Tag Archives: preventative dentistry

Father and child practicing good home dental habits brushing teeth

Best Home Dental Habits

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Everyone knows that the key to a healthy mouth is a daily routine of brushing and flossing. You should also visit your local dentist in downtown Los Angeles for regular checkups and deep cleanings to ensure that there are no serious dental problems building up in secret. But on most days, you should engage with the best home dental habits to keep oral health issues at bay.

Best Home Dental Habits

Let’s review some of our favorite at-home dental habits that can keep you on the path to good oral hygiene for the rest of your life. As some of the most common medical issues around the world, tooth infections and cavities only get worse over time if you don’t properly treat them. Here are some steps you can take at home to make sure your teeth never get that bad!

Brush – and Don’t Forget to Floss

The core part of your daily routine includes brushing your teeth, but the maintenance shouldn’t stop there. It is also important to floss to get rid of plaque and tartar that may have built up in between your teeth. These are tight and hard-to-reach spaces that the toothbrush can’t reach. And according to the ADA and the CDC, you should floss your teeth once per day to prevent a buildup of bacteria.

Invest in Mouthwash

Still looking for that extra bit of cleanliness after you have brushed and flossed? There’s one more thing you can do on the regular: Use mouthwash! This is a good way to flush out those extra bits of bacteria that might not have gone away with the brush. Additionally, mouthwash can keep other dental issues like gingivitis and even hard plaque at bay.

Use More Fluoride

There are a lot of reasons why toothpaste and mouthwash products can effectively clean your teeth, but the biggest reason is fluoride. This chemical is very good for your teeth as it helps to kill bacteria while washing away any other unsavory particles. It is essential that you invest in tooth-cleaning products that contain fluoride. In fact, products without fluoride cannot protect you against cavities. If you are actively looking for ways to keep your teeth clean at home, you must get your hands on some products that contain fluoride.

Try to Stop Smoking

Nobody is at fault for forming a bad habit. A lot of people smoke, and it’s the effort to stop smoking that can really make a difference. Over time, tobacco and nicotine can inhibit your body’s immune system and make it more difficult for you to recover from dental maladies. If you have to get dental treatment, recovery from the procedure could be a lot slower as well.

Visit Your Dentist Regularly!

Maintaining your dental health at home is vital to your overall health. You should also check in with your local experts at least every 6 months for a full examination. A certified dental hygienist can clean your teeth and perform x-rays to get a deeper look at what’s going on underneath the surface. If there are any issues such as cavities or plaque, they will be resolved right away. We recommend visiting your dentist twice a year, but you may need to visit more, depending on your individual needs.

Practice the Best Home Dental Habits Every Day

The best way to prevent dental maladies is to protect your teeth as best as you can. This includes a daily routine of brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash that contains enough fluoride to combat bacteria and waste. It is also a good idea to visit your dentist every few months for a checkup and additional treatment if needed. Learn more about preventative dentistry in Los Angeles when you get in touch with our pros at Samaritan Dental Arts today!

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Busting Myths About Cavities

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Even in our adult lives, cavities still remain a mystery to some of us. Cavities happen over time and are not often noticeable, so being aware of how they can form and how to take care of them is essential to our dental health. The more you understand your mouth, the more precaution you can take in your everyday life. Below are some common myths about cavities and the truths that lie behind them.

For more information on preventing cavities and receiving dental crowns, contact Samaritan Dental today!

Myth: Sugar is the cause of all cavities.

Truth: While sugar is a big culprit of cavities, it isn’t the cause of all cavities. Starches, for example, are a huge bacteria stimulator that erodes away at the enamel. It’s important to know the workings behind a cavity: they’re caused by bacteria that have a high acidic pH. When the mouth is particularly acidic, which may be caused by sugary food, candy, soda, starches like bread or pasta, etc, the bacteria or biofilm that covers our teeth, turns acidic and starts to destroy the enamel — otherwise known as tooth decay.

Myth: I’ll know when I have a cavity because I’ll feel it.

Truth: When thinking of myths about cavities, it can be easy to go by feel. Most of the time, we have no idea we have cavities at all. Cavities don’t actually hurt unless the decay becomes really bad. However, it’s important to not let it get to this point, as by now it may have caused some serious issues that will cost more or take longer to repair. It’s important to stay up-to-date with regular check-ups to avoid this from happening.

Myth: Brushing & Flossing will fight the decay away.

Truth: While brushing and flossing help keep teeth clean and ward off a good amount of bad bacteria, it doesn’t actually remove all the plaque. Plaque that hangs around eventually calcifies and become tartar, which can only be removed with special dental tools. This is why it’s important to visit the dentist at least twice a year for regular dental cleaning.

Myth: Fluoride will stop the decay.

Truth: Using fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash does help manage tooth decay, but it won’t completely keep plaque at bay or cure cavities that are already there. Overall, fluoride works to reduce the amount of acid produced by bacteria and therefore strengthens enamel because it’s being exposed to less of this acid. However, some people are staying clear of fluoride as it can cause a slew of other health issues, including: “skeletal fluorosis, arthritis, compromised kidney and thyroid health, and female puberty acceleration.” (link) While some fluoride use is natural and healthy for teeth, at the end of the day, use your best judgment and consult with a professional dentist on whether or not fluoride products are right for you.

Myth: Regular snacking prevents cavities.

Truth: One myth that has gained popularity is that snacking frequently will prevent cavities. The thought behind this is that snacking will produce saliva, and saliva, which is full of minerals that aid in protecting enamel, will help keep teeth healthy and cavity-free. Unfortunately, this myth has one problem: it forgets the part about the food you’re eating. Adding sugars and starches to your mouth regularly actually increases the production of acid and is therefore detrimental to teeth enamel. Your teeth need time to recover between eating, so, if you must snack, try to do it in moderation with plenty of time in between.

Myth: The mercury in fillings is dangerous.

Truth: There’s a lot of talk about the mercury used in fillings — is it safe? Will I be paying for this later on in life? The dangerous mercury we’re thinking of is not the same as the one used in our teeth. Our tooth fillings contain a small amount of mercury, but also other materials like zinc, copper, etc. This substance is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is absolutely safe for anyone over 6 years old.

Cavity Fillings in Downtown Los Angeles

At the end of the day, if you have any cavity concerns, it’s best to get your answers straight from the source: a professional dentist. Give Samaritan Dental a call to have other myths about cavities, put to bed.