These are basic guidelines that can ensure that your mouth is healthy and that you’re also happy wih your smile:

1. Make sure you clean below the gum line – ensure you get the area of the teeth around and below the gum line to remove harmful plaque build up

2. Keep the pressure on your teeth - sometimes people aggravate their gums by pressing too forcefully against them. Instead, pressure of the floss should be placed against the side of the teeth while flossing

3. Recognize it if your gums bleed - bleeding gums usually indicate that you’re not flossing often enough; it’s a sign that your oral health is failing and you need to step up your routine

Via: Animated Teeth

Many families might not have thought about going green with their home dental care products, but there are options out there, including eco-friendly alternatives for the most common tooth care product; toothpaste!

Here are some tips for finding green toothpaste that you can use at home:

1. Look at the ingredients – make sure you read the packaging even if a toothpaste promises that it’s green. Toothpaste that is vegetable based is much more natural. Many popular green toothpastes also avoid using any unnecessary chemicals like perfumes, flavors, preservatives or artificial coloring
2. Read the packaging – see if the packaging is recyclable or made from recycled products. This should be listed directly on the toothpaste bottle. Many green toothpastes are not package in a box as well as the tube to further cut down on waste
3. Check for certification – do make sure that the green toothpaste that you choose is certified by the American Dental Association to ensure there are no negative consequences. Going green is important, but don’t do it at the cost of your health by making inappropriate choices

Via: Ecofriendly Daily

1. In seniors who have the dexterity to provide for their oral health, caregivers can simply encourage them  through the process if it is memory due to illnesses like Alzheimer’s that make the process a struggle
2. Make sure the toothbrush that a senior is using has soft bristles, whether or not the senior or caregiver will be doing the brushing
3. If caregivers are doing the brushing, it’s easiest to stand behind the senior, and important to ensure they’re comfortable
4. Complete periodic checks between dental visits
5. For seniors who have dentures rather than natural teeth, it’s important to clean them daily using denture cleaner not toothpaste

Via: Canadian Dental Association , Image Via: Flickr Creative Commons

Tips for home examinations:

1. Sit comfortably with your child’s head in your lap. In this position, you should be able to see all surfaces of the front and back teeth relatively easy
2. Use gauze or paper towel to help move your child’s tongue around their mouth to get a good view of the teeth all around the mouth
3. Use a compressor to hold their tongue down when you try and look at the back teeth. If you don’t have a tongue compressor then use the end of a spoon
4. With a younger child, don’t take too long with the examination process, otherwise they might not be so cooperative next time. The first time you try this at home, get your child to open his/her mouth while you do a quick check!

Via: Your Dental Care Tips

Image Credit: Flickr Creative Commons

Sinusitis results in the overproduction of mucus in the sinuses, causing post nasal drip as the sinuses drain into the back of the throat and the tongue. Sinusitis doesn’t just occur when colds persist; it can also result from allergies and other environmental irritants.

One of the most important prevention methods of bad breath due to sinus drainage is to see a doctor regularly. A doctor can provide solutions to ongoing problems caused by allergies or recommendations to cope with post nasal drip from a cold. Sinus irrigation is another method to help all irritants and mucus from the system and this can be done at home.

Remember, your overall health and your oral health are closely linked – so if you ignore one you may have negative repercussions with the other; and bad breath is just not one issue that anyone wants to face!

Via: EZine Articles

Image Credit: Flickr Creative Commons

There are products on the market to help protect dry mouths, but increased oral care is also necessary.

1. Everyone should be brushing at least twice a day, but for those with decreased quantities of saliva, it’s even more crucial, and best to brush after every meal especially particularly sugary items
2. Don’t skip flossing! Do so daily to prevent the build-up with plaque
3. Skip the sugary foods that will increase the likelihood of tooth decay.  If it’s not possible to escape the craving, brush right after eating
4. Pick a toothpaste with fluoride
5. Make sure you visit the dentist as recommended, he/she may also have additional tips to help you care for your teeth

Via: About.com and UI Healthcare

Finding help for dental care is easier than you might think. Simply take a look at your state dental association, and see if there are any charity organizations that can help cover costs for those who can’t afford dental care. This ensures that oral health is always a priority, regardless of the financial costs.

Medicare in many states also helps cover the costs of oral care for families in lower income brackets, though it is necessary that individuals find a dental clinic that will accept Medicare.

For those in New York State, visit the New York State Dental Association website or contact us to discuss your circumstances and your budget.

(Image Credit: Flickr Creative Commons)

1. Dental Anxiety – dental anxiety is a very common issue. This is what many Americans feel before visiting the dentist and when they arrive in the office. Anxiety in this instance refers to feelings of fear due to the unknown. It’s not a crippling fear, though it’s widespread since 75% of people face this.
2. Dental Fear – dental fear appears in individuals who have already had a procedure done that has caused pain or discomfort, and they are fearful of feeling those sensations again when it becomes time. For some people, dental fear can develop from a process as simple as teeth cleaning, or it may appear for something more invasive like a root canal. In some cases, it might not even be a previous experience, someone simply telling the patient about the pain or discomfort may cause this fear.
3. Dental Phobia – this is a real psychological aversion the visiting the dentist. Fear can arise just from seeing a dental office or something associated with the dentist. This category of fear can also be challenging for a dentist to treat when the patient is conscious

No matter which type of fear you may have when it comes to visiting the dentist, make sure that your oral health isn’t compromised. Talk to your dentist and see what they can do to make sure you receive appropriate treatment in a way that helps you remain more at ease.

Via: Medical News Today

(Image Credit: Flickr Creative Commons)

You know how to care for the gums and teeth of your child, but if you’ve recently had your first baby, you might not know when to expect their teeth to appear. Here’s a general guideline to help you understand to ensure you put dental care first, and also understand whether or not teething might be a good excuse for your child’s recent mood swings!

• 6 months – around this time, babies should receive their first teeth. Typically they are the lower incisors around the bottom front of the mouth, and 2 appear
• 8 to 12 months – the upper central and lateral incisors appear within this time frame and are the four teeth on the top front
• 4 teeth everyone 6 months until age 3 – by age 3, children should have all of their baby teeth.  2 at a time typically appear, and are on opposite sides of teeth that are already erupted
• 6 to 12 years – primary (baby) teeth are lost in this period. Some children lose more closer to the younger age range, and others closer to the older; there is no rule, except that around age 12 all of the baby teeth should be shed and replaced by permanent, adult teeth

Via: Just The Facts, Baby!

The dental industry is often shrouded by distrust. Since many Americans pay out of pocket for their dental care, they watch every penny and often find themselves thinking that perhaps a dentist is only telling them they need a certain procedure because they want to get more money out of them. Unfortunately, as in all of healthcare, there are some dentists that do operate this way. This is why it truly is essential to do your research before you choose to visit a dentist. Ask family and friends about their personal experiences at local dentist offices. Learn where they found great value for their care along with superior quality of treatment and customer service. Don’t hesitate to ask a dental office about their payment policies either; if they are not upfront with you then they might be a dentist that’s focused strictly on financial gain, and the truth is these are not people you can trust. Of course, to be successful, any dental practice needs to see profit; but their focus should also be upon improving health and emotional well-being with their services.

At ToothSavers, we do everything that we can to ensure that all Americans have access to the dental care they require, so we work with our patients to come up with a payment structure that works for them. It’s just not fair for indidviduals to have to sacrifice their health because they don’t have the financial resources today.

Here’s a testimonial from one ToothSavers patient who we treated, making health the priority over finances.

“There’s no way that you could have known who I am or what I’ve been though over the past 4 years. When I came to you with my dental problems I knew they were extensive, but I saw hope, something that I was in danger of losing. When you were talking about a credit check I knew that I was in trouble seeing as how I had just fought cancer and lost my husband to a chronic illness. I sat in the chair hoping for a miracle and was so fortunate you provided one. Thank you seems so little for what you’ve given me. Hope that things will be okay. I do promise to pay you back within 2 years and will never be able to express how much I appreciate everything you and your staff have done for me.”

- Suzanne, New Jersey

(Image Via: Flickr Creative Commons)