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Tooth brushing only cleans about 1/3 of total tooth surface area, making flossing an absolute necessity for your child to develop a healthy smile. If your child is not flossing, tartar and plaque can build up between their teeth and cause cavities and lead to gingivitis. Below are some of the risks associated with not flossing.

Bad Breath (Halitosis)

Food debris that’s stuck between teeth can provide a feeding ground for unhealthy bacteria to thrive. The bacteria buildup can emit sulfur compounds that smell awful and leave a bad taste in your child’s mouth. If your child has bad breath that smells similar to rotten eggs, then they may have excessive bacteria buildup due to a lack of regular flossing.

Bleeding Gums and Gum Disease

Not brushing and flossing regularly can cause swollen, sensitive gums that bleed when they are brushed. Bleeding gums are often an early indication of gingivitis, otherwise known as gum disease. Plaque between teeth that is not flossed away can infect the gum line and lead to gingivitis.
The bottom line is this: if your child has tender, swollen gums that bleed when they brush or floss, then it’s time to schedule an appointment and evaluate their oral health. Gum disease is very treatable and can be prevented by regular brushing and flossing.

Excessive Plaque and Cavities

If your child is not flossing, then plaque can build up between their teeth and lead to cavities. Plaque is colorless and difficult to see. When you eat, the bacteria in plaque use the sugars found in your food to create an acid that attacks your teeth. Repeated acidic attacks can wear down tooth enamel and lead to cavities, gingivitis and periodontal disease.

Some Helpful Flossing Tools

Floss is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Teeth come in all shapes and sizes, so cleaning between them presents different hurdles for different people. Below are a few tools that can help you clean between your teeth.

Ultra Floss

Ultra floss is a great flossing solution if your child has different sized spaces between their teeth. Ultra floss can stretch thin to clean between tightly bunched teeth, but is also wide enough to comfortably clean wider spaces.

Floss Threader

If your child has braces, then we suggest that they floss with a floss threader – a device designed to help those with braces floss.

Dental Tape

Dental tape is a great solution for kids with gaps in their teeth. Dental tape is wide, flat and designed to be gentle on exposed gums.

Your Child Should Floss Everyday

Brushing alone won’t keep your child’s mouth completely healthy. They should brush twice per day for two minutes at a time and floss once per day. You can help your child prevent a bevy of oral ailments by convincing them to floss every day. Schedule an appointment with our office today if your child has unnaturally bad breath or experiences bleeding gums when they brush their teeth. We will thoroughly evaluate their mouth and determine the best treatment plan for them based upon our findings.

This spring break, try to get outside and spend some time with your family by having a mouth-healthy picnic! Here are some picnic “must haves” that taste great and help keep your mouth healthy!

Celery, Carrots and Raw Bell Pepper
Raw vegetables like carrots, celery and bell pepper are excellent dipping alternatives to unhealthy chips and crackers. Starchy carbs like potato chips and crackers can stick to your teeth and cause unhealthy acid buildup which can lead to cavities. Fibrous vegetables like celery can actually clean your teeth as you eat! So choose vegetables instead of chips, they are better for your overall health, and won’t stick to your teeth like starchy carbs typically used as dippers.

Greek Yogurt
Yogurt is a fun snack that can serve as a dessert or a base for other tasty treats. When searching for the most healthy yogurt, we suggest going for non-fat Greek yogurt, which contains significantly less fat and sugar than other yogurt. Yogurt contains calcium and protein, both of which help strengthen tooth enamel and protect against cavities.

Yogurt also helps boost gum health. In fact, A Japanese study of 1,000 adults revealed that the healthiest gums were found in those who ate the most yogurt. The good bacteria found in yogurt help to slow the growth of cavity-causing bacteria.

Protip: boost your yogurt by adding some blueberries or strawberries for anti-oxidants and more fiber.

Cheese Plate
Cheese is a dental super food. It is high in calcium, which strengthens teeth, and also contains casein, a protein that helps protect the surface of your teeth. Cheese also stimulates saliva production, which helps rid teeth of bad bacteria that can lead to cavities. Try packing a few different cheeses for your picnic to get a good variety. We suggest a sharp cheddar, gruyere, swiss cheese and bleu. You’ll get a variety of flavors to choose from, and added dental benefits!

Apples
Apples are high in water and fiber, which stimulates gums and saliva production. In fact, the fibrous nature of apples helps scrub teeth as they are eaten. We suggest using fresh apple slices as a healthy dessert at the end of your picnic to satisfy your sweet tooth, and help scrub any leftover debris from between your teeth.

Bring Water
Water is one of the best tools we have in keeping our mouths clean, especially fluoridated water, which helps make teeth more resistant to acidic foods. When preparing a picnic, grab a water bottle instead of juice or soda. Also, you can swish water around after you’re done eating to help keep your mouth clean. Swishing water helps remove debris caught in your teeth that can lead to enamel loss and acid buildup.

Freshen Up with Xylitol Gum
It can be difficult to bring a toothbrush to a picnic, so we suggest packing some gum sweetened with Xylitol to help clean up after your picnic. Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener that fights cavities by encouraging immediate saliva production. Saliva cleans teeth of debris, and restores the oral Ph balance to a healthy level.

Eat More Mouth-Healthy Foods
If you’re concerned about your child’s diet, and think that it may be affecting their teeth, then visit our office. We will work with you and discuss mouth-healthy foods that promote beautiful, healthy smiles. We will also work with you to find the treatment plan that best suits your child’s needs for better oral health. 

Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body and the first line of defense against cavities and tooth decay. Despite its strength, tooth enamel can be eroded by acid, and leave your teeth susceptible to cavities. But, you can take some simple steps to avoid acid erosion, and strengthen your tooth enamel.

What Causes Enamel to Erode?

Dietary Causes

There are many factors that cause acid erosion, but, most of the damage is done by the foods and drinks that you consume. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), soft drinks are the most frequent source of erosive acids, due to their high acidity and frequency of consumption. Other drinks like fruit juice, sports drinks and energy drinks can also damage your teeth through acidic erosion.

What does Enamel Erosion look like?

Enamel erosion often results in tooth discoloration, causing teeth to look yellow. It can also cause shiny spots to appear on teeth. People suffering from enamel erosion often report sensitive teeth as their primary symptom.

Bodily Causes

Certain ailments and health conditions can also cause erode your tooth enamel. For instance, women who are pregnant and suffer from morning sickness can experience tooth enamel erosion. This is due to expelling acidic stomach contents. Additionally, people who suffer from gastroesophageal acid reflux disease (GERD) can also experience tooth enamel erosion, since it is a condition that causes stomach acid to involuntary resurface.

Acid Erosion in Children

A recent study found that just over 41% of children in the United States suffer from acid erosion. Unsurprisingly, cavities are the most common disease afflicting children in the United States, and almost completely preventable. Acid erosion in children is largely caused by dietary choices. You can help keep your children’s dental enamel strong, and avoid acid erosion with a few simple methods.

Cut back on Citrus

Food and drinks high in citric acid erode tooth enamel in a process called demineralization. In bad cases of demineralization, acid will work its way to the soft layer beneath the enamel called the dentin. These advanced cases lead to tooth sensitivity and pain.

Drink More Water, Less of Everything Else

Water is a fantastic tool in the fight against acid erosion. Water is not acidic, and does not harm tooth enamel. It also improves saliva production, which naturally cleans teeth of debris and restores the mouth back to a healthy ph balance.

To take it a step further, you and your child should rinse their mouth out with water after each meal. This will wash away any food debris in their mouth, and help prevent cavities.

Add Calcium Rich Foods

Calcium is a dental super mineral. That’s because it neutralizes damaging acids and is a great enamel protector. Try to add at least one dairy product to each of your child’s meals to provide them with adequate amount of calcium. If your family does not consume dairy, try introducing some of these other calcium-rich foods: almond milk, canned fish, kale, soy yogurt or soy beans. If you’re buying packaged food as a calcium source, check the packaging to ensure that there is an adequate amount.

Use Fluoridated Toothpaste

Toothpaste with fluoride strengthens enamel through a process called remineralization. When choosing fluoridated toothpaste, make sure that it has the ADA seal of approval to ensure that it has been rigorously tested and approved.

Visit Our Office

If you’re worried that your child is suffering from enamel loss, then visit our office. Enamel is the first line of defense against cavities and tooth decay, and enamel erosion should be taken seriously. We will evaluate your children’s teeth, and come up with a treatment plan that works for them.

To get a healthy smile that lasts a lifetime, it’s important that you begin with the right tools. The most important tool for overall oral health is the toothbrush. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that everyone brush their teeth twice per day, for two minutes at a time. But, brushing your teeth is only as effective as your toothbrush. Below, we discuss how to care for your toothbrush, and list the warning signs of an ineffective toothbrush.

How to Keep Your Toothbrush Clean

To get the most out of your toothbrush, it’s important that you take proper care of it. Here are a few simple ways to ensure that your toothbrush has a healthy lifespan.

1 – Rinse after use. After you brush your teeth, thoroughly rinse the bristle to clean them of toothpaste and debris. Sometimes, debris can remain in a toothbrush after use, and damage the bristles.

2 – Never share. If you share your toothbrush, you risk contracting unhealthy germs from the other person, which can ruin your toothbrush by contamination. To avoid getting sick and sharing disease, stick to your own toothbrush.

3 – Air dry. After you’re done brushing, be sure to let your toothbrush air dry, rather than placing the head in a dark, contained holder. If you put a wet toothbrush in a container, bacteria can grow on the toothbrush head and cause you to become sick. The best way to prevent bacterial growth is by letting your toothbrush air dry in an upright position in a vanity or closet, away from toilet spray.

When to Replace Your Toothbrush

There are a few signs that will indicate it’s time for a new toothbrush. Generally speaking, if any of the following signs presents itself, it’s time to get a new toothbrush.

1 – Losing bristles. If bristles begin falling out, then it’s time to get a new toothbrush. Loose bristles indicate sufficient use and toothbrush age. Additionally, you don’t want to risk swallowing small pieces of synthetic polymers.

2 – Frayed bristles. When the bristles on your toothbrush no longer hold their shape, and they begin tom plume outward, then they are no longer effective. Once your toothbrush head begins to lose shape, then it’s time to get a new toothbrush.

3 – 3 months and older. If your toothbrush is older than 3 months, then it’s likely that one of the two indicators above has occurred. Frayed or not, we typically advise that our patients trade out their old toothbrush for a new one every 3 – 4 months.

4 – Recent illness. If you have recently been sick, then it’s time to trade out your toothbrush. Bacteria and germs from an illness can be passed from your mouth to your toothbrush and survive for weeks

Take Care of Your Tools

Toothbrushes are an important tool in the fight against cavities, so take care of yours! Remember to brush your teeth twice per day for two minutes at a time. After you’re done brushing, thoroughly clean your toothbrush, and look for signs of it aging.