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Here is some surprising yet worthwhile advice you might be hearing for the first time: Brushing after a meal can be incredibly bad for your teeth if you do it after eating certain foods.

Enamel is an extremely hard mineral on the exterior of each of your teeth. It’s actually the hardest substance in the human body: It’s even stronger than your bones! Its only weakness is that acids in the food we eat can easily destroy enamel.

Healthy teeth thrive in an environment that has the proper pH balance. That ensures your mouth doesn’t start the process of demineralization. That’s what happens when alkaline turns into acid, which attacks and softens the enamel on the surface of your teeth. Pores and fissures form, and that’s when the harmful bacteria go to work.

Our mouth’s pH level fluctuates depending on what we eat throughout the day. Examples of the most common highly acidic foods include citrus fruits, soda, and sugary foods. Highly acidic foods tip the balance of pH in your mouth from a healthy alkaline to a dangerous acid.

Can brushing your teeth immediately after a meal lead to even more damage? The answer is yes!

Eating highly acidic foods causes your teeth to be more susceptible. If you brush your teeth when they have been weakened by acids, even more destruction can happen to your enamel. Your toothbrush’s bristles will actually wear away some of your enamel. So it’s healthier to wait at least an hour after eating or snacking to brush.

Good preventive measures to take instead of brushing after you eat include:

• Rinsing or drinking water
• Chewing sugarless gum
• Consuming dairy or non-acidic foods to conclude your meal

These practices help produce saliva, which in turn restores a healthy pH level in your mouth and coats the teeth with minerals they need.

Once you’ve allowed time for your mouth to be restored to a healthy pH level, you may brush your teeth as you normally would. Keep in mind that acidic foods can weaken the enamel on your teeth and take the right measures to prevent spiking pH levels.

Most important, don’t forget to wait to brush at least one hour after you eat!

Still have questions? Call our Cooper City, FL office and schedule an appointment with Dr. Gary Yanowitz.

It’s peak cold and flu season, a time to be especially conscious about your health. We have some suggestions to help you navigate this contagious time of year, with bonus tips for a healthy smile.

• Wash Up! 

Bacteria and viruses can live for hours and even days on non-porous surfaces like doorknobs, phones, and keyboards. That’s why it’s so important to wash your hands before touching your mouth, nose, and eyes, before brushing and flossing, and before you cook or eat. Washing with plain soap and water will eliminate most germs.

Bonus Tip: Keeping your fingers away from your mouth does more than prevent the transmission of bacteria and viruses. Fingernail biting can damage enamel. Prolonged thumb or finger sucking can affect tooth and jaw alignment. Delicate gum tissue can be injured or infected by broken or dirty fingernails. If you’d like to break harmful oral habits, talk to Dr. Gary Yanowitz for suggestions.

• Stay Hydrated

Hydration supports healthy skin, helps regulate blood pressure and body temperature, and is vital for digestion and other bodily functions. Proper hydration is also important for a healthy immune system and healthy mucous membranes, which will help you fight off colds and flu. Talk to your doctor about your ideal amount of daily hydration, whether from water, other fluids, or water-rich foods.

Bonus Tip: We also need to be hydrated to produce healthy levels of saliva. Saliva washes away food particles and bacteria and helps neutralize enamel-eroding acidity in the mouth.

• Eat Healthy Foods

A healthy diet is crucial for a healthy immune system, with foods such as lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.

Bonus Tip: A balanced diet is good for your oral health, too! We need vitamins A and C for healthy gums and oral tissues, minerals like calcium and phosphorus to keep tooth enamel strong, and dairy products enriched with vitamin D, which enables our bodies to absorb the calcium we get in our diet.

What happens if you become ill despite your precautions? 

• Reduce the Chance of Infecting Others

If you’re ill, you can help stop the spread of germs by limiting contact with other people, covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, washing your hands frequently, and cleaning the common surfaces in your house which harbor germs. 

Bonus Tip: Sharing isn’t caring when it comes to colds and flu. No matter how close you are to your family members or roommates, your toothbrushes shouldn’t be close at all. Let your brush air-dry in an upright position away from other brushes to avoid contamination. 

• Be Choosy about OTC Medications

If you take sugary cough or cold medications, brush or rinse afterward. Sugar-free cough drops are better for your teeth than sweet lozenges which bathe your enamel in sugar as you let them dissolve. 

Bonus Tip: Don’t bite into cough drops! You risk chipping or cracking a tooth.

• Keep Up with Healthy Habits

Be sure to keep hydrated, especially if you’ve been suffering from vomiting or diarrhea. Get the sleep you need to recover. Eat a well-balanced diet.

Bonus Tip: Stay on top of your dental hygiene and brush and floss as usual, with one caution. Vomiting brings up harsh stomach acids which weaken the mineral bonds keeping tooth enamel strong, so brushing right away can be abrasive. If you throw up, rinse your mouth with water and wait 30 minutes before brushing to allow your enamel to come back to full strength.

• Stay Home When You’re Sick

You’ll get better faster with proper care, which includes getting the rest you need to recover. And you won’t be sharing germs with the people around you.

Bonus Tip: If you have an appointment scheduled with your dentist, reschedule if necessary. Your dental team at Gary Yanowitz, DDS will be happy to accommodate you to prevent the spread of germs and to make your dental procedure a more comfortable one.

It’s the height of cold and flu season in Cooper City, FL, but you’re not alone! Talk to your doctor about immunizations and other preventative measures. If you do become ill, follow your physician’s recommendations. And if you have any dental concerns, your dental team is prepared with timely advice—at any time of year.

If the scariest part of Halloween in Cooper City, FL is trying to figure out which treats are braces-friendly and which treats are braces-frightful, we have a fiendishly simple suggestion to help keep your brackets and wires safe from harm: ghost any treats which are chewy, crunchy, hard, or sticky!

It’s no mystery how certain candies and treats can cause trouble for your braces. The pulling effect of chewy candies like caramels can pull a bracket right off your tooth. Biting into a hard candy can break a wire. Crunchy treats can get stuck under wires and damage braces. Sticky foods pull on your wires and brackets.

Broken braces are no fun. Loose or detached brackets can be uncomfortable. Bent or broken wires can cause sores and cuts inside your mouth. Damaged braces mean extra trips to the orthodontist for repairs, and can even delay your treatment if the damage is significant or you can’t see your orthodontist right away. 

And chewy, crunchy, hard, and sticky treats have a haunting effect on your dental health as well. These foods stick to brackets and wires and can be difficult to brush or floss away. Cavity-causing bacteria feast on the sugars and food particles left behind, putting you at greater risk for cavities.

So, what specific treats should *vanish* from your candy collection this Halloween? Here are some of the most damaging to braces: 

• Chewy caramels, taffy, fruit chews, gum, and licorice
• Crunchy candied apples, caramel popcorn, peanut brittle, nuts, and popcorn balls 
• Hard and hard-shelled candies, lollipops (especially with gum centers), and jawbreakers
• Sticky gummies, jellybeans, and candy corn

But it’s not all frightful news! There are many spook-tacularly good treats which you can enjoy without putting your braces in jeopardy:

• Peanut butter cups
• Soft chocolate bars (with no nuts or caramel hiding inside!)
• Soft cupcakes
• Pudding cups
• Mint patties
• Ice cream
• Sugar-free gum (if it’s okay with Dr. Gary Yanowitz and your orthodontist)

And here are a few good tricks for keeping your teeth and gums healthy, whether or not you wear braces:

• Brush and floss after treats. 
• Enjoy sweets in moderation. 
• Skip the sour candies. Acidic foods can damage tooth enamel.
• Eat treats with a meal. Eating increases saliva production, which helps neutralize acids and wash away food particles.

Don’t let a damaged bracket or wire spoil your Halloween fun. Talk to the team at Gary Yanowitz, DDS to learn which candies are a treat for both you and your braces and you’ll stay on the fast track to a boo-tiful, healthy smile!

You never know when a dental problem may arise. Unfortunately, they don’t necessarily occur during office hours. Dr. Gary Yanowitz can provide you with the proper information and treatment options to prevent the problem from becoming worse.

Abscess

An abscess is a bacterial infection, and will normally cause pain and swelling around the affected tooth and gum area. Though antibiotics are not always necessary, you should be seen by Dr. Gary Yanowitz as soon as possible. If left untreated, the infection may grow and cause more serious issues.

Toothache

Toothaches can have many causes. Sometimes it’s as simple as food lodged between your tooth and gums. Rinse your mouth with warm water and try flossing the area to dislodge the particle. If your gums begin to bleed, stop flossing.

Fractures or cavities can also cause toothaches as well as sensitivity to heat or cold. Please schedule an appointment to ensure a minor problem doesn’t develop into a serious one. You may require acetaminophen or another pain reliever before your visit.

If you can’t be treated right away, keep these tips in mind:

• If you have fractured a tooth, rinse the area with warm water to keep the surfaces clean. Apply a cold compress to the outside of your facial area to reduce swelling.
• A tooth that has been knocked out should be kept moist, in a clean container, until you can receive treatment.
• Do not apply aspirin directly to a damaged tooth or gum area, because this can cause tissue irritation.
• If you suspect your jaw has been broken, go to an emergency room immediately.
• If you have bitten or damaged your lips or tongue, rinse your mouth well with warm water. If bleeding continues, seek other medical attention right away.

If you experience an emergency, please contact our Cooper City, FL office and provide us with as much information as possible. This way, we can offer recommendations that will assist you until you’re able to arrive for an appointment.

Remember: procrastinating about getting treatment can turn a minor problem into a major one!