Welcome! This new addition to our website is a continued effort to elevate dental awareness and to continue to inform and share information.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Q & A

Why is Brushing With Toothpaste Important?

Brushing with toothpaste is important for several reasons. First and foremost, a toothpaste and a correct brushing action work to remove plaque, a sticky, harmful film of bacteria that grows on your teeth that causes cavities, gum disease and eventual tooth loss if not controlled. Second, toothpaste contains fluoride, which makes the entire tooth structure more resistant to decay and promotes remineralization, which aids in repairing early decay before the damage can even be seen. Third, special ingredients in toothpaste help to clean and polish the teeth and remove stains over time. Fourth, toothpastes help freshen breath and leave your mouth with a clean feeling.

How Much Should I use?

Contrary to what toothpaste commercials show, the amount of paste or gel needed on your brush for effective cleaning does not have to be a heaping amount. Simply squeeze a pea- sized dab of past on the top half of your brush. If you brush correctly, holding the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and brush inside, outside and between your teeth, the paste should foam enough to cover all of your teeth. Children under the age of 6, however, should be given a very small, baby pea-sized dab of toothpaste on their brush.

Is brushing with toothpaste enough to fight cavities and gum disease?

NO!! Although brushing thoroughly after each meal helps, flossing your teeth every day to remove plaque and food particles between teeth and at the gum line is just as important. Studies show that plaque will regrow on teeth that are completely clean within three to four hours of brushing.

ref: Dentalnotes
www.knowyourteeth.com

Whiten Teeth While You Shop?

Recently, teeth whitening kiosks have popped up in shopping malls and warehouse stores. In some cases, you can even whiten your teeth while you tan in a tanning bed. They promise to give you whiter teeth cheaper and faster than you'd get at a dental office. However, they don't use dentists or other dental educated professionals to administer the procedure.

There are concerns taht these teeth whitening companies are performaning dentistry without a license and that the procedures could harm, and have harmed, recipients. In February 2008, state regulators in South Carolina closed a tooth whitening kiosk at a mall in Greenville for illegally operating without a license. Other states are looking at these companies closely, too.