April 2018 - Greenville Dental Studio

How Does Toothpaste Work?

Toothpaste is an important part of taking care of your teeth and gums. Let’s take a look at how it works.

There are several different ingredients in toothpaste that help clean teeth, namely detergents and abrasives. The detergents help break up debris. Abrasives scour off stains. It is the presence of the abrasives that makes brushing gently so important. You do not want to scour your teeth and gums away! The main ingredient in toothpaste is fluoride, which makes teeth more resistant to cavities. Your teeth soak up whatever is available, either calcium or fluoride. Fluoride is the stronger of the two and more resistant to the acid that causes cavities. You want the last few layers of a tooth to be heavily infused with fluoride. It is like a suit of armor for the tooth. A main purpose of toothpaste is to deliver fluoride. That is why after you brush you do not want to rinse with water. For adults, you do not want to rise away all of that good fluoride. However, children should rinse with water after brushing. Fluoride fights sugar and acid, so use toothpaste with fluoride to keep your teeth strong.

Calcium leaving a tooth and fluoride is available to strengthen

Remember to brush for two minutes twice a day. For more information about Greenville Dental Studio please call us at 864-520-2942 or email us at info@greenvilledentalstudio.com

Free Oral Cancer Screenings

April 8-15, 2018 is Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week. Our office is offering free oral cancer screenings all week and throughout the year. Approximately 110,000 people are diagnosed with oral, head and neck cancer every year in the United States. Sadly, 66% of the time oral cancer isn’t detected until it’s in a late stage of the disease. Early detection is an important factor in treatment. Comprehensive and Cosmetic Dental Studio of Greenville will always provide free screenings by appointment.

Major risk factors for oral, head and neck cancer include tobacco use and alcohol consumption. Sun damage can also cause the lips to be become involved. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is also a major risk factor.

ADA.org lists the following as possible signs and symptoms of Oral Cancer:

– a lump or thickening of oral soft tissues

– soreness or a feeling that something is caught in the throat

– difficulty chewing or swallowing

– ear pain

– difficulty moving jaw or tongue

– hoarseness

– numbness of the tongue or other areas of the mouth

– swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become uncomfortable

Here is a look at an oral screening with Dr. Andy Bullard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ehHXV3PfI0

Check out these websites for more information: http://www.entnet.org/OHANCAW, https://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/oral-cancer

Call our office today to schedule your free screening 864-520-2942 or email us at info@greenvilledentalstudio.com