Oral Hygiene Quiz: True or False

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Every six months, it is strongly recommended by the American Dental Associations (ADA) to have an appointment for a dental checkup and cleaning with your dentist. Additionally, you should brush your teeth twice each day. Flossing before you brush is necessary once a day to keep the cracks and crevices in your teeth clean. Of course, you probably know all of this, but are you practicing it? Try your hand at this quiz on basic brushing tips to learn more.

Questions

Q1. True or false – Each session of brushing your teeth should last five minutes.

Q2. True or false – Plaque is hardened tartar.

Q3. True or false – Brushing too hard can damage your tooth enamel.

Answers

A1. FALSE – There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. The recommended time for an ample tooth brushing session is two minutes. This may sound extremely short, but when you time yourself, you’ll see that it is a good chunk of time for getting each of the four quadrants of your teeth clean as a whistle. Brushing longer than that can damage your tooth enamel.

A2. FALSE – Plaque is the first form of a biofilm comprised of acid, germs, and food debris that likes to coat your teeth. After 48 hours of remaining on your teeth without (more…)

filed under: Oral Health, Preventive Dentistry

Face the Day With Your Best Smile Ever

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Artists have immortalized people for their smiles through art, literature, and music throughout history. Da Vinvci’s Mona Lisa has a smile that has captivated the imagination of millions of people with its mystery: is she smiling because she is happy or mischievous? Homer described Helen of Troy to have a “face that launched 1000 ships” for being so beautiful that it sparked a war between two nations. Bruno Mars serenades to the woman of his affections in “The Way You Are” emphasizing that, “when she smiles, the whole world stops and stares for a while.” If one person’s smile can inspire a generation, then just think how the perfect smile can bring out the best in you. If your smile has lost its luster, or you want to unlock the power of your smile, then porcelain veneers might be the solution. (more…)

filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry, Porcelain Veneers

Answers to Your Fluoride Questions

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Fluoride, or sodium fluoride, is a compound of the element, fluorine, mixed with a form of salt. In dental care, fluoride has gained immense popularity, and the mineral is one of the most prevalent components of a wide range of hygiene products. Fluoride abounds in most toothpaste and mouthrinse brands, and Dr. Villani offers fluoride treatments at his Brighton dentist’s office to patients with weak and vulnerable tooth enamel. Despite its popularity, many patients still have questions about fluoride, and why, exactly, it’s so important to maintaining healthy smiles. (more…)

filed under: Oral Health, Preventive Dentistry

Dentures Throughout Time

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For centuries, and maybe longer, people who’ve lost a significant amount of their permanent teeth have relied on dentures of various sorts to restore their smiles’ beauty and function. Today, dentures are custom-crafted to closely mimic a healthy, natural smile. Modern dentures even come equipped with replacement teeth roots (dental implants) that allow them to look and function like real teeth. Dentures and other attempts at replacing lost teeth weren’t always as advanced as they are today. However, the evidence suggests that the importance of maintaining a smile full of teeth has been common knowledge for longer than many people realize. (more…)

filed under: Restorative Dentistry, Tooth Loss

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How are Porcelain Dental Crowns Used?

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A dental crown is often called a cap because it’s placed over the top of a tooth, or the tooth’s crown. As one of the earliest forms of dental restoration, the dental crown has seen many changes throughout the history of dentistry. First thought to be merely a cosmetic enhancement, crowns were crafted from gold nearly 2000 years ago by ancient Etruscans in Italy. Today, aesthetic value is just as important as the health of your teeth, and modern crowns are typically made from lifelike dental porcelain that closely mimics a natural tooth. Besides materials, porcelain crowns have also evolved in the range of services they can provide for patients with damaged, diseased, or missing teeth.

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filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry, Restorative Dentistry

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What if You Could Prevent Dental Emergencies?

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Prevention is the cornerstone of good dental health. Preventing plaque buildup with your toothbrush and floss helps you avoid resulting dental diseases. If they do develop, then you can prevent dental issues from causing extensive damage if you treat them early. Sometimes, however, prevention doesn’t seem possible, like in the case of an accidentally broken or knocked out tooth.  Though not all dental emergencies can be avoided, some damage can be thwarted if your teeth are strong and healthy enough, and if you take certain precautions against the most common forms of dental damage.

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filed under: Dental emergencies, Oral Health, Patient Education

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More than Pretty—The Hidden Benefits of Smiling

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There are numerous studies that show the simple act of smiling can positively influence your health, your stress levels, and your general outlook on life. Even when you force a smile, it can cause others to smile as well, lightening the atmosphere and improving the moods of those around you. However, the human smile does more than show pleasure; it can send all sorts of subliminal signals that are often useful to us. Brighton family dentist, Dr. Thomas Villani, explains a couple of the lesser-known benefits of smiling. (more…)

filed under: Oral Health, Patient Education

Why Are Dental Crowns Necessary?

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photo of molar crownGiven the wide uses of modern dental crowns, you may have had one placed, or known someone who has, at some point in your life. The dental crown is one of the oldest and most diverse forms of restorative dentistry, and has helped restore many patients’ smiles under a variety of different circumstances. But are they necessary? Could you simply decide that you don’t want a dental crown, and allow your tooth to take its chances? You can, but you shouldn’t, and we gladly explain why.

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filed under: Oral Health, Patient Education, Restorative Dentistry

What Does Fluoride Do?

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blonde woman brushing her teethWhether from dental hygiene product commercials or at your own dentist’s office, you’ve probably heard of fluoride. The mineral is a popular cavity prevention tool that helps boost your teeth’s natural defenses against harmful oral bacteria. Every time you eat, some of these germs convert the nutrients in your food (mainly sugar) into acids that attack your teeth’s protective layer of enamel. If enamel becomes weak enough, it won’t be able to protect your teeth from bacteria and infection any longer. By incorporating fluoride into your dental hygiene, you can improve your teeth’s ability to fight off harmful bacteria and the cavities that they cause. (more…)

filed under: Oral Health, Preventive Dentistry

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Embarrassed by Bad Breath?

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portrait of man covering bad breathYou brush your teeth twice every day and floss at least once, always before bedtime. You don’t smoke cigarettes, and you rarely eat garlic, onion, or other strong foods, and when your breath seems to go bad, you’re ready with a stick of sugarless gum. So when your bad breath refuses to go away in spite of your best efforts, it can be especially frustrating, not to mention potentially embarrassing. For some patients, persistent bad breath (halitosis) is a symptom of an underlying dental issue, and treating it is the only way for them to eliminate their offensive exhalations. Often, however, bad breath becomes prominent because a patient’s oral hygiene isn’t as effective as they believe.  (more…)

filed under: Family Dentistry, Oral Health

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