Has it been a while since your kids have visited our office? February is National Children’s Dental Health Month! The theme this year from the American Dental Association and Crest + Oral-B is “Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and clean between your teeth for a healthy smile!!” Remember, as soon as two teeth are touching you should be cleaning between your child’s teeth. Come see us, let’s work together to keep your child’s mouth healthy!

1.Choose sugar-free cough drops

2. Swish and spit after vomiting to wash the acid off. Wait about 30 minutes to brush your teeth so you aren’t brushing the acid around.

3. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated. If you must reach for tea or sports drinks for electrolytes try to choose sugar free.

 Read more at: https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/c/cold-and-flu-season?source=promospots&content=topstories&medium=cold_flu

Plain fluoridated water is still the best option, but sparkling is far better than soda or sugary drinks.

Sparkling waters don’t damage your enamel the way sugary drinks do. You should be careful, however, not to drink too much citrus sparkling water. Citrus flavors have a lot more acid which can eventually breakdown your enamel. The ADA recommends not sipping on sparkling waters throughout the day but instead trying to finish it off during mealtime.

Read more here: Mouth Healthy – The Truth about Sparkling Water

Yes! It’s one of the best ways to prevent cavities for children and adults. Rancho Santa Margarita has fluoride in their water which helps strengthen teeth and prevent decay. Fluoridated toothpaste should also be used daily.

A two-year-old had such bad decay and infection that she had to loose her four front teeth, but afterward she gave her hygienist a huge hug! The little girl was finally pain free. Fluoride can help prevent this from happening! Read more about the importance of fluoride here:

http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/babies-and-kids/moms-guide-to-fluoride?source=promospots&content=rotator&medium=mom_fluoride

Here’s an easy way to remember! Brush your teeth twice a day for 2 minutes. 

Remember, brushing isn’t the only way to take care of your teeth. Don’t forget to:

• Floss between your teeth daily. Flossing will remove plaque and leftover food that the toothbrush can’t reach.
• Eat a balanced diet and limit snacks in between meals. 
• Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and oral exams. Call us today or you can schedule your cleaning online!

http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/b/brushing-your-teeth

Feel like your smile is looking a little yellow or missing some sparkle? You aren’t alone! When the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry asked people what they’d most like to improve about their smile the most common response was whiter teeth. Whiter teeth can help you look healthier, younger, and more self-confident.

Whitening your teeth (also called bleaching your teeth) is a pretty simple process. Whitening products contain a type of bleach that helps break stains into smaller pieces, making the color less concentrated and your teeth brighter. There are different types of whitening products, each a different fit for budget and time constraints. Talk to your dentist about the best whitening program for your situation.

• Whitening toothpastes help remove surface stains (not deeper stains) through the action of scrubbing the teeth with a mild abrasive. Unlike bleaches, these types of products only remove stains on the surface and can’t change the actual color of the teeth.

• In-Office Bleaching means the dentist will apply protection to your gums, and then put bleach directly on the teeth. A special light might be used to enhance the action of the whitening agent. This is a good option if you need a significantly brighter smile tomorrow.

• At-home bleaching uses a bleaching gel and trays that are made to fit your teeth. The gel is a lower concentration of bleach than used in an in-office bleaching visit, so this may be a good option if you have sensitive teeth. At-home bleaching can also be done with store-bought trays or strips, but the best option is to get custom-fit trays from your dental office.

Teeth bleaching may not work on teeth that have fillings, crowns, veneers, or other problems. It is always important to talk to your dentist before beginning any bleaching treatments to avoid making discolored spots look worse in comparison.

Although there are rarely side effects of bleaching your teeth, some people do find they feel sensitivity when they whiten their teeth. This happens when the peroxide in the whitener gets through the enamel of the tooth to irritate the nerve of the tooth. This sensitivity is almost always temporary. Talk to your dentist if you feel you need a lower concentration to avoid this problem. Overuse of whiteners can also damage the tooth enamel or gums, so be sure to follow directions and talk to your dentist.

Teeth whitening, or bleaching your teeth, is a simple process that can make a huge difference for your smile. Call our office today to start your path to a whiter, brighter smile!

Although thorough brushing and flossing help remove food particles and plaque from smooth surfaces of teeth, sometimes toothbrush bristles cannot reach all the way into the depressions and grooves of other teeth to extract food and plaque. Dental sealants are a barrier that helps protect these vulnerable areas by “sealing out” plaque and food.

Sealants are a thin, plastic coating applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (premolars and molars) where the grooves and depressions mean decay is most likely. The sealant is painted onto the tooth enamel, where it bonds directly to the depressions and grooves (pits and fissures) of the chewing surfaces of back teeth, then hardens. The sealant acts as a barrier, protecting enamel from plaque and acids. As long as the sealant remains intact, the tooth surface will be protected from decay. Sealants hold up well under the force of normal chewing and may last several years before a reapplication is needed. During your regular dental visits, your dentist will check the condition of the sealants and reapply them when necessary. Regular visits will make sure that they don’t break down without anyone noticing.

The likelihood of developing decay in those deep pits and fissures begins early in life, so typically children and teenagers are the main candidates for sealants. Sealants help protect the teeth through the cavity-prone years of ages 6 to 14. However, adults without decay or fillings in their molars may also benefit from sealants. Call us if you have more questions about sealants and the important role they can play in your dental health program.

Source from: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/dental-sealants and http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/s/sealants

More than 80 million people suffer from chronic halitosis, or bad breath. In most cases it originates from the gums and tongue. Bad breath can be very embarrassing, but it is a common condition and there are numerous ways to fight it. Following these tips can help you fight bad breath as well as keep your mouth healthy on a daily basis. If you feel that your halitosis might be worse than normal, give us a call!

1. Brush teeth twice a day.

Brush your teeth two to three minutes at least twice a day to remove plaque and food debris. It’s very important to brush your teeth before going to bed. You might try an additional round of brushing with baking soda to reduce the acidity in the mouth and make it difficult for the bacteria that cause bad breath to grow.

2. Floss daily.

Flossing will remove food debris from in between the teeth that a toothbrush can’t reach. If the food debris is not removed, the bacteria will begin to feed on it, causing bad breath.

3. Brush or scrape your tongue.

To remove any residue that may be building up between the taste buds and folds in the tongue, invest in an inexpensive tool called a tongue scraper, which is available in drugstores. If you don’t have a tongue scraper, you can use your toothbrush to brush your tongue.

4. Use a mouth rinse.

Keep in mind that if a dental problem is the cause of chronic bad breath, a mouth rinse will only mask the odor and not cure it. In some cases, mouth rinses may actually worsen a bad breath problem by irritating oral tissue. For an emergency freshen-up, try a quick rinse with a mix of water and a few drops of peppermint oil. Or rinse your mouth with black or green tea: according to a study by the University of Illinois at Chicago, rinsing your mouth with black or green tea suppresses the growth of bacteria that cause mouth odor.

5. Visit your dentist.

The best way to make sure that you are maintaining good oral hygiene is to visit your dentist regularly. If you have chronic bad breath, you should visit your dentist first, to rule out any dental problems. Or, if your dentist believes that the problem is caused from a systemic (internal) source such as an infection, he or she may refer you to your family physician or a specialist to help remedy the cause of the problem.

6. Quit smoking and avoid tobacco products.

If you ever needed another reason to quit, here’s an easy one: smoking contributes to bad breath. Tobacco tends to dry out your mouth and can leave an unpleasant smell that lingers even after brushing your teeth.

7. Wet your whistle.

Be sure to drink a sufficient amount of water (six to eight 8-ounce glasses) daily to avoid dry mouth. Drinking water will help keep odor under control because it helps wash away food particles and bacteria, the primary cause of bad breath. If you have chronic dry mouth or take medications that cause you to have dry mouth, talk to your dentist about recommending an over-the-counter saliva substitute.

8. Eat a piece of sugarless candy or chew sugarless gum.

If you have dry mouth, try sucking on a piece of sugarless candy or chew sugarless gum to stimulate saliva flow. The saliva will help to wash away food debris and bacteria that cause bad breath.

9. Munch on a carrot, a stick of celery or an apple.

Snacks of crispy, fresh fruits and vegetables step up your saliva flow between meals to help wash away bacteria from teeth, tongue and gums that can cause bad breath. These snacks can also help alleviate bad breath caused by hunger or fasting. An empty stomach from skipping meals can cause foul breath as acids in the stomach build up.

1. Eat your parsley.

Parsley adds more than a green garnish to your lunch plate; it’s also a breath-saver because it contains chlorophyll, a known breath deodorizer. So pick up that sprig on your plate and chew it thoroughly. Or toss a few handfuls in a juicer and sip the juice when you need to refresh your breath.

Information courtesy of the Academy of General Dentistry & DeltaDentalIns.com