Brushing and Flossing
At DentalInsurance.com, our goal is to provide a number of plans to choose from so that clients can find the dental coverage that most precisely meets their needs. One priority for clients is the cost of premiums. Patients have the most control over premiums when they are presented with a wide range of choices. Did you know that healthy habits can also help your premiums? When patients exercise healthy habits, they need fewer procedures and office visits, which can result in lower dental insurance premiums over the long-term. Our clients’ health is important to us. For this reason, we provide articles that contain current news and tips on oral healthcare. Choosing the right personal dental insurance plan is critical, but maintaining strong oral health and healthy daily routines is just as important. The articles below include useful tips and valuable information on keeping teeth and gums clean and healthy.
04/11/2005
A slew of over-the-counter whitening agents promise just that, but making sense of the various advertising claims can be confusing. The whiteners, which range in price from $10 to about $50, include paint-on whiteners, do-it-yourself dental trays and adhesive strips that you stick on your teeth. That is less expensive than the $300 to $800 charged by dentists for custom whitening trays or light-activated bleaching procedures.
Labeling differences can make some over-the-counter products sound stronger than they are.
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04/11/2005
Looking for a picture-perfect smile? Be careful when you compare your smile to those dazzling-white smiles portrayed in television or magazine advertisements. Photographers may have touched up the photo, said Dr. Richard J. Carroccia, D.M.D., of Dental Associates of Delaware P.A., in Wilmington. Or, the model may have had veneers applied to get that photogenic grin.
Carroccia said stain characteristics are largely the result of what we ingest. Food, tomato sauce, wines and more, all take their toll on the color of our teeth. Fortunately, many of these stains are reversible.
Some staining can be the result of dental work.
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04/11/2005
Take toothpaste. In a simpler time, Americans made do with a handful of products, choosing from among Colgate's invisible shield, wonder-where-the-yellow-went Pepsodent and a few competitors - when they weren't using tooth powder or plain baking soda and water. Then came fluoride and flavors and exotic gels and the occasional speckled paste. In 1999 alone, companies added 49 new toothpastes.
So far this year, the number of new toothpastes - meaning new brands, flavors, functions or packaging - is a jaw-dropping 96. And that's just a microcosm of what's happening in the entire oral care category, a $4.
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04/11/2005
Others who might need an alternative solution are those with teeth darkened by antibiotics taken as a child, trauma or people who have had bonding or tooth-colored fillings in their front teeth. While whitening might make these teeth a little lighter, it might not provide the even results you want. What generally works better for these cases is a porcelain veneer that covers the affected teeth.
For most people, however, the passage of time and particularly the consumption of colored foods, red wine, coffee, tea and cigarettes, is responsible for the discoloration.
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04/11/2005
HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, March 11 (HealthDay News) -- If you've tried mints, mouthwash and toothpaste but your breath still offends, maybe you should skip the oral hygiene aisle. Next time, try the dairy case.
In a small study, Japanese researchers have found that eating traditional, sugarless yogurt reduces the malodorous compounds that cause bad breath. It also cuts down on plaque and gingivitis, they discovered.
The study, funded in part by a major Japanese yogurt maker, was presented March 10 at the International Association for Dental Research annual meeting, in Baltimore.
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04/11/2005
Brushing your pearly whites could save you more than time, money and pain at the dentist. New research shows that preventing gum disease might help reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack. This ScienCentral News video explains.
Brushing Off Stroke Risk
Fascination with oral hygiene is nothing new. Babylonians chewed twigs until the ends frayed enough to provide a good brushing. Chinese ancients crafted the first bristle toothbrush from wild boar. And Greeks of old introduced rough linen cloth to Alexander the Great who, egged on by Aristotle, used it to buff his bicuspids.
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04/11/2005
In modern times, with advances in veterinary medicine, our pets are living longer and more dental disease is occurring in our older patients.
Some diseases occur in both cats and dogs and others are species specific. Both cats and dogs have problems with periodontal disease, fractured teeth and discolored teeth.
As pet owners, the most obvious problem we first notice is bad breath when our pet pants or licks our face. I'm talking about the breath caused by the severe tartar and gum disease, not from eating god knows what.
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04/11/2005
DAVID FOLK THOMAS: Welcome to our webcast. I'm David Folk Thomas. Go grab your toothbrush. We're going to be talking about plaque prevention. Since childhood we've learned that brushing and flossing should be part of our daily routine to prevent plaque build-up, which can lead to cavities, gum disease and worse.
Today we're speaking to two dental experts about plaque. What is plaque? What kind of damage can it do to your teeth and gums? We'll also go over some of the best hygiene habits for preventing plaque damage. To my left is Dr. Graziano Giglio.
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04/11/2005
An additive that provides the minerals used by teeth to rebuild themselves could find its way into products ranging from toothpaste to chewing gum, University of Maryland researchers say.
Calcium and phosphorous ions found in saliva are used by teeth during the natural repair process. The additive, named Novamin, provides more of the ions, which can decrease with age, the researchers said.
So far, the Novamin, has been added to several products used by dentists and a toothpaste sold as a demonstration product by the company marketing the additive, Alachua, Fla.-based NovaMIn Technology Inc.
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04/11/2005
What's Hot
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PRESS RELEASE: When Fluoridation Ends, So Do Cavities
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Fluoride May Not Prevent Cavities, and Can Cause Health Problems
Wednesday January 24, 2001 --Cavity rates declined in several cities that stopped water fluoridation, new studies report, contradicting American Dental Association (ADA) predictions, according to Fluoride Action Network.
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04/11/2005
New York -
An advertising campaign that says Listerine mouthwash is as effective as floss at fighting tooth and gum decay is false and misleading and poses a public health risk, a judge has ruled.
U.S. District Judge Denny Chin said in a decision made public Friday that he will order Pfizer, the maker of Listerine, to stop the advertising campaign. The lawsuit was brought by a Johnson & Johnson company that makes dental floss.
“Dentists and hygienists have been telling their patients for decades to floss daily,” Judge Chin wrote. “They have been doing so for good reason.
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04/11/2005
NEW YORK (AP) -- An advertising campaign that says the mouthwash Listerine is as effective as floss at fighting tooth and gum decay is false and misleading and poses a public health risk, a judge has ruled.
U.S. District Judge Denny Chin said in a decision made public Friday that he will order Pfizer, the maker of Listerine, to stop the advertising campaign. The lawsuit was brought by a Johnson & Johnson company that makes dental floss.
"Dentists and hygienists have been telling their patients for decades to floss daily," Chin wrote. "They have been doing so for good reason. The benefits of flossing are real -- they are not a 'myth.
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04/12/2005
The easiest and least costly route to good oral health is often the most overlooked. Brushing and flossing require just a few minutes of each day, yet few of us take the time to establish healthy oral hygiene habits. This article answers the questions of how often you should brush and floss, which teeth you should floss and what benefits you will gain by adopting a steady routine for you and your entire family.
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04/12/2005
Whiter teeth and a brighter smile are easier to obtain than many might think. While some dental insurance plans provide benefits for a portion of the cost to whiten teeth, you’ll find the increased self-confidence is worth the cost, even if your dental plan doesn’t cover it. The following article explains one dentist’s method of correcting tooth discoloration due to aging, consumption of staining substances such as coffee, tea, colas and tobacco, trauma, tetracycline (antibiotic) staining, excessive fluoride, nerve degeneration and old restorations.
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06/12/2005
By thoroughly brushing your teeth regularly (at least twice each day, and preferably after each meal and snack), you help limit the buildup of plaque on your teeth and gums, and thus prevent decay. For best results, use a soft bristled toothbrush at a 45 angle. Be sure to brush the back, front and bottom of all teeth and your tongue and the roof of your mouth. And replace your toothbrush every two to three months.
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05/31/2005
A dentist or physician may notice the patient's bad breath while the patient is discussing his or her medical history and symptoms. In some cases, depending on the smell of the patient's breath, the dentist or physician may suspect a likely cause for the problem. For example, "fruity" breath may be a sign of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. A urine-like smell, especially in a person who is at high risk for kidney disease, can sometimes indicate kidney failure.
Your dentist will review your medical history for medical conditions that can cause bad breath and for medications that can cause dry mouth.
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05/31/2005
Just one in three people who have suffered from gum disease are taking the advice of their dentists.
It means more people than ever are suffering tooth loss and serious dental problems.
But despite this, a new survey shows people still think their brushing habits are doing the job properly.
However, the study, published in the British Dental Journal, showed many people thought their brushing habits were better than they actually were.
Proper brushing can help to stabilise or even reverse the problem. But experts say the message is still not getting across.
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