by Roseman Dental | Jul 31, 2015 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
You brush your teeth to get rid of germs and bacteria in your mouth, but did you know you may be introducing more into it than you’re clearing away? If your toothbrush sits out in the open, especially near a sink or a toilet, you’re probably using a contaminated one.
Potty Mouth
Every time you flush the toilet, moisture droplets can become airborne. The contaminants in that spray can reach as high as 10 inches and spread to any surface in between. That means your toothbrush, minding its own business in a cup in the corner, is susceptible to nasty bacteria and viruses. The bottom line: close the lid before you flush, store it somewhere that is protected like a drawer, or move it farther away from the toilet.
Sinking Feeling
The corner perch is dangerous every time you wash your hands as well. Walk into any public restroom and you’ll notice how much water and soap gets splashed around when hands are washed. That same mess is sprinkling around your sink and onto your brush.
Don’t Even Think About It
If you feel sharing a toothbrush isn’t a big deal, try again: the average mouth has up to 200 types of bacteria in it, and that’s after scrubbing. Your toothpaste is also a great source for sharing germs. Each time you wipe the paste onto your brush, you are pressing on material from the previous person’s toothbrush. To keep everyone healthier, especially if someone is sick, give everyone their own tube.
Get Some Air
Covering you toothbrush may seem like the only recourse. While keeping it protected is a good idea, don’t smother it. Avoid using plastic caps or containers, like travel cases, because the brush will stay wet and mold can grow. Instead, try putting it away in a cabinet or drawer so it can be shielded and dry out.
Brushing your teeth is supposed to be good for your health, but introducing germs can do the opposite. Taking a few simple steps can help you prevent dodgy microbes from going into your mouth.
by Roseman Dental | Jun 19, 2015 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
There are more things you can do to whiten your teeth besides switch toothpaste, visit your dentist, and use whitening strips and trays. Even if you’re already taking these actions, there are several other steps you can take to brighten your smile without spending a lot of money.
Swap Your Toothbrush More Often
Trade out your old toothbrush for a new one every three months or whenever your bristles start to look faded and worn. Doing so ensures that your toothbrush is always providing the proper friction for scrubbing your teeth cleaner and whiter.
Avoid Eating Dark Pigment Foods
No matter how much you might like blueberries, marinara sauce, soy sauce and other dark foods, they aren’t doing your teeth any favors. Such foods can leave stains on your teeth thanks to their dark pigmentation. While not all dark foods are necessarily bad, it’s a good idea to limit how much of these types of foods you eat and make sure you enjoy them with plenty of water to help reduce the chances of staining.
Use Apple Cider Vinegar
While not as powerful as other whitening methods, rinsing with apple cider vinegar is a natural way to help brighten your smile (though perhaps not a very enjoyable one). To make the most of this tip, you’ll want to rinse your mouth out for a full minute with a mixture of one part apple cider and two parts water.
Avoid Drinking Energy Drinks
Besides dark foods, tea, coffee and red wine, energy drinks have also been known to cause staining on your teeth due to high acid content. Acid is also found in citrus fruits, so you’ll want to be careful of those as well. If you simply can’t go without your energy drink or soda, it’s better that you drink it through a straw to keep the liquid from coming into direct contact with your teeth.
Making a few small changes can do wonders not only for the color of your teeth, but for your overall oral health. Pay attention to the small signs that your teeth and mouth might be giving you about the state of your teeth to get a whiter smile and a healthier mouth.
by Roseman Dental | Jun 9, 2015 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
If you ever check on your children at night, you may notice that they are grinding their teeth. The official medical term for teeth grinding is “bruxism,” it can be pretty common in children and often takes place during sleep or times of stress. According to statistics, two to three out of ten kids clench and grind their teeth and jaw, but a majority of them will eventually outgrow it.
Triggers for Bruxism
The exact cause of bruxism has yet to be determined, but there are cases where children grind their teeth because their bottom teeth are improperly aligned. Other stressful times, such as teething and earaches, can be reasons for kids to clench their teeth in an effort to ease the discomfort.
Children can also become stressed by a shift in a normal routine or due to exterior factors like after-school activities, tests, and assignments in school. A child can also suffer if parents are arguing around them, causing them to react by clenching their jaw and grinding their teeth. There are also situations where children who are on certain mediations or suffer from medical conditions, including cerebral palsy, start to show signs of bruxism.
Effects of Bruxism
A majority of children who develop bruxism do so without any negative effects and do eventually outgrow the condition, but there are instances where it can cause earaches or headaches and be an annoyance to family members and those around the child because of the sound of grinding teeth.
There are also situations where the child can clench or grind his teeth so much that he starts to wear away at tooth enamel, chip a tooth, experience sensitivity to temperatures and/or develop major jaw complications and facial pain. One example of jaw problems a child might suffer from because of bruxism is temporomandibular joint disease, otherwise known as TMJ. Unless and until bruxism becomes a chronic condition, it generally will not become TMJ.
If your child has developed bruxism, make an appointment with your dentist to have them checked today.
by Roseman Dental | May 13, 2015 | Dental Clinic Blog, Dental School, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
It has become extremely important to have regular health examinations to prevent or discover any early signs of cancer or other diseases, since modern medicine often provides many treatment options for cancers and other diseases when they are caught early. This stands true for dental health as well. Dentists find approximately 84 percent of oral cancer cases when doing screenings on patients and individuals who have either found an abnormal growth or those who might be at heightened risk due to factors such as age, family history, alcohol use, or tobacco use. It is important to ask your dentist if he or she feels you need an oral screening.
Oral Cancer Screening
Here is what you can expect when it comes to an oral cancer screening.
- There is no special preparation you need prior to an oral cancer screening, and screenings are typically performed during a regular dental visit.
- If you are wearing any sort of dentures or removable implants, your dental professional should remove those before the examination begins.
- Some dentists will ask you to rinse your mouth with a special blue dye prior to the examination. The dye will absorb into abnormal cells, making them more visible for the dentist.
- Your dentist should examine and inspect the inside and outside of your gums and cheeks throughout your entire mouth. Your lips and the floor and roof of your mouth will also be inspected for any patches or sores.
- Your lymph nodes, jaw area and around your ears will be checked.
- Expect your dentist to ask you to stick out your tongue and say “ahhh” in order to examine the back of your throat and mouth.
Recommendations
If your dental care provider does find anything that looks abnormal, he or she may recommend a couple of options. One is a “wait and see” approach with a simple follow-up visit to see if the irregular area is still there after a few weeks. If your dentist believes you might be at risk or that the abnormality is severe, he or she will often recommend a biopsy to remove a sample of cells to be tested for cancer.
Oral cancer screenings are very simple and practically stress-free for you; however they are extremely important for your overall health.
by Roseman Dental | Mar 25, 2015 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
There are few things that are more important to your health than checking for signs of cancer. With any type of cancer, early detection is crucial. With oral cancer, detecting the signs and symptoms early can be life-saving. There are a few key symptoms to look for when checking for oral cancer.
White or Red Lesions
There are two types of lesions that your need to be on the lookout for. White lesions, also called leukoplakia, and red lesions, sometimes called erythroplakia, are both clear indicators of oral cancer. Red lesions are more likely to be cancerous, but white lesions are more common. If you notice any of these lesions that do not go away within two weeks, consider getting a biopsy to determine if they are cancerous or not.
Lump or Thickening of Oral Soft Tissue
If there are any lumps in or around your mouth or if something is more swollen than it typically should be, notify your doctor. This can be one of the signs that something may be wrong. Any issue like this that lasts longer than two weeks could be a potential indicator for oral cancer.
Difficulty Chewing or Swallowing
If you have any difficulty chewing or swallowing, this could be an indicator for oral cancer. This is one of the many signs that something could be wrong. Other symptoms can include sore throat, ear pain, any difficulty moving your tongue or jaw and numbness. You should be on the lookout for these symptoms regularly, although you will probably notice them right away. If they persist longer than two weeks, make an appointment to address the issue with your doctor.
Early detection of any cancer is paramount to your health. Regularly check for these and any other common or possible signs and symptoms of oral cancer. It’s also important to take steps toward reducing your risk for developing oral cancer. Reducing sun exposure, quitting smoking and eating enough fruits and vegetables are all possible ways to lessen your cancer risk.
