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Just like that, it’s Spring, and the world looks brighter! The skies are sunnier. Daylight in Hellertown, PA lasts longer. And your smile can be brighter, too—with a little bit of spring cleaning.

After all, sometimes dental habits become so automatic that we don’t pay them as much attention as we should. Without careful daily brushing and flossing, you could start to see surface staining on your enamel. Or red and swollen gums. Or tartar deposits along the gumline or behind your teeth. 

The start of the season is a good time to spring ahead with a plan for better oral health, and we have some simple ideas to help you clean and protect your smile all through the year.

Assemble the right tools.

• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush, because anything firmer can be hard on your tooth enamel and gums. If you’re having trouble removing food particles and plaque, an electric toothbrush might be a game changer.
• Find the right floss. If you’ve been neglecting flossing because it’s difficult, or if you have mobility issues, there are lots of options available to improve efficiency and comfort. Whether it’s floss picks, interproximal brushes, or water flossers, Dr. Jason P. Tosto can recommend the best products for your individual needs.
• Choose fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride not only helps prevent cavities by creating an unfavorable environment for cavity-causing bacteria, it also actually strengthens tooth enamel as well. Win/win!

Use those tools!

• Brush all the surfaces of your teeth carefully and thoroughly (no need to scrub) and brush along the gumline at a 45˚ angle. This will help prevent plaque from accumulating above and below the gumline, where it can harden into tartar.
• Brush often enough and long enough. The team at Tosto Family Dentistry generally recommends brushing twice a day, for two minutes each time. 
• If you wear aligners, a retainer, a mouthguard, a nightguard, or other appliances, brush your teeth before wearing them. You don’t want to trap food particles or bacteria in your appliance!
• Floss at least once a day, or more often as recommended. Proper flossing can be difficult sometimes, so ask Dr. Jason P. Tosto for the best techniques.

Make sure your dental products are in top shape.

• Replace your toothbrush as often as necessary. After three months or so, bristles start to fray. They don’t clean as effectively, and they could be abrasive to gum tissue. Change out your brush every three to four months, including the head on your electric brush. A good way to remember is to change your brush with the change of seasons. 
• Check the date(s)! Many toothpastes, mouthwashes, and other oral supplies come with a “best used by” date, ensuring that your products remain safe and effective.
• Choose the right toothbrush holder. Your brush should air-dry upright, because germs thrive in closed, damp environments. And your holder shouldn’t allow your brush to touch other people’s brushes to avoid transfer of bacteria and viruses. Clean your brush holder regularly to remove toothpaste residue and germs.
• Clean your aligners, retainer, mouthguard, night guard, and/or cases for your appliances as recommended. Bits of food, bacteria, viruses, and other germs collect there as well.

Work with the experts for your brightest smile.

• See Dr. Jason P. Tosto regularly. You’ll discover any problems which might be dimming your smile, and you’ll discover them early.
• Schedule cleanings with your exams. The team at Tosto Family Dentistry uses tools such as ultrasonic or hand scalers and polishers to remove stubborn plaque, tartar deposits, and surface stains that brushing can’t.
• If you want brighter, whiter teeth, consider professional whitening. While whitening kits are available in almost any drug store or supermarket, office treatments or kits provided by Dr. Jason P. Tosto use stronger ingredients and are more effective.

Easy steps, yes? Step up your cleaning routine, and you’ll have a springtime filled with not just brighter smiles, but healthier smiles, too!

In the eyes of most parents, nothing is cuter than their baby’s smile. Did you know your little one’s smile (that is, his or her oral health) actually plays a huge role in determining the child’s overall well-being? In order to keep your youngster healthy and smiling, you need to know when and how to take care of those tiny teeth.

Baby teeth aren’t just temporaries that will fall out eventually. They help your baby chew and talk, and they reserve space in the jaw for permanent teeth later on. Since they’re so important, the right time to start dental care is only a few days after your infant is born.

Take a soft, wet washcloth or piece of gauze and gently wipe your baby’s gums. The earlier you begin, the more accustomed your child will become to a daily dental hygiene routine.

Babies that are put to bed with a bottle may be at greater risk for developing cavities. Milk, juice, and any other drinks that contain sugar instigate tooth decay while the child sleeps.

If your baby must go to bed with something, a bottle of water is the healthiest option. Remember to wipe your little one’s gums after each feeding, whether it’s formula from a bottle or breast milk.

As soon as your infant’s first tooth comes in, it’s time to start brushing! Twice a day, take a small amount of toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice) and brush your son or daughter’s teeth gently in circular motions. As soon as your toddler has multiple teeth that touch one another, floss up and down the sides of the teeth to remove any plaque between them or below the gumline.

Babies’ teeth are prone to cavities and gingivitis, so you’ll want to be on the lookout for telltale signs. Check regularly for red, swollen gums, because this may be an indication of developing gum disease. Discoloration, white spots, or small pits in the teeth can signal a forming cavity.

As long as you follow these simple guidelines and schedule regular dental checkups with Dr. Jason P. Tosto at our Hellertown, PA office, you can help to ensure your baby has a healthy mouth. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing your happy baby’s healthy smile.

At Tosto Family Dentistry, we know most of our patients enjoy a cup of coffee or two throughout the day. But what many of you don’t know is that coffee can be especially tough on your teeth because tannic acid (the substance that makes the dark color) etches into the pits and grooves of tooth enamel, staining your pearly whites and being generally detrimental to your smile.

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, with more than 50 percent of people drinking a cup daily. Other foods and drinks such as wine, chocolate-flavored beverages, and soft drinks can all cause tooth enamel discolorations. A hot cup of Joe, however, goes one step farther: extreme temperature changes in your mouth can cause teeth to expand and contract. This allows stains to penetrate deep into the micro-cracks of your tooth enamel.

Additionally, caffeine is considered a diuretic, which means it causes the body to lose fluids. So when you enjoy coffee or any kind of caffeinated beverage, it slows the production of saliva and causes dry mouth, which can potentially lead to bad breath and even tooth decay.

If you just can't make it through the day without a cup of java, we encourage you to consider these tips to help make sure your teeth stay in tip-top shape:

• Drink a glass of water with your coffee or rinse with a glass of water after every cup. Not only does it help neutralize and rinse away the acid left behind from the coffee, but it also helps replenish fluids drawn out of your body by caffeine.
• Chew gum after you drink coffee. Chewing gum will help keep your saliva production up and prevent dry mouth.
• Enjoy your beverage with a straw so that tannins don’t make contact with your front upper and lower teeth.
• Switch to decaf. Each cup of regular coffee you drink has an average of 110 milligrams of caffeine. Decaf has the same great taste with only two to 12 milligrams of caffeine.

Dr. Jason P. Tosto and our team also invite you to visit our convenient Hellertown, PA office for whitening options. We can help bleach your teeth with proven and professional products. To learn more about whitening options available at Tosto Family Dentistry, please give us a call!

An article was released to the public stating that dental X-rays contribute to a type of brain cancer. After reading an article like this, your first thought may be to avoid dental X-rays, but you may want to hold off on that quick judgment. As with any treatment we offer at Tosto Family Dentistry, education is your most valuable tool in deciding what is best for you.

How often dental X-rays are taken is based on risk for infection, physical symptoms, and clinical findings. The American Dental Association (ADA) is a governing body over the dental profession. The ADA states, “ . . . healthy adults receive routine mouth X-rays every two to three years. Dental X-rays are recommended every one to two years for children and every 1.5 to three years for teens. Children often require more X-rays than adults because of their developing teeth and jaws and increased likelihood for cavities.”

A "caries risk category" often determines how often dental X-rays are taken. The most recent documented resource to determine a caries risk is Caries Management by Risk Assessment (CAMBRA). This was adopted by the ADA and is used by dental professionals giving interval recommendations for X-rays.

With knowledge of your risk for dental infection, you will be informed by Dr. Jason P. Tosto of the interval at which dental X-rays should be taken. You can rest assured that the standards published by the ADA have been researched extensively and are there to protect your personal health and safety.

Dental X-rays are most commonly digital, which significantly reduces exposure. There is more radiation exposure from the sun or in an airplane than in a dental X-ray. It is common practice to use a lead apron with a thyroid collar for protection during X-ray exposure.

Having a cavity means having an active, potentially harmful infection. Diagnosing such infection with minimal exposure through digital dental X-rays at our Hellertown, PA office does more good than harm.