Is there fluoride in your water? Education Go to Downloads

Education

Oral and Whole Body Health

Losing your teeth is but one reason to be concerned about oral health. At any age, dental pain caused by cavities, gum infection, oral cancer or other oral diseases can affect all dimensions of health and quality of life.

It is difficult to sleep, think, concentrate, learn or work with dental-related pain; social relationships can suffer, too. What’s more, periodontal disease or dental decay can have negative effects on the rest of the body. As a result, the need to treat the whole person – including his or her mouth – has become more important.

Some of the diseases or conditions linked to periodontal disease include heart disease, stroke, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and obesity. For women of child-bearing age, add osteoporosis, pre-term labor and preeclampsia to the list.

The ADA recommends that children and adults brush twice daily – for two minutes each time – and floss once in order to have healthy teeth and gums.

Dental cavities and periodontal disease are significant risk factors for pneumonia in hospitals and nursing homes. Other social diseases also are spread through and into the oral cavity, with oral cancer on the rise among young women between the ages 15-25 because of the human papiloma virus, or HPV.

The American Dental Association recommends that children and adults brush twice daily – for two minutes each time – and floss once in order to have healthy teeth and gums. But it’s also important to note that our oral health impacts those around us: we can “catch” a cavity or periodontal disease just as we can catch a cold – through bacteria that is passed from one person to another.


Simple Steps to Proper Brushing

  1. Chew Chew Chew Chew
    Brush chewing surfaces on all of your teeth – start on the back teeth first – top left teeth, top right teeth, bottom left teeth then bottom right teeth.

  2. Outside Inside
    Brush gently. Brush the outside then the inside of the top teeth starting in the very back. Brush in a back and forth motion, one tooth at a time.

  3. Outside Inside
    Same thing for your bottom teeth – brush all of your bottom teeth on the outside and inside surfaces, starting at the very back tooth.

  4. Tongue
    Remember to brush your tongue until it is almost the color of your lips – not white

Healthy smiles begin with brushing at least twice a day.


Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay is a serious problem among many children in Lancaster County. While the effects can be devastating, the good news is parents and caretakers can help prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay by following a few basic tips.

baby-with-bottle

  1. After each feeding, wipe your baby’s gums with a clean cloth or a finger brush. Begin brushing your child’s teeth when the first tooth appears. Continue wiping gums.

  2. Do not put your child to bed with a bottle containing milk, formula, fruit juice or sweetened liquids.

  3. If your child needs a pacifier, use a clean pacifier recommended by your dentist or doctor.

  4. Avoid filling your child’s bottle with liquids such as sugar water and soft drinks.

  5. Limit fruit juice to a 1/4 cup (diluted with water) serving per day.

  6. If your local water supply does not contain fluoride, ask your dentist how your child should get fluoride.

  7. Start dental visits by your child’s first birthday and keep making regular visits. If your child has dental problems, see a dentist as soon as possible.