Everybody tries to keep their teeth as clean and healthy as possible. Here are a few tips and tricks that you might not know of, and some things to avoid!
1) Try to see your hygienist at least twice per year, and get a check up by a dentist at leastonce per year.
Going to see your hygienist and dentist at least twice per year is more than just getting your teeth cleaned and checking your cavities.
At those appointments, we also look for any oral lesions or infections. We can notice many systemic diseases that manifest in the mouth, such as gastric reflux, oral cancers, and autoimmune diseases.
Taking regular x-rays ensure that we can catch cavities or gum disease as quickly as possible and monitor them.
2) “Why are my gums receding? I am brushing twice per day!”
This is a question we get all too often! Receding gums can occur for several reasons.
Ensure that you have a soft or extra soft bristled tooth brush. Brush gently at the gums in circular motions, never scrubbing.
If you have a hard time brushing gently, try to hold the brush with 3 or 4 fingers instead of with your whole hand.
One common myth is that if you don’t brush right at the gum line, it will help with receding gums.
However, that will do the opposite. If plaque is allowed to accumulate at the gums, it will actually cause more recession.
3) “I want to whiten my teeth – should I use charcoal toothpaste?”
We are completely on board with patients wanting to whiten their teeth, however, there are so many products out there that it can be very confusing to choose what product to use.
We do not recommend charcoal toothpastes or charcoal products because charcoal is very abrasive. Although it may whiten your teeth temporarily, over time the abrasiveness of charcoal will wear away at the enamel of the teeth, making it thinner and allowing the yellowy inner layer of the tooth (dentin) to show through.
Please feel free to ask a team member what whitening options are available to you that are safe and effective! We have other information on teeth whitening and the other services we offer as well.
Also, be sure to book in for your twice-a-year appointment to keep your teeth looking beautiful. Best if you call to book. We are open Monday - 7:30am - 3:00pm, Tuesday 9:30am-5:30pm, Wednesday-Saturday 7:30am-3pm.
We look forward to seeing you at Lee Family Dental in Vancouver, BC at Macdonald and Broadway.
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