Monday 8 September 2014

How to Whiten your Teeth after Jaw Surgery!

And My 3 Year Anniversary!

Since partaking in research, I have found out so many crazy things about how teeth can become discoloured, especially as we get older. This is not my area of expertise, but I find it very interesting and also beneficial to know about. A lot of medications (antidepressants, antihistamines, blood pressure pills) can significantly contribute to the discolouration of teeth. Alongside the processed food we eat, teeth discoloration can be caused by the excessive amounts of fluoride we use in our drinking water, toothpaste and other products. 

Patients who have had jaw surgery or any type of trauma to their teeth can also experience significant changes in their teeth and gum health post-surgery. I know after both of my surgeries I had translucent teeth and gums and a receding gum line for quite some time. The trauma can disrupt the formation of tooth enamel and this can be attributed to the pulp of the tooth dying and causing issues from within the centre of the tooth. As your diet gets back to normal and you maintain good oral hygiene, your teeth and gums should repair and become strong again. However, like with all health advice it is best to speak with a healthcare professional.

There are many branches of research that look into the topic of teeth discolouration. I think the first area to look into is the level of yeast/ candida and bacteria in the mouth. If your PH is off and you have a large amount of candida in your system, this can contribute to staining and tooth discolouration. To resolve this issue you may want to cut back on yeast and sugary products. The most obvious of these include; bread, cakes, sweets, candy, grains and corns, ready meals, beer and fizzy drinks. Many people who have a high level of candida find it beneficial to reduce their carbohydrate intake and increase their consumption of anti-bacterial food stuffs, such as; coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon, raw garlic, onions and kale.

In terms of correcting the colour issue, my friend who is a hygienist would recommend seeing a hygienist above a dentist for issues relating to teeth cleaning and whitening. They are much more thorough and can have different equipment to the average dentist. 

A few of my friends are quite obsessed with teeth whitening and have bought several kits from online or visited a dentist for professional whitening. I would never recommend having your teeth bleached, especially within the first 2 years after jaw surgery. Your teeth have undergone serious trauma and the change in diet would have affected your whole body. I know it is frustrating but please be patient and wait for your body and your teeth to completely heal. 

For an alternative to bleaching, some of my friends swear by banana peels to whiten their teeth and they also rub crushed strawberries on to their teeth. Be careful though, as these have lots of sugar and this could cause the enamel erosion to worsen. 

My personal recommendation would be to decrease the amount of fluoride you have (fluoride water and toothpaste). I use Aloe Vera Fluoride Free Whitening Toothpaste by Aloe Dent. My whole family love it. Also I would alternate that with Sensodyne Proenamal whitening toothpaste, as this is great to help strengthen tooth enamel and warn off painful sensitive teeth. Alternatively, you could brush with baking soda and tea tree oil. This is great as it is antibacterial and whitens teeth in a very natural way. 

In addition to this, try to wait 30-60 minutes after food and brush your teeth or chew gum. This will help to balance out your mouth’s PH level and removal harmful bacteria.

You could also try a high vitamin diet, with lots of vitamin c, d and calcium and also take multivitamins and minerals (if you can). If I were to give advice to anybody, I would suggest cutting out as much sugar and yeast from your diet and seeing if that has any effect on the colour and health of your teeth. In addition, you could try cutting back on things like coffee, tea, wine, smoking etc (that is if you do any of those) and drinking most drinks through a straw to save enamel erosion. Overall, in my experience the more alkaline your diet is, the better your teeth health will be. 

Update from me

Ok so now on to other news. It was my 3 year anniversary on 25th August. I wrote a small note up on my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Thanks to all who wished my face a Happy Faceday, 



Recently, I have been finding it difficult to blog and mentor. I have actually calmed a lot of it down. This is only for the short term. My friend lost her sister a few weeks ago and it really hit home about how short life is. People who know me, know that I run Jaw & Face and this blog because of my love and drive to help others who are going through a bad time. Be it personal, medical and psychologically. People who know me, also know I have a crazy family and a very eclectic group of friends who I love and adore. However, sometimes I seem to neglect myself in the quest of helping others. Since my life broke down a few years ago, I lost myself. The blog was the first big step I took in dealing with all the past hurt and trauma and channelling my energy into something positive and uplifting. I feel like now I am coming to terms with my limitations. After partaking in CBT I am able to reflect more on myself and be compassionate to myself. For so long I have focused outwards by helping others to be happy because I did not believe I could be happy or that I truly deserved happiness. But I feel like now it is time for me and to find out what makes me happy. Find out what I like, what I enjoy, have some creative hobbies. I am really trying to stop looking back at the past and what happened there, what I cannot do and learn to live a new way, without fear and what ifs. I am unique, as are you all, our stories are unique and we all deserve happiness. Every single person is beautiful and in time you will all see how perfect you really are. 

I am still going to be around and I will still be running Jaw & Face, selling the e-packs for charity and answering and supporting you all. But it may take me a little more time than usual. 
Stay Jaw-geous 

Sending my love and hugs always

Stefanie

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