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Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
About me
Joined the Communist Party of China, graduated from Jiamusi University in 2007 with a Bachelor's degree in Stomatology. Continued to pursue a Master's degree in Stomatology at Jiamusi University in the same year, graduating in 2010. Engaged in scientific research, published nearly ten articles from 2010 to the present, participated in the completion of four projects sponsored by the Provincial Health Department, of which one has been completed and three are in progress. Contributed to one book, and taught undergraduate courses in pediatric dentistry and preventive dentistry. Recognized as an outstanding experimental teacher at Jiamusi University in 2015.
Proficient in diseases
Children's dental caries, pulpitis, periapical disease, tooth trauma, etc., including prevention of childhood milk tooth caries and sealant application on permanent molars.
Voices
Is pulpitis serious?
Pulpitis is a severe pain caused by bacterial infection of the pulp tissue, also known as the tooth nerve. The clinical symptoms of pulpitis are very severe, especially severe secondary pain, irritative pain, as well as indirect pain and pain that cannot be localized. Pulpitis results from the further development of dental caries. In the early stages of bacterial infection, if the carious decay of the tooth's hard tissue is not promptly filled, and if the progression of the caries is not timely halted, bacteria will further infect and cause inflammation of the tooth nerve, leading to pulpitis. This condition requires root canal treatment to alleviate the symptoms. Otherwise, the inflammation will further accumulate around the root apex, causing severe apical periodontitis and even leading to space infection or facial swelling.
Cavities that do not hurt still require root canal treatment.
Cavities that do not hurt may or may not require root canal treatment, depending on the extent of the decay. If the cavity has not reached the dental nerves, there will not be noticeable pain. In such cases, since the decay is relatively superficial, direct filling, or dental restoration can be performed without the need for root canal treatment. If the cavity is severe and has reached the dental nerves, causing the nerves to become necrotic and purulent, there will be no pain due to the loss of sensory function from nerve death. In these situations, root canal treatment is needed. This involves removing the infected dental nerves, followed by medicinal treatment of the root canal, and after the inflammation is controlled, filling of the root canal is performed. In other words, a painless cavity might actually be caused by necrosis and pus formation in the dental nerves, requiring root canal treatment.
Is gum recession the same as periodontitis?
Gingival recession is not true periodontitis. Periodontitis is an inflammation of the periodontal supporting tissues, primarily clinically manifested as gingivitis or periodontitis. Gingivitis is an early stage of periodontitis, characterized by bleeding during brushing or eating, disappearance of the normal shape or state of the gums, and symptoms such as red and swollen gums, pus discharge, and disappearance of the papillae. The presence of dental calculus, soft plaque, and bacterial plaque around the teeth are stimulants, suggesting these are indicators of periodontitis. Gingival recession may be a temporary phenomenon due to reasons such as occlusion. Severe gingival recession can cause exposure of the tooth root surfaces, leading to sensitivity of the roots. If periodontitis has already caused the teeth to become loose, it is necessary to promptly proceed with guided bone regeneration.
What will happen if tooth decay is not treated?
If dental caries are not treated, they may further infect and cause inflammation of the dental nerves, leading to pulpitis or apical periodontitis, causing severe pain. When apical periodontitis occurs, it may sometimes lead to a space infection, which is facial swelling. If the inflammation is not controlled in time, it may also cause osteomyelitis of the jawbone. Therefore, dental caries need to be treated as early as possible. Dental caries are caused by bacterial infections that lead to the decay of the hard tissues of the teeth; in the early stages of decay, using a drill to stop the development of the disease—namely, timely filling—can effectively control the further progression of dental caries. If dental caries further infect and cause inflammation of the dental nerves, it can lead to pain while eating or sleeping, sometimes waking from sleep due to pain, and in severe cases, it can cause facial swelling.
Do children's cavities need treatment?
Whether children's dental caries need treatment may require taking X-rays of the teeth, or it can be judged based on the child's age. If a child around seven or eight years old has decay in the front teeth, these teeth can soon be replaced, and treatment may not be necessary. However, if the molars at the back, which are replaced at around twelve or thirteen years of age, are decayed, then it is necessary to treat these early by removing the decay and filling the teeth. Otherwise, bacteria may further infect the dental nerves, causing pain. If children's dental caries are not timely treated, it can also affect chewing. During childhood, the jawbone undergoes significant development. If the chewing function is impaired, it can affect the development of the jawbone, hence early treatment of children's dental caries is essential.
Should periodontitis teeth be extracted or not?
Whether to extract a tooth affected by periodontitis depends on the condition of the periodontitis. In the early stages of periodontitis where there is no absorption of the alveolar bone, and the inflammation is limited to the gums, symptoms may include bleeding gums, red and swollen gums, or pus from the gums. In such cases, it is possible to preserve the tooth after basic treatment. This means that after cleaning the teeth and removing dental calculus, and applying medication to the gums to control inflammation, the tooth can be preserved. However, if the periodontitis is severe and there is significant absorption of the alveolar bone along with loose or falling teeth, it is difficult to preserve the teeth, and extraction may be necessary.
The difference between dental caries and tooth decay.
Cavities, also known as dental caries, are essentially the same thing. Cavities are a disease caused by bacterial infection of the hard tissues of the teeth, resulting in black holes on the tooth surface. If the cavity is deep, reaching or approaching the dental nerve, external stimuli from hot, cold, sweet, or sour sources can cause tooth pain. The term "tooth decay," commonly referred to as "worm teeth" by the public, fundamentally describes the same condition as cavities, not caused by any sort of worm but by bacterial pathogens. Thus, there is no difference between cavities and tooth decay; both are infectious diseases of the hard tissues of the teeth.
How is periodontitis treated?
Periodontitis is an inflammation of the periodontal supporting tissue, often caused by not brushing or rinsing promptly after eating. Food residue accumulates around the gums, which over time can cause bleeding gums or bleeding during brushing. Severe cases may further develop into periodontal pockets, where dental calculus appears, potentially leading to loose teeth, tooth loss, or even absorption of the alveolar bone. Therefore, the basic treatment for periodontitis involves controlling plaque and eliminating inflammation. This can be achieved through ultrasonic cleaning, which is essentially teeth cleaning to remove dental calculus, followed by rinsing and medicating around the gums to improve their condition. In severe cases, periodontal scaling may be necessary. Thus, treatment of periodontitis is divided into basic treatment and maintenance treatment, with maintenance following the basic treatment phase.
The difference between periodontitis and gingivitis
Periodontitis and gingivitis have essential differences. Gingivitis is the early stage of periodontitis. Both gingivitis and periodontitis involve the formation of periodontal pockets, but the pockets in gingivitis are pseudo pockets, caused by inflammation of the gums which leads to the local proliferation or swelling of the gums, enveloping part of the tooth crown. In contrast, the periodontal pockets in periodontitis are true pockets, caused by the resorption of the alveolar bone, a condition that accompanies the loss of alveolar bone. Therefore, the difference between gingivitis and periodontitis lies in whether there is bone loss or not.
Pulpitis alleviated by cold water
Relief from pulpitis with cold water is a typical clinical manifestation of acute suppurative pulpitis, characterized by pain with heat and relief with cold. It is common to see patients coming to the clinic holding cold water or holding cold water in their mouth to help alleviate the pain. For this type of acute suppurative pulpitis, the initial treatment should involve opening the pulp to relieve pressure. After the pressure is relieved, a devitalizing agent is used to devitalize the tissue, which is commonly referred to as "killing the nerve." Once the nerve is dead, the pulp tissue loses its sensory function, and the intensity of the pain will be alleviated.