Should you brush or floss first?
Ah, the age-old question: Is it better to brush or floss first? (Or does it really matter?) Let’s get to the bottom of things.
In general, you should be in good shape if you do them all consistently, but there are benefits to doing them in a particular order. Here’s a brief look at the most widely recommended order:
1. Floss first
Using the analogy of sweeping a floor before you mop it, flossing gets rid of large particles of food stuck between your teeth, which allows the toothbrush bristles and fluoride in your toothpaste to reach tiny gaps and crevices that would be otherwise blocked. Additionally, if you brush first, you’re more likely to spend time on brushing but rush through flossing. Flossing first ensures you’ll give the task the time and attention it deserves.
5 foods that support a healthy mouth
Your teeth and gums require proper nutrition to function at their best. This means getting enough of the right kinds of minerals, which serve as building blocks for your teeth and their protective enamel. By sticking to the right foods, you can ward off cavities and reduce your risk of gum disease.
Green Tea
Research suggests that green tea can boost periodontal health by preventing bone resorption, reducing inflammation and inhibiting the growth of bacteria.
Raisins
Sticky foods that can get between your teeth are often best to avoid. However, raisins can be an exception. According to a study out of Chicago College of Dentistry, raisins contain powerful phytochemicals that appear to fight off the bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease.
How to Maintain Dental Implants
Do you have a dental implant? Extend its lifetime with these three tips for maintaining your dental implant.
Keep Up Your Brushing
Treat your implants like you would your natural teeth. You can use any type of toothbrush you like, whether it’s sonic, electric or manual. Be sure to consistently practice oral hygiene and you’ll be protected.
Be a Floss Boss
Unwaxed tape or a floss designed specifically for dental implants is highly recommended. You could also use a floss threader to help you maneuver in the hard-to-reach spaces. Flossing is just as important as brushing your teeth, and it plays an integral role in maintaining your gum health.
You can also incorporate the use of an oral irrigator, aka a water flosser. It shoots pressurized water into your mouth to aid in dislodging leftover debris hidden between your teeth. Another way to protect your gums and extend the life of your dental implants is with a gum stimulator. It’s a tool with a rubber tip that allows you to get into the gum pocket to remove debris and plaque that can gather over time.
Visit Your Dentist for Preventive Care
An essential way to ensure a long life for your dental implant is to maintain regular dental visits. If there is any lingering plaque or tartar, it can be removed before it causes any gum health issues. Ready to give your dental implant the best care it can get? Schedule an appointment today to experience a kind, professional, family-friendly dental environment.
Why You Shouldn't Ignore a Missing Tooth
From draining your confidence to potentially opening the door for disease, a missing tooth can have big impacts. Here are three reasons you shouldn’t ignore a missing tooth.
A Missing Tooth Can Lead to Gum Disease
Your mouth is a breeding ground for many different kinds of bacteria. When a tooth falls out, it leaves a wound in your gum tissue—leaving you susceptible to infection, or ever worse: gum disease. When you develop gum disease, your gum tissue starts to recede, which can lead to even more tooth loss. What’s more, gum disease is linked to a number of serious health conditions including heart disease and diabetes.
How Long Do Veneers Last?
A veneer is a thin piece of porcelain used to re-create the natural look of teeth, while also providing strength and resilience comparable to natural tooth enamel. Dental veneers are typically used to improve the appearance of teeth that are stained or discolored, which can be attributed to a number of different factors, including:
- Chipped or cracked teeth
- Gaps
- Crowding
- Misshapen teeth
- Severe stains
Dental veneers are also used to quickly, effectively, and painlessly change the shape of one or more teeth that may be chipped, uneven, misaligned, or even worn down. They can also be used to close small gaps between teeth.
Benefits of Veneers
Because the shade of a veneer is carefully matched to your natural teeth, they’re difficult to differentiate them from your natural teeth. Porcelain is also naturally more stain-resistant than tooth enamel and is thus less affected by coffee or red wine.
Why Straight Teeth Matter
Straight teeth are nice and all, but do they really matter? The truth may surprise you.
The Social Benefits of Straight Teeth
One of the first things people notice about us is our smile, which makes it a powerful social tool. Studies found that nearly half of American adults believe a smile is the most memorable feature after they first meet someone. It was ranked ahead of the first thing a person says, their clothing and their smell.
Straight Teeth and Confidence
Kids with straightened teeth can gain a huge amount of self-esteem associated with doing better in school, forming strong bonds and friendships, resisting peer pressure and trying new things. The confidence that comes from loving your smile is also important for adults. Feeling good about yourself can greatly enhance your quality of life.
A Reduced Risk of Tooth Decay
Straight teeth are much easier to keep clean because you eliminate the extra nooks and crannies where plaque and food debris can hide. When plaque isn’t brushed away, the bacteria from the plaque interact with starches and carbohydrates in the food you eat and they release acids that erode your tooth enamel.
5 Tips for Those Afraid of the Dentist
Up to 15% of Americans avoid seeing the dentist altogether because of anxiety or fear (that’s almost 40 million people!). Going to the dentist, getting preventive care, and addressing issues is critical to your dental and overall health. Here are five tips to help with your fear of the dentist.
Arrive Early
Don’t add stress to your appointment—arrive extra early to give yourself enough time to take it slow. If it will help, arrive early enough to enjoy a few extra minutes in the lobby, talking to the front desk staff, asking questions, or just relaxing.
Bring a Friend or Family Member
Whether you want the person to wait out on the lobby during your appointment or in the room with you, having a supportive person nearby can help you feel safer and more relaxed.
Speak up About Your Fears
Acknowledge your fears by talking to your dentist or dental hygienist. Try writing down your fears before you arrive so you make sure you have all the information ready to share. Open communication with your dentist helps them personalize your experience.
Ask Questions
Want to know about a specific instrument or treatment? Just ask! A good dental team will gladly accommodate your requests, explaining what a sensation might be like and ensuring you’re comfortable the entire time.
Choose the Right Dentist
Overcoming your fear of going to the dentist starts with choosing the right dental practice. If you want a comfortable, family-friendly environment then schedule an appointment with us today.
What is Cosmetic Dentistry?
A “smile makeover” improves the appearance of your smile with cosmetic dentistry. If your teeth are stained, discolored, worn, chipped, broken, misaligned, misshapen, cosmetic dentistry can improve your smile—and your confidence.
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening can be one of the simplest and least expensive ways to improve your smile. There are also whitening products available over the counter at retail stores for convenient at-home whitening.
Dental Veneers
Often called “Hollywood teeth,” dental veneers are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored porcelain or resin that cover the front surface of the teeth.
Dental Bonding
Bonding can repair decayed, chipped, cracked, or misshapen teeth. In dental bonding, a tooth-colored, putty-like resin, which is a durable plastic material, is applied to the tooth and hardened with an ultraviolet or laser light, bonding the material to the tooth. Your dentist then trims, shapes, and polishes it.
5 Tips for a Stunning Wedding Smile
Is your big day around the corner? Get your smile ready for the cameras with these five tips.
Beware of Foods that Stain Your Teeth
Here are a handful of common tooth-staining culprits:
- Coffee
- Tea
- Soda
- Red
- Berries
- Foods with bright artificial coloring
Consume these items in moderation and brush your teeth ASAP when you’re finished.
Drink Water
Dehydration is a problem you may not think about and is especially common if you are getting married during the hotter part of the year. Not only can dehydration sour your mood, it can also dry out your lips, creating a roadblock for your best smile.
Lipstick Matters
If you’re unsure which lipstick shade to choose, ask a make-up expert or check out the most requested lipstick shades brides want (pro tip: try before you buy).
Your Year for Veneers?
If there’s one cosmetic procedure that can do it all, it’s porcelain veneers. Strong, wafer-thin “shells,” they’re adhered to the front of teeth to give them a whole new appearance. They’re perfect for chip, cracks, gaps, minor crowding, small or misshapen teeth, and severe stains that don’t respond to whitening treatments.
Schedule a Pre-Wedding Visit to the Dentist
Make sure you visit your dentist regularly in the months leading up to your wedding. If you have any oral problems, such as teeth discoloration or crooked teeth, you should be seeing your dentist at least a year before the big day to ensure there is time for any lengthy wedding smile treatment plans. Schedule an appointment today to get your smile wedding-day ready!
Are You Overbrushing?
When trying to get our teeth as clean as possible, it can be easy to brush too hard or think a stiffer bristle is necessary. But how can you tell if you’re going too far? Here are four signs that you’re overbrushing.
Toothbrush Damage
If your toothbrush’s bristles look flattened, you’re likely overbrushing. Keep on the lookout for bristles that “splay,” which is a sign you’re pressing too hard or brushing too frequently. Remember to replace your toothbrush every 3-4 weeks. In that time, bristles will wear down in that time creating minute serrated edges which damage teeth’s surface.
Sensitive Teeth
Brushing too vigorously or too often wears away the tooth’s protective enamel coating, exposing sensitive nerves to cold and hot temperatures. If you have a history of sensitive teeth and have taken steps to remedy the situation, but the sensitivity returns every few weeks, you could be overbrushing.
Bleeding Gums
Bleeding gums often happen when the thinnest layer of gum over the tooth is irritated and damaged, which can happen when you brush too often to let the gum heal itself. Pay close attention and see your dentist whenever you think your gums may be damaged.
Orthodontic Problems
While it is true that braces and dental implants need extra care to remain healthy, overbrushing can cause even more damage. Don’t run the risk of misaligning your braces, knocking dental bridges or wearing down cosmetic treatments as this will only mean more visits to your dentist and potentially complicate future treatments.
Schedule a Visit to the Dentist
Ready to get the healthy, happy smile you deserve? Schedule an appointment today.
Why You Should Visit a Dentist Twice a Year
We often hear that we should go to the dentist every six months. Have you ever wondered why?
Brushing at Home isn’t Enough
Plaque and bacteria can build up between teeth and in other hard to reach areas. Only a dentist will be able to clean these areas. This is also because over time, plaque hardens and becomes difficult to remove. If left alone, this could also lead to the development of cavities and other oral problems.
Prevent Tooth Loss
The later a cavity is treated, the lower the tooth’s chances for survival. Regular dental checkups can ensure early identification of gum infections and periodontal disease.