Bluffdale Dental

Many people think sports drinks are a better choice than soda when it comes to being healthier. However, not only do they have tons of sugar, they usually come in bottles that have a larger serving than a can of soda. A 32-ounce bottle has 224 calories, all from sugar, while a 12-ounce can of soda has 162 calories, also from sugar (21 g of sugar per 12-ounce bottle), (34 g of sugar per 20-ounce bottle), and (52.5 g of sugar per 32-ounce bottle).

We all need saliva to moisten and cleanse our mouths and to digest food. Saliva also prevents infection, by controlling bacteria and fungi in the mouth. When you don't make enough saliva, your mouth gets dry and uncomfortable. What Causes Dry Mouth? A common side effect of many prescription and nonprescription drugs, including drugs used to treat depression, anxiety, pain, allergies, and colds (antihistamines and decongestants), obesity, acne, epilepsy, hypertension (diuretics), diarrhea, nausea, psychotic disorders, urinary incontinence, asthma, and Parkinson's disease. Dry mouth can also be a side effect of muscle relaxants and sedatives. Preventing Tooth Decay Due to Dry Mouth: Without saliva, tooth decay and gum disease are more likely to occur. If you have a dry mouth, to combat tooth decay and gum disease, you need to be extra careful about following good oral hygiene habits, which consist of: Brushing your teeth at least twice a day, but even more preferably, afte...

You can help prevent tooth decay by following these tips: Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. Clean between your teeth daily with floss or inter dental cleaner. Eat nutritious and balanced meals and limit snacking. Check with your dentist about the use of supplemental fluoride, which strengthens your teeth, and about use of dental sealants (a plastic protective coating) applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (where decay often starts) to protect them from decay. Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and oral examination.

The bristles do most of the cleaning, so we’re actually overdoing it when it comes to toothpaste. All you need is a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste to get the job done. Kids younger than 6 should use even less—about the size of a grain of rice.

You should wait at least 30 minutes after eating, before brushing those pearly whites. High acid levels in your saliva immediately after eating, combined with the abrasive action of the toothbrush can wear away tooth enamel.

Thumb sucking is a very damaging habit for the face, skull and development of teeth. The pressure is abnormally directed towards the palate, upper dental arches, and lower dental arches. The palate is pushed up wards, dental arches and teeth are forced to be protruded, and the lower arch is pushed inwards and downwards.

If your child's teeth look yellow or orange, it's most likely because they aren't being cleaned thoroughly and have developed a build-up of plaque that is stained with food debris. You can usually remove these stains by brushing the teeth with a little bit of adult toothpaste (which contains more scrubbing power than children's) or a little bit of baking soda and water. If this doesn't work, your dentist can remove the stains with a professional scrubbing. These stains are not necessarily an indication of tooth decay, but letting plaque accumulate on the teeth can cause gum disease (even in youngsters) and it's not a good habit to get into. If you're seeing dark stains on your toddler's teeth, it may be due to the iron in his multivitamin. If your child is the one in a thousand who is susceptible to this kind of stain, you'll have to be even more vigilant about brushing regularly and thoroughly to stay on top of it. Once these stains have take...

Is Gingivitis Contagious? Is Gum Disease Contagious? Gingivitis and gum disease are not technically contagious. Scientists don't fully understand what causes some people to have more harmful bacteria in the plaque that develops on their teeth between dental visits. Research has shown that most people who are susceptible to gingivitis may have an underlying medical condition, making it more susceptible to bacteria. It's worth noting that if one of your close blood relations has periodontal disease, it may mean you're genetically more susceptible to the gum disease, even if you are currently experiencing no symptoms of gum inflammation. Remember, gum disease is your mouth's reaction to infection by bacteria thriving under your gums. The bacteria that could cause your gums and teeth to get damaged are spread through saliva. If you or a family member have gum disease, it's better to be safe than sorry: limit contact with their saliva, and don't share utensils ...

1. Protect Against Cavities... Dental Sealants help protect a child’s teeth from cavities by covering the top of their tooth with a “tooth-colored” plastic that makes it difficult for bacteria to remain on a tooth. As a result of the dental sealants, the bacteria cannot attack the enamel of a child’s tooth. 2. Useful to any Child... Even if a child brushes twice a day, that does not mean that they are completely safe from developing cavities. The grooves in a tooth are a place where bacteria love to sit and attack the tooth. The average toothbrush is unable to get deep in these grooves, so the bacteria is not removed no matter how often a child brushes. Dental sealants are an extra layer of protection to make sure each tooth stays as healthy as possible. 3. Quick and Painless Process... Applying dental sealants is a relatively fast and pain-free process. First the dentist will clean the child’s tooth and apply a sticky solution so that the sealant can bind tightly to the tooth...

Interesting Facts about Teeth and Dentistry The average American spends 38.5 total days brushing their teeth over a lifetime. People who drink 3 or more glasses of soda each day have 62% more tooth decay, fillings and tooth loss than others. Put down the pop and sports drinks and pick up some nice fresh water instead. Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body. However, we do not recommend that you use your pearly whites to open bottle caps... If you don’t floss, you miss cleaning 40% of your tooth surfaces. Make sure you brush and floss twice a day! If you're right handed, you will chew your food on your right side. If you're left handed, you will tend to chew your food on your left side. Every year, kids in North America spend close to half a million dollars on chewing gum. More people use blue toothbrushes than red ones. Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different The average woman smiles 62 times a day. The average man smiles about 8 times a...

We bet that a lot of you think brushing your teeth is annoying. You might even try to skip it every now and then, when you think your parents won't catch you! Well, imagine what your life would be like if you didn't have a modern toothbrush to clean your pearly whites. You'd do what people did before the toothbrush was invented: Find another way. Thousands of years ago, people wanted to keep their teeth and gums clean, their breath fresh and their teeth white, just like people do today. They found different tools with which to do it. Before toothbrushes, people used rough cloth and water to clean their teeth. They would also rub things like salt and chalk across their teeth to try to get rid of the grime. The ancient Egyptians made a kind of brush by splitting the end of a twig. And the ancient Chinese chewed on twigs with a special flavor to freshen their breath. People also used forms of toothpaste that they made out of ingredients you probably wouldn't want...

You might be wondering how you can calm your child’s dental anxiety. Apart from regular and proper brushing and flossing, it is important that your child visits his dentist regularly to keep his teeth and gums healthy. But as many parents will attest, a trip to the dental office can be a test of will between parent and child. Perhaps it’s the bright lights, or maybe the shiny dental tools, or maybe even the strange and unfamiliar sounds. Quite simply, dental anxiety can undermine your child’s dental health if left unchecked. Fortunately, there are a few things that parents can do to ease the anxieties and fears of their children when visiting the dentist. The sooner you start, the better Quite simply, the sooner you take your child to the dentist, the better. This gives your child ample time to familiarize himself with the dental office, the face and voice of his dentist, and even the mere act of having his mouth checked. Ideally, kids should see their dentist at age one or af...

If you don’t floss, you miss cleaning 40% of your tooth surfaces. Make sure you brush and floss twice a day! An average American spends 38.5 total days brushing teeth over a lifetime. 73% of Americans would rather go grocery shopping than floss. Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least six (6) feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush. More than 300 types of bacteria make up dental plaque. Teeth are made out of calcium, mineral salts and phosphorus. The soreness you feel when you burn your mouth on mozzarella cheese has a name – pizza palette. Say cheese! The calcium and phosphorous found in cheese is healthy for your teeth – it reduces the pH level in plaque and re-mineralizes the enamel. Academy of General dentistry, the average person only brushes for 45 to 70 seconds a day, the recommended amount of time is 2-3 minutes. If you’re right handed, you will chew your food on your right side. If you’re left handed, you will ten...

What is the Proper brushing technique you should be using? The most important thing to remember when brushing your teeth is not how hard you scrub, but that you use the proper technique and that you do a thorough job. And that takes time. Dentists recommend that you brush your teeth for two to three minutes to get the most thorough cleaning. The following are some other tips for brushing your teeth correctly: •Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to prevent gum damage and wear on the soft tooth dentin (the less mineralized layer of tooth found just under the enamel) and in the root area. If you are accustomed to a hard-bristled toothbrush, even using a toothbrush that is softer than you are accustomed to will help. •Place the head of your toothbrush with the tips of the bristles at a 45-degree-angle to the gumline when brushing. •Move the toothbrush with short strokes and a scrubbing motion, several times in each spot – don’t saw back and forth across the teeth with your toothbrush...

Could chewing gum good for your oral health? Could something as easy as chewing gum actually be beneficial to your oral health?! The answer is YES! Many people chew gum every day, whether it is a habit, a means to calm nerves, a quick breath freshener before an important appointment, date, or interview, or just because it tastes good! What most of those people don't know, are the benefits of chewing gum, sugar free, that is.  In fact, the ADA (American Dental Associaton) has reported that " Chewing sugarless gum  has been shown to increase the flow of saliva, thereby reducing plaque acid, strengthening the teeth and reducing tooth decay. Of course, chewing sugar -containing  gum  also increases saliva flow, but it also contains  sugar,  which is used by plaque bacteria to produce decay-causing acids."   Who knew something so tasty could be so beneficial?! Now, if only chocolate cake had the same benefits. ;)  ...

New Year's Resolutions Every year we make our list of resolutions; go to the gym, pay off debt, travel, ect. This year, Bluffdale Dental is encouraging you to make looking after your teeth one of your resolutions this year. Understanding how important your oral health is to your overall health is the first step. Here are some important steps you can follow in order to acheive your goal!    Article is from Colgate.com-  http://www.colgate.com/en/us/oc/oral-health/life-stages/adult-oral-care/article/looking-after-your-teeth-five-new-years-resolutions-for-a-healthier-mouth-1214 Author: Amy Freeman Schedule a Dental Appointment If it's been a while since you've seen a dentist, you're not alone. About one third of people in the U.S. don't see a dentist yearly, according to the  American Dental Association (ADA) Mouth Healthy  site. But booking this appointment is one of the most important things you can do when looking after your teeth. According t...