Flossing to Prevent Cavities

At Miami Dental, we advise our patients to floss daily for good oral hygiene. Flossing removes all of the food and bacteria stuck in-between your teeth that your toothbrush can’t reach.  

Many people don’t floss because they think it is too time-consuming but the truth is flossing gets rid of 40% of the debris in your teeth.  When food gets stuck in between your teeth, it allows plaque to build up if you don't floss.

Flossing is easy, simply wrap the floss around each tooth while rubbing it up and down to scrape away any plaque. Don’t be concerned if your gums bleed when you start flossing, if they are not used to flossing they will likely be sensitive in the beginning.

We want all of our patients to floss daily to prevent cavities and have healthier teeth.

Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk operate two locations. To schedule an appointment at the location at Mount Sinai Medical Center, 4300 Alton Road, Suite 1190, Miami Beach, Florida, 33140, call 305-532-1444. To schedule an appointment at Intracostal Mall, 3909 NE 163^rd St, Suite 310, North Miami Beach, Florida, 33160, call 305-949-2630. They can also be reached on their website, Miami Dental through a contact form.

The Benefits of Chewing Sugarless Gum

Depending on the type of gum you’re chewing, it can have a positive or negative effect on your oral health. Chewing sugarless gum after meals has been proven to help rinse acids that attract bacteria, which destroy tooth enamel. Food particles can easily get stuck or lodged against your teeth. Chewing gum increases saliva, neutralizing acids and helping to wash away remaining food particles and debris. Miami Dental recommends patients chew gum, but only if they make sure it is sugar-free.

Gum filled with sugar may taste better but it is really harmful to your teeth. Sugars attract bacteria and cause tooth decay, which ultimately leads to cavities. This is why it’s extremely harmful to allow sugar to rest on the teeth. Sugary gum is inside your mouth and against your teeth for longer because of its function as a chewable apparatus. Instead of relieving breath odor, producing saliva, and dislodging food particles, sugary chewing gum is causing more harm than good by lacing your teeth with even more bacteria-attracting sugar. 

Chewing sugarless gum also should not be a substitute for proper oral hygiene as patients should still brush and floss daily. They should also visit us twice a year for professional cleanings.

Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirshl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk operate two locations. To schedule an appointment at the location at Mount Sinai Medical Center, 4300 Alton Road, Suite 1190, Miami Beach, Florida, 33140, call 305-532-1444. To schedule an appointment at Intracoastal Mall, 3909 NE 163^rd St, Suite 310, North Miami, Florida, 33160, call 305-949-2630. Visit our website at www.miami-dental.net or stop in and fill out a contact form.

Eliminate Pesky Plaque

Do our staff at Miami Dental a favor and lick your teeth with your tongue. Do you feel something fuzzy? That fuzzy stuff is called plaque. Plaque is a sticky, colorless film of bacteria and sugars that constantly forms on our teeth. Saliva, food, and fluids are what cause these deposits to collect on our teeth where they meet the gum line. Fighting plaque is a long-term commitment to practicing proper oral hygiene. This is why it’s important to control the situation before it turns into tartar (calculus), a crusty deposit that only our staff of hygienists is able to remove.

The buildup of plaque can trap stains on the teeth, and it also the primary factor for cavities and gum disease. It takes about four hours after we eat for plaque to accumulate and if it’s not removed promptly, these bacteria use ingredients found in our diet to grow into tartar. Tartar is a calcified or hardened plaque that attaches to the enamel on your teeth and below the gum line. We can guarantee that this is something to avoid. To prevent plaque buildup, schedule regular dental exams twice a year on top of brushing your teeth at least twice a day, and flossing at least once a day.

If you have plaque buildup on your teeth and are due for a dental checkup, please give us a call. To learn more about dental hygiene as well as services we provide at the practice, visit www.miami-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors or hygienists, give us a call at our Miami Beach office: 305-532-1444 or our North Miami Beach office: 305-949-2630.