Naturopathic Solutions

Better dental health:

Proper Brushing

Proper brushing is essential for cleaning teeth and gums effectively. Use a toothbrush with soft, nylon, round- ended bristles that will not scratch and irritate teeth or damage gums. Place bristles along the gum line at a 45- degree angle. Bristles should contact both the tooth surface and the gum line. Gently brush the outer tooth surfaces of 2-3 teeth using a vibrating back & forth rolling motion. Move brush to the next group of 2-3 teeth and repeat.
Maintain a 45-degree angle with bristles contacting the tooth surface and gum line. Gently brush using back, forth, and rolling motion along all of the inner tooth surfaces. Tilt brush vertically behind the front teeth. Make several up & down strokes using the front half of the brush. Place the brush against the biting surface of the teeth & use a gentle back & forth scrubbing motion. Brush the tongue from back to front to remove odor-producing bacteria.
Remember to replace your toothbrush every three to four months. Researchers have established that thousands of microbes grow on toothbrush bristles and handles. Most are harmless, but others can cause cold and flu viruses, the herpes virus that causes cold sores, and bacteria that can cause periodontal infections.
What is the best technique for brushing?
There are a number of effective brushing techniques. Patients are advised to check with their dentist or hygienist to determine which is the best one for them since tooth position and gum condition vary. One effective, easy-to-remember technique involves using a circular or elliptical motion to brush a couple of teeth at a time, gradually covering the entire mouth.
Place a toothbrush beside your teeth at a 45-degree angle and gently brush teeth in an elliptical motion. Brush the outside of the teeth, inside the teeth, your tongue and the chewing surfaces and in between teeth. Using a back and forth motion causes the gum surface to recede, or can expose the root surface or make the root surface tender. You also risk wearing down the gum line. Soft or hard bristles?

In general, a toothbrush head should be small (1" by 1/2") for easy access. It should have a long, wide handle for a firm grasp. It should have soft, nylon bristles with round ends. Some brushes are too abrasive and can wear down teeth. A soft, rounded, multi-tufted brush can clean teeth effectively. Press just firmly enough to reach the spaces between the teeth as well as the surface. Medium and hard bristles are not recommended.

How long should I brush?

It might be a good idea to brush with the radio on, since dentists generally recommend brushing 3-4 minutes the length of an average song. Using an egg timer is another way to measure your brushing time. Patients generally think they're brushing longer, but most spend less than a minute brushing. To make sure you're doing a thorough job and not missing any spots, patients are advised to brush the full 3-4 minutes twice a day instead of brushing quickly five or more times through the day. Should I brush at work?

Definitely, but most Americans don't brush during the workday. Dentists say it's a good idea to keep a toothbrush in your desk, which increases the chances that you'll brush during the day by 65 percent, according to a recent survey released by Oral-B Laboratories and the Academy of General Dentistry. Getting the debris off teeth right away stops sugary snacks from turning to damaging acids, and catches starchy foods like potato chips before they turn to cavity-causing sugar.

If you brush with fluoride toothpaste in the morning and before going to bed, you don't even need to use toothpaste at work. You can just brush and rinse before heading back to the desk. If you don't have a toothbrush, rinsing your mouth with water for 30 seconds after lunch also helps.

The following tips may improve your work-time brushing habits:

Post a sticky note on your desk or computer to brush teeth after lunch.
Brush teeth right after lunch, before you become absorbed in work.
Store your toothbrush and toothpaste at work in a convenient and handy place.
Make brushing your teeth part of your freshening up routine at work.

Your Diet and Dental Health Not only is your diet important to your general health, it is also important to your dental health. If you do not eat a balanced diet, you are more likely to get tooth decay and gum disease. Developing teeth can also be affected. Children who have a poor diet are more likely to have dental problems. Likewise, pregnant women need balanced diets for their babies' teeth to develop normally. Diet and tooth decay

How does the food you eat cause tooth decay? When you eat, food passes through your mouth. Here it meets the germs, or bacteria, that live in your mouth. You may have heard your dentist talk about plaque. Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria.

These bacteria love sugars and starches found in many foods. When you don't clean your teeth after eating, plaque bacteria use the sugar and starch to produce acids that can destroy the hard surface of the tooth, called enamel. After a while, tooth decay occurs. The more often you eat and the longer foods are in your mouth, the more damage occurs.

Choose foods wisely

Some foods that you would least expect contain sugars or starches. Some examples are fruits, milk, bread, cereals and even vegetables.

The key to choosing foods wisely is not to avoid these foods, but to think before you eat. Not only what you eat but when you eat makes a big difference in your dental health. Eat a balanced diet and limit between-meal snacks. If you are on a special diet, keep your physician's advice in mind when choosing foods. For good dental health, keep these tips in mind when choosing your meals and snacks. Tips for better dental health

To get a balanced diet, eat a variety of foods. Choose foods from each of the five major food groups:

1. breads, cereals and other grain products

2. fruits

3. vegetables

4. meat, poultry and fish

5. milk, cheese and yogurt


Limit the number of snacks that you eat. Each time you eat food that contains sugars or starches, the teeth are attacked by acids for 20 minutes or more.


If you do snack, choose nutritious foods, such as cheese, raw vegetables, plain yogurt, or a piece of fruit.


Foods that are eaten as part of a meal cause less harm. More saliva is released during a meal, which helps wash foods from the mouth and helps lessen the effects of acids.


Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.


Clean between your teeth daily with floss or interdental cleaners.


Visit your dentist regularly. Your dentist can help prevent problems from occurring and catch those that do occur while they are easy to treat.

Credits: Dr.S.J.Govindaraj http://www.crowndentalcare.com

Are cavities making a comeback ?:

(ARA) - Americans are consuming an astounding amount of bottled water -- more than $7 billion a year according to the International Bottled Water Association. Whether it's because of unpleasant tasting tap water, or as a healthy option to water that may contain impurities, bottled water has become the choice for many Americans.
Many parents give their children bottled water as a way of protecting them from harmful contaminants such as lead. Some choose it to avoid the unpleasant taste of chlorine. Still others are so concerned about water quality, they've installed water filtration systems in the home. These are all good intentions, but there is one thing missing from the majority of bottled waters and removed by many filtration systems -- fluoride. As a result, America's children may not be getting enough fluoride for healthy teeth.
'The popularity of bottled water and some filtering systems has become almost a double-edged sword. On one hand, parents feel they are contributing to the health of their children by having them drink water that's filtered or bought at the store,' says dentist Dr. Michael Lynch of Cleveland. 'On the other hand, if the fluoride has been removed, or was not added to begin with, you're looking at a possible increased risk in tooth decay and/or newly formed cavities.'
Why fluoride is so important?
The American Dental Association (ADA) endorses community water fluoridation as a safe, effective and cost-effective public health measure for preventing tooth decay. Fluoridation is a process that adjusts the fluoride's natural level, bringing it to the level recommended for decay prevention (0.7 to 1.2 parts per million).
According to former U. S. Surgeon General David Satcher, "Fluoridation is the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay and improve oral health over a lifetime, in both children and adults."
Fluoride works by stopping, or even reversing, the tooth decay process. It keeps the tooth enamel strong and solid by preventing the loss of important minerals from the tooth enamel and it promotes repair of tooth enamel.
Those who benefit most from fluoride are children up to 13 years old. As Dr. Lynch explains, fluoride systemically is incorporated into the teeth of children. Adults also benefit from fluoride because saliva re-circulates it and aids in tooth protection topically.
Studies show that water fluoridation can reduce the amount of cavities children get in their baby teeth by as much as 60 percent and can reduce tooth decay in permanent teeth by nearly 35 percent.

Where's the missing fluoride?

The first community water fluoridation program began in 1945 in Grand Rapids, Mich., and although these programs have grown nationwide, only 65.8 percent of the United States population using public water supplies receives fluoridated water containing protective fluoride levels. And even in communities which have optimally fluoridated water, individuals may be missing out on the decay preventative effects of fluoride since their home water filtration systems remove it from water. In particular, certain types of treatments, such as reverse osmosis and distillation, totally remove fluoride from the water.

Also, more and more families are using bottled water. According to the International Bottled Water Association, the average American now consumes 2.3 eight-ounce servings of bottled water per day. Unfortunately, the vast majority of bottled water does not contain optimal or often even trace levels of fluoride.

What can be done?

In November 2002, the ADA adopted a policy calling for the inclusion of the fluoride content on bottled water labels. It also called for information on a system's effect on water fluoride levels to be included with each home water treatment system.

So far, only Moen's PureTouch filtering products have received the ADA's Seal of Acceptance in the association's new category of water filtration systems because they leave the fluoride in the water.

"PureTouch products not only improve water's taste and reduce odors, but also reduce harmful impurities while leaving in beneficial fluoride," says Laura Wolverton, Moen senior product manager.

The PureTouch collection of products includes: PureTouch AquaSuite -- Moen's under-the-sink filtering system which sits next to existing kitchen or bath faucets, PureTouch Professional and PureTouch Euro kitchen faucets, featuring convenient pullout spouts with a built-in filter, and the PureTouch Classic kitchen faucet, which is a fixed-spout model with built-in filter.

All PureTouch models have a stylish design that blends well with any décor. They also include easy-to-change filters and indicator lights that tell you when it's time to change out the filter.

"When we designed the PureTouch line of filtering faucets and under-counter filtration systems, keeping fluoride in the water was one of our main goals," says Wolverton. "Many of us are parents, too, and we understand the importance of fluoride, especially in the prevention of tooth decay in children."

Fresh, great-tasting water and beneficial fluoride for your teeth -- we'll all drink to that!

For more information about Moen's PureTouch line of filtering faucets, contact Moen Incorporated at 25300 Al Moen Drive, North Olmsted, Ohio 44070-8022, call toll free (877) DRINK H20 (877-374-6542) or visit its Web sites at www.pure-touch.com or www.moen.com.

For more information about fluoride visit www.ada.org/public/topics/fluoride/facts-toc.html.

Credits: ARA