Blog

The Advantages of Fluoride for Children and Adults

September 3, 2019 by Dr. Matthew Wittrig D.D.S.

We’ve all probably probably heard that fluoride has advantages for our oral health, but many patients that come to our dental practice have a false notion that fluoride is only important for children, whose baby teeth are generally more prone to cavities. That’s simply not true. In fact, fluoride is incredibly important for both adults and children to keep our teeth as healthy as possible throughout our lifetime and prevent decay over time.

What is fluoride?

Fluoride comes from fluorine, which is a common, naturally-occurring element that is found in your bones and teeth, but also in organic materials like plants, rocks, soil, and water. Fluoride can also be produced synthetically for use in fluoride products like toothpastes, mouth washes, or drinking water.

When and why is fluoride used on teeth?

In the dentist’s office, fluoride is used to strengthen the protective outer coating on the teeth — the enamel. By strengthening a tooth’s enamel, we can help prevent cavities. This is typically done by applying a gel, foam, or varnish in the office, and contains a much higher level of fluoride than is found elsewhere. Varnishes are painted onto the teeth, foams are applied using a mouth guard, and gels can be administered both ways.

Fluoride can be found in over-the-counter toothpastes, mouth washes, or supplements, and if you are prone to getting a lot of cavities, your dentist might recommend using fluoride-enriched products at home.

Many cities actually add fluoride to the city drinking water as a cost-effective and easy way to protect both children and adults from tooth decay.

What are the advantages of fluoride for adults and children?

In adults and children, fluoride can help combat a process called demineralization, which can lead to cavities and tooth decay.

Every day, minerals are lost and added to a tooth’s enamel process through demineralization and remineralization. Because tooth enamel is hard yet porous, plaque on the surface of the teeth can produce acids that seep into the pores of the enamel and break down their internal structure, causing decay. This makes the teeth lose minerals, or demineralize.

Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by making teeth more resistant to the acid from plaque sugars and bacteria in the mouth. Fluoride helps new enamel crystals to form on the surface of the teeth that are much larger, harder, and more resistant to acid than our natural teeth. This process is called remineralization.

If you are prone to cavities, or have questions about fluoride, talk you your dentist at your next regular cleaning.

The Benefits of Rotary Toothbrushes

August 6, 2019 by Dr. Matthew Wittrig D.D.S.

Rotary electric toothbrushes, also known as oscillating toothbrushes, have become increasingly popular over the last few decades. The design of rotary toothbrushes with their rotating bristles offers some unique benefits over a traditional toothbrush and can help take care of the hard-to-reach plaque on your teeth between professional dental cleanings.

What is a rotary toothbrush?

Rotary toothbrushes are different than sonic toothbrushes, which started to become popular in the early 1990s. Sonic toothbrushes work by sending out sonic vibrations that help break up plaque and clean the teeth with a secondary vibration method in addition to the conventional bristle tooth scrubbing.

Rotary toothbrushes work by oscillating their brush bristles in a circular pattern around the brush head, either back and forth or in a continuous single direction. Some models brush back and forth at a rate of as much as 8,800 brush strokes per minute, which can be much more effective at scrubbing tooth surfaces to remove dental plaque than manual brushing.

Some studies have shown that oscillating or rotating toothbrushes work better than vibrating toothbrushes, and can reduce plaque by 21 percent and gingivitis by 11 percent after 3 months of use.

Why use a rotary toothbrush?

The smaller brush size.

Rotary toothbrush heads are typically smaller than a traditional toothbrush. The reason is that they are designed to allow you to clean individual teeth one at a time, which can make plaque removal more effective since we don’t often spend time on each tooth with a manual brush.

The bristle speed.

Because the bristles of a rotary toothbrush move much faster than we are able to brush back and forth manually with a traditional toothbrush, rotary toothbrushes can be much more effective at scrubbing and polishing plaque from the teeth.

The built-in timer.

Most of us don’t brush our teeth as long as we’re supposed to. Many electric rotary toothbrush models are built with a timer so you can actually make sure you are brushing your teeth for the dentist-recommended length of time — about 2 minutes.

Easier for people with limited mobility.

Rotary toothbrushes do a lot of the work of teeth brushing for you, which can be helpful for people that have limited mobility from conditions like arthritis or carpal tunnel.

Try a rotary toothbrush today

Oral-B rotary toothbrushes are available in our office for $99, which includes 4 replacement brush heads. Stop in today to learn more and pick one up.

The Risk of Whitening Toothpaste

July 2, 2019 by Dr. Matthew Wittrig D.D.S.

Whitening toothpastes, mouth washes, whitening trays, and gel strips are commonplace in many of our households, and for the most part, they’re perfectly safe for semi-regular use.

But if products like whitening toothpaste are used more frequently than the recommendation on the label, or if they have too much of the active ingredients that bleach teeth, they could be doing harm to your oral health, causing tooth sensitivity or tissue damage in some patients.

How whitening toothpaste works

Whitening toothpastes work by removing stains on the surface of your teeth from frequent exposure to dark-colored foods and beverages like tea, coffee or wine. Some whitening toothpastes include chemicals like peroxide that help break down surface stains to remove them. Other whitening toothpastes contain abrasives like baking soda or silica that work to gently scrub off surface stains as you brush your teeth.

Over-the-counter whitening toothpastes only lighten stains on the surface of teeth — they don’t work to change the natural color of teeth or penetrate deeper than the tooth’s outer surface.

The risks of using whitening toothpastes

When you purchase a whitening toothpaste, always read the label to see how frequently you can use it. Some whitening products are too strong for everyday use and can cause issues over time including:

Increased sensitivity: When whitening toothpastes are used regularly, some patients experience increased tooth sensitivity, which can feel like a wave or rush of pain as a response to cold air or cold liquid. While we don’t exactly know why whitening toothpaste increases sensitivity, the likely culprit is the peroxide that acts as the main ingredient to help bleach the tooth’s surface. The peroxide can irritate the tooth’s nerve, which causes inflammation and irritation that contributes to symptoms such as tingling or cold sensitivity.

Tissue damage: Whitening toothpastes with higher concentrations of peroxide can cause gum irritation, and even tissue damage, if they are used more frequently than the label recommends. Gel whitening strips or trays can also cause chemical burns if the peroxide sits on mouth tissue for too long instead of the tooth. If you are going to use these products at home, be careful to wipe excess whitening agents off your gums and mouth tissue. Similarly with abrasive whitening toothpastes, the active ingredients like baking soda can cause irritation in some patients. If you notice a reaction to whitening products, stop using them immediately.

If you would like to whiten your teeth, professionally-applied peroxide products can be an effective option that is usually done in the form of a gel tray or strip. Dentist-administered teeth whiteners are able to penetrate deeper into the tooth to reach stains in the tooth enamel that over-the-counter whiteners can’t. If you would like to learn more about professional teeth whitening, contact us today.

The Consequences of Thumb Sucking

June 4, 2019 by Dr. Matthew Wittrig D.D.S.

Thumb or finger sucking is a natural reflex for children that can help them feel calm and safe in the world. In fact, finger sucking can be seen in the womb during development. And while thumb sucking is a perfectly normal soothing mechanism for infants, there can be significant dental consequences if thumb sucking is allowed to continue as a child becomes a toddler and older.

Why is thumb sucking harmful?

According to the American Dental Association, thumb sucking should be discouraged by age 4, or before a child goes to preschool. Why? Children that don’t break the habit of sucking their thumb or fingers by age 5 or 6 are at risk of damaging their permanent teeth as they come in.

The sucking motion and pressure can cause the child’s mouth to develop abnormally, leading to issues with proper teeth alignment, including the front teeth jutting out or issues with the top and bottom teeth not coming together properly when their mouth is closed.

How can I stop my child from thumb sucking?

Identify the cause.

One of the primary reasons children suck their thumbs is for security and comfort, and children that have broken the habit can return to it in times of stress. One of the best ways to deter thumb sucking is to identify and focus on eliminating the cause of insecurity in their life. Provide comfort in other ways such as a stuffed animal, a hug, or comforting words.

Use positive reinforcement.

Never punish a child for thumb sucking — that could only exacerbate the problem if they’re feeling insecure. Praise your child for good behavior, and if your child is old enough, involve him or her in a reward system to break the habit. Rewards could include things like a special outing or an extra story at bedtime. For some children, a calendar with stickers that indicate days without thumb sucking works well.

Visit the dentist.

If you’re concerned about your child’s thumb sucking, check with the dentist. Sometimes, instruction from the dentist helps for children who haven’t wanted to listen to mom and dad. A dentist is trained to explain the consequences of thumb sucking in a way that children can understand.

Catching and stopping thumb sucking early is the key to preventing long-term damage to a child’s mouth and permanent teeth. If your child is thumb sucking in their 3s, 4s or beyond, contact us to set up an appointment to talk about how we can help.

Stress and Teeth Grinding

May 2, 2019 by Dr. Matthew Wittrig D.D.S.

According to a Gallup Poll that evaluated common stressors and stress levels for Americans, 8 in 10 people reported that they were frequently or sometimes afflicted by stress. When we think about how stress affects our bodies, usually things like headaches, digestive issues or having low energy come to mind.

One of the most common physical manifestations of stress is actually jaw clenching and teeth grinding, which is also known as bruxism. What’s worst about teeth grinding as a symptom of stress is that it usually occurs unconsciously during the day or at night during sleep so most people are unaware that it’s an issue until they start experiencing chronic symptoms.

How do I know if I grind my teeth?

People that suffer from the effects of jaw clenching and teeth grinding usually experience some of the following symptoms:

Sore, tight jaw muscles
Sore teeth
A dull, constant headache starting in temples
Neck, jaw or face pain and soreness
Pain that feels like an earache
Increased tooth pain or sensitivity
Jaw locking that won’t open or close all the way
Swollen, tender jaw muscles
Disrupted, restless sleep

Why is teeth grinding harmful?

Untreated teeth grinding and clenching can lead to a number of issues that can affect your oral health and your quality of sleep:

Damage to the teeth, including chipping, flattening or loosening
Worn tooth enamel, exposing the inner layers of the tooth which causes pain and sensitivity
Damage to dental work like crowns or restorations
Chronic tension headaches
TMJ, which affects the joint that connects your lower and upper jaw and makes daily necessities like talking and chewing extremely painful
Sleep disorders

How is teeth grinding treated?

If you suspect that you might be grinding your teeth (or a loved one has told you so, which is usually how it’s discovered), you should set up an appointment with the dentist to undergo a full evaluation and diagnosis.

In many cases, teeth grinding is easily treated with a custom-made mouth piece that fits over the top or bottom teeth. Wearing a guard over the teeth at night can help reduce jaw muscle pain and protect your teeth from the wear of unconscious grinding.

If grinding or clenching is caused by stress, it’s important to also think about how to integrate healthy behavioral techniques into your daily life to help manage the stress that’s causing physical symptoms. Some patients find that relaxation techniques like focused breathing and meditation can go a long way toward bringing down stress levels.