Category: General Dentistry

6 Scary Mouth Facts

October isn’t just Dental Hygiene Month, it’s also Halloween! In honor of the most frightening 31 days of the year, we’ve assembled a collection of six scary mouth facts. Read on at your own risk…

#1.  Mouth + Nose + Eyes + Ears = Connected

Yep, they’re all attached. Tear ducts feed into the sinus/nasal cavity, which shares space with the oral cavity and is also connected by the ocular nerve channel to your ears. That’s why tears make your nose run, why your sense of smell is so important to tasting things, and why your ears pop if you blow your nose too hard.

#2.  Saliva is actually a form of filtered blood.

Specialized cells in our saliva glands are responsible for absorbing some elements of the blood. Other plasma components are filtered and combined with secretions from the mucous glands in the mouth. The result helps us digest food, keep teeth clean, and ensure our talking, swallowing, and breathing mechanisms are all well-lubricated.

#3.  Oh, that dirty mouth! bacteria mouth

So, we know that our mouths are a hotbed of bacteria — both good and bad. However, most of the hundreds of strains that live in our mouth are inert – they don’t really do anything. Meanwhile, the good bacteria help protect us against bad bacteria, plus many environmental elements that invade our mouths through air, food, or beverage. But even some good bacteria can have bad effects elsewhere in the body if introduced into respiratory tracts (aspiration pneumonia) or under the skin (as in a bite!).

#4.  Not brushing could lead to a brain abscess.

No joke – teeth that aren’t cared for can form an abscess, a bacterial infection often caused by untreated cavities or tooth injuries. If left untreated, that infection can spread from mouth to the jaw, neck, or even your brain. Sepsis and bacterial meningitis are also potential complications of untreated tooth abscess.

#5.  Soda does horrifying things to your teeth.

It coats, it soaks, it accelerates decay. In fact, people who drink three or more daily glasses of soda each day have over 60% more tooth decay, fillings, and tooth loss. This is mainly because the average soda contains between 10-12 teaspoons of sugar — that’s almost a ¼ cup!

#6.  Even more about spit…

scary mouth facts

As we’ve mentioned, our mouths produce a lot of saliva – enough each year to fill two bathtubs. But over the course of a lifetime, we will make 25,000 quarts of spit. That’s 6,250 gallons, or enough to fill the average in-ground residential swimming pool.

 

 

 

 

October is National Dental Hygiene Month!

For most, a consistent oral care routine & regular check-ups are all that’s needed for a healthy, beautiful smile.

National Dental Hygiene Month is an annual observance designed to celebrate the work of dental hygienists, as well as raising awareness on the importance of good oral health.

The month-long education effort focuses on the Daily 4, a basic routine that will help you maintain a healthy smile: Brush, Floss, Rinse and Chew. The American Dental Association’s consumer website, MouthHealthy.org, recommends brushing with a soft-bristled brush. Your brush size and shape should fit your mouth to allow you easy access to all areas of your teeth and gums.

 

The Daily 4

1.  BRUSH

MouthHealthy.org promotes a five-point technique to ensure proper brushing and adequate cleaning;

  •   Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums.
  •   Gently move the brush back and forth in short (tooth-wide) strokes.
  •   Brush the outer surfaces, the inner surfaces and the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
  •   To clean the inside front surfaces, tilt the brush vertically and make several up-and-down strokes.
  •   Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and keep your breath fresh.
2.  FLOSS

Cleaning between your teeth is also an essential component of healthy teeth and gums. The ADA recommends cleaning between teeth at least once a day to remove food particles and plaque that brushing may not catch.

3.  RINSE

Because your actual teeth comprise less than half of your mouth, rinsing helps eliminate bacteria and bio-film. Along with brushing and flossing, frequent rinsing can reduce the chance of dental decay or infection. However, you should avoid alcohol-based rinses due to unwanted side-effects in your mouth.

4.  CHEW

Clinical studies show that 20 minutes of chewing sugarless gum after a meal helps prevent tooth decay. Gum-chewing increases the flow of saliva, which helps wash away any remaining food or other debris, as well as neutralizing bacteria-born acids in the mouth and promoting disease-fighting substances throughout the mouth.

If your next appointment is during October, remember to high-five our outstanding team of dental hygienists and wish them a Happy Dental Hygiene Month!

It’s Children’s Dental Health Month!

There’s still one week left in February, and still plenty of time to celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month! It’s the perfect excuse to discuss (and practice!) good dental habits with your kids.

What It Is

National Children’s Dental Health Month began as a one-day event in Ohio during the 1940’s. In 1949 it became an officially-observed national recognition day, followed by expansion to a weeklong event in 1955. The national Children's Dental Health Monthprogram became a month-long event in 1981 and since has grown into a focused nationwide program.
Thanks to the observance, positive messages and dental health knowledge reach millions of people in communities across the country and beyond. According to the American Dental Association, local events often include poster, coloring and essay contests, dental health fairs, free screenings, museum exhibits, classroom presentations and dental office tours. The American Dental Association hosts a web page full of resources for parents and educators, including free coloring and activity sheets.

 

Why It’s Important

As we’ve discussed in posts HERE and HERE, the teeth habits that are established early will last a lifetime. This observance gives you a perfect opportunity to engage your kids in developing proper brushing techniques. And while Meyer & Johns Dental pays special attention to our young patients, the most important factor in their oral hygiene habits is YOU – because parents with healthy teeth have children with healthy teeth!

Also This Month

According to the American Dental Association events page, “National Tooth Fairy Day” is celebrated on August 22 each year. However, #nationaltoothfairydayit is also widely recognized on February 28 – an anomaly for which there is no recorded explanation.  But when it comes to talking about teeth, Meyer &
Johns Dental always believes that “More is Better”. So why not celebrate twice? Next Wednesday, wish someone a Happy (1st) Tooth Fairy Day 2018! #NationalToothFairyDay

New Year’s Dental Resolutions That We WISH Everyone Made

Dental resolutions
Maybe your 2018 goals include eating healthier or exercising regularly. We have some resolution suggestions for your mouth.

As we begin the New Year, almost half of Americans will make a New Year’s Resolution. Unfortunately, 80 percent of those resolutions will fall by the wayside within six weeks, according to a U.S. News article.  But the good news is that for one out of every five people who make a positive change, they will stick with it long enough to become a habit.

The most common areas targeted for improvement are health-related and include weight loss, healthy eating, exercise and stopping smoking. But if Doctors Meyer and Johns could put together a list of resolutions for our patients, it would include:

Brush and floss daily

Sure, it’s a no-brainer. But we see a lot of patients who aren’t as consistent as they think they are. More than the occasional missed brushing can be the beginning of bad habits.

Pay attention to your gums

As we’ve mentioned, gum disease can be caused by a variety of factors. Make sure you to check for any discoloration or soreness, and point out any problem areas at your next appointment.

Cut the sugar

This may go hand-in-hand with one of your other resolutions. Limiting processed sugar intake is a simple way to improve overall health. Plus, reducing the number of sugary drinks (soda, sports drinks, sweetened/frozen coffees) positively impacts the overall amount of plaque that can accumulate between brushings.

Don’t ignore pain

If you have discomfort in a tooth, gum or jaw, call us! Sudden or persistent pain can be a sign of something seriously wrong in your mouth, so don’t wait to get it checked out.

Whatever your resolution, or even if you don’t make one at all, each of us at Meyer & Johns Dental wish you and yours a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year. Celebrate safely, and we’ll see you in 2018!