interesting dental facts

FAQ’s: Dental Talk

Questions about your teeth probably pop into your head while you’re brushing and flossing or even when you least expect it. But then at your dental visit, the dentist asks, “Any questions?” Your mind then goes blank. Still, we know you have questions, so rest assure; here are the answers to the most common of the bunch!

Is there any reason to visit the dentist more than twice a year?

Every mouth is different, so some may need to see the dentist more often than others. If you have a high risk for tooth decay or gum disease, you may need to visit the dentist as often as every three months. A person with good oral hygiene is usually OK with only seeing the dentist twice a year.

Is an electric toothbrush better than a manual?

The great debate: electronic versus manual. If a manual toothbrush is used appropriately, it can be just as effective as an electric brush. This means brushing for at least two minutes, twice a day with proper techniques. Electric toothbrushes are not necessarily “better,” but they do provide some ease to the process. If you are not sure, ask us during your next visit and we will help you pick the right one.

What is plaque and why is it bad for you?

Plaque is a sticky film, made of bacteria, that constantly grows on your teeth. As the plaque collects and hides from your brush or floss, it becomes hard and turns into tartar. If not treated, tartar build up will lead to gum disease.

What causes bad breath?

Bad breath originates in your mouth most of the time. A low level of saliva and dry mouth are common reasons why you may have bad breath. You need to control the bacteria in your mouth and neutralize the sulfur compounds that form from the bacteria build up.

I have a cavity. Why doesn’t it hurt?

Symptoms are not common with dental problems. You may not experience any pain with a cavity until the condition becomes severe. Don’t wait for the pain to get it checked out though. The longer you wait, the more difficult and expensive it will be to have it fixed.

 

Are You Brushing Too Much?

All you smile lovers out there strive to keep your teeth healthy and bacteria-free, am I right? But how much cleaning is too much cleaning? We have the answers on when to clean, how much to clean, and if you need to lessen your teeth cleaning schedules.

First, lets establish some downfalls of brushing too much:

  1. Over-brushing can cause tooth enamel to wear down, which can cause higher risks of tooth decay
  2. It can cause damage to your gums, exposing the root area
  3. Teeth become more sensitive and prone to cavities when being brushed more than they should

 

So now to avoid these problems, how often should you brush every day? The answer: Two times a day for two minutes each time. Preferably one time in the morning and one time before heading to bed. That’s it! Simple as that. Be sure to use gentle strokes and not vigorously brush off the enamel that acts as a shield for tooth decay. So no worries, you and your smile will have brighter and brighter days yet to come!

Tooth Sensitivity: How is it Caused?

It’s a hot summer day and you’re craving something cold for a refreshing treat. You grab a popsicle and start chowing it down. As you start eating it more and more, you get a chilling sensation in your teeth that causes you to take a break from eating for a short while. This is called tooth sensitivity; but you’re not alone. About 45 million people experience sensitive teeth symptoms at some point in their lives.

So what causes this very chilling sensation, you ask? First and foremost, if you’re experiencing tooth sensitivity, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a severe dental problem on your hands. The two main reasons for tooth sensitivity are:

Exposed Nerve Roots: When roots become exposed to cold temperatures due to receding gums, it can trigger a pain sensation in the nerve

The Overuse of Sensitivity-Prone Products: brushing too hard, abundant uses of whitening treatments, and acids from food can contribute to this

 

Why Tongue Scrapers and Cleaners are Important

You may not always think of going the extra mile to clean your tongue but the benefits from doing so may be worth it.

  • The first advantage you get from keeping your tongue squeaky clean is a crisp, clean taste of every morsel you consume! Keeping your taste buds clean and clear can open up those pores ready to give you bursts of flavor in every bite.
  • It can also be advantageous for your immune system! The removal of bacteria keeps your and your mouth clean and away from any toxins from being reabsorbed back into your body.
  • The removal of bacteria and other toxins can also reduce the overall buildup of plaque, gum infections, tooth decay, and much more.

How to scrape your tongue

  • Stick your tongue out as far as you can
  • Place the scraper as far back on your tongue as you can
  • Work your way up by gently scraping the surface of your tongue
  • Rinse the scraper and repeat until you feel rid of its coating

How to Get The Best out of Retainers

So the day has finally come to get your braces off and you can’t wait to show the world your new smile. But did you think of the important role retainers play afterwards? They avoid any shifting and maintain the position of your straight teeth for your perfect smile to last. We have a few tips to properly care for your smile savers that can last you a lifetime:

  • Keep a close eye on them!– Retainers can be very easy to misplace or lose. With that being said, it’s always easier to store them in your case and keep them in a place where you know you can always find them. One common mistake is wrapping them up in a napkin and accidentally disposing of them!
  • Avoid any damaging to your retainer– Keep retainers in a place that’s not too hot or not too dry. The plastic can warp from the heat or crack from the dryness. You should also insert and remove your retainers without flipping it with your tongue to avoid it from breaking.
  • Regularly give them a cleaning– Your teeth get exposed to bacteria and plaque and so do your retainers. To keep them squeaky clean, simply give them a soft brushing as you would with your teeth. To freshen them up even more, give them a soaking in a cleanser that’ll keep them fresh and germ-free. Remember to avoid hot water!
  • Wear as prescribed– If you don’t wear your retainers regularly, your retainers may not properly fit anymore since your teeth have tried moving back to their original position. If gone without them for too long, you may be needing braces again!

Why is it Important to Repair Baby Teeth?

You may think that baby teeth eventually just fall out and may not need to be repaired if they have any problems, but they definitely play a huge role for eating and future development of permanent teeth. Your baby teeth, or primary teeth, fall out at different times depending on the type of tooth. For instance, primary molars don’t fall out by at least the age of ten. It’s possible that a cavity can develop during that time frame and cause a problem for the tooth before it falls out. Any sign of small decay can spread and cause the premature loss of a primary tooth. The more primary teeth that are in good shape, the better! Preserving the health of primary teeth is important is because it holds the space for permanent teeth. Keeping them around is the best way to avoid unnecessary crowding in the future caused by other teeth drifting into any spaces left by an extracted primary tooth.

 

 

Fun Dental Facts

At Pediatric Dentistry of Ft. Myers, Dr. Tim Verwest, DMD we try to have fun with our blog posts! Below are 10 interesting dental facts that many people may not know.

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  1. 60% of people don’t know that a sore jaw, when combined with chest pain, can signal a heart attack – especially in women.
  2. 32% of Americans cite bad breath as the least attractive trait of their co-workers.
  3. 38.5 = the total days an average American spends brushing their teeth over a lifetime.
  4. 73% of Americans would rather go grocery shopping than floss.
  5. Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least six feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush.
  6. A toothpick is the object most often choked on by Americans.
  7. Every year, kids in North America spend close to half a billion dollars on chewing gum.
  8. The number of cavities in the average mouth is down and people are keeping their teeth longer.   People, on average, have healthier mouths than even 10 years ago.  Specifically —The decline in tooth decay was greatest among kids but holds across every age group.
    —Only 40% of  young people age 6 to 19 had ever had cavities.  That’s down from 50% a decade ago.
    —Over the last ten years the proportion of people age 60 who’d lost all their teeth had decreased from 33% to 25%.
    —Use of dental sealants, which block tooth decay on the chewing surfaces of kids’ vulnerable molars, was up 64%.  30% of kids had had at least one sealed tooth.
    —Adults with post high school degrees had an average of three more teeth than those without a high school diploma.
    —Smokers remain three times more likely than non-smokers to lose all their teeth.  This figure has not changed from a decade ago.
    —Socio-economic status plays a definite role in one’s general and dental health; 33% of low-income adults have untreated decay.  This is compared with 16% of middle- and higher-income adults.  19% of kids living in poverty have untreated decay compared with 8% of wealthier kids.
  9. More people use blue toothbrushes than red ones.
  10. Like fingerprints, everyone’s tongue print is different.