Monthly Archives: September 2011

When the apple bites back

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“An apple a day keeps the dentist away” - I love this proverb, but reading a fellow blogger’s, Stasha’s post about a funny loo accident/incident involving an apple (don’t ask me how I associated, I am quite strange, huh?) made me think of an important thing about brushing that I feel, I have to share with you.

I am pretty sure that a lot of us don’t know what effect eating some kind of food can have on our tooth enamel. Acid wear can make your teeth more sensitive to temperatures and it also makes your teeth more prone to decay. This is called acid erosion. Cola contains phosphoric acid, while juices have natural citric acid and ascorbic acid. Both of them can damage your tooth enamel.

Here you have a handy-list.

These are the factors that can cause acid erosion:

  • acidic beverages (soda pops and soft drinks, fruit juices and wine) as they contain large amounts of citric acid
  • grazing through the day
  • brushing your teeth directly after eating or drinking anything else than water
  • constant vomiting (bulimia) or reflux causes acidic contents to be in frequent contact with the teeth, developing erosion

This is how you should do to avoid acid erosion:

  • Rely on dental floss during the day (only brush in the morning and in the evening)
  • Rinse your mouth after food consumption during the day
  • Drink a lot of water
  • Avoid snacks and constant snacking during the day, letting your mouth getting back it’s acid balance
  • Avoid brushing your teeth for at least half an hour after consuming acidic food or drink (and brush gently when you brush)
  • You can reduce the contact of acidic drinks with your teeth by using a straw
  • Try to include milk or other dairy products in your diet

 

Did you know about this already? Do you have some more tips for avoiding tooth erosion? Please share them!

Parents, please help your kids!

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This following post was inspired by my daughter who came home yesterday and told me that she had two classmates at school, with rotten black teeth and the stink from their mouths was nearly unbearable for her. She does not even like to go close to them.

And we are talking about kids around 6-7 years of age!!!

This makes me so angry. Why won’t some kids’ parents care about their kids’ oral situation? Can’t they see that something nasty is going on in their mouth? I do check my kids’ teeth every single day and I make sure that they brush properly (I’ll help them)  and that they are not eating or drinking anything else than water after brushing their teeth before going to bed.

Many parents neglect the fact that their children have different dental care issues. This is one of the main reasons why these poor little kids/teenagers are not accepted in their school societies, and why they are going to suffer in the long run and they are not going to feel too good in life. It is only the parents who can help them dealing with the dental issues that they might have. This is one of the primary reasons why more and more people should be going to the dentist, asking for improved  smile design for their children. If they come to a level to even care so to say. But I think we are far behind this level.

Parents must be ready to do whatever it takes to improve their children’s oral health, otherwise their children are not going to feel comfortable and this is going to have a long term impact on their personalities.  It is pretty important to note that your children’s mental health is one of your top priorities as parents. If you have dealt with this problem already, it means that you have done your job, and your kid is not going to suffer because of his genetic or acquired problems, related to his or her dental health.

So PLEASE, if you are a parent, BRUSH and CHECK your kids’ TEETH regularly! This is absolutely the least we could do for them.

What do YOU think? Are you one of those neglecting parents too? Or are you like me, being mad at other parents?

Taking Care of Sensitive Teeth

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Lots of millions of people all around the World know that sensitive teeth can make life in general a nightmare as it causes pain and discomfort that can make eating or drinking a painful experience.
Normally, this condition presents tooth pain after drinking cold liquid, eating hot or cold foods, or breathing in cool air. If the pain becomes unbearable, you should immediately go and see your dentist, as the nerve of your tooth could be exposed. Normally, sensitive teeth starts when the gums begin to pull away from the teeth and eventually the roots of  the teeth. When the gums pull away, the roots will be exposed to cavity too.

The exposed root tips contain small tubules that lead directly to the nerves of the teeth. Whenever pressure, hot, or cold elements travel down the tubules, it will trigger the nerves and result in pain. People with healthy teeth have these tubules covered by their gums.

Some tips for making you feel better once you have sensitive teeth:

  • Reduce the pressure when brushing your teeth. Brushing them hard tears at the gums, which can lead to sensitive teeth. If you have sensitive teeth now, you should try using an electric toothbrush that massaging your gums firmly too or simply use a very soft-bristled toothbrush (I use Curaprox ultra soft 5460).
  • There are several toothpastes out there on the market that contain potassium nitrate, which helps you to reduce pain and discomfort associated with sensitivity. Although there are several toothpastes to choose from, according to my experiences Elmex’s Sensitive toothpaste is the best, as it simply affects the nerve of the tooth and stops the pain where it starts.
  • Mouthwash can also help tooth sensitivity, providing it contains fluoride. It is important that the mouthwash does not contain any alcohol, like Listerine does. Elmex’s Sensitive Mouthwash is a good choice here too.
  • Avoid professional (peroxide-based) teeth whitening treatments as they could cause or make your teeth even more sensitive.
  • If you have tooth decay, get it fixed by a dentist as soon as possible. Tooth decay is a bacterial infection of the tooth and one of the main diseases of the mouth where the enamel and the dentin are softened, allowing bacteria access to the dentin tubules and ultimately, the pulp. This process causes inflammation which makes the tooth very sensitive to any irritation.
  • Bad bite, recent fillings or dental work, partial tooth fracture, and advancing gum disease can cause sensitive teeth too, make sure that you consult your dentist immediately about this.

Tooth sensitivity is something that many of us unfortunately have to deal with - although there are ways that you can fight back or prevent the pain and discomfort.

The great importance of dental floss

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I am pretty sure about the fact that a lot of you out there have never ever used dental floss before. Maybe some of these people have heard of it, or even tried using it, but found it a difficult and a time consuming procedure.

All I can tell using dental floss is one of the best (if not the best) things you can do for your dental health. Cavity develops from bacteria left inside your mouth, and leaving food rests in between your teeth contributes to bacteria development that attacks your teeth. On the other hand some of us with tight gaps between our teeth can experience a very odd “spanning” feeling when something is stuck between the teeth. I am one of these persons and that is why I use dental floss every time I have eaten something that can get stuck in between my teeth (not yoghurt for instance).

The recommendation is to use floss at least once a day, advisably in the evening, before going to bed.

Having narrow gaps is making my floss shopping a pain in the “butt”, I have tried the whole selection of flosses that are out there on the market, and found that only a single one (luckily) I am able to use in between my teeth, the others won’t fit at all since they are being to wide. This brand is Oral-B.

It is really important to show your children how to floss too, and give them a specially designed floss.

Remember to always floss BEFORE brushing your teeth, this way you brush in between your teeth too (where the food rests were before flossing).

Note: This is not an ad for Oral-B, I just want to try to help the people who thought that they were not able to use dental floss when taking care of their teeth.