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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! During December, people are busy with all of their holiday preparations.  This month, Dr. Mary Rose has suggestions on how to take care of your teeth during our busy December schedule.

Enjoy the wonderful holiday desserts-We all look forward to eating the holiday desserts.  You do not have to completely compromise on what you eat and drink during the holiday season, however, as the main problem is not so much the amount of sugar, but the frequency of sweet and acidic snacking during the day.  Try limiting the number of times you snack to reduce the climate for bacteria and plaque.

Keep your hygiene routines-Everyone spends December going to parties, rushing around buying gifts and having fun.  While we may feel tempted to skip your usual dental routine after a long day, remember that your best defense against the increased amount of sugar and acid from the holidays is brushing and flossing.  If you are scheduled for a dental visit during December, keep your appointments so that you do not fall behind in your visit to see Dr. Mary Rose.

Try chewing sugar-free gum-Chewing gum stimulates saliva, in turn it will help remove any stagnating plaque after you eat.  This is handy at all the parties we will attend. 

Treat yourself or someone on your gift list – Bath and body products are popular gifts during the holiday season.  Consider giving electric toothbrushes!  Electric toothbrushes are a great addition to your daily hygiene routine.  Electric toothbrushes are more powerful at consistently reducing plaque and gum disease. 

Keep your water bottle handy-Water helps with digestion and excretion as well as freshening your breath.  If you like soda, try water that is carbonated. 

Dr. Mary Rose wishes everyone a very happy and safe holiday season!

Keeping a healthy mouth is important to everyone.  Diabetes can make it harder to keep your mouth healthy.  This month, Dr. Mary Rose discusses how to avoid oral health issues while living with diabetes.

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you are at a higher risk for both gingivitis (early stage gum disease) and periodontitis (advanced gum disease).  Both of these conditions start with plaque, a soft, sticky substance that accumulates on your teeth as you eat and is made up mostly of bacteria.  Diabetics not keeping their blood glucose levels in the target range will have more of an inflammatory response to the bacteria.  High blood sugar can weaken white blood cells.  These white blood cells is your body’s main way to fight infection.  Managing your diabetes helps your body prevent gum disease and other infections in your mouth.

A common oral condition with diabetes is dry mouth.  Aging and some medications can cause dry mouth but for diabetics there is a higher risk of developing dry mouth.  Whatever the cause, the lack of saliva from dry mouth means food debris, acid, bacteria and sugar do not get washed away as easily.

The good news is that diabetics can follow Dr. Mary Rose’s advise to help prevent gum disease!

Brush twice a day: Brush your teeth for two minutes, twice a day, with a fluoride toothpaste.  Dr. Mary Rose recommends a toothbrush with soft bristles.  Firm bristles tend to wear away the enamel on your teeth. 

Floss once a day: Flossing removes the plaque and food debris between your teeth and along the gum line.  If you are not a fan of flossing, Dr. Mary Rose suggests an interdental device.  The tiny brush is designed to reach areas a regular toothbrush is unable to reach.

Visit your dentist regularly: Depending on the health of your gums, Dr. Mary Rose may recommend hygiene appointments every 3, 4 or 6 months.

Dr. Mary Rose is aware of the needs of diabetics.  When you come to your dental appointment, please communicate any issues you may be having keeping your diabetes under control.  Dr. Mary Rose suggests eating normally and taking your medications on your usual schedule prior to your dental appointments.   Lastly, if you have any concerns regarding your oral health, Dr. Mary Rose would be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have.

Can Food and Drink Choices Affect Your Oral Health?

Various foods and drinks can affect the risk of developing cavities, dry mouth and dental erosion.  This month, Dr. Mary Rose discusses ways to build a healthy diet.

CAVITIES, also called tooth decay, are permanently damaged areas in the hard surface of your tooth. Anyone who has teeth can get cavities, including infants.  Plaque is a sticky substance made from food particles and saliva. If you do not brush properly after meals, the bacterium in the plaque uses the sugar from the foods you eat and produces acids that can cause cavities.  Sugar is added to many of our everyday favorite foods and drinks but also products we may not even be aware of such as chewable vitamins, frozen meals, and condiments like ketchup.  Infants sipping or sucking on fruit juice or formula for long periods of time will increase their risk for cavities as well.  Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables are always a good choice to add to your diet.  Dr. Mary Rose suggests starting to read the food labels on your favorite foods to see if sugar has been added.  Limiting those foods with added sugar and brushing after meals will improve your oral health.  Chewing gum with xylitol increases saliva which can reduce the acid in your mouth.

DRY MOUTH, or Xerostomia, is a condition where your salivary glands in your mouth do not make enough saliva to keep your mouth wet.  Certain medications, radiotherapy to the head and neck, and breathing through your mouth while you sleep are some of the causes of dry mouth.  Saliva helps neutralize acids and wash away food particles.  Dry Mouth limits your ability to taste and makes it difficult to chew and swallow.  If you suffer from dry mouth, Dr. Mary Rose suggests limiting alcohol, snacks like chips, acidic foods or beverages, and caffeinated drinks.  Adding crunchy vegetables and fruits like carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, apples, and pears will help with saliva production.  Sugar free candy or gum containing xylitol will help increase saliva as well.

Dental Erosion, occurs when acids dissolve away part of the enamel surface of your teeth.  Acidic food and drinks, certain medications, acid reflux or excessive vomiting can increase the risk of dental erosion.  Dental erosion can occur at any age.  Dr. Mary Rose suggests drinking water especially after eating acidic foods.  Dr. Mary Rose also recommends adding foods like milk and yogurt which may reduce the acid in your mouth.

If you have any questions regarding your food and drink choices, Dr. Mary Rose would be happy to discuss your diet during your dental visit.

Fluoride is a mineral that occurs naturally in many foods and water.  Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by making your enamel more resistant to acid attacks.  Every day, your enamel (the protective outer covering of your tooth) gains and loses minerals.  You lose minerals (demineralization) when acids that are formed from bacteria, sugars, and plaque attack your mouth. You gain minerals (remineralization) when you consume food and water that contain fluoride, phosphate, and calcium.   Tooth decay is a result of too much demineralization without enough remineralization.

Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces your risk of cavities by approximately 25%.  Fluoride bonds to areas of decay and attracts other minerals, like calcium, to the area.  Fluoride stimulates the production of fluorapatite, a type of tooth enamel that is highly resistant to acids and bacteria.  Fluoride cannot reverse cavities, but it can slow the rate at which they develop.

While fluoride can be harmful in large quantities, it is difficult to reach toxic levels due to the low amount of fluoride in over-the-counter products like toothpastes and mouth rinses.  For young children, Dr. Mary Rose recommends using a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste at each brushing.  Children need to spit out rather than swallowing the toothpaste.  Dr. Mary Rose also suggests not giving fluoride-containing dietary supplements to children under 6 months of age. 

Adults can benefit from fluoride especially if you have dry mouth, gum disease, history of tooth decay, or you have crowns, bridges, braces, or removable partial dentures.