How Enamel Protects Your Teeth

What Causes Tooth Enamel Damage?
Enamel is kind of like the shell of an egg: it protects the softer, more vulnerable part of the tooth inside.
But unlike an eggshell, the thin layer of enamel is tough.

In fact, enamel is the hardest substance in the body. It can withstand decades of biting, chewing and crunching -- with some luck and good dental care.

Above article from: WebMD.com/oral-health

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Grinding Teeth

What Causes Tooth Enamel Damage?
Another cause of tooth enamel damage is bruxism -- or teeth-grinding. Over time, the constant clenching and friction can wear down or fracture the enamel. In this slide, teeth grinding has ground down the upper and lower front teeth.

Bruxism is often worst when you sleep -- that's when you can't control it. Reducing stress may help. Some people wear a special mouth guard to bed.

Above article from: WebMD.com/oral-health

Dentist Alexandria VA 
Bradlee Dental Care
3690 King Street, Suite KL
Alexandria, VA 22302
(703) 820-0809

Habits That Wreck Your Teeth: Opening Stuff With Your Teeth

Opening bottle caps or plastic packaging with your teeth may be convenient, but this is one habit that makes dentists cringe. Using your teeth as tools can cause them to crack or chip. Instead, keep scissors and bottle openers handy. Bottom line, your teeth should only be used for eating.

Above article from: webmd.com/oral-health

Dentist Alexandria VA 
Bradlee Dental Care
3690 King Street, Suite KL
Alexandria, VA 22302
(703) 820-0809

Habits That Wreck Your Teeth: Bedtime Bottles

It’s never too early to protect teeth. Giving a baby a bedtime bottle of juice, milk, or formula, can put new teeth on a path to decay. The baby may become used to falling asleep with the bottle in his or her mouth, bathing the teeth in sugars overnight. It's best to keep bottles out of the crib.

Above article from: webmd.com/oral-health

Dentist Alexandria VA 
Bradlee Dental Care
3690 King Street, Suite KL
Alexandria, VA 22302
(703) 820-0809

Habits that Wreck Your Teeth: Cough Drops

Just because cough drops are sold in the medicine aisle doesn't mean they’re healthy. Most are loaded with sugar. So after soothing your throat with a lozenge, be sure to brush well. Whether the sugar comes from a cough drop or a hard candy, it reacts with the sticky plaque that coats your teeth. Then bacteria in the plaque convert the sugar into an acid that eats away at tooth enamel. Hello, cavities.
 
Above article from: webmd.com/oral-health

Dentist Alexandria VA 
Bradlee Dental Care
3690 King Street, Suite KL
Alexandria, VA 22302
(703) 820-0809

Habits That Wreck Your Teeth - Tongue Piercings

Tongue piercings may be trendy, but biting down on the metal stud can crack a tooth. Lip piercings pose a similar risk. And when metal rubs against the gums, it can cause gum damage that may lead to tooth loss. The mouth is also a haven for bacteria, so piercings raise the risk of infections and sores. Bottom line, discuss the health risks with your dentist first.
 
Above article from: webmd.com/oral-health

Dentist Alexandria VA 
Bradlee Dental Care
3690 King Street, Suite KL
Alexandria, VA 22302
(703) 820-0809

Habits That Wreck Your Teeth - Playing Sports With No Mouth Guard

Whether you play football, hockey, or any other contact sport, don't get in the game without a mouth guard. This is a piece of molded plastic that protects the upper row of teeth. Without it, your teeth could get chipped or even knocked out when the action gets rough. Self-fitting mouth guards may be purchased at a store, or you can have one custom made by your dentist.

Above article from: webmd.com/oral-health

Dentist Alexandria VA 
Bradlee Dental Care 
3690 King Street, Suite KL
Alexandria, VA 22302
(703) 820-0809

Habits That Wreck Your Teeth - Chewing on Ice

It’s natural and sugar free, so you might think ice is harmless. But munching on hard, frozen cubes can chip or even crack your teeth. And if your mindless chomping irritates the soft tissue inside a tooth, regular toothaches may follow. Hot foods and cold foods may trigger quick, sharp jabs of pain or a lingering toothache. Next time you get the urge for ice, chew some sugarless gum instead.

Above article from: webmd.com/oral-health

Dentist Alexandria VA 
Bradlee Dental Care 
3690 King Street, Suite KL
Alexandria, VA 22302
(703) 820-0809

Oral Warning Signs Can Indicate Serious Medical Conditions

Regular dental exams not only help to decrease a patient's risk of oral diseases, such as cavities and periodontal (gum) disease, but they may also help to diagnose other, sometimes life-threatening, medical conditions.

 

Dentists are able to assess a patient's overall oral health and may recognize symptoms of serious diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and eating disorders, which often manifest as signs and symptoms inside of the mouth. Click here to learn more.

Above article from KnowYourTeeth.com

Dentist Alexandria VA 
Bradlee Dental Care  
3690 King Street, Suite KL
Alexandria, VA 22302
(703) 820-0809

Halloween Tips

Halloween is around the corner, which for most children means bags of free candy and a chance to build up the stockpile of sweets for the winter. Being one of the most fun times of the year for families, Halloween can also present parents with a variety of health and safety challenges.
The American Dental Association, America's premier source of oral health information, has prepared a list of 10 suggestions to help parents maintain good oral health for their children around the Halloween holiday and throughout the year.

1. Consume Halloween candy and other sugary foods with meals.
   Saliva production increases during meals and helps neutralize acids produced by bacteria in your mouth and helps rinse away food particles. 
2. Avoid hard candy and other sweets that stay in your mouth for a long time.
   Besides how often you snack, the length of time food is in your mouth plays a role in tooth decay. Unless it is a sugar-free product, candies that stay in the mouth for a long period of time subject teeth to prolonged acid attack, increasing the risk for tooth decay. 
3. Avoid sticky candies that cling to your teeth.
   The stickier candies, like taffy and gummy bears, take longer to get washed away by saliva, increasing the risk for tooth decay. 

 Click here to read more tips.

Above article from: ada.org

Dentist Alexandria VA 
Bradlee Dental Care  
3690 King Street, Suite KL
Alexandria, VA 22302
(703) 820-0809

Don't Forget to Clean Your Tongue

Your oral health routine should always include brushing your tongue with your toothbrush or using a tongue scraper, which you can find in the dental products aisle at the drugstore. That’s important because foods can get stuck in the grooves of your tongue, causing bacteria to grow. Other oral health problems that can develop if you don't clean your tongue are a bad taste in your mouth, staining on your tongue, and bad breath, Abayon says.

Above article from EverydayHealth.com

Dentist Alexandria VA 
Bradlee Dental Care  
3690 King Street, Suite KL
Alexandria, VA 22302
(703) 820-0809

Your Family’s Oral Health

Have you heard that you should only take care of the teeth you want to keep? It's true!

That's why at any stage of life, it's important to practice good oral hygiene at home and to visit your general dentist regularly. Starting early is critical to success in preserving a healthy smile for a lifetime. 

KnowYourTeeth.com has loads of information and resources for families who want to know more about good dental care and oral health.  Whether you are an expectant mom, a teen dealing with braces, a grandparent, or someone in between, we have the answers for you. What's more, kids will find games, quizzes and other ways to make learning about dental care more fun!

Visit www.knowyourteeth.com for more great dental information

Above article from KnowYourTeeth.com

Dentist Alexandria VA 
Bradlee Dental Care  
3690 King Street, Suite KL
Alexandria, VA 22302
(703) 820-0809