Less than 50 years ago, elderly people went to sleep with their teeth in a jar next to the bed. But now your teeth can last a lifetime provided you use good oral hygiene—which includes a daily regimen of flossing before bedtime.

Reality Check

Flossing removes bacteria, prevents gum disease and prevents the loss of teeth.

“The root of all evil, when it comes to periodontal disease, is the plaque that forms on your teeth every 24 hours,” says Dr. Kimberly Harms, consumer adviser for the American Dental Association. The purpose of flossing is to remove plaque, the colorless film of bacteria that forms on the surface of teeth. “The bacteria in plaque produce toxins, and if you don’t remove it the toxins will irritate the gums, create a painful inflammation and eventually cause the loss of bone around the tooth.”

Flossing once at the end of the day is all it takes—before or after brushing doesn’t matter. The primary reason for flossing is plaque removal.

Reality Check

If you’re old enough to have teeth, floss them.

The point of flossing is to clean the tight space between teeth that grow closely together. Wherever two teeth are touching, you need to find a way to clean between them. Even baby teeth, though they will eventually fall out, should be flossed since bacteria can grow between closely spaced teeth and make gums tender. Children who do their own flossing may find that a floss holder makes the task easier—and for parents who are helping, a holder can diminish the risk being bitten by those clean little chompers.

Reality Check

Flossing only helps if you do it right.

While brushing cleans the sticky plaque off most of the tooth, floss reaches where bristles cannot. But the sticky stuff stays if you have poor flossing technique. “The biggest mistake people make is that they just floss right down on their gums and back up,” says Dr. Harms. “You want to wrap the floss around the tooth and then, in a sawing motion, rub the floss up and down the tooth to remove the bacteria.” The American Dental Association has produced a helpful animation that demonstrates correct flossing technique.

Reality Check
If flossing makes your gums bleed, you’re on the right track.

Bleeding gums is not a signal to stop flossing—on the contrary, it’s a signal that you have gum disease and need to floss more. Unless you’re cutting into your gums with the floss, tenderness and bleeding are the result of bacteria having taken up residence between your teeth. And you get it out by flossing.

So even if you’re having visions of Marathon Man as that silky strand turns red, bear with it because you can actually cure a minor case of gum disease, or gingivitis, by flossing. Bleeding should subside after a few days of flossing. If it doesn’t, see your dentist.

Reality Check
Good oral health is a component of good overall health.

“Gum disease is really an infection in your mouth,” Dentist Berkeley explain. No infection is good for the body, especially in people whose capability to fight infection may be compromised by an illness such as diabetes or an immune disease. Some research has associated chronic gum disease with conditions including stroke, heart disease, and low birth weight in newborns (when the mother had gingivitis). While the theories suggest a systemic reaction to oral bacteria, Dr. Harms emphasizes that “no causal link has been established. We’re not saying that gum disease is a risk factor in any of these conditions yet.”

Reality Check
Any floss is better than no floss.

“The best floss is the one you’re going to use,” Dentists Berkeley said, who would like to see flossing become as routine as brushing. Adding to the passel of oral hygiene products already available, there is now a shelf in most every pharmacy dedicated to flossing products. Find the floss you like, whether it’s minty, flat, thick or covered in fluoride. Floss holders and disposable floss sticks have become popular, especially since they allow you to reach your molars without stuffing both hands in your mouth and stretching your lips like Silly Putty. According to Dr. Harms, “As long as you’re getting in there and removing that plaque, you can prevent gum disease and preserve your teeth for a lifetime.”

”Flossing” has been reviewed for accuracy by Dr. Kimberly Harms, D.D.S., consumer adviser for the American Dental Association.

Let’s face it: perfectly white teeth can be a great asset. After all, however perfectly shaped your teeth may be, and however perfectly aligned your teeth may be, if they are not brilliant white, you are likely to find yourself wondering as to whether your smile is ‘perfect enough.’ And as well know, a ‘perfect smile’ opens many doors these days, even at a subconscious level (if you don’t believe in living a life of patronage – where you smile to have doors open for you!) In short, having a perfect smile is a good thing – and having perfectly white teeth is the first step towards getting that perfect smile.

Now as many of us have already observed, having perfectly white teeth is something that calls for some application of effort. The truth of the matter is that left to ‘their own devices’ the natural tendency of teeth is to get colored. Even the most naturally white teeth tend to turn dark, if nothing proactive is done about them. And of course if you are born with colored teeth (or more accurately, if you developed colored teeth in your early childhood due to chemical influences you encountered), then you would have to make a lot of effort if you were ever to attain that ‘perfect smile.’

Ultimately, if you desire to have brilliant teeth, choice of a tooth whitening solution is something you are likely to find yourself grappling with soon or later.

Your choice of a tooth whitening solution is likely to be influenced by a number of factors.

According to Dentists Berkeley, The first factor that is likely to come into consideration, in your choice of a tooth whitening solution is as to just how bad the tooth staining in your case is. If you have what are reasonably white teeth, and all you are looking for is something to make them ‘perfect,’ then a mild tooth whitening bleach is all you may really need. This is the sort of bleach that you use at home. But in some cases, even the so-called teeth-whitening toothpastes, which are made with granules in them may be just as good in your case. Of course, if your tooth is very badly stained, such solutions won’t work for you. You need something more potent: like say the high concentration bleaches that are only used in dentist clinics, or an even more radical solution, like an expertly crafted veneer to mask the tooth coloring.

The second consideration, in choosing a tooth whitening solution, is as to how much money you have for the project. This is because some teeth whitening solutions, while highly effective, are also considerably costly. So though a veneer may be the ideal solution for the situation you are facing, it could simply be out of your reach, financially.

The third consideration in choosing a tooth whitening solution, is as to just how far you are willing to go in pursuit of teeth whitening. Worth noting is that some of these teeth whitening solutions come with potential for inducing considerable side effects: and it is up to you to make up your mind as to just how much you are willing to take in the pursuit of that ‘perfect smile.’

Loose tooth? Tooth decay? Root canal treatment? Don’t worry. Laser dentistry is here!

Laser dentistry offers cosmetic dentists a precise and effective way of performing a number of complicated procedures. The advantage of using laser for improving dental and oral structure is that the dentist has complete control over the power output and the period of tissue exposure. Lasers allow the dentist to focus treatment on a specific area, thus limiting damage to neighboring tissue.

Laser dentistry is particularly useful in cases where:
- Patients feel queasy about the pain or discomfort involved in a procedure.
- Since laser has the ability to seal off nerve endings, there is considerably less bleeding, swelling and discomfort.
- Chances of developing bacterial infections are minimal as the laser beam automatically sterilizes the area that is being worked on.
- Recovery time is minimal as minimal tissues are damaged and tissues are easily regenerated after as laser treatment.
- Patients can retain more of their undamaged tissues as the treatment is highly focused.

Since laser dentistry allows doctors to carry out an extensive number of procedures with a high degree of accuracy and incredible speed, many patients opt for the use of laser.

Laser dentistry has a wide scope of uses. It is generally used for the following oral problems:
Tooth decay: Anyone who has been subjected to traditional tooth drills knows that the procedure is highly uncomfortable and can sometimes become painful. Laser dentistry makes it possible to do away with the drill. Since decayed tooth can be removed painlessly with laser treatments, there is no need for local anesthesia. Another major advantage is that laser treatments may be used to detect tooth decays at the early stages.

Lesions and sores: Doctors help patients get rid of the acute pain of canker sores and lesions by removing them with lasers.

Tooth sensitivity: Many people develop extreme tooth sensitivities to heat or cold substances. This is more so as we age. Tooth sensitivities can be sealed off using laser dentistry whereby the tubules at the root of the affected tooth are desensitized.

Gum diseases and imperfections: Laser dentistry may be used for complicated root canal procedures. It can also be used to reshape gums. So people who have been hiding a gummy smile can use laser dentistry to perfect their smile.

Crown lengthening procedures: Laser dentistry may be used to change both soft and hard tissues to expose a healthy tooth. Crown lengthening allows doctors to have a stronger foundation for restorative work.

A number of other medical conditions may be treated using laser dentistry. Some examples include tight frenulum, benign tumors and tissue overgrowth.

Berkeley Dentists said that laser dentistry may not be used in certain conditions. For instance, if teeth fillings are in place, lasers may not be used. Many common procedures are not conducive to laser treatments. For instance, lasers cannot be used for fillings in between two teeth.

Another important factor to consider is that laser dentistry tends to be costly since you have to factor in the cost of the laser beam. Even so, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages of laser dentistry.

Austin Powers’ wit and skill may be good with the ladies, but with his bad teeth, Dr. Evil might be getting the ladies anytime soon. But your teeth don’t have to be as unfortunate as Austin. With advancements in dental technology such as teeth whitening and smile makeovers, living with crooked, stained or gapped tooth is a thing of the past. Add to that good oral care and you don’t have to worry of teeth and gum problems in your lifetime.

Studies reveal that poor oral health can lead to heart problems. Aside from that, it can result in swollen gums, severe tooth aches, and complete loss of the teeth. All these problems, though, can be avoided easily and cheaply with proper teeth care. Here are simple steps for you to follow if you don’t want your teeth look like Austin’s:

Visit your dentist

A dental visit may sound scary to some people. But doing it regularly will help prevent bigger dental problems in the long run. With better and more advancement dental procedures, the excruciating pain of some dental procedures are made a lot less painful. A rule of thumb to follow is to visit your dentist at least every six month, but you can make it to 12 months as long as your teeth are in good shape. And don’t hesitate to call or visit your dentist anytime if you experience teeth troubles.

Brush and Floss

Brushing is a must. Dentist Berkeley recommends that you brush your teeth twice a day, but when you love snacking on sweets, it’s best to brush every after snack as well. Make sure to use only soft- bristled toothbrush so as not to erode the gums and the tooth enamel. Also, don’t forget to brush your tongue as most bacteria reside there.

Flossing at least once a day also helps remove bacteria between the teeth and promote good circulation in the gums and the tissues.

Whitening

Lately, teeth whitening products are booming in the market. From whitening toothpastes to over-the-counter whitening products, everyone is fussing about it. Although whitening can be done at home, it’s still best to visit your dentist for the procedure to ensure a natural-looking result best fitted for you. Even if teeth whitening is not really essential to good oral hygiene, it does help in enhancing your smile.

Good dental habits

Aside from practicing good dental hygiene, there are still other ways you can do to help promote good oral health. Among them are:

• Eating healthy foods such as vegetables, cheese, plain yogurt, and fruits rich in Vitamin C. Also, avoid consuming sugary foods as they would only increase bacteria and cavity build-up.

• Drink plenty of water to keep the mouth hydrated.

• Chewing sugar-free gums that contain xylitol can help fight dental caries.

So, follow these tips and cut down on poor dental habits and are sure to keep your smile for years to come.

What Is the Right Way to Brush?

Proper brushing takes at least two minutes — that’s right, 120 seconds! Most adults do not come close to brushing that long. To get a feel for the time involved, try using a stopwatch. To properly brush your teeth, use short, gentle strokes, paying extra attention to the gumline, hard-to-reach back teeth and areas around fillings, crowns or other restoration.

Proper tooth brushing involves four things:

• a soft toothbrush
• toothpaste with fluoride
• the correct brushing angle
• brushing in a pattern

It’s important to brush at least twice a day using a soft toothbrush. The flexible bristles of a soft toothbrush are gentler on the gums and make it much easier to remove the plaque below the gum line, where periodontal disease starts.

Use a toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride hardens the outer enamel layer of the teeth. It might stop a cavity in its tracks and give you more resistance to future cavities.

Angle the bristles of the brush along the gum line at a 45-degree angle. Apply firm but gentle pressure so the bristles slide under the gum line.

Move the brush over the entire surface of two or three teeth at a time in small, circular motions. Allow some overlap as you move to the next teeth. Tilt the brush and use the tip to brush the backs of the front teeth.

It’s fine to brush in any regular pattern you choose, but since the insides of the teeth tend to get less attention, you might start with the insides of the upper teeth, then go to the insides of the lower teeth. Switch to the outsides of the upper teeth, and then the outsides of the lower teeth. Brush the chewing surfaces of the upper teeth, then the lower teeth. End by gently brushing your tongue and the roof of your mouth. This removes germs to help keep your breath fresh.

Source : SoftDental

Teeth whitening refer to the process of whitening the colour of teeth. According to Berkeley dentists, Teeth lose its colour with age, intake of coffee, tea, smoking, sodas, and antibiotics. The mineral fluoride is also responsible for yellowing of teeth. It is also known as tooth bleaching.

Many people want whiter teeth at a cheap cost. Home remedies for whiter teeth include brushing with hydrogen peroxide, brushing with baking soda or brushing with a lemon juice and salt mixture. Use natural ingredients to whiten teeth with information from a dental technician in this free video on oral health.

Source:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5MZ4afZxI4