by Roseman Dental | Jun 8, 2016 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
You probably think that as long as you brush and floss every day your oral health should be fine. While brushing and flossing is critical for oral health, there are other actions you can take to ensure your teeth and gums remain healthy and avoid bad breath. One of those actions includes scraping your tongue.
Better Dental Health
The reason why you need to brush your teeth every day is so that you can remove harmful plaque. However, bacteria are also capable of building up on your tongue. If too much develops, then you are at an increased risk of having gum disease or receding gums. Scraping your tongue removes bacteria for added protection against these diseases.
Reduced Chance of Halitosis
While halitosis can come from a number of sources, one of the most common is simply a buildup of food and bacteria within your mouth. Brushing helps, but tongue scraping removes bacteria you ordinarily would not get with your toothbrush.
Experience Flavor Better
When bacteria and mucus develop on your tongue, they can block your taste buds and prevent you from fully experiencing the flavor of the food you are eating. This can even lead to false cravings for certain types of unhealthy foods. By opening up your taste buds, you can truly appreciate your meal. This also allows your body to better assimilate food and digest it more effectively.
While at first this may seem like just another thing you have to do in your morning or nightly routine, the benefits are great. It also does not take very long to thoroughly scrape your tongue. Scraping it between five and 10 times is typically all that is needed and you can find a tongue scraper fairly easily by visiting your local pharmacy or seeing your dentist for his or her opinion.
by Roseman Dental | Jun 2, 2016 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
Many people grind their teeth, a condition known as bruxism, and for many people, it is simply a habit that is hard to break. However, bruxism can lead to numerous dental problems, including jaw pain and loose teeth so as soon as you realize you grind your teeth, there are steps you should take to stop doing it.
Reduce Stress
Stress is a common reason why people end up grinding their teeth. While there is little you can do to eliminate stress altogether, there are things you can do to reduce it that are safe for your mouth and overall health. For instance, you can start exercising more regularly and get plenty of sleep at night or join a meditation class or support group.
Perform Jaw Exercises
If you still notice you have bruxism, consider seeing a dental professional about getting some physical therapy. There are a number of jaw exercises you can perform on your own at home. This will relax your jaw and strengthen the muscles around it.
Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol
A cup of coffee first thing in the morning is fine, and for some people it’s essential, but you should be careful not to overdo it. Too much caffeine can much you jumpy and jittery, increasing your odds of grinding your teeth. Alcohol also increases your desire to clench your jaw.
Wear a Custom Mouth Guard
There may be nothing you can really do to eliminate bruxism altogether. However, you can see your dentist about getting a mouth guard to wear at night. This device will protect your teeth from the effects of the grinding. You can get one custom built so that it fits perfectly over your teeth.
Bruxism may not seem like much at first, but it can lead to serious dental complications down the road. Nip the problem in the bud as soon as you notice it. By taking the necessary actions now, you will be doing yourself a lot of good in the future.
by Roseman Dental | May 23, 2016 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
Having bad breath can be a major cause of embarrassment and social isolation. It may just be the result of eating something strong (such as onions or garlic), or it could be a symptom of an underlying health problem. Regardless of the reason, there are steps you can take to make your breath pleasant once again.
Brush and Floss
Poor dental hygiene is one of the most common reasons why people develop bad breath. Food gets caught between teeth and bacteria build up, leading to halitosis—the dental term for “bad breath”. You should brush your teeth twice a day, floss once a day, and also brush your tongue to help remove bacteria in that area.
Stay Hydrated
Bad breath can also be the result of dry mouth. When your mouth is not producing sufficient saliva, you should drink water or chew sugarless gum in order to stimulate production. If your saliva is low because of medications or a medical condition, talk to your dentist about it because there may be ways they can help.
See Your Dentist
You should be seeing your dentist at least twice a year. Everything may feel fine, but it never hurts to get a professional cleaning. This is especially important if you wear braces or dentures. If these devices are not cleaned properly, then your breath can begin can be impacted negatively. A dentist can show you how to properly clean teeth and remove plaque deposits that build up and can’t be removed with a toothbrush.
Quit Tobacco
A big cause for bad breath is frequent tobacco use. There is a huge list of reasons why you should quit tobacco, and this is yet another one you can add to the list.
Address a Medical Condition
Sometimes halitosis is a symptom of a much larger problem such as diabetes or a sinus infection. In these instances, you will need to address the underlying issue. Seek the necessary medical treatment from your dentist if needed for these conditions.
Taking some steps now to help improve your breath can ensure that you won’t have to stress about it right before that big meeting at work or that hot date. There are plenty of ways to make your breath smell minty fresh once more.
by Roseman Dental | May 11, 2016 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
Tooth development begins long before teeth begin to emerge from the gums, and even after the first teeth erupt, babies do not have the ability to clean their own gums and teeth so it is important that parents take steps to help them avoid tooth decay. Unfortunately even in baby food and drinks there can be a lot of sugar so parents should make sure to clean a baby’s gums after every feeding. Here are some tips to keep in mind when it comes to keeping your baby’s gums and teeth healthy.
- After breastfeeding or bottle feeding, clean off the baby’s gums with a moistened piece of gauze or a clean cloth. When babies sleep, their saliva production decreases, making it easier for bacteria to incubate and start the process of decay.
- Once a baby’s teeth start to emerge, cleaning becomes even more important. Use a soft brush meant for babies with water to gently scrub their teeth after every feeding.
- By the time a baby is able to drink out of a cup, they should be weaned away from the bottle and given a cup to drink from. It is important for the development of facial muscles for babies to perform the sucking motion natural for breastfeeding, but after a certain point it can be bad for their teeth.
- When weaning babies off of formula, you can start with a mixture of formula diluted with water. Steadily increase the water-to-formula proportion until they are drinking just water. Water is the only safe liquid to give babies and not have to clean their teeth afterward.
Reasons to Keep Baby Teeth Clean
If bacteria are allowed to grow uninhibited in a baby’s mouth, they can experience painful cavities and other forms of tooth decay; baby teeth with significant problems may require extraction, which can lead to speech impediments and difficulty eating. Their permanent adult teeth may even grow in an irregular way that will necessitate more orthodontic interventions later. Remember that healthy baby teeth will lead to healthy adult teeth, so take care of your child’s dental health until the point when you can get them brushing every night on their own.
by Roseman Dental | May 4, 2016 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
Wisdom teeth, or third molars, usually come in after adolescence, appearing between the ages of 17 and 21. The purpose of wisdom teeth is not known with certainty, though it is hypothesized that they may be vestiges of the jaw structure of prehistoric humans. Our ancestors would often experience tooth wear from regular use, sometimes losing molars, so a third set of molars that appear later than other permanent teeth could have helped replace the missing bite power.
Over time, our jaws have become smaller and our diets have softened, allowing our current molars to last longer. It is therefore theorized that we may have evolved to a point where wisdom teeth are now obsolete, and for many people they are more of a hindrance than a benefit. Not all dental professionals agree, but many dentists do recommend their patients get their wisdom teeth removed in their late teens to early 20’s, before they emerge from the gums.
Reasons for Getting Wisdom Teeth Removed
While not all people need to get their wisdom teeth removed, health problems associated with them are common. These include:
- Pain and discomfort: Wisdom teeth are full-sized adult teeth, so the process of emerging from the gums can be painful, and they often rub against the rear molars, causing further pain
- Risk of Infection: Not only do wisdom teeth create wounds coming in, but brushing them can be more difficult because of their far-back position in the jaw; using a thin, long brush with a small head can help in the cleaning of these hard-to-reach areas
- Tooth Misalignment: Perhaps the most common reason wisdom teeth are removed is because they can push other teeth out of alignment; some dentists recommend removing wisdom teeth as soon as they show up on an x-ray, before they have the chance of doing this damage
Not everybody needs to get their wisdom teeth removed, and for some people they come in with no problems at all. When your wisdom teeth first show up in dental x-rays, consult your dentist about which choice will be best for you and your mouth.
