Stocking Stuffer Ideas...(from your dentist)

My wife and I recently visited New York where we were able to stand beneath the gorgeous Rockefeller Plaza Christmas Tree. If you are still in need of a few gift ideas for loved ones to place beneath your own tree, here is a list of some of my favorite things:

Oral-B ProfessionalCare Series Electric Toothbrush – Electric toothbrushes are one item that I truly do believe you get what you pay for. If you’re going to get one, it’s worth dishing out a little extra cash for a good one.

AirFloss made by Sonicare – Is it better than flossing? Probably not. Are you more likely to actually use it? Absolutely. And for all the “floss-slackers” out there, something is 100% better than nothing. This is a cool product. I use one personally. It’s quick, easy, and less messy than a waterpik.

ACT Alcohol-Free Anticavity Rinse – Great product for fighting cavities

Trident Xtra Care Sugar-Free Gum containing Recaldent – Chewing gum can actually be good for you?! YES!

Lifefactory Glass Water Bottle – Why? Because all of us need to be drinking more water! It’s good for your teeth. It’s good for your gums. It’s good for your body. Water is just very good for us and we don’t drink enough. Less Cokes….more water.

Firefly Light-Up Children’s Toothbrush – It's a toy, no it's a toothbrush. Well, it's kind of both. They have all different characters…superheroes, Barbies, Hot Wheels, etc and they light up! Your kids might actually enjoy brushing properly. Establish good habits young.

Orabrush Tongue Brush – as Orabrush says, “90% of bad breath comes from a dirty tongue”. While that number is a little debatable, there is a lot of funky bacteria on your tongue. Why wouldn’t you clean that thing off?

How Much Radiation Is in a Dental X-Ray?

There are a few different factors that affect how much radiation is given off during a dental x-ray. However, with advancements in technology, especially digital systems, x-rays require very low dose radiation. Radiation dosage can be measured in units called millirems (mrem). A typical dental x-raytaken digitally exposes a patient to less than 0.5 mrem.

To put things in perspective, an average resident of the U.S. receives over 360 mrem every year from background sources. This comes from all over the place: outer space, radioactive materials in the earth, small amounts of radioactive material in foods and products that we use, even over people. Variances in lifestyle likewise cause variances in each individual's total exposure. For example: an individual who flies often is exposed to more background radiation than someone who does not.

While steps should be taken to limit x-ray radiation exposure, dental x-rays are very low dose and are crucial for proper diagnosis. Without them, much of the oral cavity cannot be viewed.

Bitewing x-ray showing cavities between the teeth that cannot be seen upon visual inspection of the mouth. Without x-rays, these would not have been detected until they were massive cavities...most likely requiring more intense treatment such as a root canal or extraction.

Why Is Fluoride Good for Your Teeth?

• Remineralizes and strengthens areas of weakened enamel
• Inhibits the loss of minerals from teeth
• Fights against bacteria colonization
• Decreases teeth sensitivity

Are Baby Teeth Important?

Unfortunately, we see it too often. A child gets a cavity and the situation is ignored because “it’s a baby tooth”. Baby teeth are very important. If they were not, we would not have been created to have them

Here are 5 reasons why baby teeth are very important:

1. They reserve the necessary space for the permanent teeth. If a baby tooth is lost early, the space can collapse and create space issues for the permanent teeth.
2. They contribute to facial development and anatomy of the surrounding structures. (This includes the development of the permanent teeth. If an infected baby tooth goes untreated it may permanently harm the developing tooth underneath it.)
3. They aid in proper speech development.
4. They aid in nutrition by allowing proper chewing. Missing or decayed teeth may cause a child to resist eating certain foods.
5. They are the learning blocks for developing proper hygiene. If hygiene is not established as being important with baby teeth, then hygiene will not be important on their permanent teeth either.

Why is it hard to form effective dental hygiene habits?

Answer: Lack of true feedback

Each of us has developed a dental routine that we run through everyday, but how effective is it? Most of us assume that just because we are brushing and flossing daily we are doing a good job. Are you getting any feedback (besides twice a year at the dentist)?

Your dental visits are crucial to your oral health, but in order to develop better technique and habits you need more frequent feedback and reinforcement.

Disclosing tablets and solutions are probably the most overlooked home dental product. These work by staining the plaque on your teeth a bright and easily visible color. This way you can see where you are collecting plaque and spots you may be missing when you go through your regular routine. You can then use this feedback to improve your technique.

Wouldn't you like to know if you're getting all the plaque off? I sure would.

You can buy these tablets or solutions from your drugstore or through your dentist.

Which Toothbrush?

A recent study suggested that expensive toothbrushes are no better than conventional toothbrushes. The study is referring to a comparison of MANUAL toothbrushes only, not electric or battery operated ones. Although, I had a couple of “mind-snags” with the study (mostly, that the study was only performed on children of a certain age), I did agree with some of their conclusions:

1.) A conventional, simple toothbrush design is capable of being just as effective as one with more “bells and whistles”.

2.) Dexterity, frequency, and duration of brushing were much more important factors than the style of toothbrush.

I couldn’t agree more with the 2^nd statement. If you are a bad brusher, a new fancy toothbrush alone will not fix that.

So what toothbrush do I recommend? Here’s my checklist:

• Get one with soft-bristles. Harder bristles often cause gum recession, tooth wear, and sensitivity.

• When in doubt, choose one with a smaller head. This will ensure access to even the tighter spaces in your mouth. Also, a smaller head forces you to focus on smaller areas at a time, which should lead to a more thorough technique.
  
  
• Most importantly...pick one that you like. Simple or fancy…it doesn’t really matter, but what does matter is that you actually use it! Maybe you have a hard time with your hands and you like the fancy gel-grip toothbrush…great! Maybe you love that your toothbrush lights up and plays music when you use it…perfect!

What about electric toothbrushes? Are they worth it?

As I’ve said before, if you are a bad brusher, a new toothbrush alone will not change that. I encourage people to use electric toothbrushes in two situations:

1. Dexterity issues – This is commonly seen in children, elderly, and/or those suffering from a condition, such as arthritis, that can cause difficulty using your hands. Anyone who is having trouble with their hands and the motions needed to brush properly could benefit from the additional motion that an electric brush would provide.
2. Motivational issues – This goes back to my checklist.“Pick one that you like.”If an electric toothbrush will help motivate you to brush better and more often, then “yes!”, definitely get one!

How Fresh Is Your Breath?

Everyone has bad breath sometimes, and for some, they have bad breath all the time. Whether sometimes or all the time, it is never pleasant. It affects our self-confidence and can affect our personal and business relationships.

How do I know if my breath is bad?

Here are a couple of different techniques:

1. 1. Ask someone

1. 2. Place a spoon as far back on your tongue as you can handle. Let it dry. Then smell.

1. 3. Lick the back of your hand using as much tongue as you can stick out. Let it dry. Then smell.

What causes bad breath?

• Mouth

• Bacteria and food debris that cover your tongue and teeth produce foul smelling odors
• Gum disease creates pockets below the gumline where bacteria collect
• Cavities can also create a foul smell
• Oral infections
• Diet
• Certain foods are smellier than others
• An unbalanced diet can cause increased prevalence of malodor
• Alcohol can dry out the oral cavity creating a breeding ground for odor producing substances
• Habits
• Smoking
• Chewing tobacco
• Illness
• Sinus drainage
• Respiratory tract infections
• Some systemic diseases, such as diabetes, has been documented to increase prevalence of bad breath
• Esophagus and Stomach
• Although a more rare cause of bad breath, these anatomical areas can also harbor foul smelling food and bacteria

How to fix bad breath?

• Maintain proper oral hygiene

• Daily brushing AND flossing. Between the teeth is a favorite hang out for odor-causing bacteria. If you want fresh breath, you need to floss!
• Routine visits to your dentist. Hard tartar builds up on teeth over time and can only be removed by a dentist’s special tools. If gum disease is present a “deep cleaning” may be necessary. Also, any cavities or infections can be addressed
• Brush your TONGUE
• Studies show that the tongue is the #1 source of bad breath. Invest in a good tongue brush and actually use it! Orabrush is my favorite.
• Avoid mouthrinses that contain alcohol
• Most mouth rinses do contain alcohol, so look for one that specifically says on the label “alcohol-free”
• Stay hydrated

• Drink lots of water and often. This has many benefits beyond helping your breath as well.
• Chew sugar-free gum
• Chewing sugar-free gum after meals stimulates your saliva (your body’s natural mouth rinse) and helps clean food debris.
• Adjust your diet
• Avoid smelly foods
• Avoid excess alcohol
• Maintain a balanced diet
• Even some dieting strategies, like low-carb diets, can cause bad breath.
• Stop smoking and using chewing tobacco
• Visit your doctor
• Studies show that ~90% of bad breath cases are mouth related. If you are still suffering from bad breath after following these guidelines then visit your doctor to determine if you may have an esophagus, stomach, lung, or systemic issue that may be affecting your breath.