This video is a great demonstration of the process of installing dental bridges.
Content Courtesy DrBurquez Channel, Youtube
This video is a great demonstration of the process of installing dental bridges.
Content Courtesy DrBurquez Channel, Youtube
This video is a great demonstration of the process of installing dental bridges. Content Courtesy DrBurquez Channel, Youtube
We are often asked if an electrical toothbrush is more effective than a manual one for cleaning your teeth. Many people assume that an electrical bush will clean your teeth more effectively. The reality is that both can be effective as long as one is thorough with the brushing and one brushes for the recommended 2 minute period of time.
That being said, there are some advantages to an electric toothbrush for some people. An electric toothbrush is ideal for people who suffer from arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and any other painful or movement-restricting conditions. Since the electric toothbrush’s rotating head does all the work, the user is exempt from constantly applying effort with their wrists and hands; making dental care a much easier task.
Advanced electric toothbrushes include an automatic timer in their design, which makes it easier for users to know when their two minute brush is complete. This ensures a proper clean is achieved to maintain oral hygiene.
Some patients are just more prone to gingivitis and often we will make a recommendation to use an electric toothbrush for these patients.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need more information regarding electric toothbrushes!
Everyone knows that a balanced, nutritious diet is essential to healthy living. But did you know that eating patterns and food choices play an important role in preventing tooth decay and gum disease, too? You may eat with your eyes first, but your mouth, teeth, and gums are more than just tools for eating. They’re essential for chewing and swallowing—the first steps in the digestion process. Your mouth is your body’s initial point of contact with the nutrients you consume. So what you put in your mouth impacts not only your general health but also that of your teeth and gums. In fact, if your nutrition is poor, the first signs often show up in your oral health.
Your individual nutrition and calorie needs depend on your age, gender, level of physical activity and other health factors, but according to MyPlate, a website from the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, an agency of U.S. Department of Agriculture,a balanced and healthy diet should include:
In addition to diet, it’s also important to stay active for good health. Adults should get at least two and a half hours of moderate-intensity physical activity every week.
For more information about eating right, visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
For dental health, it’s recommended that people limit eating and drinking between meals. Of course, sometimes eating between meals must happen. Unfortunately, most people choose foods like sweets and chips for snacks; foods that harm teeth by promoting tooth decay. If you do snack, make it a nutritious choice—such as cheese, yogurt, fruits, vegetables or nuts—for your overall health and the health of your teeth. Did you know that certain foods can put you at risk for cavities and other oral health problems? Here are someMouthHealthy tips.
According to the National School Lunch Program, more than 23 million children and teens are overweight or obese, placing them at increased risk for serious diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and stroke later in life.
That’s why the National School Lunch Program is working towards making sure every child has access to healthy lunch options at school. New standards for school lunches, and the incentive of federal funds (six cents per lunch) for the schools which meet these new standards, are helping in the effort.
The school lunch changes include: more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, a shift to low-fat or nonfat milk, and limits on calories, sodium, and unhealthy fats.
The foods you eat and the beverages you drink can have a direct influence on the incidence and progression of tooth decay, depending upon:
Sugar Recommendations
In November 2015, the Food and Drug Administration recommended people over the age of 3 eat no more than 12.5 teaspoons (50 grams) of sugar a day (about the same amount that is found in a can of Coke.) Sugar, the FDA says, should make up no more than 10 percent of your daily calories.
The bacteria in your mouth use carbohydrates for food, so when you cut back on sugar, and other sources of simple carbohydrates that are easily fermentable, you reduce your cavity risk. Limit added sugars in your diet by reading food labels to determine the amount of added sugar in a food. Since ingredients are listed on the label in order of weight, from most to least, if one of the following terms is listed as one of the first few ingredients, it’s a good bet that food is high in sugar. Another tip for spotting sources of sugar—terms ending in “-ose” indicate a sugar ingredient.
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Top Sources of Added Sugar in the Diet and Percentages
Empty calorie foods such as candy (especially hard or sticky candies like lollipops, mints, taffy and caramel), sweets like cookies, cakes and muffins, and snack foods like chips are a cause for dental concern, not only because they offer no nutritional value, but because the amount and type of sugar that they contain that can adhere to teeth. The bacteria in your mouth feed off these sugars, releasing acids, and that’s what leads to tooth decay.
Sugar-containing drinks—soda, lemonade, juice and sweetened coffee or tea (iced or hot)—are particularly harmful because sipping them causes a constant sugar bath over teeth, which promotes tooth decay. Learn more about the potentially harmful oral health effects of drinking acidic and sugary drinks here from the Indiana Dental Association’s Drinks Destroy Teeth.
Nutritious, acidic foods like tomatoes and citrus fruits can have acidic effects on tooth enamel, too, so eat them as part of a meal, not by themselves. Dried fruits, including raisins, are also good choices for a healthy diet, but since they are sticky and adhere to teeth, the plaque acids that they produce continue to harm teeth long after you stop eating them. Opt for a piece of fresh fruit instead.
Cheese, milk, plain yogurt, calcium-fortified tofu, leafy greens and almonds, are foods that may benefit tooth health thanks to their high amounts of calcium and other nutrients they provide. Protein-rich foods like meat, poultry, fish, milk and eggs are the best sources of phosphorus. Both of these minerals play a critical role in dental health, by protecting and rebuilding tooth enamel.
Fruits and vegetables are good choices for a healthy smile since they are high in water and fiber, which balance the sugars they contain and help to clean the teeth. These foods also help stimulate saliva production, which washes harmful acids and food particles away from teeth and helps neutralize acid, protecting teeth from decay. Plus, many contain vitamin C (important for healthy gums and quick healing of wounds) and vitamin A (another key nutrient in building tooth enamel).
Hands down, water—particularly fluoridated water—is the most tooth-friendly beverage.
Sugar substitutes may look and taste like sugar but they don’t promote decay-causing acids in your mouth that can harm teeth. There are many types of sugar substitutes, including aspartame, erythritol, saccharin, sucralose, isomalt, sorbitol, acesulfame potassium and mannitol. You might recognize some of these names from ingredient lists on food packages, or know some of them by their brand names (Splenda, Equal and Sunett).
Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Cavities:
Content courtesy mouthhealthy.org
When Teeth Pain Means You Need A Root Canal
If the cause of your teeth pain is serious decay or infection in the tooth pulp, your dentist may recommend a root canal. A root canal is a multi-step dental procedure that involves removing the infected tooth pulp (and sometimes the nerve) from a tooth, and sealing it to protect against future teeth pain.
The term “root canal” also refers to the actual passages within the tooth between the pulp and the tooth roots. The root canals contain nerves and blood vessels. Once an adult tooth has emerged from the gums, the tooth’s nerve doesn’t serve a specific purpose other than sensing heat, cold, and other stimuli. Removing a nerve in an infected tooth is part of a standard procedure to treat teeth pain caused by decay or infection in the tooth pulp. Risk factors for infection in the tooth pulp include severe tooth decay, trauma to the tooth, recent dental procedures, large fillings, and cracks or chips in the teeth.
Signs That You Need A Root Canal For Teeth Pain
Not all types of teeth pain are indications for a root canal. But signs of infection severe enough to require a root canal include:
How A Root Canal Works To Ease Teeth Pain
Scoping It Out: Before your actual root canal procedure, your dentist will take x-rays to assess how badly the tooth is infected.
Keeping You Calm: The first step in the actual procedure is a local anesthetic to numb the area and prevent teeth pain during the procedure.
Diving In: The dentist makes an opening, usually in the crown of the tooth, and uses special tools to clean out the decayed pulp.
Cleaning Up: In some cases, your dentist may leave the tooth open so additional material can drain out of the tooth before it is filled and sealed. Some dentists will put a temporary filling in the tooth to protect the area while the infected material drains away completely.
After The Root Canal: Sealing The Deal On Tooth PainAt your next appointment (usually in a few days or up to a week), a special composite filling will be placed in the center of the tooth. A tooth that has undergone a root canal almost always needs a crown or some other tooth restoration to protect what remains of the tooth and guard against future tooth pain.
Oral Health And Tooth Pain After A Root Canal
After a root canal, you may experience some tooth pain and sensitivity. Be sure to follow a regular oral care routine to maintain your crown and avoid future tooth pain. If you notice increased tooth sensitivity after a root canal, try using soft-bristled toothbrushes and oral care products designed specifically for sensitive teeth.
Sources:
http://www.crest.com
http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/root-canals
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/root-canal/de00010
Everyone knows about the effects obvious bad breath foods like garlic and onions have on our kissability, but let’s dig a little deeper and delve into the depths of some of the worst bad breath foods in existence.Top 10 Stinkiest Foods that Cause Bad Breath
According to KidsHealth.org, bad breath (or Halitosis) is caused by odor-producing bacteria that grow in the mouth. When you don’t brush and floss regularly, bacteria accumulate on the bits of food left in your mouth and between your teeth. The sulfur compounds released by these bacteria make your breath smell.
We can think of only one circumstance in which garlic breath may be a good thing…fighting off fang-toothed vampire advances!
If we can’t brush, floss, and go with the myriad of oral healthcare travel tools on the market, or habitually plop fresh breath strips into our mouths, what are we to do in the battle with the green fog when dining on some of these bad breath foods?
Thanks to Dr. Howard Katz’s recent article in the Huffington Post, Stinky Foods that Push Bad Breath to the Limit, and to TheraBreath.com for the following info.
10 Bad Breath Foods That Will Make You Totally Unkissable
Tuna – Maybe the sashimi grade Bluefin will pass muster, but be prepared to grab a brush and swish some mouthwash following a tussle with the type of tuna requiring a can opener.
Peanuts – If you like the smell of vinegar, rotten cabbage, or stinky Asian lady beetles, then peanut breath is for you!
Cheeses – From French curd concoctions banned from public transit to English cheese contenders that reportedly smell like a “rugby club changing room,” cheese is certainly one of the stinkiest bad breath culprits known across the world.
Durian – Here’s another bad breath offender banned from public transit in Singapore, it’s a Southeast Asian fruit possessing a powerfully pungent essence of positively bad breath causing consequence.
Kala namak – Also known as “black salt,” kala namak is an Indian condiment comprised of salt with high-sulfur impurities. It’s said to have the whiff of rotten eggs, though at thrice the pungence power.
Stinky tofu – Made with a sour-milk-and-shrimp brine, this East Asian staple apparently tastes like either bleu cheese or spoiled milk.
Hakarl – Oh dear, after eating this one, you’ll definitely need the >best mouthwash you can find. An Icelandic delicacy, hakarl is made by burying shark meat in gravel and letting it rot for up to three months. Newbies to eating hakarl usually need to hold their nose, since the meat smells overpoweringly of ammonia.
Iru – This is West Africa’s contribution to the Halitosis Hall of Fame. To make iru, bury locust beans, let them fester, then dig them up and pound them into small, stinky, brown patties.
Lutefisk – Get ready to gag. Lutefisk is a traditional Norwegian dish made by soaking whitefish in lye for days, resulting in a sticky, gelatinous goo. And yes, it reeks.
And last but not least, a spot of tea…
Kombucha – Kombucha is a form of tea that gets its special punch from yeast, which is allowed to ferment in the warm beverage for a month. What results, according to a piece in New York Magazine, is a drink that has long, green strands of gunk floating in it, and that smells like compost. Don’t be fooled by wild health claims made by kombucha distributors. The Mayo Clinic emphasizes that there is no scientific evidence that kombucha helps liver function, immunity or anti-cancer activity. But there is evidence showing that this beverage can cause upset stomachs, infections and bad breath.
Content courtesy yorkhillendodontics.ca