Aaron M. Schertzer DDS PC
5445 Telegraph Road
Saint Louis, Missouri 63129
(314) 892 -2120
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My Blog
Posts for category: Oral Health
Tooth decay is more prevalent than diseases like cancer, heart disease or influenza. It doesn't have to be—brushing with fluoride toothpaste, flossing, less dietary sugar and regular dental cleanings can lower the risk of this harmful disease.
Hygiene, diet and dental care work because they interrupt the disease process at various points. Daily hygiene and regular dental cleanings remove dental plaque where oral bacteria flourish. Reducing sugar eliminates one of bacteria's feeding sources. With less bacteria, there's less oral acid to erode enamel.
But as good as these methods work, we can now take the fight against tooth decay a step further. We can formulate a prevention strategy tailored to an individual patient that addresses risk factors for decay unique to them.
Poor saliva flow. One of the more important functions of this bodily fluid is to neutralize mouth acid produced by bacteria and released from food during eating. Saliva helps restore the mouth's ideal pH balance needed for optimum oral health. But if you have poor saliva flow, often because of medications, your mouth could be more acidic and thus more prone to decay.
Biofilm imbalance. The inside of your mouth is coated with an ultrathin biofilm made up of proteins, biochemicals and microorganisms. Normally, both beneficial and harmful bacteria reside together with the “good” bacteria having the edge. If the mouth becomes more acidic long-term, however, even the beneficial bacteria adapt and become more like their harmful counterparts.
Genetic factors. Researchers estimate that 40 to 50 hereditary genes can impact cavity development. Some of these genes could impact tooth formation or saliva gland anatomy, while others drive behaviors like a higher craving for sugar. A family history of tooth decay, especially when regular hygiene habits or diet don't seem to be a factor, could be an indicator that genes are influencing a person's dental health.
To determine if these or other factors could be driving a patient's higher risk for tooth decay, many dentists are now gathering more information about medications, family history or lifestyle habits. Using that information, they can introduce other measures for each patient that will lower their risk for tooth decay even more.
If you would like more information on reducing your risk of tooth decay, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “What Everyone Should Know About Tooth Decay.”
Keeping your teeth and gums healthy doesn't require an elaborate plan. It's simple: Besides twice-a-year dental visits, the most important thing you can do is brush and floss every day to remove accumulated dental plaque.
The bacteria that live and breed in this thin biofilm is the main catalyst for both tooth decay and gum disease, the top two diseases that endanger teeth. Brushing and flossing removes this buildup and thus reduces the long-term risk for either disease.
Unfortunately, the message on these important hygiene tasks hasn't resonated with “Millennials,” the first generation to reach adulthood in the 21st Century and new millennium. One recent survey of 2,000 members of this age group found only about 30% brushed their teeth at least once a day, with many skipping the task for two days at a time.
If brushing has taken a beating among millennials, you can well imagine the state of flossing. Unfortunately, the news media has helped this along: Just a few years ago, the Associated Press reported a study that concluded flossing's role as a dental disease deterrent hadn't been proven. A follow-up study a year or two later by the University of North Carolina pushed back on the original AP story with findings of lower risk of tooth loss among flossers than non-flossers.
This decline in oral hygiene practices among millennials has had an unsurprisingly negative effect. Recent statistics indicate that one in three people between the ages of 18 and 34 have some form of untreated tooth decay. As this generation ages this may inevitably result in more extensive dental treatment and higher rates of tooth loss unless the trend toward hit and miss dental care makes a complete U-turn.
The good news is that it may not be too late for many of those slacking on daily care. All that's needed is to heed the same dental advice their grandparents and parents were given: Brush twice and floss once every day.
No matter what your age, consistent daily brushing and flossing still remains essential to keeping potential dental disease at bay. These twin hygiene tasks remain the solution to good dental health throughout your life.
If you would like more information on best oral hygiene practices, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.
Search online for “right tool for the job” and you'll get over a billion results related to everything from baking cakes to repairing cars. It's also just as applicable to oral hygiene.
One of those “right” tools is the humble toothbrush. Most of us use the manual variety whose basic components—a long narrow handle and a bristled head—haven't changed much in a couple of centuries. That hasn't stopped competing manufacturers, however, from striving to produce the latest and greatest toothbrush. It's a wonderful testament to the free market, but it might leave you dizzy with indecision about which product is right for you.
You can avoid this paralysis if you remember why you're using a toothbrush in the first place—to remove the daily buildup of dental plaque, a thin bacterial film that causes tooth decay and gum disease. With that in mind, here are the top things to consider when picking out your next toothbrush.
Bristle texture. Although you might think a stiff-bristled brush would be better at removing plaque, most dental professionals recommend soft bristles. Stiffer bristles can damage your gums and lead to recession; on the other hand, coupled with the mild abrasives and detergents in toothpaste, soft bristled-brushes are just as effective in removing plaque.
Comfortable size and shape. Toothbrushes come in various lengths and handle widths, so choose one that's comfortable in your hand. If you have issues with manual dexterity, consider one with a wider and thicker handle that's easier to hold. You'll be acquainted for at least six months (that's how often you should change out your current brush for a new one), so get a toothbrush that feels right to you.
The ADA Seal of Acceptance. Like toothpaste, the American Dental Association also tests toothbrushes. Those that meet the ADA's high dental product standards can include the ADA Seal of Acceptance on their packaging. When you see it, it's a good indication that particular toothbrush will perform well. You can also get advice from your dentist or hygienist on what type of brush you should use.
Every time you brush, you're potentially improving your dental health and avoiding disease. Make sure it counts with a toothbrush that's right for you.
If you would like more information on toothbrushes, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Sizing Up Toothbrushes.”
"The Dog Days of summer" once referred to the rise of Sirius (the "Dog Star") with the morning sun during the month of August. Today, however, the term has more of a meteorological than astronomical meaning: It's the muggy point of summer best suited for sipping a cold beverage and doing as little as possible by the pool. A little lethargy can be forgiven during these humid days, but don't let it keep you from the daily necessities—like cleaning your teeth.
Brushing and flossing might seem an unwelcome interruption to your “dog day” pursuits (or lack thereof), but they're still necessary regardless of the season. Together, these twin tasks remove dental plaque, a bacterial buildup of food particles and the primary cause of tooth decay and gum disease.
Daily oral hygiene is one of the most important ways you can ensure your present and future dental health. It also reduces stain buildup to keep your teeth looking their shiny best and helps freshen your breath.
If that's not enough to overcome your summer doldrums, here are a few more reasons why performing these two vital teeth-cleaning tasks is less toilsome than you think.
Just 5 minutes a day. Brushing and flossing take only a fraction of your time each day. You can perform either task thoroughly in two to three minutes. Before you know it, you'll be back poolside.
No “elbow grease” required. Oral hygiene doesn't require a lot of physical exertion, especially brushing. In fact, aggressive brushing could damage your gums. All you really need is a gentle, circular motion, and the mild abrasives in your toothpaste will do the rest.
Flossing help is available. A lot of people find flossing difficult compared to brushing and may skip it altogether. But flossing is necessary to remove plaque between teeth that brushing can't reach. Usually, it's a matter of getting over the initial awkwardness of maneuvering the floss. The major mistake is that people tend to tighten their cheek muscles when trying to get their hands in their mouth. Relax your facial muscles and you can easily get the floss positioned in the mouth for proper technique. But if you don't have the manual dexterity to hold floss between your fingers, you can try pre-loaded floss threaders or a water flosser.
Relax—we have your back. Achieving the lofty goal of great dental health isn't all on your shoulders—we support your personal efforts through regular dental visits. Every six months, we remove hard-to-reach plaque and tartar (hardened plaque) and check for any emerging problems to keep your dental health on track.
A small investment of time and effort each day can help keep your mouth healthy and avoid costly dental treatment down the road. Don't worry: The pool will still be there waiting, so go brush and floss those teeth!
If you would like more information about daily dental care, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “Daily Oral Hygiene.”
Brushing and flossing are two of the best things you can do to fight dental disease and maintain healthy teeth and gums.
Or is it flossing and brushing? What we mean is, should you floss first or brush first?
There's virtually no debate among dental professionals about whether or not to perform both hygiene tasks. While brushing removes disease-causing plaque from the broad surfaces of teeth, flossing gets to deposits of this disease-causing, bacterial film lodged between the teeth that brushing can't reach. You don't want to neglect one task over the other if you want to fully minimize your risk of tooth decay or gum disease (and don't forget semi-annual dental cleanings too).
But where there is some debate—good-natured, of course—among dentists is over whether it's better hygiene-wise to brush before flossing or vice-versa. For those on Team Brush, you should pick up your toothbrush first for the best results.
By brushing before you floss, you'll remove most of the plaque that has accumulated since your last cleaning session. If you floss first, the flossing thread has to plow through a lot of the plaque that otherwise might be removed by brushing. For many, this can lead to an unpleasant sticky mess. By removing most of the plaque first via brushing, you can focus your flossing on the small amount left between teeth.
Team Floss, on the other hand, believes giving flossing first crack at loosening the plaque between teeth will make it easier for the detergent in the toothpaste to remove it out of the way during brushing. It may also better expose these in-between areas of teeth to the fluoride in your toothpaste while brushing. And because flossing is generally considered a bit more toilsome to do than brushing, tackling it first could increase the likelihood you'll actually floss and not neglect it after brushing.
So, which task should you perform first? Actually, it's up to you: Weighing both sides, it usually comes down to which way is the most comfortable for you and will give you the greatest impetus for flossing. Because no matter which “team” you're on, the important thing is this: Don't forget to floss.
If you would like more information on personal dental care, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Daily Oral Hygiene.”
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