WE’VE ALL HEARD that if we want healthy teeth, we should brush twice a day, floss once a day, and schedule regular dental cleaning appointments twice a year. Definitely keep doing those things, but if you want to step up your oral health game, here are a few easy ways to do that. Replace Your Toothbrush Regularly One of the simplest ways you can improve your dental health and hygiene is to replace your toothbrush on a regular basis. Vigorous brushing will make the bristles fray and reduce the brush’s cleaning ability, but that’s not the only reason toothbrushes should be replaced often. A lot of the bacteria we brush off our teeth stays on the bristles of our toothbrushes. Proper storage–meaning storing the toothbrush upright and letting it dry out between uses–can keep a toothbrush from getting smelly and nasty too fast, but it’s still important to replace your toothbrush at least…
health
Do it Yourself Orthodontists…
Did you know that Smile Direct club was started in 2013 by four businessmen from Nashville, TN? Smile Direct club offers simple orthodontic treatment – limited to the front 6 teeth for mild crowding or spacing. The patient completes an online questionnaire and buys a $95 impression kit. They take their own impression and take 7 photographs of their teeth at different angles. The doctors who are employed by SDC submit the treatment plan to Align technology to make the aligners which are then mailed to the patient. The patient then orders retainers as well which are made by Align. Did you know that Align is the company that makes Invisalign? Here are the issues with SDC treated patients. The patient assumes responsibility for errors in impression taking. It takes a lot of training and practice to be able to take an error free impression. Impressions are less accurate than…
Importance of Early Treatment
See the case for this 9-year-old who had amazing results from getting started early!
What is Onychophagia?
I think I just won the spelling bee! Better known as fingernail biting, it can be damaging to your teeth and gums. Tooth wear, enamel chipping and cracking, is most often the result of nail biting. In our practice, we have also witnessed extreme cases of gum recessions – especially when the patient has a bonded lingual retainer on the lower front teeth. Nail biting can tip the crown back and the root forward exposing the root to the tooth. This can lead to the need for gum grafting and six months of orthodontics to reposition the root. Jaw problems can also be a result of nail biting. The Academy of General Dentistry determined that it costs patients around $4,000 extra to repair damages from nail biting. The most common treatment is to use a nail polish (that tastes terrible) for a while to help break the habit. Denatonium benzoate…
New Product — Air Floss
Every little but helps and it is very time consuming to floss with braces on. I have received great feedback from hygienist of referring dentists, so I purchased an air floss unit for myself. After one week of use, I give it an enthusiastic thumbs up! Technique is important and the tip should be aimed directly between the teeth and gum line. I use mouthwash rather than water and peroxide can be substituted as well. You can purchase the Sonicare Air Floss online at sonicare.com or Amazon. If you go on Sonicare.com they are offering a coupon for $15 off http://philips.to/U7mPDL. It is definitely worth the investment. Especially if you or your child have braces. Dr. David McSurdy