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October 31—Halloween. Fourth Thursday in November—Thanksgiving. And, in between these two favorite autumn holidays, we have November 1—National Brush Day!

Okay, okay. Maybe National Brush Day isn’t quite as well-known as Halloween or Thanksgiving, but we take any opportunity to celebrate your dental health. So, let’s celebrate brushing!

After all, brushing is vital for healthy teeth and gums.

• Brushing is your first line of defense against plaque. Plaque forms all day long. Plaque sticks to your teeth. Plaque is filled with bacteria which produce cavity-causing acids. Brushing regularly means plaque won’t stay on your teeth long enough to cause serious tooth decay.
• Brushing is also important for your gum health. Angling your brush to carefully clean plaque and bacteria away from your gum line helps prevent gum disease.
• Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease among children and young adults. The leading cause of tooth loss in adults is gum disease. Good brushing habits help prevent tooth decay and gum disease—a win/win when it comes to your oral health.

To make the most of the time you spend brushing, let’s take a moment to review some basics on National Brush Day.

Are You Brushing Correctly?

• Big, broad brushstrokes aren’t the answer. Instead, use small up-and-down or circular strokes over each tooth and each tooth surface—outside, inside, and on the flat surfaces of your molars.
• Because plaque forms all day, you need to keep on top of it. Brushing at least twice a day for two minutes each time is a good general rule. Dr. Michelle Slezewski and Dr. Paul Engibous will let you know the best brushing schedule for your individual needs.
• Brushes are meant to clean, not to scrub. You don’t need a heavy hand for cleaner teeth.
• Which also means, there’s almost never a good time to brush with a hard-bristled brush. Hard bristles, along with hard brushing, can actually damage your enamel and gum tissue. Stick to a soft-bristled brush for dental TLC.

Are You Taking Care of Your Brush?

• To clean away bacteria and viruses you might have picked up during the day, wash your hands before brushing and flossing.
• Shake your brush dry when you’re finished and then let it air dry upright with the handle pointing down. Only use a case for travel, and make sure it has air holes for ventilation. (Bacteria thrive in a wet environment.)
• If your toothbrush lives in the bathroom, close the toilet seat before flushing to avoid airborne particles.
• No matter how close you are to your family members or roommates, don’t share your toothbrush. Sharing doesn’t mean caring in this case—it means sharing germs. Your brush should keep a healthy distance from other brushes as well.
• And no matter how fond you are of your brush, be prepared to replace it often! Most brushes last three to four months at best, because bristles start to fray and can’t clean effectively after several months of use.

It’s no coincidence that National Brush Day comes right after Halloween, the most sugar-filled holiday of them all. So, how can we mark the occasion?

Treat yourself to a new toothbrush! Take a moment to review your brushing habits. If you have young children at home, spend two minutes brushing together to make sure they’re brushing effectively–they might even have some tips for you! Brushing your teeth properly is one of the easiest things you can do to protect your oral health. That’s something to celebrate!

You know a lot about taking care of your teeth. You brush carefully twice each day, you floss, you (mostly!) eat healthy foods, and you see Dr. Michelle Slezewski and Dr. Paul Engibous for checkups and cleanings. Good for you! These are some of the very best ways to make sure you don’t get cavities.

But it takes more than taking care of your teeth for good oral health. It also means taking care of your gums, because your teeth and gums are a team.

Clean and healthy gums and teeth work together. Our gums fit snugly around our teeth to help protect them from bacteria and other germs. And clean, plaque-free teeth are important for healthy gums. How? Let’s take a look.

Plaque forms all day long, and sticks to our teeth unless we brush and floss it away. The bacteria in plaque create acids. These acids make our tooth enamel weaker, which can lead to cavities. We don’t want cavities, and so we brush and floss to get rid of plaque.

But that’s not the only reason we clean our teeth well. Plaque is double trouble, because the bacteria in plaque also irritate our gums.

How do our gums react when they’re irritated? They turn darker pink or red, or they get swollen or sore, or they even bleed a bit when you brush. All these signs are symptoms of gingivitis, which is how gum disease begins. (And sometimes people can have gingivitis without any big symptoms at all.)

So, how do you make sure you keep your gums healthy? Just remember to include your gums while you’re doing all the things you already do to take care of your teeth!

• Brush Well

Lots of people, including kids, get gingivitis, because it doesn’t take long for plaque to build up when we don’t brush often enough or carefully enough. Make sure to brush twice each day, and don’t forget to angle your toothbrush to gently brush along the gum line where your teeth and gums meet.

Gentle brushing is all you need for daily tooth cleaning. Rough brushing and hard bristles can hurt even tough tooth enamel, so you know they’re not good for your gums!

• Floss Well

Flossing gets plaque that your toothbrush can miss. After all, it’s hard for bristles to squeeze in between those tight teeth. And flossing is especially important for your gums, because it removes plaque that is hiding near the gum line.

But figuring out the best way to floss teeth can be hard even for adults! Luckily, you have an expert to help you find out just how to use floss and just the right floss to use—your dental hygienist. When you have your teeth cleaned at our Anchorage, AK office, ask about the easiest and best ways to floss for your own special teeth and gums.

• Eat Well

All of the foods which are good for your teeth—milk, cheese, yogurt, fruits, vegetables—are good for your gums, too! And the foods which aren’t so great for your teeth—sticky, sugary foods—aren’t great for your gums, either. Sugar feeds the bacteria in plaque, and plaque irritates gums.

This doesn’t mean no treats ever. It does mean that it’s important to brush well after enjoying desserts, or chips, or candy, or any food that sticks around your teeth and gums after eating. And if you can’t brush, a drink of water helps wash away bits of food which are still hanging around.

• See Your Dentist Regularly

Regular visits to Pediatric Dental Associates can catch any gum problems before they become more serious. And, if you’ve been missing any spots when you brush and floss, your dentist or hygienist will let you know.

If you notice any signs of gingivitis—puffiness, redness, bleeding, or pain—tell a grownup right away. One of the fantastic things about the way our gums work is the fact that careful brushing and flossing are often all you need to make them healthy again! If you need more help, your dentist is the person who can treat gum problems to keep your smile feeling and looking great.

Work together with Dr. Michelle Slezewski and Dr. Paul Engibous to make sure your teeth and gums are their healthiest. Just like healthy teeth and gums are a great team, you and your dentist make a great team, too!

Now that you’re entering the working world, or heading off to college, or pursuing any of the many adventures awaiting you in adult life, you’re ready to take on more adult responsibilities. And one of those responsibilities is making sure you maintain your dental health.  

Luckily, it’s not that hard! Successful adulting often means simply making small proactive choices which add up to big long-term benefits. So, let’s look at a few of the everyday habits of dentally successful adults.

Choose a Healthy Lifestyle

• Eat well.

Just like the rest of our bodies, our teeth and gums need a healthy diet to thrive. Sugar-fueled study sessions and energy drink-filled work hours should be the rare exception, not the norm. A diet rich in vitamins and minerals keeps gums healthy and enamel strong.

• Don’t use tobacco products. 

Cigarettes, cigars, pipe smoking, chewing tobacco—any form of tobacco products, especially combined with alcohol use, can greatly increase your chances of developing mouth and throat cancers.

• Talk to your doctor about the HPV vaccine.

HPV (human papillomavirus) can also cause mouth and throat cancers. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the HPV vaccine for kids ages 9 through 12. If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, talk to Dr. Michelle Slezewski and Dr. Paul Engibous about the potential benefits of the HPV vaccine. 

Keep Up with Your Orthodontic Care

If you’ve spent several of your teen years in braces or aligners creating a beautiful, healthy smile, you don’t want to see all your hard work go to waste. Retainers are designed to make sure your teeth stay just where they belong for a lifetime. 

When retainers aren’t worn as directed, especially when braces or aligners first come off, the teeth can shift back to their old positions. Sometimes going back to your regular retainer schedule can fix any minor movement, but sometimes patients need to go back for repeat orthodontic treatment.

How to avoid orthodontic do-overs?

• If you have a retainer, wear it as scheduled to maintain your alignment and healthy bite. 
• Put your retainer in a case when you’re not wearing it. A bent or broken retainer won’t keep your teeth aligned properly and can damage delicate oral tissues!
• If your retainer is damaged, see the dental team at Pediatric Dental Associates in Anchorage, AK ASAP for repair or replacement.

 Practice Good Oral Hygiene

• Brush at least twice a day, for two minutes each time. 

Plaque begins to build up within hours after your last brushing. Removing plaque morning and evening also removes the cavity-causing bacteria which live in plaque. These bacteria erode enamel and lead to cavities.

• Floss at least once a day. 

Flossing helps remove plaque from your gumline. When plaque accumulates over time, it becomes tartar, a substance so hard that you’ll need a dental professional to remove it. The bacteria in plaque and tartar irritate your gums, and this irritation is the beginning of gum disease. Early stage gum disease (gingivitis) can often be reversed with better brushing and flossing habits—but, even better, help stop gum disease before it starts with daily flossing.

• See your dentist regularly. 

If you’ve been seeing your pediatric dentist since early childhood, you’ve probably developed a great partnership. You know that a visit twice each year, or as recommended, for an exam and a professional cleaning will make sure your smile stays its healthy, sparkling best. 

And now that you’re entering adulthood, it might be time to make a transition to your adult dental team. Some pediatric dentists suggest that patients transition to a new dentist around the age of 18, while others treat young patients through early adulthood. Talk to your dentist about how to graduate most easily and comfortably to a new dental team for your adult years—and then make regular checkups and cleanings with your new dentist a priority.

Not so difficult, right? In fact, you’ve probably adopted most of these healthy habits already. Take charge of your dental health now, make good habits a part of your daily routine, and you’ll be prepared to enjoy a lifetime of healthy, attractive, adult smiles!

Your baby’s first smiles are precious—and you want to make sure those precious smiles are as healthy as they are beautiful. One of the most important ways to protect your child’s dental health is by preventing early childhood caries, or cavities.

You might be thinking, “Tooth decay? Babies?” Yes, babies and toddlers can get cavities, too. Studies suggest that over a quarter of children between the ages of two and five already have some form of tooth decay.

The bacteria that cause tooth decay are passed from person to person. Cavity-causing bacteria use the sugar and starches in our diets to produce acids—acids which attack the tooth’s enamel, breaking down its hard mineral structure until cavities form. Because baby teeth have thinner enamel coatings than adult teeth, they are especially vulnerable to tooth decay.

You can start your child on the path to a lifetime of healthy smiles by being proactive about cavity prevention during your baby’s first 12 months.

• Don’t Share Bacteria

Because cavity-causing oral bacteria are transmitted from person to person, doctors and dentists suggest that you don’t share a spoon with your baby, or put a pacifier in your mouth to clean it. And it’s a good idea to rinse toys used by other children with clean water before giving them to your child.

• Keep Bottles Out of Bed

Babies generally need a feeding before bedtime to ensure that they get all the nutrition their growing bodies need. But when a young child sleeps with a bottle, liquids pool in the mouth, exposing tiny teeth to these liquids throughout the night and preventing the natural flow of saliva from washing food particles away.

Bring your child’s happy day to a close with a lullaby, a bedtime story, a good night kiss, or whatever makes your baby feel comforted and loved—and take the bottle with you when you tiptoe out of the room.

• Avoid Sugary Drinks

How do parents make sure their babies get the nutrition they need without giving cavity-causing bacteria the fuel they need? With a healthy diet. Breast milk and formula have healthy nutrients, carbs, and sugars which are necessary for baby’s growth and development. Sugar water, sweet juices, and sodas—don’t.

Added sugars provide a feast for cavity-causing bacteria, and the more your child is exposed to them throughout the day, the greater the risk of tooth decay. Talk to Dr. Michelle Slezewski and Dr. Paul Engibous for the healthiest drinks for your baby’s bottle or sippy cup.

• Clean Baby’s Teeth and Gums

Dentists recommend cleaning your baby’s gums even before teeth begin to arrive. After washing your hands, using a clean, damp, soft cloth or gauze pad to gently wipe the gum surfaces to remove bacteria and food.

As soon as the first tooth appears, it’s time to start gentle brushing. Use a baby-sized toothbrush to gently clean the erupting teeth once in the morning and once after the last feeding of the day. And as soon as two baby teeth touch, it’s time to talk about flossing.

Not sure about baby-friendly tooth care products, toothpastes, and techniques? Talk to Dr. Michelle Slezewski and Dr. Paul Engibous! Learn about cleaning little gums, baby-size brushes, when to begin using fluoride toothpaste and how much toothpaste to use, when to brush, and when to start flossing.

• Establish a Dental Home for Your Child

The ideal time for your child’s first visit to our Anchorage, AK office is sometime between the appearance of your child’s first tooth and your child’s first birthday. It’s a gentle way to introduce your baby to the dental team who will be caring for those little smiles for many years to come.

During that first visit, your child’s dentist will check tooth and jaw development. There will be a child-friendly examination to look for plaque buildup or any signs of early decay, such as white spots on tooth enamel. You can talk about any concerns you might have and learn the best ways to prevent tooth decay with proactive dental care for healthy teeth and gums.

Why are we so concerned about baby teeth? Decayed teeth can cause pain and self-consciousness. And more, those tiny teeth have big responsibilities. Baby teeth influence your child’s speech development. They promote healthy eating and chewing habits. Baby teeth serve as placeholders to make sure that your child’s adult teeth will be able to erupt just where they should.

Your baby’s first smiles are precious. And when you’re proactive with early dental care, you’re preparing your child for a lifetime of healthy smiles.