Tag Archive for: dental hygiene
We Americans tend to take our high standards of hygiene and the available hygienic products for granted. Think about it. Compared to the rest of the world, we are pampered with so many different commercial concoctions to keep ourselves tidy and smelling fresh. It defines our culture. We are dirty and unrespectable if we don’t use these chemicals to de-grease, de-hair, de-plaque, or deodorize our bodies.
The toothbrush aisle is quite a sight nowadays. As a lover of simplicity, I often question these kinds of presentations. Do we really need 30 different types of floss? 100 different toothpastes? endless “new and improved” toothbrush designs? Why is there still a need (at least they give us the impression of “need”) for newer, better, stronger products?
It is true that different people have different needs, different wallet sizes, different preferences, etc. I understand there is no one-size-fits-all. But I think we are spoiled.
What also bothers me is that we are “spoiled” with these things that are not good for our health.
Conventional dentistry fixes you up just enough so that for a while your teeth seem to work fine, but eventually a new problem will crop up and you’ll eventually need to go back. You are still dependent. That’s what keeps us dentists in business.
The Philosoraptor can be clever sometimes.
I try to play it safe by supplying more natural dental hygiene products to my patients. We shouldn’t have to rely on foreign chemicals and substances when caring for basic hygiene. Those with poor dental health should take a look at the root of the problem — the health of the body and gut — instead of falling for the newest commercial product. For a truly lasting effect, your oral and dental health rely on your overall health, not tubes of minty who-knows-what.
Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles
www.dentalwellnessarts.com
I am stating the obvious when I say that the Internet is the foremost consulted source of knowledge and answers to the world’s questions. We do it without thinking. Where was the transition, and why, in retrospect, does it feel like it happened without us noticing? Once upon a time, there was no cyberspace, no “online,”no instant mental gratification (unless you lived next-door to a library). What did we do all day? How did we work? As a dentist highly reliant on the latest technology available, the Internet has become a part of the skeleton of my practice. Without it, my practice would have fizzled out long ago in this fast-paced world.
But I do not mean to get all philosophical with you today. Today’s post just got me partly reminiscing about days gone by when society was more “awake” to the physical world around it, but also causing me to express gratitude in how much computers have transformed science and medicine and my own work.
In the online world of patients searching for solutions for their dental diseases and ails, oral irrigation has been quite a popular topic lately. I must say it’s for good reason. It is one of the best at-home dental hygiene routines you can maintain at home.
Pericoronitis, in particular, seems to be the central purpose for which people seek healing and relief through irrigation. Pericoronitis, if you remember, is an infection which develops under a gum flap of emerging teeth — usually the wisdom teeth of young adults. It is caused by the body defending itself from a foreign invader, which is usually an overabundance of bacteria feeding on a particle of uncleaned food. The pain is quite severe. The infection will remain swollen for up to several days or a few weeks. Even someone in good health has a tough time kicking this infection in less time, which is why it is so important to prevent it in the first place. Irrigation does just that, and it does it very well.
In those hard-to-reach areas around your teeth — and there are many — an oral irrigator shoots thin streams of water, ozone water, or diluted oral cleansing solutions, gently forcing out the debris that is not supposed to be there. Finely squirted liquid crawls into the places that floss can’t reach, effectively cleansing and leaving the mouth refreshed. How does this help healing and preventing infections? We’ll look into that tomorrow.
Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles
www.dentalwellnessarts.com
If you have never been to our office, whether for a routine cleaning or for oral disease treatment, you’ll find that holistic methods do not make the experience very different from a conventional office visit. For those of you who are absolutely terrified or loathe to go to the dentist, that probably doesn’t do much for you (though we do have other options that might appeal to you). But you should actually be aware that — for a routine cleaning and checkup, for example — our standard protocol calls for things that might bring you more comfort, security, and satisfaction with your visit.
If you are due for x-rays, we will do those for you quickly and as comfortably as possible. Each room has a big screen where you can instantly see the digital x-ray images taken of your teeth. We’ll discuss any potential problems if they appear. Every few visits we will also probe your teeth to measure the gaps or pockets between your teeth and gums. The smaller the gap, the better. You want your gums to be nice and snug against your teeth because that indicates there is no good place for bacteria to grow and cause infection. Deeper pockets indicate spots that are probably hard to clean, and therefore may be an infection waiting to happen. We will give you advice steering you in the direction you should take to help those gaps close up, also considering any pain or inflammation you may be experiencing.
Then the hygienist will perform the cleaning, polishing, and flossing. The better you take care of your teeth by daily brushing and flossing at home, the speedier this part will be. We always finish off the cleaning with a quick ozone irrigation. Oral irrigation is the best part. If you’ve never heard of it, it is basically “flossing” with water or whatever liquid* you put in the machine reservoir. In our office, we use ozone water. The ozone effectively kills off any remaining bacteria released during cleaning, and also brings a cool, soothing sensation that will leave you feeling refreshed.
After that, I will check for cavities or other problems; if none are found, you’ll be sent on your way with some restocked dental care supplies and a bright smile.
Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles
www.dentalwellnessarts.com
*I’ll give you some more information on oral irrigators in the next post.