I’m considering braces but isn’t it hard
to keep your teeth clean while wearing braces?
It’s harder to keep your teeth and gums clean and healthy if you
wear braces. This means you must be even more of a fanatic about
brushing and flossing, or two years later your teeth will be
beautifully straight but loaded with cavities. Plaque can easily
accumulate around the brackets, which can cause “white spots,”
damage to the enamel, decay and cavities.
My 12-year-old son likes to chew ice. Is this harmful?
Tooth enamel is very hard but that doesn’t mean you can’t break it.
Try to avoid eating “hard foods” such as popcorn. Don’t crack nut
shells with your teeth or chew on ice. Opening packages with your
teeth can also damage the enamel.
Why are soft drinks bad for your
teeth?
Sugar and acids are your teeth’s worst enemies. What are we
talking about? Soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit juices, and candy.
Because of the acid content, Mountain Dew seems to be the worst of
the worst. Dentists even have a name for the damage it does – they
call it “Dew Mouth.” These soften the tooth enamel, making it highly
susceptible to decay. Parents, watch your kid’s consumption of
these, because young children’s enamel hasn’t developed fully. This
makes these drinks even more damaging for kids. As well as
eliminating the above (or at least reducing their consumption),
remember to brush at least twice a day and floss daily. It is also
important to brush after a sugary meal or drink, and the use of a
sugar-free xylitol chewing gum can also help.
Tongue piercings seem
to be a very bad idea. How bad?
Yes, they can look cool, but they
can also fracture your teeth as well as make it much easier to get a
nasty infection of the tongue and lips. Dentists have estimated that
up to 40% of people who have metal rings or other oral piercings
have had big problems from tooth fractures and infection.
Is
fluoride bad for you?
Fluoride is fine…in small amounts. Excessive
fluoride can cause tooth enamel irregularities. Young children,
especially, often swallow too much toothpaste while brushing. So
parents, supervise your young kids while they brush. Kids (and even
adults) often use way too much toothpaste (a pea-size drop is
plenty.) A little goes a long way. Also, in our area, most well
water does not contain fluoride. Children under 16 years old may
benefit from a fluoride supplement.
What’s so bad about losing a
tooth?
Teeth can be lost due to an accident or other trauma, but the
most common reason people lose a tooth is because of gum disease
and/or decay.
So, is it a big deal to lose a tooth? I mean you can’t
die from it, right?
No, you can’t, but losing even a single tooth
can cause the other teeth to shift and move around – not good. This
can affect chewing and your ability to absorb nutrients from your
food. Other bad things can happen; your face will change shape,
often looking “sunken.” This can make you look much older than you
really are. Your speech can be affected. Because it’s harder to chew
with missing teeth, you may find yourself favoring softer foods and
more carbohydrates, which can cause you to gain weight. The best way
to treat a missing tooth (or missing teeth) is with dental implants.
An implant can replace one tooth or many. They can be made to look
so natural that even a dentist has to look hard to tell the
difference.
What causes people to lose their teeth?
Many people
assume that the most common cause of tooth loss is decay. It’s not.
It’s because of gum disease. And it can be completely painless right
up until you lose your teeth. Symptoms include bleeding gums when
you brush or floss and loose or shifting teeth. If you’ve been told
you need gum surgery, you will be glad to know that it’s possible to
control gum disease with a variety of non-surgical methods.
Why is
it important to have regular teeth cleaning?
Did you know “teeth cleaning” does more than just clean your teeth?
Removing plaque is absolutely essential if you want to preserve your
teeth. It builds up on the tooth surfaces and between the teeth.
Brushing and flossing are, of course, vital, but everyone needs
their teeth professionally cleaned on a regular basis. Remember –
only a dental hygienist can completely clean your teeth.
