All of us would like to wish Dr. Ben-Zion Klein best of success in his dental adventures in Africa. He will be working this year in Equatorial Guinea‘s capital city, as Hospital Chief Dentist. Dr. Klein has been an integral part of our team of excellent Jerusalem dentists for over 3 years, and we look forward to his updates from the coast of Africa!
Geographic Tongue
The pattern seen in this photograph is consistent with the diagnosis of geographic tongue. This condition is also known as benign migratory glossitis. Geographic tongue is characterized by white striations surrounding red smooth areas on the top surface of the tongue. The picture above is taken from a healthy 30 year old woman who came to our modern Jerusalem dental office for the first time to see our Jerusalem dentist for a complete exam and cleaning. She hadn’t been having any pain or discomfort. She hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary. The standard first part of the oral exam conducted by all of our dentists includes a detailed exam of the mouth and oral cancer screening including the: hard palate, soft palate, gingiva(gums), floor of the mouth, and tongue.
Geographic tongue is so intriguing to dentists because of the following:
The patterns can change from time to time
In general, there is no feeling of discomfort to the patient. In fact no symptoms at all ( In few cases there is mild tongue discomfort.)
It creates no restrictions in terms of taste or function
It affects 2-3% of the population.
It requires no treatment.
It is benign.
It may disappear over time, but it may not.
Dentists and Oral pathologists do not know the cause.
It’s one of the elements that makes every person unique.
If you think that you may have geographic tongue, it is crucial that in Jerusalem you see your dentist at Landau Dental as soon as possible for a definitive diagnosis. Other pathologies need to be ruled out, including(but limited to): atrophic glossitis, chemical burn, lichen planus, erythematous candidiasis, lupus erythematosus, glossitis, leukoplakia.
Call today to schedule an appointment with our Jerusalem Dentist (02)625-6541.
What toothbrush does your dentist recommend?
There isn’t a brand of toothbrushes that I recommend for my patients to use. In general, Colgate can be just as good as Oral B, or even some of the brands that aren’t known as well such as Orbitol. What really is key is the tooth-brushing technique:
- Use a soft or extra-soft toothbrush. An electric toothbrush can be a great enhancement of the daily dental routine for many patients, but it isn’t absolutely necessary for all patients. Your dentist will be able to guide you as to whether(and which kind of ) an electric toothbrush would enhance your oral health.
- Apply only light pressure to the teeth when brushing. A common misconception is that “the harder I brush, the better I brush.” In fact, excess pressure on the teeth can cause toothbrush abrasion- where you actually create craters on the surfaces of your teeth from brushing too hard. These craters may then need to be filled in by your dentist. The second problem (and even more common) is that you push the gums down, creating gum recession. Both of these clinical manifestations of brushing too hard can noted by your dentist at your regular biannual dental exam.
- Brush twice daily. Morning and night. Best after breakfast in the morning and before bed at night. Make sure that you are brushing for 2-3 minutes. This way you can ensure that all tooth surfaces are paid the proper attention to.
- Even though this is a piece about tooth brushing, I will thrown in here that flossing once daily is critical for your long term dental health. Flossing goes hand in hand with tooth brushing.
- Replace your toothbrush every 3 months, or as soon as the bristles start bending.
- Schedule an exam (check-up) and professional dental cleaning with your dentist at least every 6 months in order to maintain the health of your teeth and gums.
Contact Your Jerusalem Dentists, Dr. Simone Landau and Associates, for further information.
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