How to choose the right toothbrush

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How to coose the right toothbrushWhere ever you shop, it’s safe to say the toothbrush isle is overwhelming and a little out of control. It might be tempting to go for the light up toothbrush, the superhero toothbrush, or 20 pack of tooth brushes (so that you don’t have to go down that isle for a while) but there is actually a lot more to the picking process. We spend over 1000 hours in our lifetime brushing our teeth, so it is important to know what to look out for when purchasing a brush. The most important factor is brushing twice a day and doing it throughly. Dr. Chauvin and his team want to make sure you have all the information to help make your smile bright and happy for years to come.

Types of toothbrush bristles

The most common types are Soft, Medium, and Hard. Most dentists recommend soft-bristled toothbrushes, and extra-soft bristled toothbrushes for anyone who has sensitive teeth or gums, or is recovering from a dental procedure. Some people simply prefer soft bristles. But many people who don’t have sensitive teeth or gums prefer firmer bristles because they believe them to be more effective for removing plaque and stains from the teeth, though that is not the case. Effective toothbrushing can be accomplished with soft and extra-soft bristles. 

A hard toothbrush bristles do not necessarily equal cleaner teeth, but they can instead scratch your enamel and irritate your gums. Over time, this can cause gums to recede prematurely. Often people assume with a hard bristles toothbrush they are brushing more of the grim off, when in fact a soft bristled toothbrush does the best job. 

 

Toothbrush sizes

A toothbrush with a small head is better than one with a larger head. No matter how big your mouth is a toothbrush with a small head can access narrow, inaccessible areas of your mouth. Most importantly, your molars.  Angular placement of bristles on the head means you can clean teeth from all directions. This can help in prevention of plaque, which can accumulate if not cleaned on time.

 

Electric or manual toothbrushes

This part of picking the right toothbrush does not come with a wrong answer. If you are brushing the right way, for the right amount of time, and have no complaints with a manual toothbrush – then stick with that. On the other hand, if you have a hard time committing to oral health, have arthritis, or do not trust that you are brushing correctly the electric toothbrush might be for you.

Electric Toothbrush: These come with a ton of technology and features, electric toothbrushes provide the many oral health benefits. Some can even enable you to improve your brushing habits. 

  • Modes specialized for sensitive teeth or gum-massaging action
  • Pressure sensors that let you know when you’re brushing too hard
  • Very easy to use, all you need to do is place the toothbrush at a 45° angle and let the toothbrush do all the work.
  • Studies have shown that electric toothbrushes do a better job of cleaning your mouth and removing plaque and gingivitis.
  • More fun to use for children
  • Built in timer that stops the toothbrush once two minutes are up
  • Reminders to replace your brush head
  • Rotating bristles 

Manual Toothbrush: While ordinary toothbrushes don’t nearly provide the benefits and features of electric toothbrushes, the technology featured in their brush heads, bristles and handle designs can be quite advanced, for example:

  • Crisscrossed, extra-long or multi-level bristles
  • Polished or rounded bristle tips
  • Textured bristles
  • Easy to travel with
  • No batteries or charging
  • Inexpensive and often free whenever you make a trip to your dentist
  • Cupped-bristle design for whitening benefits
  • Ergonomically designed handles with special grips
  • Tapered or angled brush head
  • Gum stimulators
  • Tongue cleaner pads

How often should you replace your toothbrush?

The American Dental Association recommends getting a new toothbrush or brush head about every three months. This is more because of the wear on the bristles rather than germs. 

Bristle wear is the main reasons for replacing your brush, but they also harbor bacteria. If not cleaned properly, microscopic bacteria can live on your toothbrush. After time and several uses, toothbrushes will lose their effectiveness. Once the bristles begin to wear down, they are not as efficient at cleaning plaque and removing food and other debris from your teeth. It is also suggested that you change your toothbrush after any type of illness, such as a cold, the flu or any type of mouth sores. 

You should always rinse your toothbrush after use and let it air dry in an upright position. If you are really worried about germs and bacteria, you can soak your toothbrush in alcohol, or mouthwash as it is also an antiseptic. Another option would be to dip your toothbrush in boiling water for 5 to 10 seconds. Never put your toothbrush in the microwave or the dishwasher, as both these methods will damage your brush. 

When in doubt, talk to your dentist!

Your favorite Lafayette Louisiana dentist, Dr. Chauvin serves as a valuable resource for anything pertaining to your oral health. If you want to choose a toothbrush that targets your specific issues, you can ask your dentist for advice the next time you go in for a teeth cleaning.

What to do if your tooth is knocked out

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Your first reaction if your tooth is knocked out might be to freak out, cry, flail your arms and tell yourself life is over (speaking from experience).

Do not do that – Unless you are a famous hockey player who wears this empty tooth slot like a badge of honor. Everything will be fine.

Modern dentistry has come along way and if you act quickly it will increase the likelihood of saving the tooth.

Dental implantThe upper front permanent teeth are the most common teeth to be completely knocked out. Baby teeth are usually not reimplanted in the mouth after an injury, since they are replaced naturally by permanent teeth later. When a tooth is knocked out, the nerves, blood vessels and supporting tissues are damaged, too. The nerves and blood vessels can’t be repaired. That is why all avulsed teeth will need a root canal. However, the bone can reattach to the root of the tooth once it’s put back into place.

It’s very important to get to the dentist as fast as possible, typically within one hour, to avoid the tooth being damaged any further.  There are several steps to take to assure safe and clean keeping.

Tips to follow to increase chances of saving the tooth:

  • Do not touch the root
  • If the tooth is dirty rinse it with milk. (Milk helps the roots survive) Water will do if you do not have milk.
  • Do not use fabric to clean the tooth
  • The most important thing is to keep the tooth moist.  Drop it in a glass of milk. If you can’t do this, place the tooth in your mouth, between the cheek and gum.
  • Try slipping the tooth back into its socket. If this does not happen easily revert back to the option above.

Teeth cannot always be saved, however.  At that point your dentist will discuss options of porcelain crowns and dental implants.

Once you are at the dentist he/she will rinse the tooth and asses the condition of the mouth and tooth. The dentist may perform a root canal right away, or may wait. It mostly depends on how long the tooth was out of the mouth.  The dentist will splint the avulsed tooth to the teeth on either side with a soft wire material. Usually splints the tooth to the surrounding teeth for 7 to 10 days. If the bone around the tooth also has been fractured, the tooth may have to be splinted for 6 to 10 weeks. Reimplanted teeth eventually need root canal treatment.  This will be used to hold the tooth in place for several days.  Your dentist will decide how long the splint should remain in.

Once the hard part is over your dentist will examine the tooth in three to six months. Unless there are signs of infection, the next visit will occur at your yearly checkup. The dentist will follow up for the next two to three years to ensure that the tooth re-implanted successfully.

Contact Lafayette Dentist Dr. Chauvin immediately if your tooth is broken or knocked and follow the steps above to assure your mouth health stays on track!

 

mouth guard

Custom night guard benefits

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A custom night guard protects people that have problems with bruxism. Bruxism is the compression and gritting of teeth. For some people, it is a mild annoyance. For others, this can become a serious issue that becomes difficult to control and treat at advanced stages.Typically, bruxism happens in your sleep.

The damage caused by bruxism can include:

  • Serrations in the teeth
  • Deterioration of the biting surface area
  • Tooth fractures or breaks
  • Tooth loss
  • Headache
  • Jaw pain
  • Neck pain

As a person grinds their teeth, the incisors and canines move against one another sideways. This causes the degradation of the enamel, which leads to dulled biting edges. Bruxism not only causes problems for the individual suffering for it, but also for those around them. Some people grind their molars loudly while they sleep. If they are sleeping with anyone, that person is going to have a hard time trying to stay asleep.

Teeth grinding leads to serious dental harm, if left untreated. Many people are usually either unaware they have a problem, or aren’t as severely affected as others. That is because only five to ten percent people develop severe symptoms.

Treatment for Bruxism:mouth guard

Unfortunately, there isn’t a direct treatment for bruxism itself. The best way to prevent additional damage is with a custom night guard. While this helps protect a person’s teeth, it doesn’t do much for the head and muscle pain caused by grinding. There are a few things someone can do to try to reduce the severity of their grinding:

  • Reduce caffeine consumption
  • Stay away from alcohol
  • Avoid chewing on things that aren’t food, especially chewing gum
  • Be more observant during the day. If you find yourself clenching, put the tip of your tongue in between your teeth. This forces your jaw to relax.
  • Before bed, place a warm washcloth on your jaw to relax the muscles.

While these won’t necessarily eliminate the problem, they can help reduce the severity of it. Over the counter night guards are available, but if they don’t fit well, they can actually make the problem worse. A custom night guard will be measured to fit your mouth exactly. A dentist will use putty to take a mold of your mouth, and then he’ll send the impression off to be turned into a night guard. The end result is a perfect mold of your mouth that will protect your teeth and help you manage your grinding. Questions? Give us a call!

What you need to know about Periodontal Disease

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Periodontal disease is a severe problem, in which the gums have actually pulled away from the teeth. Pockets then form at the base of the teeth. These pockets fill with debris, which creates a breeding ground for bacteria. Once they get infected, the body begins to fight the infection. The bone and connective tissue that hold teeth in place get caught in the crossfire, and begin to be destroyed. If left untreated, a person will begin to lose their teeth.

Luckily, this isn’t an overnight process. Periodontal disease is actually the second stage of gum disease, the first being gingivitis. No bone loss or irreversible damage happens until the late stages of periodontitis, so as long as it is caught and diagnosed early, it can be reversed.

Symptoms of periodontal disease:

  • Swollen, tender, reddened gums
  • Gums that bleed easily when teeth are brushed
  • Gums pulling away from the teeth
  • Loose teeth
  • If your bite feels different
  • Tooth sensitivity
  • Pain while chewing
  • Smelly breath that doesn’t go away after brushing

Can periodontal gums be corrected?

Yes they can. You have to discover it early and be diligent. Complex periodontal gum conditions can also be treated, but they need a special cleaning, which your dentist can provide.

Green mouthwashAdopting an intense oral hygiene routine can go a long way to improve periodontal gums. Brush thoroughly once you get up each morning and prior to going to bed every night. Brushing, or at the very least, rinsing with drinking water after meals and snacks may also help remove germs trapped between teeth, assisting in slowing down periodontitis. Rinse the mouth with an excellent antibacterial mouthwash for a complete thirty second cycle, twice every day. This can help reach germs trapped in pockets below your gum collection, aiding in reversing periodontal gum illness. Floss each day, and pay special focus on flossing just underneath the gum line for reversing periodontal gum illness.

While a diligent dental hygiene program can go quite the distance in assisting the treatment of periodontal gum disease, sometimes that’s not enough, and it’s time for professional help.

Your dentist can perform periodontal cleaning, if x-rays show heavy pockets of germs surrounding all of your teeth below the gums. There are several treatment options, but they are all focused on removing bacteria from below the gum line. You may be prescribed a special antibacterial mouthwash, or have to have a very in depth cleaning.

If necessary, he might perform actual periodontal medical procedures. These involve lifting the flaps of the gum, making it possible for heavy cleaning, and then suturing them back in place. Following the procedure, you should have several appointments to be sure of the achievement of the cleaning. This type of treatment is very successful, and most regain normal use of their teeth when everything has healed.

The important thing is to seek help once you notice any signs of trouble with your gums. Periodontal gum illness can be absolutely corrected when it’s found early. If you need to get your gums checked out, give us a call!