Braces wearers are more prone to common dental issues like gingivitis, tartar, and demineralization because the hardware in their mouths makes it more difficult to get their teeth completely clean. This increased vulnerability to dental problems means anyone wearing braces, especially teens, needs to be extra vigilant in their oral hygiene routines.
Canker sores, also called aphthous ulcers, are small, shallow lesions that develop on the soft tissues inside the mouth in areas like the lip, tongue, cheek, or at the base of the gums. Canker sores are usually white or yellow and are often surrounded by red, inflamed soft tissue. Canker sores can be painful, and interfere with eating. In rare or severe cases of canker sores, individuals could experience fever, physical fatigue, or swollen lymph nodes.
No different than for all other individuals, daily brushing and flossing for seniors is crucial for good oral health. Unfortunately, age-related health conditions like arthritis can make it difficult to brush or floss. Also, with advanced age comes a lack of desire for individuals to maintain daily hygiene habits, like brushing their teeth.
For most people, a smile is an involuntary reaction they don't give a second thought to when they're happy, pleased to see someone, or laughing at a joke. But many who have a missing tooth, multiple missing teeth, defects, disease, or decay in the mouth are often insecure about their smiles and routinely make an effort to stifle them. Complex oral situations not only affect a person's self-esteem, but they can interfere with their personal comfort and overall health and wellness.
Surfing lessons during summer vacation sound like the ultimate experience when visiting the beach; unless a severe collision between the surfer's face and the board occurs, knocking out or chipping teeth. What a way to ruin a vacation. Whether it's a sporting mishap, an auto or bicycle accident, or a serious fall, a dental injury can occur when least expected. Anytime a permanent tooth is knocked-out or dislodged (when a tooth has been partly pushed into or out of its socket, or sideways) it should be treated as a dental emergency.
Sleeping in late, staying up past their regular bed time, playing with friends all day, chasing down the ice cream truck. These are just a few of the joys of being a kid during summer vacation. While summer break typically means a more relaxed schedule than the one during the school year, there are some routines that still need to be enforced, like dental hygiene.
Parents, don't let kids off the hook when it comes to brushing and flossing over the summer, especially if they're consuming more surgery snacks and treats like ice cream, popsicles, and other not-so-healthy munchies! Here are some ideas to inspire the kids to keep up with their oral hygiene when it's the last thing they have on their minds.
Before considering when it's time to teach children to brush and floss on their own, let's first review the basics:
The health of your children's teeth and gums is directly linked to their overall well-being. That is why teaching young children, and yes-babies, the importance of taking care of their teeth and gums is extremely important.
With all of the research, evidence, and warnings about the dangers of cigarette smoking from the American Surgeon General over the past four decades, it is quite surprising that nearly 40 million adults over the age of 18 still smoke.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cigarette smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causes many diseases, and reduces the health of smokers in general.
Most women are keenly aware of the number of physical changes their bodies experience during pregnancy. However, one that many do not consider is how carrying a child for nine months can impact their dental health.
Although they may be ready to face the prospect of morning sickness, mood swings and an increase in appetite, learning that their oral health is also affected often comes as a surprise.
Having braces can be a pain - both figuratively and literally! But they're often a necessity for a healthy, attractive smile. Unfortunately, braces can make simple things like brushing and flossing a little more difficult.
Here are a few tips to help keep your teeth healthy while you're undergoing orthodontic treatment.
An estimated 65 percent of the American population suffers from halitosis, or bad breath, according to research from the Washtenaw District Dental Society. That's more than half of the country! With so many people afflicted with this unfortunate condition, it makes you wonder just how bad breath comes to be, and why - even when you think you've eliminated the problem - it can easily come back.
According to dental hygiene experts, halitosis is caused by bacterial activity in the mouth.
"Bacteria in your mouth feed off mucus, food remnants and dead tissue cells," says professor Mel Rosenberg in a TED-Ed video. "In order to absorb nutrients through their cell membranes they must break down the organic matter into much smaller molecules. For example, they'll break proteins into their component amino acids and then break those down even further into various compounds. Some of the foul-smelling byproducts of these reactions, such as hydrogen sulfide and cadaverine, escape into the air."
Pretty disgusting, huh?
To avoid this bacterial activity, practice good oral hygiene and practice it often! That means brushing your teeth after each meal, flossing at least once a day, and making regular trips to see your dentist for professional cleanings.
With gorgeous spring weather already here and summer on it's way, there is plenty to smile about! Of course it is also that time of year when our minds turn to spring cleaning and new beginnings. Why not start by improving one of your most precious assets?
The term "Baby Boomer" is one that you may not have given much serious thought. However, if you are one of the 76 million "babies" who were born between 1945 and 1964, don't forget that your teeth are aging too!
Please don't let him take your kids down the cavity trail! It is highly likely that just behind Halloween and Valentine's Day, Easter hops right into third place when it comes to the sweet treat danger zone.
Anxiety associated with routine visits to the dentist is very common. Although most of us may associate such fear with small children, it is surprisingly widespread throughout the adult population. Those types of feelings are often the result of a traumatic childhood experience. Oftentimes, those negative past experiences often had nothing to do with a dental visit.
Peter Milgrom, DDS, the director of the Dental Fears Research Clinic at the University of Washington in Seattle, reveals that many adults, "have issues for which fear of dentists can be an unpleasant side effect, such as mood or anxiety disorders, substance abuse or posttraumatic stress experienced by war veterans and victims of domestic and childhood abuse."
It is no big surprise that many youngsters have quite a bit of trepidation upon learning of their first visit to the dentist. That is certainly understandable, especially considering how kids' imaginations can often get the best of them. The general "fear of the unknown" is another logical factor. Helping them overcome these fears and worries is the first step to successfully putting them on the path to excellent dental health. Here are a few strategies:
Would you think of crawling into bed and tucking in under the covers with muddy feet? Ewww! Probably not, right? The truth is that would not be as detrimental to your health as going to bed without brushing your teeth and yet millions of Americans have done just that. Although it is most likely an occasional occurrence, such as falling asleep with a good book or dozing off in front of the TV, it's nonetheless a bad move that wreaks havoc with your dental health.
If you have ever noticed upon waking that your teeth and jaws are sore, you may be grinding your teeth in your sleep. The technical term for this phenomenon is bruxism, which is explained as, "the rhythmic clenching of the jaws and grinding together of the teeth." According to the Colgate Oral Care Center, this activity can develop at any age. For most folks this activity takes place at night, however, some may do it unconsciously when they are awake. It can begin as a habit that involves placing the teeth together and lightly clenching the muscles of the jaws. Those who become deeply engrossed in certain tasks may be prone to this activity. Colgate's analysts report that, "This is commonly associated with the daytime tasks of lifting heavy objects, driving, reading and writing."
Dental professionals have long been aware of the detrimental effects that consuming foods and beverages with added sugars have on our teeth. For the first time ever, the U.S. government is warning that Americans consume far too much sugar on a daily basis.
New guidelines recommend that men take in no more than 9 teaspoons of sugar a day and women should have no more than 6 teaspoons. There are 4 grams of sugar in a teaspoon and it is astounding how much added sugar is in the foods we consume.
We encourage you to begin reading the nutritional labels on everything from catsup to yogurt and see for your self. Educate you and your family even more by visiting this site which evolved after an Australian filmmaker closely examined sugar consumption worldwide.
You can watch the trailer for the film below.
As February 14th looms large, many have already begun shopping for the perfect Valentine’s Day cards and goodies. This year why not really show your love and affection by skipping the confections? Here are a few suggestions for the kids and your sweetie too:
Movie gift certificates
Mandala coloring book and set of colored pencils and sharpener
Heart notepads, stickers, pencils, and erasers
Soy candle
Essential oil and a diffuser
Special dinner
Fruity lip balm assortment
Bubble bath
Heart bracelets and necklaces
Stuffed animals
Red yo-yos
Heart photo frames
Silver heart-shaped lockets
Hair accessories
Favorite DVDs or music CDs
Special event-ice skating, concert tickets, visit to the climbing gym
Gift bag stuffed with a new toothbrush, floss, fluoride rinse, tongue scraper, and toothpaste
If you are not already using a fluoride mouth rinse, then you may want to consider adding one to your dental health regimen. The American Dental Association supports the practice of using a fluoridated rinse in addition to brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and flossing. It is especially recommended for those who appear to be prone to cavities.
It’s no secret that frigid temps can wreak havoc on our skin and joints, but they can also impact our teeth. Those who live in extremely cold climates may be all too familiar with how cold weather can cause the teeth to ache and feel sensitive. Although healthy teeth are hard, they are also porous which makes them sensitive to major changes in the air temperature.
