Despite being preventable, dental caries remain the most rampant form of oral disease in the U.S. The latest Oral Health Surveillance Report by the CDC reveals that this disease is prevalent among one in ten children aged two to five and one in five children aged six to eight. There are as many cases respectively among adolescents and adults.
Dental caries and other oral health problems shouldn’t be taken lightly. They can make life uncomfortable by making eating or drinking a hassle (if not painful) and smiling for a photo op a worrying thought. When allowed to worsen, they can lead to a range of non-oral health issues, from heart problems to Alzheimer’s disease.
A healthy set of teeth can lower one’s health risk, oral or otherwise. However, that’s only possible by practicing these quality dental care tips with due diligence. These apply whether for your or your children’s sake.
Teeth and gums are more complex than how they’re usually portrayed in media. For being the hardest part of the human body, teeth are often the first to give when exposed to poor diet and oral hygiene.
Down at the microscopic level, they’re arranged in a way that lets them resist thousands of pounds of compressive force (under even load distribution). Such a structure was millions of years in the making. The enamel layer alone is known to have first appeared around 415 million years ago, according to paleontologists.
Despite their hardness, teeth can’t withstand acid-induced erosion—and dental caries are evidence of this. The acids that eat through teeth are waste products generated by bacteria after synthesizing starch and sugar in foods and drinks. Your body can repair small cavities via remineralization, but a faster rate of tooth erosion can outpace it.
When caries start hurting, it’s a sign from the tooth’s nerves that the erosion has reached the pulp. Remineralization won’t be enough at this point; a general dentist’s quick intervention is needed to bring back that healthy smile.
Whether or not experiencing oral health issues, a visit to the dentist should always be in order. The most dangerous diseases are always the ones that manage to bide their time in hiding, and anything ailing your teeth is no exception. Early detection of dental problems leads to immediate treatment, both of which a dentist can provide.
Obviously, there’s no need to wait for the next checkup if your or your child’s caries are causing discomfort. As for preventive checkups, there are two schools of thought.
Once a year: This is the CDC-recommended frequency of dental visits. While more cost-friendly and less time-consuming, it might risk giving previously unknown oral diseases time to develop.
Twice a year: This is the recommendation from most dentists and industry experts. It gives oral diseases a shorter timeframe to worsen, which makes treatment much easier, but might cost more.
There’s no right or wrong answer because teeth differ as much as people. Certain patients need a checkup twice a year (in some cases, every three months) as existing health issues such as diabetes and weakened immunity can exacerbate dental and periodontal disease. Dentists have to keep a closer eye on such cases, considering the risk of triggering a vicious cycle.
A dental checkup may not be scary for adults, but it can be for children. To deal with this, consider looking for an Idaho Falls dentist who specializes in or offers pediatric dentistry services. Pediatric dentists are trained in aspects like child development in addition to their general dental education and know how to handle young patients.
Proper Brushing
The toothbrush is arguably one of humanity’s greatest inventions, dating back over 3,000 years. Even with rudimentary implements, people at the time understood the importance of keeping teeth clean and pristine.
In fact, you can still practice proper oral hygiene with just a toothbrush. Some studies have found no clear difference in the effectiveness of “dry brushing,” as it’s called, compared to wet brushing or with toothpaste or water. However, researchers also said proper brushing still boils down to tool and technique.
To start, proper brushing requires the right kind of toothbrush. There are several things to consider other than choosing between manual and electric types.
Bristles: Dentists often recommend soft-bristled brushes as they remove plaque without being too abrasive on the enamel. Hard-bristled ones risk damage to the enamel for a menial increase in the amount of plaque cleaned.
Head Size: Brushes with larger heads hold more bristles, which can be useful for cleaning a larger surface area per pass. On the other hand, brushes with smaller heads can clean hard-to-reach areas and are ideal for children.
Bristle Style: Brushes come in an assortment of shapes, though zig-zag patterns have shown to be highly effective. Experts believe this is because the pattern can conform to the teeth’s irregular contours, enabling a more thorough clean.
As for the proper technique, the American Dental Association (ADA) advises:
Tilting the brush 45 degrees relative to the gums
Gently moving the brush back and forth (for most surfaces)
Stroking the brush up and down (for the teeth’s backsides)
Brushing all surfaces, including the tongue, for two minutes
Brushing at least twice a day, one in the morning and evening
The ADA also states that brushing can begin as early as six months or as soon as the first tooth erupts to mitigate the risk of dental caries. Despite evidence of dry brushing being just as effective, it still advises using toothpaste to apply fluoride to teeth. A pea-sized amount of toothpaste will suffice for a healthy smile.
Not all toothpastes in the market contain fluoride. That said, fluoride-free toothpastes make sense if anyone in the family is allergic to the substance or you don’t want to risk your children developing dental fluorosis.
With regular use, toothbrushes are only good for three to four months before needing to be replaced. However, some situations may justify early replacement such as frayed bristles or recovery from canker sores.
Proper Flossing
Proper brushing is undeniably crucial for promoting good dental health. However, there’s no clear consensus on the role of proper flossing.
The debate that would later be referred to as “Flossgate” began in 2015 when the Dietary Recommendations for Americans dropped flossing from the guide. The U.S. government admitted to removing it without notice, though it argued that the benefits of flossing had never been studied in depth.
Naturally, the dentistry community pushed back hard. While admitting the lack of concrete evidence, its leaders also stated that many people at the time didn’t understand the proper way to floss. Wayne Aldredge, then-president of the American Academy of Periodontology, said people use floss as if they were sawing instead of moving up and down.
Where does the debate stand now? For starters, flossing is still absent in the latest edition of the Dietary Recommendations for Americans (though it mentions overall dental health). Yet dentists stand by their advice to floss on top of brushing, and it isn’t hard to see why.
Enter interproximal caries (also called interdental tooth decay), basically cavities between teeth. These caries don’t appear until a dentist takes a closer look with their mouth mirror, at which point they may have already carved a swathe through the tooth. Bits of food stuck in these places are exposed to bacteria, which will be consumed and turned into acid.
While flossing doesn’t curb the risk of dental problems the same way as brushing does, it’s no less indispensable. Flossing is a safer way of removing stuck food particles; for starters, flossing won’t poke your gums, unlike a toothpick. It’s also cleaner than using your hands.
Similar to toothbrushes, floss comes in either manual or electric. Similar to toothbrushes, there are other factors more worthy of your attention when choosing floss.
Waxed or unwaxed: Waxed floss makes cleaning the interdental spaces more seamless but isn’t advisable for use in extremely tight spaces. Meanwhile, unwaxed floss can be used in various situations but is more prone to breaking during flossing.
Pick or string: Floss picks are easier to use, but their short floss is all you have to use for your teeth. String floss can be a pain to use, especially for first-timers, but the length can be adjusted according to your preference.
As per the ADA recommendations, draw at least 18 inches of string floss. That much floss is enough to clean every space between your teeth, which only needs a single pass. Avoid letting the floss touch the gums, lest it risks bleeding when too much force is applied.
Children can begin flossing as early as two years old or when they grow their first pair of adjacent teeth. Teaching them how to floss can be challenging, but their dentist can help them along. Alternatively, tools like floss holders can make flossing more manageable.
Drinking Enough Water
Close to three-quarters of the U.S. population is served water at home that contains 0.7 mg/L of fluoride. Although dental caries remains a common problem, fluoridated water has helped lower the prevalence and severity of cases. One study showed that it decreased the prevalence rate from 90% of adolescents in the 1960s to 60% around the 2000s.
Your teeth and bones contain 99% of your body’s fluoride stores. This mineral is important in the formation of fluorapatite, a hard calcium-based phosphate mineral that reinforces the enamel and reduces loss from demineralization. Fluorapatite also stops certain dental caries-causing bacteria from proliferating, particularly Streptococcus mutans.
Similar to regular water, health experts say you should only drink fluoridated water if you’re feeling thirsty. The “eight glasses a day” advice is grossly outdated, if not based on skewed data. The body lets you know if it needs more water through thirst (and if it already has enough water through a lack thereof).
On that note, drinking water during meals is also a good idea. While not enough to dislodge food bits stuck on teeth, water can wash away the loose bits and some bacteria. It’s also a key ingredient for producing saliva, which prevents dry mouth that can breed dental caries.
Note that water in some places across the country may have fluoride levels higher than the recommended 0.7 mg/L. To reduce the risk of dental fluorosis, you can offset the excess fluoride by using fluoride-free toothpaste or limiting the amount used. If you’re unsure, it’s a good idea to ask your dentist.
A Well-Rounded Diet
Sugar—more accurately, too much sugar—is the main culprit behind tooth decay. Bacteria synthesize various forms of sugar and other carbohydrates as energy and release acids as waste products. Additionally, the conversion process leads to a significant decrease in pH levels in the mouth, contributing to tooth erosion.
Besides routine quality care, protecting your teeth also entails changing your family’s diet. Some sugar now and then is fine, but your diet should have more vitamins and minerals to boost your teeth and gums’ resilience.
Nutrient
Role in Oral Health
Rich Sources
Calcium
Similar to fluoride, calcium is another key component for forming sturdier enamel and minimizing mineral loss through demineralization
Dairy products, cooked kale, canned salmon
Phosphorous
Works in a similar way to calcium but also serves as an important ingredient for producing ATP, which is fuel for all bodily processes
Any food rich in protein, especially organ meats
Vitamin D
Assists in the absorption of calcium and phosphorous and balancing them out, which lowers the risk of dental and periodontal disease
Fatty fish (e.g., salmon, trout, mackerel), egg yolk
Vitamin C
Essential in the production of collagen, a protein that keeps teeth in place, and in staving off bacteria that causes dental and periodontal disease
Various fruits and vegetables
Vitamin A
Essential in the production of keratin, another protein that’s essential in enamel and dentin formation, and also saliva.
Orange-colored fruits and vegetables
People’s nutritional needs vary, not just between adults and children. For example, those whose teeth are falling out due to scurvy may require more Vitamin C than usual. There’s also the matter of food allergies to consider. Apart from a visit to your dentist, consulting your family doctor is also a good idea.
A well-rounded diet, preferably close to the USDA’s MyPlate dietary model, will provide all the necessary nutrients for dental health and then some.
Conclusion
Your teeth are as precious as every other organ in your body. As such, it deserves the same amount of TLC, if not more. Get your family on board with these oral health tips and enjoy a healthy smile every time.
