ORAL HEALTH
Oral Health
Tips & Techniques for Better Oral Health
The caring team at Family Dental Wellness focuses on patient education to help patients achieve the highest level of oral health. Take a look through the following points for tips on how to best care for your teeth.
How to Brush Teeth
Use a soft, small tooth brush twice a day. For most patients, we recommend a toothpaste containing fluoride: Colgate Total or Crest Multicare. Using a pea-sized amount of toothpaste, spend between 2 and 4 minutes moving from one side of the mouth to the other. Gently brush on and between the gums, holding the brush at a 45-degree angle, using a combination of lateral strokes and rolling short strokes. The best times to brush your teeth are following a meal or snack. At the least, you should brush twice daily (after breakfast and before bed).
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How to Floss Teeth
For all the areas that a brush can’t reach, flossing can help. We recommend flossing after each meal or at least once before you go to bed. While flossing, be sure not to cut your gums. Place the floss between your teeth and hug the sides of each tooth, moving up and down several times. Do this between all teeth.
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Electric Toothbrush or Manual Toothbrush
In general, studies have shown that electric brushes handle plaque better than manual brushes. However, we believe that proper brushing techniques can be done just as well with manual brushing. Sonicare and other electric brushes can provide sonic vibrations for those hard-to-reach areas. Depending on your oral history, we may recommend an electric toothbrush.
Call us to schedule an appointment and we can make an assessment in person.
Bad Breath
Most people think that bad breath is just a result of something you ate, or not brushing your teeth. But bad breath can also be an indicator of more serious issues, including:
• Bacteria • Cavities • Gum disease • Issues from alcohol & tobacco • Tonsillitis • Infection
Schedule an appointment with Family Dental Wellness and we’ll determine the reason for your bad breath, and we’ll provide proper treatment.
Dental Health & Your Diet
When it comes to sugar, the best thing to remember is to eat it as infrequently as possible. For example, if you’re drinking soda, it’s better to drink it in one sitting than to take sips over time. Continued sugar intake creates a supply for dangerous bacteria.
Soda and candy isn’t the only food that contains sugar, though. Sauces like BBQ and ketchup, fruit (especially acidic fruit like lemons and grapefruits), flavored coffee, canned soup, cereal and more.
Avoid cavities by brushing or using a mouthwash right after eating sugary foods or drinks, and drinking or eating them less frequently.
Fluoride & Decay Prevention
Fluoride has been proven to dramatically decrease the chance of cavities. Children especially benefit from this type of drinking water, because it makes their enamel stronger as it’s forming. However, fluoride is helpful in decreasing chances for tooth decay, no matter your age. Call us
today for more information about how you can integrate fluoride into your routine or your child’s routine.
Waterpik
Even though most of us brush our teeth, half of all American adults have gum disease, which is a root cause of bad breath and tooth loss. To help prevent gum disease, Dr. Schneider and his team recommend daily flossing. But many of us don’t because string floss is difficult and time consuming to use.
When you visit our office you will be getting the full overall oral health exam and tips that will help you keep a health mouth and body. We recommend that all of our patient invest in a Waterpik. Waterpiks do a wonderful job at flushing food, bacterial toxins, and debris from between the teeth and under the gums. The high water pressure provided by the Waterpik helps clean those hard to reach spaces such as under a non-removable bridge or between properly bonded porcelain veneers.
Unfortunately, the Waterpik does not take the place of flossing because it does not wipe away the bacterial colonies, it only rinses/flushes those hard to reach areas. We recommend that you floss first in order to loosen the plaque, then use the Waterpik to flush the harmful bacteria away. Combining flossing and the Waterpik is an ideal home health care tool, not only because it helps prevent oral disease such as periodontal disease, but it makes your breath smell fresh, food taste better and most important make your mouth and body overall more healthy! No need to worry about all the “bells and whistles” and buy the most expensive Waterpik on the market. You can by a $35 Waterpik that works just as well! Another great thing about the Waterpik is that you can put peridex solution, which is important for periodontal patient and or mouthwash into the Waterpik in order to help with healthy gums and to fight harmful periodontal bacteria. Finally, another plus to the Waterpik is that it’s very quick and simple to use:
1. Fill with warm water or (peridex, mouthwash) it’s best to use your Waterpik in the shower since it could get a little messy.
2. Being with a low power setting until your gums are healthy enough (no bleeding)
3. Point the Waterpik between each pair of teeth making sure to pause for 3-4 seconds between each tooth.
4. Follow the gum line making sure to get lower, upper, outside, and inside teeth.
We promise that you will have a healthier smile and body by taking the time to make sure you’re brushing two time a day, flossing, and using your Waterpik daily.
OralID Oral Cancer Screenings
According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, “Close to 48,250 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year.” When oral cancer is caught early, it is most treatable. That’s why it’s important to receive oral cancer screenings from your dentist. OralID is an efficient cancer screening device we use at Family Dental Wellness to identify oral cancer and pre-oral cancer. If you have high risk factors for oral cancer or if a routine checkup reveals you may need this screening, we’re equipped to provide OralID oral cancer screenings.
Call us for more information about this screening.
Florida Probe Periodontal Charting
Florida Probe Periodontal Charting allows us to track your progress and health from visit to visit. We can see the differences in teeth and gum health using these records of your checkups. Ask us during your next appointment for more information about Florida Probe Periodontal Charting.
