Teach Kids How To Brush And Floss!

This is a fun but messy activity to teach your young children how to brush and floss correctly!

All you will need is:

• Rubber glove
• Peanut butter
• Dental Floss
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste

Have an adult put on the glove, have someone or yourself put some peanut butter between your fingers (make sure you get it all the way down). Tighten your fingers together (your fingers represent the teeth and the peanut butter is the food that gets trapped). With your fingers still tightly together and extended, have your child use the toothbrush and toothpaste to try and remove the peanut butter. Once they are finished brushing have them try and remove the peanut butter using the floss.

This will help your child understand that brushing simply cant reach all the places between your teeth. Dental Floss does a much better job of removing food.

Reasons To Scrape Your Tongue Every Day!

When we are sleeping our digestive system remains awake, removing toxins from our body and depositing them onto the surface of our tongue. If we don't remove these toxins they get reabsorbed into the body causing other problems such as weakened  immune system and respiratory problems.

Listed below are some reasons why you should make tongue scraping part of your daily oral health routine:

1. Improves breath: Removing bacteria, food debris, fungi and dead cells from the tongue reduces the odor from your mouth. To get the best results you need a tongue scraper, a toothbrush doesn't cut it.
2. Improves taste: Removing the build-up will expose your taste buds. This will lead to better enjoyment of the flavors of your food.
3. Improves dental health: Bacteria that is removed from the tongue are responsible for things like periodontal problems, plaque, build-up, tooth decay and many others.

Get to know your tongue!
Did you know your tongue us a mirror reflection of your internal organs? By scraping your tongue you are stimulating and massaging those corresponding organs!

What Is Hyperdontia Continued

Last month October, 7th I did a blog about hyperdontia (teeth that appear in addition to the regular number of teeth).  Today I'm going to explain what type of treatment is used along with how long the treatments can last.

Treating hyperdontia is often done by removing the extra teeth/tooth, this can be preformed like a normal extraction if the tooth has erupted (broken the skin). If the tooth is still beneath the gum line, surgical extractions may be preformed. Sometimes if the teeth are fused together, both teeth may need to be removed.

Orthodontic treatment may be needed after the extractions to create a perfect smile! The length of  treatment will be determined by an orthodontist. Orthodontic treatment can last 1-3 years depending on the severity of the teeth, type of braces chosen, and dental health.

The prevention of hyperdontia is not known or still under medical review.

Can your dental exam reveal osteoporosis?

Absolutely!  There are a variety of things your teeth and gums can reveal, and bone loss is one of them
Picture this: Your teeth have been cleaned, x-rayed and examined. You're ready to schedule your next 6-month check-up and be on your way. But instead, your dentist delivers some surprising news: you may have osteoporosis.
You may think he is kidding, but that's probably not the case. Signs of osteoporosis can often be seen on dental x-rays and exams. Oral health and bone health can be directly related. Your dentist can find possible signs of osteoporosis by examining your jawbone, gums and teeth.
Although your dentist may suspect the disease, an x-ray alone is not enough for a diagnosis. To diagnose osteoporosis, you will need to see a doctor for a bone density test.

Keep Smiling!

Oral Cancer Screening At Home

Six easy steps to check for oral cancer at home!

1. Tongue - Extend your tongue as far as it can go, examine the sides and underside for white and red patches and feel your tongue for lumps.
2. Lip and Cheek - Feel for lumps or bumps while looking for white and red patches.
3. Double - Digit Probe - Examine the floor of your mouth from the tom to bottom simultaneously for lumps, red and white patches.
4. Palate Tickle - Check the roof of your mouth for lumps and areas of softness on the hard palate, looking for white and red patches.
5. Neck Caress - Palpate your neck for enlarged lymph nodes.
6. Tonsils - Depress the tongue and check for enlarged tonsils and any white or red patches.

Remember this does not take place of seeing your dentist, this is just a cautionary screening. If you notice any unusual patches or unexplained soreness contact your dentist immediately.