Your questions

Tooth decay or dental caries can theoretically be prevented. A change in diet is crucial. The main cause of caries is the presence of bacterial nutrients on tooth surfaces. Through their metabolism, bacteria alter the acidity on the enamel surface and thereby cause its dissolution or demineralization, which marks the beginning of the carious process. The food for bacteria is carbohydrates, which does not apply to proteins and fats. If dietary elements that feed bacteria were eliminated from the diet, there would be no caries. Thus, Eskimos do not know tooth decay even though they do not use toothbrushes.
A radically complete level of hygiene would likewise achieve the same effect, but theoretically carbohydrates already provide a medium for bacterial growth during the act of eating itself, so complete absence of bacterial nutrients cannot be guaranteed.

Enjoy your meal!

Dental implants are among the more reliable oral-surgical procedures, but even here a certain proportion of failures can occur. Losses are divided into early and late. Early loss is caused by complications during the implantation procedure itself (bleeding, poor bone density, unfavorable anatomical conditions, lack of operator experience...) or shortly afterward (bleeding, infections, immediate overloading, failure to follow postoperative instructions...). Late losses are mainly the result of inappropriate patient behavior (smoking and poor hygiene). Both causes contribute to the development of peri-implant inflammation (peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis), which causes gradual loss of bone mass around the implant and consequently its loss.
In Slovenia, a 90% ten-year implant survival rate is recorded. The lower jaw is much more suitable for implantation than the upper jaw because of its higher bone density.

Go bravely into the operation!

Denture stability is the greatest problem we have faced since the very beginning of prosthetic tooth replacement. A removable denture that, because of anatomical conditions in the mouth or for other reasons, is not sufficiently stable cannot meet the patient's functional, aesthetic and subjective criteria.
Dental implants solve problems of retention, meaning they attach and hold prosthetic restorations in place even when the patient does not have a sufficient number of natural teeth or natural retention elements. Prosthetic restorations on implants can be removable (dentures), which the patient can still remove at will, or fixed, which remain permanently in the mouth (bridges, crowns). Because of their high stability, these restorations provide functional and aesthetic rehabilitation and, most importantly, occlusal comfort and patient satisfaction.

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Toothbrushes can broadly be divided into three groups: manual (conventional and interdental) and electric. Conventional manual toothbrushes come in different sizes and shapes and in three different degrees of hardness: soft, medium and hard. Size and shape are a matter of personal choice. The hardness of the brush can be selected according to gum sensitivity. The more sensitive the gums are, meaning they recede due to repeated injury during brushing, the softer the brush should be. I should emphasize that gum recession from the tooth necks and the occurrence of wedge-shaped erosions are mainly caused by an incorrect brushing technique. Most often we choose medium hardness.
Interdental brushes are intended for cleaning the interdental spaces in the papilla region. Interdental spaces are the main regions of habitual dirt accumulation. Most plaque and bacteria in the mouth are retained precisely in these areas. The thickness of the brush is selected according to the size of the interdental space. If the interdental space is too tight and the brush cannot be inserted between the teeth, we use dental floss instead.
Electric toothbrushes have come into use more recently. If we know how to use manual toothbrushes correctly, electric ones do not provide an essential advantage. In difficult-to-reach areas of the mouth, where maneuvering with a manual brush is difficult, however, this is not the case. Certain electric toothbrushes also massage the gums well with the vibrations they produce. Gum massage increases blood flow through the gums, which is certainly positive; faster regeneration after procedures, reduction of inflammatory processes...
In principle, every toothbrush is excellent if it is actually used.

White-colored changes on the tongue can have very different backgrounds. Most often we have the opportunity to observe diffuse discolorations covering one third or even a larger part of the tongue closer to its root (at the back). The change is usually associated with other systemic changes in the body (reduced immunity, a cold...). The changes can also remain present for a longer time, even several weeks. Local, sharply demarcated discolorations deserve greater attention. They can have various causes. Most often the cause is thermal or chemical trauma: a burn from hot food, cutlery, a burn from a high concentration of alcohol (propolis), or one caused during a dental procedure by medications. A relatively common cause is also a fungal infection (Candida Albicans). In that case, the white change can be removed with dry gauze. It can likewise be a consequence of systemic changes related to general immunity. In any case, the finding should be shown to a professional because, although unlikely, the change could ultimately also be dangerous. The possibility of a precancerous lesion exists, and its presence can be confirmed only by histological examination.

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Treatment of periodontal disease begins with instruction in oral hygiene. The main cause of inflammation of the periodontal tissues is the presence of bacterial plaque, meaning poor oral hygiene. If the disease is in its initial stage, the condition improves considerably or completely simply by changing habits.
If, in addition to the marginal gingiva, the inflammation has already affected other periodontal structures, therapy continues with removal of calculus, scaling and root planing in the pockets, curettage of the pockets and, finally, surgical therapy; flap operations and guided tissue regeneration with replacement of lost bone mass. Unfortunately, people lose a great many teeth because of periodontal disease. The main problem is early diagnosis. At the very beginning the disease is asymptomatic, meaning without pain, apart from occasional bleeding from the gums. The profession emphasizes the importance of a panoramic X-ray image, because its harmfulness is negligible compared with the important information it provides about destruction of periodontal tissues.

Professionally, the term periodontosis is reserved for juvenile periodontitis. Fortunately, compared with periodontal disease, this condition is very rare. It is characterized by rapid and extensive destruction of periodontal tissues, including bone. The disease usually begins early in youth. Gum destruction is usually limited to the first molars and incisors and is usually bilateral. In this case we speak of localized periodontosis or juvenile periodontitis. In generalized periodontosis, tissue is destroyed almost evenly around all teeth. The disease requires rapid and decisive action, because without it tooth loss can occur as early as the age of twenty. Despite all the disease activity, the gums usually appear healthy. The disease is hereditary. In our country the term has become established and replaces the term periodontal disease, which as a rule means disease of the tissues around the teeth. Periodontium namely means "tissue around the teeth".

Untreated periodontal disease can worsen diabetes. C-reactive proteins, which can be found in the serum of patients with periodontal disease, have a harmful effect on the course of diabetes. The Department of Oral Diseases and Periodontology at the Faculty of Medicine in Ljubljana conducted a study showing that only around 40% of people with diabetes believe that the disease is also reflected in the oral cavity. Scientific studies in many other countries have shown that a two-way relationship exists. From the conclusions of these studies, a doctrine developed stating that prevention and treatment of periodontal disease is an integral part of diabetes treatment.
The principles of periodontal treatment in people with diabetes are the same as in those who do not have diabetes. Particular attention should be paid to people who have risk factors for diabetes even if the disease has not yet developed, as this would have a preventive effect on the occurrence of both periodontal disease and diabetes.

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which patients have an increased amount of sugar in the blood because of a disorder in insulin secretion or action. The consequences of diabetes in the body arise from the constantly increased concentration of glucose in the bloodstream. Patients are therefore more susceptible to various inflammations, including inflammation of the periodontal tissues. We can say that diabetes is responsible for faster progression of periodontal disease, if not for its very development. In addition to inflammation developing more quickly, wounds also heal considerably more slowly because of weakened tissue defenses. Diabetes certainly leads to a poorer condition of periodontal tissues, while conversely periodontal disease can increase the possibility of complications in people with diabetes.

Teeth grinding (bruxism) is a disorder that is increasing, especially among younger patients. The causes vary. A filling that interferes with occlusion or articulation, i.e. the contacts between the teeth, can cause subconscious rubbing or clenching because the patient is trying to eliminate the interference. New or unsuitable prosthetic restorations can likewise alter the relationship between the jaws and cause bruxism by a similar mechanism. Recently, stress has often been discussed as a cause of bruxism. Stress-related disturbances are in some way projected onto the level of the stomatognathic system, which consists of the masticatory muscles, the jaws with the teeth and the nervous system, and thus cause disturbed function that manifests as bruxism. In any case, the problem should be addressed as quickly as possible and treated according to its cause. Most often we also provide patients with splints, which on the one hand protect the tooth surfaces during grinding in situations when we are not even aware of it (sleep), and on the other hand place the jaws and teeth into a new relationship, leading to loss of "muscle memory", which over time also means cessation of bruxism. The splints are made of semi-hard acrylic and are usually worn only at night. The most important part of treatment is identifying the cause, which unfortunately is most often iatrogenic, meaning unknowingly caused during dental therapies.

We look forward to your visit and solving the problem.