Your age and dental health are closely related. As you age, your responsibility to take care of your dental health grows immensely, so that you can continue to enjoy a full and healthy smile. By age 30, you and your teeth will have gone through...
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Everyone knows you’re supposed to go through your house and clean it in the springtime, but there is also something else you can do in between cleaning the carpets and washing the drapes – you can do some cleaning related to your oral health and look and feel better about yourself.
If you are not doing it already, you should buy a new toothbrush after every three months. It will make a big difference in your dental health for a small amount of cash. Toothbrushes can over time harbor bacteria and even viruses, and as the bristles become worn down, they can no longer reach all of the small crevices in your mouth. If you catch a cold, make sure you throw out your old toothbrush as it could make you sick again.
You may not be aware of it, but mouthwashes have a shelf life just like many other products. If you use a mouthwash that has past its expiration date, it may not just taste bad, it may no longer be effective. Double check that date and make sure it is current.
Dentists recommend that the length of floss you use be 18 inches per session. If you floss on a daily basis – and you should – that adds up to 45 feet of floss on a monthly basis. So you think you have enough dental floss? Chances are you most likely do not. So stock up so you do not run out when you need it the most.
You should have your teeth cleaned every six months. During this time, your dentist should also check you for cavities, and any other potential problems such as the start of gum disease. If you have not been doing this on a regular basis, or are just now noticing that a problem has occurred, call and make an appointment. If you see your dentist on a regular basis, you can head off bigger problems before they get more problematic and much more expensive. Make cleaning appointments during the springtime and fall months, as these are least likely to be fully booked or conflict with the vacation plans of most people.
If you want to read some more great tips to keep a healthy mouth and gums, click here to read even more.
If you want more help in keeping a healthy smile, we at Bronitsky Family Dentistry have a caring staff that will make you feel at ease, even if it has been some time since you visited a dentist. They have the very latest in dental technology, but still use a gentle and friendly style with patients. You can set an appointment online or call our office.
Set an appointment today to get that smile you’ve always wanted.
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Taking care of the teeth of an infant should begin as soon as their very first tooth comes in. As soon as a tooth is visible in their mouth, it is susceptible to decay. After a feeding, you should use a soft and damp washcloth or gauze pad to wipe any teeth and the gums of the infant.
Common in young children, “baby bottle syndrome” is one of the top causes of tooth decay. When your infant drinks from a bottle that contains either milk, juice, or formula, it is common for them to fall asleep with the bottle still in their mouth. This exposure to the acids and sugars contained in these can pool around the teeth, causing decay and discoloration. To learn more about this condition, click here.
Breast milk also contains sugar. So you should know that decay can also happen when a baby falls asleep while breastfeeding. To keep your baby from experiencing tooth decay, clean their teeth after each feeding. During nap times and at bedtime, only give them a bottle with water.
Many studies have been done that show children who drink fluoridated water from the time of birth have 65% fewer cavities than those who do not. When these same children become teenagers, a majority of them still have no tooth decay.
For those who live in communities that do not have fluorinated water, you can use tablets, gel, or drops to get fluoride in your water. You can also go to the dentist and get topical fluoride treatments. You can also get fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash to help.
Providing the child with a balanced diet is also a key to healthy teeth and gums. Children all need calcium, which contributes to strong teeth. Some of the best sources of calcium are milk, yogurt, and cheese. There is some research that highly suggests eating cheese after a meal inhibits acids that cause tooth decay. Do not let them have snacks that have starch or sugar.
By the time they are 3, children should be brushing their own teeth with your supervision. When they get their primary teeth, or teeth start to touch each other, it is time to begin flossing.
By age 8, children should be able to floss and brush on their own. Make sure it is a daily routine for them, and you can enhance their experience with a colorful toothbrush and bubble gum flavored toothpaste.
With your guidance, and professional care from a good dentist, children will have the foundation they need to have healthy teeth for a lifetime.
At Boones Ferry Dental, we can care for patients young and old, and specialize in family, implant, and cosmetic dentistry. The friendly staff will make you feel right at home from the time you step in the door. You can follow them on Facebook and Google + to get some special deals on dental procedures, and get tips to improve the oral health of everyone in your family.
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Gum Disease – What It Is And How To Prevent It Gum disease is one of the main causes of tooth loss in adults today. It is basically infections of the tissues that support the teeth. Gum disease is unusual in one way – it is painless for the most part. Because of that, most […]
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Can An Apple A Day Also Keep The Dentist Away? According to the Academy of General Dentistry, the dietary habits of today’s kids lean toward a greater intake of sugar. This greatly increases the risks for cavities and other oral health problems. As a parent, it is your responsibility to monitor the diet of your children. This not only means watching what they eat at home, you must also monitor what they eat at school. One of the best ways to encourage healthy eating habits is to offer them healthy snacks such as apples, and other foods that have natural […]
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What You Need to Know About Dental Sealants Dental sealants are known for being one of the best ways to prevent fissure and pit caries in children. This is an oral health objective of the US Department of Health and Human Services Healthy People 2020. They seek […]
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How to Care for Your Dentures If you have dentures, your attention to good dental care isn’t over. You have to practice good oral care as diligently as ever. Why take care of your dentures? Even though your dentures aren’t your permanent teeth and can be replaced, […]
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You’ve probably heard that you should brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss, but did you know you need to take care of your teeth at night, too? Brushing and flossing daily/nightly removes plaque while it’s still soft so that it won’t harden into tartar. Once it does, it can only be removed by a professional dental hygienist or dentist.
There are three basic components to a good nighttime oral hygiene schedule:
Whether you brush or floss first doesn’t really matter, as long as plaque and leftover food particles are removed. However, there are a couple of differing opinions on this: some experts say that you should probably brush first, then floss, and then finish up with mouthwash. (Brushing first can make it easier to floss.)
Alternatively, some experts say that you should floss first because the fluoride from the toothpaste can get between your teeth better if plaque and debris are removed. The choice is really up to you and your dentist.
Brushing removes plaque buildup and can prevent tooth decay, as long as you use fluoride toothpaste. Use a soft bristled brush and brush your teeth at a 45-degree angle in relation to the gums. Brush back and forth gently in short strokes the width of each tooth. Brush outside tooth surfaces, then inside tooth surfaces, and finally, chewing surfaces.
The old standard of “at least twice a day” is a good one, although your dentist may tell you something different. That’s because the risk for dental disease is different for each person, and dentists now follow models of dental disease to figure out what each of their patients should do to take care of themselves. If you’re at a low risk for cavities and gum disease, you can wait until bedtime to brush; however, if you’re at high risk for cavities and gum disease, you should brush both just after dinner (or after your last snack), and at bedtime, both.
You need to floss because flossing allows you to remove plaque and food debris from between teeth that your brush can’t reach. If you floss every day, you can also help prevent periodontal, or gum, disease.
To floss, use an 18-inch long strand, wind most of it around your middle finger and hold a small section tautly between thumbs and forefingers. Gently guide the floss between your teeth and user rubbing motion to gently move it back and forth. Move toward the gum line, and snuggled the curve of the floss against the teeth rubbing back and forth again. At the root of each tooth, slide the floss into the space between the gum in the tooth and continued to “rub” gently. Move the floss up and away from the gum gently, and repeat for each tooth.
(If you are susceptible to gum disease, you may be told to floss twice a day.)
Rinse with a therapeutic over-the-counter mouthwash (or a prescription mouthwash given to you by your dentist), and swish vigorously between teeth. Follow the instructions on the package. Using therapetic mouthwash kills bacteria, helps keep teeth and gums healthy, and your breath fresh.
Over-the-counter therapeutic mouthwashes can help strengthen teeth, or prevent plaque and/or gingivitis. There are different formulations for different needs, such as tartar control, added fluoride, etc. but if a mouthwash has the American Dental Association‘s seal of approval, it should be fine to use. Avoid using mouthwashes that haven’t been approved by the ADA and that just “freshen breath.”
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