Tag: teeth brushing

Family In Bathroom Brushing Teeth

5 Tips For Getting Your Family To Brush

Even as a dentist, it can be hard to get your family to buy into the brushing process. That said, there are some tips and tricks you can use to help make the brushing routine more fun and less of a chore. Here are five ways to get your family to buy into brushing, and how to ensure they are brushing when they say they are.

Getting Your Family To Have Good Oral Health

Here are some tips for getting your family to engage in proper dental hygiene practices. Some of these tips will be more applicable to family members of different ages:

  1. Make It A Family Process – Even if you stay up later than your kids, go ahead and brush your teeth with them while they’re getting ready for bed. Make the process fun, so do it with them and sing or dance for two minutes while you’re brushing with them. Not only will you know they are brushing their teeth, but this helps to make the brushing process a little more enjoyable for your child.
  2. Help Them Get Started – When your child is just starting to brush their teeth on their own, take some time to show them the proper way to clean. Make sure you are hitting all surfaces of your teeth and that you’re brushing for at least two minutes. Some kids are content just to brush their two front teeth or the teeth visible when they smile but make sure they are brushing correctly by showing them how to do it when they are starting to clean by themselves.
  3. Stock Healthy Foods and Beverages – We understand the cupboard isn’t filled with only water and granola, but try to find a balance where you’re giving your kids plenty of healthy snacking options. Try to make water available in place of sugary juices or sodas, and encourage fruits and vegetables over sugar or carbohydrate-dense foods. People don’t realize how big of a role dietary choices play in the health of their teeth, even if they brush regularly — stock up on healthy food options for your family to choose from.
  4. Become a Detective – If you’re past the stage where you’re dancing and brushing your teeth with your children, make sure you are asking them about their brushing habits. Kids like to test the boundaries, so don’t just take their word for it when they say they’ve brushed. Check their toothbrush to see if it’s damp, or ask to smell their breath. Don’t let them get away with bad habits.
  5. The Floss Smell – One final way to help family members get on board with good dental hygiene is to remind them to floss daily and to encourage them to smell the floss after they finish. Yes, it sounds a little weird, but if you get them to do it once, odds are they’ll be more likely to floss on their own. When they smell the floss, it probably won’t smell the greatest. Remind them if that’s what the floss string smells like, then that’s what their mouth smells like. Nobody wants to have bad breath, so a lot of times this little trick helps encourage people to floss on their own and take more pride in dental hygiene.

For more tips and tricks, or to set your family members up with a dental visit, contact Dr. Brooks’ office today.

Brush Teeth

How Often Should You Brush Your Teeth?

Brushing your teeth is one of the most effective ways of caring for your teeth and gums. But many patients aren’t sure how often they should be brushing their teeth. In this article, we are going to talk about the importance of brushing your teeth and how often you should brush.

The Importance of Brushing

Brushing your teeth is extremely important and perhaps the best thing you can do for your overall dental health. Brushing on a regular basis helps remove plaque, keep your teeth white, and lessen bad breath. More importantly, brushing is a great defense against cavities, gum disease, and other dental health issues.

Brushing Frequency

As a general rule, you should brush your teeth two times per day, every day. The easiest method is to brush once when you get up, and again before going to bed – though that’s not the only way to do it. Find a brushing schedule that works for you and stick to it. If you want to score extra points with your dentist, try to combine your brushing schedule with flossing!

It’s important to note that every patient is different. Some patients may benefit from increased brushing frequency, while others may not need to brush as often. It’s important to talk with your dentist about your situation and how often you should be brushing your teeth.

Minnesota Dental Clinics

Dr. Tim Brooks has been providing family and cosmetic dental care to patients in Minnesota for decades. Dr. Brooks and his team of dental hygienists work hand-in-hand with each and every patient to provide compassionate, individualized care. Whether you need a cavity filled, a dental crown, or a routine checkup – we have everything you need! Our clinic is located in Bloomington. Please give us a call today to set up your appointment at one of our Minnesota dental clinics!

Simplifying Toothpaste…

Over the counter dental care has come a long way.  It can be overwhelming to know which kind of toothpaste is going to work the best for your needs.  From tarter control to whitening to sensitivity, below are some points that will help you be an informed consumer.

Sensitivity May Be Caused By Additives

There are many over the counter toothpastes that have whitening or tarter control additives in them.  Several kinds of toothpaste that help with sensitivity also include tarter control and whitening additives.  Did you know that whitening and tarter control toothpastes can cause sensitivity?  If you cringe every time you take a sip of hot coffee or eat ice cream, try sticking to sensitive toothpastes that leave out the other additives.  Once you switch to a toothpaste that is strictly a formula to combat sensitivity, your sensitive teeth should respond after about two weeks of daily use.

What’s The Deal With Whitening and Tarter Additives?

It has been our experience that whitening toothpastes don’t work well.  Since they are known to cause sensitivity, why risk it when whitening toothpaste could affect how much you enjoy your favorite foods.  Need I mention ice cream again?

If you’re concerned about tarter control, the toothpastes that offer that do have a solvent chemical added that actually dissolves calcium deposits.  These toothpastes work great for people that don’t have sensitivity issues and they do reduce the amount of tarter build up.

Still Feeling Sensitive?

Please call us for an appointment. You may have a cavity or need a prescription toothpaste. Prescription toothpaste is a great option because it has more flouride in it than regular toothpaste and it can reduce the amount of cavities you get. Contrary to what you might be thinking, prescription toothpaste is actually quite inexpensive and can last anywhere from 3-5 months depending on the size you purchase. Please call us to schedule an appointment to see if prescription toothpaste is right for you.

If you aren’t experiencing sensitivity to your teeth, but you are experiencing dry mouth be sure to let your dentist know because this prescription toothpaste can counteract the damage a dry mouth can cause to teeth.  Dry mouth is a concern that’s important to get on top of as it can cause expensive dental problems such as increased decay and gum disease.