Ever wonder what your dentist is thinking as she examines and cleans your teeth? Below you'll find five tips your dentist wants you yo know about oral hygiene and dental health.
1. Bleeding while brushing your teeth is a sign of gingivitis or gum inflammation.
Bleeding is a key indicator of inflamed gums. Bacteria forms a thin film (biofilm) on your gums and teeth. This bacteria attacks the healthy cells of your gums causing them to become irritated . Bleeding is not a sign to stop brushing, its actually a sign of poor brushing habits and technique. Brushing 2x a day for at least 2 minutes will help dislodge biofilm and disrupt its formation.
2. Flossing is an important tool to fight bacteria that cause not only gum disease but also cavities (caries)
Bacteria love to colonize in hard to reach places. The tight space between your gums and teeth is a prime location for them. Often brushing alone is not enough to dislodge the dangerous bacteria. Flossing to remove the bacteria and stop the caries (cavity) process.
3. Three things must be present for cavity to form: tooth, bacteria, sugar
Almost everyone knows that sugar can cause a cavity, however what most people do no realize is that bacteria are the cause of cavities and sugar acts as their main source of food. Bacteria consume the sugars that are left on the teeth after eating. After metabolizing this sugar bacteria release acid as a biproducts. This acid is what causes the breakdown of the tooth, also known as a cavity.
4. Baby Teeth are very important.
Primary teeth (baby teeth) are important to keep cavity free. Cavities is among the top three most common diseases effecting children. It is important to have a routine check up with your childs dentist as they can prevent and treat cavities before they seriously effect a child baby tooth. An unhealthy primary tooth can cause serious health problems to child. Along with severe pain, cavities can lead to poor eating habits. A serious infection can because by not treating a cavity in a primary tooth, causing the tooth to be lost prematurely. This premature loss may cause spacing issues which can only be corrected using braces.
5. A healthy diet is as important as brushing when taking care of your teeth
Often we meet patients who take very good care of their teeth. They brush and floss regularly, however are still unable to fight cavities. This is often due to a poor diet that includes foods and drinks high in sugar. Many beverages found such as those from Starbucks and Tim Hortons back a serious hidden dose of sugar. Sports drinks and juices also hide the fact that they are very unhealthy. A healthy diet consists of three healthy meals with water, along with 1-2 snacks per day. Constant snack or snacking for long periods of time cause a constant acid attack on your teeth.