One of the tenets of good dental health is obvious—Brush your teeth after every meal. This can help keep your mouth healthy throughout a long life. Another rule should be just as carefully observed: Do NOT use someone else's toothbrush. Sharing toothbrushes can shorten your life. Be safe, not sorry. But what about emergencies, when [...]
Where Bad Breath Comes From Most, but not all, bad breath comes from bacterial plaque and food accumulated mainly towards the back of the tongue. The problem is, there are all sorts of not-likely-but-possible other reasons for halitosis: upset stomach, anxiety, inflamed gums, saliva deficiency, infections and removable dentures are among them. What Not To Do [...]
Homicide: bad word. It means killing another human being. Germicide? For many, good word. It promises to kill what are hated and feared most in this super-sanitary era: germs. Germ is sort of a catchall that refers to any microorganism we can't actually see. That's sort of like referring to every non-human living thing as [...]
An Old Habit Seems New Here's an idea that may be new to you. Did you ever think of brushing your tongue? Actually, tongue-brushing is an ancient practice. Our ancestors considered it part of their daily hygiene. Yet many people today aren't aware that their tongue needs brushing as much as their teeth do. In [...]
It afflicts as many as nine in 10 adults at some point in their lives, as well as teenagers and children as young as five or six years of age. Yet, many suffer from it without even suspecting anything is wrong. "It" is periodontal, or gum, disease—in the minds of most dentists, Public Enemy Number [...]
Did you know the toothbrush was invented by the Chinese in the 15th century? These first toothbrushes were made of hog bristles. Today, most toothbrushes are made from nylon monofilaments which dry quickly and resist breakage. Did you know a worn-out toothbrush is dangerous? Bent bristles can injure soft tissues. Worn, frayed bristles won’t be [...]
When you have a cold, we all know to cover your mouth before you sneeze and not to drink out of the same glass. We do this because we know that a cold is contagious. Now we know that, chances are, so is tooth decay. Recent research suggests that the germs responsible for cavities may [...]
