Tag Archive for "flossing"

Are Your Kids Flossing?

Besides the obvious of brushing your children’s teeth twice a day, it is so important that you or them are properly flossing. Just like with adults, flossing is essential in keeping a child’s teeth and gums healthy.

Flossing has many positive benefits including, preventing tooth decay, gum disease, bath breath and tarter build-up to name a few. But unfortunately, many children don’t have the motivation or discipline that flossing takes to be doing it properly on a regular basis. Here are a few ways to work around that conflict:

DenTek Fun Flossers makes flossing fun for kids. This type of floss comes equipped with a wild-berry flavor to make flossing tasty and comes pre-strung with wide textured handles specifically made for small fingers. All they have to do is hold the flosser firmly between the thumb and index finger. Using a gentle back-and-forth motion, slide floss between teeth. Move up & down against tooth to clean above & below the gum line. Repeat steps for each tooth. Discard after use.

For kids over the age of 6, an alternative to typical, manual floss is the Waterpik WP-260 Water Flosser for kids. It features a simple small design that makes flossing with an oral irrigator way easy. Other benefits of the machine include a very safe, shock-proof electrical design, easy fingertip controls on the On/Off switch and the Pressure Control System. Additionally, it comes with a reservoir that can be used as a cover to keep the unit clean and includes one Orthodontic Tip for braces and one Classic Jet Tip for general cleaning. Lastly, it comes with 20 innovative and cute removable cling decals that are a fun way to personalize the flossing machine.

No matter which type of method you use, it is extremely essential and important that children are including flossing into their daily routines. To learn more about which method is the right one for your family, contact your local Gentle Dental dentist at 1-888-513-7436 and visit our Facebook page to play our Pediatric Dentistry Trivia Game Contest where you can win a $10 Publix Gift Card!

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Dental Tips For Diabetics

If you live with diabetes you need to give extra special attention to your oral health. Periodontal disease is the number one risk for patients with diabetes. Periodontal or Gum Disease destroys the gums and bones that keep teeth in place. If those gums and teeth aren’t healthy there is a good possibility that tooth loss could occur.

Other oral health complications and side effects that diabetics might develop include infections in the mouth, dry mouth syndrome, and elevated levels of glucose in the saliva.

If you are a diabetic you should follow typical dental hygiene practices including controlling your blood glucose regularly, floss & brush your teeth every day, and of course visit the dentist regularly. All these practices should help in preventing gum disease complications.

If you are a diabetic and experience an oral health problem, you should contact your Gentle Dental dentist immediately and inform them about the complication. You should also contact your Gentle Dental dentist if you experience sore gums or if your dentures begin to not fit properly.

Additionally when you brush your teeth, and if you notice that your gums are bleeding, that might be a first sign of gingivitis. If left untreated, a relatively common condition might turn into a severe gum disease complication.

To make an appointment with your local Gentle Dental dentist call 1-888-513-7436.

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Dental Plaque Bacteria Can Lead To Blood Clots

Endocarditis is the term referred to as inflammation of the heart’s lining. This type of inflammation can be caused by dental plaque bacteria and if not treated can be life threatening. The bacteria can also lead to blood clots when it enters the bloodstream.

Researchers have discovered that the plaque bacteria is able to produce a molecule on its surface that lets it mimic the human protein fibrinogen – a blood-clotting factor. When this occurs platelets in the body is activated causing them to clump inside blood vessels. These unwanted blood clots encase the bacteria, protecting them from the immune system and from antibiotics that might be used to treat infection. This unnecessary platelet clumping can though lead to growths on the heart valves (endocarditis), or inflammation of blood vessels that can block the blood supply to the heart or brain.

This potentially very serious condition all started from some plaque on the teeths surface. To avoid all these issues it is very important to take proper care of your mouth and gums at all times. That includes brushing regularly, flossing and making regular visits to your local Gentle Dental office for checkups and cleanings. To make an appointment call 1-888-513-7436.

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Flossing While Wearing Braces

Braces are good for re-aligning teeth and improving overall dental health, but they can make caring for your teeth complicated and very frustrating. The main concern when wearing braces tends to be maintaining decent dental care. Flossing with braces on can be a very tough activity. But, since food can get lodged in your braces, it is even more important to floss your teeth daily. Luckily, there are dental products that can help you floss even with braces on.

Floss Threaders are one option. They are made of a rigid floss and work similar to a sewing needle. You start by pulling dental floss through the loop of the threader and tying it in a knot to secure. You then put the straight end underneath the wire of your braces and pull until the floss is all the way through. The floss should be behind your braces now and you can continue to floss normally. This should get a lot of the food and plaque out.

The FlossFish is a tool a small tool that is similar in size to a toothpick. It is used by slipping one end of a piece of dental floss through a small hole in the tip of the FlossFish. You then hold the floss against the FlossFish and insert it under the wire between each bracket. This should then release the stuck food and plaque.

These are just two of the many solutions out there to help in properly maintaining good oral health when you have braces on. For more information on these products and techniques and to see which version is right for you contact your local Gentle Dental Orthodontist or Dentist at 1-888-513-7436.

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“Green” Best Dental Practices To Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

With this past Saturday, being St. Patrick’s Day we thought it would be good to highlight some popular “Green” best practices that can help keep your teeth and mouth healthy.

Flossing is a very important part of your oral health. To get the perfect floss start with about 18 inches of it from its container. Wind floss loosely around your fingers, holding tightly between your thumb and forefinger. Rub floss gently up and down against each side of each tooth, being sure to reach under the gum line. As for the “Green” factor try flossing with the wintergreen flavor that many manufacturers produce. It tastes great and provides your mouth with great breath!

Mouthwash in another very important aspect of oral health but there are many different types to choose from depending on what you are trying to achieve. Fluoride mouth rinses are used to reduce and prevent tooth decay. Studies have shown that fluoride mouthwashes add extra protection against tooth decay! Antimicrobial mouthwash is also a popular choice because it reduces the amount of bacteria in your mouth. It can even inhibit the growth of gingivitis-causing plaque! No matter which type of mouthwash you decide on, to celebrate St. Patty’s pick out a “Green” flavor such as mint flavor.

St. Patty’s Day can be fun for everyone even if you aren’t Irish. Why not take the celebrating to a dental level by adding “Green” products to your oral health routine? To learn more about these best practices and products and to make an appointment with your local Gentle Dental office call 1-888-513-7436.

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The Facts On Toothaches

A toothache is a pain in or around a tooth and maybe triggered by a number of reasons including tooth decay, a tooth fracture, a damaged filling and infected gums. Symptoms of a toothache include tooth pain that may be sharp, throbbing, or constant. and in some cases when pressure is applied to the tooth. You may also have a toothache if their is swelling around a tooth and in some cases get a fever or headache.

You should see your local Gentle Dental dentist if you have a toothache that lasts longer than 1 or 2 days, if your toothache is severe or if you have a fever, earache, or pain upon opening your mouth wide.

To treat your toothache, your Gentle Dental dentist will first obtain your medical history and conduct a physical exam. He or she will ask you questions about the pain, such as when the pain started, how severe it is, where the pain is located, what makes the pain worse, and what makes it better. Your dentist will examine all aspects of your mouth including your teeth, gums, jaws and tongue. They may even examine your throat, sinuses, ears, nose, and neck. X-rays may be taken as well as other tests, depending on what your dentist suspects is causing your toothache.

Treatment for a toothache depends on the cause. If a cavity is causing the toothache, your dentist will fill the cavity or possibly extract the tooth, if necessary. A root canal might need to be done if the cause of the toothache is determined to be an infection of the tooth’s nerve. Bacteria that have worked their way into the inner aspects of the tooth cause such an infection. An antibiotic may be prescribed if there is fever or swelling of the jaw. Phototherapy with a cold laser may be used to reduce the pain and inflammation associated with the toothache.

Since most toothaches are the result of tooth decay, following good oral hygiene practices can prevent toothaches. Good oral hygiene practices consist of brushing regularly with a fluoride-containing toothpaste, flossing once daily, and seeing your Gentle Dental dentist twice a year for professional cleaning. To make an appointment call 1-888-513-7436.

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Poor Dental Care Can Get You Sick!

Flossing and brushing your teeth on a regular basis may not only benefit your teeth but your overall body health. Not only can bacteria in your mouth caused by lack of teeth brushing and flossing lead to periodontitis (gum disease) and bad breath but it can lead to serious health problems.

Gum Disease, for example can impact your heart. People with periodontitis are twice as likely to get coronary artery disease. Bacteria spreads in the bloodstream to the heart and causes clots which can than trigger a heart attack. Research also suggests that people with poor oral health have an increased risk of dementia, or memory loss. Oral bacteria has the ability to spread to the brain through cranial nerves that connect to the jaw or through the bloodstream.

These are just two of the many issues that can come from poor oral health. Other areas that are affected from lack of dental care include a higher risk of diabetes and respiratory infections. Women with teeth and mouth issues may also have a harder time getting pregnant.

Generally you know you are in good oral health if your gums don’t bleed and you don’t have any sharp pain to your teeth. You should also have good breath for at least a few hours after you eat breakfast in the morning. If you have any of these symptoms there is a chance you have some oral health problems and should see your Gentle Dental dentist. You also want to make sure you floss before you brush your teeth and use a soft or extra soft bristle tooth brush. If you have any questions and to make an appointment with your local Gentle Dental call 1-888-513-7436.

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Posts Tagged ‘flossing’

Are Your Kids Flossing?

Dental Tips For Diabetics

Dental Plaque Bacteria Can Lead To Blood Clots

Flossing While Wearing Braces

“Green” Best Dental Practices To Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

The Facts On Toothaches

Poor Dental Care Can Get You Sick!

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