Bad Breath

Keeping your breath fresh and healthy is an important part of your oral hygiene routine. Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is often easily treatable.

There are several causes of bad breath:

• strong foods like garlic and onions
• dry mouth, which can happen if you smoke, are stressed, and with age
• various medical conditions
• and improper or inconsistent dental home-care, which can lead to a buildup of bacteria and periodontal disease

Eliminating the bacteria found on your tongue and gums is one of the first steps in getting rid of bad breath. The tongue surface is made up of many tiny fissures. Small particles of food can get trapped in these fissures and begin to decompose. A type of bacteria, called anaerobic bacteria, thrive in these areas, where there is little or no oxygen. Bad breath odor occurs when these bacteria produce a common compound: sulfur. Periodontal disease, or gum disease, is another source of sulfur-producing bacteria. The plaque and tartar that builds up around your teeth and gums create pockets that trap food and bacteria, and create an environment where sulfur is produced.

Beyond the unpleasantness of bad breath, periodontal disease is a serious condition that can lead to bone and tooth loss. It's fortunate that the treatment of periodontal disease will also help treat the bad breath symptoms. When we treat bad breath, we first remove the sulfur-producing bacteria from your mouth during a professional cleaning. Next, we'll work with you to set up a home-care routine that will include daily brushing and flossing, and may also include tongue scraping and an anti-bacterial rinse. We may suggest several return appointments to monitor your success and fine-tune your efforts.

Bad breath is uncomfortable and embarrassing, but the good news is that with the right tools, regular care by our professionals at , and the proper oral care routine, it's reversible! With treatment, you'll notice improvement right away, and soon be enjoying fresh breath and a healthier mouth!

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Brushing

Proper tooth brushing involves four things:

• a soft toothbrush
• toothpaste with fluoride
• the correct angle of brushing
• and brushing in a pattern

Whether you use a manual toothbrush or an electric toothbrush, it's important to brush at least twice a day, after breakfast and before bed. We recommend the use of a soft toothbrush. A soft brush is kinder to your teeth and gums, and also makes it much easier to remove the plaque below the gum line, where periodontal disease starts.

Use a small amount of toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride hardens the outer enamel layer of the teeth. It might stop a cavity in its tracks and give you more resistance to future cavities.

Angle the bristles of the brush along the gum line at a 45-degree angle and apply firm pressure so the bristles slide under the gum line. Vibrate the brush while you move it in short back-and-forth strokes and in small circular motions. Brush two or three teeth at a time. Then move to the next teeth, allowing some overlap. Tilt the brush and use the tip to brush the backs of the front teeth. It's fine to brush in any regular pattern you choose, but since the insides of the teeth tend to get less attention, you might start with the insides of the upper teeth, then go to the insides of the lower teeth. Switch to the outsides of the upper teeth, and then the outsides of the lower teeth. Brush the chewing surfaces of the upper teeth, then the lower teeth, and end by gently brushing your tongue and the roof of your mouth. This removes germs and keeps your breath fresh.

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Flossing

Most cavities and periodontal disease begin between the teeth. While brushing is important, the bristles of your brush simply don't reach between the teeth. To keep your gums and teeth healthy, you must remove the plaque between your teeth at least once a day. That's why we recommend dental floss. Don't worry about the type of floss; they all work pretty much the same. Wind 18 inches of floss around the middle fingers of each hand, leaving about five inches between your hands. Pinch the floss between your thumbs and index fingers, and leave about one inch in between to work with.

Gently guide the floss down between the teeth using a side-to-side motion. If your teeth are too tight to floss, or if it catches or tears, let one of the professionals at your clinic know about it. These are problems that need to be fixed. Pull the floss tightly in a C shape around the side of the tooth and slide it under the gum line. Clean the surface of the tooth by using an up-and-down motion, not side-to-side, until the surface is clean. Then pull the floss around the next tooth and repeat the process. Wind the floss to a fresh section and gradually work your way around your mouth, cleaning both sides of every tooth. If your have problems reaching back some areas, you may want to use a floss fork. If your gums are infected, they'll bleed when you floss, and that's to be expected if you are just beginning to floss. After a week or so of regular flossing, the bleeding should go away.

Now you know why brushing your teeth is only half the battle. Most cavities and periodontal disease start between the teeth, where your toothbrush simply doesn't reach.

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Super Floss

Superfloss and Floss-threaders are a good way to remove plaque under bridges and braces. Superfloss has a stiff end that helps to thread it through tight areas. It also has a fuzzy tufted segment that can remove plaque as you floss. Just insert the Superfloss and floss each area like you would normally. To use a Floss-threader you put floss through the loop, and then you can pull the floss through tight spots.

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Importance of Regular Exams

Because of our commitment to preventive dental care, we recommend a cleaning and checkup at our clinic at least once every six months. By their very nature, most dental problems tend to start small and then go through a rapid growth phase. Gingivitis is reversible, but when it advances to periodontal disease, the bone loss is irreversible. A small cavity can quickly be fixed, but if it grows into the softer inner dentin layer, it can reach the pulp chamber very quickly and that most likely means a root canal and crown. The list of potentially fast-growing problems goes on and on. Cracked fillings can lead to root canals. A bad bite can contribute to TMJ, and a chipped tooth can lead to a crown. During your regular checkups, we examine the health of your mouth, measure the bone levels around your teeth, look for cavities, check your restorations, examine your bite, and clean your teeth. Twice yearly cleanings enable us to keep tartar from accumulating on your teeth. Plaque, which is a sticky film of food and bacteria that forms constantly on your teeth, can harden in as little as 24 hours to become tartar, which is also called calculus. Ideal brushing and flossing can remove all the plaque, but most people aren't able to remove all the plaque every day. The result: tartar build up.

Plaque and tartar buildup are the main cause of periodontal disease. It takes professional help to remove tartar; a toothbrush and floss won't even budge it. The bacteria that cause periodontal disease thrive in tartar. These bacteria, and the toxins they produce, are the main cause of bone loss and eventually tooth loss.

Your six-month exam and cleaning: a critical part of a preventive program. It's the best way for you to eliminate the growth phase of dental problems, and that minimizes the time and money you spend in the dental chair.

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Fluoride

The greatest breakthrough in preventive dentistry in the last fifty years had been the use of fluoride. Almost all water naturally contains some fluoride. Most Canadian cities add additional fluoride to the water supply for the prevention of tooth decay. This use of fluoride alone has decreased the cavity rate for school children by 60 percent.

There are many benefits in the use of fluoride for people of all ages. When children are young and their teeth are forming, fluoride joins with the enamel surface and makes it harder and more resistant to decay. The benefits for adults are just as great. Fluoride can help repair an early cavity, even before it's become visible in the mouth, by rebuilding the enamel layer of the teeth. Fluoride is also helpful in older adults, to help solve the problem of root caries or root sensitivity. And fluoride rinses or gels are sometimes prescribed to help eliminate germs that cause gum disease.

At Group, we recommend fluoride toothpaste for all of our patients. We also recommend additional sources of fluoride for increased protection. This includes fluoride drops, tablets, or prescription toothpaste. Another highly effective time for fluoride application is immediately following your cleaning in our office. A topical gel is applied with the use of a tray or with a cotton applicator directly on the teeth. Fluoride is an important part of every prevention program. When combined with the good dental habits of brushing and flossing, the number of cavities in children and adults can be dramatically reduced.

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Periodontal Involvement

There are two reasons why it takes new tools and techniques to clean the plaque off your teeth when you've lost bone due to periodontal disease. First, in a healthy mouth, the space between the tooth and gums that's called the sulcus is normally 2-3 millimeters deep. And that's how far below the gums you can effectively clean with a toothbrush and floss. With periodontal disease, the sulcus deepens. It's now greater than 3 millimeters, and we call it a pocket.

The second problem in periodontal disease has to do with the shape of the roots. If there is no periodontal disease, the bone level is high and the gums attach at the necks of the teeth. You can wrap floss around this surface and do a thorough job of keeping plaque off of your teeth. In periodontal disease, the attachment shifts and you lose bone. Now you have root surface to contend with too, and they have indentions. Floss stretches across these indentions and can't remove the plaque. Special tools are necessary to gently reach down beyond the normal 3 millimeters to thoroughly clean the indentions in the sides of the roots in a pocket. Each tool is useful in different areas of your mouth.

The trained professionals at your clinic will be happy to work with you to custom tailor a plaque-removal program using these special tools and techniques.

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Your 7DENTAL Hygienist

Your hygienist is a highly trained and licensed oral health professional who provides you with educational, clinical and therapeutic services to enhance your oral and overall health. It's the job of our hygienists to use their skills and knowledge to prevent, detect and treat gum disease and tooth decay that can occur in your mouth. Our hygienists receive intensive, specialized education and training, which includes courses in chemistry, head and neck anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, nutrition and pharmacology, as well as courses in advances dental sciences and dental hygiene.

Prior to graduation, hygienists must complete hundreds of clock hours of supervised instruction in clinical practice. As part of the preventive function of our hygienist's job, she will thoroughly clean all surfaces of your teeth, removing plaque, tartar and stains from above and below your gum line, the point where your teeth meets your gums. She will help monitor the health of your gums, and she may be involved with the specialized treatment of advanced gum disease, such as scaling and root planing.

Your hygienist will also teach you how to effectively care for your teeth at home to help you prevent decay and periodontal disease. Your hygienist will carefully examine your teeth, mouth and gums, and pre-screen for any signs of decay, periodontal disease or other problems. During your dental cleaning, your hygienist will remove plaque, tartar, and stains from your teeth, using floss, special cleaning compounds, and instruments specifically designed to clean your teeth effectively and comfortably, like ultrasonic cleansers and rotary instruments. They may also take X-rays so the doctor can view them and quickly diagnose any problems that may exist. Your hygienist may also explain the relationship between a healthy diet and dental health, offering suggestions about which foods to select and which to avoid. Your hygienist may also apply fluoride gels, show you how to select the proper toothbrush, and demonstrate the most effective technique for brushing and flossing to help you maintain excellent oral hygiene.

Your hygienist is an excellent educational resource that can help you and your family keep your healthy smiles for a lifetime!

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Nutrition & Oral Health

Keeping your teeth and gums beautiful, healthy and strong is about more than just brushing, flossing and avoiding sweets. Good nutrition also plays a large role in your dental health. A balanced diet, characterized by moderation and variety, will help to boost your body's immune system, so you'll be less vulnerable to oral disease. A healthy diet also provides you with the nutrients your body needs to maintain strong teeth and healthy gums.

Recent research had also found that your dental health isn't just affected by what you eat. It's also affected by how often you eat. Every time you eat a starchy food, like crackers, bread, cookies or candy, the bacteria in your mouth feast on it, and in turn, produce acids that attack your teeth for 20 minutes or more. And the more frequently you eat, the more your teeth are exposed to these acids, which can eventually dissolve your tooth enamel. Also, foods that stick to your teeth like potato chips and dried fruit, as well as foods that are slow to dissolve in your mouth, like hard candies and granola bars, give acids more time to work on destroying your tooth enamel. Another way your diet can affect your dental health is the way you combine your foods. Sticky or starchy foods create less acid in your mouth when they are eaten as part of a meal. Why? Because saliva production increases at mealtime, and saliva not only rinses away food particles, but it also neutralizes harmful acids and helps to re-mineralize your teeth, so they're more resistant to acid attacks. Also, eating foods like nuts, cheese, onions and certain teas have been shown to actually slow down the growth of decay-causing bacteria.

One of the main offenders when it comes to tooth decay is soda. Dubbed “liquid candy” by many nutritionists, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has identified soda as the biggest source of refined sugar in the north American diet. In fact, a twelve-ounce can of soda contains a quarter cup of sugar: about 12 teaspoons! And soda also contains phosphoric acid, which can erode the protective enamel layer of your teeth. Sadly, teenagers have doubled or even tripled their consumption of soft drinks over the past decade. This is bad news for their teeth, because soft drinks literally bathe teeth in sugar and phosphoric acid for an extended period of time. And soda is usually replacing a healthy nutrient-rich food or beverage, like milk. So, to maximize your nutrition and your dental health: limit your intake of sweets and refined starches like crackers or white bread to once or twice a day, and brush, rinse or chew sugarless gum immediately after eating them, eliminate soda from your diet, or limit it to special occasions, make sure you get plenty of calcium and vitamins B, C and D, which help to keep your bones, teeth and gums strong and healthy, avoid breath mints, gum and cough drops that contain sugar, and read food labels to check for hidden sugar, and remember that “natural” sugars are also harmful to your teeth.

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Snoring

As many as 50 percent of adults have some type of snoring problem. There are many causes of snoring but some of the most common include: excess bodyweight, use of drugs and alcohol, congestion or swollen tonsils, aging and apnea.

Snoring is the result of the vibration of the soft tissues in your mouth and your throat. While awake, the muscles surrounding these structures tighten, keeping the air passage open. When you're asleep, these soft tissues relax, and your lower jaw and tongue drop back, blocking the opening to your airway.

This increases the speed of the air flowing through your airway when you breathe, which causes the soft tissues to vibrate. The sound of those vibrating tissues is what we call snoring. Heavy snoring and delayed breathing of 10 seconds or more may be symptomatic of a more serious condition, sleep apnea, which is frequently associated with hypertension, stroke, and other cardiopulmonary problems.

There are several simple things that can help stop snoring:

• losing weight
• avoiding alcohol
• use a humidifier
• and the use of nasal strips

For the many people that need additional help and don't want to resort to surgical options, snoring is easily treatable with a customized oral appliance. They come in many types and styles.

To make a custom oral appliance, we'll first make impressions of your teeth. From those impressions we make precise working models of your teeth. It's on these models that we craft the appliance to exactly fit your mouth and teeth. Some oral appliances are made in our clinics, while others are made with the help of a qualified dental laboratory technician. After constructing an appliance specific to your needs, we try it in and check the fit, and then any other necessary adjustments are made.

For the first few nights, we suggest that you put the appliance in 15 minutes before sleep, to help your mouth get used to the device. Although some soreness of the jaw muscle is normal for the first few nights, let us know if the appliance is otherwise uncomfortable or is causing you any discomfort, so we can adjust the fit. In the morning, after removing it brush it with toothpaste, rinse and then store it in the container provided.

With a simple device, a customized oral appliance, the professionals at can treat your snoring, and you and your loved ones can go back to getting a good night's sleep.

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Tongue Piercing

Tongue piercing seems to be becoming a common form of self-expression. Though the procedure is fairly simple and is normally performed with anesthetic, the consequences can be severe. Because of the risks involved, selecting a place to get your tongue pierced should never be taken lightly. Piercing studios are not regulated or licensed in any way. Currently, anyone can grab a needle and puncture your tongue anywhere using anything, even a needle that can be contaminated with AIDS or hepatitis. You have no guarantees when it comes to sterilization, or the piercer's expertise or experience.

There are certain things you want to look for. You want somebody who has some experience, somebody you can be comfortable with, somebody who is going to answer any questions you might have. You want somebody that is going to observe basic health and safety issues, like wearing gloves, changing your gloves if you are going to touch something that's sterile after you've touched something that's not sterile. You want to see them throw the needle away after the piercing. They should only be used once.

Other risks include:

• infections
• swelling
• excessive bleeding
• or broken teeth that might have to be removed

If the jewelry inserted comes loose, you may also have to deal with an obstructed airway and asphyxiation, or damage to your digestive organs. After marking the site on your tongue, a cork is placed under the tongue to provide support. A needle is used to pierce the tongue, and a barbell shaped piece of the jewelry is secured in place. Instructions for care are given for the healing period, which can range from weeks to months.

Even when the procedure is done properly, problems can arise. You can chip your teeth just biting on the ball while eating. Another problem is that the jewelery can rub on the bottom of your mouth causing a sore and rub on the root of your teeth and cause an abcess, which eventually may lead to the loss your tooth. Because of these many potential problems, the Canadian Dental Association, the National Institute of Health, and Hepatitis C Foundation are all firmly against tongue piercing.

Our advice: Don't pierce on a whim, think it over, ask questions, and thoroughly inspect the studio in advance, making sure that all instruments have been fully sterilized.

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Chewing Tobacco

Babe Ruth died of throat cancer. He was 53.

Kids, candy, cavities! Smokeless tobacco has just as much sugar, and you see the same results. Not only is that little pinch between you cheek and gums giving you unsightly stains and bad breath, it's also a hot spot for gum disease, decay, and cancer.

The good news is this white area on the gums isn't cancer. The bad news, for one out of twenty people, is that it will become cancer. And even when it doesn't become cancer, you still have to worry about stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, diabetes, bladder cancer, clogged arteries, and strokes.

A good example is Sean Marsee of Ada, Oklahoma.

We suggest you Google his name and read more about him. Sean was a track star and a fierce competitor who lifted weights and ran the 400-meter relay. By the time he was 18 years of age, he had won 28 medals. To keep his body strong, he didn't smoke or drink. But he did use smokeless tobacco, because he thought it wasn't harmful to his health. When oral cancer was discovered, part of Sean's tongue was removed. But the cancer spread. More surgeries followed, including removal of his jawbone. In his last hours, Sean wrote (he could no longer speak) this plea to his peers:

"Don't dip snuff."

Sean Marsee died at the age of 19.

 

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