Thursday, May 28, 2015

BAD BREATH I

I want to discuss ten ways to get rid of bad breath.  I'll discuss five in this blog and the last five in the next.


  1. The most obvious one is brush and floss!  Your mouth contains millions of bacteria.  In fact, there are probably more bacteria colonized in your mouth than there are cells in your entire body.  Of the some 700 kinds of bacteria that thrive in the mouth, scientists have identified and studied fewer than half - which makes it difficult to know exactly how to combat the odors that all those bacteria give off as a byproduct when they digest their food.  Regardless, there are a few things you can do to beat the bad breath caused by germs.  Start by keeping your mouth clean.  Your food supply is their food supply.  Although you can try to kill bacteria with mouthwash, this is only a temporary solution.  The bacteria will grow back over time.  Your best defense is to brush your teeth thoroughly at least twice a day, and floss once a day.  This will help remove the food trapped between your teeth, as well as the food trapped in the gum line.  Otherwise, both of these areas would provide breeding grounds for bacteria.  If food particles are left to linger, bad breath is imminent.
  2. Scrape your tongue.  Scientists suspect bacteria, particularly bacteria located on the top of your tongue closest to your throat, actually protect against foul-smelling breath.  Other types of bacteria, however, produce a pungent odor as they multiply.  What does this mean for you? The type of bacteria most prevalent on your tongue could mean the difference between good and bad breath.  Unfortunately, researchers don't yet know how to tip the bacterial balance so that you'll always have naturally sweet breath.  So....get yourself a tongue cleaner.  This handheld device is designed to scrape the surface of the tongue and remove the odor-causing debris from its surface.
  3. Hydrate your mouth.  After a good night's sleep, you no doubt get a whiff of your morning breath.  Why is morning breath so awful?  You produce less saliva when you're asleep.  Saliva contains oxygen, and oxygen deters the growth of bacteria.  Actually, your mouth can become dry during the waking hours for myriads of reasons.  Saliva cleans your mouth, it's naturally antibacterial, and it washes away food particles.  So, brush and floss, scrape your tongue, rinse with clear nonalcoholic mouthwash, and drink drink drink water throughout the day.  Water is so important to the body for so many reasons, so drink up.  You'll feel great and it deters energy slumps.
  4. Don't mask the mess.  Relying on a mint to mask bad breath works as well as using perfume to mask body odor.  The smell breaks through eventually.  Mints and gum don't kill the bacteria that's causing the stench.  It's also possible that your stinky breath is caused by a medical condition.  Although mouth odor is often associated with gum disease or tooth decay, it can occasionally signal health problems such as respiratory or sinus infections, bronchitis, diabetes or kidney or liver malfunctions.  If checkups with your dentist or physician don't uncover a medical condition, AND if you're cleaning your teeth and tongue on a regular basis, the cause could be as close as your dinner plate.  Which leads me to number 5.
  5. Eat right smell right.  The foods you ingest can exert lots of influence on how your breath smells.  The obvious culprits are garlic or onions.  Some bad breath causing foods may surprise you.  Meat particles are known for sticking around, even after you've swallowed your steak and washed it down with liquid.  They collect at the gum line, get stuck between teeth and sometimes make their way under fillings or crowns - and are especially attractive to reproducing bacteria.  High protein and low-carb diets aren't great for your breath.  Eating fewer than 100 grams of carbs a day causes a condition known as ketosis.  While this condition forces your body to burn fat instead of sugar, ketosis is notorious for causing bad breath.


Monday, May 18, 2015

TEN EASY STEPS FOR HEALTHY GUMS

I wanted to touch on this subject because I get asked about gums A LOT!  So many people are fanatics about caring for their teeth and forget about their gums.  And don't get me wrong, properly caring for your teeth is vital for your overall health.  But did you know gum health is just as important?  Gum issues can very painful and can lead to other health risks or possibly the loss of one tooth or multiple teeth.  Here are ten easy ways to keep your gums their healthiest:

  1. Brush twice a day for two minutes at a 45-degree angle.  Brush gently in a circular motion.
  2. Floss daily.  No excuses!  This not only removes food left in your teeth but also removes unwanted plaque.  AND daily flossing also wards off gum disease, even if your gums bleed when you floss.
  3. Use alcohol-free mouthwash.  This will prevent your mouth from getting too dry.  And remember, a high saliva level fights tooth decay and overall gum health.
  4. Eat right.  Balanced nutrition is great for your overall health, and, most importantly, keeps you away from sugary foods and drinks that cause tooth decay.
  5. Take in more vitamin C.  Eating vegetables and fruits daily provides a good source of vitamin C.  When our bodies are low in this vital nutrient, it can cause our gums to bleed and also sabotages our body's ability to perform maintenance and repairs in our system.  Vitamin C is abundant in sweet potatoes, red peppers, oranges and strawberries.
  6. Get enough calcium daily.  Rich sources are milk, yogurt and cheese.  Calcium protects your gums from disease as it strengthens your teeth and jaw bone.
  7.  Drink more water.  Enough water encourages good saliva levels.  Water also rinses away pieces of food, decreasing chances of tooth decay.
  8. Stop using tobacco.  This might be the single most important way to avoid gum disease. Tobacco causes additional calculus to form on your teeth.  Smokeless products cause your gums to recede, affecting your jaw bone, leading to tooth loss.
  9. Manage your stress!  Here's another important way to keep your overall health the best it can be.  Stress leads to increased cortisol release, leading to overall swelling and inflammation all over your body, even in your gums.
  10. Here's another biggie!  See your dental team twice a year for exams and cleanings.  Gum issues can be caught early and we can help you with preventive care.  

Thursday, May 7, 2015

TOP HOME DENTAL REMEDIES Part 2

As promised last time, today's blog offers three more dental remedies you can try at home if you have a toothache.  Cavities often cause tooth pain, along with fillings that have come loose, an abscess (pocket of infection at the gum line), cracked tooth, or a sinus infection.  One caveat before I begin, however, is that you should ALWAYS contact your dentist and arrange for an appointment at the very first sign of severe oral pain.  Never wait.  That being said, here are a couple of very popular tried and true remedies:

  1. CLOVE OIL TO THE RESCUE - Cloves are traditionally used for numbing nerves; the primary chemical component of cloves is eugenol, a natural anesthetic.  You need to be careful to keep the oil off sensitive gum tissue and your tongue.  Put a couple drops on a cotton ball and place it against the tooth itself until the pain subsides.  You can also use powdered cloves or place a whole clove on the painful tooth.  Chew the whole clove gently to release its oil and keep in place for up to 30 minutes or until pain subsides.
  2. SWISH SOME SALT WATER - A teaspoon of salt dissolved in a cup of boiling water makes a painkilling mouthwash, which helps to clean away irritating debris and help reduce swelling.  Swish for about 30 seconds.  Salt water cleanses the area around the tooth and draws out some of the fluid that causes swelling.  Repeat as needed.
  3. COVER A CRACKED TOOTH WITH GUM - If you've broken a tooth or have lost a filling, you can relieve some pain by covering the exposed area with softened chewing gum.  This might work with a loose filling as well, to hold it in place until you can get to the dentist.  To avoid further discomfort, avoid chewing anything with that tooth until you can have it repaired.
These are a few of the most popular ideas you can use at home when experiencing tooth pain.  I hope you find this informational.  Remember, contact your dentist if you are experiencing severe pain.

Monday, May 4, 2015

MOST POPULAR HOME DENTAL REMEDIES Part 1

I often get asked about natural dental remedies so decided to share this very popular topic.  I'm going to start with dry sockets.  A dry socket occurs when the blood clot safeguarding the gap created by a missing/removed tooth is dislodged from its place.  When this happens, the gap opens up to expose the nerves and bones beneath the gums.  This would cause food particles, fluids and other residues to collect in the gap and irritate the exposed bones and nerves, causing immense pain, swelling, dizziness, recurrent headaches and even fever.  The top three most effective remedies to treat this painful condition follow:


  1. Placing ice packs on the face above the dry socket can reduce the pain.  Placing the ice pack or cold towel on the face for about 15 minutes three times a day can provide relief.
  2. Rinsing the mouth with lukewarm saline water solution four to five times a day can provide relief from a dry socket and its symptoms.  The warmth of the saline solution reduces the pain and swelling, while the salt content would destroy any bacteria or virus present.
  3. Applying some clove oil on the dry socket can reduce the pain and swelling caused by the condition.  Clove oil can sting a bit, so it is best to dilute it beforehand.   Accordingly, you can soak a wad of cotton in water and then squeeze it to remove the water.  Dab some clove oil on the soaked cotton and place it on the dry socket for instant relief.  You can also place the cotton wad on the neighboring teeth if they hurt.  Follow this remedy two times every day to get relief from the symptoms of a dry socket.

In my next blog I will discuss toothache remedies to help you until you can get to your dentist.