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Category: Oral Hygiene

  • Sweet and Good For Your Teeth?!

    If there’s one long-held truism when it comes to foods that harm your health, it’s that sweetness is usually cause for concern. The bacteria in your mouth eat sugar, then create acids that eat away at your enamel. Even when sugar is replaced by artificial sweeteners, you don’t eliminate the risk for decay. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose are highly acidic, which accelerates the rate of decay.

    Recently, however, new natural sweeteners have arrived on the market that provide great flavor without posing a risk to your oral health. Chief among them is xylitol. This natural sweetener, derived from the fibrous parts of plants, doesn’t break down like sugar, because bacteria cannot digest it. It also benefits from having a neutral pH (it’s neither acidic nor basic), protecting your teeth from decay and sustaining a healthy environment in your mouth. As an added bonus, xylitol stimulates saliva production. Saliva is your body’s natural defense against decay, and more of it is never a bad thing.

    Where can you find this magic sweetener? Sugar-free gum is often the most common place. If you’re shopping for gum, take a second to check ingredients. Xylitol should be one of the first listed on the package. When you opt for gum with xylitol, you actually benefit from having three to five pieces per day. It’s hard to imagine a hygienist recommending you chew more gum, but that’s the case with xylitolbased gum.

    You can also purchase xylitol in packets to sweeten everything from coffee to cookies. The sweetness is much more concentrated than in traditional sugar, so be careful how much you use. If you’re baking with xylitol, you’ll also need to look up recipes that account for how it differs from sugar. But you can still get delicious results!

    This holiday season, try to include a little xylitol in your favorite treats. It may require a bit of tweaking to your traditional favorites, but your teeth will thank you.

  • Why Cities Fluoridate Your Drinking Water

    These Stats Prove the Value

    The first major city in America to fluoridate their drinking water was Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1949. Since then, cities all across America have added fluoride to their water. Of the top 50 largest U.S. cities, only six are currently without it. Why so many?

    Cities across the U.S. have caught on to what dentists have been saying since well before 1949: Fluoride is safe, effective, and cheap. Not only that, but it’s natural as well. Oceans and groundwater naturally contain fluoride, and the public waterworks only have to adjust it to a better level.

    Fluoride is a solution packed with minerals that strengthens your enamel. As you eat, the acid in your food causes demineralization, which weakens your teeth. Rinsing with a fluoride solution reinforces the enamel and reverses early decay, giving your teeth a chance to rebuild without succumbing to the acid and sugar in your diet. It’s extremely effective for your dental health.

    Fluoride is also remarkably cost effective. According to the American Dental Association, it costs less to fluoridate one person’s water over the course of their life than it does to give them one dental filling. Every $1 invested in water fluoridation saves $38 in dental treatment costs — not to mention the millions of school and work hours that it saves nationwide with fewer people at the dentist. Talk about bang for buck.

    You can find out whether your town has fluoridated water by going to nccd.cdc.gov/DOG_MWF. You can also get a powerful and effective dose the next time you visit us for your regular cleaning! As U.S. cities know, fluoride is equally friendly to your teeth and your wallet.

  • Tips for Healthy Holiday Teeth

    The holidays are a time of festivity and cheer. For the youngest among us, that holiday spirit includes eating sweets. Given that your kids are probably holding on to some of their Halloween stash and anxiously awaiting candy cane season, I wanted to talk about sugar and oral health.

    When it comes to sugar intake, what you eat is less important than how you consume it. Obviously, moderation is key. Kids should be able to enjoy their Halloween candy, but they should also be careful to not overindulge. Too much between-meal snacking is a cause for concern. If you have sweets after a meal, your mouth will have more saliva, allowing you to break down the sugar better. Sticky, chewy, and hard candies are often the worst for your teeth because they tend to get stuck in your mouth.

    Candy isn’t the only problem food. Sweetened beverages do just as much, if not more, damage. At this point, everyone knows that soda is basically just a can of sugar water, but even diet sodas aren’t great for your teeth. Sports drinks and flavored water are also packed with sweeteners. Read the label before you fill the fridge with cavity-causing drinks.

    On the other hand, there are some foods that actually promote oral health. Cheese, raw veggies, crunchy fruits, and nuts all have oral health benefits. They’re packed with nutrients and they can also help remove plaque and dislodge nasty substances from between your teeth. These foods, uncoincidentally, are all natural. The more processed the food is, the more likely it is to have elevated sugar levels.

    With all this talk of food, I can’t help but think about my Thanksgiving favorites. Sure, turkey is delicious, but what I look forward to most is the stuffing. For as long as I can remember, it’s always been my favorite.

    I hope everyone has a chance to eat their favorite foods this holiday season. Keep in mind, though, that too many sweets could create a sour situation for your teeth.

  • Sensitive Teeth: What Are the Causes and What Can You Do?

    If you have sensitive teeth, brushing, flossing, eating, and drinking can cause sharp, temporary pain. Sensitive teeth are typically the result of worn tooth enamel, exposed dentin, or exposed tooth roots. However, sensitive teeth can also be caused by cavities, cracks, chips, bleaching, or recent dental work.

    If your sensitive teeth hinder your daily life, consult your dentist. They may be able to rule out underlying causes of your tooth pain and recommend treatments. Desensitizing toothpaste can, after several applications, sometimes help block pain associated with sensitive teeth. Your dentist may also apply fluoride to the sensitive areas of your teeth to strengthen enamel and reduce pain. Treatment options for exposed tissue include bond resin, surgical gum grafts, and root canals.

    To prevent sensitive teeth from recurring, brush twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, and floss daily. Make sure you aren’t brushing with too much pressure. If you grind your teeth, ask your dentist for a mouth guard to wear at night.

    Consider limiting your intake of carbonated drinks, citrus fruits, wine, and yogurt, all of which remove small amounts of tooth enamel over time. If you eat acidic food, drink milk or water to balance the acid levels in your mouth. Also, refrain from brushing your teeth immediately after eating, as some foods and drinks can soften the enamel of your teeth.

    Sensitive teeth can be debilitating, but proper oral hygiene and dental care coupled with avoidance of acidic food and drink can reduce or cure your tooth sensitivity.

  • A Drink to Dental Health

    The Truth About Sparkling Water

    Soda sales are down, and sparkling water sales are up.

    Health-minded individuals are turning away from sugar-filled sodas and juices, replacing them with fizzy alternatives such as La Croix and Perrier. These beverages offer all the bubbles without the guilt — but are they any safer for our teeth?

    Sodas and juices are highly acidic. Combine that with sugar, and you have the ultimate recipe for tooth decay. Remove the sugars and acidic ingredients, such as citric acid, and you are left with a very different sort of drink.

    A 2016 study featured in the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) took a close look at the erosive properties of beverages we consume every day and their impact on tooth enamel. The study found that sports drinks were the worst offenders, or “extremely erosive,” with sodas trailing close behind.

    Researchers also found that sparkling water was “minimally erosive” when it came to the impact on tooth enamel. Dr. Edmond Hewlett, a professor with the UCLA School of Dentistry and consumer advisor with the American Dental Association, says that, sugars aside, the acidity in sparkling water is significantly less than sodas, juices, and other similar drinks.

    The carbon dioxide bubbles in sparkling water (which become carbonic acid when consumed) are weaker than the acids found in other drinks. The bubbles are not a danger to tooth enamel. If regularly consumed over a long period of time, however, sparkling water may have an erosive effect. But for a vast majority of the population, this is a non-issue.

    The important takeaway from the JADA study is that sugar-free sparkling water is a healthier alternative to soda, juice, sports drinks, and other beverages high in sugars and acid content. That includes beverages marketed as diet (they may lack sugar, but they are still highly acidic). The next time you reach for a bubbly and refreshing sparkling water, you can know you are making a good choice for your body and teeth.

  • Smiling Increases Happiness!

    Learn How Smiling Actually Improves Your Mood

    Nothing projects happiness quite like a big, beautiful smile. The connection between smiling and joy, however, is not a one-way street. A study by psychologist Robert Zajonc shows that facial expressions contribute to the feelings associated with them. That’s right — smiling more will actually make you a happier person, and nothing will motivate you to flash those pearly whites more often than being excited about the alignment and appearance of your teeth.

    Feeling great about your teeth is one of the chief benefits of orthodontic treatment. When you look in the mirror and see a flawless smile, you gain an increased sense of self-worth. Not only are people with straight teeth more likely to be successful and score more dates, but according to a Kelton study, they also feel better about themselves. High self-esteem yields positive results in every facet of your life and will have you grinning from ear to ear.

    Heightened self-confidence isn’t the only benefit to working with an experienced orthodontist. Straighter teeth also contribute to your overall oral hygiene. Crowding and crookedness increases the likelihood of plaque buildup and cavities. The health benefits of orthodontic treatment extend beyond the mouth as well. Loads of ailments — like jaw aches, sleep apnea, and migraines — can be alleviated through orthodontic treatment. These added bonuses will lift your mood even higher.

    Everyone is searching for inspiration to smile more often. The job of an orthodontist is to give you as many reasons as possible to broadcast your inner contentment. Possessing the best possible smile will improve your mood and, in turn, will keep you smiling from dawn till dusk.

  • Should You Rinse Your Teeth After You Brush?

    Here you are again at the bathroom sink. You’ve lathered up your teeth with fluoride toothpaste, using the proper brushing technique — 30 seconds per quadrant, all the way to the gumline. You’re a brushing pro, in fact. But then, when you’re done, you suddenly meet the great dental dilemma: To rinse or not to rinse?

    Of course, this isn’t an entirely realistic situation. There’s no dental dilemma, right? Almost everyone rinses with water after they brush. You have to get that toothpaste sludge out of your mouth and clear away those germs. But you might be surprised to know that most oral health experts recommend against it.

    The reasoning here is pretty simple. The fluoride in your toothpaste coats and protects your teeth from the acid damage caused by the bacteria and sugars in your mouth; it even reverses early tooth decay. But while fluoride is bacteria-resistant, it’s not waterresistant, and studies show that when you swish that post-brush water around in your mouth, it can wash away that helpful coating, causing your teeth to lose out on those fluoride benefits. In this way, a thorough water rinse can actually increase your risk of cavities.

    “Wait,” you might protest, “I’m just supposed to deal with that uncomfortable film? That overwhelmingly minty taste and the gross toothpaste slurry in my mouth?”

    One option for those who are particularly offended by not rinsing after brushing is to wash out the mouth with a fluoride rinse instead of water. Pay attention to the bottle, though — many commercial mouthwashes don’t actually contain any fluoride and thus would have the same negative effect as water. You can also simply use less water — the smaller the amount, the better. Using less water should fix that post-brush feeling and still leave your teeth protected.