Why is Dental Hygiene Important?

A surprisingly high percentage of Americans do not practice good dental hygiene habits. In 2013, it was reported that over 75% of the U.S. population has some form of periodontal gum disease. Periodontal disease is a result of prolonged gingivitis. Gingivitis is the inflammation of the gums which is caused by a buildup of plaque on the teeth.

It is extremely important to practice good dental hygiene in order to prevent periodontal disease. Periodontal disease causes bone and gums to pull away from the teeth, forming spaces called pockets. These pockets become infected due to bacteria and plaque spreading below the gum line. The combination of bacterial toxins along with the body’s response to infection causes your bone and the connective tissue to break down. If not treated, teeth will become unstable and could eventually become so loose that extraction may be required.

Aside from gingivitis and periodontal disease, poor dental hygiene will lead to cavities and tooth decay. Cavities can be painless at first, but when left untreated, they can lead to infections and exposure of the nerve which can result in significant pain. Furthermore, the internal structure of the tooth is likely to be destroyed and as mentioned above, could result in extraction.

There are many dental hygiene tools and products available on the market to help keep your mouth in tip-top shape. When shopping around for these products, it is a good idea to choose those that are approved by the ADA. These products will display the official ADA Seal of Acceptance. ADA approved products are not only the safest products, but also the most effective and will greatly help improve your dental hygiene.

Dental hygiene is also extremely important when it comes to children. Establishing a consistent dental routine at a young age will instill dental habits that are likely to follow them throughout their life. While baby teeth all eventually fall out and are replaced by permanent adult teeth, dental hygiene is still important. Infected baby teeth can cause damage to the growing teeth below the gums. If this happens, subsequent treatments will be required and can be painful and expensive. Help kids get excited about brushing their teeth with fun, ADA approved products. Some of these could include: fun flavored toothpaste and floss, toothbrushes that sport a favorite cartoon character and a fun toothbrush holder.

The most important part to dental hygiene is meeting the ADA recommendation of two dental cleanings a year. While toothbrushes and floss remove food from most areas in your mouth, there are still spaces that everyday dental tools fail to clean. Dentists know where these areas are and have special instruments that are designed to clean these places. The combination of two yearly cleaning appointments and a proper daily dental hygiene routine will effectively prevent gingivitis and periodontal disease.

Visit us online today for more information about dental hygiene. Devoted Family Dental is Washington’s favorite family dentist!

Bad Food for Dental Hygiene

While many foods can help keep your dental hygiene in check, there are countless others that do just the opposite.  We all know the obvious ones: soda, candy, energy drinks and pretty much everything else that contains a large excess of sugar. While most have known about these sugary, tooth-rotting fares since childhood, there are a handful of healthy foods that can cause havoc to your pearly whites. Check out the follow bad foods for dental hygiene.

Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits are considered a bad food for dental hygiene. Not all fruits have a high acidity level, however a majority of them do. Eating an orange at lunch isn’t enough to cause concern for your dental hygiene but for those who eat a large amount of high-citrus fruits could be at risk of permanent damage. Much like sugar, a large amount of citrus can cause your teeth to soften, eroding your enamel.

Fruits are an essential part to a healthy, complete diet so avoiding them in efforts to protect your teeth isn’t a smart solution.  In fact, vitamin C, most commonly consumed from oranges, is an essential vitamin for maintaining healthy gums. Rather than cutting fruits from your daily diet, drink a big glass of water following consumption of acidic fruits, wait 20 minutes,and then brush your teeth. Remember, citrus softens your teeth so brushing right after can cause a lot of damage and is a bad dental hygiene practice.

High acid containing fruits:

• Lemons (Including lemon water)
• Oranges
• Limes
• Grapefruit (Drinking grapefruit is juice is almost as erosive as a soda.)
• Any kind of concentrated fruit juice

Almonds

Say it ain’t so! Any avid snacker watching their waistline knows almonds are a great healthy alternative to potato chips or other crunchy snacks. Loaded with vitamin E and full of healthy fats, almonds have always been a great source of nutrition. While they may help to improve your body figure, they are unfortunately considered a bad food for dental hygiene and can cause havoc to the structure of your teeth. Almonds are extremely hard and in many cases can cause your teeth to fracture.

In this case, the solution is quite simple. Next time you reach for almonds at the grocery store, choose the chopped or sliced option.

Coffee

Coffee has been a hot topic in the dental industry for years. First it’s bad for dental hygiene, and then a study says it is good, and the next thing you know: I am telling you it is in fact a bad food for dental hygiene again. Much like that last two foods we mentioned above, many foods have both positive and negative qualities. The important thing is to recognize both sides and take the proper actions to prevent lasting damage while still taking advantage of the benefits.

Coffee contains many beneficial antioxidants that are beneficial to the whole body, including other dental hygiene factors such as your mouth! However, coffee has a bad reputation when it comes to stains, and I’m not just talking about that white shirt you spilt on this morning! Coffee is notorious for staining your teeth and a buildup can actually attract plaque.

For a majority of the American population, asking one to stop consumption of coffee would be like asking one to limit their intake of oxygen: An impossible request without deadly consequences. Ok I admit, we’re being a bit extreme here but you know it’s true! In fact, I’m drinking coffee right now as I write this and I am not one to be hypocritical. So instead of enduring endless groggy mornings, opt for iced coffee, skip the sugar, drink through a straw, and consider adding some milk to offset acidity. And remember to brush and floss once you have finished your cup of joe!

Contact (360) 651-2900 today for more information about dental hygiene. Devoted Family Dental is Washington’s favorite family dentist!

Getting a dental exam isn’t going to be the highlight of your year. However, it is an extremely important part to your personal hygiene. Having unkept teeth not only increases your risk for gum disease but can also affect many other aspects of your health. At the least, dentists only ask for a visit twice a year, which isn’t so bad. Yet many people wonder: why twice a year?  Why not just once a year or even better, every other year?

Instead of dreading your sixth month dentist appointment, what you should be asking is: “how much do you value your teeth”?

 The Scientific Reason for Two Dentist Appointments A Year

The truth of it is there really isn’t a finite scientific reason for going to the dentist twice a year.  In fact, going to the dentist twice a year for a checkup is a relatively new medical guideline.

However, this does not mean it is ok to skip that second appointment!

A little more than a half a century ago, the United States military began giving dental exams for newly enlisted members.  Shockingly, it was clear to the military and the United States Government that American’s people had extremely poor dental hygiene.

Why It Isn’t a Good Idea to Skip That Second Appointment

The medical and dental community took action, putting in place guidelines that had never existed before in America.  Those guidelines included brushing the teeth twice a day, flossing the teeth once a day, and going to the dentist for dental exams twice a year.

These guidelines proved to be extremely reliable and sufficient in preventing cavities and gum disease. Furthermore, certain deficiencies can be detected from the condition of your gums, along with many diseases. Going to the dentist twice a year can be another way to keep your heath in check.

The reality is, no matter how well you take care of your teeth at home, plaque and tartar will still form in those deep, hard to reach places in the teeth and gums.  By getting two dental exams a year, the dentist can thoroughly clean these hard to reach areas.  This greatly helps prevent gum disease and cavities.  If left untouched, these areas will build up with bone eating plaque, which will feast on your gums and teeth.

If it’s been a while since you have had a dental exam, it is never too late to start.  The process is extremely pain free, requiring less than an hour of your time.  During the exam, the dentist will ask you questions about your dental history and current dental routines and habits. You can expect to answer questions such as: Do you have any current health problems?  Are you diabetic? What medications are you currently taking?

Then the dentist will evaluate your overall oral health including: tooth decay, stains, bite alignment and any jaw problems that may exist. After your history is documented, your cleaning will begin and before you know it, your dentist visit is complete.

While it can be hard to find time every six months to set an appointment, the consequences of skipping it all together can put you at great risk of both dental diseases and tooth loss.

Do you take dental hygiene for kids seriously enough?  Getting children to brush their teeth everyday on a regular basis isn’t always an easy task.  However, the importance of developing a child’s dental hygiene routine at a young age is extremely important.  By practicing the habit of brushing twice a day and flossing at least once daily, a child is more likely to continue these practices into adulthood.  By helping your child with their daily oral hygiene routine you will help your child to keep a healthy mouth and a bright smile.

How to Clean your Newborn’s Mouth

It’s a big unknown for many when the appropriate time to start practicing good dental hygiene for kids. Keeping your child’s mouth clean is important as soon as birth.  For babies, there are obviously no teeth to brush, however bacteria will still develop inside of the infants mouth.  For this reason, it is important to wipe a baby’s gums with a soft damp cloth after feeding to prevent the development of bacteria in the gums. This will ensure a healthy mouth for a baby to begin teething and provide a little less discomfort during the process.  Once a toddler starts to develop teeth, you can start to use a soft toddler toothbrush to brush their teeth twice a day or after meals. However, avoid fluoride toothpaste as it may be a health hazard if swallowed.  Most municipalities add a small amount of fluoride to tap water, which should be enough fluoride to help a toddler’s teeth maintain a healthy amount of enamel.

Reinforcing Dental Hygiene for Kids

The essential time to begin reinforcing dental hygiene for kids is preschool or ages 3-4 years old.  This is the age when your child should learn how to brush their own teeth.  Flossing should be introduced to the daily routine as well.  Some children will have no problem brushing twice a day, however many children may have a difficult time sticking to a healthy schedule.  Remember to help your child to make sure they have brushed the back teeth as well as the inside of teeth until your child has developed the ability to reach these harder angels themselves.  It is vital to teach them the importance of brushing and flossing every day, and making sure they are sticking to it.  The key is to make it as enjoyable as possible. Get a toothbrush with their favorite cartoon character, and colorful toothpaste that has a pleasant taste.  Floss sticks or “flossers” can be used to help make flossing easier for a child.  By making brushing and flossing as fun as possible, a child is less likely to complain about brushing, and hopefully look forward to it.

A healthy mouth is an essential part to dental hygiene for kids. Cavities can be extremely uncomfortable and children are more susceptible to develop them in their baby teeth.  As your child gets older, they will experience many changes growing into adulthood, and they are more likely to continue a good routine of brushing and flossing their teeth daily if they develop the habit when they are young.

Visit www.devotedfamilydentist.com today for more information regarding dental hygiene for kids. Devoted Family Dental is Washington’s favorite family dentist.