Preventive Dentistry for you and Your Family

Preventive Dentistry is something that yourdentist can help you with, especially if you have kids and want to teach them proper oral hygiene.

Unfortunately, there are hundreds of thousands of people in the United States who have bad teeth and gums. Accordingto Web MD, most of these folks are dealing with gum disease, cavities, and other dental problems because they were not taught Preventive Dentistry.

Your dentist explains that natural teeth and your teeth that have been restored do best in an oral environment that is clean and healthy. The Preventive Dentistry program from your dentist has been designed specifically to keep cavities and gum disease at bay. The Preventive Dentistry Program helps to preserve your dental restorations, control, and manage gum disease.

During your Preventive Dentistry appointment, your dentist will discuss oral hygiene and suggest ways that you can improve your oral health habits.

Your dentist recommends that you brush twice each day with fluoride toothpaste recommended by the American Dental Association. There is actually a list of ADA approved toothpastes, flosses and mouthwashes listed on the American Dental Association website. Brush using a soft bristle toothbrush and in a circular motion aimed towards your gums.

Flossing is just as important as brushing as flossing helps clean between your teeth and reach areas that your toothbrush can’t get to. Floss up and down while keeping your floss against the tooth in a U-shape.

Your dentist also encourages patients to eat a healthy well balanced diet. Eat plenty of cheese, which helps clean your teeth and avoid sugary snacks and drinks. Your dentist can help you with a complete menu plan that will keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Try using fluoride or antiseptic rinses as directed by your dentist. Fluoride helps prevent cavities and keeps the enamel on your teeth strong and healthy.

When it comes to healthy teeth and gums, Preventive Dentistry really is the way to go. Schedule an appointment with your dentist today who can help you improve your oral hygiene routine. 

What You Probably Don’t Know About the Humble Toothbrush

The next time you pick up that dental floss, take a moment to think about how your ancestors brushed and flossed their teeth, and you will quickly realize just how lucky you are.

According to your Dentist in Rancho Mirage, ancient civilizations have always taken care of their teeth and gums, but the methods that they resorted to were often disgusting, and downright painful.

The first tooth whitening methods can be attributed to the Ancient Egyptians who used wine vinegar mixed with a paste to polish and whiten teeth. This method was not as bad as the Ancient Romans who were thoroughly convinced that using their own urine, which contains ammonia, was the only way to brighten teeth.

Early toothbrushes were actually branches that had cleansing and antiseptic properties. These twigs were frayed at the end and used to brush teeth. Known as chew sticks these ancient tools have been discovered in the tombs of ancient Egyptians and are still used by some civilizations today. These twigs, or chew sticks, were probably much more hygienic than the early animal hair toothbrushes that were invented by the Chinese in the 1400’s.

The first toothbrushes were made from boar hair that was pounded into a piece of wood. Although more stylized than the first crude boar hairbrushes, this same concept was used up until DuPont invented the first nylon toothbrush in 1938.

Dental Floss does not have the colorful past that the toothbrush has. Dental floss is probably the world’s oldest product as toothpick remnants and dental floss has been discovered by archaeologists while exploring ancient tombs.

A dentist in New Orleans by the name of Levi Spear Parmly invented modern Dental floss. Dr. Parmly believed that people would have better results if silk floss were used to clean teeth. Before 1882, dental floss was only available at the dentist’s office becoming available to the public after Johnson and Johnson applied for the patent in 1898.

According to a recent survey, people would rather go without their television set or the internet instead of dumping their trusty toothbrush, and your Rancho Mirage Dentist is pretty happy about that. These days you can buy toothbrushes in different sizes and shapes, but the basic concept remains just as it did when it made its first appearance thousands of years ago.

If all this talk about toothbrushes has made you think about your own oral hygiene, perhaps it is time to schedule an appointment with your Dentist in Rancho Mirage, Dr. Randall Szutz.