Not so fast. Don’t be in a big rush, especially if you’ve been snacking on acidic things like soda, sports drinks, wine or even citrus fruit. These acids can cause the enamel and dentin of your teeth to erode. When you brush immediately after with an abrasive substance it can damage your teeth. We recommend waiting about an hour while your saliva neutralizes the acid. Can’t wait? You can try chewing sugar-free gum, munch on raw veggies or even rinse with water.

It is imperative that you keep the area adjacent to the lesion clean by using mild antibacterial soap and water and then dabbing the area dry.  Always make sure you wash your hands well after touching the lesion so you do not transmit the virus to your eyes or to others.  The use of SPF15 on your lips can help reduce 1 trigger, however if you do have an outbreak there are OTC products that can help ease the pain and the duration.  The approximate healing time is 14-21 days on 1^st occurrence and 7-10 days on recurrences.

We realize each patient has pain that is unique.  We at Remmers Dental Group work with every patient to develop individual pain management in our friendly and comfortable environment. We offer conscious sedation, nitrous oxide, novocaine, and a topical application prior to any injection to keep you out of pain.  Our goal is to eliminate your pain completely with our personal concern.

Many adults have dental fears that they have carried from their childhood. The most common cause of tooth pain is a cavity or inflammation and pressure on nerves or gum tissue.  It is important to seek treatment right away so the problem can be diagnosed and treated in a timely manner.  Resist the temptation of canceling and using excuses to skip your regular checkups.  Please visit us on a regular basis for your cleaning, x-rays and examinations in order to keep your mouth healthy and free from any pain.

After slurping down that ice cold and refreshing beverage, try not to crunch the leftover ice between your teeth. The cold temperature of the ice cubes can cause your teeth to fracture. Be careful when eating popcorn too!

Sipping sugary soda is also bad for your teeth. The constant exposure to the acids and sugar can lead to tooth decay.

Solution: Switch to crushed ice & drink your soda through a straw!!

2. Using Your Teeth As “Tools”

Some people rely on their teeth for odd jobs like opening a tightly screwed bottle of nail polish, tearing open a bag of chips, straightening a bent fork, or ripping a price tag off a new article of clothing. These actions are actually quite hard on your teeth and can even cause a weakened tooth to fracture or chip.

Solution: Keep some simple tools like scissors and pliers handy and leave the dirty work to them!

3. Grinding Your Teeth

Grinding your teeth wears them down and weakens them.

Solution: During the day, be more aware of what you’re doing with your teeth when you feel stressed or anxious. Notice if your jaw muscles are often sore. For those of you who grind at night, ask Dr. Remmers about mouth guards.

4. Using A Hard-Bristled Toothbrush

It may be surprising, but a firm toothbrush is actually worse for your teeth than a soft-bristled one. A brush with bristles that are too firm can wear down tooth enamel more quickly and may irritate your gums and make your teeth sensitive.

Solution: Stick with soft-bristles and ask one of our team members about the best type of toothbrush for your particular mouth.

5. Not Brushing Or Flossing Properly

Though you may brush and floss everyday, if you aren’t doing it correctly it could cause harm as well as good.

Solution: Make sure that you brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes TWICE a day. Be gentle. Replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months, and consider purchasing an electric one. Ask one of our team members the most effective way to floss. Use an antibacterial mouthwash.

If any of these bad habits apply to you, overcome them and develop a healthier oral routine! We promise you’ll see results and have more reasons to smile!

Feel free to contact us if you have any additional questions or to schedule an appointment. We look forward to hearing from you!

Stroke of Genius?

By Dulce Zamora
WebMD Feature

Reviewed By Charlotte Grayson

Nine-year-old Nicholas Racobaldo doesn’t remember what it’s like to clean his teeth with an ordinary toothbrush. For two years, he’s been using an electrically charged gadget with high-speed, rotating bristles.

“I like it because it tickles,” he says, and imagines that now a regular toothbrush would feel “yucky” in his mouth.

Nicholas isn’t the only kid who prefers the powered devices.

Eileen Hermiston, RDH, a pediatric dental hygienist at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, says many of her patients think the high-tech brushes are fun.

“It can be a big power struggle getting children to brush their teeth,” she notes. “If you can inspire enthusiasm in children with power toothbrushes, daily tooth brushing becomes easier.”

If the increased amount of space taken up on store shelves is any indication, the electric brushes are growing in popularity. Some of them are kid-friendly: The toothbrush handle may take on the shape of a racing car or a mermaid or a cell phone, and its color may resemble army camouflage.

Many patients are now asking their dentists about these mechanical tools so much that the American Dental Association (ADA) has issued several news releases on the matter.

The organization says manual toothbrushes can be just as effective as powered ones. The key to preventing tooth decay, say experts, lies in the way a toothbrush — electric or otherwise — is used.

“If you are a wonderful brusher and a wonderful flosser … then the manual toothbrushes are just great,” says Kimberly Harms, DDS, an ADA consumer advisor who is also a dentist in Farmington, Minn. However, she says powered devices can help people who have trouble physically moving their brushes around their mouth to clean all teeth surfaces. These may include anyone with a motor disability or arthritis.

Well we have some good news for those of you with concerns—x-rays pose very little danger to your health…and the amount of radiation you receive during routine x-rays here at our practice is MUCH smaller than the amount you receive daily from natural radiation sources.

Exposure to tiny amounts of radiation is a natural component of life! Each year, the average United States citizen is exposed to about 360 mREM from common things like the earth itself, natural materials, cosmic radiation, and even from other people! In fact, the State Department of Health has set the yearly maximum safe radiation level at 5000 mREM.

Our dental x-rays emit less than .50 mREM per unit—which means that you’re likely exposed to about twenty times that much each year just from cooking dinner!

X-rays are an important part of dental care, as we use them to diagnose problems that we might not otherwise be able to detect. We promise you’re in the best of hands here at our practice, so don’t let x-ray fears worry you.

If you ever have any questions or concerns regarding radiographs, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 502-499-0234!  We would love to help put your mind at ease.

These Holidays are strategically placed to make us stop and remember. 

From a dental standpoint our calendars should remind us to replace our toothbrush at least every 3 months.

To not celebrate is un-American, but to not replace your toothbrush is unhealthy. ]]> http://blog.remmersdental.com/?feed=rss2&p=146 0