If you’ve invested in your smile, you may have a porcelain crown or two in your mouth.  But what happens when the unthinkable occurs, and you break a crown?  Traditionally that meant a new crown.  But what if there was another way?

Dr. Michael Nelson was recently published in print, and online, discussing fractures.  The article showcases a unique and advanced technique to repair fractured porcelain.  This new material can help save money and time, keeping existing crowns both functional and beautiful, allowing people to continue sharing their smile for years to come!  See Dr. Nelson in action. 

Using the right amount of toothpaste on your toothbrush is very important; probably just as important as what kind of toothpaste you use. Commercials and ads show a long strip of toothpaste covering the whole toothbrush bristles, but this is a common mistake that people make.

If too much toothpaste is used, a few bad things happen.  Firstly, you will end up spending more money on toothpaste.  Second, you will be almost required to brush your teeth in the bathroom or near a sink because your mouth will foam up quickly; this also will make you want to brush for a shorter time.  Lastly, you will be desensitising your tongue.  To explain, your tongue will be tasting a bunch of yummy minty toothpaste and won’t feel the cavity bugs on your teeth.

These three things (and others) results in less than effective tooth brushing. The recommended dosage of toothpaste is about the size of the tip of your pinky finger for adults, and a pea sized for children under the age of 6.  And, some dental professionals even recommend brushing without toothpaste for two to four minutes, until your teeth are clean, then introducing toothpaste to freshen breath, add fluoride, and remove stain.  Google “two way toothbrushing” if you want to learn more about the dry brushing technique.

But back to toothpaste, the best advice for choosing the right kind of toothpaste would be to become a label reader. Most toothpaste has the exact same ingredients but are marketed differently.

Good luck!

There are whole aisles dedicated to toothpaste in stores, as well as hundreds of toothpaste commercials on television. This can make it very confusing on which toothpaste to buy.

All toothpaste have a few main ingredients; water, abrasives, surfactants and fluoride.

Abrasives polish teeth by helping to scrape food and some stain off your teeth.

Surfactants are a fancy word for a foaming agent. The foaming helps to spread the toothpaste over your teeth more easily.

Fluoride is the active ingredient in toothpaste. Although controversial, it has been proven in numerous peer reviewed studies to reduce dental cavities.

Whitening toothpastes are very popular right now, and some can be very expensive. What allows toothpaste to be called “whitening” is that it contains abrasives (which most toothpaste already have) and/or tripolyphosphate, which is an ingredient that helps break down or dissolve stains. Mist whitening toothpastes do not actually contain the active “teeth bleaching” ingredient, a form of hydrogen peroxide, in their mixtures.

Tarter control toothpastes are also popular, and the active ingredient in these toothpastes is sodium pyrophosphate. This ingredient does not break down existing tarter that is already attached to the teeth. It does, however, help to prevent new tarter from building up on the teeth by bonding with any unattached tarter and dissolving it.

Most major toothpaste brands also carry sensitivity toothpastes now. The active ingredient in these toothpastes is potassium nitrate, which blocks the tubes that run from the outside environment to the inside of the teeth that contains tooth nerves. It also helps soothe nerve endings inside teeth. Most whitening products and whitening and tarter control toothpastes can cause sensitivity in people, so sensitivity toothpastes are widely used.

So there you have it, the truth about toothpaste ingredients.  Stay tuned next month to learn about how using the right amount of toothpaste is critical.

Last month we talked about sweet liquids, and common misconceptions among parents.

For example, although juices may be good for children’s bodies by giving them the vitamins they need, the bacteria in the mouth use natural sugars the same as sugar added to food or soda pop.  Even if juice is diluted in water, it still can contribute to cavities.

As we discussed last week, the bacteria in our mouth uses one teaspoon of sugar the same way as ten teaspoons.  Every sip, drink, or gulp of sweet liquid starts an acid process that decays the teeth for up to half an hour!

In dentistry, we often talk about “baby bottle rot.”  What this really means is tooth decay caused by sweet liquids like juices, sodas, and sugary waters (Gatorade, Propel, and others that often fly below the radar).  It is not only caused by a bottle, but by other things like sippy cups and even regular cups.  What causes all the problems is the duration of exposure to these sweet liquids.  The longer they are drinking these liquids, the more acid they are exposed to, and that is when cavities form.

It is important to be aware of what your child is drinking.  Read labels, and look for sugar content.  If it has more than 0 grams of sugar, then try to limit exposure time.  Make sure that your child receives regular check-ups as soon as they have teeth to detect and prevent any cavities.

The bottom line is we want to minimize oral bacteria in children, and being careful about liquids is a large part of that goal.

A common misconception among parents is that juice and other fruity drinks do not cause cavities.  Although juices may be good for children’s bodies by giving them the vitamins they need, the bacteria in the mouth use natural sugars the same as sugar added to food or soda pop.  Even if juice is diluted in water, it still can contribute to cavities.  The bacteria in our mouth uses one teaspoon of sugar the same way as ten teaspoons.  Every sip, drink, or gulp of sweet liquid starts an acid process that decays the teeth for up to half an hour.  And the process doesn’t just start after finishing the drink.  Instead, the process continues the whole time of drinking the liquid AND half an hour after the last sip.

Of course, we can’t cut all juice from the diet of our children.  However, following a few guidelines helps.  For example, it is better to have a glass of juice with meals because eating actively promotes saliva and naturally cleanses our mouths.  The opposite would be continually sipping on sweet liquids like juice for long periods of time between meals.  Bad.

The bottom line is we want to minimize oral bacteria in children, and being careful about liquids is a large part of that goal.

Next month we will go into more detail about sweet liquids.  Until then, keep smiling!

It can get kind of confusing to determine when to make your child a dental appointment.  Some people hear of dentists not accepting children as patients until a certain age.  Although there are different rules for different offices, the American Dental Association recommends a child be seen after his or her first birthday.  Even when children have very few teeth, they are still at risk for cavities.

Most first appoints are fun, too!  Lots of riding in the chair, some smiling, counting the teeth, and nothing sharp!  After an examination, a child is then ready to get his or her teeth cleaned, which is another positive experience.

Oral hygiene habits like tooth brushing and flossing are taught to both the child and parent.  Other things that affect oral health are also discussed such as diet, habits, and bacteria prevention.  And let’s not leave out “Mr. Thirsty!”  (The suction saliva evacuator).  Kids get their teeth tickled by “The Tooth Tickler” with some tasty paste.  These experiences help children become used to the sights, sounds, and feelings of dentistry.  And ultimately, the dentist becomes a fun place to spend some time!

By seeing children at an early age, we hope to educate and provide services to prevent any cavity experiences.  For children who have cavities, we hope to stop and fix them and also prevent any more cavities from forming.