What is Fluoride?

You’ve probably heard the word “fluoride” before. It’s found in a lot of dental products, including many used at our Lynnwood Dentistry. But what is fluoride? Where does it come from, how does it help your teeth, and how do you know if you’re getting enough of it?

Tooth Enamel

Fluoride is a naturally-occurring mineral, found throughout the Earth’s crust and dispersed widely across nature. It’s important to your teeth because it reinforces your tooth enamel, keeping agents of tooth decay from penetrating into the more vulnerable reaches within and causing cavities. This enamel is routinely compromised by acids in the food you eat and other similar forces, so a proper application of fluoride is necessary to keep it healthy and strong.

It is for this reason that fluoride is popular in toothpaste, mouthwash, and even some varieties of floss. US cities even took on the practice of fluoridating their drinking water after discovering that cities with naturally fluoridated water had up to two thirds fewer cavities.

If your drinking water is fluoridated, a common fluoride toothpaste is probably all you need to give you your recommended level of fluoride. If you’re in doubt as to whether you live in an area with fluoridated water, try calling your local water district.

Why Baby Teeth Matter

Patients who have children often wonder when they should bring them in for their first visit to our Lynnwood Dentistry. After all, how important is dental care when you don’t have any permanent teeth yet? Surprising as it may be, your child’s baby teeth (or “primary teeth”) have a powerful impact on his or her life, and poor oral hygiene at a young age may have tooth-shattering consequences long after this first set of not-so-pearly-whites has been replaced.

Child’s Primary Teeth

A child’s primary teeth, after all, are his or her mouth’s “training wheels”. If you learn how to take care of these teeth at a young age, you’re far more likely to retain these habits later in life. Meanwhile, these teeth are playing an important role in developing proper chewing habits, speech habits, and self-esteem, all of which can be catastrophically harmed if tooth decay plagues your child with a crooked or painful bite.

Further, there is the occasional case of a baby tooth that simply does not have a permanent tooth growing beneath it. Your child may have to hang on to a primary tooth well into his or her adult years and, as fragile as these teeth are, they need all the help they can get.

First Dental Visit

It’s generally advised that you bring your child in for a first dental visit around his or her first birthday. Bring your young ones to Song’s Lynnwood dental center, and give them the gift of a healthy smile that will last a lifetime.

Looking Out for Oral Cancer

Oral Cancer Screening

When you get your teeth examined at our Lynnwood Dentistry, we’re also on the lookout for oral cancer.  This represents any cancerous developments on your lips, inside your cheeks, on your tongue, on the floor of your mouth or on your hard palate.

In addition to our efforts, there is also a lot you can be doing at home to look out for malignant growths between your regular dental visits.

Possible Symptoms of Oral Cancer

Keep the following symptoms in mind, and call us immediately if you think you are in danger:

  • Strange lumps, swelling, crusts, roughness, or eroded areas on your lips or anywhere inside your mouth.
  • Lumps in your neck.
  • Velvety red or white patches in your mouth, or a speckled white and red patch.
  • Unusual bleeding in your mouth.
  • A sore throat, or a sensation that you have something caught in the back of your throat.
  • Numbness or loss of feeling in your face, neck, mouth, or ear.
  • Unexplained pain or tenderness in your face, neck, mouth, or ear.
  • Sores in your face, neck, or mouth that bleed easily and persist for more than two weeks.
  • Persistent hoarseness.
  • Difficulty swallowing, chewing, or moving your tongue.
  • Slurred speech or changes in your voice.
  • A change in the way your teeth fit together.
  • Inexplicable weight loss.

How To Floss

Are you flossing correctly?

Many patients of our Lynnwood Dentistry are surprised to discover that their flossing habits are inadequate, and that those elusive between-the-teeth surfaces that don’t feel the benefits of your brush are giving precious ground in the endless battle against tooth decay.

Flossing Tips

If you think that your flossing could use a quick primer, try following these tips:

  • Plan to floss before brushing.  By clearing detritus from between your teeth beforehand, you can gain a maximum benefit from the fluoride of your toothpaste.
  • First, draw a length of floss about eighteen inches long.  This may come out to the length of your forearm.  Wind either end around your index fingers until you are holding a two-inch length between your hands.
  • Gently guide this length between each of your teeth, including the space between your back teeth and gums.  Pull it into a “V” shape against either side of the teeth to assure that all surfaces are being cleaned.
  • Take care to not saw at your gums.  If your flossing habits have not been good in the past, you may experience a little pain and bleeding until your tissues strengthen.

If you have any further questions about flossing, consult our Lynnwood dental center.

Coping With Dental Anxiety

Do you fear going to the dentist?

Dental anxiety is a legitimate condition, which is why our Lynnwood Dentistry takes lengths to put your fears at ease and make you feel more comfortable throughout your procedure.

It’s been found that a full five percent of the population suffers from a dentist-phobia, even when they themselves recognize the fear as irrational. This causes them to suffer oral pain for weeks before calling a dentist, or lose sleep on the night before an appointment. If you’re one of these people, don’t be afraid. There are ways to overcome your anxiety.

For many patients, their fear springs from a perceived lack of control while they are on the dentist chair. We work to alleviate this by listening to all of your concerns, discussing your procedures with you, and making sure you understand everything that is going on inside your mouth.

Modern Dentistry Technology

Modern technology even allows us to give you a video feed of certain procedures as we perform them, removing the uncertainty that goes with being left in the dark. This serves to mentally prepare most anxious patients, who gradually lose their dentist fear.

Some anxious patients base their fear off of a previous bad experience, probably a severe pain from their childhood visits to the dentist office. To these patients, we offer the assurance that our equipment is the top of the line in the modern dentistry world. Today’s techniques are more sophisticated than when you were young, and likely far more painless.

So don’t continue to live in fear and pain! Make the call to Song Dental, and finally find a friend in your dentist!

Overcoming Tooth-Grinding

Teeth Grinding

Our Lynnwood Dentist sees many patients suffering from excessive tooth grinding, or “bruxism”, as it is known medically. It’s a condition that can seriously compromise your teeth, wearing down their enamel and possibly leading to their destruction if it is allowed to go on for too long. Fortunately, there are many options for dealing with this problem.

Warning Signs of Bruxism

One of the worst things about bruxism is that many people don’t even realize they have it. Perhaps you grind your teeth in your sleep, or simply aren’t aware of it when it’s going on. It’s therefore good to look out for the warning signs: a dull headache or a sore jaw that just won’t go away may mean that it’s time to seek the help of your dentist.

If you have bruxism, you should explore the reasons that might be behind it. It’s frequently brought on by stress, pain, or misaligned teeth. You can discuss these possibilities with your dentist.

Contact Song Dental in Lynnwood

We can offer you tips on how to overcome your condition, special treatment where it is appropriate, and even nocturnal mouth guards to prevent further damage to your teeth.

Contact us for more information on bruxism.

What About Toothpicks?

Are toothpicks beneficial to your teeth?

Every so often, our Lynnwood dentist will have somebody ask about the benefits of toothpicks. Are they beneficial to your teeth? Are they a valid substitute for flossing?

The answer is that toothpicks are a mixed bag and, though they have some valid application, they should never be considered an alternative to a proper oral hygiene system.

Like floss, toothpicks can reach between your teeth somewhat better than the bristles of your brush. Of course, a toothpick is obviously thicker than a string of floss, so you can hardly expect to get as much coverage. They serve well to dislodge bothersome chunks of food, which can lead to a somewhat cleaner mouth, but that’s more or less the limits of their utility.

Possible Issue with Toothpicks

A problem with toothpicks is that they can be a little hard on your gums. Don’t try to shove them too far in between your teeth, as the hard, wooden edges can easily damage your fragile tissue. This is also a good way to splinter the pick, possibly lodging tiny pieces below the gum line. So take care with your tooth-picking, brush and floss every day, and see your Lynnwood dentist regularly to keep your smile clean.

Picking the Right Floss

Dental Floss Selection

Floss selection is an important part of your flossing routine. Your Lynnwood Dentistry wants you to get the most out of your flossing, and one of the best ways to do this is to be aware of the different kinds of floss available to you.

Not all floss is the same because not all teeth are the same. If you find yourself having to rip your floss out from between your teeth, for example, then your teeth are probably a little closer together than other people’s. Try experimenting with finer floss until you can move in and out from between all of your teeth with reasonable ease.

Dental Floss Picks

For some people, limited manual dexterity is what makes flossing a trying ordeal. If you have this problem, you might consider some of the flossing aids that are available.

Floss picks are great because they allow easier angles for you to floss hard to reach areas. They may also allow you to effectively floss with only one hand instead of using both hands to reach the back teeth.

If you have any further questions about floss, or would like help in selecting floss, feel free to contact Song Dental in Lynnwood.