July 31st, 2013
Athletes need to take extra care when it comes to their oral health -- especially when it comes to protective gear, energy bars, and sports drinks! We talked about mouthguards in a recent post, but did you know that energy bars and sports drink also play a role in your oral health?
Consuming energy bars and gels is a fast way to get nutrients and protein into your body when you are on the go. However, these products are very sticky and contain sugar and acid that can harm your teeth -- prolonged use may lead to cavities. It is essential that you rinse your mouth very well with water after consuming these products and that you brush and floss your teeth as soon as possible.
Sports drinks provide fuel and hydration for athletes -- but they also bathe your teeth in sugar and acid which can harm the enamel on your teeth. Overtime your teeth may show signs of acid erosion and cavities if you consume a lot of sports drinks. Try to limit your intake, drink water when you aren't competing, and increase your use of fluoride. Prevention is the key to protecting your teeth!
July 25th, 2013
So you’ve got the toothbrushing technique down pat. But what about your tongue?! This is one area where oral hygiene is often overlooked. Cleaning your tongue is easy, simple, and time efficient, and besides removing bacteria from your mouth, it also freshens your breath!
Your tongue is covered with small papillae; microscopically, they look like little fingers or raised protrusions. These papillae hold most of your taste buds, but they are also a trap for plaque and bacteria!
If you notice a white coating on your tongue, this is most likely plaque. You may notice the plaque coating more if you have just ingested a colored food or drink; the coloring left on your tongue is typically dyed plaque and can be removed by cleaning your tongue.
After brushing your teeth, you can use a tongue cleaner to gently debride the surface of your tongue. These instruments can be found on the dental/oral hygiene aisle at most drug or grocery stores and, while not sharp, may also be referred to as a tongue scraper. The instrument is gently skimmed from back to front across the surface of the tongue to loosen and free bacteria that have adhered in the deep grooves. If you don’t have a tongue cleaner handy, at least use your toothbrush to brush the surface of your tongue to remove any residual plaque and bacteria.
You will be surprised at how much cleaner and fresher your mouth feels by implementing this simple step into your oral hygiene routine!
July 23rd, 2013
Ever wonder why your orange juice tastes so bad after you've brushed your teeth? Well, here's the answer!
http://youtu.be/ak22Lkk1yIs
Our best advice for avoiding this issue: Brush your teeth AFTER you've enjoyed your breakfast and normal tasting OJ! :)
July 23rd, 2013
You may have never thought about it before, but it is possible -- and quite common -- for patients to brush their teeth with too much force. One telltale sign of this habit may be reflected in your toothbrush: if your toothbrush bristles are splayed out in every direction, you are probably brushing too hard. Time to replace that toothbrush!
Besides damaging your toothbrush, you can also damage your teeth and gums by brushing too hard. Over time, excessive brushing force can actually wear away tooth enamel. Toothbrush abrasion is typically seen along margin of the tooth where it meets the gums and may contribute to gum recession. The enamel that is worn away does not grow back, so this is one habit that you need to break!
If you think you’re brushing too hard, take a look at how you hold your toothbrush. We don’t want to see any of those death grips like you’re hanging on for dear life! For reference, pick up your toothbrush and try brushing by holding it with only your thumb and index finger. This is as much pressure or force that you need to be using. You may find that you don’t have as much control when using two fingers, so please feel free to stabilize your toothbrush with your other fingers, but don’t increase that pressure! It’s a good idea to test yourself from time to time to make sure that you haven’t slipped back into your old habits!
If you would like some further instruction or a demonstration, give our Greenville, SC, dental office a call!
