The Common Cold and Your Oral Health

 

   It's winter time again, and along with that much anticipated holiday cheer comes the inevitable cold and flu season. Children in the United States miss about 22 million days of school every year due to the common cold. The average child alone gets between 6-12 colds every year and are two to three times more likely to come down with the flu. Although children are most susceptible to the cold and flu they easily spread their aliments to their caregivers and schoolmates. When you are feeling down and out the last thing many people want to do is worry about their teeth.  However, a few key tips during those down and sick days can help lead you and your family to a speedy recovery without devastation to your oral cavity.

Stay Hydrated: Being made mostly of water, it is nature’s cure for a variety of conditions.  A stuffy and congested nose may cause you to breath through your mouth. Excessive mouth breathing can slow saliva production and make our mouths susceptible to harmful bacteria. Drinking water during a cold also thins mucus and prevents dehydration.  If your child refuses to drink try soups, sugar-free pop cycles or jello.

Use Sugar-free Cough Drops: Many cough syrups and cough drops contain excessive amounts of sugar to make them taste great.  If you are using sugary cough medicines make sure you rinse the residue off your teeth with water and brush before going to bed.  There are xylitol candies and nasal sprays that help fight cavities as well as alleviate sore throat and post nasal drip.

Minimize Sugar Intake:  Refined sugars such as fruit juices and white flour can depress your immune system, which weakens your body’s ability to fight infection on it’s own.

Don't Forget to Brush:  When we are sick we tend to take several naps throughout the day.  Although you are often more tired try to do not forget to before laying down.  Saliva production decreases whir you are sleeping, decreasing the bodies ability to cleanse itself.

Replace your Toothbrush:  Bacteria and viruses can live on your toothbrush for hours or even days on hard surfaces.  The last thing you want to do is reinfect yourself after just getting over an ailment.  Make sure you do not store your toothbrush next to your family members. This could lead to cross-contamination of the new toothbrush and further spread the illness.

Teething and Those Restless Nights

    Teething can be a difficult time for infants and their parents. You may find your baby drooling, chewing on toys or fingers, avoiding certain foods, and unusually cranky or irritable. No parent wants to see their child crying in pain.  
    Teething, however, is a natural part of life.  The greatest discomfort from teething pain occurs in the first 2-3 days that a tooth is erupting. The pain should start to decrease or subside at this time, that is until the next tooth begins to erupt.  
   Although 2-3 days is a short period of time, your baby has 20 teeth to erupt, which could lead to a lot of restless nights.  Luckily, parents have discovered home remedies that can provide your baby with some pain relief during this difficult time.  

• Massage their  Gums: With a clean finger gently massage their gums to help soften gum tissue. Be careful of surrounding teeth to avoid injuring your finger. Avoid medicines or alcohol on the gums, although it may provide temporary relief, your baby may end up swallowing an unsafe amount. 

• Introduce Hard Foods:  Gnawing and chewing can help ease teething pain.  Chunks of apple, carrots and frozen bagels or bananas can provide additional stimulation to sooth those sore gums. Be careful to ensure that no foods present a choking hazard for your child.

• Teething Aids: Many parents have told me their child does not care for teething rings.  An alternative could be soaking a clean washcloth in chamomile tea and placing it in the freezer for approximately 45 minutes until it's slightly crunchy yet soft. 

• Try Grandma's Method: Older generations would often rub clove oil, peeled ginger root or vanilla extract on their baby's gums.  Although this has not been proven by science, many infants have found great relief with this method. Try this on yourself to make sure the taste is tolerable.

• Teething Tablets:  Teething tablets such as Hyland's Tablets, can provide temporary relief by reducing redness and teething discomfort.  These all natural tablets can be found at your local drug store or pharmacy. 

• Pain Medication:  If you child is experiencing a great deal of pain an infant dose of Tylenol may be the only thing to provide your baby the relief they need to go to sleep.  Tylenol will help with fevers as well. Pain medication should only be given for a few days, if severe pain or fevers still persist for over a week in the same area please call your pediatrician or pediatric dentist. 

• When to Call the Doctor: If your baby has an extended duration of pain, has substantial swelling or discoloration of the gums, has drastically decreased their food and liquid intake or developed a fever greater than 101, please visit your child's pediatrician or visit our office to be examined by our pediatric dentist. 

Getting the Most Out of Your Whitening Procedure

   A sparkling white smile can be the key to a more youthful and vibrant appearance.  There are multiple methods out there, such as, in office, and at home whitening. When making a decision about bleaching treatments you need to consider your current level of tooth sensitivity,  budget, and desired results. After your bleaching treatment is complete it is important to follow at home instructions to avoid relapse. 

    Many patients feel frustrated when their whitening results do not last for the long haul.  However, the same habits that lead to tooth discoloration initially could cause a relapse once your whitening procedures are complete.  Try out tips and tricks for maintaining that healthy white smile.

• Avoid dark foods and drinks:  The first few weeks after your whitening procedure you teeth are more susceptible to picking up stain. Anything that can stain your shirt can also stain your teeth. Red wine, teas, dark sodas, dark juices and cigarettes can all seep into the newly opened tubules of your teeth and cause them to discolor rapidly.

• Eat teeth cleansing foods:  Teeth can be naturally cleansed by foods that are firm and crisp such as apples, carrots and celery.  When you cannot get to a toothbrush this is a great alternative

• Don’t forget to rinse: Water is nature’s great neutralizer.  After consuming dark substances rinse with water to cleaning your mouth of dyes and other food debris.

• Eat more strawberries: The malic acid contained in strawberries has natural properties that contribute to tooth whitening.

• Gargle with apple cider vinegar:  This can be done before brushing.  Vinegar is a natural cleansing agent that can help remove stains, kill bacteria and also whiten your teeth.

• Wear red: Red lipstick gives the appearance of a whiter smile by comparison. Avoid getting lipstick on your teeth after the first few days of treatment.

• Brush with baking soda:  In addition to normal brushing, using baking soda once a week can brush your teeth can help keep your teeth sparkling.  The abrasives in baking soda can help remove surface stain and maintain your pretty white smile. Make sure you do not swallow the baking soda or brush too harshly.

• Use your take home bleaching tray: Once any remaining tooth sensitivity from your in office treatment has disappeared you may use your take home bleaching trays.   Make sure to use this product as directed in order to avoid further tooth sensitivity. A calcium phosphate/sodium fluoride toothpaste such as Remin Pro may be recommended if sensitivity persists. 

• Attend regular check ups: Sometimes the plaque or build up on your teeth can harden and form tarter.  Additional debris on your teeth can be magnets for stain. Make sure that you attend your check up every six months to remove excess build up and evaluate your post whitening success.  Call our office today at (703) 499-9779 for your post whitening check-up!

Tips for a Healthy Smile This Thanksgiving

      Thanksgiving is a time to appreciate all of the blessings bestowed on you and your family.  Even in times of hardship one can always find something to be thankful for. Since it's creation Thanksgiving has been benchmarked with togetherness of friends and family, and also the consumption of good food.  Although this season is a time usually celebrated with an assortment of savory and sweet foods, your oral health does not need to suffer. Below are a few tips to follow on Turkey Day.

• Avoid constant grazing:  Constant nibbling throughout the day will cause the pH in your mouth to drop and gives a chance for bacteria to flourish.  Frequent grazing will not allow your saliva to naturally cleanse your mouth and raise your pH back to healthy levels.
•   Drink water with your meal: Drinking water and rinsing will allow for cleansing of food particles that may remain in your teeth until brushing at night. It may also raise the pH in your mouth to more healthy levels.
•   Avoid dark colored foods: If you have been bleaching your teeth your teeth may be more susceptible to uptake of stain from dark colored foods and drinks. Our favorite dishes such as cranberry sauce may be mighty sweet and can also stain you teeth. 
•  Avoid sticky foods: Sticky foods such as nuts, raisins, and pies can remain in the grooves of your teeth. If you have to get a taste make sure you rinse or brush afterward.
•   Bring a toothbrush:  If you are traveling this holiday season you may want to pack a toothbrush and floss with you to your final destination. After all with all of that food who knows when you will feel a nap coming on.

What is With this Bad Breath?

     For those of you who have felt the embarrassment of halitosis (bad breath), you know that it is something that it can alter the way you speak, affect your self-confidence and even affect your relationships.  While every individual is different,  there are several major causes of halitosis that affect most people.  Gums and mints may temporally mask the issue, however if these underlying conditions still remain your breath will soon return to it’s original state.

• Remove bacteria off of your tongue:  If you stick out your tongue and look in the mirror you may find a whitish film that contains plaque and bacteria that is stuck in the grooves of your tongue.  Scraping your tongue with a professional tongue scraper twice a day can drastically decrease the levels of these odor-causing bacteria. 
• Watch what you eat: Foods such as onions and garlic can also contribute to bad breath.  Even after brushing these foods get into your digestive track and can release odors all over your body.  A natural remedy is integrating parsley into your meal, every time you consume one of these items.
• Improve Oral hygiene:  Bacteria can also grow all over your teeth and other oral tissues.  Food stuck in between your teeth can remain throughout the day and rot overnight if not flossed out.   Make sure to brush at least twice a day for two minutes and floss at night.  An oral rinse may also help decrease the bacterial load in your mouth. Those containing Chlorine Dioxide can help eliminating bad breath by attacking the sulfur compounds that exacerbate bad breath.
• Drink plenty of water:  A medical condition known as “xerostomia” or dry mouth can cause plaque and food particles to further stick to your oral surfaces.  The saliva is a natural cleanser of the mouth. Decreased saliva can alter your ability to fight cavities and may contribute to your bad breath. 
• Avoid Crash Dieting: There are chemicals in our bodies called “ketones” which are made by the breakdown of fat that release an odor with each breath.  Crash dieting increases the amount of ketones your body produces.
• Treat Medical conditions: Diabetes, Ketosis, and acid reflux are common causes of bad breath. Please be sure to visit your physician if you have any of these conditions and persistent malodor. Some medications such as antidepressants, asthma medications, blood pressure treatments, diuretics and antihistamines may cause dry mouth, decreasing natural cleansability.
• Stop Smoking: Stoping the smoking habit is the only cure.  Smoking can also caue gum disease which can further lead to bad breath.
• Treat Tooth Decay: Untreated decay not only cause an order from the rotting or dying tooth, but also these holes can be food traps as well.  Once food gets stuck in a cavity normal brushing may not remove the debris.  Visit our office today to find out if your cavities are contributing to your bad breath.

... But My Child Does Not Like To Brush

     Atleast once a week I have a parent tell me that their child "will not let me brush their teeth."  At the end of a busy work day, the last thing parents may want to do is fight with their child to get them to brush their teeth. Although it’s frustrating now, instilling your child with good oral health care habits can help prevent a lifetime of dental problems. Every child is different and it make some trial and error before you finally get your child to get excited about or atleast tolerate brushing. Here is a list of ideas that other parents have given us over the years and we hope that it will help your family.

• Tell them a story:  Children have wild imaginations. A story of the monstrous “sugar bugs” that will take over their teeth may just give them the much needed motivation to brush those bad bugs out.  You can even say “Wait, open a little bigger, I think I see the bug right there.” Also words like stinky, gross, yucky, and icky can sometimes provide that extra incentive to keep their mouth clean. 
• Monkey-see, Monkey do:  Often brushing at the same time as your child or having a child brush with an older sibling make model what behavior is expected.
• Make it a routine: Try to make brushing the same time everyday such as right after the PJs come on or after a bath.
• Sing Songs: Create a silly family song or rhyme about brushing your teeth such as "Brush your teeth everyday to keep the cavity bugs away." 
• Change Location:  If your child enjoys taking a bath, and will allow you wash those hard to reach areas without incident, you may try brushing in the tub as well. You can occupy them with toys or incorporate their bath toys into brushing. 
• Savor the Flavor: Let your child pick out their favorite flavor toothpaste. Remember if your child cannot spit that only a smear of fluoride toothpaste can be used.  Utilize training toothpaste for children under 2.
• Show and tell: Use a disclosing solution such as Listerine Agent Cool Blue. This will stain the plaque and show your child the areas that the sugar bugs are hiding.
• Give them praise: Always remember to tell your child that they did a good job.  Many children want to feel independent and will not want you to brush behind them to get the spots they miss. Telling them that they have done a good job, with instructions on how to do better next time may cause them to be less defensive.
• Let them brush your teeth: For independent children who want to do it all on their own may be more inclined to help you assist them if they assist you.

     We generally do not recommend that children brush their teeth alone until the age of 7, until their have fully grasped to concept of cleansing all surfaces. Flossing should also be integrated once the back teeth are touching each other. Please visit our office for further tips and tricks and an evaluation of how your home brushing routine is working so far.

When to Replace Your Denture

    A well made denture can become a part of you just like a hairstyle or pair of eyeglasses.  But just like eyeglasses your dentures need to be properly cared for, and sometimes rejuvenated or replaced due to normal wear and tear.   If your denture falls out when you are speaking or laughing, that is indeed no laughing matter. Our smile is a representation of who we are and an ill-fitting denture can be the source of major embarrassment or even medical complications. On average, most dentures are replaced every 3-8 years. A number of factors such as wear and deterioration of the denture materials, and changes that occur in the denture wearer's jaw may affect its longevity.

Problem Denture Signs and Symptoms

•          It's moving: The underlying structures supporting your denture as well as the rest of your mouth will change naturally with age.   Bone and gum tissues can recede which causes the jaws to align differently, which unfortunately changes the secure fit of your dentures.
•        Sore and irritated tissues:  The acrylic from an ill-fitting denture constantly rubbing against your oral tissues can cause sore spots, which may become infected over time.  Persistent oral lesions can cause cellular changes, which could even possibly lead to oral cancer.  If you have a sore spot please make an appointment in our office as soon as possible.
•       Supporting teeth have become damaged, cracked or have fallen out:  Often times a partial denture is  supported by the surrounding teeth to make it more stable.  The loss or damaged to an anchor tooth can cause the denture to be less stable and can cause additional forces to surrounding support structures.
•       Denture has discolored or has an odor: A denture may become porous from harsh cleaning products and may become traps for plaque and bacteria.  Dentures should be cleansed daily just like natural teeth to remove food particles, and bacteria.  Dentures must be kept moist to keep from drying out. Be careful of extremely hot water can also warp your denture.
•       You seldom wear your denture:  Teeth may drift and shift overtime.  Inconsistent wear may result in a tooth shift that may change the way that your denture fits and your teeth align.
•       Problems chewing certain foods, indigestion:    Normal eating involves mixing food thoroughly with saliva, and breaking it down into smaller particles. If your food is not chewed well, the hydrochloric acid (used by the stomach for protein digestion) and digestive enzymes from the intestines and pancreas cannot reach the inner parts of the nutrients, and these will be lost. The bacteria in the intestines will readily take over and finish the process, producing as a result excessive gas, bloating and other digestive complications. 
•       Headaches, neck or ear pain: This may be caused by neuromuscular issues that predominately takes place in what is known as the “TMJ” area.  These symptoms may also be caused by the surrounding teeth or oral structures surrounding the denture. Please consult our office if you have these symptoms.    
•       Denture Tooth Wear:  Grinding can take place day or night, which may have serious consequences for your oral health. Dentures should be removed at night to be cleansed and allow a chance for your oral tissues to rest.  If you wear your denture at night and also grind your teeth you may be grinding your denture as well. Excessive force may even cause microcracks in the denture, which may be a trap for bacteria.
•       Accidents and breakage: Dropping, stepping on or causing damage to the denture may lead to chips or cracks in the acrylic even if it is still mostly in tact.

      If you live in or around Woodbridge and are have any of these symptoms please contact our office to answer any of your questions or schedule an appointment to find out if you are in need of a new denture.