Dental Care

Dental Indices are designed to measure objectively and quantitatively, the oral health status of individuals or groups. It provides a way of measuring, scoring and analyzing in numerical data, the specific oral conditions as seen in an individual or in a community.
Papilla Marginal and Attached Gingival Index (PMA)
Plaque Index (PI)
Oral Hygiene Index (OHI)
Debris Index (DI)
Calculus Index (CI)
Gingival Index (GI)
Periodontal Index (PI)
Gingival Bleeding Index (GBI)
Mobility Index (MI)
Dean’s Dental Fluorosis Index (DFI)
Decayed Missing and Filled Teeth Index (DMFT)

Dry mouth resulting from insufficient production of saliva is called Xerostomia. Often patients complain of subjective symptoms more than clinical presentation like rampant caries. It causes significant discomfort for the patient, in that the tissues feel dry, abrasive and swallowing can become difficult.
In this article we have discussed Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment of Xerostomia in detail. read more…

There are many techniques used to whiten a tooth that has changed color. If the change in the coloration is due to some problem with the dental pulp of tooth that has undergone endodontic treatment, internal bleaching is performed. Internal bleaching acts on the interior of the tooth where the pulp is located.

Enamel is outermost layer of the tooth, which lies above dentin. The enamel is a tissue with a 96% mineral content and 4% organic material and water. The inorganic content of the enamel is a crystalline calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, which is also found in bone, calcified cartilage, dentin and cementum.

The dentin is a tissue formed of mineral salts and organic material. The mineral salts are calcium salts in the form of hydroxylapatite crystals. The dentin is found to be traversed by innumerable parallel tubules, which are called as dentinal tubules. Dentinal tubules contain a substance produced by the stem cells, known as odontoblasts. Read more…

Hypoplasia of the enamel is a disorder that occurs due to the action of external agents on ameloblast function. The affected enamel presents coffee colored or brown stains, defects such as fissures or cracks, and areas of underdevelopment.

Erosion, abrasion and attrition are terms used to indicate the wear and tear of a tooth. The abrasion is what is observed in all individuals due to the normal wear to which a tooth is subjected with the passage of time, and is of approximately 30 microns per year.

Dental caries is the most common disease of the human race. It is a demineralization of the tooth as a result of the action of organic acids derived from the metabolism of carbohydrates b the bacterial flora.

Use of tetracyclines or excess use of fluoride can lead to tooth discoloration. Tetracyclines can give rise to brownish or grayish stains in dentin and enamel.

When a caries lesion affects the enamel, a “white spot” (the enamel presents a matt white spot, usually of a round or oval shape) is usually observed at the site at which demineralization has taken place due to the action of the acid generated by the bacteria.
Read More about zones of caries…