West Maitland Dentistry Blog

Everyone wants a bright beautiful smile which is why a good oral hygiene routine is so important!  Poor oral hygiene can lead to dental and medical problems such as gum disease, bad breath, bone loss, infections and heart disease.  You can prevent these issues with regular cleanings and exams and good oral hygiene habits.

These are 10 tips that Dr. Dhaliwal recommends to promote better oral hygiene.

One: Floss More for Better Oral Hygiene

When flossing make sure to use a piece of floss about 18 inches long.  Wrap the floss tightly between your middle fingers of each hand.  Gently guide it in-between your teeth.  When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a C and wrap it around each tooth.   Gently rub it up and down.  Switch to the adjacent tooth and wrap it around the tooth in a C shape again.  Gently lift the floss out of the contact and repeat for each tooth.  Don’t forget to floss each end of the tooth even if it doesn’t have an adjacent tooth next to it.

Two: Brush Properly

When you brush place your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle against your gum.  Start at your gums and move the toothbrush gently back and forth in short, tooth wide strokes.  Make sure you get every surface of the tooth.  Replace your toothbrush every 3 months or when the bristles start splaying.

Three: Don’t Forget the Tongue

Plaque can accumulate on your tongue causing bad breath.  This plaque can easily be removed with a tongue scraper or with a tooth brush.  If the plaque is difficult to remove consult your dentist.

Four: Drink More Water

Fluoridated water can decrease cavities.  Drink water with meals or after eating and drinking sweet treats to help wash away the sugar.  Sipping water throughout the day can also help prevent cavities in patients with dry mouth.

Five: Use Mouthwash After Brushing and Flossing

An antimicrobial mouthwash can help decrease the bacteria in your mouth.  Mouth rinses with fluoride can also help decrease your chances of decay.  Mouth wash may not be recommended in children under six due to their inability to spit properly.

Six: Don’t Go to Bed Without Brushing Your Teeth

Whatever you eat or drink will stay on your teeth for hours if you don’t brush before bed.  Brushing and flossing before bed allows for hours of a clean mouth and leads to improved oral hygiene.

Seven: Use a Fluoride Toothpaste

A fluoride toothpaste will help remineralize teeth and decrease the chances of cavities.  There are many toothpastes on the market so discuss with your dentist which one is right for you.

Eight: Do Not Use Tobacco Products

Tobacco products can accelerate bone loss, cause bad breath and can lead to oral cancer.  Smokeless tobacco can change the composition of your tissue and can lead to oral cancer as well.  Visit https://smokefree.gov/ if you need help quitting.

Nine: Use a Straw

Sugary drinks can cause cavities.  Dark drinks can cause staining.  Use a straw to decrease the contact between the drinks you consume and your teeth.  This will improve your oral hygiene by decreasing the chance for cavities and staining.

Ten: Visit Your Dentist on a Regular Basis

It is important to get your teeth cleaned at least every 6 months.  Even if you have no natural teeth or have dentures be sure to visit your dentist regularly.  The dentist not only checks your teeth and gums for any diseases but performs important exams on all the other tissues of your mouth such as oral cancer screenings.

Within six months of when your child gets their first baby tooth, or by the time they are one year old, bring them to West Maitland Dentistry for a checkup. Read our blog post to learn what to expect at their first dental visit!

At West Maitland Dentistry, we celebrate National Children’s Health Month by sharing knowledge about a common problem that most new parents don’t even realize!  Baby bottle tooth decay is a totally preventable disease, so this week we’re highlighting what it is and what actions you can implement to prevent it!

What is Baby Bottle Tooth Decay and How Does it Happen?

Baby bottle tooth decay occurs when an infant or young child get cavities.  These cavities are usually found in the upper teeth can occur anywhere in the mouth.  This decay occurs when the child drinks liquids over a long period of time.  Most drinks have sugars in them, whether natural like those in milk, or artificially found like in juices and sodas.  When a child drinks through a bottle over a long period of time these sugars rest on the child’s tooth.  Bacteria in the mouth digest these sugars and then excrete acid.  The acid secreted than causes the teeth to decay, eventually becoming cavities.

Who is Most Likely to Get Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

• When infants drink milk, juices or sodas during naps or bedtime they become more susceptible since the sugars remain on their teeth.  Also when we sleep our saliva rates decrease making it harder for those sugars to be rinsed off the teeth.
• Babies using pacifiers dipped in sugar or syrup are also susceptible to this disease.
• Children who don’t have adequate fluoride in their diet are more likely to get baby bottle tooth decay.
• Finally, when a parent shares saliva with their baby, the bacteria from their saliva gets transferred to their baby, making it easier for the baby to get cavities.

How to Prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

The good news is that baby bottle tooth decay is totally preventable!  Here are some easy tips to prevent your child from getting cavities:

• Don’t leave your child with a bottle during naps or bedtimes.
• Have your infant finish their bottles before bedtime.
• Avoid sugary drinks in their bottles, like juice and sodas.  Stick to milk, breast milk or formula when giving your child a bottle.
• Start your child in the habit brushing by cleaning their gums with a wet washcloth to wipe down excess milk after each feeding.
• Brush baby teeth after each night time meal.  Brush with a small smear of toothpaste (think the size of a rice grain) until the age of 3, from 3 to 6/7 use a small pea-sized amount.  Supervise your child to make sure they don’t swallow excess fluoride.
• Test well water to ensure your child is getting adequate fluoride in their diet.
• Do not dip your child’s pacifier in any sugar, honey or sugary substances before giving it to them.
• Do not clean your child’s pacifier by using your own mouth.
•  spoons with your child, even if testing their food, use a separate utensil.
• Encourage your child to drink out of a cup by their first birthday.

We recommend bringing your child to their dentist after the appearance of their first tooth.   Schedule your appointment with Dr. Dhaliwal to discuss any questions you have about your child’s oral health.  Remember that early healthy habits lead to lifelong healthy teeth!