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6 Toothbrushing Mistakes You Make Every Morning

6 Tooth Brushing Mistakes You Make Every Morning

 

1. You don’t clean at the right time of day. 
“Your toothbrush should be the last thing your teeth touch at night,” says Edmond R. Hewlett, D.D.S., a professor at the UCLA School of Dentistry. Snacking before you sleep significantly raises your risk for cavities if food stays lodged in between your teeth.
Your morning method is equally important: Protective saliva production slows down when you snooze, spurring the bacteria in your mouth to multiply even faster.
Brush twice a day for at least 2 minutes, making sure you spend 30 seconds on each quadrant (your upper left teeth, your upper right teeth, and so on).
2. You use the wrong brush.
Pick a soft bristle toothbrush that can slip under your gum tissue and dislodge any plaque stuck there, Dr. Hewlett recommends. If the plaque isn’t removed, you increase your risk of developing gum disease.
Brushing with a medium or hard model—and using excessive pressure—can cause your gums to recede and expose the surface of your roots, or the bottom of your teeth. Since the root surface isn’t as hard as the exposed enamel-covered part of your teeth, scrubbing this area can wear it away more easily and cause little cavities, Dr. Hewlett says.
3. You follow the wrong technique. 
A few straight strokes won’t get the job done. Position the handle of your brush so the bristles point at a 30- to 45-degree angle when they touch your gum tissue, Dr. Hewlett advises. Rotate your wrist in a circular motion to effectively remove the plaque, says Dr. Hewlett.
When you move behind your front teeth, you should turn your tool vertically to better reach the entire tooth. And make sure to give special attention to the back of your mouth, since that area normally hides the largest amount of plaque.
4. You don’t rinse.
Swallowing or spitting out your toothpaste doesn’t totally remove all the harmful stuff that you loosened while brushing. Use an alcohol-free mouthwash with hydrogen peroxide, suggests Pia Lieb, D.D.S., a cosmetic dentist in New York City.
Our picks: The acid-killing ACT Anticavity Fluoride ($5, drugstores) and Colgate Total Advanced Pro-Shield ($6, drugstores). If you don’t have any mouthwash handy, rinsing with water is better than nothing.

5. You ignore the rest of your mouth.
Your tongue traps harmful bacteria, too. Food or debris can easily get stuck in the crevices between the carpet-like strands, known as papillae, on the surface of your tongue. See

6. You don’t replace your brush. 
The ADA recommends buying a new brush every 3 or 4 months. (The average brush contains more than 10 million bacteria, according to a British study.) Worn bristles won’t effectively remove plaque or bacteria.
And if you’ve been sick, swap out your brush immediately. Residual bacteria and viruses from an illness can cling to the brush and potentially re-infect you.

The $1 Habit That Could Save You Hundreds In Dental Bills Could Save

This $1 Habit Could Save You Hundreds In Dental Bills

 

 

Even if you follow that standard rule of thumb—brush your teeth after breakfast and before bed—there’s still time for cavities to set in.
During that full 12 hours in between brushes, bacteria could mess with your teeth’s enamel. And that might lead to cavities, root canals, capped teeth, and maybe even dentures down the road. 

But researchers say a simple (and incredibly cheap!) trick could possibly save you hundreds, or maybe even thousands, in dental work. Their answer? Start chewing sugar-free gum.It’s the next best thing to brushing every time you eat.
In fact, a recent UK study about tooth decay found that the National Health Service, England’s public health system, could save more than 8 million pounds—the cost of more than 360,000 dental checkups—a year if every 12-year-old starting chewing gum after eating.

While the study was backed by the Wrigley Company, which sells gum, there’s still definitely something to it.
“Anything we can do to reduce the amount of acid and bacteria in your mouth will help prevent tooth decay,” says Matthew Messina, D.D.S., a spokesperson for the American Dental Association. “And that means less dental work over time.”
Eating or drinking anything (other than water, of course) leaves residue that feeds bacteria.
As bacteria eat the sugars that hang out in your mouth, they produce acids that then wear away your enamel.

Chewing gum not only loosens the bits of food that get stuck in your teeth, it also starts up your saliva glands and floods your mouth. The saliva washes over your teeth, picking up bacteria and acid as it goes, which you then swallow.

And there you go—you have less enamel-eating acid in your mouth.
For best results, Dr. Messina says, chew gum for at least 20 minutes after eating.
And make sure it’s sugar-free. Chewing gum that contains natural sugars will only fuel the bacteria.
Just remember—gum is a complement to your dental routine, not a replacement.

“There’s no better way to take care of your teeth than the usual brushing, flossing, and occasional check in with your dentist,” says Dr. Messina.

The article The $1 Habit That Can Save You Big Bucks Down The Road originally ran on Prevention.com.

HOW MUCH DOES A DENTAL IMPLANT COST?

At cottonwood family dental our complete implant cost including crown restoration is $3,594. If Insurance coverage is involved the fee may be lower bases on contract fees with the Insurance company. The fee may also vary based on necessary bone grafting or sinus surgery. The total fee can be broken down for each individual charge.

                                              Code         Fee
Custom Implant Hardware   D6000      $ 300
Surgical Implant                   D6010      $ 1,494
Custom Crown Lab              D6002      $ 375
Custom Abutment                D6057      $ 604
Porcelain Crown                  D6058      $  821

We use only the best materials from the most reputable companies like Keystone Dental. The crown abutments and implants are custom made for each case. We do not use stock abutments for any implant case.

If you have any further questions you can call us at 801-262-4662 or to schedule a free consultation to determine your best care.

Cottonwood Family Dental
Randy N. Downing, D.D.S.
Chip W. Parker, D.M.D.

6 Serious Health Problems Your Dentist Might Find

Your lips, teeth, and gums don’t lie—here’s what they can reveal about your overall health

 

Your mouth is like a crystal ball for your health. That’s because a good dentist can spot a wide range of potential medical problems by looking between your chompers.
In fact, we found 6 serious health conditions that could be first discovered while you’re getting your teeth cleaned.

1. Diabetes
Your dentist sees: Less spit than you should have. Dry mouth can signal a hidden case of diabetes, but you might not notice that parched feeling until your saliva production decreases by half, says Gigi Meinecke, D.M.D., F.A.G.D., spokesperson of the Academy of General Dentistry.
Your dentist’s trained eye can spot dryness much sooner. Chronic bad breath and slow healing when you burn or cut your mouth also might arouse suspicion.
What to do: According to a recent NYU study, your dentist may soon be able to screen for and control diabetes using blood collected from your gums during a routine visit. But until this test is widely available, see your primary care doctor for a physical and blood glucose check.

2. Acid reflux
Your dentist sees: Erosion in your bottom teeth. Any substance with a pH of 5.5 or lower can dissolve your tooth enamel—and gastric acid clocks in as low as 1.5, easily eating away at your pearly whites, Dr. Meinecke says.
According to a recent study in the International Journal of Dentistry, about 1 in 4 people with chronic reflux have tooth erosion, sometimes without heartburn or other obvious symptoms.
What to do: Schedule an appointment with a gastroenterologist. Untreated gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can lead to more serious health problems, including respiratory issues and esophageal cancer.

3. Crohn’s disease
Your dentist sees: Raised bumps that look like cobblestones on the gums right around your teeth. That’s because the same inflammation that strikes the intestines of people with Crohn’s disease can also affect their mouths, causing this classic sign, Dr. Meinecke says.
Because these bumps aren’t painful, you might not even notice them before your dentist spots them. What’s more, recurring canker sores—those small, painful ulcers that form inside your mouth—could also signal Crohn’s or another type of inflammatory bowel disease, notes a recent review in the Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice.
What to do: Ask the dentist if topical corticosteroids can calm the inflammation in your mouth.  And see a gastroenterologist for an evaluation of what’s going on in your gut.

4. Heart disease
Your dentist sees: Gum or periodontal disease in a person who doesn’t fit the profile—say, a younger guy who brushes frequently. Signs like swollen, red gums that bleed, coupled with other cardiovascular risk factors like extra weight and family history can raise a red flag, says Dr. Meinecke.
What to do: Ask your dentist about treating your dental disease with deep cleanings or other techniques. Doing so could keep you out of the hospital due to heart disease, stroke, or another health issue, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Then book a visit with your primary care doctor to assess your heart risks. People with periodontal disease have up to triple the risk of having a heart attack or stroke, says David Paquette, D.M.D.

5. Cancer
Your dentist sees: Slight discolorations where tissues look whiter or redder than normal, often far back in your throat. That’s the way many oral cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV)—on the rise among young men—begin.
In fact, Dr. Meinecke says she now looks closely for signs in anyone age 14 and older., potentially raising their risk of developing head and neck cancers as a result.)

What to do: Your dentist may ask you to come back in 7 days to see if anything’s changed. If not, get a biopsy. If you do have cancer, early detection improves the odds of successful treatment, Dr. Meinecke says.

6. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Your dentist sees: Jaw swelling, and you can feel pain, too. Unlike osteoarthritis, which commonly occurs as you get older, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition that sometimes strikes young people. And half of those with early-onset RA first display symptoms of temporomandibular joint dysfunction, better known as TMJ. In addition to feeling an achy jaw, you also might not be able to open your mouth very wide, Dr. Meinecke says.
What to do: Take the issue to your family doctor or a medical specialist known as a rheumatologist. They usually diagnose and treat RA.