Oral Health
The Christmas and holiday season is a period of the year where our mouths are subjected to more ‘abuse’ than normal. We often eat more and drink more, and neither the foods nor beverages we consume are likely to be the healthiest.
So, whether you’re reading this on Christmas Eve or in the middle of June, it’s important that you’re aware of how to best look after your teeth when you need to the most.
How to look after your teeth during the festive season
Avoid excessive sugar
We’re certainly not saying you need to avoid all sugary foods and drinks but consuming too much sugar can increase the risk of developing tooth decay and cavities.
We don’t mean to sound like the Grinch but try keeping your snack and sugary drink intake to a reasonable level over the holidays.
Gift yourself a new toothbrush
Christmas is a period of gift-giving. Why not gift yourself something truly valuable: A new toothbrush! Changing toothbrushes regularly to ensure the bristles are effective will help you develop strong oral hygiene and a healthy mouth.
You can always really indulge yourself – or ask a loved one to put it on your Christmas list – by purchasing a rechargeable, electric or revolving brush head toothbrush.
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I know; this is a more serious blog topic than we usually tackle but it’s worth talking about. Sadly, chances are we all know someone who’s fought or is fighting against some form of cancer. If we want to be part of making cancer history, building awareness and sharing vital preventative information is the key!
Oral health
At Dental O So Gentle our hygienists and dentists care about your complete health, including oral health and preventing oral cancer. We not only treat your teeth and gums, but we’re trained to look for abnormalities that could affect your greater health. If we notice something amiss, we’ll work together to find answers, offer support and decide on a solution to keep you fit and well.
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There are very few things upon which the whole of humanity can agree. But our revulsion towards bad breath can certainly be counted as one.
No one wants bad breath and no one wants to be around someone with bad breath. But is there anything you can do about it? To find out, let’s start at the beginning.
What is bad breath?
Bad breath, or halitosis, is mostly the product of sulphur-producing bacteria, normally living on the surface of the tongue or the throat. The bad odour is caused by the bacterial wastes left in the mouth, as well as decaying food particles and other debris in your mouth. Poor oral hygiene, dry mouth, disease, infection, tobacco use and severe dieting can all contribute to halitosis too, but fortunately, while unpleasant, halitosis is not infectious.
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Q: Which teeth should I floss?
A: Only the ones you want to keep!
Q: When should I start flossing my children’s teeth?
A: As soon as two teeth touch each other.
Starting to floss your children’s teeth from a young age is super important. The best way to ingrain healthy dental habits is through leading by example. When they see you undertaking important tasks, like using dental floss, they’re more likely to copy what you are doing. Of course, initially, you’ll need to floss your children’s teeth for them because they lack the dexterity to do it themselves. As they master the necessary skill involved, it is important you show them how to do it themselves. In no time at all, you’ll find that not only are they able to floss independently but you’ve successfully managed to help form a fantastic lifelong habit that will keep their teeth and gums healthy.
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It’s hard to scroll through a Facebook newsfeed without seeing some pet-obsessed friend posting an image of their dog/cat/fish/komodo dragon in a Halloween costume, Christmas elf-hat or ill-advised flowery bow.
People get a real kick out of treating their pets like human beings, and I should know, I’m the first person to admit that I’m completely wrapped around my dog’s little paw!
But in our never-ending crusade to inflict our own fashion choices on our unsuspecting furry companions, most people forget the really important facets of human conduct we should share with our pets: dental care!
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Did you know that there are a variety of conditions that can affect the health of your mouth, which can in turn affect different areas of your body?
Let me give you an example: Dry mouth.
What is dry mouth?
A dry mouth means there is far less natural irrigation by your wonderful saliva. While saliva may seem like a gross by-product of your mouth, it’s actually vitally important, as it rinses, cleanses and balances your mouth. This in turn keeps the pH or acid level down, protecting your teeth from a higher rate of decay.
Things that can cause dry mouth include:
- Medications e.g. antidepressants, diuretics, epilepsy medication
- Recreational drugs
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Dehydration
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Is Gum Disease contagious? Can you give it to your kids by sharing utensils?
Research has shown that periodontal disease is caused by the inflammatory reaction to bacteria under the gums, so periodontal disease technically may not be contagious. However, the bacteria that cause the inflammatory reaction can be spread through saliva. Periodontitis is not contagious. Research has found that the patient’s immune system plays a very important role in the onset of periodontal disease. Periodontitis can be linked, in many patients, to an immune deficiency in specific white blood cells. This deficiency may manifest its way as gum disease. Patients that have certain diseases, diabetes, for instance, are very susceptible to infections, thus more susceptible to gum disease.
Patients that are immunosuppressed, such as cancer patients that are undergoing chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or patients that have undergone organ transplantation, are exceptionally susceptible. Patients with certain viral infections, HIV being the best example in this category, are extremely prone to developing rapidly destructive types of gum disease.
Sources: “Howard Farran DDS, MBA”
It’s a stressful time of year! Work has the added burden of the pre-Christmas break deadline, the kids are about to finish up the school year and there are the holidays to plan! You might be having house guests, cooking an important family meal (catering for everyone’s tastes and dietary requirements) buying gifts – carefully balancing the budget with the perfect representation of how much the recipient means to you and if your NOT hosting – the drive from place to place catching all the friends and relatives. It’s a wonderful time – but pulling it all together can take a lot of time and effort, which many of us just don’t have to spare. This can lead to stress, and stress can be really bad for your health.
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