Quick Oral Hygiene Tips from Dentists
Free Advice - Bleeding Gums, Teeth Whiteners, and Bad Breath
Jun 17, 2009
These quick oral hygiene tips are something most dentists would never talk about unless asked. Here is free advice about bleeding gums, brushing teeth, bad breath (halitosis), flossing, teeth whiteners, electric toothbrushes, and more.
Reader's Digest, July 2009, interviewed dentists across the country. Here are some of the things that dentists really think when they look into the mouths of their patients.
What Dentists Think about Oral Hygiene and Symptoms
Dentists are often shocked that highly intelligent people would believe that there is no problem because their teeth "don’t hurt". Lots of things can be a health concern even when there is no pain, such as, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. The mouth is the same as the rest of the body.
Also, dental professionals are surprised when their patients are unconcerned about bleeding gums. If a person's hands bled, whenever they were washed with soap, he or she would run to the doctor. Bleeding gums are serious and can be a symptom of:
- Periodontal disease
- Diabetes
- Bacterial, viral or fungal infections
- Blood disorders
- Liver and kidney disorders
- Vitamin deficiencies
The best toothbrush is an electric toothbrush. Most dentists won't admit, that if used correctly, a good electric toothbrush is almost as good as a professional cleaning, though it doesn’t get under the gums as well. However, a Waterpik, which shoots a stream of water, can get under the gum line and is one of the best ways for patients to fight periodontal disease.
Bad Breath (halitosis) and Flossing
Mouthwash will not get rid of bad breath. Only flossing will help. That's because plaque is the most common cause of bad breath. And, if proper flossing doesn’t get rid of dragon breath, dentists will become concerned that their patient has a hidden health problem.
Silver Fillings and Mercury
Some dentists like to take people's money to remove amalgam (silver) fillings. There is a tiny amount of mercury in the fillings, but taking them out can make it worse. And some dentists don't explain the fact that metal fillings last longer than tooth-colored ones. (Some people are very sensitive to the mercury and sometimes it makes sense to remove them, but not always.)
Appearance of Teeth and First Impressions
When someone meets a person for the first time, the first things they notice are (in this order):
- Eyes
- Teeth
- Hair
People in the dental profession wonder why patients spend more money on hair than on teeth, when teeth are so important for first impressions. Women should think about this the next time they drop a chunk of cash to get their hair highlighted.
Dentists know that whitening toothpastes don't work very well. They, also, don't understand why a patient would bleach his or her teeth so often that the enamel (outside part of tooth) is ruined.
Other Quick tips:
- Cosmetic dental procedures cost big bucks, but they will only last if the gums are healthy.
- Dentists don't understand why people can't spend 10 minutes a day brushing and flossing.
- One of the easiest ways to reduce bacteria is to chew gum with xylitol.
- Mouthwash with alcohol will dry out the mouth and breath will be even worse in a half hour.
- Some patients come in for cosmetic dentistry, show a picture of Angelina Jolie, and say that they want their teeth to look like hers. It's just not possible.
- Dental professionals wonder why people only brush their front teeth, but not their back teeth.
- Dentists often feel the same way about dental insurance plans as their patients do.
Remember that these quick oral hygiene tips are something most dentists would never talk about. It is not often that dental professionals say what they really think about bleeding gums, bad habits when brushing teeth, bad breath (halitosis), flossing, teeth whitener, and electric toothbrushes. They never seem to notice when a patient has bad breath, but they are just being polite.
Resources:
Woolston, Chris. 50 Secrets your Dentist will Never Tell You. Reader's Digest, July, 2009.
Bleeding Gums - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment. steadyhealth.com, 2006.
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