White Strips vs. Professional Whitening Treatments - chauvin dental lafayette la

White Strips vs. Professional Whitening Treatments

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A bright, white smile is a coveted asset that we associate with youth and attractiveness. Unfortunately, our smiles dull over time. If you’re unhappy with the appearance and color of your teeth, you might be weighing your teeth whitening options.

Should you try white strips from the supermarket? Or perhaps, you’re considering a visit to your Lafayette, LA dentist for professional teeth whitening treatments.

Following is some helpful information to help you evaluate your smile-brightening options.

Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening Products

Visit your nearest large pharmacy or supermarket and you will find a multitude of whitening products in the oral care aisle. These abundant options might be overwhelming as each product offers different pros and cons.

White Strips

White strips are some of the most commonly known over-the-counter whitening products. You have probably seen them advertised on television and in magazines. Teeth whitening strips are made by a variety of manufacturers. They are thin, pliable strips of a gel-like formula that contain hydrogen peroxide (a lightening agent). Placed over teeth in a sticker-like fashion, they are worn for about 30 minutes or so—depending on the manufacturer’s instructions.

It is important to use teeth whitening strips exactly as directed. The ingredients in these formulas can irritate soft oral tissue like the gingiva and linings of the lips. Moreover, overusing or misusing whitening strips can cause tooth sensitivity.

Whitening Toothpaste

Whitening toothpastes clutter the oral care aisles. Many make bold claims but the truth is that most whitening toothpastes only have potent enough formulas to lift a shade or two of surface stains. Overusing whitening toothpastes can lead to permanent tooth sensitivity as many of their formulas contain abrasives. These abrasives are helpful for removing surface stains but if they are used for longer than directed or if a person brushes too vigorously, it could lead to erosion of tooth enamel.

Teeth Whitening Rinses

Teeth whitening rinses are another popular over the counter treatment option. These formulas contain low levels of bleaching ingredients. Like other store bought products, they should be used exactly as directed. Unfortunately, these teeth whitening rinses purchased from supermarkets aren’t very effective. Their formulas do not contain concentrations of bleaching ingredients capable of lightening deep, permanent stains. While these products are easy to use, their lack of results can be disappointing.

Professional Whitening Treatments

Over the counter whitening products can’t compare to the beautiful results of professional whitening systems from your dentist. This is because professional teeth whitening treatments utilize prescription grade formulas. These formulas contain potent yet gentle ingredients that effectively brighten teeth beneath their enamel surface.

Our Lafayette, LA dentist offers two professional whitening options. The first option, an in-office whitening treatment lasts about an hour. After placing protective gauze and liquid dam over soft oral tissue, our cosmetic dentist will then apply the prescription bleaching solution to the outer surfaces of teeth. More whitening solution is applied every 15 minutes in thin layers. The entire process is quick and comfortable. Shade indicators will be used before and after treatment to determine how many shades teeth have lightened. Many people can expect their teeth to lighten about eight shades brighter. If tooth sensitivity occurs with in-office whitening, it should subside in a few days.

In addition to in-office whitening, our practice offers take-home whitening kits. These kits are ideal for patients who want to maintain the results of their in-office treatment or for those who have sensitive teeth. Take-home whitening allows patients to brighten their smiles at their convenience. For instance, many patients enjoy whitening at home while performing household chores or watching television.

Take-home kits include a prescription whitening solution and custom trays. These trays fit comfortably over teeth and prevent the whitening solution from migrating to soft oral tissue, which can be irritating.

Maintaining a White Smile after Treatment

While the results of professional whitening are long lasting, it is important to protect your teeth from developing new stains.

Since dark-colored foods and drinks contribute to staining, it is helpful to consume stain-causing things in moderation. For instance, soda, red wine, and coffee contribute to stains. If you do consume drinks like these, consider using a straw. Drinking with a straw will push liquids with dark particles to the back of your mouth and reduce the frequency that these staining particles make contact with your teeth.

Be sure to maintain vigilant oral hygiene by brushing thoroughly twice a day and flossing daily. Proper oral hygiene is essential for preventing the formation of new stains.

If you have questions about your cosmetic dentistry options, call us to reserve a smile makeover consultation with our caring dentist. We serve patients in and around Lafayette, LA.

 

Children’s Dental Visits and Oral Hygiene_ What you Need to Know _ chauvin dental lafayette la

Children’s Dental Visits and Oral Hygiene: What you Need to Know

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Did you know that tooth decay is the second-most common infectious disease among children in the United States? Since the oral bacteria responsible for dental caries is orally transmitted, cavities are classified as an infectious disease by the Centers for Disease Control and the American Dental Association.

In addition to dental caries, children can develop a number of oral health conditions including abscessed teeth, periodontal (gum) disease, and fungal infections. This is why receiving professional oral healthcare, maintaining healthy diets, and conducting daily oral hygiene are so important.

Since issues like cavities and gum disease are preventable, you can safeguard your child’s oral health by visiting a family or pediatric dentist for routine checkups and dental cleanings along with practicing thorough oral hygiene at home.

Our Lafayette, LA dentist offers child-friendly oral healthcare from our welcoming and nurturing practice.

Your Child’s First Dental Checkup

Children’s first dental checkups should occur near their first birthdays or no later than six months after the eruption of their first teeth. This initial appointment with a family dentist is important for introducing your child to our team. Your child’s first dental appointment will involve discussing your family’s health history, your child’s developmental progress, and your household’s lifestyle habits with a family dentist and his or her staff.

Then, a non-invasive physical examination is performed to look for signs of developmental or congenital abnormalities. This part of the dental visit is important for evaluating the current state of oral health by examining soft oral tissue and the emergence of baby teeth.

Cleaning Your Child’s Teeth

Until children have the dexterity to brush and floss their own teeth, parents and caregivers will need to perform daily oral hygiene tasks for them.

Before teeth erupt, parents and caregivers need to wipe their children’s mouths with a clean, damp washcloth. Even if teeth haven’t erupted yet, it’s still important to use a clean cloth to clean the surfaces of the gums.

Once the first tooth erupts, parents can begin using a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean emerging teeth.  Brushing teeth and wiping the gums needs to be performed twice a day, every day. Call Chauvin Dental today!

Nail Biting - A Dangerous Habit that You Should Break - chauvin dental lafayette la

Nail Biting: A Dangerous Habit that You Should Break

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Do you bite your nails when you’re nervous? While this is a common habit, it can have negative effects on your oral health and general wellbeing.

From damaging teeth to breaking restorations, the consequences of nail biting on oral health are varied. Moreover, chewing on your fingernails can harm gums and expose the oral cavity to harmful bacteria. Biting your nails presents risks to your general health, too by cross contamination along with increased risks for skin infections, the flu, and common cold.

These reasons are why oral health professionals, including our Lafayette, LA dentist encourages patients to break this harmful habit.

What Biting Your Nails Does to Your Teeth

Teeth are incredibly strong but they are not immune to damage. Nail biting can cause permanent damage to our teeth, restorations, and prosthetics. In fact, chewing or biting on anything other than food can increase your risks for developing damaged dental structures.

Tooth Enamel Damage

Tooth enamel is a mineralized layer that surrounds teeth above the gum line. It serves as a barrier that protects the dentin structure of teeth from cavity-causing bacteria and strong acids. Nail biting, especially when this action is habitual, creates microscopic cracks in tooth enamel. Once these cracks form, the softer structures of teeth under tooth enamel are exposed to debris, bacteria, and acid. Worn tooth enamel increases a person’s risk for developing dental caries (cavities) and damage like chips and cracks.

Worn Dentition

The structure under tooth enamel can become worn, too—especially with repetitive actions like nail biting. The general wear and tear on teeth is accelerated when tooth enamel is worn because it’s easier for acid and harmful bacteria to attack teeth.

When nail biting leads to worn dentition, restorations like fillings, crowns, inlays, and onlays may be required to rebuild a patient’s bite and protect biological tooth structure from incurring more damage in the future.

Broken Restorations and Prosthetics

Biting down and chewing on your nails could affect expensive restorations and prosthetics. First, chewing and biting on inedible objects will weaken the materials that bond restorations to teeth. Weakening these bonding compounds can cause restorations and prosthetics to come loose or fall out.

Additionally, chewing and biting on non-food items like your nails can crack and chip the materials, such as porcelain, used to fabricate dental crowns and bridges.

How Biting Your Nails Affects Your Gums

Beyond harming teeth, restorations, and prosthetics, chewing on the sharp edges of your fingernails could lacerate the gingiva (gums) and other soft oral tissue like the lining of the lips. Any lacerations on soft oral tissue increase a person’s risks for developing oral infections. This fact is especially concerning considering that fingernails can harbor dangerous bacteria.

What Nail Biting Can Do to Your Health

As for your general wellbeing, it is important to consider the effects of nail biting on your overall health. Our hands and fingernails can harbor a multitude of germs, including pathogens for viruses like the cold or flu along with bacteria that could make you sick.

Raised Risks for Contracting the Common Cold, Flu, and Food-Borne Illnesses

Consider that our hands contact dozens of bacteria-filled surfaces each day, including as food preparation areas, bathrooms, and door handles. Placing our hands and/or fingernails in our mouth could lead to cross contamination that increases the risks for contracting the common cold and flu along with bacteria, like salmonella and e. coli, that contribute to food-borne illnesses.

Increased Risk for Skin Infections

Nail biting also raises one’s risks for developing skin infections, particularly around the cuticles and underneath nail beds. The sharp edges of our teeth can easily tear the delicate skin around fingernails. Any time there is a laceration of soft tissue, it increases a person’s risks for developing an infection because bacteria take advantage of open sores.

How to Break the Habit of Nail Biting

Most dental professionals, including our Lafayette, LA dentist, encourage patients to break the habit of nail biting. Breaking this habit could save you time and money spent on dental treatments caused by broken teeth and restorations, or treatments for oral infections.

Since nail biting commonly occurs as a response to anxiety and stressful situations, it is helpful to identify and avoid triggering circumstances that might fuel one’s compulsion to bite their nails.

Consider occupying your hands or mouth to break the habit. For example, chewing on sugar-free gum can help you fight the urge to chew on your nails. Playing instruments and engaging in physical activity can help combat stress while keeping your hands occupied, too.

Keeping your nails clean and trimmed along with properly washing your hands will help reduce your risks for skin infections, food borne illnesses, the cold, and the flu.

If it’s time for a dental checkup or cleaning, call our practice to reserve an appointment with our gentle Lafayette dentist.

 

tim chauvin dental lafayette la

What’s up with the Burst Sonic toothbrush?

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The founder of BURST Oral Care, Hamish, believes that dental and oral care should be something that’s affordable. He founded the company when he was just 19, creating a self-standing toothbrush for kids. Hamish’s team at BURST have changed the way oral care is supplied to the people, as they believe that it should be both accessible and affordable for everyone.

 

Burst Sonic Features:

Charcoal bristles

Binchotan charcoal is proven to absorb impurities for brighter, whiter teeth

3 Brushing Modes

Find your perfect partner with our 3 brushing modes — whitening, sensitive and massage

Quadpacer Timer

Every 30 seconds you’ll feel a gentle vibrating reminder to move on to another part of your mouth

Powerful, long-lasting Lithium battery

Up to 4 weeks of battery life with just 1 hour’s charging

33,000 SONIC VIBRATIONS PER MINUTE FOR A SUPERIOR CLEAN

The rapidly vibrating brush head guarantees a deep clean every time

2 Minute Timer

After you’ve brushed for the dentist approved 2 minutes, your brush will switch off and you’re good to go

And a new head every 3 months

To keep that perfect smile sparkling, we’ll send you a fresh brush head every quarter

 

How Does It Work?

First, you have to sign up to be a part of their subscription list. The box will be delivered right to your doorstep and you are then able to begin using your own BURST sonic toothbrush.

Cost and Price Plans

The BURST sonic toothbrush subscription box is available for a very affordable price of $69.99. Again, this includes the brush, an extra toothbrush head, as well as a wall socket and USB charger.

You are also able to get replacement toothbrush heads every three months for only $6 each.

Overbite correction and treatment_ tim chauvin dental lafayette la

Overbite correction and treatment

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Overbite is a condition in which the upper front teeth overlap the lower front teeth. Overbite is not necessarily a bad thing; most people have some degree of overbite. It’s when the overbite is too little or too large that problems may arise. An excessive or large overbite, also called a deep bite, can cause unhealthy teeth wearing, aesthetic concerns, and in some instances even jaw pain.

Types of Overbites

Vertical Overbite – Where the top teeth significantly overlap the bottom teeth.

Horizontal Overbite –  Occurs when the top teeth protrude over the bottom teeth.

How is an Overbite Caused?

The most common cause of an overbite is the shape and/or size of the jaw or the teeth. This could mean having too much room in the jaw area or too little room for accommodation of one’s teeth size.

Other causes for an overbite:

  • Genetics
  • Teeth grinding
  • TMJ
  • Thumb sucking
  • Excessive pacifier use
  • Overuse of bottle
  • Nail biting
  • Chewing on writing utensils

How to correct an Overbite?

Children and Teens

  • Removal of baby teeth (making room for permanent teeth to grow in straight)
  • Growth modification device (used best during growth spurts) – helps to better position the jaw
  • Braces – slowly moves the teeth to correct the overbite as well as the jaw
  • Retainers – device used post-braces that help to keep the teeth in place

Adults

  • Braces – move only the teeth to correct an overbite
  • Teeth removal – dentists and orthodontists try to avoid this procedure but will do this in very severe overbite cases to allow the teeth more freedom to move.
  • Surgery – jaw problems for skeletal-type overbites can only be corrected with surgery for adults.

 

Schedule an appointment today to discuss potential treatment options that may be suitable for you or your loved one.

Deep gum pockets _ tim chauvin dental lafayette la

Deep gum pockets? Now what?

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A gum pocket is the space or gap between our tooth and its surrounding gum. Your hygienist or dentist will use a tiny little ruler we call a probe to measure the space between your gum and tooth, the pocket. Healthy gums will fit snuggly around the tooth and the measurement will be between 1-3mm.

When there is plaque or tartar around or below the gum, it starts to pull away creating a deeper pocket due to inflammation and swelling from the bacteria. This is when the gum starts to have ‘pockets’ deeper than 3mm indicating some form of gum disease.

These deep pockets now allow for bacteria to travel down further below the gum and can start to affect and damage the bone around the teeth. The deeper the pocket is, usually the more severe the inflammation or disease is.

 

Treating deep gum pockets with a root scaling

Generally, your hygienist or dentist will recommend a standard cleaning every 6 months.

If more severe periodontal disease is present, a procedure called scaling and root planing may be recommended. This thorough cleaning procedure not only removes the plaque and tartar, but also smooths the root surface so the gum tissue can reattach to the tooth, shrinking the pocket. This is prescribed for gum disease that has progressed or for pockets that are greater than 4mm.

During these deep cleanings you may be numbed up with a topical gel or anesthetic if required so that you are comfortable, and the cleaning can be performed adequately.

A scaling and root planing procedure may require 2 to 3 appointments depending on the level of disease, the measurements of the pockets and the amount of bacteria present.

A follow-up visit also may be necessary to confirm that your gums and teeth are getting healthier and there is improvement in the gum condition. It is also important for your dental professional to make sure you are utilizing the appropriate techniques and tools at home on a daily basis to ensure we are giving your gums the best chance of healing.

Gum disease can be treated or controlled, but may require regular ‘maintenance’ visits, usually every 3-4 months in the beginning, to monitor the status of your teeth, gums and bone to make sure your gums have healed, and the bacteria have not returned. Some individuals who may be predisposed to having gum disease may need to return for regular periodontal maintenance cleanings, and others may be able to return to a regular hygiene routine and 6-month dental checkup visits.

Deep cleanings if required are very important because if severe inflammation is left untreated, the infection will continue and progress further under the gum line, which can result in loose teeth and bone loss, and ultimately, the loss of one or more teeth over time.

 

Contact Chauvin Dental to set up an appointment and let’s make sure your dental health is where it needs to be!

Can You Remineralize Teeth's enamel_ tim chauvin dental lafayette la

Can You Remineralize Teeth’s enamel

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If you’ve had issues with your teeth that involve weakening, white spots, or numerous cavities, one of the key causes could be demineralized enamel.

Tooth enamel is a dense mineral that surrounds the crown of every tooth. Think of this enamel as the moat and your tooth as the castle. Just as a moat protects the castle from unwanted invaders, tooth enamel protects the tooth from foreign substances that can hurt it, such as sugar and acid.

Tooth enamel has a number of distinctive features:

  • It’s the hardest substance in the body
  • It measures just a couple millimeters at its thickest
  • It can be yellow, grayish, white or bluish

Since enamel is a mineral, it does not grow back. When it has been damaged, such as a crack or a chip, that loss becomes permanent. As hard as tooth enamel is, it can sustain a lot of damage, and erosion ranks as the most common type of tooth enamel damage.

 

What Causes Enamel Loss?

Acid ranks as the main cause of tooth enamel loss. This substance eats away at tooth enamel, eroding it over time. This leaves the tooth vulnerable and without its main source of protection.

The mouth produces acid in a number of ways. The most common method comes from the food we eat. But that’s not all — other contributors to acid production in the mouth include:

  • Dry mouth
  • Acid reflux
  • GI tract issues
  • Taking acidic medicines such as aspirin or antihistamines
  • Low-salivary flow
  • Genetics
  • Bruxism, or grinding of the teeth

 

Food and drinks that contribute to enamel loss

  • Soda: The sugar in this sweet drink and the bacteria in your mouth combine to form the acid that attacks your teeth every time you take a swallow.
  • Fruit juice: Though not as potent as soda, this drink is high in sugar and sparks high acid production in your mouth.
  • Flavored water: Surprise: You may think water is a safe choice, but if you sip on flavored waters, they often have citric acid and other additives that can produce acid in your mouth, even if they do not contain sugar.
  • Sugary snacks: Snacks with lots of sugar in them, especially chewy ones that stick to your teeth, will damage the enamel. Beware of the many forms of sugar when choosing your snacks — fructose, honey, glucose, corn syrup and others all refer to sugar and should be avoided.
  • Starchy snacks: Carbohydrate-heavy foods such as potato chips, white bread and crackers can linger in the mouth and produce acid.
  • Citrus fruits: While citrus fruits make great snacks and are part of a healthy diet, they are very acidic and can contribute to tooth enamel erosion if they stay in the mouth too long — for example, if you’re sucking on a lemon.

 

Ways to strengthen tooth enamel

Choose The Right Toothpaste

When you shop for toothpaste, read the labels. Choose enamel-hardening toothpaste that contains fluoride. Brush with this toothpaste twice each day.

Drink Fluoridated Water

When you drink fluoridated water, it immediately benefits the tooth surfaces. After fluoride is absorbed in your body, your saliva will contain the mineral. The fluoride will keep your tooth enamel strong and healthy.

Chew Sugar-Free Gum

Chewing gum helps your mouth produce saliva. The minerals in saliva strengthen and remineralize tooth enamel. Whenever you want a treat between meals, have sugar-free gum instead of other snacks.

Strong tooth enamel can reduce your risk of cavities, decayed teeth, and other oral health problems. Even if your teeth are no longer in perfect condition, it is not too late to make changes.

 

If you are not sure how to put these changes into action or have more questions about your dental health, call us today. You can have a checkup and all the information you need to make healthy choices.

 

What happens when you have an underbite_ tim chauvin dental lafayette la

What happens when you have an underbite?

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No matter how well you take care of your teeth, there are certain dental problems that are caused by genetics and there’s nothing you can do to prevent them. An underbite is one of those issues.

However, just because you can’t prevent an underbite does not mean that you need to live with it for the rest of your life or let your lifestyle suffer as a result.

 

What is an underbite?

An underbite occurs when a person’s lower jaw extends farther out than the upper jaw, creating an overly pronounced and protruding lower jaw. The level of misalignment ranges from barely noticeable to severe.

Even though an underbite is usually caused by genetics, other natural causes include:

  • poor eating and chewing habits
  • mouth breathing as a result of constant congestion or habit
  • thumb sucking
  • an abnormal jaw bone

In many of the cases above, it can be the individual’s tongue resting against the lower jaw and lower front teeth that causes the jaw to move forward over time.

 

What happens when you have an underbite?

  • Appearance: Because underbites are so much less common than overbites, people who have them tend to be noticed more and become self-conscious as a result. A protruding chin adds to this and can lead to people with underbites being ridiculed as children.
  • Articulation Errors. Clear speech is a common problem. Any sound that depends on the teeth could be problematic, such as “s” and “f.”
  • Tough to Smile. A bad underbite could make it impossible to smile with confidence. Lips tend to take on a droopy appearance, and a dominant upper lip hides the upper teeth when smiling. With a more severe underbite it becomes difficult to keep the lips together, causing lip incompetence, changes in your facial profile, breathing and swallowing problems.
  • Chewing Problems. Due to misaligned teeth it could become very difficult to chew your food. One of our patients with a severe underbite problem reported gagging and ended up in the emergency room. Further side effect of chewing with misaligned teeth are excessive enamel wear, tooth chipping, tooth decay, infections and gum disease.
  • Chronic Jaw Pain. As the upper teeth push in under the lower teeth, the pressure on the jaw joint intensifies, which could trigger a TMJ disorder. This in turn could lead to headaches, neck pain, spinal misalignment, and even limping.

As you can see, underbites impact everything from daily activities like chewing and smiling to longer-term physical and mental health. Luckily, there are several treatment options available to bring the upper and lower jaw into alignment.

 

How do you correct an underbite?

  • Upper jaw expander: A device called a Palatal Expander is placed on the roof of the mouth and widened each night as treatment progresses. Over time, this increases the size of the dental arch and brings the upper and lower jaws into alignment.
  • Reverse Pull Face Mask: This resembles the headgear you may have seen on people with braces. It wraps around the head and attaches to metal bands on the back of the upper teeth to pull the upper jaw forward so it’s in line with the lower jaw.
  • Chin Cap: This device wraps around the chin and lower jaw to prevent it from growing and expanding out even further. This is a good option for children or teens whose jaws are still being formed.
  • Braces and veneers: Traditional braces may be used to correct mild underbites. Veneers may also be placed on the upper teeth so that top and bottom teeth align. Again, this is only recommended for non-severe underbites.

 

If none of those options are feasible, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon can perform underbite correction surgery to manually bring your upper and lower jaws into alignment. Braces are typically required after surgery to keep the teeth in alignment while your mouth adjusts to its new configuration. Children are more likely candidates for non-surgical intervention because their jaws are still developing. Once the jaw becomes fully formed in adulthood, it becomes more difficult to correct bite issues.

 

Let Chauvin Dental Help

If you have an underbite, no matter how severe, our team at Chauvin Dental in Lafayette, Louisiana, can help develop a treatment plan that will improve your quality of life and lead to a healthier mouth in the long run.

 

They filled a cavity how!?

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And other facts about ancient dental practices and hygiene….

If you think that having a cavity filled in a clean, well-lit, dental office stocked with magazines and laughing gas is a miserable experience, at least you aren’t having your cavity filled on a mountainside in Italy some 13,000 years ago.

A few years ago we wrote about how dentistry has its roots (Roots get it? That’s a dental joke…like a root canal) back to Sumeria about 5000 years ago.  

But anthropologists are now finding that filling cavities dates as far back as the Neolithic period.

Discovered in the northern mountains of Tuscany, Italy researchers noted the placement of holes in two incisors in the remains of an individual.

Talk about painful– the study suggests that the Neolithic dentist used a pointed tool (likely a stone) on his or her subject to widen the hole and scrape out the decay. This ancient dentist then used bitumen, a naturally occurring tar that is a form of petroleum to fill the cavity.

It was previously thought that the oldest known use of filling dated back to 6,500 years ago in Pakistan, where researchers found a tooth that had been filled with wax.

 

Did our ancestors have lots of cavities?

Depends on what time period and the place we’re talking about. When anthropologists look at skulls dating before the Neolithic period (before 12,000 years ago) they see relatively healthy teeth. This was a time when all people used for dental hygiene was a toothpick.

Rotten teeth only became a common problem about 10,000 years ago. Why?

Farming. One of the hallmarks of the Neolithic period was improved agriculture that included growing grains that could be harvested and broken down into sugary, complex carbohydrates.

The result was poor dental hygiene. Eating more forms of refined sugars and starches was not the only way people came to have more cavities.

Milling and grinding grains was a rudimentary process. In desert cultures such as Ancient Egypt and the Fertile Crescent, sand grains and grit would find their way into bread. The sand and grit led to worn down enamel, making teeth susceptible to decay.

The result? A lot of mummies with a lot of bad teeth.  

To cope with this relatively newfound problem of tooth rot, the field of dentistry emerged. While people certainly didn’t visit the dentist every six months for a check up, they began practicing basic dental hygiene.

In the Arabian peninsula people began chewing miswak, chew sticks made from the salvadora persica tree. Indeed the tree is now commonly referred to in many Arabic-speaking parts of the world as the “toothbrush tree.” In Sudan, anthropological evidence suggests people chewed or ingested purple nutsedge, a tuber with antimicrobial properties. In China, strongly brewed tea served as an antiseptic mouthrinse after meals.

Overall, it appears that a diet rich in meat and vegetables and less in carbs determined, at least in part, the overall dental hygiene of a population.

These tactics may have prevented further tooth decay but they were certainly no replacement for modern-day dental hygiene.  

If you think you may have a cavity, don’t let a Neolithic dentist drill your tooth. Come see us in Lafayette, Louisiana. We’ll help keep you smiling big!

Super Summer tips for Healthy Teeth _ chauvin dental lafayette la

Super Summer tips for Healthy Teeth!

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Summertime in the South means fun in the sun, late nights at the ballpark, barbecues and trips to the beach.

Here are 5 tips for keeping your teeth healthy while you enjoy those long summer nights with family and friends.

    • Try to avoid sugary snacks and sugary drinks: When it’s hot outside, it can be tempting to reach for lemonade, soda, a sno-ball, or even a sugary sports drink if you’re spending a lot of time outdoors. Not only are those drinks bad for your waistline, they’re also bad for your teeth. Sugar attaches itself to your teeth, and then the bacteria in your mouth find the sugar and start to eat it. But when the bacteria eat the sugar, it produces an acid that will eventually erode the enamel on your teeth, making them more brittle. Sugary drinks are one of the most common dietary reasons for tooth decay. Dentists recommend moderation and replacing those sugary beverages with water or milk.
    • Drink lots and lots of water: It’s widely known that drinking plenty of water has plenty of health benefits, but did you know that adequate water consumption also helps your teeth? With every sip, your mouth gets cleaner, washing away all the residue and crumbs left in your mouth after a meal. Not only that, water helps to dilute the acid that bacteria creates in your mouth. Drinking water also helps to prevent a dry mouth, and when your mouth is dry and your saliva runs low, you are at a higher risk for tooth decay. You should still brush your teeth twice daily for two minutes and floss regularly, but drinking water will also aid in your healthy smile. If water isn’t your thing, you can also try unsweetened green tea as an occasional substitute. A study concluded that green tea can help fight the bacteria in your mouth that cause tooth decay, and can also help to fight gum disease.
    • Add tap water to your daily water intake: Fluoride is a natural mineral that’s also known as “nature’s cavity fighter.” It fights tooth decay by helping by making your teeth more resistant to the acid that’s produced by bacteria in your mouth. It also helps to reverse early signs of tooth decay. You can find fluoride in most toothpastes, but another good source of fluoride is tap water. Fluoride has been added to water systems for about 70 years specifically to help with tooth decay.
    • Drink through a straw: If you can’t avoid the sugary or acidic beverages, consider drinking them through a straw. Why? Because using a straw lessens the contact these beverages have with your teeth. Professionals also recommend finishing the drink quickly instead of sipping it slowly.
    • Get your summer checkup! Don’t wait until summer is over to schedule your dental check-up. Scheduling you or your children’s appointments at the beginning of summer can go a long way in preventing problems down the road. And hey, our office is has air conditioning–so you know you can always schedule your appointment during the hottest part of the day, rest your feet, and cool off!

 

 

 

Dr. Tim Chauvin and associates have been helping South Louisianans flash their best and brightest smiles for years. Contact their office to schedule your appointment today.