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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : July 31, 2014 12:23 PM IST
Good news for those who dread a visit to the dentist! Researchers have created a new dental filling material that allows for faster dental procedures. In modern dentistry, white composite materials are commonly used, which at first glance can hardly be distinguished from the tooth. The majority of these composites are based on photoactive materials that harden when they are exposed to light.
But as the light does not penetrate very deeply into the material, the patients often have to endure a cumbersome procedure in which the fillings are applied and hardened in several steps. The Vienna University of Technology, in collaboration with the dental company Ivoclar Vivadent, has now developed a new generation of photoactive materials based on the element Germanium.
Similar to natural tooth enamel, modern dental composites consist of a mixture of different material components. In addition to inorganic fillers they can also contain photoactive organic resins which react to light of a particular wavelength and readily solidify. Professor Robert Liska and his team at the Vienna University of Technology (TU Vienna) said the new Germanium-based molecule makes up 0.04 per cent of the composite material, but it plays a crucial role.
The molecule is split into two parts by blue light, creating radicals, which initiate a chain reaction: molecular compounds, which are already present in the filling, assemble into polymers, and the material hardens. Using this new compound, the hardening depth could be increased from 2 mm to 4 mm, which considerably reduces the duration of the medical procedure, researchers said.
Tips for better oral hygiene
Brush at least twice a day
While brushing thrice a day would be ideal, sometimes that's just not feasible. Try and maintain the habit at least twice a day once in the morning and once in the night. Don't overdo it though brushing too often can erode your tooth enamel. Also, brushing soon after eating or drinking acidic foods can increase the risk of tooth abrasion. Hence postpone it to at least 30 minutes after meals.
Change your toothbrush
It's important to change your toothbrush from time to time. Change your brush every three months or when its bristles start to fray. If your bristles flare sooner than three months, that indicates that you're brushing too hard.
Brush for the right amount of time
You should brush your teeth for two to three minutes. Divide the mouth into quadrants and spend at least 30 seconds in each region to clean all surfaces. Don't brush for too long as that may erode your tooth enamel. People with oral complications like crowned or misaligned teeth or braces may take more time to brush.
Brush at the right angle
Like everything else in life, brushing too is an art form that needs to be done correctly. Never brush horizontally along the gum line as this may cause abrasions on the teeth. What you need to do instead is place your bristles at a 45-degree angle at the gum line and brush up and down with short, circular strokes. Angulate the brush vertically to clean the inside surfaces of your front teeth.
Don't forget the plaque
It is very important to remove plaque from all surfaces outer, inner and chewing of the teeth. Remember to brush the inner surfaces of teeth where the tongue presses against the teeth.
Clean your tongue
The grooves and ridges on your tongue can be breeding ground for bacteria. Hence a good oral hygiene practice involves cleaning your tongue too. Ideally, you should use a tongue cleaner to gently scrape your tongue. You may use a toothbrush. However, the bristles are not very effective in cleaning the tongue. Read more...
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