Teaching young children about the value of having clean teeth and fighting cavities can be a little overwhelming especially if they don’t want to listen to you. Here at Sandy Family Dental, a dentist in Sandy Oregon, we care about your entire family’s health that’s why we compiled a list of some of our favorite tips to help inspire your children to have clean teeth.

Set An Example

Start by setting a good example at home. If you enjoy going to the dentist, your children wil see that and naturally will be more relaxed. You are their best example. By teaching your children proper oral care at a young age, you will also make a connection with them when they are young. Plus bonding while you brush your teeth together is an easy way to build confidence in the daily routine.

When your children are young they learn best from watching you. If you treat brushing your teeth and flossing as a daily routine and a fun regimen they will learn it is an easy to implement habit as well. Your actions send a message to them that oral care is extremely important.

Make Them Feel Important

Children love to be part of the family and feel as if they make a difference. An easy way to make health care more enjoyable is to include your child in all the choices that come with oral care, like picking out the toothbrush and toothpaste. Make a date of it, and invite them to the store to pick out their own toothbrush and even toothpaste. This will help your child feel more connected to the process, to you and recognize the importance of maintaining proper oral care through routine care. When children get to pick their own tools out, they often feel more encouraged to do proper oral care.

Teach Them

Spending time with your child and educating them on proper health care is important. Spend time with your children until they get the hang of simple oral care steps, this will help them see the importance of brushing and flossing. We recommend that you use a soft bristle brush and show them how to reach to the inside of their teeth. The plaque builds up in this hard to reach places, so involving your children in the aspects of reaching to the hard to reach areas will remind them why it is important to take care of your teeth

Educate Them

Children learn by example but also remember it is extremely important to tell them why you are doing what you are doing. By implementing the importance of brushing to remove plaque and prevent cavities will help remind children why it is valuable to continue this habit.

The truth is the majority of oral health care should happen at home, and it is more preventative. When you take steps to better your health at home, and it is more enjoyable and affordable when you come to visit us.

We combined our favorite tips for this blog to help you make the most out of your oral care regimen at home.

Refresh Your Brush

Most likely it has been a little while since you have swapped your old toothbrush out for a brand new one. It is a good idea to change your toothbrush or the head of your electric toothbrush at least every 3-4 months.

The longer you keep your old toothbrush, the more you’re just transferring bacteria to your mouth. By replacing and refreshing your toothbrush you can feel fresher faster and have a cleaner mouth.

Ditch the Dark Colored Foods and Drinks

Eating dark colored foods and drinking a lot of coffee and red wine can show up on your teeth. Over time our teeth become stained from the pigments in these dark foods. Colas, gravies, and dark juices can also affect your smile. Bottom line: If it’s dark before you put it in your mouth, it will probably stain your teeth. We recommend brushing your teeth immediately after eating or drinking foods that can stain your teeth and use a good bleaching agent, either over-the-counter or in the dentist’s office.

Eat More Crunchy Food

Did you know that foods that are firm or crispy help clean your teeth as you eat them? We suggest eating healthier crunchy foods to get a cleaner mouth. Foods such as apples, raw carrots, celery, and popcorn are all good foods for your teeth. For best results, eat these foods as a final food you eat in your meal if you know you won’t be able to brush your teeth right after eating.

Use Mouthwash Often

When you do pick a brand of mouthwash, make sure it is alcohol-free. Most over-the-counter mouthwashes have too much alcohol, which can dry out the tissues in your mouth, making them more susceptible to bacteria. But when you are feeling stressed out and in a hurry a quick swish of fresh mouth wash can save the day.

Use Floss Picks

Floss picks are one of the greatest ways to keep clean teeth on the go. The floss picks work well because they fit between and under the wires to remove plaque and food particles, which helps keep breath fresh. Plus, the fun colors and great taste will help make flossing fun.

Gear to dominate the Vineman

You may know that Dr. Conklin is a passionate endurance athlete, as he recently completed the Vineman Ironman 70.3 triathlon last July. Many patients share the same enthusiasm for fitness and overall health care. But most endurance athletes do not consider the do’s and don’ts of oral care as part of their regimen during training season and on race day.

Long periods of training can cause metabolic events in the body that can reduce salivary flow. Saliva is a great aspect of oral health because it has a cleaning effect and helps remove unwanted food particles from the mouth. When saliva flow is reduced, the overall mouth can become more acidic, and a high acidic environment can cause tooth decay and loose of tooth structure. This happens because of a bacterial acid production. Dentists now think that tooth decay can happen due to many different types of bacteria.

Endurance drinks and sports gels often have a low pH in them, which means that they contain citric acid which can bind calcium. This is a problem when acid dissolves calcium on the teeth. To make sure your favorite sports activities don’t interfere with your oral care routine, consult Dr. Conklin at your next appointment. There are many tests available to help you determine the amount of risk based on your bacterial biofilm.

Here are some tips to help you keep your teeth clean on race day.

Pack the night before – Set out your toothbrush the night before, the same way you set out all of your gear.

Pack gum – Chewing gum will keep your mouth fresh while you race.

Bring extra water – Bringing an extra water bottle will help you wash away food particles after you eat.

Smile – There is nothing like swimming, biking then running your way to victory. Make sure you smile your way through the fun event.

Dr. Conklin can also advise you related to use of sport drink and maintaining dental health.  The goal should be to enjoy the health benefits of endurance sports and not compromise dental health.

Disposable

Positives

•  Disposable toothbrushes generally only cost a few dollars and come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors.
• A disposable brush with soft bristles allows you to brush your teeth as vigorously as you like without irritating your gums or damaging the enamel on your teeth.
• With the wide variety of disposable toothbrushes on the market, you can be sure to find one that works for you. A good toothbrush should have a head small enough to fit easily inside of your mouth, while being large enough to cover more than one tooth during each brushing motion.

Negatives

•  Disposable brushes wear out quickly depending on how frequently and how aggressively you brush, and need replacing every three months.
• A disposable brush also requires you to put all of the effort into cleaning your teeth, necessitating the need for you to be thorough and detail orientated while brushing.

Electric

Positives

•  Studies have shown electric toothbrushes with rotating oscillation heads work more effectively than a manual toothbrush at removing plaque.
• Electric toothbrushes don’t require the user to do all of the work while brushing. This can be especially helpful to individuals who suffer from arthritis or a lack of mobility with their hands.
• Once you make the investment on an electric toothbrush, you only need to replace the head of the brush instead of the entire brush once the bristles become worn and frayed.

Negatives

•  A quality electric brush can cost significantly more money than a disposable brush.
• Some people don’t like using electric brushes because their familiarity with disposable brushes makes using an electric brush strange and unwelcome.
• Electric brushes require charging or fresh batteries in order to work.

Conclusion

Using the proper technique while regularly brushing will keep your teeth healthy and strong regardless of which type of brush you use. If you are content with using the type of brush you have, then switching make little sense. However, if you want to spend a little more money, an electric brush can provide a little extra when cleaning your teeth.

Gear to dominate the Vineman

Dr. Conklin competed in the Vineman Ironman 70.3 triathlon on July 17^th, 2011, swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and running 26.2 miles. This incredible accomplishment took him 13 hours and 18 minutes – better than he expected!

“I’m really happy with my overall time,” said Dr. Conklin. “I improved on my previous time by 25 minutes.”

The Vineman Ironman 70.3 is one of the most competitive and popular triathlons worldwide, held each year in Sonoma County, California. In the heart of wine country, the course itself passes through hundreds of vineyards in the Russian River Region, Chalk Hill, the Dry Creek Valley, and the Alexander Valley.

Dr. Conklin and two friends spent 10 months training for the Vineman Ironman 70.3 triathlon, alternating between swimming, running, and biking workouts that gradually increased in length as they trained. To prepare his endurance, Dr. Conklin went on several 100 mile bike rides, finishing up with running before as part of his training.

Clearly, Dr. Conklin enjoyed the challenge. “It was worth all the work and the three black toenails,” he said.

• Plaque formation and growth is continuous and can only be controlled by regular brushing, flossing, and the use of other dental aids.
• Toothbrushing – Brush your teeth at least twice a day (especially before going to bed at night) with an ADA approved soft bristle brush and toothpaste.
• Brush at a 45 degree angle to the gums, gently using a small, circular motion, ensuring that you always feel the bristles on the gums.
• Brush the outer, inner, and biting surfaces of each tooth.
  Use the tip of the brush head to clean the inside front teeth.
• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen your breath.Electric toothbrushes are also recommended. They are easy to use and can remove plaque efficiently. Simply place the bristles of the electric brush on your gums and teeth and allow the brush to do its job, several teeth at a time.

Flossing – Daily flossing is the best way to clean between the teeth and under the gumline. Flossing not only helps clean these spaces, it disrupts plaque colonies from building up, preventing damage to the gums, teeth, and bone.

• Take 12-16 inches (30-40cm) of dental floss and wrap it around your middle fingers, leaving about 2 inches (5cm) of floss between the hands.
• Using your thumbs and forefingers to guide the floss, gently insert the floss between teeth using a sawing motion.
• Curve the floss into a “C” shape around each tooth and under the gumline. Gently move the floss up and down, cleaning the side of each tooth.
• Floss holders are recommended if you have difficulty using conventional floss.

Rinsing – It is important to rinse your mouth with water after brushing, and also after meals if you are unable to brush. If you are using an over-the-counter product for rinsing, it’s a good idea to consult with your dentist or dental hygienist on its appropriateness for you.

Regular dental exams and cleaning visits are essential in preventing dental problems and maintaining the health of your teeth and gums. At these visits, your teeth are cleaned and checked for cavities. Additionally, there are many other things that are checked and monitored to help detect, prevent, and maintain your dental health. These include:

• Medical history review: Knowing the status of any current medical conditions, new medications, and illnesses, gives us insight to your overall health and also your dental health.
• Examination of diagnostic x-rays (radiographs): Essential for detection of decay, tumors, cysts, and bone loss. X-rays also help determine tooth and root positions.
• Oral cancer screening: Check the face, neck, lips, tongue, throat, tissues, and gums for any signs of oral cancer.
• Gum disease evaluation: Check the gums and bone around the teeth for any signs of periodontal disease.
• Examination of tooth decay: All tooth surfaces will be checked for decay with special dental instruments.
• Examination of existing restorations: Check current fillings, crowns, etc.
• Removal of calculus (tartar): Calculus is hardened plaque that has been left on the tooth for sometime and is now firmly attached to the tooth surface. Calculus forms above and below the gum line, and can only be removed with special dental instruments.
• Removal of plaque: Plaque is a sticky, almost invisible film that forms on the teeth. It is a growing colony of living bacteria, food debris, and saliva. The bacteria produce toxins (poisons) that inflame the gums. This inflammation is the start of periodontal disease!
• Teeth polishing: Removes stain and plaque that is not otherwise removed during toothbrushing and scaling.
• Oral hygiene recommendations: Review and recommend oral hygiene aids as needed (electric dental toothbrushes, special cleaning aids, fluorides, rinses, etc.).
• Review dietary habits: Your eating habits play a very important role in your dental health.

As you can see, a good dental exam and cleaning involves quite a lot more than just checking for cavities and polishing your teeth. We are committed to providing you with the best possible care, and to do so will require regular check-ups and cleanings.