Archive for the ‘Dental Care’ Category
Toothbrushes and Toothpaste
Toothbrushes:
Frequently, I am asked what is the best toothbrush and toothpaste. As with many things in life, the answer is not so simple. But there are a few guidelines.
Definitely, I would never recommend any hard-bristled or medium-bristled toothbrush, only soft-bristled toothbrushes for human teeth. Hamster cages and boots can be cleaned with hard or medium bristled toothbrushes, but not teeth. Also, the bristles should be rounded on the end, not sharp or ragged. Gums can be lacerated easily with a sharp bristled toothbrush.
SOFT: Soft nylon will prevent teeth and gums from being scratched. Tooth- brushes with the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance (ADA Seal) should be your only reasonable choice for toothbrushes (and tooth- paste) for that matter.
RIGHT SIZE: The size and shape of the brush should also be user appropriate. Children need smaller brush heads and handles. Your brush should feel comfortable in your hand. Smaller brush heads in adults is usually better. Ask your dentist or hygienist if you have a question about your brush or brushing.
MAINTAIN: Replace your worn or frayed brush at least every 3-4 months. Frayed bristles can damage teeth and gums and harbor bacteria.
ELECTRIC: And, if you need (children and handicapped patients) electric toothbrushes work as well as manual brushes. So…if you’ve followed the above guidelines, the best brush is the one you like to use at least twice daily.
The average person brushes for about 37 seconds. However, to do a proper job it takes two to three minutes to sufficiently remove plaque when brushing. A three minute egg timer is a good reminder for children’s brushing. Aim the bristles at a 45o angle to the long axis of the teeth and with gentle circular motions, brush all exposed surfaces.
DEVELOP A BRUSHING PATTERN: Brush in a pattern that covers all the surfaces of all teeth each time you brush. For example, brush from right to left on the outside of upper teeth, then left to right inside surface of upper teeth, then outside right to left lower teeth and then inside left to right lower teeth and then lower biting surfaces left to right and upper biting surface right to left.
TOOTHPASTE: Tooth paste not only polishes teeth, it also helps remove plaque (bacteria and its waste products) from teeth. Daily removal of plaque from teeth helps keep teeth and gums healthy and breath fresh.
AMERICAN MADE: This is one place where the American Dental Association (ADA) seal is particularly important. Never use toothpaste from China.
WHITENING TOOTHPASTES: Teeth whitening toothpastes don’t really work to whiten teeth. They may rid you mouth of stains. However, they often cause sensitivity.
DESENSITIZING TOOTH PASTES: These toothpastes are valuable in blocking irritants from getting to nerve ending. Potassium nitrate (salt peter) is the most effective desensitizing agent in desensitizing toothpastes (potassium nitrate is also used to cure and maintain red color in corned beef).
FLUORIDE TOOTHPASTE: Fluoride is the most significant chemical element which can be easily added to tooth paste to improve dental health. Fluoride remineralizes and strengthens teeth as well as desensitized teeth. Children, especially through teen years, and senior citizens can benefit from fluoride in toothpastes and other forms of topical fluoride, especially in areas (there are still a few) without the benefit of community water fluoridation.
Keep smiling!
Dr. James G. Hood
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, P.S.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Welcomes Patients
from Age 2 to 102!
James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.
507 North Sullivan Road, Suite A-1
Spokane Valley, WA 99037-8576 USA
Phone: (509) 928-9100 | Fax: (509) 928-0414
Email: drhood@drhood.com
Websites: www.drhood.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalley.com
Blogs: www.drjamesghoodblog.com
www.dentalhealthandnutritionblog.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalleyblog.com
www.jamesandkarenhoodfoundationblog.org
www.sjogrensblog.org
Online Store: www.dentalhealthandnutritionstore.com
Holidays and Dental Health
WOW! The Christmas holiday is rapidly approaching, which catches people off guard on how quickly 2011 ends and 2012 is upon us.
In the hustle-bustle of the hectic holiday season, many may forget about oral health maintenance. Dental insurance usually is contracted yearly, from January 1st through December 31st. Therefore, if you have dental insurance coverage that you or your employer has paid for, it needs to be taken advantage of before December 31st. Use it or lose it.
Many people think, “I’ll do the dental treatment I need in January, after things settle down.” Well … if you see your dentist and have dental treatment done before year’s end, you could have the insurance benefit of 2 years (one before Dec 31st and one after Dec 31st). Either way, you or your employer have paid for your dental insurance (if you’re lucky enough to have dental insurance), so you surely want to take full advantage of your benefits.
Whether or not you have dental insurance, maintenance is always cheaper than repair. As the conclusion of 2011 approaches, be diligent in assuring that you’ve followed the old adage: Brush your teeth twice a day, and see your dentist twice a year.
Dental health is more than just a dazzling smile. Good oral health can help minimize the effect of diabetes, heart disease, respiratory diseases, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Enjoy the holiday season. Be aware of all the things that you can do to improve your overall health. We are all exposed to excessive amounts of good and not so good foods during this festive season. Be careful how you fuel your systems and understand that oral health is a most significant part of maintaining overall health.
On a final note, Christmas is a season to reflect on how many blessings we have. But in the interest of keeping Christ in Christmas, it is a time to generously be Christian. With our present economy, more people than ever are in need. Generously help someone in need. Perform random acts of kindness. Go out of your way to put smiles on faces of people you may not even know.
Sharing a joyful holiday season,
James G. Hood, DDS, MA
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, P.S.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Welcomes Patients
from Age 2 to 102!
James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.
507 North Sullivan Road, Suite A-1
Spokane Valley, WA 99037-8576 USA
Phone: (509) 928-9100 | Fax: (509) 928-0414
Email: drhood@drhood.com
Websites: www.drhood.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalley.com
Blogs: www.drjamesghoodblog.com
www.dentalhealthandnutritionblog.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalleyblog.com
www.jamesandkarenhoodfoundationblog.org
www.sjogrensblog.org
Online Store: www.dentalhealthandnutritionstore.com
School is back in session, always…
Everyone involved with a school schedule has probably by now settled into a routine. It always takes a while to get logistics set up for any family involved with a new school year. Our school-age patients are a little short on numbers at the very start and end of each new school year. Once people develop their unique program, it becomes necessary to negotiate, with relative comfort, a successful program for week after week that they can soon relax, exhale, and follow the plan.
At our home, that is a typed daily transport schedule for the 2011-2012 school year. Each child is listed on a daily time roster, who transports who, and to where, and by when. And, with multiple children in multiple schools, the schedule can at first seem hectic and confusing. However, with larger numbers of children, the demand for a clear plan becomes more and more necessary.
With the importance of scheduling, comes the exceptions: doctor’s appointments, orthodontic’s and dentist’s appointments, eye doctors, etc. Schedules are made to be broken, or so it seems. Time outside school can also be educational, as can transport. Hours of education can be added to a child’s education while being transported. Siblings or drivers can quiz each other on spelling, multiplication, tables, etc. Think of it, if just one concept was studied on each trip.
I once told a teacher, who was perturbed with me for taking my child out of school, that I was taking my daughter out of school on an educational outing and I said, “I think education is more important than school.” I would not recommend that comment to anyone, since teachers do operate most effectively with everyone present. My point, however, is if a child must be removed from school, have it be a learning experience. Ask them to report one thing that they learned by questioning their doctor, orthodontist, dentist, eye doctor, etc., about something they may not have learned in school. All professionals have much to offer in terms of education. If you must take off school, then make it an educational outing. Ask good questions. The quality of one’s life is measured by the quality of one’s questions. Ask thoughtful questions and…
Keep smiling!
Dr. James G. Hood
*~ * ~ * ~ *
Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, P.S.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Welcomes Patients
from Age 2 to 102!
James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.
507 North Sullivan Road, Suite A-1
Spokane Valley, WA 99037-8576 USA
Phone: (509) 928-9100 | Fax: (509) 928-0414
Email: drhood@drhood.com
Websites: www.drhood.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalley.com
Blogs: www.drjamesghoodblog.com
www.dentalhealthandnutritionblog.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalleyblog.com
www.jamesandkarenhoodfoundationblog.org
www.sjogrensblog.org
Online Store: www.dentalhealthandnutritionstore.com
Dentistry in a Struggling Economy
by Dr. James G. Hood, D.D.S, M.A.
Dentistry in the United States is second to nowhere in the world in terms of quality. We are fortunate in this great nation to have not only highly trained dentists and oral health specialists, but to have their services readily available as well. However, in these difficult economic times, many people are not taking advantage of the excellent dental care available.
On a regular basis people tell me, “I don’t have dental insurance, so I can’t have dental work done.” However, oral health is crucial to overall health and quality of life and should be considered a necessity, not a luxury. Many of my patients would prefer to complete diagnosed dentistry no matter the cost, no matter whether or not they have insurance coverage. Mind you, I’m not saying that insurance isn’t often a significant help—it is. However, your dental work should not be governed by an insurance company. Each person should spend time with his or her dentist to discuss how to make their dentistry affordable for their situation. Everyone should know what good oral hygiene is and receive instruction in how to practice preventive dentistry. Your dentist and dental hygienist are a wealth of knowledge on how you, as an individual, can best keep, maintain, and restore your oral health.
Oral hygiene is best when practiced regularly and frequently. It should be easy to understand that a person who brushes their teeth twice a day and flosses daily will enjoy better, more stable oral health than a person who brushes infrequently or not at all. Machines run better and last longer when well-maintained; likewise, patients who come in for a twice-yearly professional teeth-cleaning and check up complete with oral cancer screening rarely need restorative dentistry. However, those who do not practice any preventive dentistry are most often seen on an emergency basis only.
I see patients from all walks of life, and I can tell you from experience that the healthiest mouths are not found only in those who can easily afford quality dentistry. The healthiest mouths are found in people who understand and practice preventive dentistry, no matter their income. Frequently, patients cannot afford to have all the necessary, diagnosed dental work to be performed at once. However, we can almost always complete a treatment plan in which the dental work is done in phases for those who truly want to have quality dentistry.
The point is, don’t let financial difficulties or a lack of dental insurance prevent you from taking proper care of your oral health. Preventive dentistry in the form of regularly brushing and flossing will go a long way toward ensuring that dentist appointments are simple, inexpensive affairs, and when you do need more extensive dental work, don’t put it off until it becomes an emergency. By discussing it with your dentist, you can work out a treatment plan that will get you back on the road to full health in a way that won’t burden you financially. Call today to set up an appointment with the Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley.
Save on Dental Work with Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley!
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Your family’s dental health is of the utmost importance. Oral hygiene can have a crucial impact not just on your teeth and mouth, but on your overall health. Why wait until you are in terrible pain to set an appointment with a dentist? It is easier, less painful, and more beneficial to act preemptively and get any problems taken care of as soon as possible–and if you are so lucky as to not have any cavities, gingivitis, or other dental issues developing, a good, professional teeth cleaning is key to keeping you in the best condition possible.
At Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, we understand that many people have anxiety over their dental health and visits to the dentist’s office. We are pleased to offer sedation dentistry to anyone who requests it–sleep through your appointment and avoid all the stress and worry you associate with oral hygiene. When you wake up, the procedure will be over and it will be like it never happened. Our kind, professional staff will treat you with all the care and comfort you deserve. We also treat young children, and you will find that a trip to our office is a welcoming and pleasant experience for the entire family.
At Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, we also understand that finances can play a big role in whether or not people schedule regular dentist visits. Money should never be an obstacle to living a healthy life, and that is why we offering discounts on dental work through June 30, 2011. Please click on the flyer above to print these valuable coupons, and come visit us today. It is never too soon or too late to start taking your family’s dental health seriously.
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