If You Only Brush Once a Day

Post by: Gerarda on 05 Jul 2022

Maintaining good oral hygiene takes among other things, regularly brushing your teeth. Tell me something I don´t know, you may say.

Dental associations around the world recommend brushing your teeth twice a day, for two minutes each time. That means brush after breakfast for two minutes and again at night for another two minutes. That is a whopping four minutes out of your day and yet not everyone follows this recommendation. More people than you might think actually go through the day only brushing once. While that is better than not brushing at all which is essentially 2% of the population, it actually increases your chances of incurring costly dental treatment later on.

Brushing your teeth twice a day as is suggested by dental professionals has a few advantages, it saves the embarrassment of having bad breath and stained teeth.

By brushing only once a day:

1. Cavities are almost a certainty and that increases your risk by 33%. When you brush your teeth, it helps to remove food particles and the sticky substance containing bacteria that forms on your teeth called plaque. This bacteria-containing plaque produces acid which attack tooth enamel and if not removed causes cavities.

2. Increases your chance of getting gum disease – only brushing once every 24 hours creates a feast for the existing bacteria in your mouth. The plaque that isn’t removed hardens and becomes tartar which makes it harder to keep the teeth clean. Tartar build-up on your gums leads to inflammation and bleeding gums that causes gum disease. This is also known as periodontal disease.

3. Can lead to more dental treatment. Needing a one-off filling is one thing and can happen to the best of us, but brushing only once a day almost guarantees more fillings and bigger fillings. Sometimes the tooth is decayed to the point of needing root canal treatment or a crown. Those costs can be avoided by adding another two minutes a day to your brushing routine.

One of the best ways to care for your teeth and gums is simple. Regular brushing. And that means twice a day. After meals.

Adding flossing to your routine is also beneficial, but that is for another day.

 

Preventing & Treating Tooth Decay & Cavities

Post by: Gerarda on 04 Apr 2022

To prevent tooth decay and cavities, it is important to practice good oral hygiene habits such as brushing and flossing regularly and limiting sugary and acidic foods and drinks. It is also important to schedule regular dental check-ups and cleanings with a dentist or dental hygienist.

If a cavity does develop, it can be treated by a dentist through a filling or crown. In more severe cases, a root canal or tooth extraction may be required. Fluoride treatments can also be used to help strengthen tooth enamel and prevent future decay.

Visit your dentist regularly so any problems can be treated immediately. Once caries is through the dentin, the layer of tooth under the enamel, a filling / dental restoration is needed.

You can avoid this by visiting your dentist regularly.

To Floss or Not To Floss

Post by: Gerarda on 23 Feb 2022

A common question we hear at Stockholm Dental is, “Do I really need to floss, or is brushing enough?” Unlike many things in life, flossing isn’t a mere suggestion; it’s actually an integral part of good oral hygiene, therefore, an indispensable part of your daily routine.

The purpose of flossing is to remove plaque and food particles from tight spaces between your teeth and hard to reach places. Flossing helps to keep your gums protected from bacteria which can cause periodontal disease. Flossing also keeps your teeth free of decay and your smile white.

The purpose of daily flossing is not only to promote healthy teeth, it further contributes to your health in other ways. There is increasing evidence linking periodontal disease to an increased risk of heart disease and an increase of inflammatory substances in the blood. (See blog post Jan 11, 2022)

Teeth brushing alone may not protect you from gum disease and subsequent tooth loss in extreme cases; however, adding flossing to your daily routine helps improve the health of your gums which in turn prevents gums from bleeding and feeding bacteria which causes tooth decay.

The American Dental Association has recommended flossing since 1908 and that recommendation hasn’t changed. Make the most of your oral care routine.

Don’t skip the flossing.

Halitosis – Bad Breath

Post by: Gerarda on 20 Jul 2020

Overview

Depending on the condition of your health, various foods you eat, and level of oral hygiene, you can suffer from halitosis or bad breath. This condition can be embarrassing especially when it is particularly foul smelling. You don´t want to be in the position where someone smells your breath before they are close to you. Embarrassing indeed! Sometimes simply improving your oral hygiene and being consistent with it can improve the problem.

Sure there are countless products that are designed to fight bad breath, such as mouthwash, mints and gum, but they are only a temporary solution and don´t address the cause of the problem.

Things to do before you see your dentist:
• Brush after eating
• Brush your tongue
• Floss after brushing
• Drink plenty of water
• If that doesn’t work then make an appointment to see your dentist
• If your dentist decides that your teeth are not causing the bad breath, then make an appointment with your medical doctor to ensure it is not something more serious

Symptoms

There are those who worry too much about their breath and have no problem and those who have bad breath and don´t know it. A simple test is to blow your breath into a cupped hand and smell it or ask someone close to you to smell your breath. You better know this person well because it is not the nicest request.

When To See A Doctor

If you realize you have bad breath, then look at your oral hygiene. See what you need to change in your lifestyle. Maybe you need to brush your teeth if you don´t already, or maybe you need to brush more often.

Look at when you brush your teeth. If you brush them before breakfast and before you go to bed at night then you need to change your routine and brush after breakfast. If you only brush before breakfast then particles of food sit in the mouth and between teeth until you brush and floss again. Bacteria are feeding between brushing and that is when things happen. Sulfur is produced by food particles left in the mouth and then you end up with bad breath or halitosis.

If you have good oral hygiene and still have bad breath then see your medical doctor.

Making simple changes to your oral hygiene routine can make a big difference. It will also be cheaper on the wallet.

National Dentist´s Day

Post by: Gerarda on 06 Mar 2020

March 6th every year we show appreciation to dentists all over the world who keep our pearly whites in tip top shape. This day is also a way to bring awareness to dentistry so that people can learn how best to care for their teeth. It is also a reminder for those who have neglected their teeth or avoid going to a dentist to schedule a checkup.

Nothing makes a dentist happier then when a patient arrives and it is obvious they have good oral hygiene as they brush and floss regularly.

What the patient can do:
1. Decide on an oral health routine. Include both brushing and flossing and remember to floss after you have brushed.
2. Book that dental checkup you have been putting off. Ask your dentist to show you have to brush your teeth so you are not wearing away enamel.
3. If you have children, brush their teeth until they are mature enough to do it for themselves. Once you have brushed your child´s teeth, give them the brush so they feel they are doing it as well.
4. Smile and show off those pearly whites. It shows the job you do and that of your dentist.
5. Take a picture of those beautiful teeth and post it on your social media accounts.

Tips for a healthy dental routine:
1. Brush at least twice a day for at least 2 minutes.
2. Brush gently using elliptical strokes.
3. Use a soft toothbrush.
4. Brush after eating.
5. Floss after brushing.
6. See your dentist twice a year or as your dentist recommends.
7. Eat a balanced diet and limit eating and drinking between meals.
8. Limit the amount of citrus you eat and drink.

A visit to a dentist is a scary proposition for many people. Remember though, dentistry has come a long way from when Dr. John M. Harris started the world’s first dental school in
Bainbridge, Ohio in 1828.

Evolving dental technology and education are two of the things that make a visit to a dentist much more pleasant than in earlier days. That being said nothing beats a dentist who has the hands of a sculptor, the precision of an engineer, the eye of an artist and the experience to combine all of these professions to carry out either a simple or a challenging treatment and still make the result look natural.

That is in essence Dr. Mikael G. Kahn or as he is so affectionately known, Mikael.