Best Mouthwash for Gingivitis: What is the Best One for Me?

As a child, you learn that regular brushing and flossing are important for good oral hygiene. But what about mouthwash? Does it play an important role in good oral care and the prevention of gingivitis? How do you know which mouthwash will address your oral concerns and work best for you? Soundview Family Dental is here to help you understand the role mouthwash plays in oral health, as well as which mouthwash is best for gingivitis and which will work best for you.

Should You Use Mouthwash?

When it comes to oral care and gingivitis prevention, your best course of action is regular brushing and flossing, as well as regular dental exams and cleaning. However, using mouthwash can be beneficial when it comes to gingivitis prevention. Using mouthwash, in addition to regular brushing and flossing, can help prevent gingivitis and gum disease by killing the bacteria responsible for these conditions. In addition, mouthwash helps prevent the buildup of plaque, which in turn helps prevent tooth decay. Mouthwash should never replace regular oral care, but it can be a very powerful tool for your oral hygiene routine.

 

Choosing the Right Type of Mouthwash

Not all mouthwashes are the same. Some mouthwashes, such as antibacterial mouthwash, target the bacteria in your mouth that can contribute to plaque buildup and gingivitis. Other mouthwashes, such as fluoride rinses, work to provide more fluoride to those people that do not get enough exposure from their drinking water. One big difference in mouthwashes is the use of alcohol. But alcohol isn’t always good for you. Let’s look at the difference.

Mouthwashes with Alcohol

Alcohol is very effective at killing the bacteria and germs that cause plaque buildup and gingivitis. This helps reduce your risk of oral complications, as well as helps to prevent bad breath. However, alcohol is also good at killing the good bacteria in your mouth. It is a drying agent that can contribute to reduced saliva production. This reduction of saliva can contribute to bad breath and more bacterial growth in the future. In addition, mouthwashes with alcohol can cause a burning sensation when used, especially in patients with tooth and gum sensitivity.

Mouthwashes Without Alcohol

While alcohol-free mouthwashes are not as effective at killing all germs in the mouth, they are better at targeting the germs responsible for plaque and gingivitis. They allow for normal saliva production, which helps keep your mouth healthy. Alcohol-free mouthwash is gentler for those with sensitive teeth and gums, while still eliminating the bacteria that can cause gingivitis. For many with gingivitis, alcohol-free mouthwash is the mouthwash of choice.

 

 

The Best Mouthwashes on the Market

As you walk down the oral care aisle in your favorite store, becoming overwhelmed with all the different choices is likely. There are many different types of mouthwash available on the market, including those that target bad breath, help prevent cavities, and others that target gingivitis. Figuring out which one will benefit you most can be difficult. These top mouthwashes are where Soundview Family Dental suggests you start.

Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Rinse

Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Rinse is an alcohol-free rinse that does not cause a burning sensation, but still has all the bacteria-fighting power of other gingivitis mouthwashes. This mouthwash is an all-around mouthwash that helps destroy bacteria and reduce plaque, prevent gingivitis, and give you fresh breath.

TheraBreath Healthy Gums Oral Rinse

TheraBreath Healthy Gums Oral Rinse is a mouthwash formulated by a periodontist, so it targets gingivitis prevention. It is alcohol and sugar-free, but it is clinically proven to fight the bacteria that cause gingivitis. Because there is no alcohol, you do not have to worry about a burning sensation, making it great for those with sensitive mouths.

Listerine UltraClean Oral Care Antiseptic Mouthwash

Listerine is a popular brand name when it comes to mouthwash. Their UltraClean Antiseptic Mouthwash provides 24-hour protection against the germs that cause plaque and gingivitis. This mouthwash does contain alcohol, which can cause sensitivity to some.

CloSYS Original Unflavored Mouthwash for Sensitive Mouths

For those with sensitive teeth and gums, finding a mouthwash that doesn’t cause a burning sensation or discomfort can be difficult. However, CloSYS Original Unflavored Mouthwash for Sensitive Mouths may be the solution you are looking for. This pH-balanced mouthwash contains a patented ingredient that prevents gingivitis but is gentle enough to use when you have swollen gums or canker sores. IF you still crave a minty-flavored mouthwash, you can add optional flavoring.

Tom’s of Maine Natural Wicked Fresh

If you are looking for a more natural mouthwash, Tom’s of Maine Natural Wicked Fresh Mouthwash is for you. This mouthwash works to prevent gingivitis with the use of zinc. This mouthwash is fluoride-free, has no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, as well as no animal ingredients. 

Oxyfresh Lemon Mint Mouthwash

OxyfreshLemon Mint Mouthwash is another alcohol-free mouthwash designed to prevent gingivitis while also improving bad breath. This mouthwash uses stabilized chlorine dioxide to disrupt bacterial growth. This mouthwash also contains aloe vera that helps promote soothing and healing. The use of essential oils helps stimulate saliva, giving an added benefit to those who suffer from dry mouth.

 

Choosing Your Mouthwash

While this list gives you some good mouthwash options, which one you choose will depend on your oral concerns and your preferences. While some people feel that only alcohol-based mouthwashes give them a really clean feeling, alcohol-based mouthwashes cause some people to experience extreme pain. Or if plaque buildup is common for you despite regular oral care, you may need a more powerful mouthwash. If you have any questions about gingivitis prevention, periodontics, or the best mouthwash for you, Soundview Family Dental can go over your oral care history and help you decide what mouthwashes would work best for you when it comes to gingivitis prevention. Contact Soundview Family Dental today.

 

Best Mouthwash for Gingivitis: What is the Best One for Me? is courtesy of: www.soundviewfamilydental.com

Soundview Family Dental
201 5th Ave S Suite 103, Edmonds, WA 98020
(425) 563-6360
Our Edmonds Location

Best Dental Floss: Know the Top Types and Brands

You know that you should be brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing at least once a day. However, when it comes to flossing, what is the best floss to use? Do you know the different types of floss and which one is best for you? Here, Soundview Family Dental will help you better understand the different floss types and some of the best floss currently on the market. 

 

 

What Are the Different Types of Dental Floss?

When most people think of dental floss, they think of a thin, white string-like substance. You may know that this string can come waxed or unwaxed. However, that is only the beginning when it comes to different types of dental floss.

Standard Floss

Standard floss is thin nylon fibers twisted together. This design makes it easy to fit between the tight spots between your teeth. The downside to standard floss is it is prone to shredding and breaking. Standard floss comes in waxed or unwaxed. While the light wax coating on standard floss helps to reduce the breaking, it can also make it more difficult to get into tight spaces.

Dental Tape

Dental tape is flat and broader than standard floss and comes in waxed or unwaxed. Because of its shape, people with larger gaps between their teeth are often more comfortable using them.

Super Flosses

Super flosses are a type of floss designed to help those with braces or dental bridges. It is made from a yarn-like material and therefore has stiff sections on the ends that help get in between braces’ brackets.

Others Floss Options

• Electric Flossers/water flossers - For those that have a hard time working with traditional flosses, such as those with arthritis, electric flossers provide an alternative. Electric flossers use pressurized air or water to clean between the teeth and stimulate the gum line.
• Disposable Floss Picks – Disposable dental flossers are an excellent alternative for those unable to work with traditional floss, including children. These picks contain threaded floss that you can easily work around your teeth in a similar manner to traditional floss.

 

What Are the Best Dental Floss Brands on the Market?

When you walk up the dental aisle of your favorite store, chances are you may become overwhelmed by the choices of dental floss on the shelves. While it is important to find a dental floss that you are comfortable using, these top brands are worth considering.

Cocofloss

Cocofloss is a standard floss made with over 500 textured filaments and interwoven fibers designed to maximize strength and minimize shredding, while still being thin enough to compress in between even the smallest spaces. The unique design helps to scrub away plaque and improve your overall dental care. Also, Cocofloss offers a wide variety of flavors, including mint, coconut, strawberry, and orange. And in the summer, you can even choose watermelon flavor.

Listerine Floss

Listerine is a major brand for high-quality dental products, including dental floss. Listerine’s floss options include standard cool mint floss, whitening dental floss, textured dental floss and disposable flossers with ergonomic handles.

Oral-B Glide

Oral-B Glide is a standard waxed floss with a fresh minty taste that offers a smooth texture that slides easily between teeth to help remove plaque and food particles. The addition of natural wax helps to give it a stronghold while still offering an easy glide between teeth.

Oral-B Superfloss

Oral-B also offers a great superfloss for those with braces, bridges, and wide gaps between teeth. These pre-measured strands offer a stiff floss threader on one end, a spongy floss, and a standard floss on one strand. This enables you to floss under appliances, such as brackets, as well as in between teeth and around the gumline.

Plackers Dental Floss Picks

Plackers disposable dental floss picks are great options for children and adults. They offer a wide variety of different picks that target different needs. For example, Plackers Kids Dual Gripz picks are designed to fit little hands and make flossing easier for children. Plackers Orthopick flossers work great for those with braces, allowing you to remove plaque and food particles without damaging your brackets and wires.

GUM EEZ-Thru Floss Threaders

GUM EEZ-Thru Floss Threaders are another great option for those with braces, dental bridges, and dental implants. These threaders help you thread dental floss under, around and between your dental appliances.

Reach Dentotape Waxed Dental Floss

Reach Dentotape is an unflavored waxed floss designed to be more effective and comfortable for users with wider spaces between their teeth.

With so many different floss options available, it becomes a matter of personal preference. Experiment with different floss types and find the one that works best for your needs. If you have questions or would like some guidance on the best floss for you, contact us at Soundview Family Dental and we will be happy to help you find the perfect floss for you. Because flossing is such an important part of good oral hygiene, we want to make sure you are comfortable with your choice of floss and that you make flossing a regular part of your oral care routine.

 

Best Dental Floss: Know the Top Types and Brands was originally published on: https://www.soundviewfamilydental.com/

Soundview Family Dental
201 5th Ave S Suite 103, Edmonds, WA 98020
(425) 563-6360
Our Edmonds Location

How to Properly Use Dental Floss

Everyone knows that regular brushing and flossing are important to good oral hygiene. While brushing is relatively self-explanatory, flossing tends to be a bit more confusing. It’s also the one part of good oral care that many people forget. However, regular flossing is essential to remove bacteria, food particles, and plaque and plays a major role in good oral hygiene. Understanding the different types of dental floss and how to properly floss your teeth is essential, and at Soundview Family Dental, we are here to help make flossing easier.

 

 

What is Dental Floss?

Dental floss comes in many different varieties and forms. These can include waxed, unwaxed, dental tape, polytetrafluorethylene floss (PTFE), super flosses, and even dental flossers. Each one works slightly differently, but with the same goal in mind. To better understand the different types, let’s take a closer look.

• Unwaxed floss – this is a thin nylon floss designed to fit into tight spaces. Unfortunately, unwaxed floss tends to get stuck in between teeth and is very prone to breaking.
• Waxed floss – this is unwaxed floss covered in a light wax coating. The wax coating makes it slide more easily between the teeth, and therefore less prone to breaking, but can also make it harder to get between tight spots.
• Dental tape – this is a broader and flatter type of floss and can come waxed or unwaxed. This type of floss is not good for tight spaces but can be more comfortable for people with more space between their teeth.
• PTFE floss – Made from Gore-Tex fabric, this type of floss slides easily between small spaces between the teeth and is less likely to break.
• Super floss – This is a thicker form of floss with stiff sections on each end. It is designed to help floss and clean around orthodontic appliances and dental bridges.
• Dental flossers – These flossing devices have a handle and a small piece of floss. They are great for children learning how to floss and for those with arthritis who are unable to hold traditional floss.

 

Why Do You Need to Floss Your Teeth?

If you brush your teeth regularly, you may wonder if flossing is really necessary. While brushing is great for removing food particles and bacteria on the surface of your teeth, it misses the areas in between your teeth where food particles and bacteria tend to hide. Flossing enables you to reach those areas, helping you to remove everything that can contribute to dental decay and damage to your teeth. 

 

When to Floss Your Teeth

While you should brush your teeth at least twice a day, the American Dental Association recommends flossing at least once a day. You can floss before or after brushing, and any time of day. Some people may opt to floss after a meal, while others choose to floss at the end of the day, so they go to bed with a clean mouth. There is no ideal time and when you floss should depend on your schedule and what works best for you. The most important thing is that you remember to do it!

 

 

Flossing Techniques

How you floss your teeth depends on a variety of different things, such as what type of floss you are using and whether you have any dental appliances. A general flossing technique is the same for waxed, unwaxed, dental tape, PTFE floss, and dental flossers. Flossing steps are:

• Break off 18 to 24 inches of floss. Wrap the floss around your middle fingers, leaving a space of one to two inches in the middle. Hold the floss between your thumb and index fingers. (skip this step if you are using dental flossers).
• Place the floss between two teeth, gently gliding the floss up and down while rubbing against the side of each tooth. Do not glide the floss against the gums as this can cause damage and bleeding.
• As you get down to the gums, create a curve at the base of your teeth, similar to a “C” shape. This will allow the floss to get into the space between the tooth and the gum without damaging the gums. 
• Repeat each of these steps with every tooth in your mouth. Use a clean section of floss for each tooth.

Flossing with Braces

Flossing with braces or other dental work can be a challenge. When working around traditional brackets and wires, you must floss with a slightly different technique. 

• Thread the floss between the teeth and the main wire.
• Loosely wrap the floss around your index fingers and press the floss between your teeth as gently as possible. Perform the same up and down motion, making sure to rub against the sides of the teeth.
• Unthread the floss from the wire and move on to the next two teeth, continuing until you have done all your teeth

If regular flossing with braces becomes difficult, your dentist may recommend using a water flosser that uses water pressure to clean between the teeth. A floss threader or super floss can also help to achieve the same results while reducing the risk of damage to your dental appliances.

While flossing may seem like a lot of work, it is an essential part of good oral care. If you still have questions or are having difficulty with flossing, contact Soundview Family Dental in Edmonds, Washington, and we will be happy to work with you to help make sure you’re flossing correctly and to help make flossing easier.

 

The following blog post How to Properly Use Dental Floss is courtesy of: https://soundviewfamilydental.com/

Soundview Family Dental
201 5th Ave S Suite 103, Edmonds, WA 98020
(425) 563-6360
Our Edmonds Location

What are the Different Types of Dentists and How Can They Help?

When people think about doctors, they know there are different types. For example, you would not go to an OB/GYN for heart problems. The same is true with a dentist. While a general dentist can handle most common dental concerns, specialty dentists treat specific dental issues. Knowing what the different types of dentists are can help you determine which one you may need in order to get the best dental care.

 

 

Why Are There Different Types of Dentists?

Similar to medicine, different types of dentists treat specific conditions. While every dentist can practice as a general dentist, some decide to go into specialty treatments. These treatments can include things like braces and tooth alignment, pediatric dentistry, replacement dentistry, major dental surgery, and specific gum care. When you see your general dentist for routine care, they may recommend or refer you to a specific dentist for specialized care.

 

Different Types of Dentists

When it comes to dentists, there are seven main types. Let’s take a closer look at each type and how they provide specialized care.

General Dentists

A general dentist is the one you are likely to see on a regular basis. They offer general and routine dental care, such as dental cleanings and routine exams. In addition, they also provide emergency care, fillings, tooth repair, crowns, bridges, and veneers. General dentists also perform oral cancer screenings and gum disease treatments. 

General dentistry is the most common form of dentistry and the one that most people see for initial treatments. Should you need specialty care, your general dentist is the one that often refers you to a specialist.

Pedodontists 

Pedodontists, or pediatric dentists, specialize in children. While dental care is safe, it can often be intimidating for children, leading to increased anxiety. Pedodontists understand the different challenges working with children can create, such as anxiety and different dental needs. Sedation is different for children, and these dental specialists cater to that. In many cases, pedodontists also treat older patients with special needs as well.

Orthodontists

Orthodontists are commonly thought of as the dentists that provide traditional braces and invisible braces to straighten your teeth and improve your smile. However, they now do much more than that. While misaligned teeth may make your smile imperfect, they can also contribute to biting and chewing problems, as well as jaw and neck conditions such as TMD (temporomandibular joint dysfunction) and TMJ (temporomandibular joint). 

Oral Surgeons

Oral surgeons are best known for wisdom tooth extractions, especially in cases where the wisdom teeth are impacted. In addition to these extractions, oral surgeons perform other complex oral surgeries that can correct misaligned jaws, facial trauma due to an accident, dental implants, TMD surgeries, bone grafts, and oral biopsies to look for oral cancer. In many cases, these dental specialists work closely with ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) physicians.

Endodontists

When a cavity or a trauma affects the pulp inside a tooth, it leads to nerve damage and death, often leading to infection. When this occurs, a root canal is necessary. While a general dentist can perform root canals, endodontists specialize in this procedure. They use specialized tools to drill a small hole in the top of the tooth and remove the dead and infected tissue. Once removed, they fill the small dental canals with a specialized rubber material to prevent bacteria from entering and further damaging the tooth. A temporary filling goes into place until a crown is made.

In cases where a damaged tooth continues to be infected, endodontists can perform a specialized surgery called apicoectomy. This procedure removes the root end, or tip, to help stop the infection.

Periodontists

Periodontists focus on the treatment of gums. They focus on the prevention of gum disease, as well as treating gum disease and periodontal disease. In many cases, this can include treatments such as skin grafting. These dentists work closely with general dentists to help prevent gum disease and create treatment plans when gum disease occurs.

Prosthodontists

Prosthodontists specialize in making oral prostheses to replace broken or damaged teeth, improving both cosmetic improvement and dental function. Oral prostheses include crowns, bridges, veneers, dentures, and implants. Prosthodontists work closely with general dentists and endodontists in order to provide these dental appliances when treatment indicates. 

 

How Do You Know Which One You Need?

How do you know which one will provide the dental work you need with all these different oral specialists? Seeing a general dentist on a regular basis is the best place to start. Having routine oral exams allows the general dentist to discover when potential problems may be happening, and they will refer you to a specialist when needed. In some cases, your regular physician may also refer to you a dental specialist. 

 

 

What are the Different Types of Dentists and How Can They Help? is republished from: https://www.soundviewfamilydental.com

Soundview Family Dental
201 5th Ave S Suite 103, Edmonds, WA 98020
(425) 563-6360
Our Edmonds Location