What is Hydrogen Peroxide?

Hydrogen peroxide is a common household product that can be found for very cheap at your local pharmacy or grocery store. Chemically, it is two oxygen molecules with two oxygen molecules, and it appears as a clear liquid with about the consistency of water. In the solution you can find in stores, it is diluted with water to only 3%.

1) To Ease a Toothache

If one of your teeth starts to hurt and you can’t make it to our Onalaska office right away, try putting a capful of hydrogen peroxide in your mouth and holding it there for ten minutes, then spitting it out. This can be repeated several times a day until the pain subsides.

Much of the pain people experience in toothaches is caused by swelling and infection, which hydrogen peroxide helps fight. However, remember that this should only be used as a short term solution and you should see Dr. Huey as soon as possible.

2) To Help Treat Gingivitis

Hydrogen peroxide is a great way to kill germs, and germs are the force that leads to gingivitis. After you floss and brush your teeth, vigorously swish with an ounce of hydrogen peroxide, making sure to get all of the gum lines, including behind the upper lip. Swish for 5 or 6 seconds, then spit the chemical out and rinse with water.

3) To Clean Your Toothbrush

Once a week or more, soak your toothbrush bristles in a freshly poured cup of hydrogen peroxide. After about five seconds, watch it bubble as it kills the germs!

Leave your toothbrush in the cup for a few minutes to ensure it is properly cleaned, then rinse it off with water. Make sure to always use a fresh cup of hydrogen peroxide, as the chemical degrades when it’s exposed to light.

4) As a Toothpaste Substitute

Ever forget to buy toothpaste and find yourself without even that last little bit? Mix together one part hydrogen peroxide to four parts baking soda and brush your teeth with that. It may be a little grittier than you’re used to, but it works in mostly the same way.

Don’t forget though, that hydrogen peroxide degrades with light, so you can’t make large batches of this solution to store for later use.

5) To Propel a Rocket

Okay, so you can’t actually do this with the diluted, 3% concentration of hydrogen peroxide that is sold at stores. And you certainly shouldn’t put rockets in your mouth. But the chemical was used at 70-98% concentrations to propel rockets during World War II, and is still used for some satellites. How cool is that?

The post Keep Your Teeth Healthy with Hydrogen Peroxide: Five Tips appeared first on Neighborhood Smiles.

Interestingly, TMD is 9 times more likely to affect women than men, but all Onalaska residents should be aware of the symptoms. Neighborhood Smiles Onalaska is hoping to help our patients remove stress and pain from their lives this holiday season!

TMD Symptoms

First, you may be wondering if this disease can help explain some of the difficulties you have with your mouth. Interestingly, many of the symptoms of TMD may be something that you deal with every day but never thought of as related to your jaw. They can include:

- Dizziness

- Ringing in ears

- Headaches

- Neck aches or stiff neck

- Earaches

- Radiating pain in face

- Jaw aches

- Inability to open mouth wide

- Pain when chewing

- Sensitive teeth

- Tendency to dislocate or “lock” jaw

- Clicking, popping or grinding jaw

Women and TMD

Researchers are not conclusive on the exact causes, but the following are a number of conditions that may explain why so many TMJ sufferers are women.

Physical Structure

One reason more women than men are affected by TMD/ TMJ is pure and simple: there are differences in the bone and muscle density between the genders. We aren’t exactly sure which of these disparities are related to TMJ and in what way, but it is certain that they play some role in the development of the disease.

Teeth Grinding

Women are far more likely than men to brux, or grind and clench their teeth. This can happen during the day or while you sleep, but chances are you don’t even know you’re doing it. In fact, the vast majority of Americans grind their teeth at some point, it’s just a matter of to what degree.

Life Stressors

Research has shown that women are more responsive to emotional imagery and stress in their daily lives than men. This is combined with the fact that hormones have a huge influence on where, and how significantly, stress and pain affect our bodies. Stress is the leading reason most people grind and clench their teeth both during the day and while they are sleeping.

Migraines

Both migraines and TMJ are affected by teeth grinding and clenching, and both disorders affect women more often than men. Although there is not yet a clear cause and effect relationship, the jaw clenching muscles in migraine sufferers tend to be about 70% larger than in those who don’t experience migraines. These enlarged muscles are certain to intensify the presence of TMJ symptoms.

Arthritis

All joint disease can have oral manifestations, most notably, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Your mandibular is a joint just like your fingers, wrists and knees, and can be affected by disease in the same debilitating way. Women are more likely than men to suffer from these joint diseases, and therefore more disposed to the chronic joint deterioration, pain and diminished function associated with them.

TMJ Treatments

While the outlook for TMD sufferers may sound grim, the reality is anything but. Here at Neighborhood Smiles Onalaska we can design a treatment specifically for you to discover the causes and appropriate treatments of your TMJ. If you are even a little concerned that you may have TMD, contact Dr. Huey today. No matter what your problem, we can find a way to make your pain and discomfort disappear.

The post Do the Holidays Make You Clench Your Teeth? appeared first on Neighborhood Smiles.

Frightening new studies have shown that women who had gum disease during their pregnancy were an astounding 7 times more likely to have a low birth weight baby. While it may seem strange that your mouth could be so important, gum disease is in fact an infection, and any infection can have detrimental effects on a healthy weight for your newborn. The best way to avoid this is to talk to Dr. Huey as soon as you know you are pregnant so that he can test for any health problems that might affect your baby.

Your bad oral health can still affect your baby even after they are born. Researchers now agree that one of the most common ways babies get cavities is by “catching” them from their mothers. Tooth decay, just like the common cold, can be spread from one person to another through contact with their saliva when sharing utensils or food or kissing on the mouth.

The teeth of infants are especially vulnerable as they begin to develop, which means it is one of the few times in someone’s life that you can transfer cavities to them. To protect your baby from this you can either work to limit saliva transfer, or see Dr. Huey regularly to ensure that both your and your baby’s teeth remain cavity-free.

There are thousands of things for new mothers to worry about, but a fool-proof way to avoid these problems is to simply take care of yourself. First and foremost, be aware of the strong correlation between stress and the health of your mouth. It can cause canker sores, dry mouth, gum disease, teeth grinding, and a painful jaw condition known as TMD which can bring on headaches, earaches and clicking in your jaw.

There is a bad myth that you should avoid dental care while pregnant. In actuality, dentists strongly recommend you schedule an appointment during your second trimester to check on the issues that could harm you and your baby. As always, keep up your daily oral hygiene routine and continue to get your teeth and gums checked by Dr. Huey at least twice a year, even after your children are born.

The post Are Your Teeth Making Your Baby Sick? appeared first on Neighborhood Smiles.

We know that toothbrushes have been around for at least 5,000 years; hopefully yours is newer! Lots of different materials have been used including sticks, bones, horse hair, rags, pig bristle, badger hair, and finally synthetic fibers. They have only been mass produced for a few hundred years and have not changed very much in the past seventy, except for the advancement of animal bristles to nylon ones. Toothbrushes have been around longer than deodorant, the toilet and even soap!

There are a lot of choices in the toothbrush aisle and it can get kind of confusing trying to pick one out. There are soft, medium and hard bristles, electric and manual, tongue cleaners, flex heads, gum stimulators … the list goes on and on. If you have any questions, Dr. Huey is more than happy to help you sort out your options and get the one that is right for you.

Once you have a toothbrush, where you keep it is very important, especially in relation to all the other dirty things in your bathroom. First of all, try to store it at least six feet away from your toilet to avoid airborne…contamination. Closing the lid before you flush will also keep bacteria to a minimum. Keep your toothbrush in a holder away from other items, including other toothbrushes and make sure to keep your holder free of standing water and crusty toothpaste. You should always replace your toothbrush every three months, or after every time you get sick.

We now spend $775 million dollars each year on toothbrushes, but that money is well spent because an average American spends more than 38 days of their life brushing their teeth. To use your toothbrush right, you should be brushing two or three times a day, for 2-3 minutes each time. So, is your toothbrush important to you? After all that, Dr. Huey thinks it should be.

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When the Chicago Dental Society surveyed its members in 2003, more than half thought the tooth fairy should pay $1 for a child’s tooth. The members were surveyed again in 2009 and this time almost a quarter thought the children should get $2 while another segment of the dentists thought they should receive a whopping $5.

Not to be outdone by dentists, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has weighed in on the matter and said that the tooth fairy should give $1.15 per tooth, instead of the $1 it suggested in 2003. The tooth fairy’s website claims that the going rate is now at least $2. If you are having trouble, Dr. Huey can give you a better idea of what the going rate is in our area for the tooth fairy trade.

The tale of the tooth fairy most likely has its origins in early Europe, where it was a tradition to bury baby teeth that had fallen out of a child’s mouth. This custom is still practiced in Ireland and Great Britain, but children tend to only receive money after their sixth tooth falls out, as a reward for growing big and strong. In America, the tooth fairy became more popular in the past century, as people made more money and focused more on the lives of their children.

Children generally lose 20 teeth between the ages of 6 and 12, which means the tooth fairy will spend anywhere from $20 to $100, depending on who you listen to. In these hard economic times, Dr. Huey also suggests that a small toy or gift may be substituted for cash.

When your child has loose teeth remember that wiggling is okay, but forcing a tooth out can cause bleeding and infection. It’s better to just let it happen naturally. If you have any concerns or questions about what is going on with your child’s mouth, Dr. Huey will be able to help explain and solve any problems. Just don’t forget to put the teeth under a pillow at night!

The post Does Inflation Affect the Tooth Fairy? appeared first on Neighborhood Smiles.

Everyone knows that drinking red wine can leave unsightly stains your teeth, but a recent study shows that white wine may actually be a worse culprit than its darker cousin. Scientists at the New York University College of Dentistry studied the effects on tooth whiteness, and found that although red wine discolors, white wine actually dissolves a microlayer of tooth, making it rougher and more vulnerable. If this is followed with staining drinks such as coffee and tea, or acidic foods such as citrus fruits, the resulting damage could be harmful to the health of your mouth.

Another study by a team from Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, confirmed their findings and also discovered that the longer the time you spend drinking white wine, and the more frequently you drink it, the worse the damage will be to your teeth. Some ways to counteract these affects include making sure you eat a calcium-rich diet, limiting the other damaging food or drinks you have, and waiting 20 to 30 minutes to brush your teeth. Brushing too soon after white wine will cause more damage to their already weakened state. Instead, rinse with water and try using whitening toothpaste when you do brush.

To add to the debate, researchers at Pavia University in Italy found that a bacteria that feeds on sugars in food, contributing to cavities, was unable to cling to teeth when red wine was present. Another study from Lavel University in Quebec, Canada found that compounds in red wine may in fact prevent and treat inflammatory gum diseases.

So white or red wine? That’s for you to decide!

The post White or Red? appeared first on Neighborhood Smiles.

Mouthwash

Dr. Huey recommends that you use a mouthwash as part of your daily teeth-cleaning system, and you can also rinse your mouth anytime you feel a bout of bad breath coming on. You have to be very careful when selecting a mouth rinse, however: many are simply cosmetic, briefly covering up smells without getting at the root of the problem.

When you are trying to choose a mouthwash, there are a few things to look for. Pay close attention to the alcohol content, because more than a 20 percent concentration can actually increase bad breath by further drying out your mouth. Also, pH balanced products are better, which includes anything with a pH of about 5.5 or higher. Brands that fit within these guidelines include CariFree®, Cepacol®, and Act®.

Mints and Gums

If you would prefer to use a mint or a gum, you should make sure that the first ingredient is xylitol, a natural sweetener that does not harm teeth the way common sugar does and may actually prevent cavities from forming. Dr. Huey’s favorites are Tic Tac® Chill mints, Spry® mints and gums, and Trident® gums.

Don’t forget that while it is not bad to cover up foul-smelling breath, you need to make sure that Dr. Huey is aware of this problem so that we can rule out any serious diseases that may cause this condition.

The post Fix That Stinky Breath! appeared first on Neighborhood Smiles.

Dry Mouth = Bad Breath

There are many things that could contribute to a dry mouth, such as how long it has been since you’ve eaten or drank, what you last ate or drank, the amount of physical activity you’ve participated in, or even what time of day it is. Other factors can include medication, systemic diseases, body chemistry, and overall health.

Halitosis affects nearly everyone in the population at some point in their lives and is estimated to be the third leading cause for dental appointments. Dr. Huey is certainly no stranger to discussing this issue, so don’t be afraid to mention it at your appointment.  Bad breath is not a new problem either: there are historical records mentioning it dating all the way back to 1550 BC.

How to Know if You Have Bad Breath

A huge problem with bad breath is simply figuring out whether or not you have it. If you are too scared to ask Dr. Huey or your hygienist, you can also check with a trusted friend or family member. If that is still too intimidating, try licking your wrist or scraping the back of your tongue with a plastic spoon, waiting a minute for it to dry and then smelling the results. Keep in mind that self-tests only give approximations and that your breath changes hundreds of times throughout the day.

If you have breath that is extremely foul or persistent, it may be a sign of a serious underlying medical issue. At your appointment Dr. Huey will be able to rule out any life-threatening causes and help you discover ways to treat the problems.

So You Have Bad Breath

You have officially figured out that you have bad breath. Now what? The best solution is, as always, to maintain a proper dental hygiene routine, but you can’t brush your teeth all day every day. When you brush your teeth, don’t forget to clean off your tongue, where 80-90% of all bad breath issues reside.

Sipping water is the perfect way to keep your mouth from drying out and it encourages salivary flow as well. Stay away from offending foods such as garlic, onions, fish and cheese. If you do eat one of these, or find that your breath is suddenly stinky, use a mint, mouthwash, or gum. See our next blog post for which brands Dr. Huey recommends the most!

The post Desert Dry Mouths Stink appeared first on Neighborhood Smiles.

1) Celery

The evil villain in many dental scenarios is plaque. And foods cause plaque, right? But did you know that some foods can actually help remove plaque from your teeth? Celery, along with carrots and apples, has the ability to get some stains and plaque off of your teeth before they cause problems for your oral health.

2) Yogurt

There has been a lot of publicity lately about yogurt’s ability to improve digestion, but those same bacteria are now believed to keep you from having bad breath. Research has also shown that yogurt eaters are less likely to suffer from both tooth loss and periodontal or gum disease. Now that’s something anyone in Albuquerque can get excited about!

3) Pomegranate

Preliminary studies show that this fruit may increase antioxidant activity in the mouth, as well as possibly decreasing the amount of cavity-forming bacteria. Although testing is still in the early stages, Dr. Huey suggests adding some fresh pomegranate to your diet every once in a while. However, try to avoid the juice which may not be as beneficial because of its sugar content.

4) Cheese

Studies show that cheese can help keep your teeth healthy in a number of ways. Its texture  increases the amount of saliva in your mouth, which is one of the main factors in fighting cavities. Additionally, its mineral contents and nutrients such as calcium, phosphorous and protein can help neutralize the negative effects of plaque.

5) Spinach

This and other greens may create a barrier for stains by leaving an invisible film over your teeth. A good idea could be to eat a salad with some of these leafy veggies before indulging in tooth-staining beverages such as wine or cranberry juice.

If you have questions about any of these foods, or anything else concerning your mouth, please contact Dr. Huey in Onalaska and schedule an appointment with Neighborhood Smiles today!

The post Improve Your Dental Health with These Five Foods appeared first on Neighborhood Smiles.

Now, we’re not just talking about those 25 cent plastic vampire fangs that you can get at Halloween that are supposed to glow in the dark. These “fronts” containing light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that you affix to your teeth and they can glow in different colors when you open your mouth. In fact, they are so bright that you can often see them even with your mouth closed.

Their ad campaign features a group of girls walking around a city in the dark, wearing these LED smiles and acting as if nothing were strange. Frankly, it’s kind of creepy, like a pack of robots slowly coming towards you.

The mouthpieces are also a little cumbersome, because you still have to carry a type of battery pack that is attached  by wires that hang out of the side of your mouth. The developers are working on ways to fix this inconvenience and other competitors are hoping to improve on the designs as well.

For now, the technology is not commercially available, and the designers, Motoi Ishibashi and Daito Manabe, say they have no plans to make them so at this time. Further testing will have to be done before they can be sold on a large scale, and they will have to prove that the mouthpieces are not harmful to your teeth or general health in any way. Maybe someday you too can have light-up teeth!

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