Monthly Archives: December 2015

FLOSSING | BOCA RATON DENTIST

Flossing, , , , , , ,


A woman with white teeth and pink lips.Dentists routinely remind people to floss regularly – many patients have no problem brushing their teeth twice a day, but many seem to have a harder time flossing. The excuse varies from patient to patient – some find it difficult, others simply don’t think they have time, and still others don’t understand the purpose and importance of flossing. While brushing your teeth regularly is necessary to prevent tooth decay, flossing is just as important: brushing alone, without flossing, will not prevent either tooth decay or periodontal disease.

One of the main risks to oral health is damage from bacteria – the bacteria within the mouth produces acids that damage the tooth and gum tissue, resulting in tooth decay and periodontal disease. Within the mouth, this bacteria takes the form of plaque – a thin yellow film composed primarily of bacteria and water – which will harden into tartar if not removed. The presence of plaque and tartar is virtually always damaging to teeth – it will produce acids that will eat through tooth enamel, and hardened tartar deposits will physically irritate gum tissue, leading to gum recession.

The primary purpose of flossing is to remove plaque and tartar from surfaces of the teeth that can not be reached by brushing alone. In particular, while brushing is great at cleaning the lingual (tongue-facing), facial (cheek-facing), and occlusal (biting) surfaces, it’s relatively poor at cleaning the proximal surfaces – those between teeth. Because brushing alone can not reach between teeth, flossing can help physically scrape plaque from teeth before it’s allowed to harden into tartar. Patients that skip flossing risk allowing tartar to form between teeth – once plaque hardens into tartar, it needs to be removed with professional cleaning, as brushing and flossing alone will be unable to remove the calcified deposits from teeth.

Patients who rarely floss will likely notice that their gums are irritated and bleed when flossing – this is usually an indication that they should have a professional cleaning, and floss more often to help remove existing bacteria. Over time, regular flossing will remove the bacteria that causes inflammation and bleeding, allowing the patient’s gums to heal, and the bleeding will subside. It is important, though, to use antibacterial mouthwash in conjunction with flossing to help kill any bacteria that remain in the mouth after flossing.

Brushing and mouthwash can help kill much of the bacteria within the mouth, but flossing is truly necessary to remove plaque from between teeth. If you’re unsure of the right way to floss, ask your dentist or oral hygienist to show you how – proper flossing technique will save you time, and make you more likely to floss daily.

For more information on oral health contact Dr. Rosenbuch at (561) 394-7888 or visit our website at https://cliverosenbuschdds.com/

Preventing Tooth Decay | BOCA RATON DENTIST

Tooth Decay, , , , ,


A woman with dark hair and blue eyes smiling.Brushing and flossing help prevent tooth decay by removing bacteria and food particles from the teeth before they can damage teeth. The combination of bacteria and food particles is important – the bacteria breaks down food, creating acids that can damage tooth enamel. Not all food is created equally – some can be more or less likely to be consumed by bacteria, and other types of food may be less likely to remain in the mouth once it’s eaten.

Patients wishing to protect their teeth can choose food that helps limit the risk to their teeth; here are some foods that are healthy for teeth:

  • Cheese and milk are high in calcium, helping build stronger teeth, and are low in sugars and acid, making them less likely to contribute to tooth decay. Some studies have shown that cheese, in particular, can help lower mouth acidity further, even for a period of time after eating.
  • Tea – especially green and black tea – contains compounds that slow the growth of bacteria. Patients who drink or rinse their mouth with tea have lower concentrations of bacteria in their mouth, decreasing both tooth decay and bad breath.
  • Sugarless gum that contains Xylitol can help teeth in two ways. First, it stimulates production of saliva to rinse acids and sugars away, and the act of chewing can help dislodge other food particles stuck between teeth. Second, Xylitol has been shown to decrease bacteria within the mouth, helping fight tooth decay.
  • Vegetables such as celery and carrots are crunchy, require chewing, and stimulate production of saliva to help remove other foods from the mouth. Celery also contains high amounts of water, which can help rinse the mouth.

While simply eating tooth-healthy foods is unlikely to prevent tooth decay without proper brushing and flossing, combining healthy foods with a good oral hygiene regimen can help prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and bad breath.

For more information on tooth decay contact Dr. Rosenbuch at (561) 394-7888 or visit our website at https://cliverosenbuschdds.com/