Does Drinking More Water Protect Your Teeth?


Dental health is essential to us all because it not only affects the quality of our smile but, in many ways, it influences our quality of life. Besides the ability to offer a brilliant smile, a healthy mouth allows us to eat correctly, breathe without obstruction, speak with expression, and get into close encounters with fresh breath.

If you follow our blog posts, you understand there are many steps to protect your teeth, like brushing, flossing, and regular checkups. Below, you will learn why drinking water can be added to that list.

Strengthens Teeth

Drinking water, including water enhanced with fluoride, is recommended to strengthen teeth. Fluoride is a component proved scientifically to make teeth healthy and reduce cavities. It supports tooth structure and promotes remineralization. Consuming water with fluoride is an easy way to care for your dental health.

Cleans Your Mouth

Drinking water, along with consistent brushing and flossing, will keep your teeth clean. It rinses off acid and residue left by some foods as well as sugars and bacteria. If these harmful residues are left on the tooth surface and between the teeth, cavities will fill with bacteria. Another benefit of drinking water instead of colas, teas, and coffee is that it doesn’t stain your teeth.

Reduces Dry Mouth

The problem of dry mouth is caused by a lack of saliva, which prevents tooth decay. A dry mouth is also uncomfortable and an indication of dehydration. Drinking sufficient amounts of water daily resolves dry mouth and supports saliva production, hence few cavities.

Reduces Bad Breath

If you experience halitosis regularly, you understand the embarrassment that comes with it. Poor dental health, built-up bacteria, dry mouth, and dirty teeth all play a role in bad breath. It’s no wonder the mouthwash and products designed to eliminate mouth odor are a billion-dollar industry. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day cleans your mouth and rinses away odor-causing bacteria.

Hydrates Your Gums

Dental health is not only about your teeth. It includes your gums. When your gums are in poor health, it could lead to gingivitis and tooth loss. Drinking water promotes saliva production essential for healthy gums. Proper hydration with water consumption will keep your gums hydrated and plump to protect the root of your teeth.

Conclusion

Drinking water is critical for several health benefits, and your dental health is no exception. If you don’t drink at least 60 ounces daily, start making steps to work your way up to eight glasses a day. Keep filtered cold water in your refrigerator and make it your go-to drink instead of Pepsi, tea, or Coke. These steps will increase your water intake and improve your dental health in no time.

If you have any questions on how drinking plenty of water can improve your dental health, we are here to help.

Call our Austin oral surgery office at 512-327-7233 to request a consultation.

Can Chewing Gum Really Clean Your Mouth?


Though candy is not the best thing to put in your mouth for optimal oral health, one tasty treat can provide oral hygiene benefits. Sugar-free chewing gum is not only safe for your teeth, but can also help maintain your dental health.  Here’s how.

Stimulates Salivary Glands

Sufficient amounts of saliva neutralize harmful bacteria by flushing food particles from the mouth into the digestive system. This process prevents sugar and food particles from forming biofilms and harmful plaque that causes cavities and gum disease. Chewing sugar-free gum after each meal helps maintain oral health by keeping your teeth fresh and clean, with increased saliva production that washes away troublesome food debris.

Strengthens Immune System

According to clinical research, the simple act of chewing improves your immune system by promoting the formation of Th17 cells, which help fight cavities and dental infections. Researchers have learned that the immune system can learn bacterial infection patterns to become more proactive in improving your dental health.

Don’t Skip Brushing and Flossing

Though chewing sugarless gum has proven it can improve dental health, it is no substitute for healthy dental habits. Chewing gum will not give your teeth the comprehensive cleaning that brushing and flossing provide. You should brush at least two to three times daily, using a mouthwash or rinse when possible. Also, have a dental checkup at least twice a year for deep cleaning.

Make Chewing Sugarless Gum a Daily Habit

Your daily dental care regimen should include chewing sugar-free gum because of the benefits it delivers. It provides you with a way to eliminate food particles when brushing or flossing is not possible and gives you fresh breath.

It’s best to put a piece of sugarless gum in your mouth after eating, and chew it for approximately 20 minutes before disposing of it. This timeframe gives the chewing mechanism a chance for your salivary glands to create enough saliva to clean out your mouth. If you have dental work, check with your oral surgeon or dentist to ensure you can chew gum. Some devices like wire braces make sticky gum off-limits. Always opt for sugar-free gum and add an extra element to your oral hygiene routine!

Call our Austin oral surgery office at 512-327-7233 to request a consultation.

How to Effectively Floss Your Teeth


You know the lecture. You hear it every time you get your teeth checked. Sometimes it comes in the form of a question like, “How often do you floss?” The truth is, flossing is essential for good oral hygiene. But just as important is that you do it correctly. It plays a crucial role in excellent oral health.

Here are a few tips we included to ensure that when you floss, you do it right:

Choose a Good Floss

We recommend a waxed floss because it slides easily between your teeth and doesn’t fray as much as the unwaxed type. A wide floss is more effective in removing particles from between your teeth. If you like the flavored variety, that’s fine if it helps you floss more. Once you’ve chosen the right floss, now you must use it correctly.

Flossing Technique

Take a strand of your floss, about 18 inches, wrapping around a finger while grabbing the other side between your index finger and thumb. Guide the floss between the teeth, sliding it up and down. Make sure you floss around the gum line, contouring your floss into a c-shape and gently removing particles there as well. When you move to another area, use a clean section of the floss by moving the strand up your finger. We recommend starting on one side in the back and work around to the other side. Do this for both upper and lower teeth.

Flossing Back Teeth

You might find the back teeth difficult to reach. If that’s the case, simply use a longer strand of floss. Many patients prefer flossing with a water-flosser to effectively clean the gum areas and between the teeth, especially in the back.  Also, floss picks have handles that allow you to reach all the way in the back.

How Often Should You Floss?

It’s highly recommended that you floss at least once daily. Ideally, we would like to see you do it after every meal. But if you can’t, we recommend you do it before bedtime to ensure you sleep with clean teeth.

To ensure good dental health, you must brush your teeth often and floss every day. But equally important is that you schedule a teeth cleaning and oral checkups regularly. This practice will ensure you can be proud of your teeth for a lifetime.

Next Step

The Austin practice of Hill Country Oral Surgeons is available to patients who are concerned about their oral hygiene and dental health. To learn more about how you can ensure your teeth and gums are always healthy, contact us or call 512-327-7233.

My tooth was knocked out! What do I do now?

 

No matter how careful we are with our teeth—accidents happen. A tooth that’s been knocked out, also known as avulsed tooth, can be saved and re-implanted back. However, it still depends on how the tooth is treated while it is outside the mouth. Acting quickly and wisely is the key to saving an avulsed tooth.

What You Can Do

When the tooth gets knocked out, the most important step is to remain calm — do not panic. Though the nerves and supporting tissues are damaged during tooth avulsion, a root canal procedure can bring the tooth back to its place. Rushing to the dentist as soon as possible will increase the chances of saving a tooth. It is also important to avoid damaging the tooth even more. The following are the steps that you can take to help you preserve an avulsed tooth:

  • Try not to touch the root of the tooth—the end of the tooth that was attached to the gums. It may worsen the damage.
  • If the tooth gets dirty, you can wash it using milk while holding it by its crown. If there’s no milk, you can rinse it with water. Remember not to dry it with a cloth or any fabric.
  • Always keep the tooth moist. You can do this by filling a glass with milk, and putting the tooth inside. If there’s no milk, you can keep it in your mouth, between your cheek. However, a child may not be able to this without swallowing the tooth. For children, you may ask the child to spit an amount of saliva in a glass, where the tooth can be placed. If none of these are possible, you can place the tooth in a glass of water.
  • Try to put the tooth back into its socket. There are many instances that the tooth will slip back to its place without you needing to put pressure on it. Make sure it is facing the right way, but never force it back in its socket. If the tooth can’t slip back to its location, the best thing to do is to keep it moist.

What the Oral Surgeon Can Do

If the tooth is still in a good condition, the oral surgeon might be able to put it back in its socket. The procedure can be easy or complicated depending on how damaged the tooth is. After examining the tooth and performing an X-ray to assess the condition of the tooth, the oral surgeon may attach the avulsed tooth next to healthy teeth. This would allow proper support so your tooth can deal. The oral surgeon will then decide how long the splint should remain until the tooth is fully healed. Usually, if the tooth is not damaged, it will take about six to eight weeks until it is repaired. The more damaged the area is, the longer it will take for its full restoration.

Get Optimal Oral Health!

Your teeth need proper care. If you or someone you know have an avulsed tooth, do the steps above and rush them quickly to our clinic. Achieve a more confident smile by reaching out to Hill Country Oral Surgery for your oral health needs.