Brush Your Way to Healthier Gums

It is important that you brush your teeth and gums at least twice a day—even better, after every meal, if you can. Brushing removes plaque, a film of bacteria that clings to teeth. When bacteria in plaque come into contact with food, they produce acids. These acids lead to cavities.

Although brushing your teeth seems like a very easy thing everyone can do, you should teach your children the most effective way to brush by modeling your own behavior. Here are ten tips to accomplish this task:

• Place a pea-sized dab of fluoride toothpaste on the bristles of a soft toothbrush.
• Place the toothbrush against the teeth at a 45º angle to the gum line.
• Move the brush across the teeth back and forth gently in short strokes, cleaning one tooth at a time, using a small, circular motion. Keep the tips of the bristles against the gum line. Avoid pressing so hard that the bristles lie flat against the teeth; only the tips of the toothbrush clean the teeth. Let the bristles reach into the spaces between the teeth.
• Brush the outer surfaces, the inner surfaces and the chewing surfaces of all the teeth. Make sure the bristles get into the grooves and crevices.
• Use the same small, circular motion to clean the backsides of the upper and lower teeth—the sides that face the tongue.
• To clean the inner surface of the bottom front teeth, angle the head in an up-and-down position toward the bottom inside of the mouth and move the toothbrush in several up-and-down strokes.
• For the inside of the top front teeth, angle the brush in an up-and-down position with the tip of the head pointing toward the roof of the mouth. Move the toothbrush in several up-and-down strokes.
• Give your tongue a few gentle brush strokes, brushing from the back forward. Do not scrub. This helps remove bacteria and freshens your breath.
• After brushing your teeth for two to three minutes, rinse your mouth well with water.
• Replace your toothbrush with a new one every three to four months.

In addition to brushing, it is important to floss teeth once a day. Flossing gets rid of food and plaque between the teeth, where the toothbrush cannot reach. If plaque stays between teeth, it can harden into tartar, which must be removed with a professional cleaning. Antibacterial mouth rinses (there are fluoride mouth rinses, as well) can also reduce bacteria that cause plaque and gum disease, according to the American Dental Association.

Taking care of your teeth and gums on a regular daily basis will keep breath fresh and teeth clean, while holding cavity-causing bacteria at bay.

Ease your child's dental pain

Ease Your Child’s Dental Pain

When your child complains of a toothache, it does not always mean there is a cavity. Many toothaches occur when a tooth temporarily becomes overly sensitive. Knowing how to relieve the pain—and when to call the dentist—are important factors in helping your child overcome tooth discomfort.

If your child develops a toothache, you can take several simple steps that may relieve the pain. At first complaint,

• ask your child to identify the tooth causing the pain.
• check for food or other objects which may have lodged between teeth.
• even if nothing is visible, very gently use dental floss on either side of the painful tooth to dislodge any tiny particles that may be causing the discomfort.
• have your child rinse his or her mouth with warm salt water, which may help reduce swelling and relieve accompanying pain.
• give your child an over-the-counter medication like acetaminophen if pain persists.
• use an icepack on the cheek or jaw for 20 minutes.

However, not all toothaches can be treated at home. We can determine the cause and treat your child if . . .

• the pain is accompanied by fever.
• the pain is very severe.
• your child’s face is swollen.
• your child continues to complain of tooth pain after a day or so.
  
  
  As always, we're happy to answer questions about your child's oral health. Give us a call at 509-891-7070.
  
  

The Surprising Ear-Nose-Tooth Connection

The link in children between dental malocclusion—condition in which upper and lower teeth are not correctly aligned—and the common middle-ear infection (otitis media) remains unclear. A child with ear infections appears to be more likely to have a posterior crossbite (a kind of malocclusion), but no significant connection between any kind of malocclusion and ear infection has been determined.

However, a child who has dental malocclusion—or its beginnings—and a tendency to develop ear infections may actually have an underlying problem that causes both: mouth breathing. Just as the name suggests, mouth breathing occurs when the nasal passages experience chronic blockage, and because the child can’t breathe well out of his nose, he breathes primarily through his mouth.

So, what can cause chronically blocked nasal passages? Seasonal allergies, surely. Another major cause is swollen tonsils and/or adenoids.

The change from nasal to mouth breathing often results in chronic middle ear infections, sinusitis, upper airway infections and sleep disturbances such as apnea and snoring. And mouth breathing has been shown to affect the growing face, causing not only the teeth and jaw to be mismatched but, over time, significant abnormal facial development that can affect a child emotionally and socially, especially if it occurs during the critical growing years.

If a child sleeps poorly, he may well act tired, behave poorly and have difficulty concentrating, especially at school—all of which can lead to a (mis)diagnosis of ADHD. In many such children, when the enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids are removed, “behavior, attentiveness, energy level, academic performance, and growth and development” all improve, according to Yosh Jefferson, DMD, in an article he wrote for the journal General Dentistry in 2010.

Once mouth breathing is resolved, dental malocclusions and craniofacial issues can then be addressed—leading to a happy, if often initially unexpected, ending.