Are your teeth a sign of the economy?

36% of the people polled skipped dental care or checkups in the past 12 months.

The Poll: Care-Cost Consequences

The Question: In the past 12 months, because of the cost, did you or a family member in your home do any of the following?

The Answers:

42% Relied on home remedies or over-the-counter drugs rather than go see a doctor.
36% Skipped dental care or checkups.
33% Put off or postponed needed health care.
29% Did not fill a prescription for a medicine.
27% Skipped recommended medical treatment.
18% Cut pills in half or skipped medicine.
8% Had problems getting mental health care.

I don't how know how many people were polled in the Kaiser Family Foundation Poll, April 2009, but I have seen similar statistics in recent years. I was not one of the people polled. Were you?

This is the year of health care reform. Take action to have your voice heard!

Contact your elected officials or become involved in the health care reform effort at http://www.healthactionnow.org/ (1-866-227-7449.

Keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/
http://www.gotteeth.blogspot.com/

Bad breath got you tongue-tied?

Bad breath is often caused by bacteria that remains on your tongue after brushing and flossing. The bacteria that causes problems inside the mouth is the same bacteria that causes heart attacks.

Removing bacteria from your tongue may prevent it from entering your bloodstream and promoting blood clots or damaging heart muscle tissue. Using a toothbrush to clean your tongue is ineffective. It only moves the debris around without removing it. I recommend using a tongue scraper.

Stumbling upon my blog, the people at Tung Brush contacted me and asked for my opinion of their product. They sent it to me, I tried it, and I continue to use it. This is my opinion.

“Get ready to add two more pieces of oral health equipment to your arsenal. The Tung Brush and it's accompanying Tung Gel gave my tongue a smoother, cleaner, fresher texture the first time I used it. Although I'm compelled to finish with a tongue scraper, I am delighted to have these new tools in my oral health toolbox.”

I'm going to need a bigger toolbox.

You can find information about the Tung Brush at http://www.tungbrush.com/.

Keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/
http://www.gotteeth.blogspot.com/

New insight for brushing teeth at midlife.

Here's some new information about brushing, flossing, and chewing gum for healthier teeth and gums after the age of 40 when your saliva production diminishes.

Edmund Hewlett, DDS, UCLA School of Dentistry, says, “Brushing when you get up and before you go to bed is just fine.” Don't brush immediately after eating acidic food or beverages (wine, orange juice, soft drinks).

Dr. Hewlett said, “The acidity slightly softens tooth enamel.” Brushing right after eating or drinking acidic foods and beverages may contribute to tooth sensitivity and cavities.

You don't have to brush after every meal, but you still have to remove debris between your teeth after meals. Use a toothpick, a glass of water, mouthwash, or a piece of gum that contains xylitol, a sugar substitute that inhibits the growth of cavity-causing tooth bacteria. Chewing gum with xylitol can increase your saliva and decrease the acidity levels in your mouth.

You still need to floss.

Keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/
http://www.gotteeth.blogspot.com/

Cigarette smoking is an addiction that causes gum disease.

Smoking restricts the blood capillaries in your gums so you can miss early warning signs of gum disease, such as swollen and/or bleeding gums. Gum disease leads to periodontal disease, which can lead to gum loss and tooth loss if you don't see a dental professional at least twice a year.

Smoking cigarettes, pipe tobacco, marijuana (even with a hookah pipe), cocaine, meth, candy (kids are smoking it to get high), or anything under the kitchen sink is hazardous to your health.

I won't go into the amount of money that went into marketing cigarettes to get you addicted or government-protected lobbyists and cigarette companies keeping you addicted by adding more addictive chemicals to cigarettes annually so it's harder to quit and then raising taxes on cigarettes. What are “they” smoking?

Uncle Sam wanted you to smoke because it made everyone rich. Smokers got hooked. Now Uncle Sam wants you to stop smoking because lung and heart disease is expensive. It's not about oral health. It's about health insurance companies that don't want to pay out.

Nobody takes responsibility for gum disease and tooth loss caused by the chemical addiction of cigarettes created in the population. They don't call smoking a disease like they do alcoholism and create government subsidized help for smokers.

Cigarette smoking is an addiction that kills. Millions of people (80% of the population) have gum or periodontal disease and they don't all smoke. Visit http://www.smoking.drugabuse.gov/ for more information.

Keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/ for your Free Tips.

Lies people tell their dentist.

Gum disease is a silent, aggressive disease that can damage your gums and take your teeth. The most common lies people tell their dental professionals are:

1. I brush my teeth every morning and every night.
2. I floss at least twice a day.
3. Of course, I took all of my antibiotics.

Don't bother lying. Your dental hygienist will know if you're not brushing and flossing or taking prescribed antibiotics. You will be poked, prodded, and measured during every visit.

More importantly, don't lie to yourself and risk gum disease and tooth loss.

Keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/ for your Free Tips.

Economic stress can damage your gums.

Stress is a risk factor and an indicator for periodontal disease. You feel stress in your neck, your shoulders, your back, and your gums. It's not all in your mind.

Reports in the Journal of Periodontology found a strong relationship between financial strain, stress, distress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and periodontal disease.

Stress makes it difficult for our bodies to fight all infections, including periodontal disease. It causes people to indulge in bad habits that lead to periodontal disease, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, using drugs, eating unhealthy foods, not brushing or flossing their teeth, and avoiding dental professionals.

Deal with stress in active and practical ways (problem-focused) instead of using avoidance techniques (emotion-focused) and you will have less risk of severe periodontal disease.

It's all connected.

Keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/ for your Free Tips.

Yes you can control receding gums and periodontal pockets.

Brushing your teeth only removes up to 50% of plaque. Brushing and flossing only removes up to 70% of plaque.

You can control receding gums, periodontal disease, and plaque build-up using these tools at least twice a day:

1. Brush for at least two minutes with an electric toothbrush at night and a regular, soft toothbrush in the morning and after lunch if possible.
2. Floss after every meal. Use different types of floss to maximize your interest.
3. After flossing, use whichever GUM Proxabrush fits between your teeth. I use two different shaped brushes.
4. Then use the GUM comfort grip handle with snap-on Proxabrush on the places your dental hygienist has pointed out are your problem areas.
5. Use a tongue scraper when you're finished.
6. Mouthwash can't hurt.
7. If you get up at midnight or 2:00AM and eat, you have to repeat the process.

I was finally vindicated for my hard work fighting my receding gums, plaque build-up, and periodontal pockets when I saw the look on my dental hygienist’s face during my last periodontal cleaning. Paula was measuring the depth of my periodontal pockets when I saw her face react with shock and awe. You might get extra goodies in your goodie bag, too.

You can do it!

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/ for your Free Tips.