Hello, I am Dr. Nick DeTure. I am a Periodontist here in town. Periodontics is the specialty of dentistry that is responsible for keeping the tissues (bone, ligament, and gum) that support the teeth healthy. We are also one of the surgically trained dental specialists who are trained in the regeneration of lost bone and dental implant placement. Put simply, we are the place to make sure your teeth have a healthy foundation. We are the “Save Teeth” place!
Since much of what we do focuses on treating gum infection and gum infection always starts with an accumulation of plaque (the sticky film of bacterial that isconstantly growing on the teeth) on the tooth where it meets the gum, we have become experts on how to clean and brush to remove this plaque.
Frequently, patients have a bag of dental products (toothpastes, mouthwashes, and other gadgets) they are using to try to stay healthy. Unfortunately, most of the products available over the counter have excellent marketing but offer little benefit in terms of keeping our mouths healthy.
Toothpastes and mouthwashes, despite the ads that say they are for gum health, antibacterial, or anti-tartar do not clean your teeth or keep you from developing gum infection. What cleans your teeth and keeps your mouth healthy is the mechanical action of the toothbrush bristles and the floss against the tooth. THE ONLY REASON TO USE TOOTHPASTE IS FOR THE FLOURIDE IT CONTAINS! As a side note if you are an anti- fluoride person you will have decay issues, so either use Fluoride or suffer from dental disease. The choice is yours.
For my patients who are having a hard time keeping their teeth clean, I frequently suggest they dry brush first then go back and brush a second time with toothpaste so they can get the Fluoride exposure and get the minty fresh taste from the toothpaste.
Mouthwash also does very little, it will freshen your breath for about 30 minutes, but rinsing with plain water will also freshen your breath for about 20 minutes. Mouthwash is a surface disinfectant at best, as such it can only disinfect what it can reach. Additionally, the bacterial plaque that grows on the teeth is billions of bacteria thick, and the bacteria on the surface is different than the bacteria at the base. YOU HAVE TO MECHANICALLY BREAK THE PLAQUE UP WITH GOOD BRUSHING AND FLOSSING for the mouthwash to do any good.
Speaking of floss, we should all do it at night before we go to bed and before we brush – this will go a long way toward preventing cavities and gum infection. Most over the counter flosses do not clean very well. They are either waxed or “GLIDE” or a generic “GLIDE”. These flosses are too slick, so they do not grab the plaque off the teeth they slide or glide over it without removing it effectively. We recommend expanding floss. If you google it, you can find it online. Additionally, the better you adapt the floss around the teeth the more effective it is!
The Stuart Center for Laser Periodontics and Implants | 901 SE Ocean Boulevard, Stuart, FL 34994 | New Patients: 772-283-1400 | stuartperio@gmail.com
