To Floss or Not To Floss

There’s this nagging question at the center of oral hygiene debate. How often should you floss? Some people floss three times daily, others, whenever they remember. Others, only a few times after a dentist visit, then forget all about it.

In the 2015-2020 version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the government removed its recommendation for daily flossing. Before this, the Associated Press asked the Agriculture and Health and Human Services for their evidence that flossing was actually beneficial. The government acknowledged the effectiveness of flossing had never been researched, as required.

However, the American Academy of Periodontology quickly responded saying flossing is an important part of daily oral hygiene. They admit that studies are generally lacking, but in the absence of quality research, patients should continue to include flossing as a part of their daily hygiene. Later, the ADA released a statement saying that flossing is an essential part of taking care of teeth and gums.

What do you have to know about flossing?

Flossing helps to remove food particles and bacteria from between teeth and along the gum line. Gingivitis may result when bacteria builds up and forms plaque. Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease that can develop into periodontitis. When left untreated, periodontitis can lead to tooth loss. Dentists see bleeding gums, a high rate of cavities, bone loss, and bad breath in people who don’t make flossing a habit.

According to oral-health experts, no matter what the science says or doesn’t say, food particles would remain in between your teeth even after you brush. If you floss after you brush, then the debris you took out would not create future problems. It is hard to believe that flossing is not beneficial. Flossing may not be ‘essential’ as suggested, but it definitely is important in maintaining dental and periodontal health.

Ideally, flossing is every time you brush your teeth, at least twice a day – morning and night – and maybe after lunch, too. We should brush and floss after every meal to make sure there is no food or bacteria accumulating between the teeth. Other experts advice at least once daily. Flossing is only effective, however, if you do it correctly. The bottom line is, when combined with brushing, flossing every day is a great way to keep your mouth healthy.

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Finding Flossing Advocates in Lynnwood

We at Lynnwood Song Dental encourage interdental hygiene via the use of flossing instruments. Lynnwood dentistry believes in the importance of this routine in attaining optimal oral health.

All About Keeping the Mouth Clean

Take note of these practices that dentists say are the most important when talking about oral hygiene.

Brushing with the right technique. Your toothbrush is your teeth’s best friend, but use it correctly. Small circular motions to brush all the tooth surfaces per tooth is the right way, not that sawing back-and-forth motion. Don’t brush too aggressively and don’t use hard bristle toothbrushes. They can damage enamel and the soft gums. Use soft bristles and change the brush every couple of months.

Using fluoride in your toothpaste. Fluoride is well studied to cause the prevention of tooth decay by strengthening enamel through mineralization. Studies show that tooth brushing without fluoride is not as effective in preventing cavities.

Flossing once daily. Flossing helps in a way brushing may not. Those hard-to-reach areas, spaces between the teeth, and areas below the gumline all benefit from flossing.  It is recommended to gently push the floss all the way down to the gum line before hugging the side of the tooth with up-and-down motions.

Using mouthwash. Mouthwashes complement tooth brushing and flossing, and certain mouthwashes contain antibacterial agents to fight plaque and gingivitis. And control bad breath.

Quitting smoking. Smoking does not only stain teeth into yellowish to yellowish brown color but also contributes to bad breath. Nicotine compromises the immune system and makes it difficult for the body to fight infections, like infections in the oral cavity. It delays wound healing and worsens gum disease.  

Controlling sugar and starches intake. Studies have shown what a high sugar diet can do to oral tissues. Cakes, candies, soft drinks and juices have high caloric content and loads of sugar, increasing the risk for cavities.  Starchy foods like crackers, bread, chips, and pasta, can linger in the mouth and break down into simple sugars that acid-producing bacteria feed. This acid can cause tooth decay. Fiber-rich foods are better recommended, such as fruits and veggies.

Drinking lots of water. Water is a better alternative to sugary drinks, even energy drinks. It keeps the mouth hydrated without leaving sugar or acid. Sugar-sweetened beverages are the most common cause of high cavity risk in a typical American diet.

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Better Oral Health with Song Dental Lynnwood

Good oral hygiene is a cornerstone of dental health. We can teach you more and show you more health tips when you see us in Lynnwood.

Benefits of Cleaning The Tongue

Many people who use their toothbrush to brush their teeth are also using the same brush to scrape clean their tongues. Tongue scrapers are small dental tools that resemble spoons or shedding blades and made of wood, metal, ivory, and whalebone. Currently, they can easily bought cheap at Amazon, now made of plastic or copper. 

Cleaning the tongue with these tools removes bacteria that can contribute to bad breath, dental decay, as well as pathogens that are associated with gum and cardiovascular disease. The tongue is the most neglected oral structure, especially the back part. 

Tongue scraping seems to be in the limelight now as working with the tandem of brushing and flossing, part and parcel of oral hygiene in the pursuit of good oral health. However, you might not realize that scraping the tongue is not a new fad. It has been practiced for centuries in Europe and Africa. But experts say that even though tongue scraping does in fact remove bacteria from the tongue, it will build back up if not done regularly, just like with plaque on your teeth.

There are other benefits of tongue scraping apart from eliminating bacteria and improving your breath, the routine can improve your sense of taste. Your tongue may be able to better distinguish between bitter, sweet, salty, and sour sensations. It can improve the appearance of your tongue also. Excess buildup of food debris can change the color of your tongue so daily scraping can help and prevent discoloration coming back. 

According to the ADA, there’s no evidence to show that using a tongue scraper will prevent halitosis, which is chronic bad breath. It may provide temporary relief or freshness, but tongue scraping is not a miracle cure, and should not be considered as a substitute for daily brushing.

Hence, if you are wondering what else you can do to improve your oral hygiene, especially your breath, you can add once-a-day tongue scraping to your routine. It’s a quick and effective method.

However, experts say that you might be experiencing other issues on your tongue, such as appearances of white patches, hairy growths or sores, you must consult with your dentist right away. It is also part of good oral hygiene to go see your dentist for professional cleaning and oral examinations.

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More About Tongue Scraping in Lynnwood

If you want to know more about how to effectively use a tongue scraper, come by Song Dental in Lynnwood and we can teach you how.

More About Bad Breath You Should Know

You think you know all the probable causes of halitosis? It’s been often reported that a host of causes is causing bad breath. The most common are: smelly foods like onions and garlic, smoking, mouth-drying medications, presence of cavities, low carb diet, excessive alcohol consumption, acid reflux disease, diabetes or excessive sugar intake, and poorly maintained dental appliances. There are other lesser known reasons for bad breath.

Morning Halitosis

It’s called ‘morning halitosis’. It’s the smell of your breath after you’ve just woke up in the morning. And it can be disgusting but it’s totally normal. While you sleep your saliva production slows down allowing bacteria to thrive in those short hours of dryness. No need to worry because your breath can be fresh again after you toothbrush.  

Your oral bacteria is different from that of others. For example, your spouse’s or bed partner’s breath smell fresher than yours. Never mind if you both ate the same thing last night or brushed before bed. Everyone has their own saliva composition and different kinds and levels of oral bacteria, all of which affect how your breath will smell in certain situations.

Strep Throat

Strep throat is a bacterial infection caused by group A Streptococcus which leads to inflammation and pain in the throat. It can also make your breath smell bad.  There are also other kinds of sinus infections that produce a smelly, pus-like type of mucus. Some of these infections are also associated with specific types of bacteria that are known to produce a particularly bad mouth odor.

Post-nasal Drip

Your nose helps filter foreign particles that you breathe in from the environment. When they get inside your mouth, some may settle on your tongue, interact with your mucus and stay. It may or may not trigger foul breath. Sometimes mucus starts to build-up in the back of your throat because you have a terrible pollen allergy or a nasty cold. This can also emit a different odor.  

Sjogren’s Syndrome

Sjogren’s Syndrome is a disorder of the immune system, and it tends to show up in middle-aged women and those with other autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.  This autoimmune condition affects the glands that make tears and saliva. This causes a dry mouth and dry eyes. People with SS often have a very dry mouth , which increases their risk of halitosis.

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Bad Breath? Visit Song Dental Lynnwood

Suffering from halitosis? Best to drop by Song Dental in Lynnwood and discover more and get treated.

Understanding Tooth Cavities 

Cavities are very common in daily life, perhaps as common as the common cold.  However, if they are so widespread they ought to be easily distinguished as a problematic situation where treatment is promptly sought before they become a more serious concern. Different people have differing experiences with tooth cavities. What exactly does it feel like to have one? Where do they come from and how do they form?

Some oral bacteria are harmful bacteria, feeding on sugar from the foods we eat. This action turns the debris into acid, eating away the tooth enamel, weakening it causing it to become porous and brittle allowing entry of more debris. In the end, a dental cavity begins to form. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, a cavity can be reversed in its early stages. Better oral hygiene, such as brushing with toothpaste containing fluoride can restore the enamel in time. 

What do you feel if you have a cavity?

Actually, nothing, in the early stages. You might notice a tiny hole on a tooth surface and feel no pain as the enamel layer doesn’t have nerves. However, when the decay begins to burrow deeper into the tooth, going into the softer layers – the dentin and the pulp where nerves are present – sensitivity may be felt and likely pain, especially after eating sweets, and hot or cold foods.

Pain can range across a spectrum from mild, sharp, to intense. Some people with a cavity may feel pain when they bite down. Cavities sometimes create visible holes in the teeth. They might also stain black, brown or white on the surface of the tooth.

Sweets like candy, chocolates, cakes, among others are likely to cause pain inside a cavity as there is already erosion of the enamel. Even if you don’t have a cavity, if you have sensitive teeth, you are likely to feel more sensation when you eat sugary foods. Sweet foods tend to be sticky and likely to cling to teeth. Bacteria are highly attracted to sugar and feed on them to produce more acid, which can make its way into the cavity, irritating the nerves.

If you’re experiencing these symptoms the next step is to visit your dentist. When there is already discomfort, swelling and pain, only a dentist can treat. Your dentist will confirm the presence of cavities by careful examination and maybe x-rays. Your treatment plan will depend on the severity of the cavity, among others. It becomes very important to have regular dentist visits to catch any issues early.

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Spotting Cavities Early at Lynnwood Song Dental

Learn more about cavities, how they form and your treatment options. When you think you might have a tooth cavity, do not delay and see us in Lynnwood.

Understanding Gingivitis

Do you realize that gingivitis is an extremely common oral health condition? Gingivitis can begin in early childhood. At puberty, prevalence rises. In recent years, periodontal disease, the endpoint of chronic gingivitis, slowly has decreased among adult Americans. However, chronic periodontitis is still the most prevalent chronic inflammatory condition in the elderly. And these all begin with gingivitis.

Gingivitis is the first and mildest stage of gum disease; it is treatable and reversible. The most common cause of the condition is poor oral hygiene, exacerbated by factors such as diabetes, autoimmune diseases, pregnancy, inadequate nutrition, smoking, and certain medications. If left untreated, it can lead to its more serious form – periodontitis. Eventually, there will be soft tissue and bone destruction leading to highly probable tooth loss.

How do you know you may have gingivitis?

Most people are not aware they have this condition as gingivitis is usually painless, but there are many symptoms. The most common symptoms are: swollen gums, soft puffy gums, receding gums, occasionally tender gums, gums that bleed easily when flossing or brushing, change in gum color from pink to red and also bad breath.

Can gingivitis be avoided?

You can, as well as arresting early gingivitis, by seeing your dentist on a regular basis. With regular appointments, at least every 6 months, you are able to undergo professional cleaning which removes hard-to-reach or hidden plaque and tartar that buildup along the gum line in the front and back of teeth and areas in between the teeth. This buildup can irritate gum tissue that can lead to its swelling and infection. 

Apart from a professional cleaning, you will also benefit from an oral examination that can spot beginning cavities and early gingivitis that can be treated and reversed. The practice of proper oral hygiene at home should still be maintained. Brushing with fluoridated and antimicrobial toothpaste, daily flossing, non-harsh mouth washes, cleaning the tongue, are recommended. Eating healthy foods and discarding bad habits like smoking are also extremely helpful.  

Since gingivitis is very common, with people still unable to recognize its symptoms, it is important to heed the dentist’s advice as to how often you should keep appointments. This is essential especially if you have a medical condition (like diabetes), a damaging habit (such as smoking or poor oral hygiene), or other conditions that may predispose you to gingivitis. Your dentist will tell you if twice a year or more visits are essential.

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The Classes Of Cavities

Dental professionals use a specific classification system to assess them. There are six classes of cavities based on the tooth type and location of the decay, as well as four classifications that describe the severity of decay.

Dr. G.V. Black, an American dentist, classified tooth cavities over 100 years ago, still used by dentists today.

Class I cavities are on tooth surfaces seen by your dentist easily. These are cavities on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth such as molars and premolars, and decay on the front or back surfaces of the front teeth.

Class II cavities are not visible to the naked eye. They occur on the surfaces between the molars and premolars.

Class III cavities do not involve the cutting edges of the teeth, and like Class II are not easily seen. They are found on the surfaces between the front teeth.

Class IV cavities also occurs on the surfaces between the front teeth, but it involves the teeth’s cutting edges

Class V cavities appear on the front or back of either front or back teeth, near the gumline.

Class VI decay is found on the top surfaces of the teeth, either the incisal edges of front teeth or on the cusp tips of back teeth.

Dentists evaluate tooth decay based on how far the damage has penetrated these layers of tissue.

Incipient decay is attributed to cavities that have gone less than halfway through the tooth’s enamel. 

Moderate decay is when cavities go more than halfway through the enamel, but don’t yet reach the dentinoenamel junction (DEJ), which is the boundary between enamel and dentin.

Advanced decay is when cavities go through the DEJ, but go less than half the distance to the pulp chamber.

Severe decay has penetrated through the enamel, dentin and goes more than half the distance to the pulp.

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Understanding Root Canal Treatment 

Did you know that there are more than 15 million root canals performed annually? However, even with these numbers, the treatment still suffers from many misconceptions. The procedure is indicated when the pulp tissue is already infected by bacteria causing inflammation and then pain. Nerves may be exposed due to a large cavity that can be contaminated by outside elements. This usually occurs when a large cavity exposes the nerve in the center of a tooth to contaminants. This infection in the tooth must be treated if the tooth is to be saved 

However, because dental care is not as prioritized as other care concerns, a lot of dental issues are not addressed before they cause so much damage that a root canal is needed. Hopefully, as more people are educated in this regard, more tooth-saving visits to the dentist can serve them well.

Firstly, many think that when a tooth hurts, a root canal is needed. Actually, not all teeth that need root canals hurt. About 40 percent of the time a nerve dies in a tooth without the patient knowing it until the dentist finds out via radiographs and performs diagnostic testing. Different patients manifest different symptoms even if they similarly have a dead nerve and the presence of bacteria in the tooth. Hence, pain is not always the signal that you need a root canal.

What basically is the treatment about?

The endodontist performs a root canal by accessing the infected tooth’s interior through drilling the chewing surface. This is to clean out the decay and bacteria inside. After application of a filling material, a crown is placed to protect the tooth from fracture or leakage. 

What happens if the tooth is not treated? An infected tooth may not manifest symptoms for some time. There might be no pain to complain about. But then, an infected tooth can cause bone loss in the jaw and can lead to pain and swelling. In advanced cases, a patient may have to be hospitalized due to the infection that has invaded the general circulation. In most cases root canal infection is localized.

So what’s the best prevention?

Don’t leave a cavity unattended or you might need a root canal when a deep cavity reaches the nerve. Always practise good oral hygiene and have regular visits to the dentist to spot the early signs of tooth decay. While root canal is a tooth-saving procedure, prevention is better.

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Tooth-Saving Therapy in Lynnwood

Our team at Lynnwood Song Dental encourages patients to schedule semi-annual dental checkups and routine x-rays that will give us the chance to catch any cavities early, before a root canal becomes necessary.