Dentists Offer Advice For The Healthiest Smile

By DAPHNE HOWLAND / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

The advice to "brush and floss," plus a new toothbrush, is the usual take-away from the dentist's office. The hygienist cleans and polishes, the dentist pokes and prods, and they update you on your teeth and gums.

BRIAN STAUFFER/Special Contributor - But it turns out there's a lot more your dentist would like you to know. We poked and prodded at a couple of dentists, an orthodontist and a hygienist to find out what.

Your teeth were designed to last 100 years: "Every dental material we use – porcelain, plastic, metal – to fix teeth is a poor substitute for the enamel and dentin that's in the patient," said Dallas dentist Linda Niessen, a professor at Baylor College of Dentistry. Most of the issues that require fillings, crowns and other replacements are preventable with basic care, all experts said.

Keeping plaque off teeth fitted with braces is especially challenging, but no less important, reminded Dallas orthodontist C. Moody Alexander. Not only will plaque cause maladies in the teeth and gums, but it also could prolong the need for braces.

"Good hygiene, period, prevents most dental disease," said Rockwall dentist David R. Maxwell. "It's as important as washing your body."

You need to tell us everything about your health: "A lot of times people don't remember their mouth is connected to the rest of their body," Maxwell said. "I want to hear about everything – medicines you're taking, any problems you're having. We'll make the determination if it's dentally related."

Many diseases or their treatments can affect oral health or treatments, and vice versa, experts said. "Don't be surprised if I ask you about diabetes, about smoking, about arthritis. You need to be forthcoming," Niessen said.

There is no such thing as perfect white teeth: The seeming perfection, the flawless whiter-than-white pearls you see in the mouths of models and movie stars are usually the result of Photoshop, not whitening treatments, according to Niessen. Many such treatments are dehydrating to teeth, which can weaken them and make them sensitive, so they should be used with caution.

"All dentistry should be cosmetic," Maxwell said. "If a cosmetic treatment is healthy, I'm fine with it. But not if it's not best for your overall health in the long term."

You don't brush your teeth long enough: "Two minutes feels like a long time, but that's how long you should be brushing your teeth," said June Rose Bandy, a hygienist in Highland Park. "Two minutes for brushing, and, at night, another three for flossing. Five minutes of your time."

To put that in perspective, Bandy instructs children to play a two-minute song on their MP3 players while they brush. "They see their brushing's over, but the song's not. This also works for busy adults."

She suggests using an electric toothbrush to make brushing even more effective. "With an electric brush, you're cleaning areas, like the back of the teeth, that are very hard to get," Bandy said. "But you still need to take two minutes. And I remind people, your teeth don't lie."

Dental floss is not a toothpick: Cleaning your teeth requires two tools: a brush and floss. Flossing is required only once a day, most effectively at night, but it's the only way to clean in between teeth and under the gums. "A lot of people think with floss they're popping food out of their mouth," said Bandy. "But it's about taking plaque off. We're cleaning areas of teeth with floss you can't reach with a toothbrush."

Your tongue needs cleaning, too: What we call "taste buds" our dentists call "papillae." They collect bacteria and hold plaque, so gently cleaning your tongue using a tongue scraper or your toothbrush can help prevent bad breath and keep your teeth clean, according to Bandy.

Teach your children well: Although people think baby teeth are disposable, their health can affect the health and quality of permanent teeth, even ones that haven't yet erupted, Maxwell said. Plus, children's dental care at home is not just about cleaning teeth, but also about building lifelong habits and expectations, the experts agreed.

With routine care, children grow to be adults who won't go to bed without brushing and flossing. And early experiences at the dentist can prevent much of the anxiety many adults feel.

Daphne Howland is a freelance writer in Portland, Maine
Discover how I cured my nasty Bad Breath here.

Source The Dallas Morning News

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