The Inside Scoop: What Your Dentist Wishes You Knew
Visiting the Melbourne dentist is much more than just whitening your teeth. Oral health affects our ability to speak, eat, smile, and express emotions. It also affects our social life, self-esteem, performance, and work and/or school attendance. This is why regular dental check-ups are crucial for oral health and an overall happy and healthy life.
For a successful dental exam that will make you your dentist waterloo smile. Here are 10 things your dentist would like to know about your teeth.
1. The mouth is home to more than 700 types of bacteria
While most people have between 34 and 72 different types of bacteria living in their mouths at any given time, research has uncovered more than 700 types of bacteria known to live in the human mouth. Most of these types of bacteria are not harmful to our oral health. At the same time, some are beneficial by protecting teeth and gums and aiding digestion. However, some bad bacteria can cause tooth decay and gum disease. The good news is that controlling the bacteria in your mouth is easy with regular flossing and brushing. The diet also plays a key role in promoting certain bacteria. To avoid bad bacteria, avoid excessive sugar and starchy foods.
2. If your gum is bleeding
Bleeding from the teeth or gums after brushing or flossing is a sign of a low-level infection. You can help strengthen gum tissue by gently cleaning the affected area several times daily. However, if the bleeding continues, make an appointment with your dentist before the infection escalates into something worse.
3. You can brush your teeth too hard
Think again if you think you’re doing your teeth a favor by vigorously brushing away residue. Applying too much pressure or using a stiff toothbrush can do more harm than good. If we brush too hard, we risk peeling off the top layer of gums. Removing this protective layer exposes teeth to sugar and harmful bacteria, making your teeth more susceptible to decay.
4. There is a time limit on how long you should brush your teeth for
The magic number of cleaning is 2-3 minutes. Anything beyond that can cause tooth enamel to wear away, weakening our teeth and making them more susceptible to tooth decay. Setting a timer is an effective way to meet the 2-3 minutes. Set a 2-minute egg timer in the bathroom or use a stopwatch app on your phone or tablet.
5. There is a wrong way to floss
A common mistake when flossing is tearing or forcing the floss between teeth. This can damage the gums by cutting or brushing the delicate tissue. The correct way to floss is to gently bend the floss around the base of each tooth. Slide it against the side of the tooth, under the gum line, and back up. Do this every day to protect your gums from disease.
6. Tooth decay is very common in children as per dentist
The enamel of milk teeth is much thinner and softer, which puts children at a higher risk of tooth decay than adults. More and more children suffer from tooth decay. The best way to prevent your child’s teething is to implement the right oral health routines and ensure your child eats a balanced diet. Remember to schedule your child for a dentist every six months!
7. Your toothbrush has an expiry date
Toothbrushes harbor bacteria. Be sure to get a new toothbrush about every 12 weeks. But don’t just stick to the 12-week rule. If your brush smells or looks worn, update your brush immediately.
8. Your diet has a big impact on your smile
Sugar isn’t the only culprit for cavities and gum disease; surprisingly, healthy foods like lemons, pickles, and grapefruit can also harm our teeth. Why? These foods are highly acidic, which can erode tooth enamel and lead to tooth decay over time. On the other hand, tooth-friendly foods to include in your diet include cheese, apples, and leafy greens.
9. Poor oral hygiene can be detrimental to your overall health
An unhealthy mouth is linked to various diseases, including diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease, dementia, etc. Put, the mouth is the entry point into your body. Germs and bad bacteria that have accumulated in our mouths due to poor oral hygiene can travel through the bloodstream and into our bodies, threatening our health in all ways. That’s why incorporating daily oral hygiene routines is so important, not just for your oral health, but for your overall health and well-being.
10. You should see your dentist every six months
According to Australian Dental Association guidelines, two dental check-ups per year are recommended to maintain good oral health and detect early signs of disease. Here at Mulgrave Dental Group, we strive to provide quality care and build relationships with each and every patient. We also offer sleep dentistry in Melbourne if you have any fears or reservations.
What do you do when you can’t brush?
I actually went out with my backpack without a toothbrush. In these cases, I rinsed with water as best I could and used a napkin or cloth to scrub my teeth. Better than nothing!
What’s the biggest misconception about dentists?
Some people think it’s all about teeth, while inside the mouth we can find much more serious problems. Others think we find problems that don’t exist to make money. But make no mistake: we don’t like to tell patients they have a problem. That said, whenever I get on a plane and say I’m a dentist, people immediately start describing their oral problems — partly, I think, because they’re happy to have a more impartial audience.
