You practice good dental care, brushing your teeth, flossing fairly regularly, staying on schedule with your family dentist and the hygienists. Good for you! But you may be engaging in one or more bad habits that can undermine or compromise your dental health. Did you know that…………..

1. Crunching, Sucking, and Sipping.  You slurp down an ice-cold soda or iced tea and then crunch, crunch, crunch the leftover ice. What’s the harm?  The brittleness and cold temperature of  ice cubes can actually cause teeth to fracture! Microscopic fractures in the surface of tooth enamel can lead to bigger dental problems over time. Right up there with ice cubes are popcorn kernels, which can put undo stress on a tooth and cause it to fracture. Sipping sugary soda throughout the day is another bad habit. Constant  exposure to sweet from an acidic beverage can foster tooth decay. Try switching to crushed ice in drinks, and sip soda through a straw to minimize exposure to your teeth.
2. USING YOUR TEETH AS TOOLS.  Dr.Shlafer can report that some patients rely on their teeth for a number of odd jobs; to tear open a bag of chips, uncap a bottle of nail polish, pull out a watch stem, or rip a price tag off a piece of clothing. This can traumatize your teeth, causing the edge of a weakened tooth to chip or even fracture. Keep simple tools such as scissors and pliers handy  to do the dirty work.
3. GRINDING YOUR TEETH.  Whether you grind your teeth during the day, at night, or both, it wears them down. Often, teeth grinding is a nervous habit reflecting anxiety. Dr.Shlafer may suggest an evaluation to see if you are a candidate for a bite guard.
4. USING A HARD BRISTLED BRUSH. Some people think the firmer the toothbrush , the better.  This isn’t so, especially for older adults. With age, gums push back and the roots of the teeth become exposed, often increasing sensitivity. A brush with too firm of bristles may irritate the gums and lead to sensitive teeth.
5. NOT BRUSHING OR FLOSSING PROPERLY.  Some people floss and brush their teeth regularly, but not often enough. You should aim to brush  and floss twice a day. Be sure to replace your manual toothbrush  or electric  toothbrush head every 3-4 months. If you are not sure if you are flossing properly, just ask Mary or Sharon for guidance when you are here for your next hygiene visit. You will find an electric toothbrush easier to use, especially if  you have hand, arm or shoulder problems that make manual brushing difficult.

Now that you are aware of these habits and why they are harmful, you can change those habits and keep your teeth healthy.

A kiss. A smile. Your breath. What’s most important to you? Chances are it’s good breath, especially if you are giving a kiss or a smile!

Let’s get personal. Bad breath affects how you feel about yourself, not to mention how others perceive you. In fact, you may not even know you have bad breath until a brave friend tells you.

How can you tell if you have bad breath? A simple way is to stick a clean finger in your mouth and scrape saliva from the back of your tongue. Put it on the back of your hand, wait a minute, then smell your hand. Is it something you’d want to kiss?

Check out some of these tips about the causes and cures for bad breath:

5 Common Causes of Bad Breath

1. Blame bacteria for bad breath. Bacteria live inside your mouth. These micro organisms lurk between your teeth and cover your tongue. When bacteria stagnates, they multiply and give off  a stinky odors.

2. Say “Ahhhh.” Your tonsils are a common cause of bad breath. If your tonsils are too wide and pitted, substances can collect there and create a bad odor.

3. Pungent foods and bad breath. Foods such as onion, garlic and fish can cause bad breath–even for hours after you brush your teeth.

4. Bad habits=bad breath. Any type of smoking or chewing tobacco can leave you with a nasty taste and smell in your mouth.

5. Tummy troubles. Sometimes  GI problems or low carb diets can cause bad breath.

10 Tips To Banish Bad Breath

1. Brush your teeth and tongue twice a day. Be sure to brush the back of your tongue, where you can remove smelly bacteria that causes bad breath. You can also use a tongue scraper.

2.  Floss once a day for fresh breath.  Flossing is a must-do. Flossing gets out hidden food particles and removes plaque. Flossing also helps prevent periodontal disease–another common cause of bad breath.

3. Gargle with peroxide to fight bad breath. An antibacterial mouthwash is important if you have a problem with excess plaque.

4.  Use a fluoride mouth rinse for sweeter breath.  Not only do decayed teeth hurt, they also have an odor.

5.  Drink lots of water to avoid bad breath.  Lack of fluids can lead to dry mouth which causes bad breath. Dry mouth or reduced saliva can be the result of not drinking enough fluids, mouth breathing, or using medications like antihistamines.

6. Reduce upset stomach to ease bad breath. Over the counter antacids may ease a sour stomach, which can cause bad breath. If you are milk intolerant and have GI problems, try lactose tablets.

7.  Check your sinuses: infection can cause bad breath. Bad breath can be a clue to an underlying sinus infection. Post nasal drip could be the culprit.

8.  Eat yogurt for sweeter breath. Yogurt replenishes the good bacteria in your stomach and promotes a healthier mouth.

9. Chew gum with xylitol to banish bad breath. Chewing gum makes you salivate if your mouth is dry thus causing bad breath. Saliva washes away the bacteria in your mouth.

10.  See Dr.Shlafer, at least every 6 months for a teeth cleaning and oral exam.

Are your pearly whites starting to not look so pearly? If so, Dr. Shlafer recommends you start with these four “must-dos” to help your mouth look and feel fabulous.

Kick the habit. I’m sure you don’t need another person in your life to explain why you need to quit smoking. As you know, the nicotine and tar in cigarettes are not only turning you teeth an unsightly shade of yellow, but they are eating away at your gums. Smoking creates a ripe environment for bacteria and plaque on your teeth and along the gum line. The harm to your tissue will eventually increase your risk of tooth loss.

Pay a visit. If you are prone to ditching the dentist, it turns out that roughly 50% of adults in the United States  don’t see a dentist on a yearly basis because of  “dentist-phobia”, finances, or just plain neglect. Regular trips to the dentist can catch problems such as decay, gum disease, trauma, or cancer when they are in the early stages and solutions are more affordable.

Brush right. Is your brushing technique below par? Maybe you don’t brush often enough. It only takes 2-3 minutes to properly clean your teeth and gums.

Finesse flossing. Flossing is fundamental to keeping teeth and gums clean–but only if you do it right. Snapping and popping your way through the process probably does more harm than good, causing friction on tissue and damage at the gum-line. Make sure to keep the floss tight against your tooth to break up plaque while leaving your gums in good shape.

 Do you know what’s lurking on your toothbrush?

Your toothbrush is loaded with germs. Researchers  have found that one uncovered toothbrush can harbor more than 100 million bacteria! Don’t panic, your mouth wasn’t exactly sterile to begin with. The problem starts when there is an unhealthy balance of bacteria in your mouth. It is important to remember that plaque–the stuff you are brushing from your teeth–is bacteria, so in essence you are putting bacteria back on your toothbrush every time you brush your teeth.

What can you do?

• Don’t brush where you flush! Many bathrooms may be small and every toilet flush sends a spray of bacteria into the air. Make sure you store your toothbrush loosely covered or in a cabinet.
• Keep your toothbrush rinsed, wash it thoroughly with tap water every time you use it.
• Keep it dry. Bacteria loves a moist environment.Make sure your brush has a chance to dry thoroughly between brushings.
• Keep it upright, rather than laying down.
• Keep it to yourself. Do not share toothbrushes. Don’t store them side by side or in the same cup with other family members. Whenever toothbrushes touch, they can swap germs.

When to toss your toothbrush.

• The best way to limit the amount of bacteria on your toothbrush is to replace it on a regular basis.
• The American Dental Association recommends throwing out your toothbrush every 3-4 months. If the bristles become frayed, you are sick, or have a weakened immune system, throw it out even more often.
• If you use an electric toothbrush, throw out the head as often as you would discard a disposable toothbrush.

Every time you are tempted to skip brushing and flossing your teeth, remember how many bacteria lurk in your mouth! Dr.Shlafer wants all of his patients to have healthy mouths and beautiful smiles.

The best way to protect your teeth is with the facts. Only one of the following  is true. Do you know which?

If You Have a Cavity, You’ll Know it.

A Sensitive Tooth Means You Have Decay.

Chips and Cracks in Teeth Lead to Decay.

To separate dental myth from fact, read on. We all know that brushing and flossing is the best way to prevent cavities. Prevention is the key. You need to remove bacteria from teeth by brushing and flossing twice a day with a fluoridated toothpaste. By removing the bacteria daily from every area of your tooth, you have a greater chance of remaining cavity free.

Another factor to consider is what you eat and how often you eat. Changes in your mouth start the minute you eat certain foods. Bacteria in the mouth convert sugars from the foods you eat, to acids, and the acids begin to attack the enamel of the teeth, which starts the decay process. The more often you eat and snack, the more frequently you are exposing your teeth to the cycle of decay. See if any of these myths surprise you.