We are taught from an early age to brush our teeth at night before we go to bed. However, there is so much more to keeping your teeth and mouth healthy than just brushing your teeth at night before you go to bed. The more you know about your teeth and what causes tooth decay and gum disease, the better your chance of having a healthy mouth. Moreover, you can prevent the costs of expensive tooth repairs. So let's see how much you know about dental hygiene. Test your knowledge by taking the quiz below. Then, check your answers with the ones we give below. (But no peeking first!)
Oral Hygiene Quiz
1. What do you call the layer of tooth that is under the tooth enamel?
2. Which food is worse for causing cavities, a chocolate bar or potato chips?
3. How many types of bacteria are there in a mouth?
4. How many stages are there to gum disease?
5. Are people with diabetes at a higher risk for gum disease?
6. Can gum disease affect a diabetic condition?
7. As long as I brush my teeth at night before I go to bed I shouldn’t get cavities, right?
8. Is it over-hyped that vitamins are important to your gum health?
9. At what age group are people more likely to get gum disease?
10. Can a person always tell if they have gum disease?
Hygiene Quiz Answers
1. Dentin is the layer of the tooth under the enamel. Decay starts with the enamel. If decay is able to progress its way through the enamel, it next attacks the dentin — where millions of tiny tubes lead directly to the dental pulp.
2. Potato chips. While neither chocolate bars nor potato chips are great for health, potato chips are more likely to stick to your teeth than a chocolate candy bar so there is more chance of potato chips causing tooth decay. But, beware of any foods that stick to your teeth, such as bread, sticky candies, cookies, etc.
3. Plaque contains millions of bacteria, made up of 200 to 300 different species! But the worst of these is Streptococcus mutans, which converts sugar and other carbohydrates into acids. It is the acids that eat away at your teeth.
4. There are three stages to gum disease: gingivitis, periodontitis and advanced periodontitis.
Stages of Gum Disease
Stage 1
Gingivitis: an inflammation of the gums caused by plaque buildup at the gum line. You may notice some bleeding during brushing and flossing. At this early stage in gum disease, damage can be reversed, since the bone and connective tissue that hold the teeth in place are not yet affected.
Stage 2
Periodontitis: at this stage, the supporting bone and fibers that hold your teeth in place are damaged. Your gums may begin to form a pocket below the gum line, which traps food and plaque. Proper dental treatment and improved home care can usually help prevent further damage.
Stage 3
Advanced Periodontitis: in this final stage of gum disease, the fibers and bone supporting your teeth are destroyed, which can cause your teeth to shift or loosen. This can affect your bite and, if aggressive treatment can’t save them, teeth may need to be removed.
5. Yes. People with diabetes are at a higher risk of getting gum disease. The reason for this is in how diabetes affects the blood vessels. Blood vessels carry oxygen to the tissues of the body as well as carry away waste products. Diabetes causes the blood vessels to thicken which slows the process of carrying oxygen to the tissue as well as slows the ability to dispose of waste. This can weaken gum and bone tissue and make it more susceptible to disease.
6. Yes. High blood glucose levels can make gum disease get worse. When diabetes is poorly controlled, high glucose levels in the mouth can help bacteria to grow because bacteria thrive on sugars, including glucose.
7. Wrong. While brushing your teeth at night is a good idea to remove any food from your mouth that can cause more plaque to form while you sleep, it is best if you brush any time after you eat. The longer food is in your mouth no matter what time of day, the more chance there is of plaque building.
8. No. Proper nutrition is vital for keeping your body healthy. While we don’t hear much anymore of Scurvy (a disease from severe lack of Vitamin C), bleeding gums can still be a symptom of a deficiency of Vitamin C and also a symptom of deficiency of Vitamin D.
9. Gum disease can start at any age. Even young children who are suffering from diabetes can become more prone to gum disease. Gum disease has been more prevalent when people reach their 30’s and 40’s and the chance of getting gum disease increases as the year’s progress.
10. Not necessarily. For example, a person may have bad breath from gum disease but not be aware of it. Or worse, they cover up their bad breath and leave it untreated.
Symptoms of gum disease to watch for:
a. Red, swollen or tender gums or other pain in your mouth.
b. Bleeding while brushing or flossing.
c. Receding gums.
d. Sores in your mouth.
e. Persistent bad breath.
So how did you do? We hope this quiz helped you to learn more about taking care of your teeth. If you have any questions consult your dentist. You can also contact us to make an appointment. Keeping your regular appointments is the safest bet to keeping a healthy mouth.
Sincerely,
Dr. Susan Bracker, D.D.S.