What is the best kind of toothbrush?
Our dentist recommends a soft bristled toothbrush. Whether you use a manual toothbrush or an electric, stiff bristles can abrade your teeth and cause gum recession. So even if you like the feel of those hard bristles, it is better for your teeth to have a soft brush
How do I use dental floss?
Use about a forearms length to start. Wrap one end around the middle finger of one hand and pick up the other end about 4-6 inches away with the middle finger of the other hand. This allows you to manipulate the floss with your thumb and fore finger. Make sure you keep using clean floss, as it gets used pull another 4-6 inches of clean floss. Once you get the floss past the tooth contact, move the floss up and down, perpendicular to the tooth. Never shoe-shine the teeth in a back and forth motion! You will either notch your teeth or cut your gums or both!
How often should I get x-rays?
For most people, you should have your dentist do a complete radiographic survey should be done every 5 years, and a "check up" or "recall" set every 12 to 18 months. If you're concerned about receiving too much radiation, a complete set of x-rays is the exposure to flying a commercial jet from San Francisco to Seattle.
What causes tooth decay?
Tooth decay is truly a disease of modern civilization. Prior to the invention of sugar, tooth decay was unknown! Although dentistry was practiced by many ancient cultures, tooth decay came about with the introduction of refined sugar. None of the naturally occurring sugars (such as are found in fruit) cause decay.
How often should I get dental checkups?
For most people, a seeing a dentist for a checkup and cleaning every 6 months is standard protocol. Given that dental insurance companies agree, they generally will cover two cleaning and one recall exams with x-rays per year. Depending on a person's dental health, however, a dental cleaning every 3-4 months may be recommended.
If you have more questions, please call us and one of the longest serving Antioch CA Dentists, Dr Larry Leong, will be happy to see you and answer your questions.
