5 Ways You’re Harming Your Teeth

Even if you brush and floss everyday, there are still many things that cause damage to your smile. At my dental office in The Woodlands, we’re all about keeping teeth healthy and being dedicated to educating our patients on all the ways to keep their mouths in tip-top shape, as well as things that can be harmful.

1. Ice, Ice, Baby

Ice is a great way to cool a drink or nurse an injury back to health, but it’s not so helpful to your smile. They’re hard, really hard, and if crunched can cause chips. Once there are chips, bacteria can settle into these little nooks and cause decay. If not fixed, chips can turn into severe cracks and even cause pieces of teeth to fall off.

2. Side to Side

While we always encourage our patients to brush twice a day and floss once a day, we want to make sure they all know the proper way to brush. It’s best to use small, gentle circles to ensure you’re treating your enamel with the best of care. If a back and forth, side to side technique is used, it can be harsh on enamel and cause scratches.

3. Run!

Running and other forms of cardiovascular exercise are great for a healthy heart and healthy body. But recent research also shows a link between endurance cardio workouts and tooth decay. One explanation to this is during intense cardio, saliva production is greatly decreased. Saliva naturally washes away dangerous acid and bacteria that can lead to decay. Try chewing sugar-free gum during workouts.

4. Feel the Burn

Heartburn that is. Acid reflux is never enjoyable, but it can cause serious damage to your teeth. Acid from the stomach can creep up into the mouth and act just like acid from soda or sugar-loaded sports drinks. However, stomach acid tends to be more potent and can more easily dissolve enamel.

5. Lemonade

Lemonade is packed full of acid as well as sugar, a lethal combination for tooth health. Bacteria found in the mouth feeds on the sugar while the acid eats away at tooth enamel, making your teeth a prime spot for decay to flourish. Choose water instead.

Avoiding these damaging foods and activities, or at least counteracting those that are good for you with something good for your smile, can do wonders for the health of your mouth. And as always, keeping up with regular appointments at my The Woodlands dental office is the best prevention.

Serving patients from The Woodlands, Spring, and Conroe.

Top 4 Tips to Ease Your Dental Fear

Nervousness or legitimate fear of the dentist is completely normal. In fact, an estimated 80 million Americans suffer from it. At my dental office in The Woodlands, we understand a visit to the dentist can be scary. But we also know avoiding professional dental care can have serious health complications. We’re here to help.

Before we dive into to talking about some tips to ease dental anxiety, let’s take a look at what causes this fear. According to a study from North Carolina University, each individual’s overall anxiety level is a great indicator to how they’ll react at a dental visit. The higher the natural anxiety level, the more likely it is to suffer from dental fear. Dental fear may also result from a prior negative experience, worry about being lectured about dental care, or embarrassment.

Easing The Fear

1. Talk it Out. One of the most important ways to combat dental fear is to establish trust with your dentist in The Woodlands. Make sure she knows the fear is there and ask her to talk through each procedure in detail and answer any questions. It’s alright to ask how long each treatment may take, what you might feel, about using a signal if you become uncomfortable, and to request breaks.
2. Distractions. Lying back in the dental chair with mouth agape and someone’s hands in there can create an uneasy feeling. Try distracting yourself with music, television, or sunglasses. Some practices even provide these amenities for you.
3. Take a Deep Breath. Breathing techniques and focused breathing have been proven to lower anxiety levels and ease nervousness. Close your eyes, take deep breaths using your diaphragm (the lower part of your belly), and focus on the air coming in and going out.
4. Ask Around. Asking friends and family their opinions on their own dentists can help you find the one that’s right for you. The internet can also provide a wealth of information. Start by visiting the websites of any referred dentists and see how you feel with what they say and how their offices look. Also make sure to read reviews online. You just may find a dentist who helped a friend with similar fears.

We know dental fear is real, we understand how nervous some people may be to get professional dental care, and we’re here to ease those fears. At my dental office in The Woodlands, we work with each and every patient to ease any anxieties they may have, and we’re always sure to be gentle, talk through each procedure, and we never lecture. If it’s time to see a dentist who understands, give us a call today.

Welcoming patients from The Woodlands, Spring, and Conroe.