Teeth Whitening With Oil Pulling Chews

Do you like to oil pull and whiten your teeth? If so I have found a recipe that you will love! This recipe is a two in one time saver!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup melted virgin coconut oil.
• 1/4 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric.
• 7-30 drops of essential oils (to your taste).

Directions:

• Stir together the melted coconut oil, turmeric and essential oils. 
• Pour mixture into ice cube/candy try.  (Each one should be about 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon in volume).
• Refrigerate.

How to use:

• Before brushing your teeth, drinking, eating, place one to three chews in your mouth and swish for 5-20 minutes. (The longer the better).
• When done, spit the oil into the garbage. (DO NOT SWALLOW).
• Rinse with warm salt water.
• Brush and floss like normal.

I will definitely try this recipe!

Recipe found here!

Dental Songs For Preschoolers

Do you have a preschooler that  does not like brushing their teeth?

If so, your in luck! Below are some common children songs that are changed into dental songs to make brushing fun!

Row Row Row Your Boat:

Brush, brush, brush your teeth.
At least two times a day.
Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning,
Fighting tooth decay.
Floss, floss,floss your teeth.
Every single day.
Gently, gently, gently,gently,
Whisking Plaque away.
Rinse, rinse, rinse your teeth
Every single day.
Swishing, swishing, swishing, swishing,
Fighting tooth decay.

Twinkle Twinkle:

Sparkle, sparkle, little teeth,
Some above and some beneath.
Brush them all at every meal,
Clean and fresh they'll always feel.
Sparkle, sparkle, little teeth,
Some above and some beneath.
Floss them, floss them, in between.
Cavities will not be seen!
See your dentist twice a year,
You will grin from ear to ear.
Floss them, floss them, in between,
Cavities will not be seen!
Snacking, snacking, it's okay.
Try it in the proper way.
Eat raw veggies, fruit and cheese.
They will make your mouth say "Please!"
Snacking, snacking, it's okay.
Try it in the proper way.

I'm a little tea pot:

I have a little toothbrush.
I hold it very tight.
I brush my teeth each morning,
and then again at night.
I go brush, brush, brush
and rinse, rinse, rinse,
and then when they're all clean
I'll blow you a kiss.

Floss Sticks vs Regular Floss

Floss sticks are quickly becoming the way of the world. They are easy to use, make flossing quicker and saves you from getting the string imprints in your fingers, but it is really the best option?

Traditional dental floss has been used for years. It is tested, approved, recommended and used by most dental centers. It is great at removing the excess food particles, plaque and bacteria between your teeth. However it is really difficult to control. It takes some work and technique to make sure that you do it right especially if you are trying to get in between the back molars. It also requires at some point for you to stick your fingers inside your mouth, which is a problem for some people. However it is really effective at cleaning your teeth properly.

Floss Swords are less intrusive in your mouth. The are simple and easy to use and allows you to reach the back molars without much trouble. However, their effectiveness of cleaning teeth is in question. Ideally when you floss with traditional floss, between each tooth you pull a fresh piece of floss. With a floss sword, you use the same piece until you are done. This can transfer bacteria from between one to tooth to another. One can argue that if the sword in rinsed before each tooth that it wouldn't do that, but ideally does anyone actually do that? Also, they are often accused of pushing plaque back and forth in because the plastic piece stops it from being easily removed.

Personally, I use both. In some areas of my mouth, my teeth are tight to each other and it is hard to get the thick piece of floss on sword between them, so I use traditional floss on those. I use tradition floss on all of my front teeth and I use a floss sword on my molars. I do rinse the floss sword after each tooth, but that's just me. 

It basically comes down to your preference and the recommendation of your dentist and hygienist so make sure you check with them. Regardless of which one you choose you will definitely get kudos for flossing. That's the part of self dental care that is skipped the most!

  

Dental Restraints For Kids.. A Controversial Topic

I don't know anyone that likes to go to the dentist, myself included. It can especially traumatizing for a child especially if major work is needed. A freaked out child who cannot sit still can be a nightmare for a dentist, dental assistant, hygienist and not to mention the parent. A child who cannot remain still or calm can be a safety hazard to anyone in the office around them as well as themselves. Think about it, a dentist is trying to drill out a cavity and the child is tossing their head around.

Which bring me to what has become a very controversial topic in the media right now. Should dental restraints be used on children? There can be an argument both ways. I know dentists that are not at all a fan of them, I know dentists that are and I know ones that have them as an absolute last resort. The controversy comes from a story in Boston that went viral on social media. Some parents we claiming that their child was "tortured and traumatized" during their trip to the dentist because they were restrained in the chair. There were reports of some kids getting cuts and bruised from the restraints. Being one that does not like to be restrained in away, I can empathize with these kids. I would literally go nuts. There are two sides to every story and of course we are only seeing one side in the media and on social media. So I will refrain from giving my opinion of the story because I do not like to jump to conclusions based on one side. However I will say this:

1. Restraints are nothing new, they have been around and have been used for years. In this day of social media takeover, things like this are brought more into the spotlight. Although it may seem like something new that this dentist is doing, it really isn't. It has been a practice for a very long time.

2. There is time to use restraints and a time not to. In my opinion that should be a collaborative decision between the parent(s) and the dentist. Other options should be explored so that the best course of action can be agreed upon.

3. There is correct and incorrect way to use restraints. They are designed to keep the patient still and safe, not cause harm to them. If a patient is getting cuts and bruises from the restraints then in my opinion they are counterproductive to the purpose they are intended for, or they are misapplied.

I would really like to hear from you on this. What are your thoughts? You can comment on this post if you like. I did a Twitter Poll on our @SavonDentalPlan twitter account if you would like to go there and vote. Hope to hear your feedback!

Dental Emergency Kit

We have all heard of a first aid kit, and majority of us either have one in the car or at home, but do you have a dental emergency kit? I know I don't and never even thought about having one. 

Dental emergency kits are great to have on hand especially if your around sporting events which is the most common place to receive dental injuries.

Making your own dental emergency may cost more money then buying a pre-made one but with making your own you know you will have everything you need.

What you should have in your dental emergency kit:

• Gloves - Never put your hands inside someones mouth without gloves on, you never know if there will be blood involved. 
• Temporary filling - This is used to cover a hole. It helps keep air from hitting the nerve and help keep food from getting into the area. 
• Orajel - Helps relieve tooth pain and mouth sores. This is not a long term solution. 
• Cotton balls, gauze pads and q tips - These will be necessary if a tooth has fallen out. These can also be soaked up in various medicines and applied to and abscess  or to gum lines.
• Peroxide - Excellent gargling solution that can help clean the teeth and gums. Swishing the peroxide around in the mouth helps prevent infection from setting in.
• Salt - Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water helps lessen a toothache.
• Dental mirror - This will help you look all the way back to the mouth.

There are many other things that you can include in your dental emergency kit, such as essential oils, tea bags and etc. 

Remember this is just a emergency kit to help you until you can see your dentist. Never leav anything untreated, it can make you sick and can even lead to death.

Information was found here

Don't Wait For A Toothache

In almost all of our marketing material you will find the catchphrase "Don't Wait For A Toothache". A catchy phrase if I must say, but there is much more to that phrase within the Savon Dental brand. Obviously we use it to encourage people not to wait for toothache to join our plan but the underlying meaning is to promote preventative dental care. We don't want you to wait for a toothache to go to the dentsit.

Preventative dental care is very important. It is much more than brushing and flossing on a regular basis. Getting regular check up and cleanings are just as important and save you from having major dental work done down the road, which in the end will save you more money.

The fact is that the majority of people won't go to the dentist until they have a toothache or something is wrong. Teeth tend to get the "out of sight out of mind" treatment until a toothache comes on. Poor dental health can lead to numerous problems like gum disease, toothloss and even heart disease and more. Which is all more the reason to make sure that your teeth are maintained properly. That reminds me of a saying my Grandma used to tell me when I was young, "Be true to your teeth and they won't be false to you"

So make sure you brush, floss, get checkups and cleaning on a regular basis. Most importantly... Don't Wait For A Toothache!

Signs You May Need A Root Canal

Do you have a tooth causing sever pain? If this is the case you may have a decaying or infected tooth and your dentist may recommend a root canal. 

A root canal is a treatment to repair and save a damaged tooth. During a root canal the dentist will remove the infected pulp and the inside of the tooth is carefully cleaned and disinfected, then sealed. Afterwards the tooth is restores with a crown for protection. 

Although not all tooth pain is an indication that you need a root canal but there are signs that you need to pay attention to:

• Serious pain when eating or just applying pressure.
• Sensitivity to hold or cold foods.
• Small pimple like bump on gums near the area of tooth pain.
• Discoloration of tooth.
• Tender or swollen gums near area of tooth pain.

If you experience a any type of tooth pain always see your dentist, never ignore the pain.

There are several culprits that can cause tooth pain so its always best to get it checked out by a professional. 

Member Question - Is There Such A Thing Called Swimmers Teeth?

Members Question:

“I have a daughter that is on the University swimming team.  Her front teeth are becoming stained.  Her coach told her is was swimmers teeth.  Before I take her to the dentist and look like a complete fool, can you tell me if there is such a thing?”

Savon's Answer:

Yes, it's true.  Swimmers teeth is an actual condition also known as "swimmers calculus."

Mostly common in competitive swimmers, "swimmers teeth" refers to a dark yellow/brown coloring mainly on the front teeth.  This is actually made of deposits quite like the tartar or plaque everyone gets, but is darker and more difficult to remove.

Swimmers teeth is actually caused by the amount of time spent in the pool.  Pool water contains chemical additives that make the water have a higher pH than saliva.  This causes the proteins in saliva to break down causing dark stains on the teeth.  It is said that this condition is most common in people who spend more than six hours a week in the pool.

The good news is that this is not permanent, just unattractive.  Regular brushing won't help, but your dentist can completely remove it.  Proper oral hygiene and regular preventative treatments will help keep the problem under control.


(The content of this blog was originally posted in our May 2016 newsletter in the article "Here's Your Answer")