Lake Oconee Dentistry Blog

THIS WEEK (as part of our Healthy Smile Timeline Series) let’s address some age-specific dental topics for patients ages 20–40.

Remember, even if YOU don’t fall into this particular age range you certainly know and/or care about someone who does. Pass this post along to extended family members, coworkers and friends! They’ll appreciate it.

We don’t want to overwhelm you… So, to help you prioritize, we’ve divided the information into must-do’s, should-do’s and could-do’s.

Must Do’s, Ages 20–40:

• Never allow regular check-ups to slide just because you’re away from your mom’s gentle (or not-so-gentle) reminders about appointments! You may not see the adverse effects of neglect right away—but it’s SO important to catch early signs of gingivitis, micro fractures, and cavities.
• You may think oral cancer only affects smokers or the elderly, but 20–40 year olds are the fastest growing demographic for oral cancer. Learn more about oral cancer signs and risk factors, and make sure you’re regularly screened.

Should Do’s, Ages 20–40:

• Are your wisdom teeth adversely affecting your bite? Will they be a problem in the future, or a risk factor for infections? Most people have their wisdom teeth removed during their late teens or early 20’s. If you haven’t had them removed, be sure to have them checked.
• Every woman should know that during pregnancy hormonal changes can inflame gums and increase the odds for gingivitis. Gum disease can put women at greater risk for pre-term labor.

Could Do’s, Ages 20–40:

• Your smile is a MAJOR asset as you pursue your career and social life. As you move through this important phase of your independent life, it’s SO important to be confident! Small changes can make a big difference—so if you’re feeling self-conscious about your smile, please talk to us about it.

Take Charge Of Your Youthful, Healthy Smile!

NOW is the time to take charge of your own dental care! Be proactive in caring for your healthy smile. Thoughtful care now can prevent major problems down the road.

Please watch for the future posts about each age group! And if you have any follow-up questions, let us know! Comment below, message us on our Facebook page, or give us a call.

As always, thanks for your trust and confidence in our practice.

OVER THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS, we’re going to trace a timeline for your lifelong, healthy smile! And to help make it useful and actionable for you, we’re breaking the content into four age categories. This also gives us a chance to share some “age-specific” concerns and tips.

Even if YOU don’t fall into the age range of today’s blog post, you certainly know and/or care for someone who does. So pass this great oral health timeline along by sharing this post with your extended family members, neighbors, friends, and coworkers. They’ll thank you.

The first age group we want to address is 1–20 year olds, which includes both children and teens. To help you prioritize, we’ve divided the information into must-do’s, should-do’s and could-do’s.

Must Do’s, Ages 1–20:

• Establish a dental home for children early, and stick to regular checkups. When children are comfortable with their dental team, it sets a pattern for a lifetime of great oral health.
• Set up an at-home oral hygiene routine. Remember, everyone should brush for 2 minutes, twice a day.
• ALL CHILD ATHLETES should wear a mouthguard during sports! Skaters, wrestlers, ballers, etc. That means you!

Should Do’s, Ages 1–20:

• Orthodontic evaluations should happen at about age 7 in case there’s a need for early intervention treatment.
• Dental sealants can provide a shield against tooth decay that will last throughout childhood.
• Healthy-teeth eating habits start now! That means minimal sugar, soda, and snacking—and, lots of vegetables.

Could Do’s, Ages 1–20:

• For teens, increasingly conscious of their appearance, teeth whitening can be a great boost.
• Exciting characters, colors, and flavors on toothbrushes and toothpaste can make brushing and flossing more fun for kids.

Use These Ideas As A Launchpad…

The musts, shoulds, and coulds above are by no means a comprehensive list of every dental factor to consider between the ages of 1 and 20! But we hope it gives you some good reminders and a starting point for building your own oral health goals.

Remember to watch for the future posts about each age group! And if you have any follow-up questions, let us know! Comment below, message us on our Facebook page, or give us a call.

Thanks for your trust in our practice. We appreciate you!

NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS that much of the dental “wear and tear” we see today rarely existed prehistorically, and overly-processed diets may be partially to blame. While not all experts agree, some studies conclude that our modern-day teeth are just not getting the workouts they need.

Some Wear Is Natural And Even Beneficial

Harder foods eaten in moderation can help strengthen our teeth and gums. In fact, if all we ate were soft foods, our enamel could actually deteriorate. Hard foods can smooth the surfaces of our teeth, making them flatter. This can help more evenly distribute chewing force and can help protect our teeth.

Yes it’s true… Our teeth need to work out. But there are proper and improper ways to strengthen our smiles. Let’s talk about a few dos and don’ts.

Do:

• Eat raw vegetables and fruit. There’s grinding and healthy resistance when you eat these kinds of foods—which can be strengthening. But it’s also gentle and less likely to cause damage.
• If you eat meat, eat tough meat once in a while—like a steak. According to the American Dental Association, the phosphorus in red meat also helps protect tooth enamel and bone. Each slice of sirloin provides a good, prolonged chew giving your teeth and gums some good exercise. Be sure to thoroughly chew each bite.
• Eat nuts, but eat them carefully. Our enamel is hard but it can fracture. Chew with caution.

Don’t:

• Try not to clench your jaw or grind your teeth. This can lead to microfractures.
• Never use your teeth to open packages, bottles, or to bite your nails. Using your teeth as scissors or a knife can damage your smile and your dental work. Biting your nails is not only unsanitary and potentially damaging, but it can also cause teeth to shift.
• Crunching on ice cubes is NOT a good idea. Let the ice cool your drink, not damage your smile.

A Fun, Vintage Video About Exercising Your Teeth

How Do You Strengthen Your Smile?

A balanced diet of hard and soft foods is one way to help strengthen your smile. Do you know of others? If so, please share them with us in the comments area below or on our Facebook page!

We appreciate having you as our valued patient. Thanks for the trust you place in us!

NO DOUBT YOU’VE HEARD that vitamins and minerals are good for your overall health. But did you know that many of those same vitamins and minerals are very important to the health of your smile? Read on!

Does Your Diet Include An Ample Supply Of These Important Vitamins & Minerals?

Calcium

Calcium protects your teeth from decay and your gums from disease. It also helps keep your jaw (and other bones) strong. Calcium can be found in milk, yogurt, cheese, oysters, beans, etc.

Magnesium

Magnesium helps with the healthy formation of your jaw, teeth, and gum tissue. It can be found in leafy greens, nuts and seeds, fish, whole grains, bananas, and even dark chocolate! Yummm…

Iron

Iron helps prevent mouth sores and inflammation of the tongue. It can be found in red meats, bran cereals, spices, and some nuts.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A helps saliva flow (and thus washes away bacteria). It also helps maintain a healthy mucous membrane and mouth tissues. It can be found in beef liver, sweet potatoes, spinach, melon, etc.

Tips For Smile-Healthy Eating Habits

Although this video often references teaching children great habits, the information applies to ALL of us! Pass this blog post (and video) along to friends, extended family members, neighbors and coworkers.

Vitamin B2

Vitamin B2 helps prevent mouth fissures and can be found in dairy products, lean steaks, pasta, bagels, mushrooms, spinach, almonds, etc.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps prevent inflammation and bleeding in the mouth. It also helps heal any mouth wounds you may have. It can be found in sweet potatoes, oranges, red peppers, etc.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Without vitamin D, you may experience burning mouth syndrome. The best way to get vitamin D is to spend some time in the sun! You can also consume milk, egg yolks, and fish.

A Helpful Resource For Learning More

The U.S. Department Of Agriculture’s website is a helpful resource in determining whether or not you’re getting the nutrients your body needs. Check it out!

As always… Thanks for being our valued patient!

DO YOU SUFFER FROM A SENSITIVE GAG REFLEX? If so, receiving any kind of dental treatment may be frustrating for you. Whether the reasons for your gagging are physiological, psychological, or both… we can help. We want to be sure nothing gets in the way of caring for your healthy smile.

A Few Tips On Handling A Sensitive Gag Reflex

• As is always the case—visit with us! We always want our valued patients to express any concerns or fears. A sensitive gag reflex is actually quite common, so don’t be embarrassed! We can work with you to better ensure your comfort in handling this concern.
• BREATHE! Yes, part of it may be that simple. Focusing on your breathing can not only help physically, but it may also focus your mind away from dentistry. Try taking deep breaths through your nose. Sometimes a nasal decongestant helps make it easier.
• Listening to music can help you relax and redirect your focus.
• Some studies indicate that gagging may be worse in the morning, so consider scheduling an afternoon visit.
• Sitting up straighter seems to help some people. Let’s experiment with your position in the chair to see if that helps.
• One study shows that folding your left thumb into the palm of your hand, then making a fist and squeezing your left thumb helps some people with their gag reflex. Try it!

Some Interesting Information About Gag Reflex

Your Complete Comfort Is Our High Priority

Determining what causes a sensitive gag reflex can be difficult. Whatever the cause, it’s important to remember that we can help. Talk with us! If you’ve had this problem in the past and have found things that help, please share them with us! We’re always anxious to learn from the experiences of our patients. Write your answer in the comments below, or on our Facebook page!

Thank you for trusting us with your oral care! We appreciate you.

WE’VE BEEN SERVING THE LAKE AREA FOR 15 YEARS, and it’s the people of this community who make each day truly worthwhile for us!

And We Want To Say “Thank You”!

But, we want to do more than just tell you. We want to show you! That’s why we’re planning a HUGE PARTY in your honor!

• Saturday, September 14th — 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Parking area surrounding Lake Oconee Dentistry

Here’s What You Can Look Forward To:

• LIVE MUSIC: The Ultimate Journey Tribute Band
• FREE FOOD from The Varsity’s mobile kitchen
• STROLLING MAGICIANS (one of whom was named Atlanta Magician of the Year!)
• ACROBATS, JUGGLERS, AERIALISTS
• GREAT PRIZES…including a FIAT convertible!

We’ll Be Drawing The Fifth Fiat Finalist LIVE!

We’ll be drawing from the entries of people present THAT DAY…and then awarding the keys to one lucky winner! Don’t miss your opportunity to drive away a winner!

Ultimately, we want this to be a day for you to relax and enjoy yourself. We want you to feel appreciated.

There is absolutely NO CHARGE to attend, and we’ll be there RAIN or SHINE!

We hope you’ll join us and can’t wait to see you there!

NO NEED TO BE EMBARRASSED! We all experience morning breath from time to time. Typically, our morning brushing routines get rid of it. But people wonder where morning breath comes from—and people wonder what to do if it continues throughout the day.

Morning Breath Is Primarily Caused By Dry Mouth

While general bad breath can have a variety of causes (diet, oral hygiene habits, even some systemic diseases), morning breath most often stems from dry mouth.

While you’re sleeping, saliva production slows. Your body does that to help you sleep—otherwise you’d be having to swallow all the time. Saliva is vital to your oral health because it rinses away food particles, makes your mouth less acidic, and helps keep mouth bacteria in check.

So when saliva stops doing its thing during sleep, the bacteria goes wild! This creates a massive amount of sulphur gas buildup that stinks! Gross, right? That’s another reason why it’s important to brush our teeth before bed—it helps at least start out our sleep period with minimal sugars and bacteria in our mouths.

More Interesting & Relevant Info About Bad Breath

Tips For Combatting Morning Breath

1. ALWAYS brush your teeth (and tongue) before going to sleep.
2. Drink some water before you go to bed, and right after you wake up.
3. Clear your sinuses. Breathing through the nose helps some people not dry out so much.

But What If Morning Breath Lasts Beyond The Morning?

If you have chronic bad breath, ask yourself if you’re up-to-date with your regular dental check-ups. Sometimes a good cleaning can help. But even more important, bad breath can actually be a symptom of more severe problems like gum disease or tooth decay, which is something we’ll definitely want to consider.

Questions? Just Ask!

We know that it can be an awkward conversation, but if you’re worried about bad breath, let us know. Our goal is always to help you in every way we can!

Thanks for being our valued patient. We appreciate you!

WHERE WOULD WE BE without our toothbrushes?! Today personal dental hygiene is easy with convenient tools like toothbrushes and floss. But have you ever wondered what people did before modern toothbrushes?

Twigs & Branches

The earliest toothbrushes were actually “chewing sticks”. That may sound rudimentary, but they were surprisingly effective. In ancient Babylon people chewed on twigs until they became shredded and fibrous. That created a “brush” that they’d use to clean their teeth. Depending on the plant used, additional antiseptic properties or naturally occurring fluoride may have even been found in those twigs.

Many cultures still use Miswak chewing sticks (made from a twig of the Salvadora persica tree) for oral hygiene.

Chinese Boar Bristle Brushes

Around the 15th century the Chinese invented one of the earliest toothbrushes, made from boar bristles pasted onto handles of bamboo or bone. These brushes worked just like modern toothbrushes do, although they were a little more harsh on one’s teeth (and a little less sanitary).

European Sponges & Cloths

Most Medieval Europeans didn’t bother with oral hygiene. However, the meticulous few would clean their teeth using a sponge or cloth dipped into a solution made of oils and salts. It was probably better than nothing!

Toothbrushes Today

Modern materials like nylon bristles and plastic handles have made toothbrushes inexpensive and accessible to nearly everyone. And now, we see all kinds of toothbrushes, from smart ones that tell you where to brush, to singing ones that make oral hygiene fun for kids.

Does The Brand Of Your Toothbrush Matter?

Many patients ask what kind of toothbrush is best. Typically it’s best to use one with soft bristles, but the kind of toothbrush you use doesn’t matter as much as the fact that you use it for two minutes, twice a day.

So how do YOU feel about your toothbrush? If your own modern toothbrush wasn’t around, which of these ancient methods would you try?

Let us know in the comments section below. And remember, if you ever have any questions about your oral health, ask us!

Thanks for being our valued patient!

A COUPLE OF CENTURIES AGO it was very unusual for people to have their original teeth in their mouth on their 40th birthday! And as little as 50 years ago, half of the people you walked by over the age of 65 had already lost nearly all of their teeth. Today, that number has been drastically reduced.

We’re All Part Of An Amazing Trend

Despite all of the modern threats to our smiles that we often hear about (including rampant sugar use, popularized acidic beverages, etc.) overall oral health continues to improve. In most countries, at every age, we’re keeping more of our teeth than we were 20 years ago in 1994:

Modern Dentistry Is Focused On Preventive Care And Keeping Teeth

Back in the olden days when preventive care was rare, the result was a lot of toothaches. Often, the default solution for a toothache was to just pull the tooth. Today’s materials and treatment advances have made that default solution rare—especially when patients maintain regular checkups.

The gum health in a 60-year-old today is about the same as it was in a 40-year-old back in 1973. One of the contributing factors is likely the rise of regular flossing! Dental floss was patented in the late 19th century, but it has taken a long time for regular flossing to become mainstream.

What To Expect As Your Teeth Age

Our teeth change as we age. Some of these changes can make optimal oral health more difficult. You may experience:

• Extreme Yellowing – As the white enamel layer wears down, the yellow dentin underneath becomes more visible.
• Increased Gum Disease Risk – Our ability to naturally fight infections—like gingivitis—decreases.
• Dry mouth – Often a side-effect of taking more medications.

Remember, we can help you with these challenges!

What NOT To Expect

• Losing Your Teeth! Isn’t it great to know that together we may make dentures (like your grandma’s) a thing of the past?

Although oral health risks increase with age, we know how to combat them! And with good habits, your natural teeth can be around as long as you are. No denture adhesives, no living off soup everyday. So let’s put in the little bit of work now. Make sure that you brush and floss every day—and maintain cleanings and check-ups.

Now For A Fun, Retro Throwback…

This needs no explanation:

Thank you for the trust you place in us. We appreciate you.