What Is the Best Type of Floss To Use

Recent research has been conducted that compares different types of dental floss to determine whether some are more effective than others to efficiently clean teeth. The reality is that no one brand or type of floss is better than another when it comes to cleaning teeth. Any floss that you use will help promote clean teeth and remove food particles and bacteria. Basically it is a patient preference. Do you prefer silk or wax? The type of thread you use will impact your health care regimen.

In one study conducted by periodontists at the University of Buffalo, 60 adults with gingivitis were split into two groups. The first group was asked to use a nylon waxed dental floss and the second group was told to use a wide polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) floss. After a two week, five week and six week visit, the participants’ teeth were evaluated for plaque, gingivitis and gum bleeding.  The researchers found that both types of floss were similarly effective in reducing plaque and improving gum health.

If you are new to flossing, or if you have sensitive gums, you may want to consult your dentist in person, and start with PTFE floss, such as Crest’s Glide floss, which is softer than a traditional nylon floss. This will help the floss slide more easily between the teeth and is less likely to break or shred than a nylon floss. The basic types of floss are:

• Waxed and unwaxed floss
• Teflon floss
• Thread floss
• Flavoured (e.g. mint) and unflavored floss
• Tape floss (also known as ‘dental tape’)

What Are Flossing Aids?

There are many advances in the dental industry such as flossing aids. These are tools designed to help people who find traditional flossing awkward and difficult to do. They are tools to help people floss more regularly. The aids that are the best-recognized are

• Vibrating dental flosser

• Dental floss holder

• Flossing stick

For more information on how oral care please visit Mountainside Family Dentistry – call (503) 762-2525 for your personal appointment!

And remember, to them, this is a big deal, so much so they keep track at school, of how many they have lost compared to their classmates.  The scenario is baby teeth loosen as their roots dissolve, which clears the way for permanent teeth to grow in, explaining this to your child is a great way to bond. By teaching them about why it happens is a good way to instill a sense of responsibility.

Let your children know that the bottom two front teeth are usually the first to go. And then usually the top two front teeth soon follow. Here are some tips to help you with your children when they lose their baby teeth.

What Age Will My Child Lose Their Baby Teeth?

Although it ranges, the majority of children get their first loose tooth around age 5 or 6. It can happen as young as age 4 or as old as age 8 but in general the first and second grade is when children start to lose their baby teeth. You can be there for your child by keeping the conversation open. Chances are many children in their class will be losing teeth too. Your child may be comparing themselves to others. Suggest to your children that they don’t need to compare. They will lose their teeth when the time is right for them.

How Can I Help Reduce Teething Pain?

Remember that losing baby teeth is usually pretty painless. But every once in awhile the edge of the baby tooth cuts into the childs gums and can cause extra pain. Watch your child to see if this happens because the gums could become swollen and some kids will complain that it hurts. A topical treatment of ibuprofen can help ease the pain. And make an appointment with your family dentist.

Losing baby teeth can be an exciting time for your child and you. Make sure they continue to brush her teeth twice daily, and help them with flossing.  And visit Mountainside Family Dentistry every 6 months – call (503) 762-2525 for your personal appointment!

Limit Soda and Coffee

As much as you may need a friendly cup of “Joe” in the morning, your teeth are not friends with coffee. The dark liquid often stays on the top layer of the teeth long after the coffee is gone. Soda has a high fructose acidic base that can damage tooth enamel. For a bright white smile, it is best to limit or fully eliminate these beverages from your diet.

If saying no to coffee is out of the question at least brush your teeth after each cup. If this is not possible, then drink water. Drinking water can remove food and beverage particles that stick on your teeth. After you drink dark colored beverages drink water and swoosh it around your mouth. This will help your teeth stay whiter longer.

Drink Water

Most people don’t recognize the correlation between drinking water and white teeth, but as we mentioned above, drinking water after meals and drinking dark colored liquids can help wash away unwanted food particles that stick around and stain the teeth. Drinking fresh water flushes unwanted toxins from the body and keeps the brain sharp. When you feel good on the inside you look good on the outside. You are more likely to smile and feel good when you treat your body well. The more water you drink the better you feel. You will shine from the inside out.

Eat Your Oranges

Just like an apple a day can keep the doctor a way, an orange can do the same for your dentist. Oranges are widely recommended for teeth whitening. Orange flavored fluoride is a popular choice for patients, which is great since it contains calcium and phosphorus to promote strong teeth. Oranges can improve your oral health by simply taking the peel and rubbing it on your teeth can provide a sparkle. The citrus helps circulate the saliva in the mouth, which also promotes whiter teeth.

Try any one of these simple tips for a brighter, whiter smile. Make sure to brush and floss every day and visit Mountainside Family Dentistry every 6 months – call (503) 762-2525 for your personal appointment!

Clinically referred to as halitosis, bad breath can often affect individuals without their knowledge and can be caused by a variety of factors. Obviously eating a plate of pickled onions and garlic can cause your breath to smell like the bottom of a garbage can, but that affect lasts only temporarily. When eaten, such odious foods get absorbed into the bloodstream, and eventually get transferred to the lungs.  While you can cover up the smell with toothpaste, mouthwash, or by wearing a really thick surgical mask, the odor will remain until your body processes out the food.

Individuals who suffer from halitosis even though the only dine on lilac tea and cinnamon buns, have bad breath for a entirely different reason. If you don’t brush and floss regularly, food particles remain trapped in-between teeth, near the gums, and on the tongue. Given enough time the food begins to rot, causing a not so pleasant aroma to erupt from your mouth like a stinky Mount St. Helens. Individuals who don’t correctly clean their dentures can also suffer from this same affliction.

Brushing regularly, while paying close attention to the areas along the gum line and on the tongue, and actually buying and using dental floss, can help alleviate bad breath caused by excess food particles. Having your teeth regularly cleaned by Dr. Conklin and his staff will also help keep your breath smelling its freshest.

Bad breath can also be a warning sign of periodontal disease. Not brushing regularly allows the sticky bacteria in your mouth, known as plaque, to turn your mouth into a singles mixer with the food particles that remain after eating. When plaque comes into contact with sugar, the bacteria creates an acid that starts eating away at your teeth’s enamel and begins to irritate the gums. Given enough time, the plaque will begin to damage your gums, bone, and other structures that hold your teeth into place.

Scheduling regular checkups with Dr. Conklin will allow him to detect and treat gum disease in its early stages to prevent any serious damage or long term affects from occurring.

Dry mouth, or xerostomia if you want to impress your friends at Scrabble, occurs when the mouth does not produce enough saliva. A steady supply of saliva helps to wash particles of food that can cause bad breath out of the mouth. When the saliva dries up, the food remains in your mouth and begins to quickly rot. Certain medications, a tendency to breath through your mouth, and problems with the saliva glands can all cause dry mouth. Discuss your condition with Dr. Conklin if you suffer from dry mouth, and he can suggest an appropriate treatment method.

Bad breath can cause a great deal of embarrassment if not properly treated. So do yourself, and everyone around you, a favor, and brush regularly and leave leave the garlic and anchovy sandwiches at home.

What is Toothpaste?

The exact ingredients in a brand of toothpaste will depend on the manufacturer, and what benefits (soothing sensitive teeth, whitening, reducing gum inflammation) the brand touts. All toothpastes, however, will include the following ingredients:

• Soft abrasives used to clean your teeth and remove bacteria and food particles. These can include magnesium and calcium carbonate, hydrated aluminum oxides, and silica gels.

• To keep the toothpaste from drying out, manufacturers add glycerol or sorbitol.

• Seaweeds, synthetic cellulose, and gum give your toothpaste a uniform appearance and texture.

• Fluoride strengthens enamel and builds resistant to tooth decay.

• Artificial flavoring

• Detergents that makes the toothpaste frothy

Selecting the Right Toothpaste

With so many brands on the market, deciding which toothpaste is right for you can seem like a dizzying decision. First, make sure whichever brand of toothpaste you select contains fluoride. Besides being critical in helping you fight tooth decay, toothpastes that contain fluoride are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and must display their ingredients on the packaging. The FDA considers toothpaste without fluoride a cosmetic product, and does not require these brands to list their ingredients.

Secondly, look for the American Dental Association’s seal of approval. Products featuring the ADA seal have voluntarily undergone the organization’s product safety and effectiveness tests. You can feel comfortable about the safety of any toothpaste that features the ADA seal of approval.

Next you must decide what kinds of additional affects you’d like out of a toothpaste. If you would like your smile to shine a little brighter, you can try a brand containing a whitening agent. If you suffer from sensitive teeth, several brands on the market offer temporary relief. Individuals who wear dentures or who have fillings that require special care may need to consult Dr. Conklin to find the brand right for them.  Remember, the number one requirement of any toothpaste you purchase is that it cleans your mouth.

Flavor

Once you find a toothpaste that meets your oral hygiene needs, you should look for a flavor that you enjoy the taste of. Fresh mint, spearmint, and peppermint are the most common flavors of toothpaste on the market. Children’s toothpaste, however, comes in such unique flavors as ice cream, bubble gum, and chocolate. Purchasing a kid friendly flavor might even help convince your child to brush more often. While the flavor of a toothpaste has no affect on its ability to clean your teeth, buying a flavor you can’t stand the taste of may discourage you from brushing as often as necessary.

• Plaque formation and growth is continuous and can only be controlled by regular brushing, flossing, and the use of other dental aids.
• Toothbrushing – Brush your teeth at least twice a day (especially before going to bed at night) with an ADA approved soft bristle brush and toothpaste.
• Brush at a 45 degree angle to the gums, gently using a small, circular motion, ensuring that you always feel the bristles on the gums.
• Brush the outer, inner, and biting surfaces of each tooth.
  Use the tip of the brush head to clean the inside front teeth.
• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen your breath.Electric toothbrushes are also recommended. They are easy to use and can remove plaque efficiently. Simply place the bristles of the electric brush on your gums and teeth and allow the brush to do its job, several teeth at a time.

Flossing – Daily flossing is the best way to clean between the teeth and under the gumline. Flossing not only helps clean these spaces, it disrupts plaque colonies from building up, preventing damage to the gums, teeth, and bone.

• Take 12-16 inches (30-40cm) of dental floss and wrap it around your middle fingers, leaving about 2 inches (5cm) of floss between the hands.
• Using your thumbs and forefingers to guide the floss, gently insert the floss between teeth using a sawing motion.
• Curve the floss into a “C” shape around each tooth and under the gumline. Gently move the floss up and down, cleaning the side of each tooth.
• Floss holders are recommended if you have difficulty using conventional floss.

Rinsing – It is important to rinse your mouth with water after brushing, and also after meals if you are unable to brush. If you are using an over-the-counter product for rinsing, it’s a good idea to consult with your dentist or dental hygienist on its appropriateness for you.

Regular dental exams and cleaning visits are essential in preventing dental problems and maintaining the health of your teeth and gums. At these visits, your teeth are cleaned and checked for cavities. Additionally, there are many other things that are checked and monitored to help detect, prevent, and maintain your dental health. These include:

• Medical history review: Knowing the status of any current medical conditions, new medications, and illnesses, gives us insight to your overall health and also your dental health.
• Examination of diagnostic x-rays (radiographs): Essential for detection of decay, tumors, cysts, and bone loss. X-rays also help determine tooth and root positions.
• Oral cancer screening: Check the face, neck, lips, tongue, throat, tissues, and gums for any signs of oral cancer.
• Gum disease evaluation: Check the gums and bone around the teeth for any signs of periodontal disease.
• Examination of tooth decay: All tooth surfaces will be checked for decay with special dental instruments.
• Examination of existing restorations: Check current fillings, crowns, etc.
• Removal of calculus (tartar): Calculus is hardened plaque that has been left on the tooth for sometime and is now firmly attached to the tooth surface. Calculus forms above and below the gum line, and can only be removed with special dental instruments.
• Removal of plaque: Plaque is a sticky, almost invisible film that forms on the teeth. It is a growing colony of living bacteria, food debris, and saliva. The bacteria produce toxins (poisons) that inflame the gums. This inflammation is the start of periodontal disease!
• Teeth polishing: Removes stain and plaque that is not otherwise removed during toothbrushing and scaling.
• Oral hygiene recommendations: Review and recommend oral hygiene aids as needed (electric dental toothbrushes, special cleaning aids, fluorides, rinses, etc.).
• Review dietary habits: Your eating habits play a very important role in your dental health.

As you can see, a good dental exam and cleaning involves quite a lot more than just checking for cavities and polishing your teeth. We are committed to providing you with the best possible care, and to do so will require regular check-ups and cleanings.