If you think your baby’s toothless smile is cute, just wait until their first few teeth make an appearance. With it being National Children's Dental Health Month, we'll again keep with our children theme. A baby’s 20 primary teeth are already present in the jaws at birth and typically begin to appear when a baby is between 6 months and 1 year. Most children have a full set of 20 primary teeth by the time they are 3. Check out this baby teeth eruption chart to see the order in which teeth break through and at what ages you can expect specific teeth to appear. Every child is different, but usually the first teeth to come in are located in the top and bottom front of their mouth. When teeth first come in, some babies may have sore …
3 Ways to Curb Dental Anxiety
If you ever get nervous just thinking about going to the dentist, you’re not alone. Perhaps you’re scared the visit might hurt or you haven’t been in a while and not sure what the dentist will find. Whatever your reason, the right dental team will make sure your dental and your emotional health are taken care of. The more you delay – or just don’t go – to the dentist, the higher your risk of developing dental problems that will make gearing up for future dental visits more difficult. In fact, seeing your dentist regularly can actually make the entire process – from making an appointment to sailing through it – much easier on many levels. Use these strategies at your next appointment to help ease your anxiety and strengthen your …
Becoming a Senior & Dental Health
As you age, it becomes even more important to take good care of your teeth and dental health. One common misconception is that losing your teeth is inevitable. This is not true. If cared for properly, your teeth can last a lifetime. Your mouth changes as you age. The nerves in your teeth can become smaller, making your teeth less sensitive to cavities or other problems. If you don’t get regular dental exams, this in turn can lead to these problems not being diagnosed until it is too late. If you want to feel good, stay healthy, and look great throughout life, you might be surprised what a difference a healthy mouth makes. Tips for Maintaining and Improving Your Oral Health Brush twice a day with a toothbrush with soft …
How to Brush Your Teeth
You would be surprised at how many patients that ask "What is the proper way to brush my teeth". Here are some facts that explains the proper way to brush your teeth. Brushing your teeth is an important part of your dental care routine. For a healthy mouth and smile the ADA recommends you: Brush your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled brush. The size and shape of your brush should fit your mouth allowing you to reach all areas easily. Replace your toothbrush every three or four months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed. A worn toothbrush won’t do a good job of cleaning your teeth. Make sure to use an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste. The proper brushing technique is to: Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree …
Why is soda bad for your teeth?
Ever seen those videos where someone puts a baby tooth in a glass of soda and watches it decay? Well, the effect of soda in an actual mouth is a bit different. You have your saliva to help wash away the sugar, you eat other things throughout the day, and brush at least twice a day to remove debris or plaque. Nevertheless, soda is not something we recommend you consume more often than a once-in-awhile treat. Here’s why: Sugar Soda has extremely high sugar content. The bacteria that cause tooth decay feed off of sugar and excrete acid, which is what causes tooth decay. The more sugar our teeth have to interact with, the more prone to decay they will be. Acid Think diet soda is a better alternative? Even though it contains zero sugar, it …
Men’s Oral Health
June is National Men’s Health Month. Across the country, preventative screenings, health fairs, media spotlights, and other health education and outreach activities will raise the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. Why is oral health important for me? Men are less likely than women to take care of their physical health and, according to research, their oral health is equally ignored. Good oral health has been linked to longevity, yet one of the most common factors associated with infrequent dental checkups is just being male. Men are less likely than women to seek preventive dental care and often neglect their oral health for years, visiting a dentist only …
Dry Mouth
What is Dry Mouth? Dry Mouth, or Xerostomia, is a condition related to the salivary glands, which help keep the mouth moist, thus preventing decay and other oral health problems. When the salivary glands do not work properly, the amount of saliva in the mouth decreases, resulting in xerostomia—or, as it’s more commonly known, dry mouth. What causes dry mouth? Prescription and over-the-counter medications are the most common cause of dry mouth. There are more than 400 medications that can contribute to mouth dryness, including antihypertensives, antidepressants, painkillers, tranquilizers, diuretics, and antihistamines. Dry mouth also can be caused by radiation therapy and chemotherapy, hormonal alterations, or diseases, such as diabetes, …
Tooth Erosion
Many people consume carbonated beverages, fruit juice, and highly acidic foods every day but probably don’t realize that they might be harming their teeth. The acid in the foods we eat and drink can cause tooth enamel to wear away, making teeth sensitive, cracked, and discolored. What is tooth enamel erosion? Tooth erosion, or tooth wear, is the loss of tooth structure. Basically, tooth erosion refers to the wearing away of the hard part of your teeth, which is called the enamel. What causes enamel erosion? Tooth erosion occurs when the enamel on your teeth is worn away by acid. Usually the calcium contained in saliva will help remineralize (or strengthen) your teeth after you consume small amounts of acid, but the presence of a …
Bad Breath
Halitosis, or bad breath, affects more than 80 million people in the United States. In most cases, people with bad breath aren’t even aware of the problem. Halitosis has a significant impact, both personally and socially, on those who suffer from it. If you think that you suffer from bad breath, your Dr. Covington and Dr. DuRant can help determine the source of the odor. If one of our Beaufort dentists believes that the problem is caused from a systemic (internal) source, such as an infection, he or she may refer you to your family physician or a specialist to help treat the cause of the problem. What Causes Bad Breath? Typically, bad breath originates in your gums and tongue. It is caused by waste from bacteria in the mouth (typically …