Saturday, June 29, 2019

How At-Home Oral Care and Professional, In-Office Care Help Your Oral Health


You've probably been going to the dentist as long as you can remember as a little kid. Like some patients, maybe the busyness of life or the fact that not you're an adult, you aren't forced to see the dentist.

Maybe at one point, your oral hygiene was important to you. As a kid, you did all you could to not get a cavity and get that prize reward. As you aged, however, the health of your teeth and gums has taken a back seat.

You may think that you don't need to see the dentist. After all, your mouth looks and feels great, except for the minor tooth discoloration.

Here are reasons why both at-home oral care and regular visits to the dentist office are important in maintaining great oral health:

At-Home Oral Care

Most of your oral health is your responsibility. You only go to the dentist twice a year (or more if you have a dental issue). That means all the other days, you're the only one to clean your teeth and gums and spot any irregularities.

Brushing your teeth and flossing takes only a few minutes every day. Flossing and brushing your teeth on your schedule and in the privacy of your own home can't get any easier.

Proper, at-home oral hygiene does mean more than just brushing for a couple seconds and flossing between a few teeth. You'll need to start off with a soft-bristled toothbrush that is no more than three months old and fluoride toothpaste. Brushing for two minutes, twice a day and flossing on both sides of each tooth will dramatically lower your risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

What happens when you're at work and can't brush your teeth or floss? Swishing with water, in fact drinking a lot of water is a great way to clean out your mouth after eating or drinking beverages that can stain the teeth in between brushing.

Oral health conditions such as tooth decay and gum disease happen gradually. Skipping just one day of brushing or flossing can give cavity-, gum disease-, bad breath-causing plaque a foothold. This makes at-home oral care vitally important.

If you notice something doesn't look or feel right in your mouth, you're the only one who will notice. If the condition is severe, a visit to the dentist office may be in order.

You're the only one who can care for and monitor the health of your mouth day in and day out which plays a big role in your oral health.

Regular Office Visits

Even if you already do all the above-mentioned things as part of your at-home oral hygiene routine, regular visits to the dental office are still necessary. Why?

Those dental conditions or irregularities you found that is causing severe, chronic discomfort will be best diagnosed by a trained dental professional. A dentist will also know the best course of treatment to take.

Dental offices will also have more tools and equipment than what you have at home, including specialized tartar scrapers, powerful toothbrushes, and more concentrated toothpaste. The operation of such equipment by the hygienist will also allow for a deeper and more thorough cleaning of hard-to-reach places. Dentists can also deep clean your gums using special tools and procedures and ward off possible gum disease.

Your dentist, in short, can offer the best, most effective treatment of dental issues and provide a deeper cleaning than what you can do at home.

Good at-home dental hygiene won't ensure good dental health no matter how white and healthy your teeth look. Only relying on the occasional dental office visit and the dentist recommendations also won't bring about healthy teeth and gums.

Both a solid at-home dental hygiene regimen and regular visits to the dentist office are needed to ensure the best care of your oral health.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9942472

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Oral Health & Asthma


It might surprise you to learn that 1 in 12 Americans has asthma. Along with the well-known risks asthma brings, it may also increase your risks of developing gum disease, oral sores, dry mouth, and cavities. If you suffer from asthma, try these tips to take optimal care of your oral health and help prevent these side effects.

Sunday, June 23, 2019

Throwback Toothday: Buckle Up to Save Your Smile


Headed out for a summer road trip? Buckling your seatbelt can help protect your mouth and teeth. Join us as we celebrate 160 years of driving dentistry forward by taking a trip through the ADA’s video archive. #ADA160

Thursday, June 20, 2019

Oral Health & Arthritis Tips


For people living with arthritis, maintaining a regular at-home oral hygiene routine can be a challenge due to mobility limitations. For some, holding a toothbrush or handling dental floss is difficult. For #ArthritisAwarenessMonth, we’re sharing some tips that can help:

Monday, June 17, 2019

Why Regular Dental Cleanings Are Important


Going to the dentist may seem like a chore, but it is something we should all do on a regular basis to maintain our healthy smile. Now I know what you're probably thinking--'why can't I just maintain my teeth at home, by myself?' well, you can and you should but that is in addition to going to the dentist, not an instead of scenario.

So, if we brush and floss at least twice a day, that's great, right? Yes, that is what is recommended but it is also recommended that you see your dentist for a checkup and cleaning at least once every nine months. Why? So they can continue to check for things like gingivitis, oral cancer and the like and nip problems in the bud before they become big (and painful) ones.

Say you have had a root canal on a tooth and over time that tooth has become weakened. The dentist may suggest you get a crown. If you don't do the procedure right away, the tooth may further deteriorate and you'll be left with a whole lot of pain, infection and the possibility that you could lose the tooth altogether. Or, you can go for your checkups, get the necessary information, take the path your dentist recommends and suffer a little discomfort now rather than a world of hurt later on. Going to the dentist on a regular basis allows them to monitor situations like this and guide you to the most pain-free option for fixing the problem.

Dental cleanings are also helpful in maintaining that healthy smile, making sure your teeth are all healthy and clean, your gums are healthy and your bite is great. Maintaining good oral health also leads to better overall health, so you'll want to get right on that oft-forgotten appointment!

To prevent cavities, stop tooth loss, brighten that smile and freshen your breath, there is nothing like a professional cleaning. Oh, and while you're there they'll do X-rays that can show them any potential problems arising while keeping them on file to compare to subsequent films they will take on other days, keeping tabs on your teeth from the inside as it were.

So, go ahead and make that appointment. You'll be glad you did when your mouth gets a clean bill of health and you see all of your daily brushing and flossing paying off!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Amanda_J_Hales/1311545

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9836707

Friday, June 14, 2019

Throwback Toothday: The Bad Tooth Gang


The Bad Tooth Gang is out to get your smile, but a few good habits can fight them off! Join us as we celebrate 160 years of driving dentistry forward by taking a trip through the ADA’s video archive. #ADA160

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Bleeding Gums and the Signs of Gingivitis


Do you have bleeding gums? This could be an indication that you are suffering from gingivitis, a gum disease caused by plaque build-up around teeth and the gumline. Swelling or redness of the gums, receding gumline, and bad breath can be another sign of gingivitis. Consult with your dentist if you see any symptoms because if left untreated, gingivitis can lead to periodontal disease and even tooth loss. To help prevent gingivitis you should be sure to brush twice and floss once a day.

Saturday, June 8, 2019

Why Do My Gums Bleed?


You were flossing your teeth and noticed that your gums were bleeding? Dr. Katz is here to explain why gums bleed and what this can be a sign of.

Wednesday, June 5, 2019

Why It's Important to Care for Your Smile


We all want that perfect, bright, straight smile that adorns the faces of the rich and famous. Some of us go to great lengths such as undergoing multiple cosmetic dental procedures to get the best smile possible.

Why are great-looking smiles important? The first thing most people think of is how their smile affects their appearance. We are attracted to people with beautiful smiles and we want to be one of those people.

With their intrinsic beauty aside, a bright, straight smile also offers many additional benefits.

Besides helping you look your best, here are some benefits a great smile can offer:

A beautiful smile is a healthy smile and vice versa. You can't expect to have an attractive smile if you don't properly care for it and it's unhealthy. When your smile is looking and feeling great, you win. A healthy mouth reduces your risk of tooth decay, gum disease, bad breath, missing teeth and oral cancer. Preventative dentistry is less expensive than restorative dentistry.

Your beautiful smile improves your relationships. Want to be well liked? Want to be the person everyone wants to hang out with? I'm sure you do. Have you noticed a common characteristic of those people you enjoy being around? You've likely observed that they all laugh and smile. You won't smile often if you have a smile that can use some improvement and which you think is mediocre at best.

A beautiful smile can open up job opportunities. Did you know that smiling not only makes you irresistible to friends, but also to employers and other business professionals? Why? Because people in business see individuals who smile as being more sure and confident. Successful leaders are those who have charisma, which entails smiling and showing off those pearly whites.

Your beautiful smile can make you happier. Those who laugh and smile frequently experience more happiness, peacefulness, and contentment. They also experience less stress. The chemicals released from smiling and laughing have been shown to improve your mood as well as the mood of those around you.

A beautiful smile means a healthier you. Studies have linked the health of one's mouth to one's overall health. Heart disease and high blood pressure can be a side effect of not smiling, which can be caused by an unhealthy mouth. Diabetes can increase one's risk of cavities. Infections of the teeth, such as teeth abscess can cause potentially severe, deadly blood infections. The happy thoughts and positive thinking that comes from smiling can also boost one's immune system, allowing it to better fight disease.

Finally, a beautiful smile can lengthen your life. The culmination of a healthy social life, self-confidence, and happy thoughts can help you live longer.

A beautiful smile is more than skin deep. Besides enhancing your appearance, a smile can offer multiple health benefits. Because your smile is important, great care is needed. Both, proper at-home oral hygiene and regular dental office visits are necessary to maintain and improve your smile. If it has been longer than six months, it is recommended that you schedule an appointment with your dentist. A bright, straight, beautiful smile is possible with great, regular dental care.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9965153

Sunday, June 2, 2019

Why Don't We Like Wisdom Teeth?


Every year, 5 million Americans have their wisdom teeth removed. These pesky molars can cause infections tooth decay, and even tumors. The problem? Wisdom teeth often can’t fit in our mouths. But that wasn’t always the case. Early human ancestors used these teeth to grind up tough, uncooked food.