Oral Conditions

Bad Breath

Halitosis: Do you have bad breath, or suspect that you do? Our discussion about halitosis will describe how to accurately test your breath, yourself. It will also explain how and why the most common cause of bad breath is bacteria. Read further and you'll discover where these bacteria live, how to effectively clean them away, and learn about specialty products made to help cure halitosis such as tongue scrapers and mouthwashes.

More...

Cold Sores

Fever Blisters: Outbreaks of cold sores can be both painful and unsightly. Read about how the herpes simplex virus causes cold sores and what triggers cold sore outbreaks. Learn how to identify cold sore lesions and what home remedies, over-the-counter products, and prescription medications can be used to help control them.

More...

Canker Sores

Aphthous Ulcers: Outbreaks of canker sores can range from being mildly annoying to so painful that they can cause you to limit mouth movements. Read about what triggers canker sore outbreaks and how to identify canker sore mouth ulcers. Learn about remedies for canker sores, including over-the-counter and prescription medications.

More...

Tooth Decay

Dental Cavities: The formation of tooth decay ("cavities") can be a significant problem some individuals, either as children or adults. If this is true for you, don't give up hope. Let us explain to you how tooth decay can, to a very great degree, be prevented if you just understand and practice a very few basic concepts.

More...

 

5 Tips for Better Smile

1. Take a little extra time to give your teeth the care they deserve.

Did you know that it takes two to three minutes to adequately brush your teeth but that most people spend less than 30 seconds brushing ? Why is brushing this long so important ? It all has to do with bacteria. Millions of bacteria live, work, and play in our mouths. They feed on food left on our teeth after we eat. Acid is a by-product of this bacterial feasting. It is this acid which destroys enamel creating cavities. Brushing removes bacteria from our teeth so they can no longer make acid. It is important, however, to remove bacteria from all tooth surfaces. This takes two to three minutes.

2. Do a little flossing. It just might save your teeth.

O.K. so you've heard that you need to floss at least once a day. But has anyone ever told you why. You see it all has to do with bacteria again. These crafty critters like to hide between teeth to escape the wrath of the toothbrush. Here they continue to feed on food spewing out cavity causing acid. Worst yet - if allowed to remain for a long time, these bacteria invade and destroy gum tissue as well as the bones and ligaments which support teeth. Flossing removes these bacteria from between teeth so they can no longer cause problems.

3. Its not just the candy that is dangerous to your smile.

Did you know that many foods other than candy promote tooth decay ? Bacteria feed on the sugar of candy creating cavity causing acid. Bacteria, however. not only use candy to create acid but can also use any food which contains sugars and other carbohydrates. This includes fruits, peanut butter, crackers, potato chips, popcorn, and others.

Especially harmful can be foods like raisins and peanut butter that stick to teeth where they provide a constant source of energy for bacteria.

What can you do to protect yourself ? Brushing well after meals helps by removing both the bacteria and the left over food particles which the bacteria feast on. If you can not brush, try washing food down with liquids ensuring that less food remains on teeth. Chewing sugarless gum also helps because this stimulates saliva flow. Saliva acts as a natural plaque fighting substance.

4. Stop brushing so hard.

Incredibly, nearly two out of three people damage their own teeth by brushing too hard ! It takes very little pressure to remove bacteria, food, and plaque. Unfortunately, most people apply three to four times the necessary brushing pressure causing damage to teeth and gums. This damage includes: receding gums, sensitive teeth, notched teeth, and root cavities.

5. Reduce your dependency on coffee.

Believe it or not, coffee is one of the most dangerous threats to your smile. Coffee stains teeth destroying your naturally white smile. Worst yet, because most people sip coffee throughout the day, bacteria are provided with a constant source of sugar from which to produce cavity causing acid. If that wasn't bad enough, coffee can cause small fractures in teeth called crazes. These occur when the teeth are forced to expand and contract as a result of being exposed to hot foods or liquids. These hot and cold cycles occur when we drink hot coffee. Over a prolonged period of time, this will create crazes in the teeth.

Advice for Beautiful Smile

Brush your teeth after every meal and before going to sleep. Remember, if you want to clean your teeth well you need only a small amount of toothpaste and a lot of brushing, at least two minutes.

• You should brush your teeth at least ten times on each side, rotating the brush in your hand from the pink (gum) to the white (tooth).
• If your wear a fixed appliance, don't eat sticky foods like toffee or chewing-gum. Always cut hard food like carrots, apples, and celery into little pieces so you won't break your appliance.
• Change your toothbrush frequently, at least every two months.
• Take out your appliance whenever you play sports, and put it in the box.
• Wear your appliance for the amount of recommended time: You'll be finished sooner.
• If your appliance breaks or bother you, call your orthodontist for an appointment immediately and bring the broken parts with you.
• Remember that your orthodontist and your parents can help you have a beautiful smile, but you're on the same team. Try hard to follow their advice and you'll come out a winner.

Brushing Teeth

Proper brushing helps minimize the risk of tooth decay and gum disease, the major causes of tooth loss. Use a soft-bristle brush and an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque and food particles. Replace your brush every three months.

On outer and inner surfaces, brush at a 45-degree angle in short, half-tooth-wide strokes against the gumline.

On chewing surfaces, hold the brush flat and brush back and forth

On inside surfaces of front teeth, tilt brush vertically and use gentle up and down strokes with toe of brush.

Brush the tongue in a back-to-front sweeping motion to remove food particles and freshen your mouth.

Flossing Teeth

lossing daily removes plaque and food particles between teeth and below the gumline. 

Wrap an 18-inch strand around your middle fingers and hold a one-inch section tightly.

Ease floss between teeth. Clean up and down several times while curving around teeth at the gumline.

Always floss behind the last tooth. Unwind clean floss as you proceed.

Floss around the abutment teeth of a bridge and under artificial teeth using a floss threader.

You may experience sore or bleeding gums for the first several days you floss. If bleeding continues after the first week of flossing, call your dental professional. If you have trouble handling floss, ask your dentist about the use of a floss holder, or other types of interdental cleaning aids.

Dental Dictionary

Patient's Dental Dictionary (PDD)

The PDD is designed to provide you with explanations of common dental related terms, procedures and surgery.

-A-
Amalgam - an alloy of mercury, silver, tin, etc. used in dental restorations. 
Apicoectomies - amputation of the tip or end of the root end of a tooth to treat an infection.

-B- 
Bonding - adhering a tooth colored substance to repair and/or change the color or shape of a tooth
Bridges - a fixed partial denture which is a prosthetic replacement of one or more missing teeth cemented or attached to abutment teeth or implants adjacent to the space; removable partial denture is a prosthetic replacement of one or more missing teeth on a framework that can be removed by the patient.

-C- 
Crown - the portion of the tooth covered by enamel. Also a type of restoration that covers all or most of the natural tooth.

-D- 
Dental Implants - A manufactured material placed in or on the jawbone to aid in replacing missing teeth. 
Dentures - an artificial set of teeth that is removable.

-E- 
Endodontist - a specialist who performs root canal and treats diseases and infections of the pulp.
Extractions - removal of teeth

-F- 
Fillings - restoring of lost tooth structure by using materials such as: metal, alloy, cement, porcelain or synthetics.
Frenectomies - removal of the frenum ( the thin cord of tissue that attaches the upper or lower lips to the gum or the tongue to the floor of the mouth

-G-
General Anesthesia - a controlled state of unconsciousness, accompanied by a partial or complete loss of pain sensation, protective reflexes, including loss of ability to independently maintain airway and respond purposefully to physical stimulation or verbal command.
General Dentist - A general practitioner of dentistry Gingivitis - inflammation of gum tissue

-I-
Impacted Tooth - an unerupted or partially erupted tooth that is positioned against another tooth, bone, or soft tissue so that complete eruption is unlikely.
Inlays - a cemented type of restoration which is made to fit an internal/external preparation resulting from the loss of healthy tooth structure.
Incision and Drainage - making an incision in an abscess to drain out the puss.

-L-
Local Anesthesia - elimination of the sensation of pain, in one part of the body by the topical application or regional injection of an anesthetic drug.

-O-
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon - a specialist who deals with the diagnosis & treatment of diseases, injuries, and deformities of the mouth and supporting structures

-P-
Periodontist - a specialist who treats the gums and supporting structures of the teeth.
Plaque - a soft sticky substance that accumulates on teeth composed largely of bacteria and salivary substance.
Porcelain Crowns - a porcelain cap which covers the crown of the tooth to repair it or change the shape and/or color.
Porcelain Veneers - A thin layer of porcelain adhered to a surface of a tooth to repair or change the color and/or shape.
Prosthodontist - a dentist who specializes in the restoration of teeth, replacement of missing teeth and maintaining proper occlusion.

-R-
Root Canal - removal of the pulp of a tooth and filling with an inert material.
Root Resections - removal of a root of a tooth while retaining the crown.

-S-
Sleep Apnea - a disorder which is potentially fatal in which a person who is asleep may stop breathing multiple times for more than 10 seconds.

-T-
Tartar - also called calculus. A hard deposit containing bacteria which adheres to teeth.
TMJ Disorder - A disease process of the jaw joint and or its muscles.
Tooth whitening - a process to lighten the color of teeth.

Links to Dental Hygiene

ADA Kids
Here you'll find games, information sheets, and answers to many questions you might have about your oral health.
ADA Oral Health Topics
Find information on an oral health topic related to you and your family's oral health care in our A-Z topic listing. Also, get answers to frequently asked questions about resolving complaints or disputes, cleaning teeth and gums, gum disease, dental insurance, and much more.