The Right Way to Floss

Your tooth brush can not reach between the teeth. Flossing removes plaque and food particles from between the teeth and under the gums. With some practice you can get the hang of it.

-Start with about 18 inches of floss.
-Wrap most of it around the middle finger of one hand.
-Wind the rest of the floss on the middle finger of the other hand, leaving an inch or two in between to work with.
-Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers and guide it gently between the teeth.
-Pass the contact point between the teeth, then curving it in a C shape against one tooth rub it gently up and down past the gum, into the space between the tooth and the gum.
-Repeat against the other tooth. Do not let the floss snap into the gums.
-As you move from tooth to tooth, unwind the clean floss from one middle finger and take up the used floss with the other middle finger.
-Do not forget to clean the back side of the last tooth.                                                                                       

You may contact us at:

215 567 4949

2020dentistry@gmail.com

2020-dentistry.com

Taking Care of Your Teeth and Gums

 

Happy New Year! Now is a great time to take care of things that really matter, like your teeth and gums.

Good oral care is part of a healthy lifestyle. You can help prevent cavities and gum disease by routine daily teeth cleaning, good eating habits and regular dental visits.

What causes tooth decay and gum disease?

Your teeth are covered with a sticky film of bacteria called plaque. These bacteria convert the sugar in the foods you eat into acids. This plaque, if left in contact with teeth, damages the teeth and the gums. The acid breaks down the enamel causing cavities, while the bacteria irritate the gums, making them swell and bleed.

Swollen and bleeding gums, also known as gingivitis, are the early signs of gum disease. This early stage is reversible by professional dental cleaning and good oral hygiene at home. If left untreated, the gums pull away from the teeth creating pockets which are harder to clean and get infected. Bacteria in the pockets enter the bone surrounding the teeth and destroy it, making teeth become loose and fall out.

By brushing and flossing you will remove most of the plaque and bacteria. Any plaque left on the teeth will eventually harden into tartar, and can only be removed professionally by your dentist or hygienist during your routine dental visits.

Healthy smile tips for life:

To Keep your mouth in good condition.
-Brush twice a day.
-Floss once a day.
-Visit your dentist regularly for a check up and cleaning.
-Eat a balanced diet.

Give us a call if you'd like to schedule a preventative dental appointment.

215-567-4949

 

Also, visit our website for a complete list of services we offer.

2020-dentistry.com

Effects of Lack of Sleep

Lack of sleep can make you more than just grumpy. Here are some serious effects that sleeping less than 7 to 8 hours a day can have on you.

Sleep Deprivation Can Cause:

- Accidents: Sleepiness and drowsiness can slow reaction time as much as driving drunk. Studies show that sleep loss and poor-quality sleep also lead to accidents and injuries on the job.

-Difficulties in Learning and Memory: Lack of sleep hurts thinking and learning processes. First, it impairs attention, alertness, concentration, reasoning, and problem solving. Second, during the night, various sleep cycles play a role in “consolidating” memories in the mind. If you don’t get enough sleep, you won’t be able to remember what you learned and experienced during the day.

-Serious Health Problems: Sleep disorders and chronic sleep loss can put you at risk for:

                                 Heart disease

                                 Heart attack                           

                                 High blood pressure

                                 Stroke

                                 Diabetes

-Decreased Sex Drive: Sleep specialists say that sleep-deprived men and women report lower libidos and less interest in sex. Depleted energy, sleepiness, and increased tension may be largely to blame.

- Depression: Over time, lack of sleep and sleep disorders can contribute to the symptoms of depression. The most common sleep disorder, insomnia, has the strongest link to depression. Insomnia and depression feed on each other. On the positive side, treating sleep problems can help depression and its symptoms, and vice versa.

- Aging of Tissues: Chronic sleep loss can lead to fine lines and dark circles under the eyes. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body releases more of the stress hormone cortisol which can break down skin collagen, the protein that keeps skin smooth and elastic. Sleep loss also causes the body to release too little human growth hormone. When we’re young, human growth hormone promotes growth. As we age, it plays a role in tissue repair.

- Weight Gain: Lack of sleep increases hunger and appetite. It stimulates cravings for high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods, leading to obesity. Sleep stimulates peptides that regulate and suppresses appetite.

 

Back to School -- Nutrition & Health

 

Those three words are music to all parents ears! But with a new school year comes busy schedules, frantic mornings, and after school activities that make it harder for parents and children to get nutritious meals.

It may seem easy to just rely on over-processed foods to save on time and money but foods consumed with high levels of simple carbohydrates (sugars) and little to no nutritional value can have a severe negative impact on your family's health.

The benefits of healthy eating for your teeth can be found here.

People today seem like they will only eat healthy foods if they have these three criteria:

• Tasty
• Quick and easy
• Inexpensive

It's easier than people think to cut out over-processed foods and replace them with healthier, homemade options.

How, you ask? We'll break it down for you...

Always remember this phrase when making food choices: "What is the nutritional benefit of ____________?"

If the nutritional value outweighs the price or effort it's worth it!

Example: Tomato sauce.

When you choose a jar of ready-made tomato sauce over homemade sauce, you give up control on how much sodium and preservatives are in them. Making your own tomato sauce does take more time and effort than just opening a jar, but in the end it's worth it.

Swap out high sugar food items (your teeth will thank you!)

When you and your children are running late in the morning, instead of handing them a sugary pop tart, give them whole grain toast with peanut butter and bananas.

Prepare healthy meals ahead of time!



(And get the kids involved!) It's been proven that when children are part of meal preparations they are less likely to be picky about what they're eating!

The night before a school day:

• Have your children slice bread and prepare it so that all that has to be done in the morning is pop it in the toaster oven!
• Have your children pack their own school lunches.

Create a dinner menu for the week and prep anything that can be done the night before. This includes:

• slicing vegetables
• defrosting
• marinating

This way all that needs to be done when you get home from work and school is to cook it.

Proper nutrition and food choices should be taught to children early and by example! Telling your children to eat their vegetables will have more of an effect if you're eating yours!
 

Brace Face!

 

There are very few adults out there who were lucky enough to not ever need to straiten their teeth. For the rest of us, there were those awkward teenage years where you had a mouth full of metal braces, food restrictions, and painful orthodontic visits.



So why do we need to have strait teeth other than for the obvious aesthetic reasons?

The reasons are very simple. While having strait teeth is more attractive, serious dental issues can arise if you ignore your teeth's alignment.

Reason 1: PERIODONTITIS (a.k.a., gum disease)

Teeth that are misaligned require extra cleaning in order to get everything harmful out from between your teeth.When your teeth are crooked it gives food particles and bacteria more nooks a crannies in between your teeth to hide.  Most of the time this leads to missed areas where the bacteria flourish and feed on residual food and thereby cause severe gum disease.

Reason 2: TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDER (TMJ)

Do you find yourself suffering from headaches, jaw pain, lock jaw, and teeth grinding? These are the symptoms of TMJ. Cooked teeth can aggravate or even cause you to experience TMJ.

Reason 3: TOOTH INJURY/WEAR & TEAR

When you bite down and chew on properly aligned teeth your upper and lower jaws should fit together perfectly. When your teeth are crooked or crowded you are placing unnecessary force on certain teeth causing tooth enamel to wear away and possibly nerve damage in your roots.

If you would like to know a reason why we have crooked and crowded teeth in the first place take a look at this article published on Science/AAAS.

Now how can your crooked teeth be straitened? There are 2 ways: Traditional metal braces (but who would want to go through that?) or Clear Aligners.



What are the benefits of Clear Aligners over traditional metal braces?



1. No food restrictions!
2. They are removable! (It is way easier to floss your teeth without having to thread floss through your braces.)
3. Nearly invisible! (If you're over 17 metal braces just don't look professional.)

Think you would like to give Clear Aligners a try? Come to our Invisalign Open House!



Fact or Fiction: If your teeth don't hurt there's nothing wrong.

FICTION!

Many times people don't think that they have to see a dentist because their "teeth don't hurt" or are "not bothering them". This is a common misconception about teeth.

Here's the truth:

If your teeth are hurting you, that usually means that instead of needing a filling (cheaper) a tooth now needs a root canal (more $$$$!)

 

Tooth decay is a slow and silent assailant. It doesn't make it's presence known until it ironically becomes very costly to fix the tooth.

 

In picture 1 you can see plaque sitting on the tooth's enamel surface. This plaque, if not removed, is fed on the bacteria found in your mouth.

 

In picture 2 the decay has started to damage the tooth. The acid by-product of the bacteria has eroded the enamel. At this point you will not feel any pain or discomfort because the damage has not reached the nerve of the tooth.

 

If you are seeing a dentist regularly he or she would be able to detect this decay and fix it with filling material before it gets any worse.  

 

In picture 3 the decay has progressed to the dentin. This layer of your tooth is not as strong as the enamel and therefore, decay proceeds at a rapid rate. At this point you may begin to feel sensitivity to cold or sweets.

 

In picture 4 the tooth's damage has reached the pulp chamber where the nerve and blood vessels of the tooth are located. The nerve becomes infected and inflamed thus causing you great pain. You will experience sensitivity to hot and cold foods and drinks and if left untreated, a serious abscess can form.

 

At this point the tooth's vitality is compromised and a root canal has to be performed in order to save the tooth. This can be very uncomfortable for both your mouth and your wallet!

 

Preventative dentistry is very important. If you get regular dental visits every 6 months you can eliminate extra expense and pain in the future!

 

Don't assume that your mouth is healthy just because it doesn't feel like anything is wrong!

 

 Give us a call if you'd like to schedule a preventative dental appointment.

215 567 4949

 

Also, take a look at our website for a complete list of services we offer.

2020-dentistry.com

Invisalign Open House

That's right! We're hosting an Invisalign open house and all are welcome!

In a previous blog post it was mentioned the benefits of orthodontics and (more specifically) the benefits of Invisalign. So...

 

Have you heard of invisalign clear braces and are curious?

Are you afraid that they are too expensive?

Do you have dental insurance and are unsure if Invisalign treatment will be covered?

 

Call and make an appointment!

Hurry appointment slots are limited!

215 567 4949

 

For this and other services we provide check out our website!

2020-dentistry.com