Things to know in choosing toothbrush

Toothbrushes may be accessible and available anywhere but it does not mean that every toothbrush being sold in the department stores and groceries would really fit immediately what your needs are. There are some characteristics or things that you should remember whether you are buying a manual toothbrush or the powered one.

Size

You must remember that the best toothbrush that would fit for your dental needs would be the one that would have the easiest access to all of the areas of your mouth. A half-inch brush is recommended for adults because it would be most effective for them and easiest to use. Although we do not discredit the presence of large headed toothbrushes, however, manipulating and maneuvering the bigheaded toothbrush might just be difficult. A small brush would be grasped comfortably however the big ones might give some difficulties to the user.

Variety of the Bristles

There will be many types of toothbrushes that you can purchase in the drugstore whether it is manual or electric toothbrush. The varieties would be soft, medium, or hard nylon. According to some dentist and evident with the usage of the vast majority, the soft-bristled brushes are the most comfortable ones and might be the safest choice.

However, you must consider that just because it was what the majority wants doesn’t mean it is what is needed for your teeth. You may still use the medium and hard bristled brushes but take into account that these might cause damages to your teeth and your gums. There are even people who prefer, in order to protect more themselves, a rounded end of the bristles.

Recommendation of the Experts

Dentists worldwide including Edmond Ok would prefer that you should ensure that your toothbrush must have undertaken series of tests for quality assurance. You may do so by asking a dentist or seeing the manual of the approved toothbrushes that lists the brands of the toothbrushes that have earned the American Dental Association Seal of Approval because if you would be fallen into the trap of bogus products, you might just be wasting your money in spending for brush that might not even clean your mouth and teeth totally. If you experience that, you are just totally wasting your money because you are spending for a toothbrush that has not been able to reciprocate your spending and is not capable of getting you satisfactory results.

The importance of oral hygiene must never be underestimated; in fact, just a small gum disease must never be taken for granted for it may mean a whole big thing already.

We remember that when we were still young, dentist and our parents used to tell us how important regular brushing is, we were also told that it is one of the best ways to keep our gums and our teeth healthy.

If you are looking for some tips on how to maintain your dental heath well, you must first start it by looking for the right toothbrush. As well all know, there are already many toothbrushes being sold in the market, however, we could not identify which one is effective and which one is not. Here are some tips in choosing the best toothbrush:

1. Most professionals of the dental industry such as Edmond Ok would recommend a soft bristled toothbrush would be the suited one in removing plague and some debris in your teeth. There are also some that would recommend small-headed brushes for it will be able to roam around the areas of the mouth.
2. Use an anti-slip or flexible neck when it comes to the handle of the brushes. Choose also the right shape of the head and the bristles that you think would be comfortable to you. Remember that the best brush is the brush that would fit you well and would be comfortable when you use it.
3. There are also some people who would prefer using a powered toothbrush over the manual tooth brush. It is a fact that it would do a better job in cleaning the teeth particularly for some people who have difficulties in reaching out their mouth especially those who have been immobilized.

Once you have bought a toothbrush already, the question here now is how often would you be replacing it? Usually dentists suggest that you can use your toothbrush not longer than three months or when the bristles start to wear already, or whichever comes first. However, you must remember that if you just came from any mouth infection, it should be noted that you must immediately replace you toothbrush because the bristles may have collected the germs in it, and it may be true that the germs may still be present in the bristles thus if you would reuse it, chances are, the germs that have resided in the brush would then be retransmitted to your mouth, and you may get infected again.

We’ve covered the most obvious culprits to stain your teeth – food and beverages. Containing  enamel-eroding acids and rich color pigments, they’re enough to make you want to slurp food through a straw to minimize contact with your pearly whites.

Disease and Illness
Like food and beverage, illness can play a major role in the discoloration of your teeth. Some stains attributed to illness are reversible and are easily removed. Sadly, some stains are simply permanent.

Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is one such illness, and those who suffer with it have a chronic issue with food digestion because of the small intestine’s hypersensitivity to gluten.  Interestingly enough, your dentist may be the one to initially suspect you suffer from this affliction. This disease causes damage to tooth enamel which can manifest in tooth discoloration or even a rough surface. This side effect is so common that up to 83% of children with the disease have enamel damage.

Anemia
Hemolytic anemia is a condition where there is a premature destruction of red blood cells. This destruction causes hyperbilirubinemia, which results in bilirubin, or excess orange-yellow pigment in the blood. Most of us have known this effect as jaundice in newborns.  I know that’s a lot to digest, but to make a long story short, there’s too much color in the blood. This condition can lead to discoloration of the teeth from the inside out.

Medications
When we fall ill, a quick trip to our doctor’s office is in order in hopes that he or she can prescribe that magic pill to make us feel better. Unfortunately, some of those pills or liquids can have an adverse effect on our smiles. Here are a few to be aware of.

Fluoride
I know what you’re thinking. Weren’t we were talking about mediations? Well, technically, fluoride is a medication, as some people are prescribed higher doses than over-the-counter options as treatment for gingivitis. If a patient is taking prescribed tablets or drops, then consumes fluoride in their drinking water, in their toothpaste, and other sources, there is the probability of over-exposure. In this case, tooth discoloration may appear as white specks on the teeth, or worse, dark discoloration.

Tetracycline

This antibiotic is one of the most commonly used treatments for a variety of ailments, from acne to Lyme disease to urinary tract infections.  Its typically used is to stop the growth of bacteria. Sounds like great stuff, but there are a few side effects. In addition to possible nausea, headache, and sore throat, a brown/gray discoloration is what may lie ahead for your teeth.  There is even a warning about giving it to children under 8 years old, as it can permanent staining of the teeth before they even break through the gums. It’s so strong it can stain a child’s teeth if their mother took it while pregnant with them.

The best thing you can do, if and when you are ill, is to understand how your illness or treatment will affect other parts of your body. Ask questions about the effect on your teeth and how to minimize any damage. Your doctor may be able to prescribe a different medication or give you instructions on keeping your teeth healthy and white through your illness.

In our last post, we talked about those tasty beverages that aren’t so great for keeping a bright smile. Now, let’s move to something a bit more solid.

Fruits and vegetables –they can be yummy to your tummy and good for the body. But, depending on the ones you choose to eat, they can also leave a few stains you may not appreciate.

Beets

Okay, let’s just say upfront that I’ve never known anyone to claim beetsas their favorite food. But a non-favorite doesn’t mean they are never eaten. Beets are one of the worst stain makers in the vegetable family because of its deep color pigment.

Tomatoes

Most people would guess this one, and they’d be right – tomatoes and tomato-based sauces are huge staining offenders. Tomatoes have a high acid content which lends itself to big stains. So, whether you’re enjoying that big bowl of pasta or that Bloody Mary, watch out! When it comes to your teeth, tomatoes can leave an unwelcome reminder.

Berries, berries, and more berries

Berries of all kinds are wonderful naturally sweet treats. They’re tasty and healthy, whether in their whole-fruit form, or it a nice fruit juice. But be forewarned, the darker the berry, the more likely you’ll walk away with tooth discoloration. This is true for many berries, including blueberries, blackberries, cherries, cranberries, and pomegranates.

As all these foods are healthy and do the body good, you should eat to your heart’s delight. Just keep in mind that they can have negative effects on your smile. So, while you indulge in your favorite healthy, but highly pigmented treat, remember to brush soon after eating. If brushing is not an option, try rinsing with water or even chewing a piece of sugarless gum.  The gum can act as an agent to whiten teeth and remove stain-influencing bacteria.

We’re all familiar with coffee and cigarettes as primary culprits of tooth discoloration. The stains are unattractive and it doesn’t take a dental professional to know when someone has indulged just a little too often in one or the other. But, let’s not put all the blame on the usual suspects. There are many reasons teeth can become discolored, from food and beverages to illness.

We’ll cover some of the causes in a few posts, so let’s get started with something we can all relate to –beverages.

We all know the effects of coffee on the teeth. It typically leaves a yellow-brownish stain that gradually creeps in and makes you wonder aloud what the heck happened the light-bright smile you once possessed. Well, that coffee happened. But there are many other beverages that wreak havoc on your smile and can cause deeper, much darker stains.

Tea is one such offender. While many varieties may be good for the body, it’s not so much for the teeth. Dental professionals agree that tea, particularly the black variety, can have more negative effects than coffee. But, don’t been fooled – herbal and white teas aren’t off the hook. They, too, have the potential to erode enamel and cause stains.

Other beverages to steer clear of or drink in moderation include sports and energy drinks, which may have high acid levels that erode teeth. We can’t write about teeth stains without mentioning another favorite – wine. Red wine is a common culprit for obvious reasons, but white wine can erode enamel and allow for stains, too. How about fruit juices? These gems offer a double whammy of worries! Fruit juices made from darker berries like grapes and cranberries can not only stain the enamel, but depending on additives, can also eat away the enamel, causing more damage.

So, with all this talk of dental damage from our favorite beverages, what’s the solution? Here are a few suggestions on how to enjoy your drink while keeping your smile in tip-top shape.

First and foremost, limit your consumption of these drinks. While they may taste good, too much of any of these is not good for your overall health. You can also try drinking your beverage through a straw. This won’t keep 100% of the drink away from your pearly whites, but it will significantly decrease your teeth’s contact with the offenders. Whenever possible, rinse your mouth with water immediately after indulging in your drink. It’s not as effective as brushing, but can help keep the stains from adhering to the enamel.

When most people think of gum disease, they think of aching, bleeding gums and the negative effect it can have on your facial appearance. The reality is that gum disease means much more. Not only can it affect your mouth’s health and your ability to enjoy food, it can also affect your overall health.

Let’s first make a distinction between gingivitis and periodontal disease. The two terms are often used interchangeably, but are not quite the same. Gingivitis is considered the initial stage of gum disease that occurs when bacteria in plaque build-up causes the gums to become red or swollen. This causes the light bleeding you might experience with brushing.  Gingivitis, left untreated, can progress to periodontal disease, otherwise known as periodontitis or gum disease. Periodontitis occurs when the inflamed gum pulls away from the teeth, forming pockets that can trap more bacteria, food, and other particles causing more damage.

As if all that dental drama wasn’t enough, studies have shown that gum disease has a much broader stroke when it comes to your overall health.  Gum disease can affect everything from your heart health to your ability to conceive. Let’s take a look.

Heart Disease

According the American Academy of Periodontology, people with gum disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease. Twice as likely! While the studies to explain the connection continue, there are a few theories with traction. One primary theory is that bacteria that build up with gum disease enter the blood stream through infected gums. These bacteria then attach to fatty plaque in the coronary artery and contribute to blocked arteries. Gum disease can also contribute to issues with other heart conditions so that some patients must have their cardiologist consult with their dentist before any dental work is done.

Stroke

Research presented at the 89^th Association for Dental Research General Session in San Diego in 2011 suggests that gum disease poses a larger threat of contributing to stroke than diabetes. This information is significant in that diabetes has long been considered a major contributor to the incidence of stroke. The finding also showed that gum disease nearly doubles the risk of non-fatal stroke, similar to the risk from heart disease and high blood pressure.

Diabetes

The connection between diabetes and gum disease has an unfortunate double-edged effect. Those with diabetes are more susceptible to gum disease because their bodies are more open to infection. On the other hand, diabetics with gum disease find it much more difficult to control their blood sugar.  Progressive periodontitis can increase blood sugar, which can contribute to diabetic complications. So, diabetes can contribute to the development of gum disease, which can in turn, make diabetes complications go from bad to worse.

Conception and Birth

Gum disease affects your quality of life and can also affect your ability to create and sustain it. Research has shown that gum disease can delay a woman’s ability to conceive by an average of 2 months. It also contributes to a lower sperm count in men.

In addition to affecting conception, gum disease is linked to low birth rate and premature delivery. In fact, some research has shown that expectant mothers with periodontitis are seven times more likely to deliver early.

Braces are for kids!

I’m too old, now.

It’s too late to fix them now.

Are you using these excuses to convince yourself that you don’t deserve a beautiful smile? It’s understandable. When the average person thinks of braces, they think of the pimply-faced teenager with a full metal-mouth, who wants straight teeth before they hit adulthood. While much of the orthodontic information available today is created for parents searching for assistance with their child’s needs, the reality is that half of all orthodontic patients today are adults.

Here are a few myths we’ll debunk and help you to take that plunge into the adult orthodontic pool.

Braces are just for kids

We’ve already talked about this one, but let’s reiterate. Braces are NOT just for kids and aligning your teeth and jaw bones can be beneficial to your mouth, digestion, and overall health. Depending on other dental issues you may have, the time needed to correct your smile is not much more than a child. Orthodontic treatment can work for all ages.

Braces are just so ugly

Orthodontic treatments have come a long way in the last 10-15 years. The days of big, bulky metal braces and bands are long gone. While metal braces are still an option, they are now a lot smaller and can, in some cases, be placed inside the teeth so they’re not noticeable. There are also clear “braces” or aligners that fit over the teeth and slowly move the teeth into place without being noticed at all.

Only complex dental issues need orthodontic care

Orthodontic treatments can run the gamut from simply whitening your teeth a few shades, to correcting the alignment of crowded teeth. Your treatment might take a few office visits or up to 10 visits over a 12-month period. Your orthodontists can make a professional assessment to determine what is needed to give you a great smile.

The tighter the braces, the faster I can get them off

This is simply not the case. While some force and pressure is needed to slowly move the teeth and jaws into place, too much force can do more damage than good. It can damage bones and gum tissue, and can actually cause the teeth to move in an awkward or wrong direction. This can result in the need to wear the braces even longer than originally anticipated.

If my top teeth aren’t straight, I only need braces on top

It may sound logical, but it just doesn’t work that way. When teeth are misaligned on the top or bottom, the misalignment typically affects the entire mouth. Correcting the alignment of the top or bottom will affect the other half, so both halves must be taken into account. It is best to treat the entire mouth so the end result meets the expectation of the patient and orthodontist.

No one wants to have a tooth pulled. Even when in excruciating pain, extracting a tooth is still a task no one wants to carry out. Add ‘wisdom’ to that equation and the moans and groans from those with experience are audible.

Does the extraction of wisdom teeth have to be painful? If there’s no pain to begin with, is removing them really necessary? Why are they called ‘wisdom’ teeth to begin with? Let’s dig deeper and get a little insight!

Why are they called ‘wisdom’ teeth?

Most people are under the false impression that we have two sets of teeth in our lifetime. The reality is wisdom teeth are a very real third ‘set’. This set of molars typically makes its debut in the late teens or early twenties, hence the name ‘wisdom’ since they form and erupt later in life. These teeth were once considered as useful as any other tooth, especially when chewing and gnashing the food of yester-year. Long story short, food used to be rough, harsh, and difficult to almost impossible to chew. Wisdom teeth were needed when other teeth had been worn down or worn out. Now that we’ve got knives, forks, refrigerators, etc., evolution has deemed these extra teeth, well, useless.

Is it always necessary to remove them?

The short answer is no. Some people go through life experiencing no problems with their wisdom teeth. The eruption of these teeth above the gum line is so smooth, they’re barely even noticed. For some, however, the pain and discomfort brought on by this process is undeniable. If pain begins in that area, it’s time for a trip to the dentist.  Discomfort may not automatically mean extraction, but it is definitely a signal to have them examined.

For many, wisdom teeth erupt aligned and healthy. They take their place in the gum line as perfect as can be and cause no problems. For others, the teeth can erupt misaligned, or at an angle. They may not erupt at all and align themselves horizontally and underneath the gum line, or impacted. This can cause pain and stress on the gums, other teeth, nerves, and jawline. It can lead to infections, cysts, swelling, and even tooth decay.

Even before your wisdom teeth emerge, your dentist will more than likely examine them using an x-ray to see how they’re doing. An examination can give your dentist an idea of trouble before you feel any pain. If it is necessary to remove them, it’s best to get them removed younger in life and before the pain begins. Younger patients have a smaller instance of complications, making the oral surgery easier for everyone. As always, consult your dentist or orthodontists, as they are your best source of information.

Ahhhh, ice cream. The sheer delight of its sugary sweetness and cooling effect on a hot Oklahoma summer day is enough to make you wish it was at the top of the food pyramid. Of course, that sentiment can change in an instant the moment the “ice” in the ice cream hits a sensitive tooth. Suddenly, your delicious treat has turned into a frigid nightmare.

Is the pain just a sensitive tooth or something more?

There is usually the assumption that tooth sensitivity is the result of cavities, but that’s not necessarily the case. There can be many underlying causes of sensitive teeth.

Dentin, a layer of the tooth way beneath the enamel, contains tubes or holes that lead to the nerves and cells inside the tooth. When the protective enamel has been compromised, it’s easy for hot, cold, or sugary substances to get inside the tooth and cause sensitivity and pain. So, here are a few ideas to keep that from happening.

Use a soft-bristled toothbrush

It’s been mentioned before, but it deserves a review. Brushing with a medium or hard toothbrush is not necessary and can actually be detrimental to the health of your teeth. A toothbrush with hard bristles can wear down the enamel and cause the dentin to be exposed, causing pain.

Stave off gum disease

Gingivitis or periodontal disease occurs when plaque build-up in the mouth cause bacteria to grow which can result in gum and/or bone damage. This damage takes place over a period of time and can allow the same bacteria or food to come in contact with teeth roots and nerves, causing pain.

Watch your diet

The largest group of people that suffer from sensitive teeth is in the age range of 25-35. Why, you ask? People in this age group tend to eat more junk food, making themselves more vulnerable to sensitivity – it’s just that simple.

And watch your diet, again

Foods with high acid content can, over time, erode tooth enamel. Tomatoes, lemons, oranges, etc. all have high levels and acid and can contribute to tooth sensitivity.

Teeth whitening

Those undergoing whitening or bleaching procedures can have temporary sensitivity to temperature, pressure, or touch. It is typically due to some ingredients in the bleaching product and can last 24 – 48 hours.

Tooth sensitivity can be temporary or permanent, depending on the cause. You should always consult your dentist to determine the reason for your sensitivity and make recommendations for treatment.

Here’s a quick list of things your doctor thinks you should know. Some things you’ve thought about but never asked, or maybe the subject was just a little too embarrassing to discuss. Either way, listen up!

1)  X-rays give off less radiation than standing out in the sun.  Over the years, there have been questions and concerns about the possible negative effects of radiation emitted from dental x-rays. The truth is you’re exposed to more radiation from the sun than you are the few times you visit the dentist all year.

2)  Yes, sometimes your breath, well… stinks.  If you visit the dentist on the day you forgot to brush or swing by right after eating that pasta bowl loaded with garlic at lunch, we smell it. We probably won’t mention the odor, unless it’s associated with an oral ailment that needs to be remedied.

3)  Putting your child to bed with a bottle really will ruin their teeth.  Let’s be honest – we’ve been told or heard this a million times. Yet, parents still do it! We understand that it’s what your parents or grandparents did, but research and dental experience has shown that it can have negative effects on your baby’s teeth and gums. Don’t do it!

4)  Know what your insurance covers before your appointment.  Shouldn’t you know if your insurance covers that procedure before you have it done? While we do make calls to verify insurance, we are not the decision makers concerning your coverage. Each insurance company or plan is different and may not cover everything.

5)  Don’t believe everything you see on a cosmetic dentistry commercial.  Television is something else, huh? It can make you believe dentist can do things in your mouth that are unrealistic. While dentists and orthodontists can do some pretty amazing things, we can’t give you the smile of your favorite celebrity since their facial structure is different. We can give you your best looking smile. Please ask questions in your dental consultation so that you have realistic expectations.