Healthy Smile Series: Tips for a healthy smile

Start with regular visits and brushing twice a day to ensure cavity-free teeth
The celebration of the New Year is the oldest of all holidays, dating back over 4,000 years.

Making a New Year’s resolution is a long standing tradition.

The logic behind the tradition is to chase away the bad habits of the previous years, leaving a clean slate that provides for good health and fortune in the coming year.

This is a great time to resolve to follow through on healthy changes to establish or re-establish good oral health habits.

NEW TOOTHBRUSH  

Start the New Year with a new toothbrush. A toothbrush should be replaced when the bristles bend or look worn, usually every three or four months. Always replace your toothbrush after you have been sick. Children’s toothbrushes may have to be replaced more often.

EAT HEALTHY SNACKS

Choose nutritious foods that are low in sugar, such as cheese, raw vegetables, plain yogurt or a piece of fruit.

FLOSS EVERY DAY

It just takes a few minutes to remove the plaque between your teeth. If you don’t floss, you are missing cleaning about 35 percent of the total tooth surface.

EMERGENCY VISITS

Contact your dentist immediately if you notice changes in your oral health between dental visits. 

 Sore, puffy or bleeding gums, or a tiny white or red spot or sore anywhere in the mouth may be a sign of an infection or oral cancer.

Don’t wait until your next appointment to tell your dentist.

DRINK SUGARY DRINKS IN MODERATION

Drink soft drinks, juice and other sugary beverages in moderation.

Consider using a straw to keep the sugar away from your teeth.

Sipping sugary beverages for long periods of time prolongs sugar and acid attacks on your teeth, which can lead to cavities.Never drink soda pop or juice before bedtime because the liquid pools in your mouth and coats your tongue and teeth with sugar and acid.

Once a beverage has been opened, set a fifteen minute timer.

If it is not gone before the timer expires, dump out the remainder and then wait a few hours before opening another.

BRUSH TWICE A DA Y

Brush your teeth for at least two minutes twice a day. A good time to brush is after breakfast and then again after you have finished eating and drinking for the day.

Of course, it’s great if you can brush after meals during the days. 

CONSUME WATER

Drink lots of water. It has no sugar, no acid and no calories.

THINK DAIRY

Eat cheese. After eating, the mouth naturally becomes more acidic to aid digestion. Cheese keeps the mouth less acidic, and therefore, healthier for teeth. Cheese coats the teeth with calcium and prevents the loss of minerals such as calcium from tooth enamel.

SUGARLESS GUM

Chew sugarless gum. Sugarless gum increases saliva, which helps to clear food from tooth crevices and replaces essential minerals on teeth. Look for gum sweetened with the natural cavity fighter  Xylitol.

REGULAR UPDATES

Visit your dentist regularly.

Regular dental visits are important to your oral health and overall health.

Since the condition of the mouth mirrors the condition of the body, your dentist may be the first to spot signs of a health problem in another part of the body.

Brian S. Nylaan, D.D.S.
Member of the West Michigan Dental Society

Brought to you by the 650 members of the West Michigan District Dental Society in Kent, Ottawa, Ionia, Mecosta and Montcalm counties. West Michigan District Dental Society dentists also are members of the Michigan Dental Association and the American Dental Association 

Healthy Smile Series: Water Flosser ~ Helping you achieve bacterial reduction

  It reduces the periodontal infection

One of the primary benefits of the Water Flosser is that the pulsating action creates a compression / decompression phase that expels subgingival bacteria from the pocket.

    It reduces the inflammation

Study after study, many of six months duration has shown that people who add the Water Flosser to daily self-care do better at reducing bleeding and gingivitis than people who do not use the Water Flosser.

   It helps people with diabetes

People with diabetes tend to be at greater risk for periodontal disease and often have more severe gingival inflammation. A study on people with diabetes found that those who used the Water Flosser for three months had a 44% better reduction in bleeding and a 41% better reduction in gingivitis over those who did not use the Water Flosser.

   It is safe and gentle around dental implants

Maintenance of implants is critical to their long-term survival.

    There is nothing better for cleaning around orthodontic (braces) appliances

Keeping orthodontic (braces) appliances clean can be tedious and challenging. Water Flossing makes it easier. Adolescents age 11 -17 who used a Water Flosser with the Orthodontic Tip very day for four weeks had three times the reduction in plaque versus those who used a manual brush and floss and fives times the reduction than those who only brushed.

    It gets deeper into the pocket that string floss

Findings indicate that using the Water Flosser with the Classic Jet Tip results in penetration of approximately 50% of the depth of the pocket. In contrast, it is widely accepted though not scientifically documented that ideally, floss reaches about 3 mm due to technique / anatomical constraints.

   It removes plaque

A study at the University of Southern California Center for Biofilms found that a three-second application of water flossing with the Classic Jet Tip at medium pressure removed 99.9% of the plaque biofilm from the treated area.

    It is easy to use

Using the Water Flosser is easier than string flossing because it requires less manual dexterity. It takes about one minute to cleanse the entire mouth. Beyond the initial investment, all you need is water, although the Water Flosser can accommodate most mouth rinses.

    It is a clinically proven effective alternative to string floss

Studies have directly compared the Water Flosser to string floss. The Water Flosser with the Classic Jet Tip was up to 93% more effective at reducing bleeding and up to 52% more effective at reducing gingivitis than string floss. Plaque removal was also better.

    It is evidence based

The Water Flosser has been evaluated more than 50 times since its introduction in 1962. Clinical findings reducing bleeding and gingivitis are supported by positive outcomes from more than 20 clinical trials.

 Reference: RDH magazine

For more information visit our website; Office of Brian Nylaan facebook page; or Brian S. Nylaan, D.D.S. facebook page.

Schedule an appointment.

Healthy Smile Series: The hidden powers of chewing gum

Chewing sugarless gum does more than just exercise your gums, according to the American Dental Association You might be surprised to learn how it can help decrease your risk for tooth decay.

Chewing sugarless gum helps prevent cavities    

Research shows chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes following meals can help prevent tooth decay. That’s because the act of chewing increases the flow of saliva in your mouth, which helps neutralize and wash away cavity-causing acids and bacteria. Over time, acids can wear away tooth enamel, causing little holes in your teeth.

Be sure to look for chewing gum with the ADA seal to be sure it can help prevent cavities.

Helps prevent heartburn

Chewing gum can help lessen the symptoms of heartburn. That’s because chewing gum stimulates the production of saliva, which is an acid buffer. Chewing gum also makes you swallow more often, which pushes acids back out of your esophagus.

So the next time you’re worried about heartburn, try chewing some sugarless gum after you eat.

All chewing gum is not created equal

It’s true that chewing gum for 20 minutes after meals helps reduce your risk for tooth decay, but that’s only if it’ s the sugarless variety.

Chewing gum with sugar also increases saliva, but beware — the sugar also increases chances of decay. Look for chewing gum with the ADA seal to be sure it can help prevent cavities.

The ADA Council on Scientific Affairs awarded the seal to several gums after finding the physical action of chewing certain sugarless gums for 20 minutes after eating, stimulates saliva flow, which helps prevent cavities by reducing acids and making teeth more resistant to decay.

Question:

 If I chew sugarless gum after a meal, do I still have to brush and floss?

Answer:

Absolutely.


Don’t let chewing sugarless gum replace brushing and flossing. It’s not a substitute. The ADA still recommends brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and cleaning plaque from between your teeth once a day with dental floss or other interdental cleaners.

Along with chewing sugarless gum, you can help prevent tooth decay by following these other tips: Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Floss daily.

 

Eat nutritious and balanced meals and limit snacking. Check with your West  Michigan District DentalSociety dentist about the use of supplemental fluoride, which strengthens your teeth, and about use of dental sealants (a plastic protective coating) applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth to protect them from decay.

Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and oral examinations.

So the next time you reach for that package of chewing gum, make sure it’ s sugarless and has the ADA seal.

Reference: West Michigan District Dental