Don't Let Your Smile Look Like A Jack O'Lantern's!

With every Halloween comes spooky decorations, costumes, and lots and lots of CANDY! Having so many sticky, sugary sweets around can send our dental health care right down the drain in an instant. We all know that candy isn’t great for our teeth, let alone our overall health; however, some types of candy are especially more haunting for our pearly whites.

Gooey candy is terrible for your teeth. All of those tasty caramels and taffies can leave a sticky residue on your chompers, which acts as an adhesive for bacteria, resulting in tooth decay. It’s imperative that you brush your teeth after consuming sticky stuff so that you don’t look like a toothless jack-o-lantern.

Some of the worst candy you could consume would be any type of sour candy. If it makes your face pucker when you eat it, then it probably has large amounts of acid. Acid is detrimental to your teeth because it wears down your tooth enamel. Once your enamel is worn, your teeth are more vulnerable to chips and breaks. This can also cause tooth sensitivity.

Hard candies are bad for your teeth because you typically take longer to consume them, resulting in your teeth being drenched in acid and sugar longer. There is also the risk of breaking a tooth when biting down.

If you must have one of these three types of ghoulish candies, your best and safest bet would be choosing the sticky candy and immediately brushing your teeth afterwards. However, If any of these treats give you trouble contact Baltimore Dentist Dr. Robert A. Jacobson.

Sick of handing out candy? Be the healthy house on the block! Doling out sugar free hot chocolate packets, sugar free gum or trail mix can be a lovely alternative. You could also skip candy all together and hand out spooky pencils, stickers, erasers or silly teeth.

Have a safe and healthy Halloween from Dr. Jacobson’s office!


Dr. Robert A. Jacobson, DDS
8109 Harford Road, Suite 3
Parkville, Maryland 21234
Ph 410-665-5205
Fx 410-665-5208
baltobestdds@yahoo.com
www.affordable-dentistry.com

Brush, Brush, Brush!

Brushing your teeth may seem like a skill you've had since you were a child, but over the years some people develop their own routines and may often deviate from the best practices. Twice a day, brush in circles, and don't forget to floss has most often been the mantra of parents and dentists alike, but as technology and science continues to develop, new techniques and rules have surfaced that should be applied when taking care of your pearly whites.

First, make sure your most important utensil, the toothbrush, is the right tool for the job. It is typically recommended that you replace your toothbrush every few months, but you should also take note of how the bristles look. If they begin to fray or warp in a particular direction, then it's time for a new brush. Using a toothbrush that is overworked greatly reduces the amount of plaque and food particles you remove with each brushing, which may in turn lead to dental problems in the future.

When using your toothbrush, you should angle the brushing against the tooth and gums. As tedious as it may sound, brushing the front and back of each tooth is the best way to keep your teeth in tip-top shape. The whole process should take around 2 minutes to complete. Brushing the teeth and gums help remove the damaging bacteria and acids that eat away at your enamel.

Using the right amount of pressure is key as well. You don't want to press too hard or you may damage your teeth or gums, causing bleeding or loss of enamel. Gently massaging your gums with small, repetitive circles is recommended and helps remove plaque and other bacteria that may cause problems down the road.

Flossing shouldn't be ignored either. Flossing gets the bacteria that your brush can't reach and it is one of the best ways to a more healthy mouth. When using floss, go down as far as you can into the gum and use around 4 strokes up and down for each side of the tooth. There is also a Waterpik that we have for sale in our office: It is a great adjunct therapy to remove food & debris loosened by flossing. It will help your gums stay healthy and refreshed. You can also use the Waterpik with your favorite mouthwash, and don’t forget to brush the tongue!

While a lot of the steps haven't changed too much, it is important to get the right procedures and steps down to keep the health and hygiene of your mouth in order.

Tooth Ache? We Can Help!

Have you ever had that shocking pain surge through your body when you went to take a bite of ice cream or a sip of cold water? If so, you might have dentin hypersensitivity. Whether it's hot, cold, sour, or even sweet, your tooth may react with searing pain upon contact. Typically these painful warning signs are indicators of much more troublesome problems.

In addition to being a constant reminder to see your dentist, tooth sensitivity is also a red flag for disease and tooth decay. It's recommended that you take the necessary steps in the early stages to ensure that your dentist can provide you, and your mouth, with the best treatment. Tooth sensitivity can also be the result of Acid Reflux disease, as the acids from one's stomach may start to eat at the enamel of the teeth.

Sometimes, however, sensitivity can occur due to a traumatized tooth. Have you accidentally bitten down too hard on a nut or piece of ice? You might have bruised the tooth. Typically the pain will last for a few days, but if it continues more than 3 days then make an appointment with Dr. Robert A. Jacobson to have a look, as the tooth may have incurred a more serious injury.

Special toothpastes are also available over-the-counter that help reduce sensitivity to your teeth. These toothpastes contain a special mixture of chemicals that work to actively lower the teeth's sensitivity over a longer period of time. Hypersensitivity can also be a result of chronic clenching and/or grinding. Clenching or grinding cause fractures in your enamel like shattered glass. Every time you bite down, those fractures separate causing openings into the tooth.

If you have any concern, or start to experience dentin hypersensitivity, call our office and set up an appointment with Dr. Robert A. Jacobson. We have in office treatments that can last 3-6 months or longer.