Regular checkups and professional teeth cleaning (officially known as dental prophylaxis) are crucial for both your oral health and your overall wellbeing. But how you care for your mouth at home is every bit as important.
Protecting your teeth from decay is a continual battle. The sugar from the food you eat in combination with the bacteria in your mouth leads to the formation of plaque. Plaque produces acids that gradually damage your teeth. Your teeth are robbed of minerals during this time, making them weaker.
This plaque must be cleared away before it forms tartar or calculus, a hard substance that can only be removed by a professional. Likewise, your teeth need a break from the acid and a chance to remineralize before the damage caused by the acid becomes permanent and a cavity forms.
This is why your home care routine is vital.
It’s important to note that, while brushing and flossing are necessary, they may not be as effective as they could be if you’re using improper technique. In fact, it’s possible to damage your teeth if you use the wrong toothbrush or brush with too much force.
Please see our guides to brushing and flossing below to make sure you’re doing it correctly.
You should brush at least twice a day, for about 2 minutes each time.
To brush properly:
Some other important factors:
Here’s a video from the American Dental Association to show you how it’s done.
Brushing and flossing properly is crucial to good oral health, but caring for your toothbrush is something that often goes overlooked, even though it’s important as well. If your toothbrush is not properly taken care of it can spread more germs into your mouth and not clean your teeth properly. For proper toothbrush care, be sure to keep the following in mind:
After you brush your teeth, make sure you rinse off your toothbrush completely with water. You should also allow it to air-dry. If you store your toothbrush in a container, the moisture can create an environment that allows microorganisms to grow.
Sharing a toothbrush can lead to an increased risk of infection.
It is recommended that you replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months. The bristles become worn and less effective over time.
There are a lot of choices out there when it comes to toothbrushes, but the big question may come down to whether you should use an electric or a traditional toothbrush.
The short answer is that either type, when used with proper technique for the appropriate amount of time, can effectively clean your teeth. However, electric toothbrushes tend to make doing it properly a lot easier.
So, the real divider is ease.
With a manual brush, diligence is key. It is recommended that in order to maintain a healthy smile, brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day is key. Regular toothbrushes have the benefits of being inexpensive, travel-friendly, and don’t require batteries or to be charged before use.
Electric toothbrushes have gained popularity for their ability to do all of the work for the user. With the option of different style brush heads and modes, like whitening, sensitivity, and deep cleaning, it makes a thorough teeth cleaning simple. Some electric options are even equipped to time how long the user is spending brushing one area and alerts the user to move to a different quadrant through vibrations.
Additionally, electronic toothbrushes are ideal for those for whom brushing can be troublesome. For people with issues such as coordination problems, arthritis, orthodontic brackets, or gum disease, electric toothbrushes can make it easier for them to reach every area of their teeth. Children can benefit from electric toothbrushes as well, as kids find them more interesting and they help do some of the brushing for them.
The ADA suggests that the real deciding factor is the person doing the brushing (and how they brush) more than the toothbrush itself. Ultimately, the choice is yours, but for most people, an electric toothbrush can help make cleaning your teeth a little bit easier.
You should be sure to floss once a day in order to prevent cavities in places where your toothbrush can’t reach and to ward off gum disease.
To floss properly:
The American Dental Association has a video to help show you this process.
Most people will brush their teeth, but many are reluctant to floss as instructed. Some feel that brushing alone is sufficient, while others were influenced by a 2016 news article citing the lack of studies done on the effectiveness of flossing. Others are concerned when flossing causes discomfort or makes their gums bleed.
The truth of the matter is that toothbrushes are incapable of reaching all surfaces of the tooth. There are spaces between teeth where tiny food particles and bacteria can cause plaque formation. While mouthwash can reach these areas and kill the bacteria, it’s not capable of removing the plaque. This plaque will eventually become tartar, a hard substance that can only be removed by a dentist.
Plaque in areas between teeth can result in cavities that are difficult to spot, and beneath the gumline, it can cause irritation and eventually lead to gingivitis and gum disease. This is typically the real reason why gums bleed when flossing. Flossing helps keep these areas clean and allows the gums to heal and return to normal.
A study performed at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences found that flossing increases the effectiveness of brushing, allowing higher concentrations of fluoride to remain in the mouth for longer periods of time. While the study found evidence leading us to believe that flossing before brushing may be more effective, the most important thing is that we DO floss!
When you brush and floss your teeth, are you cleaning your tongue as well?
The germs in your mouth that cause tooth decay, gingivitis, and gum disease tend to form together in groups known as colonies. Colonies of bacteria are less destructive when they are broken up during your oral hygiene routine. However, they don’t just live on your teeth; bacteria can be found on your tongue as well.
The surface of the tongue is covered with many little tissue projections, called papillae, which serve various functions such as detecting taste. These papillae also make great hiding places for bacteria. In addition to being the type of bacteria that can result in tooth decay, they are also typically the source of bad breath.
Just using mouthwash isn’t enough to eliminate this bacteria; it needs to be manually dislodged with a toothbrush.
Cleaning your tongue is relatively simple. Use your toothbrush first to go back-and-forth, then switch to side-to-side. Be sure you don’t overdo it, as you don’t want to damage your tongue. When done, rinse out your mouth with water.
A tongue-scraper may also be used but isn’t necessary. The ADA explains that, so far, there is no evidence that they work any better than using toothbrush.
Plaque is a sticky, colorless film of bacteria that naturally forms on our teeth each day. The bacteria in plaque can react with the sugars and starches in the food we eat, resulting in an acid that gradually dissolves tooth enamel. This process, if not stopped, will result in tooth decay and the eventual destruction of the tooth.
While plaque can be removed with proper brushing and flossing, any plaque that is missed will harden into tartar. Tartar, or dental calculus, cannot be removed by brushing; it requires special tools used by dentists in order to be safely eliminated.
The acids produced by plaque can do more than just damage teeth enamel. They can irritate gums, resulting in redness and bleeding. As this progresses into gum disease, the gums will begin to pull away from the teeth, and the tissue and bones holding the teeth in place will begin to break down.
This is why good home care and regular professional dental cleanings are needed in order to keep your mouth and teeth healthy. Diet can also help slow down the development of plaque by avoiding sticky and sugary foods that may result in sugar staying on your teeth for long periods of time.
It is estimated that approximately half the population experiences tooth sensitivity.
The sensitivity you experience can come in many forms or situations. It may be mild and momentary, or extreme and last for hours. It can come and go over time. It can happen when you bite down on something, eat something sweet, drink something cold, or even when you drink something hot.
Why do your teeth react to hot, cold, sweet, or sour, and sometimes even to pressure? What’s actually going on?
If you are having issues with sensitive teeth, it’s typically an indication of a dental problem that needs treatment. The type of treatment can vary depending on the cause, however, as there are many things that can cause sensitive teeth.
Five of the most common causes of sensitive teeth are:
As it’s the most common source of sensitive teeth, it may help to know some of the reasons why it may happen. These include, but are not limited to:
Teeth can become sensitive for many different reasons ranging from trauma to dental disease. The first step in treating sensitive teeth is to determine the cause. If you suffer from sensitive teeth, getting in touch with our office to make an appointment is the first step in finding relief.
80 million people in the US are affected every day by chronic bad breath, also known as Halitosis. Bad breath is an important oral health issue; whether it’s your own or someone else’s, and it may be more than an embarrassing social problem—it can be a sign of disease or illness.
Bad breath is typically caused by a sulfur compound that is left by bacteria created from decaying food particles and other leftover debris that are trapped between teeth. This is why you should be flossing once a day. In addition to proper brushing, flossing daily helps remove the food particles and bacteria that contribute to bad breath, making it one of the easiest ways to prevent and banish bad breath. Brushing your tongue, cheeks and the roof of your mouth can help remove food particles, too, and of course, regular visits to the dentist are recommended as well.
Saliva is important for more reasons than you might think, one of which is that your mouth is more susceptible to plaque buildup if less saliva is present. As we’ve established, this building may result in an unpleasant smell.
If you deal with bad breath due to a lack of saliva, you can avoid the following circumstances:
Having good oral hygiene and a healthy diet are good ways to be sure you avoid bad breath. But, if you’re doing all of these things and are still having problems, there may be another cause, including some serious health conditions.
Some serious oral health conditions associated with bad breath to include:
Bad breath can also be a symptom of a variety of serious non-oral health problems including:
Brushing and flossing are the most crucial elements of a home oral hygiene routine and should be your main focus. There are some cases where a mouthwash/mouthrinse can be helpful, however, and mouthwash has the benefit of reaching areas that might be missed by a toothbrush.
The best type of mouthwash for you will depend on your needs. You should be aware that there are two main types of mouthwash: therapeutic and cosmetic. The latter type may be used to control bad breath and leave a pleasant taste behind, but as they don’t kill bacteria, they offer no health benefits.
Therapeutic mouthwashes can be available over-the-counter or by prescription, and can be used to treat a number of different conditions.
Mouthwashes containing fluoride can be helpful for those who struggle with tooth decay, or who have braces and have a hard time reaching every part of their tooth with their toothbrush.
Antibacterial mouthwash can help disrupt bacteria, and help those with chronic gingivitis, but shouldn’t be used as a substitute for brushing and flossing—the bacteria will begin to return within 20 minutes. (For disturbing bacteria in hard-to-reach areas when your toothbrush isn’t available, sugar-free chewing gum (such as those with sorbitol) may be more effective.)
For those who suffer from dry mouth (xerostomia)—which can make teeth more prone to decay—some types of mouthrinse are specially formulated to help with this problem.
Some other conditions different kinds of therapeutic mouthwash has been created for include:
Before deciding to use a mouthwash, consult Dr. Reineck, Dr. Powers, or Dr. Naylor to see if one is recommended for your specific needs. An ADA-approved, over-the-counter mouthwash may be suggested, or in some cases, the dentist may suggest a prescription mouthrinse.
Whether to use the mouthwash before or after brushing, or if you should rinse with water between the two, can depend on the type of mouthwash; some can react to the chemicals in the toothpaste, making them less effective. Be sure to check before starting with a new mouthwash.
Your tooth enamel is made up of minerals, and each day your tooth enamel goes through the processes of demineralization and remineralization. Demineralization takes place when minerals in your tooth enamel dissolve due to acids, and remineralization is when minerals are deposited back to your enamel. When your body takes in minerals such as calcium, phosphate, and fluoride, your tooth enamel begins to replenish.
This is a daily occurrence, but sometimes more demineralization occurs than remineralization. If your tooth enamel is not being restored faster than it is being depleted, your teeth can begin to decay. This is why fluoride is important to the health of your teeth. Fluoride is a naturally-occurring mineral that is resistant to acid. When tooth enamel is remineralized using fluoride, it not only restores strength to the enamel but helps protect it from future exposure to acid.
We use and consume things every day that have small amounts of Fluoride, including water, certain foods, and toothpaste.
Fluoride treatments are also available from Milford Dental Excellence. These fluoride treatments can be directly applied to your teeth as a varnish. It is typically left on the teeth for a short time and then any excess that has not been absorbed can be removed. You will most likely be instructed not to eat or drink anything for 30 minutes after the treatment, to make sure the fluoride is able to do its work.
Some adults who are struggling with tooth decay or root sensitivity can benefit from fluoride treatments, and they can be especially helpful for children. Children tend to need time to build good oral hygiene habits, so fluoride treatments can give their teeth a little extra protection as they learn to brush and floss properly.
A healthy diet is important for a healthy body. Obviously, no one believes that junk food is good for them, but it’s important to remind ourselves why these kinds of foods should only be eaten occasionally. Eaten too frequently, junk food can have significant impacts on our overall health.
Over-consumption of foods that are high in sugar, can put us at risk for obesity and diabetes. When looking specifically at the mouth, we see that food and drinks with large amounts of sugar can mix with the bacteria in the mouth, resulting in acid which damages teeth enamel and increases the chances of the development of gum disease. Gum disease has links to other conditions including heart disease and stroke, as is best avoided entirely.
Many foods, such as soft drinks or sports drinks, can damage tooth enamel due to their acidic content, in addition to the sugar. It may not be noticeable, but acid softens the enamel, making it susceptible to being worn away.
Here are some foods that may pose harm to your teeth.
The food you consume can have an impact on how your teeth look, in addition to your oral health. There are microscopic ridges on teeth where residue from certain foods can get caught, resulting in a stain or discoloration. Darkly pigmented beverages such as coffee, tea, and cola can have this effect, as well as fruit juices, popsicles, and even tomato sauce.
A good rule of thumb to consider is that if it would stain your carpet, it will likely stain your teeth as well.
Just as some foods are harmful to your teeth, there are also some that can be beneficial to eat. Here are some healthy food choices that can be good for your smile.
Prophylaxis is the term used for a professional tooth cleaning performed by a dental hygienist. Along with brushing for 2 minutes, twice a day, and flossing, routine visits for a cleaning and dental check-up are crucial to maintaining good oral health.
Oral health care has seen many advances, as we have many new tools and products to help us keep our teeth clean better than ever before. We have toothpaste that fights cavities and remineralizes tooth enamel, and high-tech toothbrushes that utilize phone apps to determine how well we are brushing our teeth.
With all of this, are two visits a year still needed?
The answer to this question is yes, you still need to visit Dr. Reineck, Dr. Powers, or Dr. Naylor twice per year. The reason for this is that your dental visits do more than just clean your teeth.
Your dental visits also do the following:
With all of the above being said, the two weeks recommendation is a general one, and may not be the best fit for everyone.
If you take great pride in your dental hygiene and have healthy teeth and gums, it may be possible to go longer in-between visits your visits. However, if you think this the case for you, you should still check with the dentist first.
On the other end of the dental health spectrum, if you struggle with oral hygiene, suffer from gingivitis, you should consider scheduling visits more often than twice per year. Three appointments a year is especially helpful for those who suffer from gum disease, as keeping gum pockets clear is necessary to prevent it from getting worse.
If you have any questions about your schedule, get in touch with us to find out what best fits your health needs.
You may be surprised to learn that tooth enamel is actually the hardest substance in the human body. That doesn’t mean it can’t be damaged, as cracked, chipped, or broken teeth are quite common. To prevent this sort of damage, it’s very important to take care of our teeth; and this goes beyond good oral hygiene. There are many kinds of techniques, habits, and foods that can do damage to tooth enamel.
Chewing on ice cubes or popcorn kernels are common examples of things people do that can cause damage to tooth enamel. Eating or drinking things with high acidic content can also weaken tooth enamel, making it more susceptible to damage.
It isn’t just food, either, as biting fingernails, chewing on pens or pencils, and opening packages with your teeth can result in damage as well.
A very common way people damage their tooth enamel is through bruxism. Bruxism is the term for jaw clenching your jaw or teeth grinding, whether done when a person is awake or asleep. When you continue to do this, your teeth become worn down, which is what we call attrition. Root dentin can become exposed if your attrition becomes serious enough. When dentin is exposed, your teeth become very sensitive to hot and cold. Not only does clenching and grinding damage teeth, it can also cause damage to the ligaments in your jaw and alveolar bone. The damage can lead to periodontal disease.
There are a number of treatments available for bruxism, including night guards and bite correction.
Oral piercings deserve special mention, as they pose a number of oral health risks.
Some of these health risks include:
Some of these issues are fairly common among people who have oral piercings. One study found that gum recession occurred in 50% of people who had a lip piercing and 44% who had a tongue piercing. In the same study, 26% of the individuals with a tongue piercing had some form of tooth damage.
Because there are no regulations over body piercings, caution must be taken when getting one. In addition to the health concerns above, there is also a risk of contracting hepatitis and other blood-borne diseases due to unclean piercing needles.
If you have any kind of oral piercing already, there are some ways to make sure you limit the risk of issues. Practicing good oral hygiene, like brushing and flossing twice per day, using toothpaste with fluoride, and using a mouthwash that is alcohol-free.
It is important to keep the piercing site clean and be sure to notice any signs of potential issues. These include any pain, tenderness, swelling or unusual discharges from the piercing site.
Besides choosing not to get an oral piercing, the best way to keep a healthy mouth is through good oral hygiene and routine trips to the dentist. If you do have an oral piercing, Dr. Reineck, Dr. Powers, or Dr. Naylor will be able to give you tips on how to best care for it.