Showing posts with label toothpaste. Show all posts
Showing posts with label toothpaste. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Electric Toothbrushes
Which is better, an Electric toothbrush or a Manual?
The answer, and overwhelmingly so, is that an electric
toothbrush will get your teeth more clean then a manual
brush (used properly, of course).
How many times the head of the brush moves across
the tooth is the key. Every brush stroke is a cleaning stroke.
An electric toothbrush can move, up to, 40,000 times per minute.
I don't know how fast your hand is, but it probably is close to that.
Therefore, the electric brush moves across each tooth more often then a manual.
So why wouldn't you get one of them?
Some electric brushes can be up to $200!!
If only you could find an electric toothbrush that did a great job,
but was also affordable as well.
Well............ your search is over!!
"I", Dr Jim Ellis decided to do something about my patients
getting gouged by the big toothbrush companies.
I designed, tested, and had manufactured a sonic toothbrush
that has all of the high quality components of the leading brushes
but is around half the price.
How is that possible?!
Well, I don't have millions of dollars a year to pay in expensive
television advertising. I have a little blog.
So, if you have always wanted an electric brush but never
wanted to pay the expensive price of one then check it out.
Designed by a dentist, with patients in mind.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Meth Mouth
There is a drug out there known as Meth.
Its not good for a whole boat load of reasons.
But seeing as how I am a dentist I will focus on the dental problems.
The first problem is that Meth causes your salivary glands to stop producing saliva.
This may not seem like a big thing, but it is.
Just imagine if your tear ducts stopped producing tears.
Your eyes would dry out in a big hurry.
Dry eyes would be painful and damage would begin to occur.
Same thing with teeth.
Dry teeth will end up being painful and damaged teeth.
(Early meth use)
The next problem is that Meth will make a person grind their teeth.
Scientists really aren't sure why but they have seen it enough to know that it happens.
Grinding of brittle dry teeth will cause fractures to begin happening.
(Moderate Meth use)
Finally Meth will cause people to just not care anymore.
And when you really don't care about your teeth you really don't
take care of them and you really don't care eat of drink anymore either.
The black spots on the gums are what's left of the teeth.
They have either rotted, been broken down to, the gums.
(Severe Meth use)
Monday, July 8, 2013
Teeth is a day.
"Painless tooth replacement"
"Teeth in a day"
"One appointment smile"
We have all heard these claims and typically they are accompanied by promises that the doctor can,
almost magically, take out all of your teeth, put implants in, and place crowns on the teeth
with little to no pain, in just one day.
They may even show the patient biting into an apple right after the procedure.
In very rare and unique circumstances this MAY be the case. But for the other 99.7% of us, its not.
Anytime you have surgery of ANY kind you need to heal.
The picture below shows a site where a tooth was recently extracted.
This site will be very tender for several days while the body heals.
That's just the way it works. Blood will rush to the site of any injury thus
creating inflammation (swelling) and moderate discomfort.
If implants are placed that too will cause some type of discomfort.
To say that teeth can be extracted and implants placed and that you can begin
eating right away with no pain whatsoever is just not true. What is typically
happening is that these people are trying to suck you in and then sell you on something else.
Simply do lots and lots of homework before letting these places touch your mouth.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
When, if ever, should my kid see an orthodontist?
When Should my Child See an Orthodontist?
This is a great question. Most parents hope that the answer to this question is… never. Braces can be an expensive process. And if you have multiple children that need braces, the financial outlay can become burdensome. So, most parents hope that their child is one of the lucky ones whose teeth simply come in straight and won’t ever need to be straightened.
Well, how do you know? How do you know when, or even if, your child needs to go to the orthodontist? Here is some information that may help. This chart Problems to Watch for in Growing Children July 2012 (PDF) indicates some of the things to look for in your child’s oral development to assist in knowing if an appointment with an orthodontist is wise. These are not all of the issues out there, but it’s a very good sampling of what can go wrong.
As a general dentist, I can say that the use of an Orthodontic Specialist can be critical in the health of your child’s teeth. Teeth that are crowded are much harder to keep clean then teeth that are not crowded. A child’s speech development can be negatively affected by severe open bites. And, the list can go on and on. Making sure that your child’s teeth are straight is more than just about good looks. There is a very large functional component that is involved that must be considered.
Getting to an orthodontist is as easy as can be. You do not even need to have a referral from a general dentist. You can simply call an orthodontist and schedule an evaluation for your child. If you would prefer to have a referral simply visit your dentist and ask for a quick evaluation to see what they think.
Monday, June 17, 2013
I think I see a little spot on my tooth. Should I go to the dentist?
If you ever look in your mouth and are able to SEE any color other then the white of your teeth you need to get it looked at.
It may just be stain or last nights dinner. But it could be a sign of something much more.
When a dentist looks at your teeth he/she uses color change as one of the indicators to take a closer look at any particular area.
The pictures below are a case that we did.
The patient came in with a little darkened area on one of his molars.
After we got done getting out all of the decay out he was as close as you would ever want to come to getting a root canal. Once the decay gets down into the tooth you are no longer able to get to it with your toothbrush, floss or mouthwash. The bacteria simply sets up shop in your tooth and start to multiply. The tooth was saved and things should be okay but the patient had to go through a lot more drilling then they bargained for.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Which dentist is right for you?
Well, that's kind of like asking if all apples are the same. Apples come in different colors. Apples come in different sizes. Apples come with a variety of flavors.
So what apple is right for you? That depends on the situation. Is it a hot summers day and you just want an apple that will taste good? Or are you looking to make a pie and need an apple that is good for baking? The answer to these two questions would lead you to two very different varieties of apples. Yet they are both still called apples.
The same can be said for dentists. Every dentist has had to go to a qualified dental school to get his/her degree. Every dentist has had to take the same national examinations to prove that they are proficient at certain types of dentistry. Therefore, anyone that legally can be called a dentist is pretty much the same thing.
So what dentist is right for you. Like the apples, that depends on what you are looking for. If you want convenience then do an internet search for dentists and you can find the absolute closest dentist to you by mileage. If you want the cheapest dentist then call dental offices and ask what their cost is on a certain procedure. You can then find the cheapest dentist out there.
These factors are the easy ones. But what if you want a dentist that is good with kids. What if you want a dentist that has a good cosmetic eye and can not only fix your teeth but make them look attractive as well. What if you want a good bedside manner, etc. etc. etc.
These are some of the tougher ones. For this you need to do a little more homework. Go online and read reviews. Ask neighbors, friends, and family. Ask to see before and after pictures of work they have done. Ask if they have gotten any extra training in any particular aspect of dentistry. Ask if there are procedures that they choose not to do. Even though every dentist can do a root canal, some choose not to.
Once you have found all of this out you can choose which dentist is right for you. Last thing you want is to take a bite thinking you have a golden delicious and end up with a granny smith.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Do you have bad breath?
What is the cause of bad breath??
There are many causes.
Teeth that are decayed.
Gum disease.
Bacteria.
Digestion problems.
Etc.
One of the first things to do in order to determine the cause of your
bad breath is to get to a dentist and get a good cleaning.
This will make sure you start off with a clean slate.
Then.....
For 2 weeks commit to brushing after each meal.
For 2 weeks commit to flossing daily.
And for 2 weeks commit to rinsing with a mouthwash such as Listerine, daily.
(Important note: You also need to brush your tongue.
Tongue scrapers, pictured below, are also available.)
After the 2 week period see how your breath is.
If it still smells as fresh and clean as it did when you left the dentist office
then your bad breath was, more then likely, a result of poor oral care.
This would be good news because all you need to do is continue
your new pattern of brushing, flossing, and rinsing and your bad breath should be history.
If things return to there normal, bad breath, state then other things need to be considered.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Are dental implants a serious surgery?
Any time you must undergo surgery of any kind I would
never consider it "no big deal".
Life is precious and we should never undertake anything
without serious thought.
There is however, of course, a scale of seriousness
which I would place different surgical procedures on.
For instance, if I am going to get a mole removed I would
consider that of a less serious nature then a heart transplant.
(Artificial Heart)
( Diagram of a real heart.)
So where does a tooth implant lie on this scale?
Well, it should be considered as more serious then a mole.
When placing implants there are risks of bleeding complications.
Nerve damage, jaw fracture, sinus involvement, and necrosis of
the jaw are also things to consider.
But if properly treatment planned these risks can be greatly minimized.
Below you will see a diagram of a tooth implant.
Its a titanium screw.
No moving parts are pieces.
Far less complex then most people think.
A natural tooth is removed and the false one is put in its place.
The point.
If I was getting my heart replaced I would make sure to tell
everyone I love them, just in case.
If I am going to get an implant placed.
I would simply, rent a movie on my way home.
If you think you may be a candidate simply talk to your dentist
about implants and ask if they are right for you.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
How long can I go with a cracked tooth?
Okay your dentist just told you that your tooth is cracked.
He/She just told you that you need a crown.
Your first question is, "How long can I wait to get this crown"?
Well, here is the answer.
It totally depends.
A crack in a tooth will not stop on its own.
It will continue to progress until the tooth fractures.
What will continue to move the crack is chewing on the tooth that is cracked.
Therefore, if you stop chewing the crack will stop moving.
An all liquid diet will allow you to keep the crack from moving.
(Little side note here: grinding, even without
food in your mouth, can cause a crack to move as well.)
But unless you do that then the dentist has no idea how long until the tooth will fracture.
Bottom line is this, get your teeth fixed as soon as possible.
Financing the work is always a factor and maybe it can't get done right away.
Just know that the dentist has no way of predicting when and where you tooth will break.
If your dentist tells you you have a crack just be very careful.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
"It's just a small cavity. I'll get to it later."
Oh boy.
I hear this all the time.
And the truth is that sometimes a small cavity is just that, a small cavity.
But other times it is much much worse.
That only way to know however is to go the dentist and get is checked out.
A perfect example of this is represented in these pictures.
This first picture looks like the smallest of cavities.
This next picture however, shows the extent of decay that was present
down inside the tooth and the amount of tooth structure that
we had to end up removing.
Very close to a Root Canal.
In the end the tooth looks great but there is no getting around the
fact that the size of the filling will now make this tooth much weaker
then it needed to be if the patient would have been getting regular
checkups and fixed the problem much sooner.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Tooth Decay and Pain
Tooth decay normally doesn't hurt.
Its kind of like your dishwasher blowing a gasket, or something similar.
You think everything is fine and then the next moment there is
water all over your kitchen floor.
Well the dishwasher didn't go from brand new to breaking down over night.
It took a while and if someone trained in dishwasher repair had been
called out to occasionally check things out then the problem may have
been caught prior to the disaster.
The problem is that to you, the untrained eye, nothing is
wrong until things are very wrong.
The picture above is a progression of decay.
Typically it is not until step 4 that you would feel any major discomfort.
Problem is that steps 1-3 can be fixed with fillings and step 4 is a root canal.
You don't wait till your engine starts smoking to change your oil.
Please don't wait till you are in pain to have your teeth checked.
Lots of time, and discomfort can be avoided this way.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Which Electric is Right for Me?
Okay, because you asked.
When the topic of electric toothbrushes comes up there are two big questions that I always get asked.
Questions.
#1 Do I need one.
#2 Which one is the best.
Answers
#1 No. You do not need an electric tooth brush. If you are a diligent brusher then it does not really matter if your tooth brush uses batteries for power or uses you for power. The results can be the same. This is not to say that the results will be the same in the same amount of time. Because they wont. The manual tooth brush will take a little longer but it is capable of doing the same thing.
# 2 This question is like asking which car is the best. Well, a Ferrari is the fastest and looks the best, but a Toyota Camry will do you just fine. The same is true for tooth brushes. There are tooth brushes out there that can run you over $300. They have timers to tell you when to stop. they will talk to you and tell you to switch sides of the mouth. They have pressure sensors to tell you if you are brushing too hard. And they look really cool. However, the electric toothbrushes that cost $10 can do just as much for cleaning your teeth. The whole idea behind cleaning your teeth is just to get the bristles to remove the plaque. Little timers are nice but if you are capable of getting your teeth clean without a timer then what is the point.
So what do I use?
I use an Oral B electric. I like the way it feels when it cleans and it seems to work well for me. My wife uses a Sonicare, and can't stand my Oral B. Conversely I have used her Sonicare and that thing drives me up the wall. So there is a lot to be said here about personal preference.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Baby Tooth Root Canal
Children's teeth are similar to adult teeth in many ways.
They can both decay.
And the decay can get large enough that it can effect the nerve of the tooth.
In the case of an adult a tooth with an infected nerve would need a root canal.
In a child's tooth it would called a pulpotomy.
In both cases the nerve in the tooth is removed in order to help the tooth stop hurting.
One of the main differences here is the rate of success between the 2 procedures.
Root canals are, typically, very predictable.
Pulpotomys are much less so.
One reason for this is that the roots of an adult tooth are stable.
They have formed and are not going anywhere.
The roots on a child's tooth are ever changing.
The adult teeth coming in behind them are applying more and more
pressure to the baby teeth in order to force them out of the way so
that they, the permanent teeth, may erupt through the gums.
With this ever changing root structure, and not wanting to possibly damage the
permanent tooth under the baby tooth it is much more difficult to get a
pulpotomy to work then it is a root canal.
The one huge advantage that children have over adults in this
situation is that the baby teeth will fall out and the adult teeth shouldn't.
If a pulpotomy does happen to fail then removing the tooth is always
an option. And we just need to wait for the adult tooth to grow into its place.
Monday, May 7, 2012
My child grinds their teeth, SO LOUD! Can I do anything about it?
Does your child grind their teeth at night?
Do you go in to check on them and hear that horrible grinding sound?
Does your child's teeth look like little nubs that have been ground down
from what used to be good looking little teeth?
Can anything be done about it?
Will it end up hurting their teeth?
Here are some answers to your questions.
No there is nothing you can do about the grinding.
In adults we can do things like make mouth guards to wear
at night so you grind on that rather then the teeth.
But we really don't want the chocking hazard with kids so that option is out.
Grinding is a subconscious habit so its not like sucking your thumb
where we can monitor the child and remind them to stop.
Grinding is just something you are going to have to live with.
There are only very rare cases where childhood grinding
has ever caused any real damage to a child's teeth.
A child's teeth only are around for a few years anyway.
So the teeth that are being ground on usually are not around
long enough to have any real damage done to them.
do they look a little shorter? Yes. Is it a big problem? No.
And the best thing about this entire issue is that almost all of the
kids that grind their teeth when they are young will stop doing so
as they enter the teenage years. No one knows why for sure
but by the time they are teens most kids have kicked the habit.
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