Nov
15

5 Things Your Dentist Wished You Knew

Your Dentist wants nothing but the best for you and your teeth! That’s why dentists are keen on educating you so that you can take care of your teeth properly once you leave their office. Here are a few things that dentists wished you knew to avoid painful dental work in the future.

  1. Brushing once a day is NOT enough. You may brush at night thinking that your teeth have been cleaned so it’s not necessary to clean your teeth in the morning. You may run your tongue over your teeth and think it feels smooth and clean since no food went into your mouth after you last brushed. You are WRONG. Do not skip your morning brush since bacteria grows in your mouth overnight. If you sleep with your mouth open, your saliva dries out, making it even easier for germs to multiply inside.
  2. Plaque must be manually removed. This means that if YOU or your dentist don’t remove it, it can literally stay in your mouth, forever. Sometimes brushing and flossing isn’t even enough and you must professionally get your teeth cleaned to remove the plaque (and tartar.)
  3. Gum disease is common. Gum disease is not only for smokers or people who live in the wild. Gum disease can occur in anyone who does not brush their teeth properly. Even a small lapse in oral hygiene can lead to gum disease.
  4. You can be a bad flosser. You know when you floss really hard and your gums bleed – you’re not doing it correctly. Flossing should be a gentle clean with the floss slowly being pushing through your teeth (instead of jammed in.) Read our floss article to learn more about proper flossing.
  5. The more frequently you eat, the faster the tooth decay. Eating frequently isn’t just bad for weight control. Frequent eating means there’s always something literally sitting on your teeth. Food particles don’t get a chance to be cleared out by your saliva and are constantly sitting on your teeth, leading to faster tooth decay.

Dr. Lorraine Burio of Candlewood Dental Care has been educating and treating patients for over twenty-five years. Our office serves the New Fairfield, New Milford, Danbury, and Sherman areas of CT and Pawling, Patterson and Putnam Lake of New York. If you have any questions you can call us at 203-746-1200 or make an appointment here.