Category Archives: dentist recommendations

Every day I have the same conversation that goes something like this…

Patient- “Doc, I brush my teeth twice a day and floss.  Why do I keep getting cavities?”

Me- “Are you sipping on something that has sugar in it all day?  Like Sun Drop or Gatorade?”

Patient- “Yes, but I brush my teeth in the morning and night”

This conversation leads me to ask this question, what causes cavities?  Bad teeth?  Bad genes?  An AWAL tooth fairy?  Nope, it’s the sugar bug (also known as Step Mutans).   So here is a quick breakdown of how you get cavities.

So here’s the little secret that no one knows.  All the damage to your teeth from sugar happens within 10-15 minutes of you taking in that sugar!  What does this really mean?  It means that if you haven’t brushed your teeth within 10-15 minutes of taking in sugar…the damage is done.  If you do that a couple of times a day it’s no big deal.  But if you take a sip of Sun Drop every couple of minutes throughout the whole day YOU’RE KILLING YOUR TEETH!

So here’s the big picture take-home message:

It’s FREQUENCY of sugar intake that causes cavities, NOT QUANTITY.

If you go and down a 2 liter of Sun Drop, but brush right after…you didn’t damage your teeth that much.  But if you sip on a 12 ounce can of Sun Drop for 3 hours…you better have this number memorized—-270-366-0735, because you’re going to be seeing a lot of me!

Radiation from dental x-rays is a small portion of a person’s annual exposure and is a negligible risk compared to the health benefit. Technology has changed dramatically in the way our x-ray machines work, and the way our digital sensors receive the image.  This technology change has made it much easier, and safer to take dental x-rays.

In fact, with new technology lead aprons are no longer necessary for routine x-rays due to improved x-ray head designs which shoot the radiation in a straight line rather than scattering it.  The apron is used here in our Paducah Kentucky dental office more as a psychological comfort, and to children and pregnant women whose tissues are developing.

Recommended dose limits of the NCRP (National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements)

• 50,000 µSv/year for clinical staff working with radiation
• 1,000 µSv/year for general public

Most people think of radiation as something you only get when you go to the dentist or doctor’s office, but it’s actually hidden in many day-to-day activities.  Some typical sources that may expose you to radiation include smoke detectors, living in a brick house instead of a wood one (due to radioactive materials in the masonry), cooking with natural gas (radon gas in the natural gas supply), reading a book for 3 hours per day (due to small amounts of radioactive materials in the wood used to make the paper), and even from flying in an airplane (due to the increased altitude).

The risk of not having yearly x-rays is much greater than the risk from radiation exposure.  We routinely see teeth that with the naked eye seem healthy, but with the aid of x-rays are seen to have large cavities.  X-rays also help us to detect cancers of the bone at an earlier stage, as well as calcification of the carotid artery.

If you have any questions or concerns about radiation exposure, please give us a call and ask!

Maybe I’m just not popular enough, but I have never been asked by a toothpaste or gum manufacturer what I recommend.  I keep waiting, just like I’m waiting to get polled on who I’m voting for this year, but the call never comes.  So I’m going to give you guys my list of what I recommend anyways.

Tooth paste – Colgate Total

Tooth brush- Anything ADA approved and with SOFT bristles.

Electric tooth brush- Sonicare.  We recommend that you wait until you get a 20% off coupon from Bed Bath and Beyond, then get one there.

Floss – Oral B Glide Floss

Water flosser- Any Waterpik brand that plugs in.  We don’t recommend the battery powered one.

Gum- Sugar free of course, but anything with xylitol in it is preferred.  Xylitol is a sweetener that has been found to help prevent cavities.

Mouthwash- Any Listerine product.  Alcohol free is preferred, especially for those with a dry mouth.

Tongue scraper- Dr. Tung’s Tongue Cleaner.  This is a product that most people have never heard of, however, it can be very useful for people with coarse or fissured tongues.  Food and bacteria can hide in the papillae of your tongue, causing bad breath, and this product can help to get it out. Check it out here.

Canker sore treatment- Zilactin to help them heal once you get them.  If they last more than 2 weeks you need to see your dentist.  We have a couple of products that can help heal them up faster, as well as advise on how to prevent them.

Candy- Laffy Taffy or soft caramels applied to the tops of teeth every 10 minutes has statistically been proven to increase my kids college fund.  Apply liberally.

If there are any other products that you have questions about, contact us and please let us know!