Plaque and Tartar: What’s the Difference?

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by Lynnwood Song Dental

When you go in for a cleaning with our Lynnwood dental clinic, you’ll probably hear the words “plaque” and “tartar” a lot. Some people make the mistake of thinking that these terms are interchangeable, and this shows an unfortunate lack of understanding in the harmful build-up that afflicts your mouth.

In simple terms, plaque is a sticky film that grows on your teeth. This is where bacteria is mingling with the food you eat and producing the acids that can break down your teeth and gums. The good news is that it’s easy to remove; a gentle, twice-daily brushing and flossing is all you need to keep plaque down to manageable levels.

When plaque isn’t dealt with quickly enough, it will eventually turn into tartar. Tartar is similar to plaque in that it continues to contribute to tooth decay, but now it’s a hard shell that cannot be removed with normal brushing. This is the substance that your dentist needs to scratch away during your regular cleanings.

The process of removing tartar deposits is called scaling, and only a dental professional should attempt it. If you attempt to scale your own teeth, you might dig into your enamel and damage your tooth. So keep up your regular brushing to manage your plaque, and leave the tartar to Song’s Lynnwood dental center.

Does Honey Rot Your Teeth?

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by Lynnwood Song Dental

Is honey healthier?

Honey has a number of benefits as a sweetener, compared to conventional refined sugars. Knowing this, some people make the mistake of thinking that these benefits extend to your oral health. They’ll use honey as an alternative sweetener, hoping that it will add up to less tooth decay, sometimes even going so far as to coat a baby’s pacifier in honey. This is an unfortunate mistake.

The fact is that honey has just as much potential to rot your teeth as cane sugar. Approximately 82% of honey is made up of sugars, which amounts to about seventeen grams of sugar per tablespoon. Though these are natural glucose and fructose, they still provide your oral bacteria with the food they need to produce the acid that eats away at your enamel.

As sticky as it is, there is even some additional risk that honey will linger in your mouth longer than most sweeteners, inviting further decay.

When eating honey, be sure to treat it much the same way you would treat any sugary snack. Enjoy it sparingly, and consider rinsing out with water afterward. Consult our dentist, Dr. Song, for more help fostering good oral health.

Dental Emergencies: What Should I Do?

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Dental Emergency Lynnwood

Even if you take the best of care with your teeth, accidents can always happen. A dental emergency can come in the form of a cracked tooth, a broken jaw, or even a severe toothache. If any of these befalls you, call our office immediately. Do not put any aspirin or other painkillers on the gums, as this can burn gum tissues. Clean out your mouth with warm water and put a cold compress on anything that appears to be broken or swelling.

If a permanent tooth has come out, quick action may save the tooth. When you pick it up, handle it only by the crown, and never by the roots. Rinse it off gently if necessary, but do not scrub or disinfect it as this can strip away living tissue. If you can, put it back in the socket. If this isn’t possible, store the tooth in water, milk, or even just saliva until you can get to a dentist.

Depending on the severity of your emergency, you may wish to visit your hospital’s emergency room.

Does Less Sugar Equal Less Tooth Decay?

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by Lynnwood Song Dental

We all know that sugar is bad for you. Too much sugar means obesity, lethargy, diabetes, and to your Lynnwood dental clinic it means tooth decay. The common wisdom, from a dental perspective, is that less sugar equals healthier teeth, but there are certain flaws in this logic. It’s important to cultivate a greater understanding of sugar’s effects on our oral health, and thereby foster the habits that will truly lead us to a happier and healthier mouth.

First off, it’s not specifically sugar that contributes to tooth decay. The main culprit is carbohydrates, of which sugar is only a small part. Fruits, vegetables, and grains, all of these are common sources of carbs. You could no more hope to cut carbs out of your diet than you could aspire to cut verbs out of your vocabulary.

Fortunately, it’s not the quantity of carbs that contributes to tooth decay so much as it is the duration of the exposure your mouth has to them. When you eat a sugar-rich meal, your mouth is under attack for maybe twenty minutes while your saliva clears away the remains. This is a lot less harmful to your teeth than sipping a sugary drink throughout the day, constantly assuring a feeding frenzy to your oral bacteria. This is why it is recommended that you limit sugary substances to regular meal times and keep from snacking.

Should I Get an Electric Toothbrush?

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by Lynnwood Song Dental

With all the buzz that surrounds electric toothbrushes, many people ask our Lynnwood Dentistry whether or not it is actually worthwhile to replace their old brushes in favor of one of the high-tech alternatives.  The truth is that this is not an easy question to answer, and many factors should be considered when determining what is the right toothbrush for you.

In general, the best brush for you is whichever option you will actually use.  An electric toothbrush honestly isn’t brushing your teeth a whole lot better than you could by yourself, but some people find that it makes the chore an easier part of their routine.  This is particularly true if you’re lacking in manual dexterity, or otherwise have trouble manipulating a normal brush across your hard-to-reach teeth.  Other people also appreciate special functions that come with some electric brushes, like a timer that tells you when you’ve brushed enough or a sensor that tells you when you’re brushing too hard.  If these are areas that you have difficulty with, then maybe the extra cost of an electric brush is worthwhile for you.

Whichever brush you ultimately favor, the most important thing is that you maintain a proper brushing habit.  Use it twice a day, floss appropriately, and get your regular check-ups at your Lynnwood dentistry center.  If you’re not doing this, then there’s really no gadget on the market that’s going to keep your teeth happy and healthy.

Is Your Toothbrush Clean Enough?

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Did you know that your toothbrush can quickly turn into a hotbed of bacteria? Research has shown that as many as ten million microorganisms can be living inside the bristles that you stick into your mouth every morning. It is for this reason that our Lynnwood dental clinic recommends that you take care to maintain a clean and reasonably sanitary brush.

The first thing to realize is that the bacteria on your brush is no particular cause for alarm; it picked up these tiny stowaways from your own mouth, after all, and no one with a healthy immune system should be falling ill from such microbes. However, by keeping these bacteria populations down as much as possible, you can do wonders for your own oral health.

Start by storing your brush upright. Bacteria thrives in a damp environment, so it helps to allow the bristles to dry out between brushings. You may also periodically soak the brush in alcohol, antiseptic mouthwash, or the like to purge away stubborn cultures. If you’re sensitive to such substances, ten minutes in boiling water can serve just as well. It is important that you don’t microwave your brush or put it in the dishwasher, however, because these can destroy the fragile bristles.

No matter what you do to keep your brush clean, it is recommended that you replace it every three months. If you are suffering from gum disease, this interval can be significantly shorter. Talk to your dentist to determine exactly how frequently you should change brushes.

Bite the Bullet and Stop Biting Your Pen!

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by Lynnwood Song Dental

Some people like to chew. Pens, pencils, bottle caps, all of these are reduced to a pulpy wreck between their teeth. Unfortunately, a lot of this can be very bad for you, and Song’s Lynnwood dental center advises that you break the habit before you end up breaking a molar.

Quite frankly, the human mouth was not built to handle anything much stronger than a tender bit of meat. Habitual chewing of hard substances like pen caps, or even ice, can wear down enamel and eventually damage a tooth. Some of us are able to put our chompers to effective use against packaging material, but this is just as destructive. If you’re a chronic chewer, it’s time to stop.

There are options available for habitual chewers. Sugar-free gum can provide a tooth-friendly alternative, hopefully to wean you off of the practice entirely. If you’re already experiencing wear from your chewing, consult your Lynnwood dentist.

The Causes of Persistent Bad Breath

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Do you have bad breath? Persistent bad breath, or halitosis, can be caused by many things. Most of the time it points to a dental problem that you should bring to your Lynnwood dental clinic as soon as possible, but there are other factors that can contribute as well. Take the time to evaluate your own habits to determine the most likely source of your odorous exhalations.

Sometimes bad breath can come from entirely harmless sources. Certain foods, for example, produce a substance that ends up pumped out of your bloodstream via your lungs and comes out as bad breath. Garlic, onions, and fatty meats can all contribute to this. A similar effect is produced when stored proteins are broken down, so skipping meals or going on certain diets can also give you halitosis.

Some non-dental diseases can also ruin your breath. These include diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, or infection in the sinuses or lungs. If you think you may have any of these, you should consult your doctor.

If none of the above possibilities sound like a likely cause of your halitosis, then there’s a good chance it’s time for your dentist to step in. Call Song’s Dental Center today, and we’ll have your breath smelling like roses again in no time!