I Married a Dentist……….
Ten years ago I married a dentist. Prior to our meeting, I was a skeptical dental patient. I did not floss, I did not fix anything that was not hurting and I thought my smile was perfect……. Over the last ten years I have learned quite a bit first-hand about how dentists think and why they do what they do. I will share in summary seven important facets of dentistry that have positively affected my smile and dental health.
1.Flossing: I had never flossed my teeth regularly until I bought my first plane ticket from Texas to Massachusetts to meet the woman who would become my wife. Suddenly I was concerned that perhaps flossing did matter. I even had my teeth professionally cleaned before making that momentous flight- though I did not tell her that until we were safely married! I’ve hardly missed a day of flossing since and I can report that I have not had one cavity in ten years and my gums do not bleed when I floss, brush or have my teeth professionally cleaned.
Flossing does matter. Your dentist and hygienist do not promote flossing because they own stock in Johnson & Johnson. Your dental professionals WANT you to be healthy. What flossing does is clean between the teeth and above the gumline where no tooth brush can ever reach.The number of bacteria (microscopic animals) that make a living by eating the leftover food between your teeth is astounding. The effects these bacteria have on the body are even more astounding: not only can they cause cavities and gum disease and bad breath, but they can also significantly increase risk for diabetes and heart disease.
2. Wisdom teeth: I was proud of the fact that I still had three of my original four wisdom teeth when we married. However, I was soon convinced to remove them. My wife showed me how the teeth were partly covered in gums and were not helping me to chew. They were merely trapping a lot of bacterial plaque that neither she nor I could remove effectively. They were putting my other useful teeth at risk of gum disease and cavities in places that are difficult and sometimes impossible to treat. She also thought they might be contributing to my chronic bad breath. So out they came. Cleaning my teeth is much easier now, there has been no adverse effect on my chewing function and my bad breath has improved.
3. Esthetic Crowns: I came to our wedding with twenty year old crowns on my upper front teeth. My wife-to-be wanted to replace them before our wedding, but since they were not hurting and I was a skeptical patient, I would not let her. Soon after our marriage, however, Dr. Nichols replaced them to her satisfaction and my smile is greatly improved. The teeth are shaped and colored naturally and there are no black lines at the gumline.
4. Invisalign: Even though I had braces as a teenager, I had a lower front tooth that persisted in being crowded and “sticking out” in front of the others. There was so little space for the tooth that it has now been removed and I am doing Invisalign- a new way to straighten teeth without bands and wires. Clear plastic trays are worn 24/7 except to eat and floss and brush.
5. Whitening: Yes, my wife even convinced me to whiten my teeth before she made me the new crowns. I had been concerned that whitening might damage my enamel, so I went to a continuing education lecture on whitening and learned that it does not damage enamel. Enamel has microscopic “holes” in it that stain molecules get caught in. Whitening agents break the chemical bonds in the stain molecules so that they become colorless, and the teeth lighten as a result.
6. Silver Fillings: I expected my dentist wife to get right to work removing all of my silver fillings. But she has not. I have learned that silver fillings can be the longest lasting solution for some cavities. “White fillings” look very good and the technology has advanced tremendously, but can still require replacement more frequently than silver fillings.
7. Bad Breath: I have had my share of bad breath. Things that have significantly helped have included removing wisdom teeth, using an electric toothbrush, cleaning my tongue daily with a “tongue scraper”-it reaches back farther than my toothbrush does- and using quality mouthwashes such as Crest ProHealth. Periodically I use Chlorhexidine, a prescription rinse. Ask your dentist if Chlorhexidine might be helpful for you. It is inexpensive and the “gold standard” for managing bacteria in the mouth.
I hope these seven subjects in summary have given you something to “chew on.” There are many more interesting dental technologies, techniques and ideas that I’ve become acquainted with over the last ten years, but they will have to wait for the next issue. Please ask your dental professional any questions that may have come up for you as you have read this brief article.