3 interesting things in dentistry

In dentistry, as in other areas, there are some interesting or weird facts. In today’s article we will find out more about tattooed teeth, about alternatives to common toothpaste and in the end we will discover some home remedies for toothaches.

1. Tooth tattoos are a new trend nowadays.

They can’t be applied to natural teeth, they can be applied only on artificial teeth (crowns or bridges). People choose to decorate their mouth with images of their favorite things, including a cartoon character, a message to a loved one, the logo of their favorite football team.

A dental tattoo costs between 75$ and 200$. The technique isn’t new. The first tattooed crown was made 20 years ago, in a dental office in Connecticut. The client ask for an image of a corvette on his crown. A tooth tattoo does not damage the artificial tooth and it can last for ages.

People who paints tattoos on people crowns confirmed that there is a demand for portraits of pop-stars or ex-presidents,picture of puppies, cats or even ducks.

Steven Heward, the owner of a dental lab in Utah said that the most unusual request was for a portrait of Jesus Christ on a porcelain front toot. He applies the tooth tattoos, which are miniature paintings made of dental stain and painted on the crowns or even bridges. Steven assures us that these kind of tattoos are easy removable. A dentist will need 5 minutes to polish them away.

He started doing tooth tattoos in 1990s (2-4 per year). Nowadays he completes about 50 per year.

2. Natural toothpaste alternatives

• Homemade mixture of baking soda and fine sea salt.
• Coconut oil – it is antibacterial, and it can be combined with baking soda.
• Hydrogen peroxide – it keeps teeth white and clean. You have to dip your toothbrush in this solution, then in a mixture of baking soda and fine sea salt. Do not use this method if you have amalgam fillings.

3. Remedies you can try at home in case you have a toothache

• Cold compress – it causes the blood vessels in the pain area to constrict, which will make the pain less severe. The cold will reduce the swelling and the inflammation.
• The use of garlic – garlic is known for its medicinal properties. It kills the bacteria, but it can also act as a pain reliever. In order to reduce toothache pain, all you have to do is to create a paste of garlic and apply it to the affected area.
• Salt water rinse – salt it is considered a natural disinfectant. It will reduce inflammation and heal any oral wounds. Mix ½ teaspoon salt into a glass of water and use it as a mouthwash.
• Thyme – it has antibacterial and antioxidant properties. You can use a cotton ball with some drops of thyme oil and water and apply it to the affected area. You can also make mouthwash with these two ingredients.

As a conclusion, you have discovered above some unusual things related to dentistry: you discovered that there are tattoos teeth, you discovered that there are natural alternatives to the fluoride toothpaste and that you have some homemade remedies in case of toothache.

For more information regarding this topic or for oral health problems, do not hesitate to contact Dr. Arhiri.

References:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2631855/Bored-body-art-Tattooed-TEETH-allow-people-display-devotion-favorite-football-team-loved-one-crowns.html

http://www.dentalproductsreport.com/dental/article/tatted-teeth

https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/home-remedies-toothache#1

https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/home-remedies-for-toothache