Common sense. Does it seem to you that this has become a rare commodity nowadays? Possibly, then, it is really uncommon sense that we should be talking about.
The latest example of an affront to logic – at least for me – lies in the latest media challenge to oral health. This morning various news agencies including The New York Times, suggested that maybe flossing is really overrated. Apparently, “officials” have never researched the effectiveness of regular flossing.
Now, millions of people are likely to jump on this as a justification for not flossing. But, in reality, the new media sensation is probably not going to change very much at the end of the day. Why? Because I can confidently tell you – based on more than 25-years of personal experience – most people don’t floss anyway. About all this latest “research” will promote is the possibility that some people will feel just a little less guilty about what others with any sense (common or uncommon) already understand is a pretty good idea.
But, it makes for good press. Doesn’t it?
Just for the sake of argument, let’s assume that flossing doesn’t remove plaque. Heck. Some people fail to remove plaque with a toothbrush. That doesn’t mean either fails to benefit the patient, if done properly. I can think of several reasons why flossing helps, though:
Passing floss between the teeth sweeps out the contact point between them – meaning the points where they touch. That’s a source of about 30% of all tooth decay. Your toothbrush typically doesn’t reach those areas, unless you have gaps between your teeth. Floss does reach those areas.
Flossing stimulates blood flow in the gums. One of the body’s first-line mechanisms of defense is to increase blood flow to an affected area. You are effectively helping your body do this in a controlled manner by flossing.
A number of the bacteria under your gums are anaerobic bacteria. That means they don’t grow in room air. So what is a person introducing into the gum pocket when they pull back their gums by flossing? Could it be . . . air? Is it possible that the oxygen in the air could kill some of those bacteria as well?
Think about it.
If we can set aside this newly created question of doubt for just a moment, I would propose that you ask yourself the following question:
“Have I ever flossed consistently?”
By this, I mean every day, and it would have to have included doing so for at least two weeks.
This question is particularly directed to someone if they ever had a gum problem like gingivitis or periodontal disease. Sure, one needs to get rid of tartar and control bacteria as well, but for patients that make the effort to floss (and with only a few qualifications that I can think of), it is almost a sure bet that their gums got better as a result of the daily exercise. First of all, the gums probably bled less afterward. Not in the beginning – to be sure – but after about two weeks of flossing every day, we typically see positive change. Breath improves too. An overall sense of well-being is not out of the question either.
When it comes to flossing sporadically, I agree. It doesn’t help much. It’s kind of like exercising once or twice a month. And let’s face it, that’s where most of the population lives when it comes to flossing — once in a blue moon. Is regular exercise effective, though? What does your common sense tell you?
Why would I hold on to this idea in the face of “new evidence”? Well, I have seen flossing help too many times to just call it a coincidence. Hard core scientists might say “Oh, well, that’s just anecdotal evidence. It doesn’t stand up to real scientific scrutiny.” OK. Then survey practicing dentists. Let’s see if I’m the only one with that observation and experience. I doubt it.
I’m not saying flossing is the only thing you need to do to have healthy gums. It isn’t. Diet and good nutrition are paramount. A healthy immune system doesn’t hurt either. But for Pete’s sake, flossing is cheap, really not all that hard to do once you have practiced it for a while, and it can end up saving you a lot of money in the long run. With health care costs being what they are, I can’t think of too many actions a person can take that bear as much fruit and keep money in their pockets.
But, if the media has just succeeded in making you feel better about not flossing, then OK. Bully for them. (Heaven knows, they do a top notch job spending most of their time getting people to feel less than great.)
And, I suppose there are other ways to handle tooth loss – which, by the way, happens a lot more from gum disease than tooth decay.
Very often patients ask me about what toothpaste they should use. Seldom, however, am I asked about the best technique for cleaning teeth, when brushing should be done, how often they should brush, or for how long.
The subject of tooth cleansers can be confusing. There are pastes, powders, cavity-fighting and gum-protecting formulas, as well as whitening varieties. Most toothpastes use some form of mild abrasive to clean teeth, while others rely on enzymes to lift the stains out of your teeth. Some are foaming and some are not. Most contain fluoride, while others don’t.
While I do have a personal favorite toothpaste, I honestly believe that an effective job of cleaning can be accomplished with the vast majority of toothpastes available on the market. Why are there so many out there? In a word: marketing. I’m pretty sure toothpaste companies have discovered that if a toothpaste has the word “whitening” on it, they are likely to sell more than if it is omitted — even if the whitening benefit is small.
Some people have even taken to the idea that almost anything will work to clean your teeth. Even soap. Here is a short video I ran across recently that discusses this, and also why you may not want to wash your mouth out with soap. I tend to agree that you should use the right product for the correct purpose.
Click on the toothbrushes below to view the VIDEO:
For the curious, here is an earlier posting that answers some of the other questions discussed above, including how often you should brush.
Essential oils have many benefits, from curing athlete’s foot or controlling fungal infections, to helping with gingivitis. The article below discusses tea tree oil — also known as melaleuca oil. Many patients in our office have benefited from the essential oils present in two products available for purchase in our office: Tooth and Gums Tonic and Tooth and Gums Paste. Used properly, natural remedies can be of great benefit, without many of the side effects associated with traditional cures.
Dr. Walicki
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Natural Ways to Keep Your Teeth and Gums Healthy
By Kathy Jenkins
Whether you’re trying to cure a toothache, make your teeth whiter or prevent gum disease, there are many natural remedies that can be helpful in between visits to the dentist. Eating right, and brushing and flossing your teeth are certainly important, but there are numerous other methods available that can give your oral health a boost. Among these are herbs, oils, and the like. We will be giving you a few examples you may choose to follow that can give your oral hygiene a positive boost.
Going to the dentist is something that most of us would like to avoid. But if your teeth hurt right now, that is exactly where you should go. One such instance is if you have an abscessed tooth. This is a potentially serious condition where your tooth gets infected, and this can spread to other parts of your body. There are many symptoms that can be associated with this circumstance, including a bitter taste in your mouth and a swollen neck or jaw. Antibiotics from your dentist will usually help to control or get rid of the infection. Typically, your doctor will also prescribe pain medication for any discomfort you are feeling. An emergency room may be your best bet for getting relief from an abscessed tooth, especially if you are lacking dental insurance or the funds to cover your bill.
Natural antibiotics exist, and tea tree oil is considered one of them. Because it has powerful healing properties doesn’t mean you can take it without following directions, and if it says not to take it internally, you shouldn’t. If you need a good toothpaste or mouthwash, you should consider tea tree oil. It can also be useful in controlling gingivitis. Rinse your mouth with a small amount in a glass of water, because it can be too strong undiluted. If you are looking for the safest way to use tea tree oil then get a mouthwash or toothpaste which already contains it, or some other commercially prepared product. This works really well for giving you fresher breath as well as help to prevent gum disease. A product with tea tree oil in it can be harmful if you swallow it, so use caution when rinsing and be careful not to administer it to children that might be prone to swallowing rather than rinsing and spitting.
There may be a dentist in your area who favors holistic techniques. Consult with them about natural ways to care for your teeth and gums. You may be surprised how many dentists can be found that have this orientation. Holistic dentists went to the same kind of dental schools as anyone else, but they focus on natural and holistic techniques and substances. If you need to have any filling done, a holistic dentist would never use a filling that’s mercury based. When you have this kind of dentist, you will always have someone to consult when it comes to natural ways to keep your mouth healthy. In some cases, you may have to travel a little further to find a good holistic dentist, depending on where you live. Our overall health is greatly affected by our mouth because it is often the first place where infections and toxins are likely to be found. If you can maintain clean teeth and gums, and you eat the right foods, you will be less likely to have many cavities. Hopefully the above will give you some orientation to alternative options, but keep in mind that it’s also necessary to get regular dental checkups.
Kathy Jenkins gives suggestion about your teeth as well as how to handle Angular Cheilitis (cracking at the corners of your mouth.) She also has a link to book I have not reviewed concerning the subject. Many cases of angular cheilitis can be resolved, however, by supplementing with vitamins B12, vitamin C, and zinc. An over-the-counter antibiotic cream may also help. Some cases of angular cheilitis are caused by ill-fitting dentures. This can only be remedied by having a new set of dentures made that fit properly. If you are interested in the book Kathy Jenkins references, you can find it here: Angular Cheilitis.
Sounds like a pretty basic question for a dentist, doesn’t it? In fact, I’m not really asked that question often because “everybody knows” you should brush your teeth twice a day. But should you really?
After all, you can pick up almost any tube of toothpaste and it says right there” brush twice daily, or as directed by your dentist”.
Some time ago, I started asking patients how often they brushed their teeth when they came in for their periodic cleanings. The most common answer – by far – is “twice a day.” My next question is usually, “Yes, but when during the day do you brush?” As you read this, many of you who do brush twice daily are thinking “when I get up and again before I go to bed.”
If you have experienced dental cavities, that could be part of the problem.
When I mention this to patients I usually get this sort of silent stare. It’s kind of a cross between, “well that makes no sense at all” or, “then I might as well just give up.”
Let me explain.
It starts with an understanding of what causes dental cavities. There are a few basic elements. The most obvious is that you need to have a tooth. Additionally, you need cavity-causing bacteria. Then you also need a fermentable carbohydrate. This is an important point. Carbohydrates include sugars and starches, but the process of fermentation creates acids. Once the acids form, there is another element that comes into play: time.
If we break these factors down further, it is useful to look at what we can control in the cavity-causing process. For the sake of argument, let’s assume we are starting out with a full set of teeth, so that’s not entirely in our control. Next, there is the factor of cavity-causing bacteria. We all have both good and bad bacteria in our mouths. While I could get into a discussion of promoting the good and suppressing the bad, this is also not always easily controlled.
The next two factors, however, we have a great deal of control over.
We can control what we eat. Recognition of which foods are acid forming is also useful. But I’m a realist and understand that sometimes we are just going to eat (or drink) those things anyway.
And this is where the time factor comes in.
A little analogy may be helpful here. What would you do if you spilled a strong acid on your bare skin? Chances are you would run right over to the nearest sink and try to wash it off. But what if you had a leather jacket on and didn’t notice right away? First of all, you would end up with a hole in your jacket, but eventually – with time – it would reach your skin and start to hurt.
It’s much the same with teeth. Your enamel is a protective layer that doesn’t have any feeling because it is mostly mineral and doesn’t contain any nerves. But given enough time, the acid – even a weak one – breaks through and gets to the underlying softer and more sensitive areas. So, don’t give it time.
Change your brushing habits and do so after every meal. About a half hour after eating is ideal. If you absolutely can’t brush on occasion, chewing a sugarless gum (preferably containing xylitol) can help.
What most people do, though, is wake up and brush. Then they have breakfast and don’t brush. The acids that are formed following the meal slowly dissolve our tooth enamel. Roughly when the acids wear off, they have another meal or a snack and freshen up the acid. Few people brush after lunch, so it’s a few more hours of wearing the enamel away. Just when that acid wears off people freshen it up again with dinner. They don’t always brush after dinner either, so the acid now has even more time to work. Finally, they brush before going to bed. This cycle can, and typically does, go on for days, weeks, months and years. Given enough time, the cavity becomes large enough to require a filling.
So, if you only eat two meals a day, brushing twice a day is probably fine. But if you eat three times a day, how often should you brush? You get the idea.
The really odd thing is that I can go over this with someone thinking they get it. A couple of years later, I’ll ask: “How often do you brush your teeth?” Believe it or not, the answer is often the same as when I asked the first time. Hopefully, however, you will get it. Remember also that you can’t ignore flossing and expect to escape cavities, even if you do brush after every meal. The area between your teeth can’t be reached by the toothbrush bristles. About a third of all cavities filled by dentists occur in this location.
Nevertheless, if you follow the advice above I think you will find yourself encountering far less tooth decay over the years. Hoping it works for you as well as it has for me.
Welcome!
Dr. Richard Walicki is a dentist practicing general and cosmetic dentistry. While we hope you find the information contained herein interesting and useful, this blog is for informational purposes and is not intended to diagnose any oral disease. Dental conditions should be evaluated by your dental health professional or a qualified specialist.
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