Thursday, June 16, 2011

Super simple brushing for the kiddos...

As a dental hygienist I'm always finding ways to encourage and help people find ways to keep their teeth and gums healthy.  My goal in a dental visit is to make a patient NOT feel like they got "THE LECTURE".  So, following are a few tips for kids or cavity prone adults.

1.  BRUSH EVERY TIME YOU CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES.  Then there's no excuses about forgetting b/c no one's going to school or ball practice in their pj's.

2.  DON'T RINSE OUT AFTER BRUSHING.  This allows the fluoride a chance to "soak in" and do it's job preventing cavities.  If you must rinse then...

3.  USE A FLUORIDE RINSE.  This is especially good if your little one is cavity prone.  If they are, then do this every night before bed.

4.  CHEW GUM.  Yes, you read that right!  Chew gum containing xylitol.  Xylitol is a sugar found in birch and beech trees that plaque can't digest.  This helps reduce the plaque and also fight cavities.  You should find XYLITOL listed among the first 4 ingredients in the gum.  Some brands include:  Ice Cubes, regular style Trident, regular style Orbit, Mentos gum, Altoids cinnamon gum, etc.

Happy Brushing!
-Lynnette

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