Maintaining Toothbrushes

Your toothbrush is your most important tool for keeping your mouth healthy. We know you’ve gotten one if you’ve been maintaining your appointments at Dr. Suzanne Haeri’s South Carthay dental office, but we hope you’re replacing it in between visits. Toothbrushes get less effective as they become worn, so to make sure our patients are taking good care of themselves, we wanted to say a bit about toothbrush maintenance.

 

It usually takes about three to four months for a toothbrush’s bristles to become too matted to be of use, although you’ll have to use your own judgment if you think you’re wearing them out sooner. You should certainly replace the toothbrush if the bristles are crushed down sideways. You should also be letting your toothbrush dry in the open air while upright, since putting it in a closed case will allow fungus to grow on it. There’s no evidence that free-floating bacteria that land on a toothbrush will harm the user, but washing the toothbrush with hot water before and after using it will help prevent bacterial build-up.

 

Some dental companies manufacture specialized tools for cleaning toothbrushes, including their own electric toothbrush heads. But you should never clean a toothbrush by putting it in a dishwasher or microwave, or you risk melting it. Different people’s toothbrushes should be kept from touching each other so that bacteria won’t migrate between people. It’s also a good idea to maintain separate toothbrushes for natural teeth and dentures, although that’s more to protect the dentures from being scratched by toothpaste intended for harder, natural teeth. And remember that only soft-bristled toothbrushes should be used for dental hygiene.

 

The dental office of Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, California, 90035. To schedule an appointment, call 310-657-2200 or visit our website at Suzanne Haeri DDS.

Types of Mouthwash

As both a cosmetic and general dental office, we at the South Carthay practice of Dr. Suzanne Haeri know that our patients want their mouths to smell as good as they look. The bacteria on our tongues and enamel emit a foul odor that is usually the cause of bad breath, and mouthwash is one of the most common tools for fighting them. But how does mouthwash fit into routine oral hygiene? In this post, we’ll explore the different types and when they are recommended.

 

No mouthwash is able to replace brushing and flossing, but many kinds can supplement them. Cosmetic mouthwash is that which only masks a bad smell, while therapeutic mouthwash kills oral bacteria and helps to guard against the development of gum disease. Sometimes available by prescription, therapeutic mouthwash may be used when a patient has a dry socket or other dental injury. Many mouthwashes also contain fluoride to help bolster enamel’s defense against oral bacteria’s acidic secretions and may benefit people who suffer recurring tooth decay.

 

Some mouthwash also provides pain relief and may be used when a patient has mouth sores. But one thing to be cautious of is that mouthwash is often alcoholic, and while there is no evidence it contributes to oral cancer, it may dry out a user’s mouth if they don’t hydrate sufficiently. Alcohol-free mouthwashes are commonly available for children, and many teenagers with orthodontic appliances especially enjoy having an easy way of improving their breath.

 

The dental office of Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, California, 90035. To schedule an appointment, call 310-657-2200 or visit our website at Suzanne Haeri DDS.

 

Flossing Technique

When you floss properly, you greatly reduce your risk of tooth decay, gum recession, halitosis, and all sorts of associated problems. But flossing properly isn’t quite as simple as it sounds. At the South Carthay cosmetic and general dentistry office of Dr. Suzanne Haeri, we strive to provide our patients with top-quality care, but to keep their smiles dazzling in between dental appointments, patients need to understand how to improve their oral hygiene. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at how to floss.

 

Since you’ll be removing plaque from your teeth each time you floss, you’ll want to use a long strand. Fifteen to eighteen inches should be sufficient. You’ll be able to manipulate the strand with your pointer fingers and thumbs if you wrap the ends around your middle fingers. As you go from each side of each tooth, unspool a little more floss and wrap it around the other middle finger so you’re not just transferring plaque between teeth. On each side of each tooth, slide the floss as far as it will comfortably go, bend it around the tooth in a c-shape, and rub it back and forth as you move it back out. You shouldn’t bleed or be in pain, but the floss will move a short distance into the area between the crown and the gum tissue. Don’t forget the back sides of the back teeth.

 

If you do bleed while flossing your teeth, you likely have gingivitis and may need a professional cleaning. But flossing is a necessity for anyone with teeth, even if the teeth are artificial. Although it doesn’t make much difference whether flossing is done before or after brushing, it needs to be done at least once a day. We can give you a demonstration if there’s any part of it you’re still confused about, and if you’re struggling, you may want to look into getting a flosser, which mounts a strand of floss on an easy to grip handle.

 

The dental office of Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, California, 90035. To schedule an appointment, call 310-657-2200 or visit our website at Suzanne Haeri DDS.

 

How to Clean a Night Guard

A night guard or snore guard can be a great boon to a person’s dental health. When people suffer from bruxism (nighttime teeth grinding) or obstructive sleep apnea, these removable oral appliances prevent their teeth from rubbing together and keep their airways open. But they can become traps for bacteria if not cleaned properly, and we at Dr. Suzanne Haeri’s South Carthay dental office want to ensure our patients are maintaining their oral hygiene.

When a patient wakes up in the morning, they should remove their oral appliance and brush it. Night guard manufacturers often have instructions on their websites telling patients to clean their appliances with dissolvable tablets or soaking solutions. Those products may work well and can prevent a night guard from acquiring a bad smell, but brushing the appliance is still necessary to remove build-up and some people use retainers that double as night guards. Patients should clean with a soft-bristled toothbrush, but not toothpaste or the minerals may scratch the soft plastic.

Depending on their model, night guards vary in whether they should be kept wet or dry. But the case they are kept in should also be cleaned with antibacterial soap every day. Patients will also need to avoid using hot water or leaving the case in the sun or anywhere else it could get hot enough to distort the night guard’s shape. People should always brush and floss their teeth before using a night guard and should periodically have it professionally refitted.

Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90035. To set up an appointment, call 310-647-2200 or visit Suzanne Haeri DDS and fill out a request.

 

Cleaning Fixed Bridges

As part of our commitment to preventive care, we at Dr. Suzanne Haeri’s South Carthay dental office educate our patients about maintaining their oral hygiene after receiving replacement teeth. Cleaning a fixed bridge is easy, but it requires a few changes in habit and knowledge of the dental products available.

Implant-secured bridges may have enough room between the bridge and the gum line for a proxy brush. This Christmas tree-shaped brush can be mounted on a normal-sized toothbrush handle and be used to dislodge large pieces of food. However, all bridges must be flossed along their horizontal side and the teeth they attach to must be kept clean on all sides, as well. While some floss manufacturers make specialty floss with stiffened tips to push through the bridge gap, it is normal for patients to use a threader to loop floss around a bridge. Threaders are used by patients with braces to draw floss like a needle draws thread, and the same principle applies to bridges. The devices are cheap and reusable.

Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90035. To set up an appointment, call 310-647-2200 or visit SuzanneHaeriDDS.com and fill out a request.

 

Electric Toothbrush Apps

It’s the time of year when dental suppliers are releasing new product lines, and for the past few years, manufacturers have been interested in integrating home oral hygiene with smart devices. At Dr. Suzanne Haeri’s office, we’re always glad to help patients understand oral hygiene better, so we thought we’d describe how toothbrushes are getting smarter.

There are a number of apps aimed at children or adults, but one thing they have in common is the ability to provide feedback about the user’s brushing habits. Electrical toothbrushes don’t have much of an advantage over manual toothbrushes when used properly, but proper use of a manual toothbrush requires that the user brush for at least two full minutes during each session and thoroughly cover every tooth surface. Electrical toothbrushes obviously cut down on the time commitment, but patients previously may have still skipped over several teeth. New apps point out where patients need to brush more, whether they need to adjust the toothbrush’s settings, and whether the patient is improving.

For children, motivation is often more of a problem than knowledge or physical ability. Several manufacturers now include mobile games with their toothbrushes in which children are rewarded for improving their technique with story progression, bonuses, and so forth. Electric toothbrushes are still expensive and probably unnecessary for people who properly brush the old-fashioned way, but the new features may make them useful to patients who are struggling with home oral hygiene.

Suzanne Haeri, DDS, of Cosmetic & General Dentistry, is located at 1100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90035. To set up an appointment, call 310-647-2200 or visit SuzanneHaeriDDS.com and fill out a request.

 

Caring for Dentures

Dr. Suzanne Haeri has provided high-quality restorations to many patients over the years, allowing them to regain their self-confidence and massively boosting their quality of life. But dentures, like most prosthodontic solutions, require life-long maintenance and may eventually have to be replaced. This guide will keep them working as long as possible.

Like natural teeth, dentures need to be brushed twice daily with a soft-bristled brush. However, dentures are much more fragile than bone and lack the ability to self-repair like living tissue. Minerals in ordinary toothpaste can scratch them, which is why it is better to brush them only with toothpaste specifically approved by the American Dental Association for use on dentures. Patients should also brush their tongues, gums, and if they have mini-implants, their exposed abutments.

Lots of useful cleaning solutions are available for dentures to soak in overnight. These can further boost cleanliness, but the most important thing is that dentures not be allowed to dry out. It is also important that the tap water or cleaning solution be room temperature or cooler, as hot water can warp their shape. Dentures may have to be refitted eventually, as the mouth naturally changes shape, but patients should never attempt to reshape dentures without a professional.

Suzanne Haeri, DDS, of Cosmetic & General Dentistry, is located at 1100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90035. To set up an appointment, call 310-647-2200 or visit SuzanneHaeriDDS.com and fill out a request.