Home Care: Brushing, Flossing and Irrigating

I've been pondering a flaw in my own behavior . . . here it is . . . regarding my Oral Health, I make it a point to visit my dentist and hygenist at least twice a year, for check-ups and cleanings. In the past, I've sought the confirmation from these professionals that my oral health was good; then I noticed that I would somewhat neglect my oral health until the next visit to the dentist.
The flaw is revealed . . . I was putting the responsibility of my oral health (and thus my overall health) in the hands of my dentist (who is a great dentist, by the way). . . who I only saw 2 days out of the year ! The revelation came from the answer of this next question . . . So, what about the other 363 days left in the year ? . . . the responsibility falls on . . . Me, Myself and I.

A simple daily routine will insure a healthy mouth. I recommend this flow within the routine . . . Floss, then Brush, and finish with Irrigation. My reasoning for this particular order is the functionality and performance of each of these tools.

Flossing is probably the least favorite thing to do, but very important. The specific strength of floss is its ability to effectively disrupt plaque in between the teeth. Brushing has its particular place by effectively disrupting plaque on the tooth's surface. Please take note, that while these tools are efficient in disrupting plaque . . they are not as efficient in collecting and removing it (that is the plaque). This is where Irrigation comes in. To follow up the flossing and brushing with irrigation will insure that the disrupted plaque that these tools (toothbrush & floss) have left behind, will be removed. Not only removing this plaque, but also the plaque in those "hard-to-reach", "out-of-sight-out-of-mind" areas. I believe that you will be surprised (just as I), at what is rinsed out into the sink . . even after brushing and flossing.

My recommendation for dental floss is to choose your personal preference. There are many varieties, but basically they provide the same result. I will say that I do like Oral-B's floss. You can find this at any of your local drugstores.

My recommendation for a toothbrush is a "sensitive to soft" bristle. It has been confirmed that in the USA, we are overly aggressive when we brush our teeth (really striving to scrub good). The problem with this is, it can cause our gums to receed (not a good thing). I personal use a sensitive bristle toothbrush. These are not typically easy to find in retail stores, but rather dental websites. You can find these on Dr. Collins and the Hydro Floss websites (http://www.drcollins.com/, http://www.hydrofloss.com/ ).

Out of all of the oral irrigators on the market (and I've tried the majority), I recommend the Hydro Floss oral irrigator. It is primarily available only through the dental professional, and is considered a professional grade model. There are also published clinical studies that reflect its effectiveness. http://www.hydrofloss.com/
Best to You ! -Steve

Living a Healthy Lifestyle

We all basically know what is required to live a healthy life, right? . . . proper diet, rest and exercise; but its what we don't know that can harm us and our families. Who would have ever thought our mouths would play such an extremely important part in overall health? . . . Periodontal disease . . aka . . gum disease, gingivitis, inflammation, and bleeding gums. When I first heard this my mind swirled with questions, primarily "How is this possible?". My curiosity fueled the search for some answers. Out of all the information I came across, it had to be the Surgeon General Report entitled "Oral Health in America", published in May 2000, that startled me most. It stated that periodontal (gum) disease effects a person's overall health, and also contributes to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung disease, kidney disease, anemia, hemophilia, premature births and underweight births.

. . .Whew, that was a mouth full . . . wait a minute, a mouth full of what? . . . Bugs ! . . . yep that's right, better know as "bacteria". So what's it doing in our mouths ? I kinda knew this, but then again I didn't . . the reason that there is bacteria in the mouth . . is to aid in the digestion of our food. I always heard that our saliva did that . . I didn't know that bacteria helped. Then I found out that there are over 6 billion bacteria in the intestinal tract . . once again, to aid in the digestion of our food. So if they are suppose to be there, what's the problem ?

Bacteria is a living organism, it eats and digest their food as we do . . . its the toxins in their waste . . Yep, you heard right . . that is causing the problem.

But I still was asking "How?" . . . then in conversation, a friend conveyed the best explanation. My friend asked me if I knew anyone that had heart problems and had to take nitroglycerine when they experienced chest pains, I said "yes" . . . they went on to explain that this person has been instructed to place a tablet under their tongue . . that the medication may dissolve and enter the bloodstream more rapidly, thus providing the relief they seek. The same thing is happening with the bacterial toxins . . they are entering into the bloodstream and "transported" to different organs in the body. I could see it, it made legitimate sense to me. So there you have it, a kinda lengthy condensed verison, but hey, this is a blog, tell me what you think.

Link to Surgeon General Report: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/oralhealth/

Best to you, Steve