Top Ten Jobs Who Should Brush Their Teeth After Lunch

It is so hard to make time to brush and floss after lunch! It is probably especially important for some portion of the population  to make time to brush and floss after the mid day meal. Can you imagine visiting these folks after they have had Garlic Shrimp for lunch?
Do you agree with our list?

1. Dentist
2. Dental Hygienist
3. Priest
4. Massage Therapist
5. Doctor
6. Nurse
7. Stay at Home Mom
8. Nail Technician
9. Salesperson
10. Husband/Wife

Debbie Johnson
Brian D. Johnson, DMD
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry
1240  Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770.993.9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

Is Your Tongue Like a Shaggy Carpet?

I ran across this article on bad breath and oral health. I think it is quite good.
Brian Johnson
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770.993.9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

According to WebMD:

Don't let your tongue become a dirty carpet.

Bad breath often strikes when people aren't properly taking care of their oral health. The odor is usually caused by decaying food particles and bacteria in your mouth. That's why brushing and flossing your teeth is so important, but don't forget to gently brush your tongue to get rid of even more bacteria.



A clean tongue goes a long way to warding off bad breath, says Stephen Z. Wolner, a dentist in private practice in New York City. "Your tongue microscopically is like a shaggy carpet. There are millions of filaments on your tongue that trap tiny food particles and bacteria," he says. Get in the habit of regularly cleaning your tongue using a toothbrush, the edge of a spoon, or a tongue cleaner. If you have any mouth guards or oral devices, make sure to clean them thoroughly before putting them back in your mouth.



Mouthwash isn't a bad idea, but it's only a temporary fix. Granted, a little mouthwash comes in handy before a romantic dinner for two, but it masks the odor instead of tackling the source of your problem.



Chew gum like it's going out of style.

Believe it or not, saliva is your best weapon against bad breath. That's why dry mouth, often caused by certain medications or medical conditions, leads to odor problems. By washing away food particles and bacteria, saliva helps to eliminate odor, too.



If you're wondering why your breath stinks in the morning, it's largely because saliva production slows while you sleep, allowing particles and odor to linger longer. That's where sugarless gum comes in handy, as chewing it will stimulate saliva production. Mints, on the other hand, don't usually stimulate saliva production and only temporarily mask bad odor.



"When you chew gum it makes you salivate, and the more saliva you have in your mouth the fewer bacteria you have. It not only mechanically washes bacteria out, but we have antiseptic and enzymes in our saliva that kill bacteria," says Wolner.



While anything that makes you salivate will improve your breath, a gum that is sweetened with xylitol is your best option. Xylitol is a sugar substitute that not only increases salvation but also works to prevent bacteria from replicating in the mouth.



Choose cinnamon -- it's sweeter.

A recent study of the cinnamon-flavored gum Big Red found that cinnamon might have breath-odor fighting abilities. Unlike other flavors, cinnamon is not just a cover-up, Wolner tells WebMD. In fact, he says, an ingredient in the flavoring appears to actually decrease the bacteria in your mouth. The only problem is that sugar gums are bad for your teeth, so stick to sugarless cinnamon-flavored gum instead.

Roswell Dentist Speaks Out on Bad Breath

What do Barney, Puff the Magic Dragon, Norbert ( Harry Potter), Elliot(Pete's Dragon), and Mushu (Mulan) have in common? Why they are all dragons, of course! So,...logic would tell us that they should have dragon breath. Let's let them have their claim to fame!
People shouldn't have dragon breath. It is not pleasant and can be a symptom of medical and dental conditions that require a visit to your doctor or dentist. The most common cause of bad breath is simply bacteria. Nice, right? Bacteria lives all over our body; but loves our mouths. Think about it, our mouths are dark, damp, and provides a food source for the pesky microbes. Guess what, bacteria in themselves don't smell. Only their waste products. Great. Here are some words for you to chew on , so to speak...

•Cadaverine - the smell we associate with corpses.

•Putrescine - the compound responsible for much of the foul odor produced by decaying meat.

•Skatole - the characteristic smell of human fecal matter.

•Isovaleric Acid - the smell of sweaty feet.
 
These all can be present in your mouth. Feel like running and brushing and flossing. I know I do just reading this!
 
Not to worry. Excellent home oral hygiene and regular visits to your dental hygienist will be a great step toward fresh smelling breath!

Brian D. Johnson, D.M.D.
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 3076
770.993.9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

Roswell Dentist- Tonsil Stones , One Cause of Bad Breath

I would probably never have thought to write about "tonsil stones" if our daughter had not run downstairs completely grossed out that something had fallen out of her tonsils. I have had the pleasant experience of this happening to my wife; but it was before the wonderful world of the internet. At that time, we figured it was gone never to be seen again...

After a quick Google search, I realized that these little white/yellow bits of nastiness that fall out of tonsils are called "Tonsilloliths", or "Tonsil Stones". According to WebMD,

What Causes Tonsil Stones?

Your tonsils are filled with nooks and crannies where bacteria and other materials, including dead cells and mucous, can become trapped. When this occurs, the debris can become concentrated in white formations that occur in the pockets.

Tonsil stones, or tonsilloliths, are formed when this trapped debris hardens, or calcifies. This tends to occur most often in people who suffer from chronic inflammation in their tonsils or repeated bouts of tonsillitis.

While many people have small tonsilloliths that develop in their tonsils, it is quite rare to have a large and solidified tonsil stone.

What Are the Symptoms of Tonsil Stones?

Many small tonsil stones do not cause any noticeable symptoms. Even when they are large, some tonsil stones are only discovered incidentally on X-rays or CT scans. Some larger tonsilloliths, however, may have multiple symptoms:

Bad breath . One of the prime indicators of a tonsil stone is exceedingly bad breath, or halitosis, that accompanies a tonsil infection. One study of patients with a form of chronic tonsillitis used a special test to see if volatile sulfur compounds were contained in the subjects' breath. The presence of these foul-smelling compounds provides objective evidence of bad breath. The researchers found that 75% of the people who had abnormally high concentrations of these compounds also had tonsil stones. Other researchers have suggested that tonsil stones be considered in situations when the cause of bad breath is in question.

Sore throat . When a tonsil stone and tonsillitis occur together, it can be difficult to determine whether the pain in your throat is caused by your infection or the tonsil stone. The presence of a tonsil stone itself, though, may cause you to feel pain or discomfort in the area where it is lodged.

White debris. Some tonsil stones are visible in the back of the throat as a lump of solid white material. This is not always the case. Often they are hidden in the folds of the tonsils. In these instances, they may only be detectable with the help of non-invasive scanning techniques, such as CT scans or magnetic resonance imaging.

Difficulty swallowing. Depending on the location or size of the tonsil stone, it may be difficult or painful to swallow foods or liquids.

Ear pain. Tonsil stones can develop anywhere in the tonsil. Because of shared nerve pathways, they may cause a person to feel referred pain in the ear, even though the stone itself is not touching the ear.

Tonsil swelling. When collected debris hardens and a tonsil stone forms, inflammation from infection (if present) and the tonsil stone itself may cause a tonsil to swell or become larger.

So, it looks like tonsil stones are fairly harmless; but the bad breath that they can cause are troublesome. Warm salt water rinses can help the body to rid the tonsils of the stones and other bad breath causing bacteria. If the problem persists, it is recommended that you see a physician.

Brian D. Johnson, D.M.D
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell,GA 30076
770.993.9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

Will your friends tell you that you have bad breath?

Your friends may not tell you that you have bad breath... Good oral hygiene habits will help to freshen your breath. Here is a surprise for your. Brushing, flossing are important for fresh breath! Regular brushing and flossing will help to remove the bacteria that causes bad breath from your teeth. We won't even mention here what that same bacteria does to your gums...but I digress. The same bacteria likes to cling to your tongue. You can brush your tongue; but a tongue scraper is far more effective in cleaning the back of your tongue. So, when you go back to your favorite Walmart/Target/drugstore, take a moment in the oral hygiene section to find a few new products to help you freshen your breath!

Sometimes, the cause of bad breath is more complex than just dirty teeth or tongue. It can be periodontal problems, an infected tooth, chronic sinus problems, cancers, oral infections, and ill fitting dental appliances such as dentures. If you think you are doing a good job of daily care and prevention of bad breath, but just can't seem to get rid of it, a visit to our office is probably necessary.

Dr Brian Johnson
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770.993.9809
www.BrianJohnsonDMD.com

What kind of toothpaste should I use?

Walking down the toothpaste aisle at the local supermarket can be overwhelming. We are frequently asked for guidance in choosing toothpaste. Today, there are more options than ever. Toothpaste manufacturers provide so many kinds of toothpaste for two reasons. First, people have different dental problems and benefit from different toothpastes. Another reason is marketing; more kinds of toothpaste mean more shelf space for that manufacturer. Colgate (www.colgate.com) lists over 60 different kinds of over the counter toothpaste. All that toothpaste creates a big billboard right inside the local grocery store. That makes Colgate products much easier to find than Biotene which produces only two kinds of toothpaste.The dentist will ask you what you need toothpaste for. People who use toothpaste clean their teeth by brushing and flossing them. The mechanical action of the brush and floss loosens plaque. Plaque is the bacterial coating that forms on teeth and causes gum disease and cavities. Rinsing with water washes the loose plaque away. Toothpaste must provide an addition benefit.Procter and Gamble (www.crest.com) introduced fluoridated toothpaste with Crest in 1955. Now, most toothpaste contains fluoride. Fluoride from toothpaste seeps into the surface of teeth making them more resistant to decay. People who use toothpaste with fluoride get fewer cavities than those who do not.For people who have a very high rate of decay, their dentist may prescribe toothpaste that has a higher concentration of fluoride. Such a high concentration is able to reverse very small decayed areas.Young children who can not rinse and spit out should not use fluoridated toothpaste. They may swallow too much fluoride which may stain the permanent teeth. That is why some manufacturers market fluoride free toothpaste for children. Tom’s of Maine (www.tomsofmaine.com), known for their “natural” oral health care products offers fluoride free, strawberry flavor toothpaste for children.

Whitening toothpaste is generally safe for daily use, but excessive use might damage tooth enamel. If you're considering using a whitening toothpaste, look for a brand that has a seal of approval from a reputable dental organization — such as the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance, which indicates that the toothpaste is effective at removing surface stains and reducing tooth decay. If you're not satisfied with the effect of whitening toothpaste, talk to your dentist or dental hygienist about more effective tooth whitening options.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/18779/choosing_which_toothpaste_you_should.html

Brian D. Johnson, D.M.D

1240 Upper Hembree Road

Suite C

Roswell, GA30076

770.993.9809

http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

Choosing the Right Mouthwash

Many people use daily mouth washes. The problem is there are so many on the market these days, it can be difficult to decide which to choose.
If you are prone to decay, you should choose one with fluoride and use it daily. If you are prone to periodontal disease, you may benefit from a prescription rinse. Many rinses contain alcohol and should be avoided by children and many adults. Alcohol based rinses can make dry mouth worse , which can lead to decay.

As always, if you have any questions regarding your dental health, please call our office and one of our team member will be happy to help you!

Brian Johnson, DMD
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
(770)993-9809
www.brianjohnsondmd.com

Signs of periodontal disease

Do you have periodontal disease/gum disease?
Do you ever have pain in your mouth?
Do your gums bleed when you brush your teeth or eat hard food?
Have you noticed any spaces developing between your teeth?
Do your gums ever feel swollen or tender?
Have you noticed that your gums are receding?
Do your teeth appear longer than before?
Do you have persistent bad breath?
Have you noticed pus between your teeth and gums?
Have you noticed any change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite?
Do you ever develop sores in your mouth?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should see your dentist.Here are some things that you can expect your dentist to do to check for this pesky condition .During a periodontal exam, your dentist or periodontist typically checks:
your gums—for bleeding, swelling, firmness, and for pockets (the space between the gum and tooth; the larger and deeper the pocket, the more severe the disease)
your teeth—for movement and sensitivity
your bite—for proper teeth alignment
your jawbone—(via x-rays) to help detect the breakdown of bone surrounding your teeth.

Call our office today !

Brian D. Johnson, DMD
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
www.BrianJohnsonDMD.com
(770)993-9809

Do you think you have morning breath all day?

If you brush, floss, and use mouth wash; but still think your breath could be fresher, the problem could be your tongue needs to be cleaned too. Bad breath surely is not pleasant to talk about and can be caused by many factors. Bad breath may be transient, often disappearing following eating, brushing one's teeth, flossing, or rinsing with specialized mouthwash.
The back of the tongue is where many bacteria like to hang out. Also, it is more difficult to clean the back of the tongue. Other parts of the mouth may also contribute to the overall odor, but are not as common as the back of the tongue. Faulty dental work, food-impaction areas in-between the teeth, abscesses, and unclean dentures can contribute to unpleasant breath.

The most common reason to clean the tongue is for the control of bad breath. Methods used against bad breath, such as mints, mouth sprays, mouthwash or gum, may only temporarily mask the odors created by the bacteria on the tongue, but can not cure bad breath because they do not remove the source of the bad breath. The bacteria on the tongue must be removed; as must the decaying food debris present on the rear areas of the tongue. Most people who clean their tongue use a tongue scraper, or a toothbrush. Ergonomic, specially designed tongue cleaners are more effective at removing the bacterial coating than toothbrushes which merely spread the bacterial accumulations on the tongue and in the mouth.

So, if you think you have persistent bad breath, go get yourself and tongue scraper and try it for a while. Routine cleanings are always important as well. So, if you are overdue , call us today.

Dr. Brian Johnson
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30004
(770)993-9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/