Manohar Dental Care Vizag

Sunday, January 6, 2019

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Expose them to dental play at home

“Dental play” refers to bringing the world of the dental office into your home, in a comfortable and playful way. This can be done by playing dentist with each other, allowing them to take on the role of the dentist and “check” your teeth. You can also read children’s books about positive visits the dentist that explain what happens in an entertaining way. Bringing the idea of the dentist’s office home and associating it with positive experiences is a great way to help your child see dental visits as normal occurrence. 

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Start visits to the dentist at a young age

Having your child visit the dentist regularly as soon as their first tooth appears allows them to grow up with the experience and get used to it. Having regular routine checkups are the best way to help your child grow accustomed to the dental office and learn to trust their dentist. Having your child see the dentist’s office as a normal environment that they can feel comfortable in will help keep anxieties at bay. 

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Don’t pass down your own fears to your child

If you experience anxiety when you visit the dentist, you may be passing along your fears to you child without noticing. Be aware of your behaviours and the language you use when around your kids before and after visiting the dentist. If you talk about how much you dislike the experience, exhibit physical manifestations of fear, or communicate other negative feelings you may have about your dental visit to your child, they may interpret this as normal behaviour and could end up reacting the same way. Whatever the reason for your own dental anxieties, try not to instil them in your child so that they learn to see regular dental visits as a normal part of their health care routine. 

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How to better manage your child’s fear of the dentist

When the time comes for a trip to the dentist, some of your younger family members may be less than enthusiastic. In fact, they may feel downright panicked. Many children feel anxiety about going to the dentist, with emotions ranging from mildly reluctant to extreme fear brought on by just the thought of sitting in a dental chair. It’s important to help your child have the most positive experience that they can while at the dentist.

Being comfortable allows them to build healthy associations and create good oral care habits they can take with them as they grow. Here are some tips for you to try out to help manage your child’s dental anxiety.

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If you travel frequently or don’t want to take up space

If you’re a frequent traveller, there are some considerations to make when choosing an electric toothbrush. If space is an issue, choose a toothbrush that is compact and has a small travelling case. There are electric toothbrushes on the market that boast a pocket-sized version, just be sure that you are getting the highest number of brush strokes per minute possible to make sure you aren’t sacrificing quality of cleaning for space. Another consideration to make is charging. If having a full charging station for your toothbrush isn’t appealing, go for a toothbrush that can be charged in its own travel case. These don’t take up much room and often even have a USB port for easy charging. 

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If you have noise sensitivities

There are many electric toothbrushes on the market that boast extreme cleaning power and vibrating action but can be quite loud when in use. Unfortunately, there will always be some sound when it comes to electric toothbrushes, though there are some types available that are more quiet than others. Look for ones that say, “reduced noise” on the package and has smaller strokes. A popular choice for a quieter electric toothbrush is the Philips Sonicare, although there are others available. 

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If you have sensitive teeth or gums

If your gums feel irritated or you feel pain in your teeth after brushing, consider stepping away from the traditional brush head and try a completely silicone electric toothbrush. The soft silicone bristles rub against gums and teeth rather than scrubbing against them to clean without aggravating. 

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If you brush too hard

Some electric toothbrushes have a pressure sensitivity feature that alerts you when you are pressing the toothbrush too hard against your teeth. This is great for those who brush aggressively or for older children who are learning to brush their teeth on their own. This feature not only saves your toothbrush heads, but it also protects your gums and tooth enamel from being damaged. 

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If you want to do as little work as possible

Studies have shown that rotating-oscillating electric toothbrush heads, the type that quickly spin in a circle, require slightly less movement by the operator to gain a decent clean. This do not mean that the toothbrush will do all the work for you, but rather it refers to the fact that, with 360 degree turns, the toothbrush head does more concentrated cleaning compared to heads that only move side to side. Therefore, rotating-oscillation electric toothbrushes do not need to be moved side to side to gain a great brush, as you would do with one that has a head that moves side to side. They just need to be moved around the mouth to ensure all areas are being targeted. 

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If it’s for your kids

If you’re looking for an electric toothbrush for your child, choose one that is designed specifically for children. These are smaller so that little hands can manage them easier, and come in fun colours and designs to make brushing more fun. Be sure to choose a toothbrush that has very soft bristles to avoid damaging their gums or tooth enamel. 

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If you’re not sure how long you should brush for

If your brushing technique could use a little help, an electric toothbrush with a timer would be a great option for you. These timers are generally in 30 second segments because the intention is to have you brush each side of your mouth, top and bottom, for thirty seconds each. This gives you a total brush time of two minutes and ensures that you pay equal and adequate attention to your entire mouth. Some electric toothbrushes have timers that last only 30 seconds and others have full two minute timers that alert you when 30 seconds have passed and it’s time to switch sides of your mouth. Which one you choose is up to personal preference and how much monitoring you would like. 

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Which is better, electric or manual toothbrushes?

Deciding whether to use an electric or manual toothbrush involves two main factors: cost and control. Manual toothbrushes are considerably less costly than their electric counterparts and do not involve batteries or mechanical parts that may need frequent replacing, making them the more economical choice. They also offer more control as you have to move the toothbrush around your mouth manually. This is a positive aspect for people who have sensitive areas in their mouth or are uncomfortable with vibrating sensations on their teeth. Manual toothbrushes do, however, require the user to have a vigilant brushing technique because the toothbrush itself doesn’t do any work.

Electric toothbrushes, on the other hand, can be quite pricey both in the initial buy and then replacement parts later on. However, they do provide a great clean and are excellent for those who are less meticulous when it comes to brushing their teeth. As an added bonus, many electric toothbrushes now come with timed cleaning programs that alert you when to change sides of your mouth to ensure that you brush long enough.

Learn more about the differences between manual and electric toothbrushes and floss.

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Which electric toothbrush should you buy?

Are you curious about the world of electric toothbrushes and considering trying one out for the first time? Or perhaps you have been an electric toothbrush user for some time and are ready for an upgrade. Whatever the reason, you have come to the right place because here you will learn everything you need to know about finding the electric toothbrush that’s best for you. 

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Milk, yogurt, and cheese

Dairy products are great for teeth because they are high in calcium, a mineral that helps to strengthen bone, but they are also great for your gums. This is because of a protein called casein that is found in most dairy products which helps to neutralize oral acids that are produced by bacteria in the mouth. These acids can be destructive to tooth enamel and gum tissue, leading to irritation or worse. Include a healthy amount of dairy in your diet by drinking a cup of milk daily or by eating snacks that include dairy such as cheese or yogurt. 

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Celery, carrots, and apples

Foods that are very crunchy are excellent at scraping away stuck on food and plaque. The hard bits of foods like celery, carrots, and apples get in between teeth and into tooth crevices and can help keep your mouth fresh between brushings. Crunchy fruits and vegetables also happen to be high in fibre, which, again, means they take longer to chew and generate more saliva. Saliva is great for flushing the mouth of bacteria near the gum line. Simply add these foods to your daily diet as snacks to help get rid of food particles between meals. 

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Shiitake mushrooms

Lentinan is an antibacterial compound found in shiitake mushrooms and it fights against plaque-building bacteria in the mouth. This type of bacteria breeds in hard to reach places in the mouth such as in between teeth and along the gum line, and can cause irritation and possibly lead to gingivitis and gum disease. You can incorporate shiitake mushrooms into your meals in a variety of different ways. Try sautéing them as a side to a main course or chopping them up and adding them to whatever vegetable dish you prepare. 

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Peppers and citrus fruits

Vitamin C is also high in vegetables like peppers of all colours and acidic fruits such as oranges, kiwis, pineapple, and strawberries. Add them into your diet to reap the benefits of this anti-inflammatory vitamin through smoothies, with yogurt, and in salads. 

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Green tea

There is some research which shows that this antioxidant-rich tea can help stave off inflammation in the body. Green tea has specific antioxidants called catechins which help gums fight inflammation caused by the one of the types of oral bacteria responsible for gum disease. Try drinking a cup of green tea daily to give your gums a healthy boost. 

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Leafy greens

Vegetables like kale and spinach are filled to the brim with mouth-healthy vitamins and minerals. Specifically, they hold vitamin C, which boosts the production of red blood cells and reduces inflammation. Both these benefits battle against irritation and gum disease. Leafy greens require more chewing, thanks to their high fibre content, which is good for gums because the chewing action creates more saliva. This helps to flush out food particles, bacteria, and plaque that may be sticking to your teeth near the gum line. Revamp your diet with power-packed greens by creating salads with them, adding them as a cooked side dish to main meals, and putting them in soups and sandwiches. 

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Onions

Onions have been proven to be a fantastic food for healthy gums because they neutralize oral bacteria. They have microbial properties that target the most common types of bacteria that cause gum disease and cavities. For great gums, try incorporating more onions into your meals as salad toppers, in sandwiches and burgers, in stir fries, and in soups, stews, and chilis. 

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