Should you use an Electric Toothbrush?

There are a lot of options to choose from when deciding what toothbrush to buy. At Miami Dental, we encourage our patients to change toothbrushes every 3-4 months or after their bristles are worn down. If the bristles begin to get splayed and distorted, it means you are no longer brushing your teeth effectively.

With so many toothbrushes to choose from, your biggest decision is deciding between an electric or traditional toothbrush. We want our patients to feel comfortable with the brush they use so they can brush for a full two minutes effectively. If you are able to clean your teeth and gums thoroughly for a full two minutes, a traditional toothbrush works perfectly fine. Electric toothbrushes have bristles that rotate and help you to clean more areas on your teeth effectively by removing plaque

The most important thing to us is that you are brushing and flossing consistently. We advise our patients to visit us twice a year for cleaning to make sure your teeth are healthy.

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.

Causes of Bad Breath

If you frequently have bad breath, there may be a bigger issue at play than smelly food. We at the Miami Beach dental offices of Drs. Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk are attentive to our patients’ oral pathologies and contributing conditions. Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is often related to dry mouth and gum disease.

As oral bacteria produce acid, they give off a bad smell. Brushing and flossing teeth is essential to depriving bacteria of food, but they may still find a home in the papillae of the tongue. There, they consume food particles as well as nasal drip that can land on the tongue when the patient has a cold or nasal blockage. As part of their daily hygiene routine, we recommend that patients brush their tongue, clean it with a scraper, and use antibacterial mouthwash.

Adequate saliva is necessary for clearing the mouth of food debris and preventing the spread of bacteria and fungus. A lack of saliva can result in bacterial growth and bad breath. Patients should inquire with their doctors about changing medications that can cause dry mouth or getting tested for related rheumatic diseases. Halitosis is also associated with diabetes due to chemicals diabetic people’s bodies produce as they break down fat and diabetes’s suppression of the immune system. Acid reflux can also cause halitosis due to stomach acid burning the esophagus and entering the oral cavity. Bad breath can be combatted by drinking lots of water, but patients with chronic health conditions should make sure they’re aware of whether halitosis means they need to consult their physician.

Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk operate from 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^rdSt, 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.

 

Bite Checks

The bite check is one of the most important parts of a biannual dental check-up. We provide thorough cleanings at the dental offices of Doctors Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk and do examinations for oral cancer, but the bite check allows us to identify issues with a patient’s teeth and jaw alignments that could have implications for their head, neck, and shoulders.

Bruxism (night time teeth grinding) wears down enamel and can push teeth out of place. In the most extreme cases, it can even cause teeth to crack. Although people are often unaware of whether they are grinding their teeth in their sleep, our hygienists can identify unusual wear patterns in a patient’s enamel. If they see something, they can perform a tactile inspection of the temporomandibular joints, which connect the mandible to the rest of the head and which can radiate soreness to the neck and shoulders when jaws are misaligned. We also ask patients to demonstrate closing their teeth together and will ask them about any feelings of discomfort they’ve had while chewing or after getting up in the morning.

Bite checks are particularly important for pediatric patients. The eruption of wisdom teeth may cause overcrowding and cause soreness. Children often begin orthodontic therapy when they are around eleven years old, but it is possible for adults to undergo some orthodontic procedures, as well. We’ll also want to ensure that an adult’s implant-supported prosthetic teeth are still stable and ascertain whether dentures need to be refitted.

Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk operate from 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^rdSt, 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.

 

Children's Dental Health Month

At Miami Dental, we advise our patients to practice good oral hygiene starting at a young age. Children's baby teeth act as placeholders for their permanent teeth as the jaws develop, which is why it is important to encourage good cleaning habits. Every February the American Dental Association promotes National Children’s Dental Health Month to raise awareness for children.

Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease among children. To prevent tooth decay, we encourage parents to brush their babies' teeth. With just a dab of toothpaste, gently brush the surfaces of your children’s teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush. When your children are old enough, teach them how to brush and floss (and spit toothpaste) on their own, and ask us if you are unsure of the proper technique. Inspect your children's mouths for signs of gingivitis, such as red gum tissue.

Don’t forget, good hygiene starts at a young age and lasts for a lifetime. Remember to schedule a cleaning with us twice a year to maintain healthy 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.

Infections around Crowns

When a tooth is unable to fully push through the gum line, it isn’t just uncomfortable or awkward-looking. It also creates a trap for decay-causing bacteria. We provide thorough cleanings at the Miami Beach dental offices of Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk, but an impacted tooth can result in a kind of infection called pericoronitis (inflammation around a crown) which requires special attention.

The lower wisdom teeth are the ones which most often get trapped while emerging. They usually erupt in late adolescence, after all the other teeth are in place and there isn’t enough room in the jaw for them. The emerging teeth are often partially trapped under a flap of gum tissue called an operculum. The space between the operculum and the tooth may be too small to be brushed, but acid and food debris can accumulate there, allowing decay to set in and spread to the surrounding gum tissue.

We can clean an operculum and may recommend that a patient use oral antibiotics and wash their mouth with salt water. But a long-term solution will likely require us to cut away the operculum, remove the tooth, or both. When adolescent patients maintain regular check-ups, we can monitor the progression of their teeth with x-rays and anticipate whether a tooth is likely to be impacted.

Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk operate from 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^rdSt, 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.

 

How to Clean a Night Guard

A night guard can be a blessing for a person’s oral health. These custom-fitted appliances prevent a wearer’s teeth from grinding against each other while they’re asleep and can reposition the jaw to reduce obstructive sleep apnea. But a night guard that isn’t properly cared for could become an infection nightmare, which is why we at the dental offices of Drs. Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk want our patients to know how to keep them clean.

When a wearer removes a night guard in the morning, they should brush it with a soft-bristled toothbrush. The guard may also be soaked in a purpose-designed solution or cleaned with soap and water, but manufacturers still generally recommend brushing them to remove bacterial build-up. It may be a good idea to use a secondary toothbrush just for the night guard because the fluoride minerals in toothpaste could scratch plastic. It’s also important to use cool or room-temperature water to avoid warping the night guard, and to store it somewhere it won’t get too hot.

Maintenance for night guards is similar to that for dentures with one major difference: the night guard should be kept dry. Wearers should also clean the guard’s ventilated case each day and pat it and the night guard dry. Some migration in a patient’s teeth is natural, so wearers should expect to sometimes need the night guard to be professionally refitted.

Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk operate from 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^rdSt, 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.

 

Teeth Whitening

At Miami Dental we offer GLO chairside teeth whitening for patients who want teeth that are spotless and bright. It is recommended that patients come and see one of our dentists to learn which kind of whitening suits them best, since high-powered whitening works better for patients who don't suffer from sensitivity.

For patients for whom chairside whitening is not suggested, there are more natural ways to your teeth as white as possible. Brushing twice a day for two minutes with extra-fluoridated toothpaste, along with flossing, builds a good foundation for brighter teeth. It is important to avoid foods that stain such as red wine, coffee, and tea as well as to avoid tobacco use of any kind.

For patients that have an interest in teeth whitening, Miami Dental can assist you with any questions or concerns. But remember, whitening has to be maintained with at home care and a couple visits a year to Miami Dental.

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. They can also be reached on their website at miami-dental.com, Miami Dental through a contact form.