Next time you reach for your tube of Crest, Colgate, or Arm & Hammer, send up a little thank you to the powers that be for your minty tube of wonders. As it turns out, our obsession with clean and healthy teeth is not anything new (though our methods are arguably MUCH better than past efforts…). Going all the way back to 5000BC, dental hygiene meant using some interesting and downright nasty methods to protect one’s pearly whites.

“Toothpaste” actually made its debut before the invention of the toothbrush. The Egyptians are responsible for the first recorded teeth cleaning substance, followed by the Ancient Greeks, Romans, and the Chinese. After taking a look at the ingredients involved in the early efforts, you’ll quickly realize that abrasion was the name of the game. Ancient people clearly understood that they needed to use a substance rough enough to get rid of the surface level undesirables that resulted in decaying teeth and horrible breath, but some of them might just make you scratch your head.

Drum roll please…

The Egyptians

First up, we have the Egyptians. The Egyptians created a special blend of ox hoof powder, burnt eggshells, and pumice which is a light and porous volcanic rock. Mm mm good! Although this mix often resulted in bleeding gums (we’re going to take a wild guess and blame that on the crushed rocks in their mouths), historians do say that their interesting methods were successful in comparison to some other attempts. Next up, the Greeks and Romans!

Greeks and Romans

The Greeks and Romans preferred to keep it calcium rich with their secret ingredient combo of crushed bones and oyster shells. They typically threw in some powdered charcoal and bark for good measure.

Chinese

The team here at Chauvin would like to give the “Most Likely Not to Spit Out” superlative to the the Chinese. They put together a showstopper with a mix of ginseng, herbal mints, and salts. At least this one doesn’t included cleaning your teeth with the remnants of other living creatures.

Modern-ish Methods

All we can say is that things didn’t look (or taste) too good until rather recently. The “modern” toothpastes began evolving towards the middle of the nineteenth century, but these were still not pastes in the sense that we understand today. The substances were typically powder-like and mixed with water upon use.

Potential ingredients:

• Soap
• Chalk
• Betel nut (seed of a type of palm tree)
• Ground charcoal
• Burnt bread

The world rejoiced in 1873 when Colgate released an inoffensively scented jar of toothpaste, and the innovations just kept rolling in.

1890s – tube introduced

1945  – soap eliminated from ingredient list

1950s – soap replaced with sodium lauryl sulphate to make the paste smooth

Since the 1950s, we’ve seen incredible product diversification in the toothpaste industry, so much so that you might just spend upwards of ten minutes just staring at the options on the supermarket shelves. Do I want sparkling white teeth? Breath freshening? Both? Baking soda formula? Extra strength cleaning? Kid friendly? All natural? Fluoride? Edible?

Well, the next time you’re standing in line feeling the anxiety of making this life changing toothpaste decision, just remember that you’re choosing between Maxfresh Mint and 3D whitening, not ox hoof and crushed bones.

That might just speed up your decision.

 

Have you ever woken up in the morning feeling pain in your jaw and the furthest thing from refreshed? These are signs that you could be suffering from bruxism, or chronic teeth grinding that can lead to serious dental issues if not addressed and treated correctly.

Teeth grinding is often thought to occur due to excessive stress levels, but that’s not the only trigger. Some common causes include:

• Stress or anxiety
• An abnormal bite
• Missing or crooked teeth

But you’ve probably never heard that grinding your teeth is a survival method.

When you sleep, your body goes through light and heavy cycles of consciousness. During the deepest parts of sleep, your body engages in processes to repair damage that results in you feeling refreshed the following day, but it also can result in some breathing issues. When you reach the deepest point of sleep, the entire body relaxes, including the heavy jaw which falls back towards the neck. Second, the tongue expands to almost twice its size, further inhibiting the airway. This is called “obstructive sleep apnea,” and the brain responds to this blockage by engaging the jaw to open the airways and to allow you to continue breathing.

The upside is that you can breathe. The downside is that you sleep terribly.

Though teeth grinding is life-saving in some circumstances, it does have negative effects such as:

• Dull headache after sleeping
• Tooth damage from wear (fractures, loosening, loss)
• TMD/TMJ complications
• Facial changes
• Severe pain
• Exhaustion due to never reaching deep sleep

In order to address teeth grinding, it’s important to visit your dentist to see if your bite or missing teeth can be corrected to avoid further grinding. If you do not have missing teeth or an incorrect bite, your grinding might be a result of non-dental problems related to a blocked airway which can be treated with mild lifestyle changes like losing weight or quitting smoking. More aggressive treatment includes visiting a doctor to inquire about Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). No matter the cause, teeth grinding is a problem that can lead to serious dental problems and should be addressed as soon as the symptoms persist.

No matter what, no one loves cracked, gapped, or stained teeth. That’s why many people turn to dental bonding and veneers to help fix these issues and gain confidence in their smiles.

But what are these procedures? And how do they help improve the look of damaged or imperfect teeth? And when should you choose one over the other?

Dental Bonding

Bonding is the process of applying a putty-like resin to the surface of the teeth to mask imperfections. This putty matches the color and texture of your natural teeth and is mainly used to fix minor issues like chips and stains.

Pros:

• Less expensive option: $200-$700 per tooth
• Fast procedure (one visit)
• No tooth preparation necessary

Cons:

• Can be stained by coffee, tea, and cigarettes
• Meant for minor changes, not entire smile

Veneers

Veneers are porcelain shells custom made to fit the fronts of teeth. First, a thin layer of enamel is removed from your teeth to prepare for the veneer, and then an image of the teeth is used to create a custom shaped veneer. They’re applied to the teeth with adhesive. Veneers are used to cover up gaps, crooked, and stained teeth.

Pros:

• Resist changes from coffee, tea, and cigarettes
• Look more like natural teeth than molding

Cons:

• More expensive than molding: $800-$2,000 per tooth
• More time consuming and labor intensive (three visits)

 

When you require major changes that will last for long periods of time, veneers are a viable option. For minor cosmetic changes on a smaller budget, dental bonding is a solution. Chauvin Dental has extensive experience with both procedures. Contact us for a consultation, and we’ll decide together which is the right option for your smile.

 

We’ve all had to bite that weird little piece of plastic and have a strange machine take pictures of our face. Although a bit unpleasant, dental x-rays are incredibly valuable, allowing the dentist to identify:

• Root canal or bone changes caused by infection
• Decayed areas of teeth that indicate cavities
• Bone loss associated with gum disease
• Abscesses
• Tooth decay beneath pre-existing fillings
• Developmental abnormalities
• Incoming wisdom teeth

They’re also used to ensure that a child has enough room for incoming adult teeth, and to help the dentist prepare for things like braces, implants, dentures, and other procedures. Being that they’re so useful – you may wonder how often you should have dental x-rays taken. The answer is entirely up to you.

Dental x-rays may need to be done as often as every six months, or as little as once every few years. There are a few factors that will determine how often you have them done. Each dentist will have their own policy, but to give you an idea of what to expect:

New adult patients to a dentist’s office will most likely have x-rays done to establish a baseline if they have a history of tooth decay. The dentist will need to see what work, if any, has been previously performed, as well as establishing current overall dental health. After that, x-rays will be taken every 6-12 months. If the adult has healthy teeth, with little to no history of tooth decay, x-rays will only be taken every 2-3 years.

When it comes to children without any permanent teeth, x-rays will need to be taken if all surfaces of their teeth cannot be probed or visualized. If decay is present, x-rays will be taken every 6 months until the decay is gone. If there’s no decay, x-rays are only needed every 1-2 years.

As their permanent teeth begin to erupt, a full series of x-rays will be taken to ensure that the teeth are coming in correctly, that the mouth has enough room for the adult teeth, and to keep an eye on the wisdom teeth. If there is decay, they will have 1-2 dental x-rays a year. If there’s no decay, then x-rays are only needed every 18-36 months.

In a nutshell, the healthier your teeth, the less necessary x-rays are, especially as an adult. Practice good oral hygiene, and you won’t need as many. Have more questions about dental x-rays? Contact Dr. Chauvin’s office.

Have you ever been laying in the dentist’s chair, maybe nervous or bored, and wondered why you aren’t being given nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas)? Short answer, it depends on the patient! Nitrous oxide is a form of sedation called “inhalation sedation.” Although it’s considered an ideal clinical sedative, there are some things to consider.

Who needs nitrous oxide?

Nitrous oxide is an odorless, colorless gas that eliminates pain and induces euphoria after breathing it in for about five minutes. There may be visual or auditory effects, as well as lightheadedness or “the giggles.” Once the gas is no longer being inhaled, it wears off in three to five minutes. It is often administered in the following cases:

• For long dental procedures to reduce stress, fatigue, and awareness of time
• To calm frightened children
• To ease the nerves of patients
• To control gagging

In these cases, the use of nitrous oxide makes the patient more at ease, which allows their jaw to relax. Know how your jaw tightens when you’re stressed? Imagine feeling that way at the dentist, and having to force your mouth to stay open for an extended period of time. It’s difficult for the patient and the dentist. Some dentists allow laughing gas on request, but keep in mind, if it’s not absolutely necessary, your insurance may not cover it. The cost of sedation will come directly from your own pocket.

Certain factors don’t allow for the use of nitrous oxide.

While nitrous oxide is a relatively safe and effective method of sedation, there are some cases where it should not be used. The gas is administered via a mask that fits over the nose, and the tubes that pump the gas into the nose hang down the sides of the head. If you can’t breathe through your nose (perhaps due to a cold, or you typically breathe through your mouth) then nitrous oxide cannot be administered. Claustrophobia can also prevent the use of nitrous oxide. A claustrophobic person may not be able to have something sitting on their face for an extended period of time. Patients that have obstructive pulmonary disease are also not good candidates for nitrous oxide, as they have a reduced ability to move gases in and out of the lungs. People with emphysema cannot use it either. Other conditions that prevent the use of nitrous oxide include multiple sclerosis, pregnancy, or psychiatric patients.

As with any other dental procedure, ask your dentist if you would like to use nitrous oxide. They can go over the benefits and risks with you, and determine whether you’re a good candidate. Call Dr. Chauvin’s office to set up an appointment today!