Healthy Eating for a Healthy Mouth

Let’s face it: We’re all at risk for cavities. You can significantly lower your risk by limiting the amount of sugar that hits your teeth in the first place.

The longer food that promotes plaque bacteria stays in your mouth, the worse it is. So it's not necessarily the amount of sweets you eat, but how often you eat them.

These tips can help reduce tooth-decay risk from the foods you eat:

• If you consume sugary foods, do so with your meals rather than in between. Saliva production increases during meals, which helps neutralize acid production and rinse food particles from the mouth.
• When consuming acidic drinks, including fruit juice and carbonated beverages, drink quickly and use a straw for limited contact with teeth and gums. Don’t swish them around in your mouth.
• To prevent tooth erosion, rinse with water after consuming high-acid food such as tomato sauce and dill pickles, as well as acidic drinks such as soda and fruit juice. Water will dilute the acids.
• Cut down on sweet and starchy between-meal snacks. When sugars or starches in your mouth come in contact with plaque, the acids that result can attack teeth for 20 minutes or more after you finish eating. Repeated attacks can break down the hard enamel on the surface of teeth, leading to tooth decay.

For more information on the same please visit our website www.nandadental.com and schedule an appointment. 

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Proper Brushing and Flossing Techniques

When it comes to taking care of your teeth, proper brushing and flossing techniques can make a remarkable difference. Establishing a daily oral care routine should not be difficult. Unfortunately, you face an overload of information from advertisements touting the latest in brushing and flossing products.

Types of brushes:

Patients often ask us about the kind of brush they should use, so here is what we recommend:

• ·      Most individuals will benefit from a soft bristled brush. Softer bristles will be gentler on the teeth and gums, even if you have a heavy hand when brushing.
• ·      The head of the toothbrush should fit comfortably in your mouth. If the head is too large, you may not be able to properly brush your back teeth.
• ·      Replace your toothbrush every three to four months. Frayed or worn out bristles will do more damage than good.

Brushing technique:

While getting your teeth clean is important, over-brushing can actually be damaging to your teeth and gums. Brushing too hard can wear away the tooth enamel and cause sensitivity.

• ·      Brush your teeth twice a day: morning after having breakfast and at night after dinner
• ·      Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the tooth surface
• ·      Use short, gentle back and forth strokes
• ·      Clean all surfaces thoroughly
• ·      To clean the inside surfaces of your front teeth, hold the brush vertically and use gentle up and down strokes

Types of floss:

• -       Floss is available as waxed or unwaxed string.
• -       Waxed floss may glide more smoothly between your teeth.
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• -       The flavoring in floss is designed to make the process more enjoyable

Flossing Techniques:  

• ·      To use string floss you will need a piece that measures about 18 inches in length.
• ·      Wrap the ends a couple of times around your middle or index fingers.
• ·      Gently work the floss back and forth between each of your teeth.
• ·      You should be making a “C” shape against the tooth surface.
• ·      Be careful not to cut into your gums while flossing. If you notice any bleeding of your gums, consult your dentist.
• ·      Floss your teeth once a day. The time of day and the brushing and flossing sequence do not matter.

Your dentist is the best source of information when it comes to caring for your teeth. Every individual does have different needs and we will work with you to determine what works best for your situation. If you have questions regarding brushing techniques or which floss or toothbrush to use, please feel free to ask us at your next visit.

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