Tag Archive for: dentist

Do I really need to floss - dr chauvin lafayette la

Do I really need to floss?

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We’ve all been told to floss. From television ads advertising oral hygiene products to visits to the dentist, we have been exposed to the concept of flossing. 

The problem is, however, that many people don’t actually floss on a regular basis. Perhaps they believe that brushing their teeth is enough. Or, maybe flossing seems very mundane and cumbersome. Whatever your reason for not flossing is, it’s important to know that this act of self-care is very important to safeguarding your oral health. 

Brushing alone is not enough to protect our teeth and gums. This is because a toothbrush and toothpaste can’t reach all the surfaces in our mouth. In fact, thorough and proper brushing can only clean about 70% of the surfaces of teeth. Having 30% of our mouths uncleaned on a regular basis can lead to the development of serious and destructive oral health concerns. 

What does flossing do?

Flossing helps remove debris between teeth and removes the film of bacteria known as “plaque.” Plaque that is not removed can harden into tartar once it is exposed to calculus. Once tartar forms, it can only be removed through a professional cleaning from a dentist or dental hygienist. 

When we forego flossing, tartar will begin to accumulate at the gum line. As tartar builds up, the gums will recede from teeth and become inflamed. Without improved oral hygiene and professional cleanings, tartar buildup will lead to the development of a common condition called “gingivitis.” 

When oral hygiene is inadequate, this bacteria-laden tartar and plaque can spread even deeper below the gum line, causing periodontitis—a more progressive form of gingivitis. Periodontitis is the leading cause of tooth loss and can also destroy bone in the jaws. 

Flossing can prevent the accumulation of tartar that leads to gum disease. It also helps control oral bacteria by disrupting its colonization at the gum line. An additional benefit to regular flossing is that it stimulates the gingiva, which has additional protective benefits when it comes to maintaining good oral health. 

When is the best time to floss?

According to the American Dental Association, you can floss either before or after brushing.  

However, if you use dental floss before you brush, the fluoride from the toothpaste has a better chance of reaching between teeth. Unlike brushing, you only need to floss once a day. Although you may choose to do it in the morning or afternoon, many prefer to floss at night to prevent food and debris from remaining in the crevices of the teeth overnight. This could prevent the build-up of plaque too.

What type of floss should I use?

When picking a floss, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with how many brands and varieties there are.  There are other types of interdental cleaners such as handheld flossers, picks, and water irrigators, too. 

When selecting oral hygiene tools and products, we encourage you to buy items with the ADA seal of acceptance. You may want to try a few different types of floss and products to determine what works best for your needs. Some folks find that a combination of products—such as waxed dental floss and a water irrigator—provide the best results.

The main objective is to find products that you will use on a daily basis. Our knowledgeable staff is happy to help you make product selections. Feel free to call with questions or ask for our recommendations at your next appointment. 

A few helpful tips when choosing:

  • Large gaps between teeth? Try dental tape 
  • Not much space between your teeth? Try waxed floss, which glides more easily between crowded surfaces.
  • Want less mess? Look for disposable flossers 
  • Braces or bridges? A spongy floss is a great option.
  • Wear prosthetics like bridges and fixed dentures? Consider investing in a water irrigator.

Schedule a dental cleaning today

Even if you commit to flossing daily, you will still need routine dental cleanings at our practice. Dental cleanings remove surface debris and tartar with specialized instruments. The ADA recommends that patients with good oral health receive two cleanings a year spaced six months apart. Those who have developed gum disease may require more frequent prophylaxis. 

Give our Lafayette dental practice a call at (337) 234-2186 to schedule your next cleaning and checkup with our gentle dentist, Dr. Chavin.

How Often Do I Need a Dental Cleaning - dr chauvin lafayette la

How often do I need to get a teeth cleaning?

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One of the best things a person can do for their dental health is to prioritize practicing good oral hygiene and keeping routine appointments with his or her dentist.  If you have good oral hygiene habits and good oral health, your dentist and dental hygienist will probably suggest professional teeth cleaning at least twice a year.  For patients with gum disease, dental cleanings may be necessary every quarter.

Dental cleanings are necessary for everyone, including those with great oral health. Even if you brush and floss correctly, you still need to have routine cleanings. A dental cleaning provides much more protection from destructive oral conditions than oral hygiene alone. Cleanings remove substances that cannot be cleaned away with brushing and flossing. During dental cleanings, a dentist or hygienist will measure the depth of periodontal pockets (the space just between the base of a tooth and the gingiva). If these pockets are too wide or deep, it could indicate that a patient has gum disease. Having cleanings every six months greatly improves the chances that a patient’s gum disease is detected in its earliest stages. 

Tartar and plaque form in the mouth at different rates and can lead to periodontal disease that can cause inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) or the bones (periodontitis) that surround and support the teeth. Once these conditions have developed, they can be challenging to treat. The best protection is prevention, with regular teeth cleanings, avoiding smoking, and practicing good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing regularly at home.

What Can I Expect During a Teeth Cleaning?

During a teeth cleaning, a dentist or hygienist will evaluate your overall health and oral hygiene. They will check for any tooth decay, root decay, and gum or bone disease. Any surface stains or deposits of plaque and tartar on your teeth are removed with tools including a tooth polisher and a scaler. Tooth polishers buff teeth and eliminate tiny pieces of plaque. Scalers look a bit like metal hooks and are used to remove calcified plaque (tartar). 

What you can do to prevent gum disease and tooth decay:

There several things you can do to improve your mouth’s health and decrease your chances of dental problems.

  • Scheduling routine checkups and cleanings
  • Brushing 2-3 times a day
  • Flossing once a day
  • Using mouthwash once a day
  • Brushing in soft and gentle circular motions
  • Using the correct type of toothbrush—preferably one with soft bristles that is ADA-approved

Every day, your mouth has to battle oral bacteria and the effects of the foods/beverages you consume. As you eat, food particles are smashed in-between your teeth. Acidic drinks such as fruit juice or soda can wear away enamel over time while sugar serves as a food source for bacteria. As bacteria feed on sugar molecules, they release acids, which soften tooth enamel. 

Since our gums and teeth must contend with a hostile environment, it’s imperative that all patients commit to practicing meticulous oral hygiene and receive dental cleanings twice a year. Keeping appointments with your dentist can help detect oral health concerns in their earliest stages, which is when they are easier and cheaper to treat. 

If it’s time for a checkup or cleaning, give our Lafayette dental office a call at (337) 234-2186 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Chauvin.

How to get rid of bad breath - dr chauvin lafayette la

How to get rid of bad breath

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Do you feel self-conscious about your breath? Bad breath might make us feel awkward in social and professional situations, but the good news is that there are simple things you can do to improve your breath in no time. 

Generally speaking, bad breath (also called halitosis), isn’t serious. In many cases it’s caused by poor oral hygiene but it can also be caused by tooth decay, gum disease, and failing restorations. 

Causes of Bad breath

The underlying cause of most halitosis is the growth of oral bacteria and leftover food stuck in hard-to-reach areas. However, there are other common contributors to bad breath, which include:

  • Certain foods and drinks: Strong-smelling foods such as garlic and onions, as well some dairy products like cheese, along with coffee may be detected on a person’s breath for up to 72 hours after digestion.
  • Not flossing: Small particles of food can get stuck between your teeth, just below your gums, and the back teeth that are difficult to reach. When food particles are left behind, they collect bacteria, which in turn causes bad breath and plaque.
  • Oral Bacteria:  The mouth can harbor obscene amounts of bacteria because it is a warm and moist environment. Moreover, bacterial growth on the tongue accounts for most cases of mouth-related bad breath. 
  • Smoking: Smoking leaves particles in the throat and lungs. This is typical of nearly any tobacco product that involves inhaling smoke or rolling it around in the mouth. The smell of a freshly smoked cigarette can linger in the lungs for hours, hence the stale scent associated with smoker’s breath

How to Control Bad Breath

Controlling most instances of bad breath can be accomplished with committing to better oral hygiene and certain lifestyle changes. 

Oral Hygiene

When it comes to cleaning your teeth and gums, it’s important to dedicate plenty of time to brushing and flossing. For example, it takes about two minutes to thoroughly brush your teeth and soft oral tissue. Adequate brushing involves more than just cleaning your teeth. Since bacteria grows anywhere in the mouth, it’s important to gently brush your tongue, the roof of your mouth, your gums, and the linings of your cheeks. Flossing, like brushing, is an important component of controlling the growth of halitosis-causing bacteria. We recommend using handheld flossers or waxed dental floss to clean hard-to-reach areas. Patients with bridges and implant-supported dentures may want to invest in a water irrigator to keep the gingiva underneath prosthetics debris-free. 

Dietary and Lifestyle Changes

If bad breath persists after improving your oral hygiene, consider removing foods like onions and garlic from your diet. If coffee is the cause of your unpleasant breath, consider switching to green tea or caffeinated sparkling water for a breath-friendly energy fix. 

Smoking and chewing tobacco greatly contributes to bad breath. Since both of these habits cause a number of serious health problems, quitting as soon as possible makes good sense. 

Tooth Decay, Periodontal Disease, and Failing Restorations

Sometimes, halitosis is caused by common dental conditions and old dental work like fillings, inlays, and crowns. Tooth decay and gum (periodontal) disease could be the cause of your unpleasant breath. If you have old dental work, it might be time to get it replaced. Ensuring that your oral health and restorations aren’t the cause of your bad breath involves keeping routine appointments for dental checkups and cleanings. 

Our gentle dentist, Dr. Chauvin provides excellent oral healthcare to patients in and around Lafayette, Louisiana. If it’s time for a checkup or cleaning, give our office a call at (337) 234-2186.

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.