LISTERINE® Bloggers Dare – Week Uno

Q & M Clinic Reception

I had my first visit to the dentist last Sunday, August 15th 2010 after more than 10 years. The treatment room is smaller than the ones at Alexandra Hospital, which was where I had my last visit.

The clinic is located at Novena Square and known as Q&M Clinic. Q&M have started operations since 1996 and have mushroomed at various places around Singapore.

I am the first blogger to be treated, as part of this dare and the entire treatment lasted more than thirty minutes.

The dentist asked about my dental history. As my last visit was more than 10 years ago during my secondary school days (quick guess my age! ), I have not had any dental records. I did wear a teeth brace for a while but I took it off because it broke and I was too lazy to get another one.

He then did a quick scan and noticed certain portions of my teeth to be decaying and the gums, tender. Here is a screenshot of an image of human teeth from Wikipedia.

An Example of An Adult & Child Teeth Structure

While my central & lateral incisors are fine, there is a noticeable gap in between the tooth, which the dentist recommends to be closed. This is however, an aesthetic recommendation and not part of the treatment.

My third molar or otherwise known as the wisdom tooth, has been broken off, and I told the dentist so. He says he can see as the shape of the molar appears to be the one, which has been broken off. He also noted that the gum around that third molar is tender as a gentle probe from him causes me to say “AAHH!” sharply.

He then proceeds to tell me that he will be doing several things.

First of all, he will gently poke the area around each of my tooth, to find out which of the gum bleeds easily. This is to find out the score rating, which will be checked again upon the next visit in 6 weeks time, at the conclusion of the challenge.

Next, he will be doing a scaling – a treatment he says most people are anxious and agitated about. Scaling include the removal of dental plaque, calculus and stain from the crown and root surfaces of teeth.

• Dental plaque is a biofilm that builds up on teeth.
• Calculus or tartar is a form of hardened dental plaque. It is caused by the continual accumulation of minerals from saliva on plaque on the teeth. It’s rough surface provides an ideal medium for further plaque formation, threatening the health of the gingiva (gums).

Finally, he will be polishing the teeth – a treatment he says most people are happy & pleased to go through.

Here is a short video, explaining what gingivitis is about, the sign of which is bleeding gums.

As a result of the poking done by the dentist, he found out that there are a total of 92 bleeding points on my gums, and my score is calculated at 57%! It is scary to know of the number of bleeding points in my mouth!

After the entire experience of the treatment, getting my tongue to go over every tooth that has been polished is a delightful experience. It really feels smooth.

In a few more weeks, I should be able to smile wider, showing off my teeth!

I asked the dentist on the steps to take care of the teeth. He says there is only three basic steps.
1. Brush your teeth
2. Floss your teeth
3. Rinse(or gargle) your mouth
He mentions that, of all three, brushing the teeth is most important. He recommends using a soft bristle brush instead of hard ones as the soft bristle will be enough to brush away the dental plaque while a hard bristle may wear down the teeth. He also recommends brushing twice a day.

I know of some friends who brush after each meal. :lol:   Flossing can be done before sleeping and the best way is to place it down in between each tooth and pulling the string out of the mouth instead of lifting up. After that, you can use Listerine® Total Care mouthwash to get all the benefits it offers.

I asked the dentist what is the recommended frequency for a dental visit and he says six months in between visits is recommended. Unless, there is a need for additional treatments, the time between the six months can be best used to take all the basic tasks of brushing, flossing & rinsing as part of daily oral health.

[Full Disclaimer: You may refer to my previous post about this LISTERINE® Bloggers Dare contest that I am participating.]