Rinse and Repeat

Why should your hair get all the fun? The mouth needs a rinse too, right?

People ask me this all the time. “what mouth rinse should I be using Doc?” or “I’ve been rinsing my mouth with hydrogen peroxide for years…” or “My great grand pappy only used baking soda to clean his teeth.” Nice.

So what is the deal with mouth rinses. Are they all that, or just hype. There’s all sorts of old wive’s tales and crazy stories about the benefits of rinsing with peroxide, Listerine, or mop n’ glow, or diesel fuel. Well, I’m going to provide a dentists perspective and help you decide what is best.

First things first. Brush and floss your teeth. Mouth rinses are no substitute for brushing and flossing as a means of keeping your teeth clean. After you’ve done that, and if you want get a little extra credit, you can use a rinse that will give you an extra dose of fluoride, or one that fights gum disease, or one that will help you have fresh breath.

Listerine is at the top of my list and is my personal fav. This stuff has been around for ever, and is the only rinse out there that is actually considered a drug. That’s right my little yuck-mouthed friends, it actually attacks and kills specific germs that cause gingivitis… and none of us want gingivitis, right.. RIGHT! Ok,moving on. This is a great addition to your oral hygiene regimen , and I’ve seen it really make a difference for lots of patients. It’s burns like the dickens, but you gotta feel that burn to get results baby!!

If you are one of those who has a sweet tooth and like to eat a lot of candy, you could probably use some extra fluoride. Well then Mr. & Mrs. Sugarbug say hello to my leetle friend Act. I get on to people’s cases about not getting enough fluoride. As a dentist it is my obligation to fuss at the residents of Nashville for not taking care of their teeth. It’s part of the dental oath… :  ). Anyway, this is a nice little rinse to get a little extra fluoride. Why fluoride you ask? Because fluoride makes your teeth stronger and more resistant to cavities, and that means fewer trips to my chair for fillings. Wait, forget what I said. Fluoride is evil. It will turn your hair green and make you smell funny… and I need to buy my kids Christmas presents. Just kidding. Fluoride will help prevent cavities, and you should use it.

If it’s bad breath you’re wanting to eliminate, I have a suggestion. Don’t eat garlic… and try a rinse like Breath Rx. This stuff used to only be available in a dentist office, but now you can buy it at a pharmacy or grocery store.  Use caution though when purchasing a rinse for bad breath because some mouth rinses contain alcohol and that will dry your mouth and make the problem worse. Eeeew.

There’s other rinses out there, and these I have listed are not the only ones that are good. If you have any doubt or concerns about a mouth rinse, ask your dentist. If you live in Nashville, ask me, I’ll be glad to help and/or be your dentist. Feel free to contact us at 615-298-2385 or visit our website at www.MusicCitySmiles.com .

 

 

Buying Toothpastes. So What’s the Deal?

Buying toothpaste is hard these days. There’s so many dang choices out there that it’s hard to sort through them all. Whitening. Tartar control. Enamel strengthening. I think I’ve even seen bacon flavored dental products!

A recent article has put some toothpaste to the test. Specifically those that claim to strengthen enamel. Here’s the Cliff’s Notes on that article: these toothpastes are really similar to normal-no-bells-and -whistles-attached toothpastes, they may just have a little more fluoride. So the toothpaste marketing people said “Hey, more fluoride=more enamel.”

The tricky thing about marketing and toothpastes is that there aren’t a lot of guidelines. Toothpaste is classified as a cosmetic according to the Food and Drug Administration. Now, that doesn’t mean you should rub it on oyur face to hide wrinkles, but it does mean that there is a lot of leeway when it comes to advertising. Basically, if the product doesn’t harm you, you can say just about what ever you want.

Products classified as drugs, on the other hand, must be able to prove that the treat a specific disease and are effective. It’s expensive to get your product classified as a drug. I would not want to go through the approval process.

My recommendation is to look for the American Dental Association seal of acceptance. This seal means that the product has gone through more test than you ever thought could be conducted on toothpaste, and came through with flying colors meaning it is safe an effective.

Here’s what it looks like… 

So when you are looking for dental products, just look for this seal and you’ll be good.

Now, I’ve got to design my own seal of approval…

Bad Breath…

I think that this is one of those topics that everyone is thinking about, but no one is talking about… until now. I’ve been a little surprised by how many patients have been asking me at their dental cleanings about bad breath. One new patient went so far as to flat out ask me “do I have bad breath?” Um, thanks for putting me on the spot here.

So that got me thinking. Bad breath is a valid topic to discuss  with your dentist, even if it’s a bit awkward. Rather than just come out and tell you “ahem, your breath… it stinks!!”, I’ll just review a few causes of bad breath and what you can do to minimize the, how shall I put it… malodor.

First I’d like to start off with a little quiz. Hold your hand a few inches in front of your mouth. Now, exhale for a few seconds and sniff. If you smell nothing, then you passed the quiz. If not, then let’s review a few things.

Bad breath can be brought on by any of these following causes:

poor oral hygiene

dry mouth

certain foods like garlic

sinus drainage

smoking

gum disease

and so on

Now that you know some of the causes, lets talk about a few way to prevent bad breath in the first place

1) Brush your tongue. I think a lot of people neglect to do this. We see it all the time… a coating on the top of your tongue. Yep, there’s bacteria on there, and I’m pretty sure they ain’t smellin’ like a fresh boquet of roses.

2) Drink lots of water. Ok, this one I really need to work on myself. Water helps prevent dry mouth which is a major cause of bad breath.

3) Brush and floss after you eat. This kinda goes without saying, but ya gotta get all the remnants of your last meal outta there or those pesky bacteria will go to town.

4) Stop smoking. Lots of benefits to this one. You’ll breathe easier knowing that you have fresh breath.

5) See your dentist for regular check-ups. When you come in to get your teeth professionally cleaned, we get in there and remove all those little bacteria communities that have sprung up in your mouth over the last 6 months. I know, I know, you brush and floss everyday, but those bacteria are quite elusive, and find hiding places safe from toothbrushes and floss. As they accumulate, you can develop cavities, gum disease, and bad breath.

Hope that helps. If you have any questions about bad breath, call our office at 615.298.2385 and we’ll be glad to answer them.