Pearland Dentist on Setting a Daily Dental Routine for Healthy Teeth

To ensure your teeth remain healthy, it is imperative you create a daily dental routine for upkeep on your teeth. This routine should include brushing your teeth twice per day - usually once in the morning and then again before going to bed. You should also rinse with mouthwash to catch any other germs and bacteria you may have missed when brushing. Speaking of missing things when brushing, the toothbrush can only reach so far, which is why flossing your teeth is a must to not only protect your teeth, but also your gums.

Sharon Libich, our dental hygienist at Shadow Creek Ranch Dental Specialists in Pearland, says that our daily routine of eating and drinking greatly works against our oral health. We have to work against these possible hazards by taking of our teeth through consistent cleaning. She has several items you should use when you are preparing for your daily routine. Here are some of her recommendations:

Toothbrush - Sharon recommends you use an electric toothbrush. Its spinning head runs at a rate much faster than our hands will go. It also turns a circular motion, which ensures your teeth are being brushed correctly. Most times people forget to brush in that motion, and instead they brush side to side. Each brushing session should be done in no less than two minute intervals. Brushing your teeth helps remove plaque and food buildup, which can create cavities and gum disease. Not brushing at all can lead to some of the leading killers, like stroke, heart disease, and even cancer.

Mouthwash - Many people think brushing is enough when it comes to oral care. Not the case. Using mouthwash is a big step in keeping your oral health in tiptop shape. Sharon recommends ACT or Listerine. She says that many people complain about how strong mouthwash and that it burns. Listerine now has Listerine ZERO, which makes it much more tolerable. Using mouthwash, and rinsing for 30 seconds during each session, fights various bacteria and germs that could lead to more harm.

Flossing - This is a common practice that perhaps you haven’t been engaging in. Flossing daily removes food that could become stuck in between teeth. Often, you can feel food in between teeth, but it gets harder to notice food particles once you start feeling the molars. Food, if left in one place for too long, can rot in between the teeth, creating cavities and bacteria. Using floss will not only strengthen your teeth, but will also strengthen your gums.

Sharon focuses on one particular word when speaking with patients: consistency. In all of these practices, you must remain consistent. Even all three of these combined do not take much time out of your day. So the only result you will receive from these oral health instructions is positive.

Another item you need to place in your oral health routine is visiting the dentist for dental cleanings, preferably every six months. For that, you’ll want to schedule your appointment with our Pearland dental office at 281-741-5247 or with our online form on our contact page.

Pearland Dentist Explains Why Protecting Your Braces Is So Important

Everyone in their right mind wants a beautiful smile. Getting braces is part of the journey to that aesthetic destination. One must be out of their mind to get braces and not take the proper measures to ensure they are protected and maintained. This would not simply defeat the purpose, but would also create a financial disaster.

Patients at Shadow Creek Ranch Dental Specialists in Pearland who are in need of braces meet with our orthodontist and discuss what steps should be taken to establish a stronger, more aligned set of teeth. Our dental office in Pearland offers traditional, as well as Invisalign. During the consultation phase, you can discuss the various possibilities for your teeth. If they have gaps, are crooked, or impacted, our orthodontist will be able to inform you of which set of braces would be best. We will also inform you of how long they must stay on and how exactly they will adjust your teeth.

How to Take Care of Your Braces

When you have officially obtained your braces, there are several rules to abide by to receive the best results. Here are some invaluable tips to protect your teeth and your braces:

• Brush Early and Often - Since your mouth has more than a set of teeth in there, brushing multiple times per day is more important than ever. After every meal, including snacks, you need to brush thoroughly to ensure food particles are removed. Not only can food particles become stuck in your teeth, as they do for everyone, but they can become stuck within the braces.
• Renew the Toothbrush - Yes, brushing is ever important, but doing so with a worn out toothbrush comes close to defeating the purpose. A toothbrush should be replaced every two months. The bristles from the brush should be straightforward. Once they begin to become flattened, the brush is no longer able to reach into the hard to reach places. This becomes even more of a problem with braces because there is an increased amount of difficult places to reach.
• Daily Check-Up - Every day you should conduct a thorough check of your braces to ensure there are no loose bands and that nothing is missing or poking out. They should remain firm and in place, a good check-up with your fingers should tell you if anything is amiss. Finding a problem will allow our orthodontist to address it immediately.
• Avoid Certain Foods - There are certain foods you should at least try to avoid simply because they can create difficulties when trying to brush them out. There are some, however, that can increase the chance of negatively affecting your braces. Chewy (dried fruit), crunchy (chips or popcorn), sticky (gum), hard foods (hard candies or hard nuts), or foods that require you to bite forward into them (corn on the cob), should be eaten with caution or avoided altogether.
• Wear a Mouthguard - This warning is primarily for people who play sports or participate in certain aggressive activities. Wearing a mouthguard will protect your lips in case they become pressed or smashed into your teeth. The skin could become attached to the braces, making for a very painful experience.
• Avoid Lip Chafing - The lips, due to constant rubbing and contact, can become chafed. The way to avoid this problem is by purchasing dental wax to place on the teeth. Doing this will make your time wearing braces more enjoyable.

If you are considering purchasing braces, visit our dental office in Pearland or schedule your dental consultation with our orthodontist. At Shadow Creek Ranch Dental Specialists, we will make sure your experience, whether traditional braces or Invisalign, is as enjoyable as possible.

Dietary Advice from Your Pearland Dental Hygienist

Does your diet affect your teeth and oral health? It almost goes without saying that it does since everything you eat and drink and consume has to go through your mouth. The healthier your diet, the healthier your mouth can be. Of course, your diet directly affects your overall health, so obviously your oral health is affected. With today’s choices of food and beverages, obesity, diabetes and other systemic diseases have become prevalent. There seems to be fast-food restaurants on every corner and the sugar amounts in sodas are rather alarming. Processed foods cover the shelves of the supermarkets. It has become very difficult to ensure you and your family have the right diet plans going forward. Shadow Creek Ranch Dental Specialists’ dental assistant and dental hygienist, Sharon Libich, says that everything we consume - food, beverage, and even vitamins - can really help or hinder our oral health. “Multi-vitamins are helpful and water soluble vitamins, meaning you can’t overdose on them,” she says. “B-complex with Vitamin C are very good for gum support.” She added that since systemic issues could be a problem, vitamin intake should be discussed with your physician. This will ensure you are taking the vitamins that can really help your overall health.

The results of taking care or not taking care of your systemic disease, or simply your overall health, can be seen through your mouth. The dentists at Shadow Creek Ranch will be able to tell if your oral health and overall health is suffering simply by looking in your mouth. Your gums, tongue, and the roof of your mouth can reveal more than you ever thought it could.

Watch out for acidic fruits. Oranges, lemons, limes, pomegranates, and pineapple can all have a negative effect on your teeth’s enamel. There are some foods, like carrots and apples that are known as the mouth’s dental detergents. These foods are very good to eat to keep your saliva flowing and your teeth and gums healthy. Did you know that sugar in milk does not contribute to tooth decay? Pretty interesting. A glass of milk or a good slice of cheese is a healthy substitute for candy or soda. According to research by Colgate, the best options when it comes to snacking are cheese, chicken, and nuts because these foods help with enamel. Firm fruits are also good for you, although not as good for your teeth as the aforementioned because of their natural sugars. Going sugar-free is a wise choice. That means drinks, mints and gum. Sugar-free is a blessing to your teeth, and not in disguise. It creates saliva that fights acid in the mouth, helps remove food stuck in your teeth, and can help reduce the risk of cavities. So keep an eye out for what you and your family eat, drink or even just chew. Give yourself the best opportunity to have a clean and healthy mouth. Also, keep brushing and flossing. Those teeth won’t clean themselves. For all your dental needs, visit us at Shadow Creek Ranch Dental Specialists.