In the quest to lower the occurrence of tooth decay, seeking out healthier alternative sweeteners is a big factor. Since conventional refined sugars are one of your mouth’s bigger enemies, finding a way to make your candy taste sweet without exposing you to the same danger of tooth rot is the holy grail for some food manufacturers. A substance known as xylitol has shown some potential in this arena, representing a sweetener that has been shown to cause less damage to your teeth than sugar. In fact, some are going so far as to claim that xylitol actually serves to kill off oral bacteria to further protect your teeth. But are these claims legitimate?

To answer this question, researchers attempted ten studies involving almost six thousand participants, wherein some were instructed to use a toothpaste containing xylitol. From these studies, the researchers found “low-quality evidence” that those who used the xylitol toothpaste had 13% less tooth decay than those using conventional fluoride toothpaste. Not only is this not enough to make any conclusive rulings on xylitol’s potential to prevent decay, but the studies also failed to explore the chemical’s side effects.

You can learn more about proper dental care from our Lynnwood dentistry clinic.

Do you ever find yourself postponing your regular dental visits, asking yourself, “What are the chances that there’s anything wrong going on in my mouth?” The answer may not be the one you’re hoping for. Indeed, between the threat of tooth decay, gum disease, oral cancer, or the countless other conditions that can afflict your oral cavity, it’s simply not worthwhile to take the risk. In fact, it has been estimated that a full 90% of people have some sort of disease or infection in the mouth, and a far smaller number is aware of it.

With this in mind, don’t put off your regular cleaning with our Lynnwood dentistry clinic any longer than you need to. Call Song Dental clinic in Lynnwood today!

Your mouth is made up of five kinds of tooth, each one designed for a particular purpose.

• Incisors: You should have eight of these teeth, all at the front of your mouth. They form a scissor-like structure designed to bite off pieces of food.
• Canines: Behind your incisors are your four sharp, fang-like teeth, designed to rip and tear meat.
• Premolars: There are four of these teeth, representing the smallest of your molars. Their job is to chew and grind.
• Molars: Bigger than your premolars, the molars are responsible for most of the chewing and grinding.
• Third Molars: These are your wisdom teeth. Some people don’t get these teeth, and many who do need to have them removed. However, it is possible that they can fit comfortably in your mouth and serve the same function as your molars.

You can talk to our Lynnwood dentistry clinic to learn more about your various teeth and how to take care of them.

As far as sugary candy goes, the best choices for your teeth are the ones that don’t stick around for too long in your mouth. Selections like smarties and york peppermint patties are good examples. Even near-pure sugar, like pixie sticks are easy for your saliva to rinse away after you are done enjoying them.

Things get worse as they get hard or sticky. Caramels, starbursts, skittles, tootsie rolls, and similar items get caked in your teeth and stick around for lengthy periods of time. Hard candies designed for sucking, like jolly ranchers, suckers, and jawbreakers, have a similar problem. One of the worst candies for your teeth comes in the form of the now and later, a very hard chewable that exposes you to a strong dose of sugar while you strain your teeth to break it down.

When eating candy, it is best to do so following a meal, when your saliva is in full effect. Consider rinsing out with water when you are done, and don’t brush for about thirty minutes. Consult our Lynnwood dentistry clinic to learn more.

Every so often, everyone bites down on the inside of their own cheeks. When it happens, some people wonder if they may have a problem. Could there be something wrong with their teeth? Fortunately, the answer is generally simple.

Biting your cheek is normal, even when you have straight, healthy teeth. The problem is that, when you bite your cheek, you’re likely to experience swelling in your delicate cheek tissues, which makes it easier to bite yourself in the damaged area and further aggravate the swelling. All you need to do is be mindful of your injured cheek. Take care when you chew so as to allow the cheek heal. In some extreme cases cases, you might benefit from the application of orthodontic wax or another product designed to protect your cheek. Consult your Lynnwood dentistry clinic for more information.