Home Dental Care and You

The average person needs to brush for two to three minutes to make sure they are doing it adequately. However the average person does not brush that long. Time yourself to see how long you are actually brushing and you may be surprised to see that you aren’t close to the time needed to do it adequately. Bring an egg timer in when brushing your teeth will help. Some electric brushes have built in timers that will help.

Brushing and flossing on a regular basis will help prevent dental decay and prevent bad breath. However you need to do it properly or you could be more susceptible to decay and bad breath.

Most people think you need to go in and just make the brush move, but when you brush side to side you can actually damage your teeth. You need to hold the brush at a 45-degree angel to the surface and brush in small circles. You need to focus on a few teeth at a time and then move on. You need to make sure you hit all surfaces of your teeth and your tongue.

One things that will help you brush better is to watch what you are doing. If you watch what you are doing you can make sure you are hitting all surfaces of your teeth.

Make sure you don’t brush too hard or floss with a sawing motion as it can be traumatic for your gums causing irritation and recession. Brushing to hard can also cause erosion of the teeth, which can lead to sensitivity and even more decay.

Make sure you are using the right materials. Make sure you are using a soft bristled brush. If it is a medium or hard brush it can again cause erosion of the teeth. In some cases an electric tooth brush may really benefit you. Talk to your dental care team to find out which may be the best one for you.

A water pik can also be beneficial to some people. Check with your dental care team and find out how to use it. Make sure you always use it on the lowest setting possible to prevent erosion of your teeth.

You also need to make sure you are using the proper toothpaste. A toothpaste is an abrasive. Some more abrasive than others so make sure you are the right one so it won’t damage your teeth.

You need to make sure you are flossing at least once a day. Make sure you are using a long enough piece of floss. Make sure you don’t saw while flossing to prevent your gums from becoming irritated. Make sure you are wrapping it around each tooth.

Make sure you rinse after you brush and floss. Rinsing several times through out the day will also help.

Ask your dental care team about any of the techniques or tools you need to help make your mouth as healthy as possible. Log on to our website at LevineDental.com to get more tips and information in our patient information section. Follow along on facebook and twitter as well! Join the conversation and spread the Word of Mouth!

Bad Breath and what you can do

Do you have bad halitosis? Halitosis is the fancy name for bad breath. If bad breath is ignored it can cause a major problem in one’s life.

Even if you don’t have bad breath, what people may not realize is that half of the adult population suffers from persistent bad breath. It can affect us in our personal lives at home and in our professional lives at work.

 

The big questions are why do we get bad breath, and what can we do about it?

Bad breath can be caused by a myriad of reasons including things you eat, your health but can be other things you would never consider

·         Foods à some foods such as garlic and onions. In fact garlic can form something called methyl sulfide cannot be digested. Instead it is passed through your blood stream to your lungs and skin.

·         Dry mouth à When your mouth is not moisturized it can lead to bad breath. This can happen due to medications, health and even right after exercising, we also produce less saliva when we sleep leading to dry mouth.

·         Germs à Germs that exist in our mouth can cause 90-95% of bad breath. The mixture of germs and protein cause bad breath through by producing a sulfur gas.

·         Health issues à People that have liver problems, kidney problems and diabetes tend to have more bad breath problems. The build-up of wastes in the blood leads to a metallic taste in the mouth that produces the odor. Acid reflux can also be a major contributor to bad breath.

There are many ways to prevent bad breath. Some of the most popular methods such as mouth wash with alcohol could actually make your breath worse so be sure to check labels and stay away from those with alcohol. In addition the Australian Dental Journal concluded there is sufficient evidence that mouthwashes with alcohol increase your risk of developing oral cancer. There are several rinses and mouthwashes without alcohol that may help, check with your dentist about these.

Chewing fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme and rosemary also helps prevent bad odors after a smelly meal. The chlorophyll in the leaves help neutralize.

Drinking more water can help keep you more moisturized and lessen bad breath

Eating cheeses like mozzarella can prevent bad breath since some dairy products help neutralize acidity.

Xylitol which is available in many gums and dental products can help lessen bacteria and helps keep your mouth more moisturized.

Of course brushing and flossing as taught by your dental health team and visiting them at least twice year will help tremendously.

 For more information about steps you can take to avoid and get rid of halitosis, log on to our website at LevineDental.com or our facebook page or subscribe to our YouTube channel. We're always happy to answer your questions at (414) 355-0213.

Join the eMailing List

   

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required

    Email Address  *
   

    First Name  *
   

    Last Name  *
   

    Email Format
   

• html


• text


• mobile

   

       

       

   

   

Uh oh, a Root Canal?

The two little words that make everyones skin crawl, makes your face show the biggest sign of horror, and makes you think, OMG anything but this!!!

And why does it have such a bad wrap when it's as easy as pie?  Now a days it's the same as getting a filling or a crown prep done.  One and a 1/2 to 2 hrs of your time, anesthetic, staying open and 1-2 x-rays.  That's it.

The answer to that question is simple.  Many years ago it used to be a big ordeal.  Two or three appointments, 2-3 hrs each, and you could possibly be in pain between each appointment.  NOT FUN!!

I assure you it's not the same anymore!

What is a root canal?  In order to save a tooth that otherwise might need to come out, or get you out of pain even if it's a perfectly fine tooth but something is going on at the apex or tip of the roots............

Sometimes we need to take the "nerve" out of the tooth. We do this with a specialized system of endodontic files that gradually get wider. These files help us clean out the pulp chamber & canals. Once we have cleaned out the nerve canals all the way down to the tip (apex) of the root, we fill it with a gutta percha (rubbery-like material) Then a temporary or permanent filling is done. A post & core and a crown can be done in the near future.

What is the reason for the post and crown? Once the nerve is out, the tooth can become brittle and break.  The post helps support the tooth and the crown helps protect the tooth. 

For more information about having a root canal or if you think you may need dental treatment, see your dentist or log on to our website for more information.

Smoking and your Oral Health

It is common knowledge that smoking is a serious health risk. It increases your chance of heart attack, stroke, and cancer. What is rarely talked about is the effect it has on your oral cavity including your teeth, gums, bones in the jaw, tongue, and other oral tissues. 

Smoking decreases your sense of taste and smell. It also causes bad breath, a condition known as halitosis. A common concern for many is the discoloration of the teeth from smoking. Whitening will work, but if you continue to smoke, the teeth will continue to discolor. 

That is just the beginning, smoking poses serious risks related to your oral health. It can cause inflammation of the salivary glands as well as increased leukoplakia (a white patch on the oral tissue). Smokers have much higher amounts of plaque and tartar in their mouths compared to non smokers. This coincides with a smokers increased risk for gum disease. Smoking interferes with the normal function of gum tissue cells. This makes them much more susceptible to periodontal disease which leads to bone loss in the jaw and eventually to tooth loss. Delayed healing is also a concern for smokers. Nicotine causes narrowing of the blood vessels, which impairs blood flow to the gums. This becomes problematic in the healing process after gum treatment or after an extraction, and it may lead to a painful condition known as dry socket. And of course, smoking can cause oral cancer. Smokers are six times more likely to develop oral cancers in the mouth, lips, tongue, or throat. 

Tips: First, and most importantly, quit. Talk to your doctor, get a support system, make a plan, and stick to it. Also, be sure to have good oral hygiene. Regular dental visits are important as well as regular oral cancer screenings. Talk to your doctor or hygienist about an advanced oral cancer screening tool called Vizilite. And stay informed, know what to look for. White, red, or dark, patches in your mouth that don’t go away within two weeks, should be looked at immediately by a dental professional.

For more questions about your smile or any concerns about oral cancer you may have, visit your dentist regularly or log on to our website for more information. 

-Levine Dental Associates

8860 N 60th St

Milwaukee, WI 53223

(414)355-0213

With Gratitude

We would like to give a  big thank you and shout out to all of our patients and friends who have  generously donated food and toys to our annual food and toy drive. Every year our patients have helped families who otherwise would have no food or gifts for the holiday to celebrate with their families by having food for the season and being able to share some gifts.

Besides helping one of the local food pantries and Toys for Tots, this year we had a request to help 3 families from a local church. We did not want to say no and were able to help all three families. With everyone’s help we were able to give all 3 families a complete holiday meal and provide toys for 6 children!! You guys are awesome! 

Our office has decided that in 2013 we are going to have more opportunities to give back. February is childrensDental Health month and as always we are one of the host offices for Give KidsA Smile day. This is strictly done voluntarily by our staff and we treat underprivileged children with any dental needs they  have. In Spring/Summer we will be having a teeth whitening fund raiser to benefit the ‘Make A Wish” foundation and hope to raise enough money to grant more than one wish. Fall/Winter will again bring our Halloween Candy Buy Back which supports our troops stationed overseas and the food and toy drive for the holiday season. Also this year in answer to the Hunger Task Force being in need of peanut butter we are currently collecting jars of peanut butter to donate.

All dates are listed on our website, Facebook, and Twitter so if you are able to  help us with any of the charitable causes our office helps with we greatly appreciate it.