Chlorhexidine is a powerful chemical formula that is prescribed as a mouthwash mostly after dental surgery in the United States. This mouthwash may also be prescribed for various other situations.

Most often you will also receive a warning not to use it for more than two or a few weeks. This is because Chlorhexidine can stain your teeth.

Things are little different in Europe than in the United States. Some things are sold over-the-counter there that you cannot get without a prescription in the United States.

I was in a drug store in Germany and found some Chlorhexidine. I was initially excited because it claimed to be an "anti-staining’ formula. Since I was travelling and did not have access to the tools I normally use for my daily oral care, I thought I’d give this ‘anti-staining’ formula a try.

Forget it! Within a week I could see that it was beginning to stain my teeth. I promptly stopped using it.

Dental health is a problem for almost every human being alive. There is a small percentage of the population that appears to be immune to gum disease, but most of us have to fight against it at one point or another.

In fact, as I recall, I found a stat on the Mayo Clinic’s website stating that 95% of people over age 65 have some form of gum disease. If true, the implications are staggering! Just think about it.

The problem is that this is not a disease that happens as a result of aging as many people think. You can be six years old and have the disease. What is important is that people become more aware of it.

Even your dentist will tell you that your dental health is largely up to what you do at home! They can only see you a couple to a few times a year at most. That does mean that the bulk of the work in caring for your dental health falls on you personally. This is one of those things that we pretty much have to do for ourselves!

Learn what you can do to help stop the progression of gum disease based on what you do at home. Prevent this serious problem from causing you to lose teeth.

Author David S.

Disclaimer: This article is for information and entertainment purposes only. It does not intend to render advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have or think you might have gum disease or any other health problem, visit your periodontist or physician for advice, diagnosis and treatment. The USFDA has not evaluated statements about products in this article.
 

If you need to have the inside of your tooth treated to repair damage or ‘fix’ a cavity in its later stages, you may want to consider having a root canal.

While this is probably one of the most feared oral procedures, the ’surgery’ really isn’t all that painful if it is done at the start of your tooth problem.

Unfortunately, it rarely is, which is why so many horror stories exist around root canals.

The problem occurs when the tooth’s nerve becomes very inflammed or dies.

This is normally due to trauma – physical injury, hot, cold and/or bacterial assault (i.e decay).

When the nerve is inflamed or infected like this, the pain can be excruciating.

And if infection is present – as it normally is – local anesthesia is unlikely to be completely effective.

In other words, there is normally still pain during the procedure.

At least until the nerve can be removed.

Which is why root canals have such a bad reputation.

As far as the procedure itself, it’s actually fairly similar to having a filling inserted or replaced.

During a root canal, the inner aspect of your tooth is treated, which is commonly referred to as pulp tissue, or the tooth nerve.

When you get a root canal, the pulp – nerve fibers, tiny blood vessels and connective tissue – is removed as completely as possible.

Normally a small hole is drilled in the top of the tooth to gain access to the pulp.

Then, instruments are inserted to remove all the tissue from within.

Disinfectants are flushed into the pulp chamber and as much diseased tissue as possible is removed.

The next step involves expanding, shaping and smoothing the actual root canals in preparation for filling.

Depending on the tooth, there may be one root canal or there may be four.

Next, more flushing and drying.

Finally, the filling material is inserted.

This is normally a semi-plastic material called gutta percha that is either heated and extruded into the canal or inserted in slender cones one by one into the root canal until it is filled.

Finally, the permanant filling is placed to seal up the hole drilled to do the root canal.

Often, a metallic crown is recommended for the tooth.

This is because a tooth that has had a root canal becomes more brittle over time.

Why?

Because the tooth itself is no longer alive.

That’s right, it’s still held in place by the gums and bone, but there is no longer any nerve or blood supply going to the tooth.

And that’s why so many teeth with root canals also have crowns – they are brittle and would benefit from the structural strength of a crown.

Unlike the old days when your only alternative to a root canal was to have the tooth extracted and maybe replaced by a bridge, these days you have another option.

Due to the high failure rate of root canals, as well as the history of post-op abscesses, bone infections, cavitations and recurrent treatment, dental implants are quickly coming to the fore as the better alternative.

So, if your dentist says you need a root canal, you may want to check into a dental implant instead.

At least you now have the option.

For more information on root canal therapy and dental implants, browse through our other articles on the subject or visit www.ada.org.

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