Month: July 2023

Invisalign has become increasingly popular as an alternative to traditional metal braces in the last few years. Their comfort, invisibility, and removable attributes have made them popular with teens, sports people, and every population segment. These clear trays can treat and correct dental issues, such as tooth gaps, overbites, and underbites. 

The popularity of Invisalign also comes from the fact that you do not have to make significant lifestyle changes to use these aligners. You can eat all your favorite foods and play any sports while undergoing this treatment since you can always remove them and wear them back easily.

Though you do not need to modify your lifestyle with Invisalign (as opposed to metal braces), you still have to be vigilant about oral care. We all know that dental hygiene is essential for all of us, but it becomes all the more crucial while you are wearing these clear trays. 

Let us understand in detail the significance of oral hygiene when undergoing Invisalign treatment.

Why Is Dental Cleanliness So Important During Invisalign Treatment?

When you wear these aligners, you are at a greater risk for gum diseases and cavities because debris and food residues can easily get trapped in your mouth and get stuck to your aligners. 

If you do not keep your mouth clean, you could also damage or stain your trays, and it would become harder to achieve your dream smile in the desired timeframe.

• Cavities – If you do not brush, floss, and rinse your mouth as recommended by your dentist, you have increased chances of cavities while on Invisalign. If there are food particles on your teeth’s surface (due to poor oral hygiene), these residues can stick to your clear trays too. This elevates the risk of plaque (a thin film of bacteria) formation. 

The bacteria in plaque feed on sugars in your food, increasing acid production in your mouth, which could lead to tooth erosion and gum irritation. You are not just in danger of developing cavities but also halitosis (bad breath) and periodontitis (severe gum disease).

• Stained aligners – If you are drinking beverages or eating foods that are highly pigmented, not cleaning your mouth throughout after such foods can result in your trays getting stained. Foods and drinks like coffee, red wine, berries, soy sauce, etc., have strong colors, which can leave stains on your teeth after consuming them. 

It is vital that you clean and rinses your mouth thoroughly after intake of such foods and drinks, or else your aligners will get damaged and stained, which would make it difficult to wear them.

How To Take Care Of Oral Hygiene And Aligners During Invisalign Treatment

You do not just have to clean your own mouth, but you also need to take care of your aligners while on this treatment. Here are some tips on how to be on track with your Invisalign treatment without any complications.

• Maintain excellent oral hygiene – The importance of dental care can not be overemphasized, especially while you are wearing these clear trays. You must brush twice for two minutes and floss once a day. Rinsing and cleaning your mouth after every meal before popping in your aligners is a must. 

You should drink lots of water as it will ensure that food and other hazardous particles from your mouth are eliminated. Eating sugar-free gum after rinsing your mouth and putting back your aligners in case you do not have a toothbrush or it is not practical to brush in a given situation (such as at a party.)

• Clean your aligners – It is imperative to wash your trays while brushing your teeth. You can buy a specific cleaning kit meant for Invisalign and avoid using normal toothpaste as it could be too abrasive for the plastic aligners. You could also use mild soap to clean them, along with a cotton swab, a cloth, or a soft-bristled toothbrush. 

Do not use brushes with hard bristles, as they will damage the tray by scratching them. If you are not able to brush your aligners due to some reason, do remember to clean them when you put them back. You could also soak the aligners in lukewarm water. Do not use too hot or too cold water as it will change the shape of the trays and can hamper the treatment progress.

• Store your aligners in a dry case – It is crucial that you keep your trays in a clean and dry closed case when you are not wearing them. If you put them on the sink or a table, they could pick up germs and bacteria from the environment, which would later land in your mouth once you wear them back. You would usually get a case from wherever you get your Invisalign treatment done.
• Do not eat or drink anything (except water) while your aligners are in your mouth – The plastic aligners are easy to wear and feel comfortable, and you get used to them very quickly. This means you can forget your aligners are inside and might drink beverages that could stain your aligners. 

Apart from water, any other liquid would seep through the aligners to your teeth, and if it has sugar or is acidic, it could harm your teeth. The area under your aligner is not accessible to saliva in your mouth, so the natural cleansing of your mouth by saliva does not work on them. Drink only plain (not sparkling) water while the aligners are in your mouth.

Oral hygiene is vital in itself, but with Invisalign dental care gets all the more essential. You must take care of both your teeth and the aligners so that bacteria or other debris does not get caught up inside the trays giving rise to cavities and other dental complications.

A tooth abscess (also called a dental abscess) is a pocket of pus and bacteria inside the mouth. Dental infection is a common occurrence, but when you develop ulcers in the mouth due to infection, it can be excruciating and dangerous. It is necessary that you know the signs of a dental cyst so that you can seek help and treat them as soon as possible.

A dental abscess is caused due to bacterial infection, and it can form in different areas near your tooth due to different reasons. The blister may be located within your teeth, gums, or even within the bone that supports your teeth. If the cyst is at the tip of your root, it is termed a periapical abscess, and if the blister is inside your gums, it is called a periodontal cyst.

Your dentist can treat the abscess by draining your teeth and getting rid of the infection. This could be followed by a root canal to save your teeth. But if it is a severe case, your doctor might need to pull out your teeth. 

To save yourself from all these hassles, you must read on to understand how to figure out if you have a tooth abscess and how it affects your overall health.

Symptoms of Cyst in Dentition

If you have blisters in your pearly whites, you could experience some or all of the following symptoms:

• Constant throbbing pain in teeth, which also spreads to your jawbone, ear, or neck.
• Discomfort or pain with extreme temperatures (too hot or too cold drinks.)
• Discomfort or pain while chewing food or biting down.
• Developing fever.
• The face, neck, or cheek is swollen, which makes it difficult to breathe or swallow food.
• Your mouth smells foul.
• The lymph nodes under your jaw or neck are tender and swollen.
• You suddenly experience a rush of foul-tasting or foul-smelling salty fluid in your mouth.
• Your teeth’ color has changed.

What Kind of Dental Infection Can Cause Abscesses/Cysts?

Cysts in dentition can be caused by three types of tooth infections, as described below:

• Gingival – This is an infection in the gum that usually does not affect your pearly whites or its supporting structures.
• Periapical – If you have a fractured or decayed tooth, it allows bacteria to enter your dentition and spread to the pulp (the innermost part of a tooth that has blood vessels and nerves.) Once bacteria enter the pulp, they can spread the infection to the tip of your dentition’s root and eventually to the surrounding bone and form an abscess.
• Periodontal – This type of infection starts at the bone and tissues that support your pearly whites. This type of abscess is more common in adults and is usually a result of gum disease.

Why Does One Get Tooth Cyst?

Anything that creates an opening in your teeth for bacteria to get inside your teeth or surrounding tissues can lead to blisters in your teeth. Some common causes include:

• Severe cavities – When the enamel (the hard surface of your teeth) is destroyed, it leads to cavities. The bacteria in your mouth break down sugars in your drinks and food, which creates acid that attacks your enamel.
• Injury to teeth – If there is an injury to the face, it can affect the pulp inside your teeth (even when you do not see any visible crack.) This makes your pearly whites prone to infections.
• Cracked, broken, or chipped teeth – Through any opening in your dentition, bacteria can seep inside and spread to the pulp.
• Periodontal or gum disease – When you have gum disease, the tissue around your teeth gets inflamed and infected. With the progress of gum disease, the bacteria gain access to the deeper tissues in your mouth.

How to Diagnose an Abscess in Teeth?

Apart from examining the tissue and your teeth for any signs of infection, your dentist could also recommend a few tests and procedures to understand your issue:

• Dental X-ray – With a dental X-ray, one can know the sources of the dental infection which resulted in the tooth abscess. X-rays will also help your dentist understand if the infection has spread and is affecting other areas in your mouth.
• CT scan – If an X-ray reveals that the infection has spread to other areas, a CT scan will give insight into the extent of the spread of the infection.
• Thermal tests – Thermal tests reveal the health of your pulp.

Does a Tooth Abscess Spread Infection to Other Parts of My Body?

Yes, if the dental infection is not treated, it can affect your overall health, which could even become life-threatening. Untreated dental infection can take weeks to month  s to spread to other parts of your body and can lead to the following health issues:

• Heart attack or stroke – Chronic infection is one of the most common causes of cardiovascular issues. Your body responds to infection through inflammation, and when this is in excess, it creates blood clots, and the blood vessels leading to your heart can get overwhelmed. A cyst in your pearly whites increases the risk of heart issues almost three times.
• Sepsis and septic shock – A small infection in dentition could spread all through the body if not treated in time and lead to septic shock. Sepsis causes blood clots and damages blood vessels which compromises your organs. If sepsis progresses to septic shock, your body shuts down with a rapid decrease in blood pressure.
• Cellulitis – A tooth cyst could cause infection of the skin and fat under your skin.
• Pulmonary actinomycosis – This is an infection in your lungs that could result from blisters in your pearly whites.
• Brain abscess – The bacteria in your mouth could result in swelling of a pocket of bacteria in your brain, which could be fatal.
• Cavernous sinus thrombosis – When the blister in your teeth reaches the blood vessels in your sinuses, it could infect them too.

A tooth abscess could wreak havoc on your whole body if not treated in time. The first step towards preventing any oral disease is following an excellent oral regime and regular dental checkups. But if you develop a tooth abscess, then you would need to consult your dentist, who could drain out the infection or perform other procedures, such as a root canal, give antibiotics, etc., to subside the infection and stop it from reaching other parts of your body.