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Let’s face it, by now, brushing our teeth is something we pretty much do on auto-pilot. A quick brush after breakfast, a minute or so at night, floss when we think of it. Done. But take a few minutes to review these cleaning tips, and see if a few small adjustments to your routine could make all the difference at your next checkup at our Raleigh, NC office.

• Tools

Some of us prefer brushing with a manual brush. Some like the electric brush for ease and comfort. Whichever form of brush you choose, be sure that it fits comfortably in your mouth, reaches everywhere it needs to, and has a handle that is easy to grip. There are many bristle options available, so if you are an energetic brusher, or if you have sensitive gums, try a soft bristled brush for gentler brushing.

If you haven’t been exploring the floss aisle lately, there are now many varieties available to suit your particular needs. Besides the traditional floss, there are coated flosses for easy gliding between teeth that fit closely together, dental tape-style flosses to fit teeth with wider spacing, and even flosses designed just for braces that thread between the wires and brackets. Talk to Dr. Gregory Weaver at your next cleaning for product suggestions if you think there’s an easier, more comfortable option out there for you.

• Technique

With proper technique, any toothbrush and floss you choose will do a fine job of removing plaque.

Brushing? There’s a tried and true method for success. Place the toothbrush at a 45° angle at the gum line. Be sure to brush the outside, inside, and chewing surface of each tooth thoroughly. Remember the expression, “Massage, don’t scrub.” Over-vigorous brushing can actually irritate gum tissue and damage enamel. An electric toothbrush should provide a continuous brushing motion without needing any pressure from the brusher. This might be the model for you if you have a too-vigorous approach to brushing, or sensitive teeth and gums. If you like your manual brush, again, give a soft-bristled brush a try!

As for flossing? That harmless-looking little string can cause gum damage if used too forcefully. You can accomplish the placement and cleaning power you need by easing the floss down to the gumline and flossing with gentle pressure against the tooth surface. If you have any questions about technique, remember—we are always happy to let you know the best cleaning methods for your specific needs.

• Timing

Of course, the best tools and the best technique in the world won’t be effective unless you put the right amount of time into brushing and flossing.

The standard rule is two minutes of brushing in the morning and two minutes at night. If you wear braces or have other special circumstances, we might recommend brushing after every meal. And if you brush after breakfast, give your teeth half an hour or so to remineralize. This natural process uses the calcium and phosphate ions in your saliva to strengthen tooth enamel after it’s been exposed to any acidic foods in your breakfast.

Thorough flossing can be accomplished in a few minutes, and might be needed only once a day. But again, depending on your individual needs, we might have other recommendations. Let’s review what works for you at your next visit—we can tailor suggestions for a brushing routine to your unique needs.

It’s a great idea to review your brushing habits periodically to make sure you are getting the most out of those minutes you spend cleaning your teeth. There won’t be a test at the end of this review, and you won’t get a gratifying grade or a gold star. What you will get is much more important—better checkups, fewer cavities, and healthy teeth and gums. Happy cleaning!

Oh, wait—did you think we meant Designated Hitter? Oh, no, we’re not getting into that debate! What we want to talk about is the best Dental Habits you can practice when you’re on and off the field.

• When It Comes to Safety, Touch All the Bases

Basic baseball vocabulary lets you know it’s a tough sport. Brushback. High heat. Slide. Line drive. Hit-by-pitch. Not surprising, when it’s a game where weighty bats meet balls thrown at incredible speeds. Or where players slide into bases and stop line drives. So protect yourself. Wear a batting helmet. Use protective gear. And get yourself a mouthguard!

You can choose a one-size-fits-all stock guard, or a “boil-and-bite” model which fits a bit more closely to your teeth and mouth. But your best protection comes with a custom mouthguard. Custom guards are more comfortable, more durable, and make it easier to speak and breathe. If you or your young player wear braces, mouthguards are especially important to protect both teeth and orthodontics.

• Ball Park Snack Power Hitters

Sure, you’re not trying to match Babe Ruth’s hot dog-eating habits (a dozen dogs between two games of a doubleheader!), but we can set the bar higher than that. While it’s easy to rely on energy drinks, soft drinks, power bars, and other sugary and acidic treats to get you through nine innings, those sugars and acids put you at risk for cavities and enamel erosion.

Fresh fruits with peanut butter, vegetable sticks with hummus, cheese and whole grain crackers, yogurt, or lean meat with whole grain wraps—these and many other snacks can provide you with protein, healthy carbs, and natural sugars for an energy boost during a long game or practice. If you choose an energy bar for refueling, look for one without all the added sugars.

Hydrating is always important whenever you’re working out. And, while you can look for power drinks and energy drinks which are low in sugars and acids, a refillable water bottle is an easy, inexpensive, and effective form of hydration. Bonus: water helps wash away food particles and bacteria and helps neutralize acids in the mouth by maintaining saliva production.

• Biggest No-No?

A “no-no” is a no-hitter to baseball fans. But for your oral health, the most important no-no of all refers to tobacco.

Chewing tobacco is one of those old-time baseball cliches which we’re not nostalgic about. Chewing tobacco greatly increases the risk of neck, head, and mouth cancers, particularly oral squamous cell cancers. Don’t start the chewing tobacco habit—or any other tobacco habit, for that matter. If you do use tobacco, ask Dr. Gregory Weaver for tips on quitting. Keep up with regular dental exams at our Raleigh, NC office for early detection of any potential warning signs of oral cancer.

When it comes to your dental safety, don’t get caught looking. For your best performance on and off field, avoid errors like playing without a mouthguard, exposing your teeth to acids and extra sugars, and using dangerous tobacco products of any kind. Play ball!

“Shouldn’t that be healthy gums,” you’re thinking? And, of course, you’re correct. Healthy gums are extremely important not only for our dental well-being, but for our overall physical health.

But that’s a subject for another blog! Today, we’re talking about healthy gum—chewing gum, that is. Because choosing the right chewing gum can actually improve your dental health.

Oral bacteria use the foods we eat, especially sugars and simple carbs, as fuel to produce acid. These acids attack our tooth enamel, gradually weakening the minerals in the tooth surface and allowing cavities to develop. Clearly, we want to reduce these acids to help prevent decay. Luckily, our bodies have a natural defense against acid attacks—saliva.

Saliva works to protect our enamel in three ways:

• It helps neutralize and wash away acids in the mouth.
• It rinses away the food particles which bacteria feed on.
• It strengthens teeth by providing the necessary minerals our enamel needs to “remineralize” after acids have weakened the tooth surface.

Studies have concluded that chewing sugarless gum for 20 minute after a meal can help prevent cavities. Why? Because chewing gum increases saliva production. You are actually reducing the effects of harmful acids, washing food particles away from your teeth, and strengthening weakened enamel with every stick! Some artificial sweeteners are even thought to inhibit the growth of the bacteria that lead to decay.

With all that in mind, it’s also healthy to know when you shouldn’t chew gum:

• When the gum contains sugar. Even with an increase in saliva production, bathing your teeth in sugar as you chew does your enamel no favors!
• When you wear braces. Gum can stick to your brackets and between your brackets and your wires. And while trying to clean gum from your appliance is no one’s idea of fun, an even more unpleasant possibility is the chance that gum might bend your wires out of shape. Sugarless gum is not quite as sticky as regular gum, but before you open that first pack, check with your orthodontist to see if you might be putting your orthodontic work at risk.
• When you have jaw problems such as TMD, TMJ or other temporomandibular concerns, or if you develop jaw pain while chewing gum.
• You should never give gum to a child too young to understand that it should not be swallowed. Beyond acting as a choking hazard, continual gum swallowing can lead to diarrhea, blockages, abdominal pain and other serious problems. Talk to your Dr. Gregory Weaver about the right age for chewing gum.

While chewing sugarless gum has the potential to improve dental health, remember it should never take the place of regular brushing and flossing—still the best way to prevent cavities at home. Talk to Dr. Gregory Weaver about the possible benefits of sugarless gum at your next visit to our Raleigh, NC office, and we can make recommendations based on your individual dental history. Because whether it’s healthy gums or healthy gum, we’re here to help.

Unfortunately, dental emergencies can sometimes be unavoidable among young children. The good news is Dr. Gregory Weaver can help you prepare in case you and your child find yourselves in any of the following situations.

Teething

Starting at about four months and lasting up to three years, your son or daughter may experience teething pain. It’s common for teething children to grow irritable and become prone to drooling due to tender gums. Give your child a cold teething ring or rub his or her gums with your finger to help relieve the discomfort.

Loss of Teeth

If a baby tooth is knocked out in an accident, bring your child to our Raleigh, NC office to make sure damage hasn’t occurred in the mouth. Permanent teeth can sometimes grow in before baby teeth have fallen out. In this situation, Dr. Gregory Weaver should examine your child to make sure teeth are growing in properly. This can prevent serious issues from arising later in adulthood.

Gum Issues

Bleeding gums could mean several things. They may be an early sign of periodontal disease, which results from poor oral hygiene. Gums may also bleed if a youngster is brushing too hard or has suffered an injury to the gum tissue.

Rinse your child’s mouth with warm salt water and apply pressure to the area if bleeding continues. Don’t hesitate to contact our Raleigh, NC office if you are concerned so we can schedule an appointment.

As a parent, you can provide the best education for your children on proper oral hygiene habits. If you some coaching, ask Dr. Gregory Weaver for tips during your next appointment.