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Oral Hygiene
Us Ballwin dentists know that healthy oral hygiene practices are very important for everyone in your family. Adult oral hygiene practices really aren’t that much different than hygiene practices for children. One of the main differences that many dentists have noticed is that young children seem to lack the fine motor skills that adults have to properly clean their teeth. They may also not have the patience and attention to details that are necessary to clean teeth properly. Another main difference is that children do not consume adult products - like alcohol, cigarettes, or coffee - that dentists say may be detrimental to good oral health.
Ballwin dentist Angelina Anisimova DDS provides you with some tips on maintaining good oral health practices below:
Clean Your Teeth Regularly at Home - The first and most important thing dentists tell their patients is that they need to keep up good oral hygiene at home by cleaning your teeth regularly. Regularly means at least twice a day, but preferably after every meal. Be careful not to brush too hard! We don’t want you to slowly remove your enamel over time. Once your enamel is gone, there is nothing a dentist can do to bring it all back.
Visit the Dentist Every 6 Months - The American Dental Association suggests most children and adults have their teeth professionally cleaned by a dentist or dental hygienist every 6 months. If you don't properly clean your teeth, bacteria builds up in your mouth - which can attack your teeth and gums resulting in cavities and gum disease.
Floss - Another very important oral hygiene practice that dentists tell their patients is to floss. You should floss your teeth every day. Regular flossing is a very important oral hygiene practice as it helps to prevent cavities and gum disease. There’s no fooling your dentist. Angelina Anisimova DDS can always tell if you floss regularly or not.
Drink Lots of Water - Drinking a lot of water is very beneficial for your oral hygiene and will make your visit to the dentist more pleasant. Just like when the dentist rinses your mouth after a cleaning, water rinses bacteria from your mouth and stimulates saliva. Regular saliva production can help rid your mouth of the bad bacteria that can cause cavities.
Cut Down on Carbohydrates - The foods you eat contribute to your oral and overall health. Eating a lot of carbohydrates can be bad for your teeth as they turn into sugar, especially if you do not brush twice a day like dentists recommend. This sugar produces bacteria and then acid. The acid attacks your teeth and gums and causes cavities and gum disease. Once your oral health has gotten to that point, you need to see a dentist before you don’t have any teeth left to be taken care of!
Eliminate Tobacco - Tobacco is terrible for your oral health. Smoking not only leaves you with smelly breath, but it is also linked to different dental diseases. Chewing tobacco is also very bad for your oral hygiene. Dentists have noticed that having a big wad of chewing tobacco constantly in your mouth can cause gum disease as well as lip, throat, and other cancers. The nicotine in chewing tobacco is even worse for you than the nicotine in cigarettes since it's not filtered. All dentists will tell you that tobacco is harmful to the appearance of your smile as well as your overall health.
Eat Healthy Foods - Eating healthy foods is essential for healthy teeth and gums as well as for overall health. Dentists will tell you that a balanced diet low in sugar and processed foods can help you feel better and maintain good oral hygiene. Some foods - like apples and celery - can even help to clean your teeth! But that doesn’t mean you can skip brushing or going to the dentist!
Clean Dentures and Retainers Correctly - It's just as important to properly clean your dentures and retainers as it is to clean your teeth. Use the dentist recommended cleaning solution and practices. Keeping dentures or retainers in your mouth without cleaning them correctly can severely damage your oral hygiene, and cause a myriad of dental problems. Improper care can result in a costly repair bill from the dentist! Being careful and conscientious when it comes to your oral health can really pay off.
While Angelina Anisimova DDS loves seeing her patients in Ballwin, if you follow all the steps above, you might only need to see us twice a year for cleanings!
If stuffing is on your menu for the next few holiday dinners, consider preparing it with apples, carrots, or celery. Not only will these keep your stuffing moist, which is softer for your teeth and needs less of your saliva to send through your digestive system, but they add vitamins and nutrients to support your health. Vitamins A and C support your immune system, saliva production, and digestion.
Happy Autumn from your Ballwin dentist team! As the weather changes and our schedules fill up with activities, it’s important to stay on top of your health and safety. Keeping a routine for your oral health, hydration, and safety will help your body run smoothly and minimize emergency dentist or doctor visits. Here are a few important reminders to stay on track and treat your body well this fall.
Acute tooth pain is centralized to a specific area for less than six months, and chronic tooth pain lasts longer. If you feel either, let’s identify and treat it immediately. Cavities can show up as a toothache. A decayed root canal can cause severe pain. Our experienced Ballwin dentist office team treats all tooth pain.
Our Ballwin dentist and the ADA agree that the recommended length of time to brush is for at least two minutes, twice a day. If this sounds like longer than your typical brushing session, consider buying an electric toothbrush that times you. You can also brush each quadrant for at least thirty seconds. Find a song you enjoy at least two minutes long, and play it when you brush your teeth. If the kids need some assistance, there are some great apps that can help them brush the full length of time.
Everyone can have a beautiful smile. After all, only a small percentage of people actually require little to no assistance with their smile. Teeth whitening procedures brighten smiles, braces straighten teeth, and cosmetic dentistry gives Ballwin dentist patients new smiles. A great smile significantly impacts your life. People look younger with a healthy smile, feel better about themselves, and have more confidence among their peers and co-workers.
Veneers are a wonderful solution when you experience the following with your smile: Stained or discolored teeth that don’t respond with normal teeth whitening services Gaps between teeth Chipped or fractured teeth Teeth that are uneven Aside from the above reasons, our Ballwin dentist can instruct you on how our veneers even out your smile and make it look great day after day.
Your smile is your own signature; the first thing people notice about you and a way for them to learn more about you. As the dentist Ballwin patients have trusted for their preventative dentistry and oral health needs, talk to us about your smile and teeth whitening procedures. Do you want whiter teeth? Is your smile as bright as it could be? What do you do to protect and maintain your smile? There are many things you may do on a daily basis that compromise your smile without you knowing. So, if you find yourself wishing for whiter teeth, schedule an appointment with our Ballwin dentist. You can also keep the following tips in mind:
The flu virus is contagious and spreads through coughs, saliva, and sneezes. Flu symptoms take a few days to appear once a person has contracted the flu virus. Various types of flu strains exist. The flu is most prevalent during the colder months of the year. Typically, the season runs from October to March, but it isn’t uncommon to get the flu in the summer months, too. The flu virus can live on hard surfaces for nearly 2 days. It can survive on clothing for 12 hours. When caring for yourself or a loved one who has the flu, wash your hands often. It is also important to keep surfaces and areas that are shared with others clean. Wipe down door handles and remote controls. Keep phones, computers, and tablets clean with microfiber towels and only use with clean hands. Be mindful when doing laundry to wash your hands after handling clothes carrying the virus.
One of the first ways to get started on your resolution is to just pick up the phone. Schedule a consultation with our Ballwin dentist. Talk with us about your smile and what you’d like to change. While basic dental insurance plans cover dental examinations and other preventative dentistry measures, you may be surprised to learn that certain restorative dental services are available to you, too. After calling our office, call your insurance provider. We work with your dental insurance companies on a daily basis to help you get your new smile.
The short answer is not so much due to the amount of sugar used to sweeten the pumpkin. However, with that in mind, there are some great benefits to our oral health found in pumpkins. Adding whipped cream to the top of your slice doesn’t help, but a little dollop used sparingly isn’t that awful, provided you brush and floss regularly. Brushing your teeth and flossing after eating sweets is essential to reducing your risk of cavities and tooth decay. We also recommend visiting your Ballwin dentist for regular checkups to ensure your smile is in good order.