Oral Hygiene

Read more about the article The Rising Tooth Decay Rates Amongst Young Canadians

The Rising Tooth Decay Rates Amongst Young Canadians

The tooth decay rates among the young Canadian children have been on the rise. This worsening oral health situation sheds light on the lack of proper oral hygiene education and prevention components.

Tooth decay rates had been falling for the last couple of decades, until now. Decay in children is the most widespread disease of childhood. Tooth decay in five-year-olds rose close to 10% in 1999-2000, and 11.6% on 2005-06, according to the survey conducted by Toronto Public Health and published on canada.com. Whereas in five-year-olds with two or more decayed teeth, the percentage rose from 9.9% to 14.6% in the same six-year stretch.

How does tooth decay occur?

According to colgate.com destruction of the tooth enamel causes tooth decay. It occurs when foods with carbohydrates, like milk, raisins, cakes, etc. get left behind on the surface of the teeth. The bacteria that live in your mouth thrive on these foods, which then produces acids as a result. Over time, these acids destroy the tooth enamel, which results in tooth decay.

What causes this tooth decays amongst children? 

Lack of education about dental hygiene, no proper oral maintenance routine, lousy diet, etc. are some of the reasons which contribute to tooth decay. Lack of fluoridation of Calgary waters can also be one of the reasons for the rise in tooth decay. Failure to visit the dentist once every six months is also one of the reasons for rising tooth decays. Children of families of the low-income group also faced issues, since they skipped on dental check-ups due to financial problems.

What to do in such cases?

There are various dental programs across different provinces of Canada offering dental care programs. There are also programs to educate the masses on dental hygiene through public health units and community health centers.

Visiting the dentist regularly can help maintain your child’s dental hygiene. Minimizing or avoiding sugar intake for children can help cut down on tooth decays. You can also provide fluoride treatment for your children and learn more about tooth decay prevention from your dentist.

If you would like to learn more about tooth decay in children and also the prevention methods, please feel free to visit our dental clinic in Calgary or Call +1 (403) 252 7733 to book a consult with Dr. Gill our dentists.

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Read more about the article How Can Your Dentist Help You With Oral Hygiene?

How Can Your Dentist Help You With Oral Hygiene?

Oral hygiene is as important as physical hygiene and should be started right from an early age. Overlooking oral health can lead to multiple dental issues requiring several dental treatments.

Some people visit their dentist only when they experience a dental problem, but it is recommended that you visit your dentist at least twice a year for oral checkups. Moreover, the in-house dental care is also an integral part of your oral hygiene, so make sure to complement dental check-ups with your own personal care regimen.

Practice proper oral hygiene regularly

For a healthy mouth, you need to dedicate all the attention it requires to stay healthy. Brushing twice a day isn’t the only way to keep your mouth germ-free. Do it correctly, do it regularly. Daily preventative care can help you avoid serious dental conditions such as gum disease, tooth decay, tooth loss, etc. There are some steps that we can take to reduce the risk of oral disease such as –

Brushing twice a day: Use the right technique to brush and floss your teeth as suggested by the American Dental Association (ADA) – Tilt your brush at a 45 degree to your gums and stroke the brush back and forth across the sides and top of your dental arch. Then, use short back and forth strokes to gently clean the inside, outside and chewing surface of your teeth. Brushing correctly can help minimize plaque and tartar buildup in between teeth and gums.

Flossing daily: Supplement brushing with flossing. Although brushing helps you clean your teeth, but there are certain areas that the bristles of your brush can’t reach. Dental floss provides in-depth teeth cleaning as it cleans the areas beyond the reach of your brush, which is it removes food particles stuck between teeth and gums. Consult your dentist to know the proper use of dental floss.

Avoid junk food and eat healthy: A healthy diet means a healthy mouth. The most common reason behind tooth decay is consumption of sugary food items such as sweetened drinks, sugar-filled sodas, unhealthy snacks, etc. Diet on healthy, nutritious food to maintain the wellness of your mouth. Even your dentist will recommend you to snack less on unhealthy stuff as junk food not only affects your physical health but also deteriorates oral condition.

Use mouthwash: For additional hygiene, consider adding mouthwash to your daily care regimen. Mouthwash can help keep your mouth clean and smell fresh and nice. But before that, consult your dentist and do what he/she suggests you to.

Change your brush often: Brush bristles start to fall apart over time and this may not be doing the job anymore. It is recommended to change your brush every three months and use the one suggested by your dentist.

Maintaining good oral hygiene prevents periodontal disease and keeps your mouth healthy. Make sure to visit your dentist frequently and he/she can better guide you to follow good oral habits for a long-lasting, healthy mouth.

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Read more about the article Five Oral Hygiene Practices You Might Be Doing Wrong

Five Oral Hygiene Practices You Might Be Doing Wrong

Maintaining oral hygiene and keeping our teeth clean is pretty easy, isn’t it? We all just need to brush twice daily and floss once regularly. If we do this right, then what could possibly go wrong when it comes to properly cleaning your mouth? As it turns out, the answer to this question is, ‘quite a bit.’ If you want to upkeep the health of your teeth and gums then you need to pay attention to the following tips that will lead you in the right direction.

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Read more about the article The Significance of Including Gums in Your Daily Oral Hygiene

The Significance of Including Gums in Your Daily Oral Hygiene

A lot of people aren’t aware that taking care of your gums are just as important as taking care of your teeth. Often people ignore the most common sign of gingivitis, bleeding gums. Bleeding gums should be taken seriously as it will progress and can lead to periodontal disease.

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Read more about the article Reducing The Risk of Tooth Loss

Reducing The Risk of Tooth Loss

Tooth loss can be a common problem. When you lose one or more teeth, it may bring your confidence down and may make you feel insecure. Missing teeth also affect your oral health. There can be various reasons for the loss of teeth, it can be due to any accident or injury, periodontal disease, or extensive decay. There are professional dental treatments that you can undergo to fix your missing tooth problem, but there are a few steps that you can follow yourself to reduce the risk of tooth loss.

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Read more about the article The Importance of Choosing The Right Toothbrush

The Importance of Choosing The Right Toothbrush

When you talk about good and healthy oral care, choosing the right kind of toothbrush is a vital aspect of it. A toothbrush is a primary and an important element in everyone’s daily lives and is vital in maintaining your oral hygiene. There are countless options of toothbrushes out there and every company claims to have the best toothbrush for dental care. How do you pick the right one from the options available? Which one is the best toothbrush that will suit your teeth? Let us make your decision-making task a bit simpler.

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Read more about the article Oral Health Tips for Fighting Gingivitis

Oral Health Tips for Fighting Gingivitis

Those who faithfully brush their teeth each morning and night might feel as though they’re doing enough to achieve a healthy smile. However, even people with good oral care habits may hear from their dentist or dental hygienist that they have signs of gingivitis, an early form of gum disease. Arming yourself with a better understanding of gingivitis and tools to help fight it can help improve the health of your mouth and make your next dental visit a more positive experience.

How to fight gingivitis:

Gingivitis is a very common early form of gum disease that causes gums to become red, swollen and bleed easily during brushing or flossing. If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to a more serious form of gum disease known as periodontitis, which affects the tissues that surround and support the teeth and represents a major cause of tooth loss in adults.

Fortunately, there are several ways you can protect yourself from gingivitis. Try these techniques between dental visits:

  • Rinse, rinse, rinse! Using a mouth rinse is an important part of your overall oral care routine. Look for a rinse that protects against plaque and gingivitis.
  • Give your mouth the time it deserves. Spending a little more time on your oral health is an easy way to help keep your smile in shape. Make sure to spend at least two minutes brushing, which should include 30 seconds of brushing each section of your mouth (upper right, upper left, lower right and lower left), both morning and night.
  • Get in touch with your toothpaste. Not all toothpastes work the same, so choose one that protects against gingivitis.
  • Check your gums regularly. Look for the warning signs of gingivitis and report them to your dentist right away.
  • See your dentist for regular dental exams, and schedule a professional cleaning to remove stains and built-up tartar.
  • Eat healthy foods for your oral health as well as your overall health. Eating excess sugar is one of the primary causes of dental problems. With the proper nutrients that come from healthy eating and proper oral hygiene, you can fight cavities and gingivitis.
  • Don’t smoke. Smoking is a major contributor to dental problems and may cause oral cancer.

Provided you look after them, your teeth and gums should be healthy. Brush twice daily, floss once a day and see your dentist regularly for optimum oral health.

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Read more about the article Tips for Healthy Mouth

Tips for Healthy Mouth

Taking care of your health and your mouth one of the most important things to do keep your smile healthy. Brushing your teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and having regular check-ups with a dentist can help keep your teeth healthy. Also, don’t forget to floss daily.

Following simple tips may help you save your valuable time, money and energy from combating dental problems.

  • Maintain healthy diet – What you eat and drink can cause tooth decay, so a healthy diet is important for your teeth. A healthy, balanced diet includes plenty of fruit and vegetables, as well as starchy foods such as bread, rice, potatoes and pasta (choose wholegrain versions and eat potatoes with their skin where possible). You should also eat sources of protein such as meat, fish, eggs, beans or other non-dairy sources of protein, and some milk and dairy foods (ideally lower fat options).
  • Reduce sugar from your diet – Limiting the amount of sugar you eat and drink is important to prevent tooth decay. A lot of the sugars we eat and drink are in food and drinks such as sweets, chocolates, sugary drinks, juices, syrups etc. When fruit is juiced or blended, as in smoothies, the sugars are released from the structure of the fruit. Once released, these sugars can damage teeth, especially if you drink fruit juice frequently.
  • Quit smoking – Smoking can stain your teeth yellow, cause bad breath, and increases your risk of gum disease, breathing problems, lung cancer and mouth cancer. Giving up smoking is important if you want to look and feel better.
  • Limit alcohol consumption – Alcohol misuse has been linked to an increased risk of developing mouth cancer. The most important risk factors for mouth cancers are the combined effect of smoking and drinking alcohol. (ref: oracancerfoundation.org)
  • Eat right – Some other substances such as wine, tea or coffee can stain your teeth. Keep them to a minimum to stop your teeth becoming stained.
  • Use mouthwash – Using a good mouthwash will not only keep your breath fresh, it can help keep harmful bacteria away.
  • Drink lots of water
  • Rinse your mouth after every meal.

Take care of your teeth and gums with proper daily routine of brushing and flossing.  If your diet has impacted your oral health with severe tooth decay or tooth loss, call us at Expressions Dental to know your treatment options.

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