• Are there any secrets to taking care of your oral cavity?
• How often should we get a tooth cleaning? And how often should a teeth and oral cavity checkup be done?
  
• What types of examination should be done at the biannual teeth checkup?
  
• What are the primary causes of periodontal disease?
• What are the proper and effective prevention and treatment plans for periodontal disease?
  
• How can fluorine prevent cavities?
• What advantages does fluorine-added water have?
• Does use of fluorinated substances prevent cavities?
  
• How effective is each fluorinated substance in preventing cavities?
• How can the cigarette spots be removed without damaging the teeth?
  
• My teeth have yellowish color and I would like them to be whiter and looking cleaner. However, I was also told that healthy teeth are actually yellowish. Is this true?
  
• What measures can be taken to have yellow teeth regain the white and healthy color?
• What kind of food can prevent cavities?
  
• I have the problem of halitosis (bad breath). Can Day and Night Mouth Cleaning Solution solve this problem?
  
• What are the uses of the Day and Night Oral Hygiene products?
• Is tooth cleaning at the dentists still necessary once I begin using the Day and Night Oral Hygiene products?

• Is the old saying "a bad tooth for having a baby" true?
• What precautions should be taken before pregnant women go to dentists?

Q;Are there any secrets to taking care of your oral cavity?< TOP >
A:To maintain good oral health, a good toothbrush and a correct, regular brushing habit are critical. It is equally important to use accessory products such as dental floss and mouth cleaning solution, to have a proper diet selection and chewing method, as well as to have biannual dental examination.

Q: How often should we get a tooth cleaning? And how often should a teeth and oral cavity checkup be done? < TOP >
A: Tooth cleaning and dental examination should be done once every six months.
This is because that within the first six months of cavity formation, the damage is only at the enamel layer and not very serious.

Q: What types of examination should be done at the biannual teeth checkup? < TOP >
A: The checkup should include overall oral cavity/tooth examination, gums examination, muscle tissues and bones examination, tooth calculus and rophylaxis removal, and x-ray examination.

Q: What are the primary causes of periodontal disease? < TOP >
1 . Negligence in oral hygiene and incorrect brushing habit;
2 . Incorrect brushing technique: tooth brush can't make proper contact with oral cavity and teeth, leading to incomplete removal of tartar;
3 . Improper use of force during brushing and bad brush design. This will cause damages to gums and enamel, leading to fragile teeth.
The keys to good oral hygiene: Brushing should be done twice a day; dental floss should be used to remove tartar between teeth; mouth cleaner should also be used. In addition, dental examination and tooth cleaning should be done every six months for early detection of dental diseases and timely treatment.

Q: What are the proper and effective prevention and treatment plans for periodontal disease?< TOP >
A: Some of the symptoms of periodontal disease, which is a chronic condition, include inflammation of periodontal tissues, alveolar abscess, loosening and withering of the alveolar bone, and tooth loosening. Such disease is related to endocrine secretion, nutrition, malocclusion, and tooth calculus. The best prevention plan is to completely remove dental plaque below the gums line.
The primary cause of periodontal disease is the accumulation of dental plaque. At the initial stage, there is gums edema and bleeding. Gums start to wither at the middle stage. There will be aching sensation of teeth during intake of cold food and drink. In the final pathological phase, alveolar bone is damaged and teeth become loosened, displaced, or even fallen off.
For people over 18 years of age, the incident rate for teeth-related disease is as high as 90%. Nearly 90% of adults in Taiwan are currently inflicted with periodontal disease. The early phase of this condition is not very apparent and is easily neglected. When patients spot the problem and seek dentist assistance, the disease usually is in the middle or final stage.

Q: How can fluorine prevent cavities?< TOP >
A: Fluorine provide anti-acid capability for developing teeth during calcified stage by improving the crystals on the enamel surface. As a result, the occlusion surface on the newly sprouted teeth can be smooth and not easily decayed. In addition to enhancing the anti-acid and re-calcifying abilities of the enamel, fluorine can also inhibit the growth of bacteria in the oral cavity and in turn prevent cavities. It may also repair early-stage cavities.

Q: What advantages does fluorine-added water have?< TOP >
A: For the public health point of view, fluorinated water is the most economical and effective prevention method for cavities. It would only cost 10 dollars per person per year, the cavities incident rate could drop by 60%. However, there have been reports on the potential carcinogenesis of fluorine. Hence such treatment method has not been practiced in our country.

Q: Does use of fluorinated substances prevent cavities?< TOP >
A: The fluorinated substances recommended by dentists include: complete oral application of fluorine, fluorinated toothpaste and mouthwash, fluorine tablet, as well as fluorinated anti-cavities sealant. Use of single fluorinated product may not be very effective. And use of these substances and the dosage are dependent on individual's tooth condition. Cavities can further be effectively prevented with regular examination and proper oral hygiene and balanced nutrition.

Q: How effective is each fluorinated substance in preventing cavities?< TOP >
A: In area where the drinking water is not fluorinated, use of fluorine tablets is the best choice for cavities prevention. Such medicine has local as well as global physiological effects. By adjusting dosage based on the children's age, fluorine tablets can be effective on both temporary and permanent teeth, leading to a 45% reduction in cavities rate. However, children must have dose daily to achieve completely effective prevention. For children between 3-13 years of age, dentists recommend complete oral application of fluorine every half a year, until the second molars have developed. According to research, such treatment can offer 30-40% reduction in cavities rate. For children between 6-13 years of age, 30-40% reduction in cavities rate can be achieved with daily use of fluorinated mouthwash.
Brushing teeth with fluorinated toothpaste may lower cavities rate by 15-30%. The use of fluorinated substances has been proven effective in lowering cavities rate in many countries. They should be used under the guidance of dentists, however, since overdose of these substances may lead to acute or chronic poisoning.

Q: How can the cigarette spots be removed without damaging the teeth?< TOP >
A: In addition to regular use of good quality whitening toothpaste, cigarette spots can be removed by regular tooth cleaning or by medicine or mechanical means.

Q: My teeth have yellowish color and I would like them to be whiter and looking cleaner. However, I was also told that healthy teeth are actually yellowish. Is this true?< TOP >
A: Since the normal color of the dentine part is slightly yellowish, teeth usually appear light yellowish under normal condition. If you feel the color of your teeth is not healthy, you may consider receive tooth whitening (bleaching) treatment.

Q: What measures can be taken to have yellow teeth regain the white and healthy color? < TOP >
A: The main ingredient of the tooth cleaning products on the market is hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide itself may cause damage to dental and gums tissues, and it's only effective after repeated use. Periodontal health as well as presence of cavities should be taken into consideration when choosing this kind of product. Dentists' instructions are highly recommended. The hydrogen peroxide used by professional dentists is more concentrated. Complementing methods, such as heating and laser, are usually used.

Q: What kind of food can prevent cavities? < TOP >
A: Adequate amount of calcium intake and proper amount of fluorine for children; for adults, oral hygiene is most imperative.

Q: I have the problem of halitosis (bad breath). Can Day and Night Mouth Cleaning Solution solve this problem?< TOP >
A: Mouthwash can only temporarily improve halitosis condition, so it's good for short-term treatment. If it's not effective over longer period of time, then the condition may be related to digestive tract problems, and further medical treatment is recommended.

Q: What are the uses of the Day and Night Oral Hygiene products?< TOP >
A: Oral hygiene is very important for your health. In fact, if being taken good care of, teeth can be your life-long friendly companions. Having healthy teeth and oral cavity is critical for normal nutrition intake, clear speaking, good appearance, and a healthy, pain-free life. Day and Night Mouth Cleaning products can effectively help you take excellent care of your oral hygiene in a relaxing, efficient, economical, and safe manner.

Q: Is tooth cleaning at the dentists still necessary once I begin using the Day and Night Oral Hygiene products?< TOP >
A: Due to location of calculus accumulation and the hardened nature of the calcified substance, it can not be removed by just brushing. It has to be removed by tooth cleaning machine before formation of periodontal disease and cavities.

Oral hygiene Q and A for women and children:

Q: Is the old saying "a bad tooth for having a baby" true? < TOP >
A: There is not a definite link between pregnancy and dental diseases. During pregnancy, the causes of dental diseases are not any different. Many pregnant women may have cravings for sour and sweet snacks or other starchy food. They may have elevated chance of getting dental diseases if their oral hygiene is not proper taken care of. In fact, as long as one maintains good oral hygiene habits, you can have as many babies as you desire without damaging any teeth.

Q: What precautions should be taken before pregnant women go to dentists?< TOP >
A: Due to comfort and safety considerations, pregnancy women are advised not to receive any dental treatment at the early and late stage of pregnancy. If you have dental problems, simple and short treatment by dentists in the middle phase of pregnancy is recommended.

Oral hygiene Q and A for infants:

Q: How old should infants be before they can brush teeth? < TOP >
A:Even before the temporary teeth develop, the parents should wipe and rinse the infants' mouth floor after feeding to remove any debris. This will prevent the oral cavity from becoming the feeding ground for bacteria. When the first tooth develops in infants (around six months of age), parents should start cleaning the teeth for the babies. This will get the children used to brushing and help them develop such habit.

Q: How may the parents help the infants with oral cavity and teeth hygiene?< TOP >
A: Before teeth form, parents should lay the infants' heads on the thigh and clean the infants' gums with a cloth pre-soaked with warm water and rolled around the finger. After the temporary teeth begin growing, the teeth can be cleaned with small and softer brush.

Q: How can the "feeding bottle" cavities be prevented?< TOP >
A: The most commonly seen oral disease among infants is the "feeding bottle" cavities. It is caused by improper feeding habits. Many parents usually allow the infants to sleep right after feeding them with milk, whose residue might remain on the surface on the teeth. This especially elevates the occurrence rate of cavities. Hence after feeding, parents should use cloth or brush soaked with water to clean the surface of infant's teeth. Sharing utensils with other and feeding infants with pre- chewed food should also be avoided to lower the chance of bacterial contamination.

Q: What are some of the common oral diseases among children, and how are they prevented?< TOP >
A: Some of the common oral diseases include cavities, periodontal disease, irregular teeth, and external damages to teeth.
A. Cavities: After feeding, use cloth or brush to clean the tooth surface. Allow the infants to get used to the refreshing feeling of a clean mouth. Bottle feeding should also be terminated as early as possible.
B . Periodontal disease: Food debris remained after incomplete brushing may irritate gums, leading to inflammation and periodontal disease. Remember to brush!
C . Irregular teeth: Take good care of the temporary teeth and prevent them from falling off prematurely due to serious cavities. This may lead to irregularly arranged teeth. Once irregularity is detected, consult the dentists as soon as possible.
D . External damages: infants might accidentally injure teeth. Should such damages occur, seek proper dental treatment as soon as possible.

Q: How can the infant teeth be taken good care of?< TOP >
1 . Consult with qualified professional dentists.
2 . Receive regularly scheduled checkups.

• 0-6 years of age: examination should be done every 2-3 months.
  
• 6-12 years of age: examination should be done every 3-6 months.
  
• 13 up to elder: examination should be done six to twelve months.

3 . Proper dental cleaning: use brush and dental floss.
4 . Balanced nutrition.
5 . Apply teeth crack sealant: cavities can be prevented by sealing cracks and gaps on the occlusion surface.
6 . Apply fluorine treatment: children should get it every six months to inhibit bacterial growth and to strengthen teeth.

Q: Are drooling, biting habit, fever, and diarrhea all consequences of tooth growth? < TOP >
A: As the temporary teeth start growing through gums, there might be slight periodontal inflammation.
This is the so-called "sprouting gingivitis". During such period, most children will feel very uncomfortable and might cry, drool, and like to bite things or people. There might also be accompanying fever or diarrhea. Actually among these problems, only gingivitis and biting are directly linked to tooth growth.
The others are related to development and eating habit. For example, frequent drooling is caused by the maturation of salivary glands around six months of age and the associated large amount of saliva secretion. Fever and diarrhea should be paid special attention to, as they are not directly related to teeth. After six months of age, some of the antibodies circulating in the infants, originally from the mothers, may start disappearing.
Fever may occur at this time point due to the inadequately developed self immune system. Diarrhea may possibly be caused by incompatibility of the new feeding content and habit once milk feeding is terminated and the resultant gastrointestinal discomfort. These problems should definitely not be neglected by just associating them with the simple reason of tooth growth. Pediatricians should be consulted as soon as possible to prevent further illness.