How Much Do You Really Floss?

Finding which dentist Newport Beach has to offer is right for you and going to your checkup is only half the battle.  If you’re like most Americans, odds are that you’re not flossing enough with the right technique.  

Why Floss?

Brushing your teeth is very important, but it can’t reach between your teeth or below the gumline.  That’s where flossing comes in.  Regular flossing with good technique can remove “biofilm”, a thick collection of the bacteria between your teeth that can cause gum disease and tooth infections.  Over time, buildup of bacteria can cause tender, bleeding gums, gingivitis, and even put you at risk of tooth loss.

Use Proper Technique

You can always ask your dental hygienist for a flossing demonstration, but correct flossing technique isn’t difficult to learn.  Here are some tips:

• use about 18 inches of floss
• wrap one end around the middle finger of one hand, and the other around your other middle finger
• using your thumbs and forefingers, grasp the floss and gently move it between each pair of teeth with a back-and-forth motion, then between the same teeth with an up-and-down motion
• move to a fresh section of floss and do the next pair of teeth
• don’t forget the back teeth

Remember, the idea is to disrupt the bacterial colonies, so floss even if you don’t see obvious debris on the floss.  Bacteria, after all, are microscopic, but their effects sure aren’t!

Read more here: http://www.dentist-newport-beach.com/much-really-floss/

Happy Blood Sugar, Happy Teeth

As one of the most prevalent diseases in America, it’s likely that you know someone affected by diabetes, or perhaps you are a person with diabetes yourself.  Did you know that for someone with diabetes, visiting a Newport Beach dentist is even more important?  While managing your blood sugar is important for keeping your teeth and gums healthy, the opposite can also be true.  Maintaining a healthy mouth is important for keeping your blood sugar in range.

1. Avoid Infections

Uncontrolled blood sugar means that your risk of infections of every kind is increased, but oral infections can be insidious and move quickly.  Regular checkups and cleanings can help catch infections while they’re managable, or prevent them altogether, avoiding the pain, risk of tooth loss, and even surgery that can sometime be required to treat severe infection.

2. Reduce Inflammation

Even mouth irritation like gingivitis, which many people assume is “mild”, can cause your body to activate your immune system.  This systemic inflammation is hard on more than just your teeth.  It can increase your risk of heart disease, and actually cause your blood sugar to be elevated (in the same way that you might notice your blood sugar is harder to manage when you have a fever).

3. Improve Quality Of Living

Avoiding infections and inflammation can help you keep your blood sugar in range, which in turn can help avoid other complications of diabetes.  But feeling guilty about complications that might occur someday doesn’t work as a motivator for everyone, and luckily great dental care can start improving your life today.  Keeping your mouth health can help you both avoid tooth pain and difficulty eating and feel confident about smiling.  Your quality of life is too important to suffer from poor oral health.

Read more here: http://www.dentist-newport-beach.com/happy-blood-sugar-happy-teeth/

What’s Your Brushing IQ?

You’ve made it your business to find the best dentist Newport Beach has available, you’ve had a cleaning, and now you’re enjoying your sparkling teeth and clean mouth.  If you’d like to keep your mouth as healthy as possible until your next appointment, you might want to brush up on your tooth care routine.  Let’s take a look at the recommended methods for taking care of your mouth:

1. Use The Right Toothbrush

While there’s all sorts of designs of toothbrush on the market, you can get your teeth clean with a simple, manual brush with the following features:

• smaller head design to allow the brush to reach the back molars
• soft bristles
• densely-packed, rounded-end synthetic fibers

What if you have arthritis or wrist pain issues?  Electric toothbrushes can do a good job cleaning your teeth, too, provided that they use a rotation oscillation action.

2. Use The Right Brush Stroke

While vigorous back-and-forth scrubbing might seem like it would be more effective at removing plaque, too much mechanical action can actually damage your gum tissue and tooth enamel.  Dentists recommend using very short, up-and-down or circular brushing motions to remove plaque on the tooth and near the gumline.  Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle to the tooth.  Avoid pressing too firmly.  

Wondering how firm is too firm?  Take a look at your old toothbrushes: do the bristles tend to become squashed and deformed?  If you’re worried that you’re pushing too hard as you brush, try holding the handle of the toothbrush with just the thumb and forefinger, almost as you would a pen, rather than gripping it with four fingers.

 Read more here: http://www.dentist-newport-beach.com/whats-your-brushing-iq/