Tips For A Healthy Mouth:

• Use a soft or ultra soft toothbrush to brush your teeth. This will allow you to effectively clean the teeth and gums without injury.

• Change your toothbrush every month. Bacteria builds up in the toothbrush head. If you have gingivitis or periodontal disease, an old toothbrush can prevent the healing of the active infection. Also, it does not remove plaque as well as a new toothbrush due to the damage that occurs to the bristles over a relatively short period of time.

• Floss 1-2x daily, or at least every night before bedtime.

• Brush after every meal or at lease every morning and evening.

• Use a tongue scraper every morning and evening.

• Avoid using alcohol based mouthwashes as they can irritate the oral tissues, dehydrate the mouth and alter the natural bacterial flora. Use alcohol free rinses which several main lines carry.

• Best order for using hygiene aids: 1. Tongue scraper. 2. Dental floss and or other device to clean in between the teeth. 3. Toothbrush. 4. Oral irrigator. 5. Mouth rinse/mouth wash (alcohol free).

• Avoid sugary hard candies including some cough drops as well as acidic beverages. These include: soda, diet soda, sweet tea, lemonade, energy drinks and flavored waters and "ades". If you must have these in your diet, then only consume them with meals. Do not use them to quench your thirst or to keep your mouth from feeling dry throughout the day. Consuming these kinds of beverages throughout the day does not allow your saliva to adequately buffer the acids the bacteria produce when they process carbohydrates or sugars. This can lead to a very high rate of tooth decay in a very short period of time.

• Certain health conditions and many medications can cause a decrease in in salivary flow which results in a dry mouth. This can lead to an increased risk of dental decay and periodontal disease. Ask your dental hygienist if she recommends any products that are available to combat this common problem.

• Avoid whitening toothpastes if you have veneers or porcelain laminates, porcelain crowns or composite resins "white fillings" on your front teeth. Whitening toothpastes tend to be more abrasive and will eventually scratch off the shiny outer glaze of these restorations. This will cause the restorations to look dull or to lose their glossiness.

• If you love coffee and tea but hate the way they stain your teeth, brush immediately after consumption. If that is impossible, then at least rinse your mouth thoroughly with water.

• Seek treatment for cavities and periodontal disease as soon as possible. Remember, both can "spread" and worsen the longer that treatment is delayed. • Don't wait "until it hurts" before seeking dental treatment. Waiting "until it hurts" can lead to future tooth loss, more necessary and extensive treatment, and more costly treatment which could have been avoided.

• If you've already had treatment /therapy for periodontal disease, continue to see your hygienist every 90 days or whatever the recommended recare interval as discussed by your hygienist for continued maintenance care. This will help to ensure you keep your teeth for life. Statistics have proven that this is the most effective way to keep periodontal disease stabilized and under control.

• Sometimes sensitive teeth can be caused by the roots of the teeth being exposed or from clenching or grinding of the teeth. Proper diagnosis and treatment from your dentist can alleviate this problem.

As some of you know, in our practice we have three very talented and experienced dental hygienists.  All three of them are exceptionally good clinicians and we (Dr. Joe and I) like to think we have the BEST hygiene department in the city of Charlotte, maybe the state of North Carolina!  Anyway, All three of them frequently get asked the same questions and so we decided to post them on our blog.  Hopefully, this post will be of some help to you if your are a current patient, or maybe just looking for answers.

1.       “Why do I have to have “x-rays” taken every year?  Aren’t too many x-rays dangerous?”    X-rays or radiographs are needed to properly diagnose conditions in the mouth and to ensure that your examinations are thorough.  Many problems cannot be detected by simply looking inside your mouth.  Yes, too many x-rays can be dangerous.  That is why we follow the guidelines set forth in the research and use digital technology.  X-rays that have to be developed using chemicals require significantly higher doses of radiation (up to 10 times more).  The x-rays we use take so little radiation that you are more likely to get more taking a flight from  Charlotte to Atlanta.

2.        “Why does the dentist and hygienist want to know so much about my general health and all the medications/supplements that I may be taking?"   Many health conditions and medications can cause or increase the deterioration of your teeth, jaw bone and gums. Some medications and previous surgeries/hospitalizations may require the dental staff to postpone or alter your dental treatment for the safety of your general health.

3.      What's the difference between gingivitis and periodontitis "gum disease?"  Gingivitis  is an inflammatory condition or infection in the gums.  This is the first stage of periodontal disease but the condition is reversible.  Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease involving the gums and supporting structures (jaw bone) of the teeth.  If not treated, it can lead to tooth mobility and eventual tooth loss.

4.    "I've been going to the dentist regularly all my life but the hygienist thinks I have gum disease." How can this be possible, especially since I was just there 6 months ago and nothing was mentioned?"  Periodontal disease can strike at any age, even adolescents can contract it.  The disease is affected by many factors and significant deterioration can occur in as little as 4 months time.

5.     "Is there a cure for periodontal disease?"  There is no cure, but the disease is treatable and it must be managed and monitored after treatment.  The severity of the condition determines how it will be treated and managed.

6.     "What causes periodontal disease?"  There are many conditions/factors that can cause periodontal disease to become active.

Hormonal changes
Nutritional disorders and deficiencies
Drugs
Psychological (emotional) factors, stress, fatigue and anxiety
Genetics
Metabolic diseases (ie. diabetes)
Blood diseases and disturbances (ie. anemia, leukemia)
Poor oral hygiene
Clenching and grinding of teeth
Smoking and tobacco usage
Mouth breathing
Inadequate dental treatment
Malocclusion
Unreplaced missing teeth (shifting and drifting of teeth adjacent to the spaces)

7.     "How do you treat periodontal disease?"  Periodontitis can be treated surgically or non-surgically.  We treat periodontitis  non-surgically.  However, some patients may need to be referred to a specialist as well as after their treatment if the disease is in it's advanced stages.  Typically, a series of appointments is scheduled with a hygienist who uses special instrumentation, ultrasonics and antimicrobials to clean the bio film which contains bad bacterial deposits from the gum pockets.