October is National Dental Hygiene Month!
October is the month we celebrate the hard work dental hygienists do to keep our gums and teeth healthy, as well as raise awareness on the importance of good oral health.
Your own home care along with the help your dentist and hygienist do help to protect your valuable teeth and keep you healthy.
We often hear when we are growing up that sugar causes cavities, however this is not the sole villain causing cavities. Let’s look at how cavities are made and why dental hygiene is so important.
Plaque
The human mouth contains anywhere from 500 to 1,000 different types of bacteria at any given time. All carbohydrate foods eventually break down into sugars. The bacteria in your mouth feeds on the starches and sugars in foods you eat. Certain bacteria on your teeth use the sugars to produce acids. The acids then combine with bacteria, food particles and saliva to form plaque on your teeth. Plaque is a sticky film that covers the teeth. The acids in plaque remove minerals in your tooth's hard, outer enamel. This causes tiny openings or holes in the enamel and is how a cavity starts.
Tartar
If plaque is not removed regularly and completely, minerals in your saliva combine with plaque to form crystals that harden into tartar. Tartar collects bacteria. Additionally, it creates a protective shield for bacteria and causes irritation along the gum line which can lead to gum disease. Tartar cannot be removed with regular brushing. You need professional dental cleaning to remove tartar.
The Four Routines
This year we want to focus on four routines that will help you and your loved ones have healthy smiles.
BRUSH
The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth twice a day, for two minutes, with a soft-bristled brush. The size and shape of the brush should fit the mouth allowing you to reach all areas easily.
FLOSS
Flossing is not a step to skip on. It helps get rid of food particles in between the teeth that a tooth brush can’t get to. It also helps remove plaque.
RINSE
Rinsing can help wash out bacteria that brushing and flossing cannot. Along with brushing and flossing, rinsing may help reduce the chance of dental decay and infection. For more information on mouth washes go to mouthhealthy.org .
CHEW
Finally, clinical studies have shown that chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes following meals can help prevent tooth decay. The chewing of sugarless gum increases the flow of saliva. The saliva helps wash away food. Also, it neutralizes acids produced by bacteria in the mouth and provides disease-fighting substances throughout the mouth. Look for gum containing Xylitol. Xylitol is a natural sweetener which has proven to reduce cavities in a number of studies. If you prefer gum without any chemicals, Prevention provides a list 8 gums that are not loaded with chemicals and some are sugar free.
Last but not least, we want to wish you a Happy Halloween. This month is a great time to educate kids about oral hygiene. You can teach them that they can enjoy their candy without getting cavities by following the routines above.
Halloween Games
Kids love games. If you have kids, you can create Halloween games and prizes for each time they do the 4 routines. For example, you can play Halloween tunes while they brush their teeth. Make a "Halloween" board and they can put up Halloween stickers every time they do one of the routines. Get creative, have fun!
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a visit, call us or use our appointment page.
Sincerely,
Dr. Susan Bracker, D.D.S
Rochester, New York