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Posts for tag: oral hygiene

By Dr. Mark Shulman
August 15, 2019
Category: Oral Health
Tags: tooth decay   oral hygiene  
OralHygieneMightBeontheDeclineWiththeNewestAdultGeneration

The Millennials, those born around the turn of the Millennium in 2000, are entering adulthood. Like any generation, they have their collective promise—and problems. An example of the latter seems to involve their teeth: an estimated one in three people between the ages of 18 and 34 have some form of tooth decay.

If a recent survey is correct, that may be a result of poor oral hygiene practices. The absence of a consistent, daily habit of brushing and flossing to remove disease-causing dental plaque is the number one cause for dental disease. But a survey of 2,000 millennials found only three in ten brushed their teeth at least once a day with many often skipping brushing for two or more days a time.

Interestingly, more than half of the survey also reported an aversion to dental visits. That will likely need to change if these trends in poor hygiene continue, as aging millennials will eventually need extensive treatment for tooth decay and its close counterpart periodontal (gum) disease to save their teeth. Dental professionals recommend a different dental care track: stop dental disease before it develops. And the key to that is a simple but powerful daily brushing and flossing routine.

This routine should involve brushing teeth up to twice and flossing at least once a day. Brushing should be done with gentle strokes, but include all exposed tooth surfaces (about two minutes to perform a thorough job). Flossing is less popular than brushing, but it’s essential for removing plaque between teeth your brush can’t reach. To make it easier, you can use pre-threaded floss or a water flosser that removes plaque with a stream of water.

To round out your prevention strategy, you should see a dentist at least twice a year for professional cleanings of hardened plaque deposits (calculus), as well as overall monitoring of your dental health. And if dental visits make you anxious, your dental professional has a number of ways to help you relax.

One thing’s for sure: like any other generation, millennials prize both good health and an attractive smile. Adopting a solid oral hygiene lifestyle will do the most to achieve both.

If you would like more information on practicing effective oral hygiene, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.

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By Dr. Mark Shulman
July 26, 2019
Category: Oral Health
Tags: oral hygiene   floss  
FlossFirstorLastHereareReasonsforEitherApproach

A certain news story a few years ago notwithstanding, dentists still recommend flossing along with brushing to adequately remove disease-causing plaque. If there is any controversy at all about flossing, it's whether you should perform it before brushing or after. Each perspective has good reasons.

"Brush First" proponents say their way encourages the formation of a daily hygiene habit, a must for preventing disease. That's because brushing can remove most of the plaque built up on the teeth, while flossing can then remove what's left. If you floss first, though, you'll have to plow through the sticky film with the floss, which can be an unpleasant experience. Facing that every day could make a person less enthusiastic about developing a hygiene habit.

But it's not just about the sensation: depending on the person, the plaque buildup could be so much that the floss becomes clogged with it. You're then moving the plaque rather than removing it. Brushing a lot of the plaque out of the way first will increase the cleaning power of your floss.

The "Floss First" team, though, is undaunted with their own take on the matter. Flossing can loosen up any stuck debris between teeth, making it easier for brushing to clear it away. It can also expose plaque-covered areas between teeth to allow better contact with the fluoride in your toothpaste. And, the amount of plaque you're pulling out in certain areas during flossing could tip you off to beef up your brushing efforts on those areas of heavier plaque accumulation.

One of the prime reasons for flossing first, though, goes back to the comfort factor and human nature. To be honest, for most people flossing isn't as much "fun" as brushing. If you put it off until after brushing, you're more likely not to do it if you find it unpleasant. Doing it first gets the less likeable task out of the way, so you can then do the more likeable one, brushing.

Which approach is best for you? It's really a personal decision, one you can discuss with your dentist. Try both ways, and see which one seems better. But whether you floss first or last, do floss to really reduce your risk for dental disease.

If you would like more information on best oral hygiene practices, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Brushing and Flossing: Which Should be Done First?”

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By Dr. Mark Shulman
July 06, 2019
Category: Oral Health
3WaystoProtectYourTeethintheGreatOutdoors

It’s July—and that means it’s National Park and Recreation Month! If you’re like a lot of families, you might already be planning a trip to one of the nation’s 58 national parks, or one of the thousands of state outdoor recreational areas across the country.

Temporarily escaping the stresses of daily life in the great outdoors is a wonderful way to refresh both the soul and the body. But that’s not an excuse to neglect all your responsibilities. That includes making provisions to care for your teeth while you’re away from home—you are bringing them with you, aren’t you?

Here are three ways you can take care of your teeth during your outdoor getaway.

Keep up your daily hygiene. While you’re packing extra socks, granola and moleskin, be sure to include your toothbrush, toothpaste and floss. Just a few days of neglecting your regular oral hygiene can give bacterial plaque a chance to build up. You could even come back from your trip with the beginnings of gingivitis, an early form of gum disease. If you’re trying to pack light, take along travel-size toothpaste tubes or pre-threaded floss picks to make it easier.

Eat dental-friendly snacks and food. Escaping your usual dietary choices doesn’t mean you should take a vacation from good nutrition. Whether you’re in camp or on the trail, eat whole fruits, grains or cheeses, and avoid snacks and foods with added sugar that feeds disease-causing bacteria in the mouth. The same goes for beverages—keep your intake of sodas and sports or energy drinks (all loaded with added sugar and acid) to a bare minimum. Instead, hydrate with water.

Be prepared for emergencies. Exploration through hiking, canoeing and other physical activities is a great part of the outdoor park experience. But it also increases your risk of injury, especially in rough terrain. Before you head out, take some time to research medical and dental resources near your vacation destination in case you or a family member will need immediate care. Having that information handy can save time in the event of an emergency.

An outdoor park trip can be the experience of a lifetime. Just be sure to follow these simple tips to care for and protect your teeth. Doing so will help ensure that your memories of this summer’s outing will be pleasant ones.

If you would like more information about caring for your dental health at home or away, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “Daily Oral Hygiene.”

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By Dr. Mark Shulman
June 16, 2019
Category: Oral Health
3ThingstoWatchOutfortoProtectYourOralAppliance

If you're one of the millions of people wearing an oral appliance, you already know how important it is to your dental health. Whatever the purpose—replacing teeth, stopping teeth grinding or guarding against injury—you want to get the most and longest service from it. That means showing your appliance some tender loving care on a regular basis.

It doesn't require a lot of time and effort to clean and maintain your oral appliance. But there are some pitfalls that could lead to greater wear and tear and just outright damage. Here are 3 things you should be on the alert for to keep your appliance doing its job for you.

Be careful how you clean it. Your appliance might resemble natural oral tissue, but it's not—so don't use toothpaste. Toothpaste contains abrasives, which are fine for tooth enamel but damaging to materials in your appliance. Instead, use dish detergent, hand soap or a specialized cleaner. Don't use hot or boiling water, which could soften any plastic and distort the appliance's mouth fit. Nix the bleach too, which can fade colored portions of the appliance that mimic gum tissue.

Don't wear them 24/7 unless your dentist advises. Depending on the type and function of your appliance, you shouldn't wear them around the clock unless your dentist advises otherwise. Dentures are usually removed at night while you sleep to help prevent bacterial growth. Keeping them out at night -and keeping them clean—will help lower your risk of dental disease. One caveat, though: there are some concerns today about the effect of keeping dentures out of the mouth at night on sleep apnea. It's a good idea, then, to discuss the issue with your dentist regarding taking dentures out at night.

Prevent accidental drops on hard surfaces. Chewing forces are considerable, but your appliance is designed to take it. The same can't be said, though, if they accidentally fall on a hard surface—the fall could crack or break them. To protect against this, be sure to put a soft towel or cloth in your sink basin while you're cleaning your appliance. And don't place it on a night stand or low surface where it could be knocked off accidentally by a child, a pet or you. A sudden accident like this could be costly.

If you would like more information on extending the life of your oral appliance, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “10 Tips for Cleaning Your Oral Appliance.”

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By Dr. Mark Shulman
April 02, 2019
Category: Oral Health
WhyYouShouldFlossAroundtheImplantsSupportingYourBridge

We've been using bridges to replace missing teeth for decades. Now, recently-developed implant-supported bridges are even more dependable, promising greater durability and less interference with remaining natural teeth.

But just like other restorations, you'll need to keep implant bridges clean to ensure their longevity. Although both the bridge and implants are impervious to disease, the supporting gums and bone aren't. If they become infected, they can break down and your restoration will fail.

Cleaning an implant-supported bridge includes flossing around each of the implants to remove dental plaque, a thin film of food particles and bacteria most responsible for dental disease. To perform this task, you'll have to pass the floss between the bridge and gums to access the sides of each implant.

To help make it easier, you can use a tool like a floss threader, a thin, shaft-like device with a loop on one end and a needle-like point on the other. You'll first thread about 18" of floss through the end and then pass the threader between the bridge and gums with the sharp end toward the tongue.

With the threader completely through, you'll then wrap the floss around your fingers as with regular flossing and move the floss up and down each side of the implants you can access. You'll then pull the floss out, reload the threader and move to the next section, repeating this process until you've flossed each side of each implant.

You can also use pre-cut floss with a stiffened end to thread between the bridge and gums or an interproximal brush with a thin bristled head that can reach underneath the bridge. And you might consider using an oral irrigator, a pump device that sprays a stream of pressurized water to remove and flush away plaque around implants.

To round out your hygiene efforts, be sure you visit your dentist at least twice a year for dental cleanings. Your dentist can also advise you and give you training on keeping your implants clear of disease-causing plaque. Cleaning around your implants will help ensure your restoration will last.

If you would like more information on caring for your dental restoration, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Oral Hygiene for Fixed Bridgework.”

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