It is very important to take a proper case history which will further lead to a proper diagnosis and a perfect Treatment with good Prognosis.

I remebered a line which my professor use to tell:
“Accurate diagnosis of a disease depends on the art of taking Case Hisyory.”

Now coming to the most important question:

What is Case History?
Case history is considered to be a planned professional conversation that enables the patient to communicate their symptoms, feelings and fear complex to the physician.

Ideally Case history is taken in a consultation Room or a Private Office in which the surroundings and the conditions are entirely friendly and not like the Dental Operating room.

In many occasions a properly prepared Case History alone is sufficient to Diagnose the Disease without examining the patient.

Hence a Properly prepared case history is of utmost importance in any speciality in Medical Field.

Steps in Case – History Preparation:

1. General Information
2. History Recording
3. Examination of the patient
4. Establishment of provisional diagnosis
5. Necessary investigations
6. Final Diagnosis
7. Treatment plan
8. Prognosis

“To maintain good oral hygiene” is the “mantra” to prevent any oral diseases.

So here is a list of tips by following which we can prevent the condition of Halitosis from appearing.

First thing to know for prevention of halitosis are the foods which can be the cause of bad breath, given below are a list of commonly eaten food which can lead to halitosis.

• Proteins found in food:
• Garlic onion and spices:
• Dairy products like milk, yogurt, ice cream, panner. . .etc:
• Chewing gum and mint with sugars:
• High sugar containing foods:
• Alcohol:
• Smoking:
• Coffee:
• Chocolates:
• Tobacco,pan, ghutka…etc:

1) So First tip is to take less quantity of these foods and to have at least a gargle after taking in any of these foods.

This is the main factor which will help you maintain a good and healthy oral cavity which will lead to good health. Just gargle with Mouth wash in the morning after brushing in the morning and with normal water after each meal you have. This will comprehensively improve your oral hygiene and will remove the factors causing  Bad breath or halitosis.

2)A well balanced Diet:

Patients suffering from halitosis should take a well-balanced diet consisting of seeds, nuts, grains, vegetables, and fruits, with emphasis on raw and cooked vegetables, and fruits. In case of constipation, all measures should be adopted for its eradication. The patient should avoid refined carbohydrate foods, such as white sugar; white bread and products made from them, as well as meat find eggs.

3) Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste:

Which helps your remove food debris and plaque from between the adjacent teeth and also its accumulation in the vestibules. Brushing is mainly done to remove the accumulated food particles on the surfaces of the tooth or in the occlusal surface of the teeth in the pits on the occlusal surface mainly in the posterior teeth.

4) Cleaning the teeth and gums thoroughly:

This is also ans important point to be note, the teeth and the gums have to be cleaned thoroughly, we should take care that there are no food particles stuck in between teeth after a meal, if neglected the food particles are attacked by microorganisms and cause its decomposition which in turn leads to foul smell and so bad breath.

Cleaning of Gums should also never be neglected as the gums cover the part of the alveolar ridge which is surrounded by the cheek and lips, this forms a kind of valley(vestibule) which can be a site of food accumulation, this food  here also acts as a source of foul smell, so care should be taken to prevent accumulation of food particles.

5) Cleaning of Tongue: Might look silly but this is one of the most important causes of halitosis or bad breath, cleaning the dorsal/upper surface of tongue with the help of a tongue cleaner is essential daily at least once during brushing, this makes the tongue free from accumulation of food debris and also from the accumulation of microorganisms in the food.

We can see that during fever there is a white layer formed on the latter part of the tongue which is the cause of foul smell emitting from the mouth, this layer formation is also seen in normal people if proper care is not taken.

So the 4th tip is to clean tongue thoroughly once a day.

6) Keep the oral cavity properly Hydrated all the time:

Keeping the oral cavity or more precisely mouth hydrated all the time can keep us away from bad breath, by drinking good amount of water daily will keep halitosis at a distance from us.

Drinking water acts as a natural cleaner in the body it cleanses the body of all the toxins, In Yoga drinking atleast 500ml of water early in the morning after brushing is recommended to have a healthy living.

7) Flossing once a Day

” Flossing is a critical step in creating the foundation for a healthy and beautiful smile.”

Flossing once a day is essential to maintain a healthy set of teeth, As Flossing removes plaque between teeth and below the gum line in the vestibule area and also helps in dislodging the pieces of food trapped between teeth which otherwise cannot be brushed or rinsed away.

Dental experts overwhelmingly agree that daily flossing is a critical, preventive step in reducing tooth decay and gum diseases.

Here is a link to a video which shows flossing made easy: How to FLOSS

There is no proper way to floss it differs in different individuals, so do it in a way you feel comfortable in.

8 ) Treat Oral diseases:

the presence of oral diseases is a cause of bad breath or halitosis, some oral diseases like oral thrush can  lead to bad breath, so knowing the exact cause of the bad breath is necessary to treat it efficiently.

9) Chew Sugar free Chewing Gums:

Chewing sugar free gums decreases the chances of halitosis t a great deal, as we chew the salivary glands are stimulated and there is  an increase in release in saliva from them this helps in washing out of the food particles and as saliva has anti bacterial property it aslo helps in killing the bacteria.

So it really helps in preventing bad breath, but use only sugar free gums as the gums which contain sugar can become the cause of bad breath s the they may be the supplier of sugars to the bacteria for their growth.

10) Avoid Antibiotics:

The use of antibiotics many times leads to bad breath, this is due to increase in body heat and the presence of artificial immune agents and the decrease in our natural immune system leads to growth of bacteria in the oral cavity, commonly seen during use of antibiotics is the appearance of sore throat which may lead to bad breath.

“So these were some of the Important guidelines to prevent bad breath from troubling your life”

So here are some of the interesting facts about the techniques and the sort of myths in dentistry.

• Horses teeth are extremely long and grow continuously. They wear down, change shape and become discolored as they grow, so we can really tell a horse’s age by looking at its teeth.
• Long ago, people used to ground up chalk or charcoal, lemon juice, ashes or even a mixture of tobacco and honey to clean their teeth. It was only about 100 years ago that someone finally created a minty cream to clean their teeth and it came to be known as Toothpaste.
• China sets aside September 20^th as a national holiday known as “Love your teeth day”
• Before toothbrushes were invented people used twigs or their fingers to brush their teeth.(Neem twigs are still used in India as thy have high bactericidal property)
• Some Interesting facts about toothpastes:
• The Greek physician Hippocrates (400BC) suggested a toothpaste made from three mice and the head of a hare to cure toothache.
•  Before toothpaste was invented people used dry, rough things as an abrasive to clean their teeth – like crushed eggshell, pumice or the burnt hooves of animals!
•   A third of the population squeeze their toothpaste tube from the middle.
•   The world’s oldest-known formula for toothpaste, used more than 1,500 years before Colgate began marketing in 1873, was discovered on a piece of dusty papyrus in the basement of a Viennese museum.
• In early 1600 Japanese women made their teeth black to show loyalty to their husbands.
• In roman times, the ancient Gauls, as well as other people, used Urine (which contained Urea) as a mouth rinse to whiten their teeth.
• The Ancient Greeks were the first to discover and use Pliers to extract teeth.
• The ancient Chinese wrapped tiny pieces of parchment around painful teeth, all of which contained written prayers and incantations.
• Aztec dentists used to mix Iron fillings, water and navel lint bake and insert into the cavities to seal it.
• In the old days when dentures weren’t invented yet, dentists would do a quick surgery in implanting teeth in the mouth a person, by obtaining the teeth from a dead persons mouth.
• William F. Semple a dentist from Mount Vernon, Ohm was issued the first patent in 1869 for chewing gum.
• The Electric chair was invented  by a Dentist.
• The rat’s teeth keep growing constantly all through their lives, that is the reason why they bite into everything they see to get rid of the itching sensation in their gums.
• The biggest shark species has the smallest teeth. The 12 meter ling whale shark has more than 4,000 teeth, wach only 3mm ling. New teeth are constantly being formed in rows in a sharks jaw. Shark’s teeth are normally replaced every eight days. A shark’s teeth are literally as hard as Steel.
• Cows do not have upper front teeth and their lower bottom one’s never stop growing.
• A third of the population squeeze their toothpaste tube from the middle.
• Before toothpaste was invented people used to dry, rough things as an abrasive to clean their teeth – Crushed eggshell, Pumice or the brunt hooves of animals.
• The Greek physician Hippocrates (400BC) suggested a toothpaste made from Three mice and the head of a hare to cure toothache.
• Before toothbrushes were invented people used twigs to brush their teeth. (Neem twigs were used in India as they have high Bactericidal property, Charcoal is also used in some rural areas)
• Diet sodas are just as damaging as regular sodas at weakening tooth enamel.
• Aadvark teeth have no enamel coating and are worn away and regrown continuously.

Some Interesting facts about teeth:

• It  is a weird belief that those who smile in school yearbook photos are more likely to have a successful career and marriage that those with dull or lifeless faces.

  

• The most valuable tooth was that of Sir Issac Newton purchased by a Businessman for $4560. Which he used as a ring.
• A couple of hundred years ago bad teeth were considered to be a rich man’s disease. It was only the rich people who could afford to eat sweet things like Queen Elizabeth I, who had very bad teeth.

•  In the dark ages, superstitions held that a person could cure his/her toothache or re-grow a lost tooth by obtaining a tooth from someone else. This tooth would have  preferably come from a  hanged criminal. It was believed that just the mere possession of such a tooth would work.
•  Cows do not have upper front teeth and their bottom ones never stop growing!
• In the 18th century people would sell their teeth to the rich people, Who then used to make false teeth with them.(so replacement of teeth was seen from as early as 18th century)
• The biggest shark species has the smallest teeth. The 12 metre long whale shark has more than 4,000 teeth, each only 3mm long.
• New teeth are constantly being formed in rows in a shark’s jaw. Shark’s teeth are normally replaced every eight days.
• The rats front teeth are constantly growing all through its life, this is the reason they bite into everything they see to get rid of the itching sensation due to growth of teeth.
• Over 40%-50% of children will be affected by tooth decay before they reach 5years of age.
• According to the May 2000 Surgeon General’s report, Oral health in America, more than 51 million school hours are lost due to Dental related problems.
• Kids laugh around 400 times per day compared to the mere 15 times a day by grown ups.
• 38.5 days is the number of days a person spends brushing his teeth in his whole lifetime.
• According to a poll conducted 73% of people would rather go for grocery shopping rather than Floss his/her teeth.
• While 9 million children in this nation do not have medical insurance, more than twice that number – 23 million- don not have dental insurance.
• Of the 4 million children born each year, more than half will have cavities by the time they reach second grade.
• For 25% of children the first visit to the emergency ward in hospitals is due to a Dental related problem.

While going through some websites i came across this list of cures for tooth problems which were used in ancient times,

The following disgusting list are other cures for tooth problems in the past.

•      Toothache: apply the following  mixture to the corresponding shoulder: figs, saffron, mustard seed, and plaster of myrrh; boil earthworms in oil and drop the oil into the ear holes; rub the tooth with dried cow’s dung!
•      Tooth decay: rinse with a mouthwash made by boiling dogs’ teeth in wine.
•      To make loose teeth firm, tie a frog to your jaw.

 Important Message- please do not try these at home!

 Tooth fairy: Many people tell their children that when we loose our teeth/tooth, and when placed under our pillow before we sleep a tooth fairy comes and exchanges the tooth with a gift.

Filed under are some guidelines

which followed thoroughly will lead to a Good impression.

1. Uniform, homogeneous mix of Impression material

2. Tray is sufficiently filled with impression material

3. Thoroughly applied tray adhesive(to ensure impression material in the tray)

4. Rigid, sturdy impression tray(for applying pressure)

5. No voids or pulls on margin detail

6. Detailed margins with no tears or rough surfaces

7. Tray should not be seen through of the impression material

8. Good blend between heavy body and light body materials

9. Strong bond between impression material and tray

10. No tooth contact with the tray.

By following these guidelines one can get an Ideal Impression.

In the given Picture the impression is taken of a partially edentulous patient with the Anteriors missing.

Instruments:

• Shellac Baseplate (both mandibular and maxillary)
• Spirit lamp
• Primary cast
• Cotton
• Scissors.

Procedure:
The shellac baseplate is taken(for maxillary it is Triangular in outline and for mandibular it is horseshoe shaped), the baseplate is then heated partially on the flame not until it melts but till it softens so that it can be adapted onto the cast. After ideal softening the softened baseplate is taken and adapted to the cast with hands and by using cotton so the the baseplate can be adapted well into the sulcus. After adapting the wax to the cast the excess which is projecting out is cut off using a scissor. Then wait for some time as it gets hard and then remove it and the impression is read for use.

It is a temporary impression and can change dimensions in change of tepmerature  so handiling should be done carefully.

It is a rigid material and the impression taken is used for primary casts.