by Roseman Dental | Sep 21, 2014 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
More than half of adult Americans claim they brush their teeth twice a day. While this is good news for the oral health of the population, the statistics do not show how many of these people are brushing properly.
The Right Toothbrush
Choosing the correct toothbrush is the first step toward good oral hygiene. The brush needs to fit comfortably in your mouth while the handle fits comfortably in your hand. Discomfort while brushing may indicate a poor fit. Whether the toothbrush is manual or electric is a matter of preference, but bristle softness is not. The American Dental Association recommends soft bristles so the brush can remove plaque gently without scraping the tender tissue of the gums or scratching the tooth enamel.
Brushing Technique
How a person brushes may be the most important factor in preventing oral issues such as plaque buildup and gum disease. Place the bristles against the upper part of the teeth at a 45-degree angle and brush in short, circular or vertical strokes for two to three minutes twice a day. Brushing more than three times per day may cause damage to enamel, while brushing only once a day could lead to the buildup of bacteria in the mouth.
It is important to brush the outer, inner, and chewing surface of each tooth, and some dentists recommend starting in a different place every time because by the end of the routine, some people may be less thorough than they are at the beginning of the routine. After brushing your teeth, don’t forget to brush your tongue as well to remove bacteria.
Toothbrush Maintenance
When the toothbrush removes the bacteria from the teeth and tongue, it remains on the toothbrush unless the brush is rinsed thoroughly under running water. After rinsing, it is just as important to shake out excess moisture and allow the toothbrush to air dry. If a cap is used, it should allow air in, since a moist toothbrush may breed even more bacteria. When bristles lose their flexibility and begin breaking apart, or if you have been using the same toothbrush for more than three months, it is time for a new brush.
Following these guidelines is the beginning of a good oral hygiene routine that protects teeth and gums from bacteria, cavities, and gum disease.
by Roseman Dental | Sep 12, 2014 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
What Do You Know About Root Canals?
The American Association of Endodontists celebrated Root Canal Awareness Week on March 30 – April 5, 2014. Currently in its eight year, this week is a time for people to learn the facts about this valuable treatment and how it can help them. Endodontists and other dental professionals are setting aside time during RCAW to focus on patient education and empowerment through the sharing of reliable information.
Why is Root Canal Awareness Important?
Though many people have heard of root canals, not everyone actually understands what this procedure is, what condition it is meant to treat, or how it could benefit them as a dental patient. For instance, did you know that:
• Modern root canal treatments are virtually painless?
• Root canal treatments can preserve a natural tooth?
• Endodontists specialize in performing root canals?
• Endodontists perform an average of 25 root canal procedures each week?
• Root canal treatments can relieve the pain of infection deep inside a tooth?
Even though dental students are likely to recognize the value of root canal procedures, it is important to share this information with others who may not be aware of how these procedures could benefit them. When a patient’s natural tooth is preserved through a root canal procedure, they retain their natural sensation and bite and can enjoy more effective chewing. Treating a tooth infection could prevent discoloration and disease from spreading to adjacent teeth; this allows patients to retain their natural smile.
How You Can Get Involved
Dentists and dental students can get involved in Root Canal Awareness Week every year, but you don’t have to be a dental professional to be part of it. As a patient you can ask your dentist for more information about the procedure, even if you don’t need to have it done right now. Confronting misinformation with facts helps relieve patient anxiety and makes people less reluctant to seek this and other types of dental treatment. You can educate yourself about this procedure and other forms of endodontic treatment by visiting the website of the American Association of Endodontists.
by Roseman Dental | May 10, 2014 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
What are Receding Gums?
Often dubbed “long-in-the-tooth” for the appearance it gives, receding gums expose the roots of the teeth as gum tissue wears away or pulls back from the crown. Gingival recession can cause discomfort and pain when the person eats foods or drinks that are too hot or cold, sweet or sour, or even spicy. Gums may also be sore without a visible cause, and teeth can decay more easily because the roots do not have the same protective enamel as the crown. That opens the door for bacteria that can destroy the gums, teeth, and even the bones in your jaw, which could eventually lead to tooth loss.
What Causes Receding Gums?
There are many different causes of gingival recession. The main cause is actually gum disease, or periodontal disease. Bacterial gum infections cause gums to swell, bleed, and recede. They destroy the gum tissue and the supporting bone. Studies have shown that an astonishing 30 percent of the population may be prone to gum disease simply because of their genetic makeup. Still others have genes that give them a thinner gum line or more prominent roots than average, making gum recession much more likely.
Inadequately caring for your teeth by failing to brush and floss regularly causes tarter buildup on and in between teeth that will cause gum recession. Tobacco users have hard to-remove, sticky plaque that causes the same problem. Clenching or grinding the teeth (an unknown sleeping habit for many people) is an attributed cause, due to the fact that it places too much pressure on your teeth. A misaligned bite or crooked teeth may also place unnecessary strain on your teeth.
Another common cause that professionals have encountered is overly vigorous or improper brushing of the teeth. By brushing your teeth too often or with excessive force, you are most likely doing more damage than good. Aggressive brushing, especially with hard-bristled brushes, will traumatize and damage your gum tissue and even break down the teeth’s enamel.
How are Receding Gums Treated?
There are a few different ways that you can fix gum recession or avoid causing further harm. One of the ways that dentists and periodontists have found to repair severe gum loss is by doing a gum graft from another healthy part of the gums or from the roof of the mouth and placing it where the gums are the most worn away, thereby reducing the sensitivity and the further recession of the gums.
More important than correction is prevention. To prevent receding gums, you must develop good habits. Use a soft bristle toothbrush and brush three times a day, but not for more than the recommended two minutes. You should replace your toothbrush every three months or when the bristles are bent or damaged because a worn out toothbrush won’t clean your teeth the way they need to be and can damage your gums.
Be sure to floss regularly and use a mouthwash to help you keep your teeth and gums in better health. Staying away from cigarettes and eating a healthy diet will also strengthen your gums and help prevent gum disease.
If you recognize any of the symptoms detailed above or are worried that you are at risk for gingival recession, talk to your dentist. S/he can give you further advice and suggestions for treatment so that you can maintain your beautiful (and pain-free) smile.
by Roseman Dental | Mar 28, 2014 | Clinic Events - UT, Dental Clinic Blog, Dental School, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - UT
Doctor of Dental Medicine students at Roseman University organized an event to provide free dental care to 46 children from the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake. It was part of Give Kids a Smile, a national event started by the American Dental Association that provides free dental care to hundreds of thousands of children at more than 1,500 events nationwide throughout the year.
Healthy lifestyles are a key component of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake, and Give Kids a Smile provides an opportunity for children to get free dental care. This is especially critical for children who do not have dental insurance, and may not be able to get this care otherwise.
“Untreated childhood dental decay affects about 16 million children in the U.S. every year, and is particularly prevalent in families that do not have insurance. Dental decay can contribute to a variety of issues including pain, missed school days, improper speech development, and difficulty sleeping and concentrating,” said Dr. Aaron Ferguson, Assistant Professor at Roseman University College of Dental Medicine and faculty advisor for the student group that organized Give Kids a Smile. “Fortunately it is also one of the most treatable conditions, and Roseman University dental students are excited to offer some basic dental care as well as education about caring for teeth that these children can use at home to improve their oral hygiene.”
Club members get at least 30 minutes of physical activity and healthy snacks at the local Boys & Girls Club, according to LeAnn Saldivar, CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake, but sometimes they don’t have access to quality health and dental care. To bridge that gap, Boys & Girls Club partners with organizations like Roseman University to get the care that children need to be healthy, regardless of whether or not they have insurance.
“It was so neat to see the smiles on the kids faces as they left our clinic,” said Cory Halterman, third-year dental student and one of the event organizers. “We all felt great after helping them.”
by Roseman Dental | Mar 15, 2014 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
Sugar, while a tasty treat, is one of the most harmful substances that most people consume on a daily basis. In addition to being harmful to your metabolism, insulin, blood-sugar and energy levels, sugar can have a negative effect on your teeth as well.
The Breakdown
All carbohydrates will break down into simple sugars at some point after you eat them. Some will not break down until they are in your stomach or lower intestinal tract, but others begin to break down right away, as soon as they come into contact with amylase in your saliva. Carbohydrates that break down into simple sugars in your mouth can then leave those simple sugars on your teeth. If you don’t brush and floss them away, they become prime food for bacteria. As the bacteria feast on this sugary meal, they produce acid, which in turn eats away at your tooth enamel, and once enamel is lost it cannot be regenerated. Therefore it’s very important to protect the enamel you still have by brushing and flossing regularly.
Diet Change
You can also protect your teeth by avoiding the foods that break into simple sugars fastest. These include any food that contains a lot of processed sugar, including candy, pastries, baked goods, and sugary sodas or juices. Avoiding these foods will not only protect your tooth enamel, but will have the added benefit of lowering your risk for heart disease, obesity and certain cancers. Other less obvious foods to avoid include anything white and refined, including white bread, crackers, rice, pasta, and so on. These foods can be nutritious if you eat the whole grain versions, but the white, highly processed versions contain few nutrients, and break down quickly into simple sugars that can damage your teeth. To check for sugar content, look for anything with the name “sugar”, or anything that ends in “-ose” such as sucrose, fructose, dextrose, etc.
Timing
Another factor in the sugar/tooth decay relationship is time. Simply put, the longer you wait to brush your teeth after you eat, the more tooth decay will occur. After you eat, and even while you are still eating, bacteria begin feasting on the sugars in your mouth and producing harmful acid. The goal for a healthy mouth is to remove that acid as soon as possible. Lucky for you, your saliva has some anti-bacterial properties. But this alone is not enough to keep your mouth clean and free of acid. Brush as soon as you can after eating. And if you can’t brush right away, pop in some gum, preferably the sugar-free kind that is sweetened with Xylitol, as this artificial sweetener has been shown to help prevent tooth decay. Also keep in mind that the more often you eat, the more opportunities sugar has to build up in your mouth, feeding hungry bacteria. If you snack often, be sure to brush often, too.
Brushing and flossing soon after eating is the best way to prevent tooth decay. Keep a travel toothbrush handy in your purse, car or desk, and brush your teeth often for optimal oral health. Then be sure to visit your dentist every six months for a professional cleaning to remove any lingering plaque.
by Roseman Dental | Nov 7, 2013 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
Your oral health and overall health are more connected than you might realize, and many doctors are teaming up with dental health professionals to make sure that you are taking good care of your mouth in order to take good care of your body. Here are some of the ways your oral health and overall health are linked.
Inflammation
Scientists are constantly studying the link between inflammation and diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s and diabetes. Gum disease, which causes mild to severe inflammation of gum tissue, can contribute to overall infection levels of the body. Unfortunately chronic inflammation related to gum disease causes often goes unnoticed, and when left unchecked, it can wear down your immune system and prevent other systems of the body from fully functioning and remaining healthy.
Heart Disease
Severe gum disease, known as periodontal disease, has been linked to the development of heart disease, and studies have proven that gum disease is a risk factor for stroke as well. Those with periodontitis are almost twice as likely to have heart disease, and while the exact way that inflammation of the gums contributes to heart disease is still being debated, they are definitely connected. One theory states that the chemicals your body releases to fight the inflammation of the gums can contribute to plaque build-up in the arteries.
Diabetes
Unfortunately for those with diabetes, gum disease can exacerbate the condition. Researchers agree that having diabetes increases your body’s susceptibility to all infections, including gum disease; at the same time, having gum disease increases the level of inflammation your body is dealing with, and this worsens diabetes and makes blood-sugar levels more difficult to manage. Luckily, though, the inverse is also true. For those with both diabetes and gum disease, treating one will improve the condition of the other. Once the inflammation of gum disease is under control, diabetes becomes more manageable, and keeping blood-sugar levels carefully controlled will lessen your chances for gum disease.
Other Complications
Gum disease has been shown to increase a pregnant woman’s risk of going into pre-term labor and of delivering a baby with low birth weight. Gum disease has also been linked with recurrence of pneumonia and lung disease. Some believe having gum disease can also contribute to osteoporosis and arthritis.
You can best prevent gum disease by brushing and flossing regularly, having a dental check-up twice a year, and avoiding smoking. Also consider discussing other health concerns with your dentist, especially if you have symptoms of gum disease.
