ORAL HEALTH MONTH
APRIL 2025 • SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS
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conditions, like stroke and heart attack, compared to people who have well-controlled gum disease or a healthy mouth overall. “People with poorly controlled diabetes tend to have rapidly worsening or more serious gum disease. It works in reverse as well. People who have more serious, or uncontrolled gum disease have poor control of their blood sugar.” 4. When you brush doesn’t matter Antel said it’s best to space daily brushings 10 to 12 hours apart, so the daily plaque buildup is kept in check. He reiterated the importance of waiting up to 30 minutes after eating and drinking before brushing your teeth. “After you eat… rinse your mouth, floss your teeth, and then brush them,” Hein advised. “If you rinse your mouth, you get the majority of the buildup off your teeth. Then floss your teeth, so you get the rest of that stuff out from in between your teeth. Then, give them a good brush afterwards, and it cleans everything else away.” Hein said that, in addition to carbonated drinks, if people have consumed acidic food or drinks such as herbal tea, wine, vinegar, sports drinks or some salad dressings they should give their mouths a good rinse and brush their teeth 30 minutes later. 5. How you brush doesn’t matter Spend a few seconds brushing each tooth. Once you’ve covered the mouth, that is only a couple of minutes. Another less well-known problem is that brushing too hard can damage teeth. “Gentle, soft brushing is as effective in removing that soft buildup,” Antel said. “If you get into that scrubbing, now you’re causing microscopic damage to the surface of the teeth. It can lead to sensitivity, and over time, you can see people who have notched out part of that tooth by scrubbing a lot. “Consider your brushing speed – faster brushers tend to scrub. I like the analogy you’re cleaning fine china, not bathroom grout.” “Many people like that scrubbing feeling when they brush their teeth, and they might use a medium or even a stiff toothbrush,” Hein added. “If you do scrub, and you use that side-to-side scrubbing motion on the sides of your teeth, you can cause the gums to recede. That can result in a lot of tooth sensitivity, the reason for tooth decay.” Hein and Antel said electric toothbrushes are fine but said to not apply too much pressure and let the device do its job. Use soft or extra- soft brushes, then rinse. Too much pressure also prematurely destroys toothbrushes, whether they’re electric or not.
BUSTING COMMON ORAL-HEALTH MYTHS
BY TONY ZERUCHA C anadian dental organizations are marking National Oral Health Month by countering some commonly held myths about oral health. This information travels fast online, but Dr. Joel Antel, president of the Canadian Dental Association, cautions against believing everything you read unconditionally. “Don’t mistake a Google search for research,” Antel cautioned. “Know the source of your information and what science backs it up. Talk to a dental professional.” 1. Sugar-free soda is safe Dr. Jeff Hein, president of the Manitoba Dental Association, said carbonated drinks, whether or not they contain soda, are highly acidic. That acid can wear away surface tooth enamel and produce tooth sensitivity. In more serious cases, such drinks can strip away enamel, which never returns. “One strategy people can use to help the acidic drinks from causing tooth sensitivity and enamel loss is to drink them through a straw,” Hein said. “That way, the drink goes down the throat and doesn't wash around on the teeth. It can potentially cause less damage that way.” Drinking hot and acidic beverages can temporarily soften the teeth. Hein and Antel advise to rinse with some fresh water immediately after drinking, wait for up to 30 minutes for the softening to reverse, then clean your teeth.
2. Flossing isn’t necessary Antel said brushing and flossing remove the daily soft buildup left by anything but water. If unchecked, that soft buildup produces acid that causes decay. Once it hardens over half a day or so, it can lead to gum disease. While brushing addresses the front and back of teeth, it does not reach between the teeth. “If you’re only brushing and not flossing, you’re missing almost half of the mouth,” Hein said. “So, it's important to clean between our teeth. The toothbrush alone doesn't do that well enough.” 3. Oral health isn’t connected to general health Antel said there is growing evidence of a direct correlation between oral and overall health. It makes intuitive sense. “You wouldn’t take care of your whole body except your ears or your eyes,” Antel said, adding people who care for their teeth tend to watch everything else, too. Dental problems can lead to physical problems, as well as social and mental health. “These things can be tied into having something in your body that doesn’t feel well,” Antel said. “We’ve known for a long time that oral health is intimately connected with overall health care,” Hein said. “But what we've learned lately is that people who have poorly controlled gum disease are at much higher risk for very serious medical
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