Bad Dental Habits to Watch For

                    You may be brushing your teeth regularly, flossing between each and every tooth, and rinsing away all germs with mouthwash as your dentist instructed, but what if you still have some bad dental habits that you are unaware of? People have different ways of dealing with their stress, anxiety, and nerves throughout their everyday lives. It may not even be during stressful times that these bad habits take place. Even at moments when someone is merely sitting at their desk brainstorming or at home watching television in a perfectly good mood, they will often show signs of bad dental habits such as chewing on pens, grinding their teeth, sipping on coffee and soda, or even biting their nails. We are only human and we are not perfect, but we can learn to overcome the bad habits that come along with our imperfect world.

               

                One mistake that many of us make is using our teeth as tools. We should never use them to open cans, bottles, or any sort of hard container that can possibly chip or break a tooth. Always keep a can opener, scissors, or any other cutting tool at hand to avoid fracturing your teeth. It can not only be a painful experience, but it can also be very bothersome to feel a chipped tooth in your mouth all day until you are able to get it fixed. Stay away from chewing on pens, pencils, and your nails. Just like cans and bottles, chewing on these objects can lead to breaks and unwanted chips to your teeth as well. Instead, try chewing on something healthier that is easier on your teeth such as sugar-free bubble gum or veggies.

               

                Try staying away from crunching down on large pieces of ice from your drink. It may be refreshing, but there are risks at hand when chewing large ice cubes. It has the same effects as biting on pens would have. It can slowly begin to cause damage to the enamel, which can lead to bigger problems in the future. Instead, switch to small, crushed ice that will dissolve easily and faster than large ice. Sipping on sugary or acidic beverages is another habit that most people take very lightly. The acids and sugars found in certain drinks are capable of breaking down and eroding your teeth over time. If you have no choice but to drink acidic or sugary beverages, try to avoid damage by using a straw more often. Make sure the straw is positioned to the back of the mouth instead of being up against the surface of your teeth to prevent tooth decay.

                People may grind their teeth during any time of day. Whether it is during the day or while you’re sleeping, grinding is a bad habit on many levels. It can be caused from stress and anxiety, but it could also be because of crooked teeth or an abnormal bite. There are several things you could do to prevent grinding. The first step is to simply pay close attention to your actions. If you catch yourself grinding, try placing your tongue in between your teeth to help reduce your jaw pressure and help it relax. If you practice this often, you can eventually teach yourself to stop grinding all together. For nighttime relief, place a warm towel on your jaw line to relax your muscles. If you want something more dependable, try wearing a mouth guard, which will stay in place all night long.  We are blessed with only one set of adult teeth in our lifetime, so we must always strive to keep them clean and in shape for our future years to come!

Back to School, Back to Smiles

Back to school means trips to the mall for the latest styles, visits to the supermarket for notebooks and pencils, and appointments with hair stylists for back to school-worthy haircuts. There’s just one thing missing from this list that unfortunately many parents choose to opt out of – a trip to the dentist! Further, just like laying out clothes the night before, waking up early in the morning, and staying after school for extra-curricular activities, good oral hygiene needs to simply become part of your little ones’ daily routine. Here’s how you can make sure that your kids start off the school year with a healthy smile.

If you haven’t already, schedule a dentist appointment for your kiddos within the next couple of weeks. As hard as you may try to avoid it, they’re going to get their hands on all kinds of junk food and candy at school. It’s important that you know their teeth are in good health before this. The high levels of sugar found in some snacks and drinks will just make the problem worse, so if they have cavities or any other problem, you need to try twice as hard to correct it when they’re home.

Don’t stop efforts after the appointment. When you’re out shopping for school supplies, stop by the dental care aisle to stock up on toothpaste, floss, mouthwash, and toothbrushes for the year. Remember that changing toothbrushes is important. After awhile, nasty germs accumulate. Change their brush out every report card or after they’ve been sick.

If your kids are involved in sports, now is the time to get them a mouth guard that fits properly. Don’t wait until they come home with a bloody mouth, missing a tooth! Putting it off isn’t worth the pain.

Finally, instead of sending your kids off to school with lunch money, try packing a nutritious lunch for them as often as possible. Packing a yummy sandwich, a side of fruits and veggies, and a sugar-free beverage is much better than sending them off with money to buy chili cheese fries not only for their oral health, but overall physical health as well.

Start the school year off right by taking care of teeth. When your little ones put on their new school outfits and rock their new haircuts, they’ll be able to flash beautiful smiles as well. After all the outfits and supplies are paid for, when all is said and done, watching them climb on the school bus confidently smiling is simply priceless. 

Tooth Enamel

Much like we rely on our skin for protection of our internal organs, our teeth rely on enamel; however, unlike our skin, tooth enamel cannot re-grow or heal itself. As we drink, chew and live our daily lives, the erosion of tooth enamel is inevitable, however it is controllable.

There are four general explanations for enamel erosion. The first reason is attrition, tooth-to-tooth friction, which is commonly related to bruxism The second means of erosion is abrasion which can happen from rough teeth brushing, biting hard objects, and tobacco use. The third is abfraction, which is any crack from flexing or bending of the tooth. The last erosion mechanism is corrosion, which is the result of acidic objects hitting the tooth's surface.

In some cases, such as genetics or acid reflux disease, enamel erosion can be out of our control. But there are certain habits we can develop to prevent the rate of enamel erosion over our life time. Try to keep soda consumption to a minimum,  stay away from high sugar and starch foods, limit acidic fruit intake and prevent any of the environmental factors as mentioned previously. Remember, maintenance is key to a healthy, beautiful smile! 

                                                                                    

Pearly Whites

When’s the last time you heard your dentist or orthodontist say, “Now let me see those pearly yellows!” Never. However, we do understand that it can be a challenge to keep teeth looking perfectly white. After a while, the food and drinks we consume begin to stain our teeth and we need much more than a good brushing to get the stain out. Luckily, there are ways you can prevent your teeth from staining in the first place!

The best thing to do would be to avoid drinking soda, coffee, tea and wine all together, but we know that’s a tall order. If you can’t resist, drink these drinks with a straw so that they don’t wash over your front teeth. Make sure your coffee is cool enough first. You don’t want to burn your tongue, now.

So what about what you can consume? We promise this isn’t just a list of what you can’t have. There are some foods that are natural stain fighters. They gently scrub your teeth as you chew and help you produce saliva which conveniently enough is our natural defense against acid. Apples, carrots, celery, and cauliflower top the list. Hard cheeses are also great for a scrub.  

Don’t forget to brush and floss! Plaque is a pesky thing that’s hard to get rid of and it gives stains something to cling to. Brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash twice a day can really help to prevent plaque from building up. Once it’s there, your dentist needs special tools to get rid of it, so don’t neglect making an appointment twice a year.

If all else fails, ask your dentist about a whitening treatment or toothpaste. Some may actually damage enamel and make teeth and gums extra sensitive so don’t just pick up the first one you see at the grocery store. Your dentist can help you choose a safe and effective treatment or may schedule you for a visit just for whitening. Whatever your methods, whiter teeth can make you more confident in what is already a beautiful smile!

What is Bruxism?

Have you ever woken up in the morning with an aching mouth or jaw and wondered why? Have you ever been told “you grind your teeth.” If you answered yes to either of these questions, you may have bruxism. Bruxism is the formal name for grinding or clenching your teeth. It can take place in the day time, but more commonly bruxism occurs at night, when you’re asleep.

Bruxism is common among children who still have all of their baby teeth and children whose permanent teeth are starting to grow in. The cause of bruxism is unknown; however, dentists believe it has something to do with a person’s “bite.” A bite refers to the way the top and bottom teeth fit together. Stress may also be a contributing factor. With stress, your body can react to those anxious feelings through the grinding or clenching of teeth.

Many children and young adults grind their teeth at some point. Grinding, most of the time, doesn't cause permanent damage to your teeth. The most significant damage that occurs is worn tooth enamel, but if your bruxism is causing headaches, a sore face or jaw, it may be a good idea to give your dentist a call. The remedy for bruxism is most often a night guard, which is a piece of plastic, similar to a mouth guard that athletes wear. A night guard is worn at night and is fitted specifically for your teeth and mouth to prevent teeth grinding. 

National Smile Week

If you haven’t had a reason to smile today yet, we’ll give you one now. It’s National Smile Week! So go ahead – smile. In celebration, here are some fun facts about smiling that we bet you didn’t know.

1. There are many kinds of smiles that mean different things about the person behind it. These smiles express different emotions. Think about it. The smile that comes from you finding something funny is different from the polite smile you flash at a stranger on the street.
2. People perceive you as more attractive when smiling as opposed to not. In fact, 69% of people find women more attractive when they’re smiling than when they’re wearing makeup!
3. Simply smiling can help reduce stress. Smiling releases endorphins which, you know – make us happy!
4. Smiling is actually contagious. This isn’t just a myth!
5. Smiling is universal and one of your first expressions as a baby. All newborns smile and therefore scientists have found that smiling is not learned – it’s a completely natural reflex and is just part of being a human.

Whether or not you’re sporting braces, get your smile on this week. There’s never been a better time for it.

Why are retainers so important?

Whether you had metal braces, clear braces or Invisalign aligners, you will need to wear retainers after treatment. At first, you may be required to wear your retainer 3 to 6 months for 12-22 hours per day. This is based on many factors including the severity of your initial problem and your age. If the retainer is worn properly in the first 3 to 6 months, patients can begin to only wear them at night.

Why 12 months?

Your teeth are housed in your jawbones and when you undergo orthodontic treatment, you are pushing the teeth into a new position. In order for the tooth to move into a new position, it needs to have bone on the one side disappear or soften. Once the tooth is in the new position, new bone is deposited around the tooth to help it stabilize in its new position. This process of depositing new bone can take 9 to 12 months.

After 12 months, we recommend wearing your retainers 3-5 times a week for as long as you live because your teeth continue to slowly shift forward and inward as we get older. This movement occurs very slowly and in general takes decades to occur. However, it can be prevented through continued and consistent wear of retainers.

So, wear your retainer folks. Lost a retainer? Call the office and we’ll replace it! 210.354.3131

Before Braces

Before we can begin treatment, there are a few things our adult patients and future patients should know.

Get checked-out first – Not everyone is a candidate for braces right away. It’s necessary that patients have good oral health before beginning treatment. Make sure to visit your dentist for a proper cleaning and check-up. They might refer you to another specialist like a periodontist or other oral health care providers. Once you get the thumbs up from them – we can begin treatment.

Gums and jaw health – One of the other important things to consider is the state of your gums and jaw bones. If you have unhealthy gums, a lot of gum recession, or bone loss, braces may not be recommended because the pressure they put on your gums could cause unfavorable complications.

See an orthodontist – You may love your family dentist, and he or she may have told you that they can "do your braces" for a lot less money than an orthodontist. While this is very nice, it's also a big gamble. Orthodontists are specially trained in tooth movement and jaw function; dentists are not. Yes, some dentists have taken a few course hours to learn how to do Invisalign or other types of treatment, but that is not the main thing that they do.

If you have any questions, give us a call at 210.354.3131 and we’d be happy to answer!