Implants cannot 100% replace natural teeth
Smoking, stress, and jaw clenching are the worst habits
Check for symptoms of various teeth problems
No matter how advanced the technology for teeth replacements is, it cannot be better than preserving and maintaining natural teeth. Recently, due to changes in eating habits, there have been many patients who want less functional treatment but more aesthetic effects, leading to the prevalence of unverified dental procedures. Recklessly having dental implants, unreasonable chemical treatment for teeth whitening, and artificial dental procedures only for aesthetic purposes are treatments, each of different names that confuse patients. This can cause damage to healthy teeth if deep research and various experiences in the field are not based. Hence, I met Dr. Kim Hyun Jong, a dental specialist (director of Seoul Top Dental Hospital), and heard about the importance and technology for protecting natural teeth.
- Why is it important to preserve natural teeth?
We generally only think of oral health as the combination of healthy teeth and gums, but in 2016, the FDI World Dental Foundation defined the concept of oral health as "multi-faceted and includes the ability to speak, smile, smell, taste, touch, chew, swallow and convey a range of emotions through facial expressions with confidence and without pain, discomfort, and disease of the craniofacial complex (head, face, and oral cavity)."
Protecting natural teeth as much as possible is significant during oral health care, diagnosis, and treatment as implants cannot replace 100% of the original function of natural teeth. Thus, preservation of natural teeth is necessary.
- What are the methods for protecting natural teeth?
It is necessary to treat tooth decay, injury, or nerve death without tooth extraction. Usually, gum therapy and nerve treatment are carried out. Sometimes, if you feel uncomfortable using your teeth after nerve treatment, extraction can be operated; but instead, you can undergo secondary nerve treatment or other procedures like "apicectomy."
Also, "tooth replantation"—when the tooth is temporarily removed, treated externally, and replanted to where it used to be—is proceeded. At that, two doctors are required to work together and replant the tooth to its original place as soon as possible to minimize damage to the periodontal ligament. This can also be applied when forced to extract the tooth. Above all, the patients need to recognize the value of natural teeth and to know various treatments to protect them.
- Advice on self-checklist before symptoms lead to dental diseases?
If your teeth ache or bleed when brushing, you hear a crack when you open your mouth, or you feel discomfort in the jaw, you should quickly visit the hospital. Toothaches are symptoms of oral conditions such as gum disease, tooth decay or crack, and inflammation. If the condition of cold wind or water causing aches is left untreated, toothaches may worsen even when eating hot food. Also, if you feel discomfort in your teeth, you may unconsciously avoid using them, and rather cause problems with your jaw and chewing muscles. You should check the various signs of tooth problems.
- Brushing teeth is worth mentioning for maintaining natural teeth for a long time. What is the proper way to brush teeth and are there differences depending on the age?
Brushing teeth is the most efficient way to get rid of dental plaque—which is a group of bacteria on the surface of teeth. To minimize tooth abrasion when brushing your teeth, avoid brushing sideways but up and down. In the past, brushing your teeth within 30 minutes after eating was advised, but if you drink soda or eat fruit, brush your teeth after an hour. Although the recommendation is to brush your teeth three times a day and each for three minutes, brush two times a day when using toothpaste with fluoride, and use oral products to clean between the teeth for the other time. Especially, as you get older, the gap between the teeth gets wider, so it's necessary to clean them well.
- Among many over-the-counter scaling and oral hygiene products, are any of them helpful? If so, which one do you recommend?
Currently, self-scaling or self-dental hygiene products are available but should be used with the dentist’s assist. This is because incorrect use can likely damage even healthy teeth. Recommended oral products include dental floss, interdental brushes, and water pick (also known as the water dental flosser that massages the gums and cleans between teeth with water). All of them can remove food scraps and teeth plaque between the teeth, which help prevent tooth decay and gum diseases.
- What lifestyles lead to the damage of natural teeth?
The first bad lifestyle that injures teeth is smoking. Smoking can cause serious harm to the pharynx, lungs, heart, and pancreas and the worst effect on the oral cavity. This is because not only does nicotine in cigarettes form plaque—one of the causes of gum disease—but also has a fatal effect on gum health by reducing the circulation of capillaries around the gums. The second is the habit of clenching your jaw when you are stressed out or exercising. It feels okay when chewing food, but applying too much force to your teeth is harmful. Hence, wearing dental guards helps preserve natural teeth when exercising.
- When is the best for regular dental checkups necessary for maintaining natural teeth?
The mandatory screening period is six years of age when milk and permanent teeth begin to grow, around 12 years of age when a set of teeth completed growing, and 18 years of age when turned adults. Before the age of 18, you should observe the growth of the jawbone and skeletal system for proper treatment and correction. Adults need a full oral examination and thorough scaling once a year.
- What can patients do to avoid overtreatment and injuring natural teeth?
First, make sure that the hospital offers accurate diagnoses and various treatments depending on the condition of the teeth. Since the way to protect teeth requires a lot of process and care, the results of the treatment can vary depending on how you plan the treatment. Gum therapy requires multiple visits to the dentist, and sometimes it is omitted as more aches occur for two to three weeks after treatment. However, gum therapy is the most basic treatment for teeth, and it is helpful to visit a hospital that takes care of teeth thoroughly. If you cannot preserve your teeth in any way, dental implants can be the final alternative, but it's best to maintain healthy natural teeth as far as possible.
