Cosmetic Dentistry Blog

Dental hygiene is directly related to your overall physical health. But how can you be sure you are taking proper care of your teeth, mouth and gums? Generally, your teeth and gums should not hurt or bleed, after brushing; your breath should be fresh for a few hours after brushing and eating breakfast. The easiest way to prevent gum disease is to clean your teeth properly, here are some tips:

1. Use the right mouthwash.

If you use alcohol free mouthwash twice a day, you'll slash your risk of gum disease by 60%. Ideally you should aim to rinse for about 30 seconds with a mouthwash that has microbial protection to fight plaque and gingivitis.

2. Floss before you brush.

You should floss before you brush your teeth, rather than after. That way you'll be able to brush away any food that was stuck between your teeth to prevent bacteria from growing.

3. Use the right toothbrush.

Soft or extra soft bristles are best. Using a medium or hard-bristled toothbrush scratches the tissue of your gums away over time, exposes the root surface underneath and leads to possible bone loss.

4. Brush smart.

To really clean your teeth, aim to brush them for a full two minutes. Also brush your tongue and cheeks as well as your teeth to improve the removal of harmful bacteria. Be sure to replace your toothbrush about every three months.

For more oral health tips, or for routine visits, contact Dream Smile Dental.

Early Detection of Oral Cancer can Improve Treatment Success

You may be surprised to learn that one American dies every hour from oral cancer. This death rate has remained virtually unchanged for over 40 years. In fact, while the incidence and death rates for cancers in general have decreased, the incidence of oral cancer has increased by 5.5% and the death rate has increased by 1.5%

Often, oral cancer is discovered too late in stage development, which is the main reason for the consistently high death rate. Therefore, oral cancer treatment often results in the patients being disfigured which can seriously diminish their quality of life. Early detection and diagnosis is imperative in increasing life expectancy; it is 90% curable when found in the early stages. However, 70% of oral cancers are diagnosed in the late stages.

Did you know that the death rate in the United States for oral cancer is higher than that of cervical cancer, Hodgkin's disease, cancer of the brain, liver, testes, kidney, or ovary? More than 30,000 Americans will receive an oral cancer diagnosis this year. In five years, only 57% will still be alive. Also, 27% of oral cancer victims do not use tobacco or alcohol and have no other lifestyle risk factors.

Early detection is the key to successful treatment and increasing life expectancy. At Dream Smile Dental, our practice has incorporated VELscope, the most powerful tool available for assisting in the discovery of oral abnormalities.

The VELscope's blue-spectrum light causes the soft tissues of the mouth to naturally fluoresce. Healthy tissues fluoresce in distinctive patterns, and these patterns are visibly disrupted by trauma or disease. Using the VELscope, a wide variety of oral abnormalities can be discovered often before they're visible to the unassisted eye.

With the addition of the VELScope, we can become aware of suspicious areas in the mouth, before they even grow into a lesion. Ask us for more information on the VELScope!