure especially around the gum line

8. Replace toothbrush if the bristle has broken

Tips of Baby Teeth Care

Baby teeth are the first teeth growing in children, although the baby teeth will be replaced by permanent teeth, it is important for us to take care of baby teeth in our children.

Some tips on caring for children's baby teeth:

1. Take care of baby teeth as permanent teeth

Do not differentiate treatment between permanent and baby teeth, because the baby teeth are still used by your child to chew food. If the baby teeth are pain, it will interfere with the activity of the child.

2. Be diligent to brush your child's teeth

Brush your child's teeth immediately when the baby teeth grow, because baby teeth are susceptible to be affected by caries, you should take care of children's teeth as early as possible by diligently brushing or cleaning the teeth with a soft cloth.

3. Use a soft and comfortable toothbrush 

If you use a toothbrush for baby teeth, you should use a soft one but still has a strong handle.

4. Replace the toothbrush every three months

Do not forget to replace the toothbrush every three months. Too long toothbrush usage will potentially collect a lot of bacteria in the mouth and ruin your child's teeth.

5. Use special toothpaste for kids

Do not use any toothpaste in children. Give special toothpaste for a child that contains suitable content for your child's baby teeth.

6. Use sufficient toothpaste 

When you want to brush your child's teeth, it is important to pay attention to the amount of toothpaste used. Do not use too much toothpaste, only a grain corn is enough. 

7. Go to a doctor routinely

You should regularly go to a doctor at least every 6 months so that no problem arises for milk teeth grown.

8. Stop thumb sucking habit

If your child has a habit of finger sucking, you should provide treatment to stop this so that his baby teeth are not disturbed.

Easy ways of Denture Care

Easy ways of Denture Care

1. Use Denture Cleaner Recommended by Dentist

If you use dentures, your dentist will recommend the denture cleaner. Therefore, it is important to use the cleaner recommended by dentist and not choose any brand that could harm your dentures.

2. Avoid using toothpaste

Do not use toothpaste to clean your dentures, because the content of toothpaste is not appropriate with your denture material. It can cause abrasion of the dentures.

3. Use a soft toothbrush

Avoid using a rough toothbrush; use a soft toothbrush that can give good effect on your denture texture. Using a rough toothbrush can give scratches and rough mark on the denture surface.

4. Clean the dentures every time to be used

Do not allow your dentures unclean in long time, especially if you have taken it off and want to put it back.

5. Keep your dentures hygiene

When cleaning your dentures, or when removing them from your gums, you should keep them hygiene by always giving the layer when removing. 

6. Be diligent to remove leftovers

It is important to keep the dentures clean by cleaning your dentures of leftovers after eating. 

7. Take your dentures off for 6 hours per day

Letting your mouth free of dentures for a few hours is very good. You can let your dentures dislodged for about 6 hours.

8. Soak the dentures by water

Dislodged dentures should be soaked in water. It is very useful for you to keep your dentures moist and avoid dryness. So, water becomes one of the denture cares. 

9. Check gum condition

If your gums are swollen or reddened, avoid the usage for a while or you can consult to the nearest doctor to discuss it. 

10. Use fit dentures 

When deciding to use dentures, you should measure the fit size in order not to oversize.