Stained Teeth

7 Bright Ideas

Think of a fine porcelain cup. Fill it daily with coffee and colas, subject it to heat and cold, smoke, and alcohol. Fill it with brightly colored food. Then wash the cup in a harsh detergent. Eventually, tiny craze marks will dot the ceramic surface, and before you know it, the once-white cup looks dirty and dingy.

Your teeth are like that pretty porcelain cup. They start out shiny and white. But cola, tea, smoke, acidic juices, and highly pigmented foods slosh past them three (or more) times daily. And your teeth tell the tale in the form of stains.

Not that teeth were ever meant to be totally white. The natural color of teeth is actually light yellow to light yellow-red, says Roger P. Levin, D.D.S., president of the Baltimore Academy of General Dentistry. But as you age, your teeth tend to darken even more.

Surface enamel cracks and erodes, exposing dentin, the less dense inside of the tooth, which absorbs food color. Stains also latch onto the plaque and tartar buildup on teeth, finding anchorage among the nooks and crannies.

"There are many different kinds of stains," says Ronald I. Maitland, D.M.D., who specializes in cosmetic dentistry in his New York City practice. Stains can be caused by antibiotics, by quirks in individual metabolism, and sometimes by high fever. All these have to be fixed by a professional.

But common stains—the coffee and cigarette variety—can be washed away between professional cleanings. Here's how.

Clean after every meal. If you clean your teeth regularly and conscientiously, you have less chance of keeping stains on your teeth, says Dr. Levin.

Polish with baking soda. Mix baking soda with enough hydrogen peroxide to make a toothpaste-like consistency, says Dr. Levin, then brush stains away. Be sure not to use too much peroxide, as it can cause burning.

Check your plaque quotient. Rinse with a disclosing solution to show where plaque remains on your teeth after brushing. Those spots are where your teeth will stain if you don't improve your brushing technique, says John D. B. Featherstone, Ph.D., chairman of the Department of Oral Biology at the Eastman Dental Center in Rochester, New York.

Rinse, rinse, rinse. After every meal, rinse the food from your teeth, says Dr. Maitland. If you can't get to a restroom, pick up your water glass, take a swig, then rinse and swallow at the table.

Electrify your smile. An electric toothbrush, says Dr. Maitland, will push more of the stain-collecting plaque off your teeth. Studies show an electric toothbrush can remove 98.2 percent of plaque.

Try a plaque dissolver. Mouthwashes that have an antibacterial action will reduce stain-catching plaque, says Dr. Featherstone.

Don't scrub away your smile. If you're tempted to turn to one of those super-whitening tooth polishes, don't, says Dr. Maitland. "It's a quick fix, but it's like using an abrasive on a countertop. It takes off the stain, but it wears off the enamel, too. And as your enamel gets thinner and thinner, more of the dentin shows through. And dentin is darker, so it looks like your tooth is stained."

Watch out for excessive scrubbing, too. Harder doesn't mean better, Dr. Maitland warns. A heavy-duty brush with a lot of muscle behind it can be as wearing on tooth enamel as an abrasive toothpaste.

PANEL OF ADVISERS

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John D. B. Featherstone, Ph.D., is chairman of the Department of Oral Biology at Eastman Dental Center in Rochester, New York, and deputy director of the Rochester Cariology Center.

Roger P. Levin, D.D.S., is president of the Baltimore Academy of General Dentistry and a guest lecturer at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.

Ronald I. Maitland, D.M.D., is a New York City dentist who specializes in cosmetic dentistry. He is chairman of the Greater New York Dental Meeting and an expert on dental stains.

Reference :web .mothernature.com

Most babies have their first medical checkup within the first few weeks after birth. Even when things are going well, frequent checkups during the first year are important for monitoring your baby's well-being.

If the checkup will double as your baby's first outing, leave yourself plenty of time to stock the diaper bag and buckle your baby into the car seat. You may be surprised how long it takes to get your new family out the door!

Measurements

Most well-baby checkups begin with measurements of your baby's length, weight and head circumference. You'll need to undress your baby, so keep a blanket handy.

The measurements will be plotted on a growth chart. You'll see how your baby's size compares with other babies the same age, but the comparison isn't what matters. The doctor will use these measurements to make sure your baby's growth is on target from one visit to the next.

Remember that many factors can affect a baby's position on the growth charts. Babies born several weeks early are likely to be smaller than those born closer to their due dates. Babies who were overdue may top the charts.

Head-to-toe physical exam

A thorough physical exam can help the doctor detect issues from diaper rash to breathing difficulties. Here are the basics:

• Head. The doctor will check the size and softness of the fontanels, the soft spots on your baby's head. These gaps between the skull bones give your baby's brain plenty of room to grow. They're safe to touch and typically disappear within 12 to 18 months, when the skull bones fuse together. To help your baby's head remain an even shape, the doctor may suggest varying your baby's head position. Place your baby on his or her back to sleep, but alternate the direction your baby faces. When your baby's able to hold up his or her head, try supervised tummy time.
• Ears. The doctor will check for fluid or infection in your baby's ears with an instrument called an otoscope. The doctor may check the shape of your baby's ears as well.
• Eyes. The doctor will look for blocked tear ducts and eye discharge. He or she may examine the inside of your baby's eyes with an instrument called an ophthalmoscope. The doctor will look for crossing of the eyes (strabismus) and ask if you've ever noticed your baby's eyes crossing at home. By the end of the first month, most babies can focus on objects about 8 to 12 inches away — about the distance to your eyes during a feeding.
• Mouth. The doctor may check your baby's sucking reflex by placing a fingertip or pacifier in your baby's mouth. A look inside your baby's mouth may reveal signs of oral thrush, an easily treated yeast infection common in babies this age.
• Skin. The doctor will look for various skin conditions, including birthmarks, rashes and jaundice — a yellowish discoloration of the skin and eyes. Mild jaundice that develops soon after birth often disappears on its own within a week or two, but more severe cases may need light therapy or other treatments. The doctor will also make sure the area around your baby's bellybutton is beginning to heal.
• Heart and lungs. The doctor will listen to your baby's heart and lungs with a stethoscope to detect any abnormal heart rhythms, sounds or breathing difficulties. Heart murmurs are common in infants and are rarely a concern.
• Abdomen. By gently pressing your baby's abdomen, the doctor can detect tenderness, enlarged organs or an umbilical hernia. A hernia is the protrusion of an organ through the structure that normally surrounds or contains it. With an umbilical hernia, a bit of intestine or fatty tissue near the navel breaks through the muscular wall of the abdomen. Most umbilical hernias resolve on their own by age 2.
• Hips and legs. The doctor will move your baby's legs to check the hip ligaments and joints. He or she will check your baby's muscle tone as well.
• Genitalia. The doctor will inspect your baby's genitalia for tenderness, lumps or other signs of infection. He or she will also check for an inguinal hernia, which results from a weakness in the abdominal wall. For boys, the doctor will look for descended testicles and a hydrocele, a fluid-filled sac around the testes in the scrotum. If your son was circumcised, the doctor will make sure the area is beginning to heal.

General development

It may seem as if your baby does little more than wiggle in your arms, but even limited head, arm and leg movements can help the doctor assess muscle strength and tone. Your baby's reflexes and overall responsiveness will be checked as well.

Time to talk

During the appointment, the doctor will ask how things are going. How are you adjusting to life with a newborn? How much does the baby cry? Is he or she easy to soothe? Who helps you care for the baby? How is the rest of the family adjusting? Have you and your partner had any time to yourselves?

Be ready to describe a typical day with your baby. How much does the baby sleep? If you're breast-feeding, how's it going? How often do you feed the baby during the day? At night? How active is the baby? How many diapers does your baby go through a day?

This is also your opportunity to ask questions. Maybe you wonder when your baby's umbilical cord stump will fall off or if you should try a pacifier. Be sure to bring up whatever's on your mind. Nothing is too trivial when it comes to caring for your baby.

Your well-being is important, too. If you're feeling depressed, stressed out or exhausted, describe what's happening. Your baby's doctor can offer suggestions to help you get through this challenging time.

Immunizations

Many babies are given a hepatitis B vaccine in the hospital nursery shortly after birth. If your baby's had this vaccine, he or she is off the hook for this visit. If not, the hepatitis B vaccine may be given now. Other vaccinations will be given at the next checkup.

Heading home

Make sure you know when to schedule your baby's next appointment — probably at 2 months — and how to reach the doctor in the meantime. Ask if your doctor's office or clinic offers a 24-hour nurse information service. There may be no way to guarantee a good night's sleep when you have a newborn, but knowing help is available when you need it can offer precious peace of mind.