This four-part article series seeks to challenge the many excuses made by people for not flossing their teeth on a daily basis. How often do you floss? Do you floss at all? Or just after a particularly fibrous or meaty meal? According to new teeth implant specialists in Rutherford, flossing is one of the most important components of a home oral hygiene routine - perhaps even more so than brushing in the fight against periodontal (gum) disease. Why Is Flossing So Important? Because flossing cleans between the teeth and beneath the gum line where bacteria and food debris are more likely to accumulate and tooth decay more likely to occur. Since your toothbrush cannot reach these places, flossing becomes necessary. “Without flossing, you are missing out on cleaning approximately 35% of the surfaces of your teeth,” says a new teeth specialists in New York NY. “That is certainly not a very thorough clean!” How Does America Do With Flossing? According to a survey conducted in 2008, slightly less than half (49%) of Americans floss their teeth every day, while 10% never do. Those in between tend to floss when they feel like it, which is undoubtedly not very often. Many dentists can tell from the build-up of plaque and tartar between the teeth that the only time their patients even pick up dental floss is on the morning of their appointment. Unfortunately, the damage has been done and the neglect will be evident in the health of their teeth and gums. “Of course, everyone has a reason not to floss,” say new teeth implant specialists in Rutherford. “No matter what your hesitation or problem is with regards to flossing, there are ways you can work around it to keep the tiny spaces between your teeth and at the gum margin clean and debris-free. This will help prevent the development of gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss.” In this four-part article series, new teeth specialists in New York NY provide us with the eight most common flossing excuses, why they are unfounded and/or just how patients can work around them. Flunking Flossing Excuse # 1: I don’t usually get food caught between my teeth so I find that I don’t really need to floss. Flossing, while useful in removing food that gets trapped between your teeth, is not done exclusively for this reason. In fact, flossing is more about removing the build-up of plaque (oral bacteria) that accumulates here throughout the course of your day. No matter how snugly your teeth sit against each other, there is always plenty of space for bacteria to collect and establish a little ecosystem for themselves. And this is what causes cavities, tooth decay and gum inflammation (gingivitis) and periodontal disease. “Flossing is the best and most effective method for keeping the spaces between your teeth clean and healthy,” say new teeth implant specialists in Rutherford. Flunking Flossing Excuse # 2: The floss I use keeps shredding and getting caught between my teeth. It’s annoying. Floss can shred or become frayed for a variety of reasons. You could have a cavity with a sharp edge, a jagged filling or a problematic dental restoration that is causing the floss to become snagged and broken. “You should speak to your dentist about this to see whether this might be the reason behind your difficulties,” suggest new teeth specialists in New York NY. “Alternatively, you might just be using a bad brand of dental floss. Some brands are made better and are sturdier than others, so try a different kind next time you go shopping.” Stay Tuned for Part 2 If your excuse hasn’t come yet, it just still might! Stay tuned for the second installment of this four-part article series on flossing, why it’s so important and how you can work around any possible difficulties.
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New Teeth Specialists in Rutherford Challenge Six Common Myths about Dental Implants, PART 26/13/2013 This four-part series scrutinizes and dispels six of the common misconceptions people have about dental implants and dental implant procedures. In spite of the well-known fact that dental implants offer the most sophisticated and long-lasting replacement solution to missing teeth, countless Americans still opt for older, inferior technologies, such as removable dentures and conventional bridges. In our previous article post, New Teeth specialists in Rutherford dispelled the first of the myths and misconceptions that compel people to make the wrong teeth replacement choices: that dental implants are prohibitively expensive. In this article, the second installment of a four-part series we shall address another key misconception. Busting Myth # 2: It Hurts to Get Dental Implants With the availability of anesthesia, sedative medications and narcotic painkillers, pain simply isn’t a factor anymore - during the procedure or after it. If you suffer from anxiety, you can take a mild oral sedative on the morning of your surgery, which will calm your nerves and make you feel more relaxed. You will receive a local or general anesthesia (depending on the nature of your procedure) immediately prior to your surgery, which will prevent you from feeling any pain or discomfort. Afterwards, you will be sent home with prescription analgesic medication to help manage any post-operative discomfort, although this in itself is typically minimal. The use of computer imaging programs and sophisticated diagnostic medical equipment (such as 3-D Cone Beam CT scans) in the planning and execution of dental implant surgery has rendered such procedures far less invasive in nature. Instead using less accurate 2 dimensional x-rays to plan the correct sites and positioning of new teeth implants, Rutherford patients already have their surgery planned in great detail before they even walk through the door! This not only makes surgery safer and more predictable, it eliminates many risks and complications, as well as the need for incisions and sutures: the source of most post-operative discomfort. So, quite simply, dental implant surgery is not something you need to fear. New teeth specialists in Rutherford do everything in their power to help keep patients as comfortable and as anxiety and pain-free as possible throughout the course of their experience. Busting Myth # 3: Dental Implants will Eventually Need Replacing Not always! Dental implants have a typical lifespan of 20 to 30 years. If you really look after your teeth and avoid detrimental habits and lifestyle choices - such as smoking, an unhealthy diet, excessive alcohol consumption and poor oral hygiene - there’s seldom any reason why you can’t keep your dental implants for life! Many of the patients who received dental implants 40 years ago still have their replacement teeth and they don’t exhibit any sign of slowing down! The bottom line is that dental implants don’t always eventually require replacement, although even if they do they still last decades longer than traditional teeth replacement technologies. If you look after your teeth and are in good health, you should be able to keep your implants for life! Stay Tuned for Part 3 To read up on more of the common myths and misconceptions surrounding dental implants and the procedures used to get new teeth implants in Rutherford, stay tuned for the third installment of this four-part article series. |