Why Flossing Is So Important

Did you know that many people floss don't floss every day, or even AT ALL?  Thankfully, Sandy Johnson of BrightNow.com has collected the most important factors when it comes to flossing:


Flossing is hugely important. Why? It’s simple, really: Flossing gets at the smallest, hardest-to-reach crevices in your mouth—the places where cavities are most likely to develop.
It’s key to preventing gum disease and tooth loss, not to mention it could save you a ton of money on dental surgery. Think about that for a second: A little $2 container of floss and 3-5 minutes per day could save you a bill for tens of thousands of dollars a few years down the road (and a lot of discomfort).
Here are a few quick tips to make sure you get the most out of your flossing routine:
• Use whatever works. Old-school ribbon floss, one of those Y-shaped holders—there are a lot of ways to get into those hard-to-reach areas. Ask your dentist and hygienist if there’s a particular one that’s right for you.
• Work the floss between your teeth gently, in a sort of sawing motion. You don’t want to just jab it in there and risk damaging your gums.
• Once you’re in, pull the floss sideways and scrape off the insides of your teeth in an up-and-down motion.
• Don’t forget the very back of your last tooth! A lot of gunk can build up there, and a lot of people forget it since it’s in the back.
Don’t get us wrong—flossing is a chore. But it’s one of the most important ones you’ll engage in all day.

Read more here.

Image via http://DentalHealing.com

WebRep

currentVote

noRating

noWeight

7 Quotes That Will Make You Smile!

1. “If you see a friend without a smile, give him one of yours.” –Proverb
2. “The shortest distance between two people is a smile.” –Unknown
3. “You are not fully dressed until you wear a smile.” –Evan Esar
4. “If you smile at someone, they might smile back.” –Unknown
5. “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” –Dr. Seuss
6. “Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.” –Mark Twain
7. “A smile is the light in the window of your face that tells people you’re at home.” –Unknown

How to Prevent Bleeding Gums

Do your gums often bleed from flossing?  Although this is a normal occurrence sometimes, here are many factors that could be causing your gums to bleed:

• Brushing too hard. Do you apply a lot of pressure when you brush your teeth? You shouldn’t have to dig into your mouth to clean your teeth. Ease up by switching your toothbrush to your non-dominant hand.
• Brushing incorrectly. If you brush your teeth using a back-and-forth motion, you’re doing it wrong. Brush up and down or in small circles to avoid irritating your gums.
• Using the wrong toothbrush. How firm are your toothbrush bristles? Most people should use soft-bristled toothbrushes. Try switching to see if it helps alleviate your discomfort.
• Not brushing/flossing often enough. Has it been a long time since you last brushed or flossed? If so, it could take about a week or so before your mouth is used to being scrubbed and prodded at. If this doesn’t take care of the bleeding schedule a dental appointment immediately as you may have an infection called Gingivitis or Periodontitis that needs to be treated right away.

Read more on BrightNow.com.

Look Years Younger with Rejuvenating Dental Treatments!

Did you know that tooth decay, chips, stains and other changes may also make you look older than you are? The following are just a few of the most popular rejuvenating dental treatments to fix main factors that contribute to an older smile.

Dental Bleaching

Dental bleaching, also known as tooth whitening is a perfect choice for getting rid of those yellowed and dirty teeth look absolutely stunning.

Dental Bonding and Porcelain Veneers

When dental bleaching isn’t enough to fix cavities or broken teeth, bonding and veneers are another option. Bonding and veneers improve the look of teeth thru changing their color, shape and spacing.

Porcelain Crown

Dental crown is needed to protect a weak tooth, restore broken tooth, cover and support a tooth with large spaces, hold a dental bridge in place, cover discolored teeth and dental implant and make a cosmetic modification.

Tooth-Colored Fillings

White fillings, also known as tooth-colored fillings are dental fillings that give back the natural look of tooth.

Dental Implants

Dental implants may be a treatment for people who have lost a tooth or full set of teeth. The restorations can be used with dental implants include:

            Porcelain Crowns

·      Porcelain crowns rebuild individual teeth due to decay or large filling

Implant-Supported Bridges

·      Implant-supported bridges are best when more than one tooth is missing.

Implant-Supported Dentures

·      For those people who need full set of teeth, implant-supported dentures are a perfect treatment.

Teeth can reveal your real age, so start early with your total teeth care routine!

Natural looking dentures – is it possible?

Are you considering dentures, but worried friends and family will be able to tell immediately?  Here are some helpful items to consider from dentalhealthpress.com:

Have you ever met someone who you immediately knew was wearing dentures? Maybe the teeth were too big, too perfect, too straight or too white? Or maybe the dentures just didn’t fit and kept dropping down or sliding around when the person was talking or eating? An experience like this is often enough to discourage anyone from choosing dentures as the replacement for lost teeth. But it doesn’t have to be like that. These days dentures can be made to look so natural that only the trained eye can tell that they’re not your natural teeth. How?

Do you really want natural looking dentures?

First of all, you need to decide whether you really want natural looking dentures. If you don’t want anyone to notice that you exchanged your natural teeth for dentures, you will need to have your dentures made to look exactly like the original teeth with all their imperfections, such as miscolorations, cracks and visible fillings. Others decide that changing to dentures is their chance to get the teeth they always wanted. Although they might be happy with their perfect, white new teeth, this change will probably not go unnoticed by their friends and relatives. Others might find it unusual too, to see such a young looking set of teeth on a not so young looking person. Still others decide to go with with a set of dentures that is just slightly better looking than the original teeth. They reason that most people are not in the habit of studying other peoples' teeth so closely that they would notice small changes like that. Which is probably true.

How to get natural looking dentures

If you decide to go for the natural look, make sure that your dentist takes note of exactly how your original teeth look. If many teeth are already missing, bring a photo of yourself where you are smiling and thus showing off your natural teeth. This will also help the dentist see, not only what the dentures are supposed to look like, but also how the impression should be of your whole face when you are finally wearing the dentures. Dentures when worn should not be too tall or protruding, making it difficult to close your lips around them and they should not be so low that they never show when you smile. If you find that you suddenly have wrinkles around your mouth, especially at the corners is a sign that your dentures are too small or too low. If you’ve had dentures for a long time and start to experience these problems it is also a sign that your need to have your dentures refitted or maybe even changed.

Oral Care During Your Pregnancy

You have so much to think about during pregnancy, but your oral health should be a top priority, which can be affected by the hormonal changes you will experience during this time. Women are more likely to develop gingivitis and other dental issues while pregnant. Below are tips for taking care of your oral health while you are pregnant.

1.    Practice good oral hygiene

·      Brushing your teeth prevents tooth decay and gum disease. Unfortunately, brushing alone cannot clean effectively between tight spaces, so flossing is the best way to remove food trapped between the teeth and bacteria. Gargle every night with an alcohol-free mouthrinse. If you can’t keep this routine after every meal, chew sugar free gum, which can help reduce the bacteria that can lead to tooth decay.

2.    Oral health care

·      Discuss all your concerns to your dentist; schedule a dental appointment as soon as possible especially if you are encountering gingivitis (swelling of gums) or any serious dental diseases.

3.    Eat healthy

·      Eat a healthy, balanced diet such as fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain and dairy products. Eat fewer foods high in sugar such as candies, soda and cookies. Drink water or milk instead of fruit-flavored drinks. Remember that what you eat would be your baby’s future.

Your oral health is an important part of your overall health; untreated dental disease can be harmful to you and your baby. Remember that what you do and eat are shared with your baby.

Image

Can periodontal disease cause premature birth?

Many pregnant mothers express worry over having their child prematurely.  Surely, this article from dentalhealthpress.com will help you understand the risks associated with periodontal disease.

Several epidemiological studies seem to support the theory that there is a link between periodontal disease in pregnant women and premature birth. For instance, one study suggested that pregnant women with periodontal disease are as much as seven times more likely to have babies that are born too early or have a relatively low birth weight.

Why does periodontal disease cause premature birth?

Although the connection between periodontal disease and premature birth seems clearly to be existing, researcher are still not certain about the reasons for this connection.

One theory is that periodontal disease triggers increased levels of the biological fluids that induce labor. In other words, the regulators that are supposed to send the message that birth is to begin are produced elsewhere in the body and the message is sent prematurely. Some of these regulators are called prostaglandins, and they can be produced by different diseases, among which is gum disease.

Another theory is that oral bacteria from the mother is transferred directly into the uterus, causing localized inflammation and adverse pregnancy outcome.

Maintain good oral health during pregnancy

Whatever the reason for the connection between gum disease and preterm birth, it is clear that it is crucial for pregnant mothers to maintain good oral hygiene through the whole pregnancy. Discomfort in connection with the pregnancy such as nausea may at times make it difficult to keep up the good oral hygiene habits from before the pregnancy, but with determination and good support from your dental health professional is it not impossible.

One advice that many pregnant mothers have benefitted from is to buy a toothbrush with soft bristles and a small head. If you suffer from nausea, a smaller toothbrush will make it easier to reach the teeth in the back of your mouth without causing too much discomfort. The soft bristles will also be more gentle on your gums, which might be extra sore during your pregnancy.

Some pregnant mothers experience more serious dental health problems during pregnancy, such as bleeding gums, loose teeth and bad breath despite frequent brushing. If you experience such problems, you might benefit from a visit to your dentist or dental hygienist. They can help evaluate the condition of your gums, make you aware of areas that you need to pay more attention to and teach you how to care for your own oral health and thereby the health of your baby.