cleaning

5 Important Food Habits to Follow If You Have Braces

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Did you get metal, clear or ceramic braces to fix your crooked teeth? If yes, then you have to take measures to maintain them properly. You need to change your eating habits to make sure you get all the benefits of orthodontic treatment without any issues or damage. 1. Say No to Sugar Sugar is an absolute no-no if you have braces. Sugary food debris can get stuck in your teeth and braces. The sugar from these foods will mix with the plaque on the teeth and create acid which damages the teeth enamel. The higher the sugar intake, the more damage will be done to the teeth enamel. This acid can also create permanent white spots on your teeth. Sugary foods will lead to cavities as well. 2. Eat Smaller Bites Do not bite into whole fruits, vegetables or … Read more

American Dental Association’s New Position on Dental Visits

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A few months ago the ADA (American Dental Association) released a press release regarding the frequency that patients should be seeing a dentist. This is located over at http://ada.org/8700.aspx. I meant to comment on this earlier, but didn’t get a chance. In a previous blog post earlier this year, located over at http://blog.teethremoval.com/looking-at-the-concept-of-prevention-in-dentistry/I mentioned an article by retired dentist Jay W. Friedman, DDS, MPH. I also provide a quote from the article where he says that semiannual cleanings are unnecessary in some patients. In the risks of keeping wisdom teeth page, when updated in 2011, I added a section discussing dental examination intervals. This was because I had reviewed National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (note NICE was renamed in early 2013), policy over at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/215663/dh_126005.pdf which states “The actual interval should be a clinical decision by the dentist … Read more

Keeping the Germs Off Your Toothbrush

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Kayla Holiday writes for 1Dental.com, which offers discount dental plans nationwide. She enjoys keeping people up to date on dental news and helping them save money on dental care. A toothbrush is a very important part of any dental hygiene routine. Toothbrushes are key in removing plaque from the surface of your teeth, even in hard to reach areas. However, your toothbrush could also be key in causing illness and stimulating bacterial growth in your mouth, depending on how well you’re taking care of it. Germs are on every surface. They are always present. Your toothbrush is especially vulnerable to housing germs as it contains both the plaque from your teeth, and it typically rests in the least sanitary room in the house—the bathroom. Airborne germs from the toilet or unwashed hands touching items near your toothbrush could all be … Read more

Dental Cleanings May Reduce Stroke and Heart Attack Risk

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A study in Taiwan looked at those who have had professional tooth scraping and cleaning performed and found that they had reduced risks of stroke and heart attack. The study showed that more frequent scraping/cleaning was associated with more reduced risk compared to never having teeth cleaned/scraped or occasionally having it performed. The study looked at over 100,000 people and found that if either a dentist or dental hygienist scraped and cleaned teeth those people in that group had a 24% lower risk of a heart attack and a 13% lower risk of a stroke when compared to those who never had a dental cleaning performed. The people in the study were followed for an average of 7 years. The study was conducted using data from the Taiwan National Health insurance data base. One of the researchers was Emily (Zu-Yin) … Read more