How Older Adults can Take care of their Mouth Better

When you take care of your teeth, you’ll have them for a lot longer.  This matters at every single age, since healthy mouths means you’re talking, smiling, laughing, and you’re able to keep your teeth for a whole lot longer.  However, as you get older, there are certain things that you can do to help make sure that your teeth are fully taken care of.  Here’s how you can make your teeth last a whole lot longer even when you’re older. 

You may wonder why you should worry about your teeth? Well, teeth are a focal part to overall health and wellness, and if  you take care of it now, it can prevent future issues as well, especially in terms of your own body and wellness. 

As you get older, if you don’t prevent this, it can be a major problem, so be mindful of that when you’re looking for the right type of safety for this, and also, try to make sure that you also look at the overall big picture. 

Tooth Decay 

Tooth decay happens when starches and sugar feed on the teeth, attacking this. If you don’t handle this, it leads to fillings, crowns, extractions, and root canals, which are expensive and not fun. 

Gum disease 

Gum disease is another problem that happens whenever you don’t’ take care of your teeth. Because of the buildup of plaque and the tartar is left there untreated, it gets into the gums, making them swollen with a red color, and bleeding as well. This can get really bad, eventually ruining your gums, bones, and the tissue as well, and in severe gum disease cases, it results in tooth loss as well. 

How to prevent this 

You should definitely make sure that oral care is the main focus, and you should definitely understand it’s not too late for you to start taking care of your teeth. Here’s how you can. 

First, you need to brush your teeth twice daily. Use a soft bristled toothbrush with some fluoride, brushing this for a couple minutes usually.  You may struggle with this if you have arthritis or other conditions. You should talk to a doctor if that’s the case. You may want to use a bland of elastic to attach the toothbrush towards your hand.  You may also benefit from using a sponge and taping it there.  You can also use a toothbrush that’s electric if you do have limited types of mobility. 

Next, you should make sure that you do clean between the teeth every single day. This can be done with a flosser, or a water flosser, otherwise known as an interdental cleaner, since this helps those who struggle to use their hands with it. 

Next, make sure you’re seeing the dentist often. You can find out new and early signs of this decay, and then do something about it. Oral cancer can start in people above the age of 40, so proper dental screenings are imperative during this. Letting the dentist know about swelling you have, soreness of the mouth, or lumps is important. 

Then, make sure you use fluoride. This helps with mineralization. You can also use a rinse with this to help with it. Finally, if you’re going to take care of your teeth, you’ve got to look at the diet. Start to replace the carbs that are unhealthy with healthier foods. Try to eat fibrous foods, and also use the foods that’ll help keep the teeth nice and strong, so hat you’re not ruining the teeth as well. 

Causes of Cheek Swelling

Cheek swelling can be uncomfortable, and it’ll look awkward compared to others. Here are some of the common cause, and also what you can do to help mitigate the swelling that’s there. 

The most common Causes 

There are a ton of causes for swollen cheeks, and it can be something that comes about due to trauma, injury, or sometimes it’s just a random moment, other times it may be due to a lingering dental issue. Below are some of the most common causes of cheek swelling 

• Infection of the salivary or parotid glands. This can get infected and make your cheeks swell. Sometimes it’s just one gland, other times, it involves both glands 
• A tooth abscess, which is basically an infection of the tooth pulp, which happens if you ha e a tooth which is cracked, or a cavity that’s left untreated. Those who have abscesses will have a fever, pain, sensitivity of the tooth, and a bad taste in heir mouth 
• An infection of the sinuses, which is a common symptom where the cheeks swell. This also may be due to the flu or a cold, which goes away within a few weeks. It may also have pain, fever, head ache, or a toothache and stuffed up nose with it 
• Angioedema which is a skin reaction that happens due to certain allergens, including pollen, reactions from medications, and even foods too. This can cause swelling of various areas including the cheeks, eyes, and lips, and the areas affected may be painful, red, or warm to the touch. 

Home remedies 

If you notice this when you’re at home, the best solution until you could get in to see a doctor is to raise your head with some excess pillows to educe the swelling of the face, especially if this happened after injury, and a cold compress may be good too. 

If it does get worse, you should see a doctor, since in a lot of cases it may cause problems with breathing and might require you to have emergency treatment. 

Treatment and Diagnosis 

There are tons of causes, and the best way to understand this is to look at whether or not the doctor has a good idea for what may be the cause, looking at the medical history, when you had swelling begin, and also any medications and allergies which may trigger this. The doctor will be the one to fully determine what the cause of this is. 

In the case of a tooth being abscessed, you will go in usually for emergency surgery, in most cases a root canal. If it’s due to an allergy, you may get some medications for this. There are some instances where it may require you to get further emergency surgery than just that, and you have to look at the different conditions that go along with this. 

If you are concerned about this, you need to see your doctor right away. Swelling is not supposed to be normal, but not every cause of swelling is of concern, so you should, with this as well, make sure that you do take some time and actually look at each of the different aspects of this, and from there, get the treatment that you need. 

Swelling of your cheeks may happen due to something small, or something massive, but it’s ultimately up to you in terms of whether or not you’ll be able to really handle this, and of course, whether or not it’ll affect your ability to truly live the le that you want to live. 

Do you drink enough water for your teeth?

Did you know that drinking water may actually be the best solution for your dental health? Because water has significant dental benefits!  Hey there!  You know that brushing your teeth two times a day and flossing once per day is pretty much the norm for a healthy dental routine. But what else can you do to keep your dental health top-notch? Well, diet and water play a big part.  If you want to really kick off the new year right, stop in so we can assess your teeth and get you on the right track. Just click below to visit our site and set up an appointment. Now, as simple as it may seem, drinking water is up there as one of the best things you can do. Not only is water essential for your health in general, it also has quite a bit of benefit for your teeth!

Water beyond important and not only for your body.  Yes, we may be mostly made up of water, but it is so much more than that.  Water keeps your mouth hydrated and increases saliva flow.

Water helps to fight dry mouth. If your mouth is dry, your teeth risk erosion simply because saliva flow is low, which means your mouth won’t be as healthy and active in killing and washing away harmful bacteria. This gives is a double power to not only help keep your body running well, but keeping your mouth safe.

Because water keeps your mouth hydrated, it allows your salivary glands to work better. And everyone knows that saliva is a natural cleaning agent that helps protect your teeth and cleanse your mouth of food particles that could cause dental problems.  So make sure you are drinking your fair share each and every day.  It is suggested that 8 glasses of water a day is the correct amount and this is something that we all probably need to work on achieving each day. 

Now if you live in the city then your water typically has fluoride. This is recommended as a boost for your teeth and is required by most federal and state legislators to be put into the water to keep our dental health safe and secure. 

Fluoride is known as a natural cleanser and fortifier for your teeth. It’s what resides in almost every kind of toothpaste and is the reason we brush our teeth in the first place. Not only does it wash away food residue, but fluoride is also known to help build up any lost enamel in your teeth. This allows your teeth to stay on top of the constant tug of war with bacteria. 

Now one of the coolest benefits of water is that It can clean your teeth.  This is taking health to a new level when you take a daily beverage and make it a helper to your health and not something that harms you.  So think about changing your soda or pop out for water instead and maybe your dental health can take a huge leap forward. 

Water also helps to wash residue away, just like saliva does. So, any food particles that somehow escape your twice-a-day brushing routine (which you should be sticking to!) are taken care of by water washing it away. By drinking water, you not only hydrate your body but also flood out your mouth so that residue doesn’t eat at your enamel.

How to Prevent Stains from Braces

When your braces come off, it’s exciting, regardless of when they were put on. But having to go through the patience of straightening your teeth sometimes can leave you with discolored stains. Here is what you can do to prevent this from being even worse for you down the line. 

Oftentimes, it isn’t the braces 

Usually, your teeth are stained when you’re getting orthodontic treatment for a lot of reasons. That’s because normal braces have brackets and wires that make it easy for the food to get trapped, and oftentimes plaque forms. 

There is also the problem of the biofilm that does get into places that are hard to fully reach. It’s hard to remove this, since it can cause the acids to fully strip the minerals from your enamel, and then demineralization happens, which creates those white spots in some places that are hard to reach. Plaque also does increase the risk for tooth decay and the gum disease that’s there, especially when the braces are on. You need to make sure that you’ve got proper oral care for braces, and through gently brushing your teeth with an orthodontic flosser, you’ll be able to keep this nice and healthy. 

The bonding that’s also used to attach the brackets does ten to become discovered over a period of time when they get exposed to staining beverages and foods, but it can be removed when the brackets are removed. So is there a way to prevent it? Yes, there is, and here, we’ll go over what you can do. 

How to prevent these Stains 

There are certain ways to prevent stains when you’re wearing braces. First and foremost, limit the foods and drinks that are sugary or starchy, or high-acid in most cases, and this includes sodas too. If you’re away and can’t get your teeth brushed immediately, use water to help with this. 

The second thing is to brush AND floss after every meal, with water flossers making it easier to clean around your braces. You should make sure to eat teeth-friendly snacks that are good as well, and that can really help you get the most that you can from this. 

You should also try to get whitening formulas of your toothpaste that also contain what’s called stannous fluoride. This is good because it also keeps the teeth clean to reduce the buildup of plaque that’s there too.  You should definitely do this after every meal too. 

However, just because you should brush your teeth after every meal doesn’t mean that you should brush right after. Make sure to wait about 30 minutes so that your enamel is given a chance to settle, and your saliva is able to wash away the acids that are left from your food. 

Finally, make sure that you’re going to the dentist regularly. It might be a bit more often since you are indeed trying to get the most that you can out of your dental experience, but make sure that you go a lot, since they can help to remove the plaque and tartar that’s there that you can’t get with brushing or with flossing. 

If you notice that you’re still getting plaque a lot, even before you get the braces on, consider asking your doctor if there’s a chance that you can get sealants on your teeth before getting braces, since it may end up being more practical. There are tons of benefits to this, and for many, it could be the best option especially for preventing stains on your teeth when you have braces as well. 

Is fluoride for Children and Babies Safe?

Some people may wonder if it’s safe to give babies and children fluoride. It’s recommended, and there are many benefits of this, and it can help with preventing the decay of teeth, and also keeping them strong, and is also a great way to prevent cavities as well.  It’s important though to understand that you must use this properly though.

How to Use it with children 

When the teeth start to emerge, floured applied to your enamel helps harden it so that it resists decay and activities. There are a few ways for you to introduce this. First, there is toothpaste. For children under the age of 3, their caregivers will do this with a small amount of toothpaste about the size of a rice grain. For those ages 3 to 6, it’s Abou the size of a pea to use. 

Mouthwash is another one, and you can have this if the child is over the age of 6, since you don’t want to risk swallowing any of this. Fluoride supplements are good too. Your doctor can prescribe them as a type of alternative for these children that aren’t living in places where there’s enough fluoride in the water. 

There is also topical fluorides that can be used. They are varnishes and gels that children can have during checkups. Varnishes are much easier for younger children, so it can actually be applied at a younger age. This is something that helps to prevent tooth decay; however, you should prevent fluorosis in the child by having them spit out the toothpaste when they’re able to. This can actually cause enamel pitting or discoloration if the child swallows it. 

How does it help with cavities. 

Cavities can be prevented since it helps to keep the enamel strong and resists the acids that are made from bacteria when you have sugar. Children are of course more sensitive to problems with cavities due to their baby teeth not being as strong.  It can actually be quite sensitive, both on the baby and permanent teeth. When they do breakthroughs that are, the enamel isn’t fully hardened yet, but fluoride works to combine the minerals with the enamel to create something called fluorapatite, which makes the enamels a lot stronger when fighting acids and whatnot. Fluoride is a mineral that’s natural, and it’s important to definitely get it. 

Most children get this through water, since water is usually filled with fluoride and has been done in a way that’s safe and effective for seven decades. The CDC said themselves that fluoridation of the water is one of the biggest achievements publicly since the 20^th century began, and it offers an easy way to provide fluoride to the community. 

The important thing to understand though is that not all water contains. It. Pre-packaged water bottles may have this, but if they don’t, it can definitely be a problem. You should make sure too that if you have water that’s not always palatable, that you make sure to have a fluoride filter on this for the best results too. 

Fluoride is really good, and it is safe for kids to have. However, just make sure that if they are going to have this, that they don’t consume too much, or swallow this. A little bit goes a long way with all of this, and for many people, this is something that’s not only good for the child right now with the developing teeth but is also good down the line too if the child needs this kind of treatment as well too.

Why Folic Acid is a Prenatal Supervitamin

You’ve probably heard that folic acid is really important for mouth health, but what about pregnancy health? This is something that can actually help prevent a lot of defects in the brain of a baby, and their spine. This is also good for preventing anemia, which also affects your gums and tongue too. 

How it Helps Pregnancy 

If you’re looking to figure out how to make your pregnancy as healthy as possible, it’s important to consider folic acid. That’s because when you’re pregnant, your body does need more red blood cells, and folic acid, or vitamin B9, plays a vital role in this. This can actually help to reduce the chance for birth defects in newborns, including in their brain and spine. Enough folic acid does help with the defects in the neural tubes, which does happen in some cases. 

Oral Health 

So how does it help the mouth? Well, it’s crucial for your oral health, especially when pregnant When we lack enough red blood cells, this causes anemia, which means that there isn’t enough oxygen happening within our body and going around to our cells. It can actually cause tongue soreness, lack of gums, and even weakness too. Folate helps with this to make enough red blood cells, and we can of  course reduce the symptoms, or even prevent this completely in a ton of cases too. 

Who Needs This 

Women in their first trimester of pregnancy definitely should take this. Up to 600 mcg can be taken, but you should always talk to your doctor to see if this is correct for you. Women who are of childbearing age also should look to have at least 400 mcg of folic acid too. You can ger foliate from your foods that you eat, but a folic acid supplement is usually the best way to go about this. 

You should try to have a lot of foods which contain vitamin B9 as well though. Lentils altogether have the recommended amount of folate in there and spinach, asparagus, and broccoli also have a ton of folate to this. Flour, along with rice also do get fortified with the addition of folic acid here. But you should definitely check the labels of this to see if that contains this. 

If you’re someone who is looking for a supplement, you’re not alone. However, you should talk to your doctor before you decide to get a multivitamin that contains folate. Some people do inadvertently take too much, and it can be a bit of a problem. However those who have a history of those that have neural tube defects in their life may get a larger dosage in many cases. 

In general though, it’s much better to be on the heavier amounts of folate side tan not enough, since it does cause birth defects in a ton of cases. If you’re pregnant though and haven’t spoken to a doctor about this year, definitely do so. 

Keeping your oral health and physical health up to snuff when pregnant is very important, and in this, we went over one part of making sure that you have good bodily health. But remember that this, and this alone isn’t the only thing that you should have, and you should also not only look at the physical health that you have, but also the health of your baby. Talk to your doctor to see if folic acid is correct for you for starters, but also what you should take, and how much you should take as well in order to have a healthy body. 

Milk And Dental Health

Making dietary choices to favor your dental health can be challenging. You may wonder whether or not milk is good or bad for teeth. Is there any chance for milk to contribute to tooth decay? Several studies suggest that milk can be a great companion for your teeth. 

In this article, we will discuss things that you need to know to determine the appropriate use of milk to help your oral cavity.

The need for milk

Not only are milk and other dairy products are delicious, but they also contribute to overall health by supplying an ample amount of calcium to the body. This mineral supports metabolic processes in your body. Moreover, 90% of it is stored in the bones and teeth. The National Institute of Health (NIH) recommends a daily intake of at least 200mg to 1,300mg of calcium for infants and toddlers. The amount can vary with age, depending on the requirements.

Dairy against tooth decay

Our dental health benefits from milk and dairy products. But do you know why? According to the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry, there are several benefits of having dairy products in your diet.

• The first benefit is that those products contain casein protein, which contributes to the formation of a protective film on your teeth. This film protects your tooth enamel from acids and bacteria that can initiate tooth decay.
• Dairy products are rich in calcium and phosphorus, both of which are the minerals that reverse damage to your teeth in various ways. These minerals are helpful, particularly when it comes to reversing the damage caused by bacteria and acids.
• These products are usually pH-neutral, meaning that their intake can help reduce acidity in your mouth. You can consider having a glass of milk after a meal or snack.
• Another one of the most significant benefits of dairy products is that they stimulate the production of saliva in your mouth. Saliva washes away leftover food particles and harmful bacteria, allowing you to have healthy teeth.

Remember, having milk covers only one aspect of a healthy diet. You have to make sure that your diet is more balanced. For this purpose, you have to have vegetables and fruits in your diet plan.

Getting more milk

Calcium is present in many foods and drink. Milk, however, is the easiest and most accessible food that contains calcium in an ideal amount. And what’s even better is that the calcium in milk absorbs more quickly in the body compared to other resources.

If you are not a fan of drinking milk, you can still get calcium in a lot of other ways. Here are the dairy products that you can have in this regard.

• Yogurt, with or without fruits
• Cheeses
• Buttermilk
• Frozen yogurt and ice cream
• Calcium-fortified soy milk

Milk instead of soda

If you want to have a beverage, let it be milk instead of soda. Soda can do exactly the opposite of what milk can do to your teeth. You can at least limit the consumption of soda if it is to avoid it at all.

Back to school dental tips for your children

Stressed about their sleep schedule with school on the horizon?  I think we all are with the new 2021 school schedule.  We never know what it will be!  With July just now ending and August starting up, there’s one thing on most people’s minds throughout the US: school. And with school comes a lot of feelings about it, one way or the other.

On the one hand, you’ve got you, the parents. You’re likely to love school simply because it’s an easy way for your kids to get back on a routine schedule and be productive somewhere outside of your home. Whether you work from home or have a normal day job, it’s nice to get your kids out of the house and at school. 

On the other hand, though, there are your kids. Kids, more often than not, don’t want to go back to school simply because relaxing during the summer is easier. I mean sure, they’re excited to see some of their friends they didn’t see much during summer. But for the most part, your kids would probably rather have summer last another month longer to enjoy the most of it.  If you’re looking to get your kids in the office before school starts back up, just click below to visit our site and set up an appointment. Read on for a few ways to get your kids back in a good routine for school.

When it comes to getting your kids back in a routine for school, things aren’t always the easiest. At times, they may be grumpy about it, causing you to coax them a little extra to get a move on preparing things, like going to bed earlier, getting school supplies, and even just being mentally prepared for the rigors of school. With the pandemic in place there is a ton of fear and your children should not be subjected to it.  You may need to ensure your school is not teaching lies or putting too much on your children at such a young age.  That is unwise and only serves a political agenda. 

One way to encourage them to get in a better sleep schedule is to make sure they’re brushing their teeth at the same time every night. If you can get your kids to do their dental routine just before their new school bedtimes, you’ll have an easier time convincing them to actually get in bed.  Also using fun toothpaste-like charcoal can be an exciting way to get them pumped to follow their routine.  But be careful of the staining!

And just as well, waking them up in the mornings a week or two before school to “brush their teeth and have breakfast” is a simple yet easy way to get them up and moving at the appropriate time each morning. After a few days, even if they’re grumpy at first, they’ll start to get the hang of it.

Overall, if you can get your kids to think that their dental routine is important enough to switch up their sleep schedule, they won’t mind it as much going back to school and getting up earlier than they have been all summer. By deflecting the new routine to something else other than school, they shouldn’t complain too much!

All about vertical root Fractures

While we all wish our teeth were indestructible, sometimes things happen, and sometimes, they’re cracks. There are five kinds of teeth cracks, and one of the most common is the vertical root fracture. This is basically a line near the bottom that goes upwards, and this is basically a crack that happens near the root, going towards the top of it. Because it normally doesn’t have symptoms of signs, they oftentimes aren’t noticed, but it does cause bone and gum infection, which can be very noticeable and incredibly painful over time. 

Why they happen 

This is usually due to the teeth being weak, and they’re normally treated with root canals, crowns, and other dental procedures. Usually, if you have healthy teeth, this happens due to chewing on ice or other material that are hard. If you’re feeling pain, popping sensations, or have bleeding, this also may be a sign that you have a vertical root fracture. 

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Symptoms 

The symptoms of this can be hard to properly diagnose unless you talk to a dental professional who knows what they’re doing and they find it in an x-ray. But some of the symptoms include: 

• Pain when you bite 
• A crack that’s found when there is dye or light shone on it 
• A sinus tract training that looks like an ulcer or a boil. 
• Infection underneath the roots of the teeth 
• The pocket between the tooth and gum, and the gum is detached from that 

Usually, a dental specialist or professional might diagnose this when they’re doing a root canal if they don’t find a crack. If the fracture happens after this, they may find it in x-rays as well, which may show that it’s shaped in the letter J, and there also may be other diagnostic tools, including transillumination, where the light is shone through the tooth directly to find fracture lines as well. 

How they’re treated 

Usually, there are some treatments that work for vertical root fractures, and in most cases, cement is used to bond this in order to cease the continuation of the fracture. However, in more serious cases, there may need to be a tooth extraction, and you want to have this there the moment the fracture gets diagnosed, since if there is a chronic infection there, it’ll impact the bone of the tooth, so you’ll need an implant for this. 

In order to avoid the chance of a tooth fracture, there are also a few things that you can do. First, if you do need a root canal, you should ask about the technique, and also how you can make sure to avoid the risks after the post is placed on the area itself/. 

You also may want to find out if you can get in regularly for dental checkups and whatnot. Regular exams do prevent this from getting worse as well over time, and also help with the treatment of such as it continues to be a part of this, and it can help with preventing this from getting worse as well down the line for you as well. 

With that said, if you do think that you may have one of these, you should definitely talk to your doctor about this, and you’ll be able to get the treatment that you need with this. Just like with everything, if you’re looking to possibly improve your life, and reduce the chances of infections, definitely talk to your dentist and have them do the analysis to ask about whether or not you have a fracture, and what to do. 

Why Microbeads in toothpaste

Scientists are constantly trying to improve oral care means, and one of the ways is microbeads in toothpaste. This is actually one of the most popular ways to add abrasive qualities to help with this. It may be banned in some cases, and it can possibly be beneficial for you. The elimination of microbeads is actually really good, and here, you’ll find out why. 

What are They 

They are tiny beads that don’t degrade when they’re dissolved in water or are very large. They’re a big part of some products and are used as abrasive of exfoliating reasons, and are timed release, which means that they may possibly help with different problems down the line. The capabilities of this, and how inexpensive they are, are part of why some people like these. 

Environmental Concerns 

The biggest problem with microbeads is that they’re not biodegradable, which causes a problem with environmental maintaining. It actually can escape without being detected into oceans and rivers. When it washes down the drain, these small particle don’t get captured by our sewage system, which means that 19 tons of microbeads are found in new York drains alone. These can be mistaken for food by different animals, and when animals have these, it causes the plastic to contaminate them, and eventually us, and it actually cause more pollutants. They’re nearly impossible to get rid of. 

Alternative options 

There are actually alternatives, and it actually has been outlawed in the sale and delivery of some products, which includes toothpastes, cosmetics, and drugs that are over the counter. Many of these have replaced the microbeads in this with something that’s biodegradable and sustainable. Usually, apricot kernels and nut shells are what’s found in there. 

The Abrasively 

If you’ve read it earlier, another problem with this is how abrasive this is. The thing is, abrasive chemicals and products are good for g3tting rid of the dead skin and exfoliating, and some may like abrasive kinds of toothpastes to help with the stains on the surface of the teeth. But the problem is, if it’s too abrasive you’re going to have a problem. 

Too much abrasion causes the enamel to wear on down, so it’ll affect the outermost part of this, and it’s something that’s been looked at. Right now, most toothpastes have the ADA seal of approval, and it’s only given when there’s an abrasively score of less than 250, since anything over this starts to harm the enamel, and that creates a problem for some. 

While microbeads are banned in toothpastes there are some other items that might have this, but it’s become something that’s more frowned upon simply because of the potency of this. If you’re thinking of getting a toothpaste product, you should not only be mindful of microbeads, you also should be mindful of how abrasive this is. If you’re someone who tends to make their own toothpastes, you might just be better off getting something from the store. 

Too much abrasion is what causes the teeth to wear down, and it can be a problem for some. Luckily though, there are regulatory measures in place to help with reducing this so that people are not only happy because they’re able to finally get the help that they need from this without possibly ruining the rest of the teeth, but also because it’s good for the teeth to really improve on this, and also to help with making it so that it not only keeps the teeth nice and clean but also to truly make it shine as well, causing people to have healthier teeth.