Teeth and gum care

[jbischke]

Haven't seen this issue brought up here yet so I'm curious what y'all do. I want to really dial this in in 2007. Currently I'm flossing on average once a day using Glide floss (not sure that's the best) and brushing twice a day using a SonicCare and Crest.

Any suggestions for a better practice?

[Cron]

Ideally you should brush and floss after every meal and see your dentist the number of times a year s/he recommends for cleanings etc.

That is the ideal, do as much of that as you can.

[gberardi]

Originally Posted by jbischke

Haven't seen this issue brought up here yet so I'm curious what y'all do. I want to really dial this in in 2007. Currently I'm flossing on average once a day using Glide floss (not sure that's the best) and brushing twice a day using a SonicCare and Crest.

Any suggestions for a better practice?

No, not unless you have a belief that fluoride is evil. If so, switch out Crest (as far as I know, all of their toothpaste has fluoride in it) for some non-fluoride toothpaste...which can only be found in health food grocery stores, it seems.

[빈센트]

Once your teeth go abit yellow, can you ever go back without having to use those bleach products?

[mkidd]

I've read oil pulling or oil swishing is great for your teeth and gums.

Makes your gums nice and firm, teeth brighter. It's an old Ayervedic (Indian) health practice.

General forum:
http://curezone.com/forums/f.asp?f=738

The messages that are flagged as especially good:
http://curezone.com/forums/s.asp?f=738&ob=d&c=2

Basic Steps for Oil Pulling

Buy cold pressed organic sesame seed or sunflower oil. Expeller pressed seems to be okay for some oils. Other’s on the Oil Pulling Forum have tried Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) and other natural plant oils. Just make sure that whatever oil you buy that it is cold pressed and organic with no chemicals in it.

Pull oil first thing in the morning when you get up. If you have brushed and flossed your teeth the night before then you should not have any food stuck between your teeth. There may be a buildup in your mouth of the bacteria that grew there over night. Rinse and swish your mouth out several times with warm water before putting in 1 tablespoon of the oil.

Swish the oil and also pull it between your teeth occasionally. Make chewing motions from time to time so as to draw saliva into your mouth. Do not do it so vigorously as to wear yourself out but keep it gentle most of the time. Keep this up for 20 minutes.

If you have an infection pocket or bad tooth, etc then concentrate in that area a bit. I also often massage areas of my mouth where I feel discomfort or old infection in the area. Most areas where I felt discomfort have already disappeared. Also, you may find it helpful to massage your sinuses a bit while you are pulling.

It is suggested that you sit down and rest, pray, etc while you are doing this. I have only done this a few times as usually I have something to do. If you have to do something at the same time just be conscious of what you are doing so that you keep pulling effectively.

After 15 or 20 minutes the oil should be more watery and have a foamy white appearance. Spit it out into the garbage or a baggie stuffed with paper towels. Don’t spit it in your sink or it may begin to stink after while. Also, I do not believe it is recommended to spit it in your toilet.

Now clean your mouth by brushing your teeth and gums and tongue with a toothbrush and whatever you use to brush your teeth. Many people who practice oil pulling do not use fluoride toothpaste or any products, including commercial mouth washes, which contain fluoride. Fluoride is a radical substance that can produce harm to the body. Fluoride does not help the enamel of adult teeth. Keeping the teeth clean at all ages will prevent cavities and there are many products out there that will do that. One just has to clean the mouth and teeth after eating. There are suggested items to use on the forum if you look.

You may oil pull first thing in the morning before you eat, and any time during the day as long as it has been 4 hours since you have eaten, and 1 hour since you have had any beverage. In other words, only oil pull on an empty stomach.

[maryelyn]

Originally Posted by Cron

Ideally you should brush and floss after every meal and see your dentist the number of times a year s/he recommends for cleanings etc.

That is the ideal, do as much of that as you can.

yeah...hehhehheh....
right, do that...see where that gets you...but i'm not bitter...hahahehheh..
whatever....

[escapee]

No sugar

[Athena]

to use natural toothpaste, like Tom's. I like wintergreen and peppermint best

[Trustme]

Actually my dentist told me the last time that brushing your teeth too often with an electrical (especially sonic) brush is not very good at all.

[Nez]

Originally Posted by Trustme

Actually my dentist told me the last time that brushing your teeth too often with an electrical (especially sonic) brush is not very good at all.

and my dentist told me the opposite...because with conventional brushes all you do is move the plaque around...so I say, do whatever works for you

[lolly]

I just started using a electrial toothbrush and it has been the best decision i could make for my "smile" They work much better then a standard. I would most defintely recommend them without a doubt.

[Baltar]

Originally Posted by Nez

and my dentist told me the opposite...because with conventional brushes all you do is move the plaque around...so I say, do whatever works for you

Conventional brushes are fine as long as you take enough time to brush your teeth. You're supposed to do it for 3 minutes, and most people do it for like 40 seconds. Whenever I went for a cleaning I've always been told I do a good job of removing "most of the plaque above the gumline" with a conventional brush.

Originally Posted by jbischke

Haven't seen this issue brought up here yet so I'm curious what y'all do. I want to really dial this in in 2007. Currently I'm flossing on average once a day using Glide floss (not sure that's the best) and brushing twice a day using a SonicCare and Crest.

Any suggestions for a better practice?

The periodontist I go to for cleanings recommended using Plaque Removers to clean between the teeth, in addition to flossing. You can buy these at your local supermarket. Another recommendation is to rinse with antiseptic mouthwash (like Listerine) at least once a day. This helps to keep your gums healthy.

[aelle]

Originally Posted by Trustme

Actually my dentist told me the last time that brushing your teeth too often with an electrical (especially sonic) brush is not very good at all.

Brushing your teeth too often, electrical toothbrush or not, is not good. A friend of mine is a bit of a "plaque phobic", she used to brush her teeth after each meal, snack and drink. Her dentist told her to stop because her enamel had started to wear off, making the teeth weaker. Brushing your teeth 3 times a day should be the limit.

I would also recommend changing your toothbrush regularly, especially after you've been sick or had a cavity fixed since it retains the germs (here the recommended minimum is every 3 months but I change more often than that), and changing toothpaste brand regularly too (like all hygiene products and cosmetics, I find you get better results by changing regularly, maybe the body gets used to it?).

[TrueBeliever]

I've tried oil pulling and can say it worked for me.

[anglocon]

What does anyone think to the thought of using two different types of toothpaste. Due to my diet coke addiction (sic), the enamel on my teeth is starting to thin, so I was thinking of using an acid prevention toothpaste during the day and something regular in the evening.

Any thoughts?

[Kendoran]

Originally Posted by anglocon

What does anyone think to the thought of using two different types of toothpaste. Due to my diet coke addiction (sic), the enamel on my teeth is starting to thin, so I was thinking of using an acid prevention toothpaste during the day and something regular in the evening.

Any thoughts?

Yup: stop drinking coke.

[tylersch]

Summary of above...

Oil pulling or Oil Swishing

Brushing your teeth 3 times a day should be the limit? How often?

Changing Toothbrush every few months
Switching between toothpaste brands (always use non-fluoride?)

Conventional brushes: brush for 3 minutes
Electric brushes: brush for ?

Electric better than Conventional?

Flossing and using Plaque Removers... how long?

antiseptic mouthwash (like Listerine) at least once a day. (is there a better mouthwash?)

Eat & Drink better: Limit Candy, Soda, Sugar

[anglocon]

Originally Posted by Kendoran

Yup: stop drinking coke.

Well, therein lies the problem don't it ... You see I don't drink much tea or coffee, so if I don't have diet coke, blood starts to get into my caffine stream ...

And I don't have the time right now to deal with the two day migrane that I get whenever I go cold turkey on caffine ...

[ChrisCountryGirl]

I use an electric toothbrush which works better for me than a conventional toothbrush. I use it twice a day & floss 2x a day. I also go to the dentist twice a year for regular cleaning.

[Baltar]

Originally Posted by anglocon

Well, therein lies the problem don't it ... You see I don't drink much tea or coffee, so if I don't have diet coke, blood starts to get into my caffine stream ...

And I don't have the time right now to deal with the two day migrane that I get whenever I go cold turkey on caffine ...

You can buy caffeinated water, or even caffeine pills. Coffee, tea and soda aren't the only ways of getting it into your system.

[Ibanez]

I'm not sure if this is entirely accurate, becausing I'm basing it upon what I remember....

But supposedly green tea has something in it that helps kill bacteria that eats away at your enamel.

[andrew]

I have sensitive teeth and if I don't brush a few times a day, they start to hurt. I brush from 2-5 times a day with my Sonicare. It does a really good job, I think my gums are receeding. Also I don't go to the dentist due to lack of insurence, but I'm sure I have cavities.

And by the way, the sonicare works really great, the best cleaning I've ever had.

[lolly]

Andrew, I don't think bushing your teeth more then twice day is such a good idea. You could be doing more damage then good. Why not try a toothpaste for sensitive teeth.

[jbischke]

Good stuff y'all. Didn't realize this was such a controversial topic.

Quick question...dental floss recommendation? I've been using Glide floss and like it but was told by someone that it glided a little too well and actually didn't do as good of job of removing stuff between the teeth. Any thoughts?

[maclinda]

and cheaper is to use a paste of baking soda and peroxide for brushing. If you love mint you can use peppermint essential oil-hint: use far less than you think you need of the oil.

[Tasaio]

I brush after breakfast, and before bed. I only use baking soda. I floss before bed.

The most important thing for me is actually to restrict the time of brushing to 2 minutes...I'm at risk for obsessive-compulsive behaviour regarding teeth.

When I first got my braces, I became seriously plague-a-phobic. I mean, I would spend hours (yes, hours!) in the bathroom, obsessively removing as much plaque as I could.

I brushed them so vigorously, I risked damaging my gums. Plus, it probably wasn't very healthy to be using so much fluoride (toothpaste) each day.

And my gums were always in agony, from vigorous brushing. Of course, at the time, I thought I wasn't being vigorous enough.

Now that I brush within 2 minutes, my teeth have never felt healthier, never looked cleaner, and they never ache.

I should point out that my refined sugar is confined to short bursts -- I'll occasionally pig out and eat 10-20 cookies at once, but only once a month. I've started my 30-day "no sugar" trial, during which I hope to kick the habit for good.

[Faith]

The best investment I've ever made for my dental health was a Waterpik Dental Water Jet. I have the WP-60 model. I hadn't been to the dentist in over a year and was dreading it because I hadn't been flossing regularly, and the last time I'd been there, the hygienist took those number readings that they do, and I was in the 4-5-6 range. Which is not great.

So I bought this appliance around Christmas time 2005, and when I went in for my appointment in February or March 2006, after using the Waterpik almost every night in the meantime, I had measurements in the 3 range. Which is pretty good. Plus, as long as I continue to use it faithfully, my teeth have that smooth, clean, just-had-a-teeth-cleaning feel to them. And the dental hygienist has a lot less plaque to remove.

I've had really good checkups since I started using it. No more scoldings from the dental hygienist!!! No more guilt about not flossing.

I highly recommend it. Just start slow to get used to it, and don't do it more than once a day.

Faith

[ChefSalad]

I highly recommend a Reach Access type flosser for those who have trouble flossing (like I used to). They look like a toothbrush but with a half-inch strip of (replaceable) floss at the end (perpendicular to the handle). This lets you floss without having to stick your whole hand in your mouth, making them very excellent.

[Bruce Achterberg]

I've been using my trusty Braun 3D Excel for years now, and I've never had any problems with my teeth (I have the "Oral-B ProfessionalCare® 7550" model). It is an electric toothbrush with a 2 minute timer, so my brushing sessions are generally fairly consistent in length. I haven't really used many electric toothbrushes, but in comparison to those I've seen/used, the 3D Excel (7550 model) is by far the most powerful/efficient. Based on the results I've gotten from it (you can't argue with having no teeth problems), I'd recommend it to anyone.

The only reason I'd get a new toothbrush is to update to the "Oral-B ProfessionalCare® 7850 DLX" model, which has a 30 second timer so you can ensure you're spending an equal amount of length brushing all areas. My current model only has a timer that signals at the 2 minute mark. Granted, I could use a watch or a kitchen timer to time in 30 second increments, but I prefer the luxuary of having the timer in-built into my toothbrush (it signals by stopping the brush head from spinning and then starting it again, and it does this 3 times, which is quite effective; you always know when the timer goes off).

As for dentist checkups, I haven’t been to a dentist in years simply because I don't need to -- I've never had anything wrong with my teeth, and after hearing what others have experienced from dentists (I won't go into detail, but it's nothing good), I can definitely find a better thing to do with my money/time. People may think that I'd have a lot of problems with my teeth because I never get a check-up, but I've found it to be quite the opposite -- those who go to the dentist seem to get/have more problems then I do (which is pretty easy to do, since again, I've had zero problems).

I don't know exactly why this is (the Law of Attraction at work, dodgy dentists, poor dental care on the behalf of those who visit the dentist), but I'm sure not going to argue with the results. I will note, however, that like in many areas of my life, I have this underlying belief that my teeth are in top condition and that I have no problems. To the degree this has influenced my results, I don’t know, but again, so long as that belief serves me, I’m not complaining; quite the opposite -- I'm very grateful.

In terms of toothpaste, I’m still using toothpaste that contains fluoride, but based on what Steve has said about fluoride, I’ll be doing some research in the near future to see whether or not that’s a practice I’d like to continue. Toothpaste seems to be pretty much all the same -- it either has fluoride or it doesn’t. I will mention that I’ve never used any gel toothpastes. The, errr... non-gel toothpaste is what I used when I was younger, and I’ve continued that habit ever since because I’ve seen no reason to make the switch to gel.

Based on my experience, I think the best dental advice I could offer would be to focus on logical prevention (Steve also advocates a similar approach for dental care in the article I linked to above). What do I mean by that? Focus on intelligently preventing problems by not focusing on problems, and instead focusing on solutions that will prevent them from arising in the first place. You can spend all the time in the world trying to get rid of the weeds (the symptom/s of the problem), but until you pull out the roots (address the cause), you'll never be rid of them. And because the following quote sums up my point so elegantly, I just had to include it (and I also find it amusing that I managed to fit a Sun Tzu quote in a post about dental care ):

When you know your enemy and know yourself, you
need not fear the result of a hundred battles.
~ Sun Tzu

Edit, 14 August 2008: I've now transitioned to a natural, herbal, fluoride-free toothpaste. I've been using it for a few months and have no issues to report.

[tylersch]

Originally Posted by maclinda

and cheaper is to use a paste of baking soda and peroxide for brushing. If you love mint you can use peppermint essential oil-hint: use far less than you think you need of the oil.

where do you get this, or how do you make it?