Proper Dental Care Prevents Many Problems

Proper Dental Care
Dental care can often be overlooked due to one reason or another.  It is important not to neglect a regular checkup because doing this will only lead to more complications down the road. In addition to regularly scheduled check-ups, it is also important to get into the habit of good home dental hygiene.  Doing this will help reduce the risk of tooth decay or gum disease. When the teeth are not properly cleaned on a regular schedule, the carbohydrates from the food and beverages cause a breeding ground for bacteria, which then cause cavities.  Plaque can be formed within 20 minutes of eating, so that is why it is so important to brush after every meal.

A Recommended Dental Care Routine
You can keep your dental visits to a minimum by following a regular dental care routine.  This include brushing after every meal, in the morning, and before you go to bed.  Also you should flaws once a day and get an check up and professional cleaning twice a year.  You can also use fluoride daily for an extra boost of protection.

Why Power Toothbrushes Are Better

Features
Unless you have been living under a rock, you have noticed a growing popularity in electric tooth brushes.  You might have thought these were just a gimmick, but studies do show that electric tooth brushes do provide superior plaque removal.

Additionally, with so many different types and features available, it’s easy to find one that suits your specific oral health needs.

Superior Action
A study done in 2005 found that brushes that used rotation oscillation removed more plaque and reduced gingivitis significantly more than with manual brushes.

Ease of Use
It goes without saying that a power toothbrushes offer a convenience factor that manual brushes do not.  A manual tooth brush requires manual action back and forth along your teeth; and many people do not brush their teeth in the correct manner.  Power toothbrushes take all of the manual action and guess work out of brushing.  You can always feel comfortable that your teeth are getting a thorough cleaning every time you brush.

Features
Power tooth brushes are full of features to make them even easier to use.  Most come with a charging holder that conveniently sits on the counter and charges them when they are not in use.  They generally come with a full array of features including: interchangeable heads with varying bristle stiffness, varying brushing modes for sensitive teeth and gum messaging action, pressure sensors to signal when you are brushing too hard, and digital reminders of when you need to change your head.

Tips on How to Avoid Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is a result bacteria repeatedly attacking your teeth. The growth of bacteria is facilitated when we eat acidic or sugary foods. The bacteria also known as plaque, fixes itself to the crevices in the gums and teeth. Failure to remove this bacteria in time results in tooth decay. A lot of tooth decay related problems can be avoided by adhering to devoting yourself to proper dental hygiene. Make sure to Brush at least twice a day is a must to maintain healthy teeth, also make sure you are using a fluoride toothpaste.

All about Tooth Decay
When the bacteria interacts with the food you eat creates an acidic byproduct. This byproduct beaks down the tooth’s surface. The breakdown of this surface is tooth decay.
Every time you eat, there is an attack that is going on in your mouth. Your body is constantly trying to fight back against the destructive acids, it creates saliva, that helps neutralize the acid and wash it away. The saliva also contains calcium and phosphate to rebuild the areas of the teeth when they become damaged.

Foods & Beverages to Avoid
Certain foods can tip the scales and make your body lose the fight. Sticky foods such as caramel and raisins, should be avoided because it facilitates an acid attack that cannot be repaired naturally.
It is important not to let your children fall asleep with a bottle, or let them carry the bottle around with them because the liquid will be used by the bacteria to create acids that will result in tooth decay. This condition is known as baby bottle syndrome.  To help in the prevention, it is important to limit the amount of sugar you ingest; as well as avoid sticky foods and sodas for snacks.

Plaque
You can help reduce your chances of having tooth decay by following a simple daily routine. First is to make sure that you brush twice a day at a minimum, also make sure to floss daily. Additionally it is important to have your teeth cleaned professionally twice a year.

Preventing Tooth Decay
There are some ways to help prevent tooth decay even beyond what is mentioned above. To prevent tooth decay forming in the molars, one very effective solution is to have a dentist paint a plastic coating called a pit and fissure sealant on these areas. This will act as a barrier that will protect the tooth from acid and plaque. Fluoride is also another important factor to take dental health one step further. A Fluoride rinse or using a fluoride toothpaste will help protect your teeth from decay, by supplying your teeth with needed ingredients to help in natural tooth restoration.

Soda’s Effect on our Teeth

Soda has been known to be an unhealthy drink and it’s detrimental effects on teeth should not come to any surprise.  But you may be surprised on what exactly it does to your teeth.
Soda has the potential to do significant damage to your teeth.  Research has been done on this issue and some studies found that it may be just as corrosive to your teeth as drinking battery acid.  Even more startling is that the damaging effects can begin their destructive process in as little as 3 minutes after consumption.

Sugar creates a problem with the teeth because it fosters bacteria growth.  These bacteria produce acid and it is this acid that causes tooth decay. To add insult to injury, most soda’s contain phosphoric acid which is also damaging to the teeth’s enamel.  This is the same substance that dentists use as an etching solution to clean and scour your teeth prior to putting on braces or applying fillings.  Although the phosphoric acid in dental applications is a lot stronger than what you find in sodas, it still should be avoided none the less.  Since tooth erosion causes hypersensitivity and can be far more serious than tooth decay.

The last thing is to be aware of is cavities and staining.  Soda adds layers of sugars to your teeth that turn into plaque.  In time this produces an unsightly yellow shade to your teeth. So what can be done to prevent this from happening?  The most obvious answer is to stop consuming foods that are harmful to your teeth.  Also avoid energy drinks as these have as much sugar or more than soda. If you must drink soda, drink it with a straw to protect your teeth and rinse your teeth out with mouthwash after drinking. It is important to take good care of your dental health.  Teeth are one of the few places on our body that cannot easily heal themselves.

Does my infant have vision problems?

Although complications with an infant’s eyes are rare, it is important for parents to be aware of the warning signs. According to the American Optometric Association, the following symptoms may indicate a problem with an infant’s vision:

• Excessive tearing, which can indicate a blocked tear duct;
• Red or “crusty” eyelids, which may be a sign of an infection;
• A white pupil, which occurs in some cancers of the eye;
• Constant turning of the eyes, which may indicate trouble with muscle control;
• Extreme light sensitivity, which could mean the infant has increased pressure in the eye.

Some of these issues – like blocked tear ducts – are common and usually temporary. Others, like some rare forms of cancer, are more serious and require specialized treatment. Regardless, it is important to talk to your pediatrician or an optometrist on your vision plan if you notice any of the above symptoms. The American Optometric Association recommends children see the eye doctor for the first time at the age of 6 months, even if there appears to be no vision problems.

At that appointment, the optometrist will test the infant’s eye movement and look for signs of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. Any other problems with the eyes will also be addressed. Although most babies have normal vision, it is important to identify any issues as soon as possible – the earlier correction begins, the more easily the child will be able to adapt to his or her surroundings and develop at an age-appropriate pace.

Managing Out-of-Pocket Dental Expenses

Having a strict budget may be very cumbersome especially when health issues arise unexpectedly. Trying to spend a fortune on your dental health may not be a very good idea if you have a tight budget. It would be best if we had an inexpensive dental plan in order to cover most of our bills. The problem is, these types of dental plans are often very rare and expensive.

Most of us have a strict budget and do not have extra money to spend on dental health.  Unfortunately, dental issues often seem to arise at the least opportune times, catching us off guard and negatively affecting our finances.  Fortunately if your only option is to pay out of pocket, you will be pleased to know that there is a product known as a discount dental plan, that will reduce your out of pocket expenses up to 20% off  your dental.

So besides signing up to a discount dental plan to get your dental done at a discounted rate, the other things you can do is to focus on having a good preventative maintenance routine.  This is important not only at home, but also at the dentist.  You should set up 2 scheduled appointments a year for a checkup and a cleaning.  This is important because it is a relatively small cost for this and by doing this he can address minor issues while they are still minor.

It is important to have a good relationship with your dentist.  He can help you plan and budget for future expenses, by letting you know what to expect and budget for sometimes years in advance.  Some dentists also have payment plans to further help spread out the costs.

No matter how tight your budget is, there is always room to adjust. You can always sacrifice a portion of every part of your non-fixed expenses. Dental health is a very serious matter, so do not neglect it.

Need A Filling – Don’t Worry its Almost Painless

Unfortunately, tooth decay is a part of life for most of us; and at that point a filling is necessary to prevent further damage.

When You Need a Filling
Many people have lots of anxiety about going to the dentist; however, the fact is in recent advancements in dental technology the process of getting a filling has become nearly painless.

Expectations
The first thing that needs to be done when you suspect a cavity is to schedule a visit with your dentist. He will most likely examine the tooth, press on it a little bit; and take x-rays. Also if you do need a filling, you should have a conversation with your dentist about what sort of filling is going to be used. There are a lot more option in fillings then there were a decade ago. They vary in appearance, cost, and function, so the best option needs to be discussed. Some different fillings available are gold, amalgam, composite, ceramic, and glass ionomers.

Anesthesia
When the time arrives to get your filling the dentist will numb the area with some anesthesia. Dentists attempt to make the procedure as comfortable and painless as possible. Often times they will use a rub to numb the pain from the shot that they use to inject the anesthesia.

Types of Drills
When the area is numb, the dentist will remove the decayed portion of the tooth with a specialized instrument. What they will use will depend on the severity, most often it is a drill but more dentists are beginning to use other methods such as air abrasion and lasers.

Air abrasion is a newer technique that uses a handheld device that spays a very small stream of aluminum oxide onto the decayed portion. This is typically used for small cavities and is a painless procedure.

Cleaning
After the cavity is cleaned out, your dentist will clean the area. Additionally, if the cavity is deap they may put a liner over the cavity before applying the filling. This is done to protect the nerve.

Polishing
Once the filling is installed your dentist will clean and polish your filling. You will feel numb for a couple hours after your dentist visit, but after that you will be back to normal and pain free.

Baby Dental Care

Statistics
Children’s dental health is extremely important. A study was conducted and it found that tooth decay was the single most common chronic childhood disease, millions of school hours are lost each because of dental related issues, and it found that the poor are two times as likely to suffer from dental problems then the wealthy.
With these statistics it is very important to place an emphasis on children’s oral care.

Before the Teeth Come In
Often times, babies dental care gets neglected. This happens mostly due to lack of information and education about the issue. Babies do have dental needs, even without teeth. Plaque still grows in their mouths just as it does in anyone else’s.

To prevent plaque from building up, pediatrics suggest that parents should clean the infants gums with a damp washcloth after the feedings. Also make sure to take measures to prevent baby bottle tooth decay. This is a disease that happens in about 15% of children, and causes rapid baby tooth decay. It is important to make sure to avoid sugary products; even some formulas contain sugar. The more the baby teeth come in contact with sugar the more likely you will run into problems down the road.

How to Take Care of Baby Teeth
When the first teeth come in, it is important to schedule you first dental appointment. You should to get into a regular dental routine to prevent cavities and tooth decay, which are common in baby teeth.

Babies Need Special Attention
Babies do need some special attention when it comes to their dental health, when you do brush them make sure to use an extra-soft bristle tooth brush until your child gets over the age of 3. You should use a baby toothpaste that is safe to swallow, that is fluoride free and does not contain artificial preservatives or colors.

Maximizing the Benefit of Your Dental Visit

Since it can be quite a chore to get into the dentist sometimes, it is important to make the most out of every visit.  Here are some tips to get the most out of your visit, so hopefully you do not need to schedule any unexpected visits in the future.

First, during your check up it is important that your dentist is aware of any abnormal symptoms that you are aware of.  Often times if a condition is very early in its progression it is hard for a dentist to diagnose a condition, without knowing what they are looking for.  So be sure to mention all symptoms you are experiencing from gum or tooth sensitivity to troubles chewing or swallowing; and do not hope for the dentist to stumble upon your condition without knowing about the symptoms.

Also, when  you are in for your check up make sure your dentist is aware of all your medical conditions, such as pregnancy, chemotherapy, medications you may be taking, etc.  If you have a lot of conditions, write it down and bring in a list.  This will help your dentist in prescribing you medication that will not have a adverse reaction to the medication you are already on.

What is Gingivitis?

Gingivitis is the result of the inflammation of the gums.  It is also the initial stage of gum disease and disease and this can lead into more serious issues.  It is important that it does not go untreated because it can lead into a condition that is known as .

It is important to brush twice a day minimum and floss once, to help reduce the buildup of plaque.  Plaque produces toxic acids that irritate the gum tissue and cause gingivitis.

How can I tell if I have gingivitis?
Gingivitis can produce swollen and tender gums that bleed easily, especially when brushing.  Another symptom is if your gums appear to be receding and your teeth appear elongated in their appearance.

If left untreated the gum disease can create pockets that form between the teeth and gums.  These pockets become filled with old food particles and plaque, which results in recurring bad breath and a bad taste in their mouth.

What can I do to prevent gingivitis?
The best thing you can do to prevent gingivitis is to practice good dental hygiene.  This includes brushing at least twice a day, flossing, and scheduling a professional cleaning twice a year.

Ways to help stop gingivitis before it develops:
The single biggest thing you can do is to keep your teeth clean.  Brush twice a day, floss daily, and get your teeth cleaned twice a year.  But beyond that you can also eating the right foods, avoid sticky and sugary foods.  Also smoking is a big no no.