
No Dental Offices Found We're sorry, but we could not find any results for your search. We suggest you try another ZIP code.

Dental Health Info

Home > Dental Health Info > At Home Dental Tips > Take Control of Your Mouth and Save Your Smile: 1800Dentist.com

Take Control of Your Mouth and Save Your Smile: 1800Dentist.com

Teeth are an important structure used for breaking down food, speaking correctly and getting ahead in the world. A beaming smile will make a person appear more attractive and confident while a mouth replete with dental plaque, tartar and missing teeth will lead to the opposite response. That is why individuals are encouraged to follow a lifestyle complete with oral hygiene, regular trips to the dentist and an offensive dental care strategy.

Eating a healthful diet, exercising regularly, brushing with a fluoride toothpaste twice daily and flossing at least once a day is the prescription for daily oral hygiene. Additionally, consumers are encouraged to visit the dentist at least twice a year for cleanings, exams and as a way to implement dental treatments as part of preventative dentistry. Those behaviors combined with some easy preemptive moves will help ensure that a person's mouth and teeth are part of the healthiest smile possible.

Oral Cavity Self Exam

Dental insurance and medical insurance are completely separate industries, despite the fact that both have been developed as a way to help making care affordable. Regardless of the division in the marketplace, the mouth/body connection is forever intertwined in humans and regular examinations of oneâ€™s mouth and oral cavity are essential to ensuring that everything is okay.

With some exceptions (such as postmenopausal women), most individuals are encouraged to see the dentist twice a year or ever six months. In between those dental clinic appointments, patients need to act as their own advocate and conduct a self-exam of their oral cavity to detect any dental problems including various types of oral cancer.

According to the OralCancerFoundation.org, annually 37,000 Americans will be diagnosed with various oral cancer while the number is closer to 640,000 worldwide. It is important to note the disease can occur in both non-smokers and smokers alike. Unfortunately, the condition has a higher mortality rate than other cancers as "historically the death rate associated with this cancer is particularly high not because it is hard to discover or diagnose, but due to the cancer being routinely discovered late in its development," (http://oralcancerfoundation.org/facts/index.htm). That is why individuals must include regular self-exams into their oral hygiene routine.

The exam process includes looking at lips, tongues and cheeks for visible signs such as spots of red-and-white, tongue flaking, sores with irregular borders and colored lesions. According to 1-800-DENTIST "Any sore, discoloration, induration, prominent tissue, irritation, hoarseness, which does not resolve within a two week period on its own, with or without treatment, should be considered suspect and worthy of further examination or referral." A dentist can then deliver a professional oral cancer exam to catch and treat the cancer in its' earliest stages and increase one's odds of surviving and thriving after a diagnosis.

Find a Dentist Now

• Thousands of quality dentists

• Dentists screened and selected just for you

• 98% customer satisfaction

• Over 7 million happy patients

FREE MATCHING SERVICE

Find a Dentist Today

Start here — We're available 24/7.

Enter Your ZIP Code: Please enter a new ZIP

Back Up

The human mouth is constructed to hold 32 permanent teeth. While that number may be lower because of wisdom tooth extractions, all teeth must be taken care of daily and special attention must be paid to the devices furthest in the back of a mouth to ensure that all teeth receive the dental care and attention they need.

Regardless of if they are wisdom teeth or molars, the teeth in the back of the mouth are the most highly vulnerable to dental problems such as cavities. Back teeth are more prone to dental problems for two reasons. The first is simply dental neglect as most people simply ignore brushing their back teeth as they refuse to dedicate the full two minutes needed for proper tooth brushing. Secondly, the back teeth (comprised of molars and premolars) naturally have pits and fissures, (the visible grooves on top of teeth) that can hold food particles and dental plaque both of which will contribute to tooth decay in their own special ways.

Treat Mouth Ulcers

No matter if they are called mouth ulcers or canker sores, the oral lesions can be extremely uncomfortable. The infections tend to look "shallow and circular in appearance, these small, painful sores appear white or gray at the center with a surrounding red border," and cause dental problems including sensitivity, pain, stinging or oral burning (1-800-DENTIST).

Patients can temporarily relive pain by using a topical pain-relief gel, however if the devices linger on for longer then two weeks, a trip to the dentist may be in order. Not only can a dentist treat the sore using a soft-tissue laser, but determine if the lesion is part of a greater, underlying condition such as oral cancer.

Consumers who implement the recommended preventative dentistry care at home must acknowledge that the practices must be in addition to regular oral hygiene and dentist visits. Those looking to find a great dentist to head up their dental care efforts can call 1-800-DENTIST, 24/7 to get the name of a local dentist up to the challenge.

Other At-Home Dental Tips Articles


5 Easy Steps to Brighter, Whiter Teeth	How to Floss
A Better Smile Can Get You the Job!	How to Get Rid of a Cold Sore
At Home Dentistry: 1800Dentist.com	How to Have a Great Smile: 1800Dentist.com
Bad Breath Remedies: Simple Ways to Freshen Up	How to Pick a Toothbrush
Bad Dental Habits to Break: 1800Dentist.com	How to Prepare for Teeth Whitening
Best Exercises for Dental Health: 1800Dentist.com	How to Prevent Teeth Grinding
Clear the Clutter From Your Mouth in 5 Easy Steps	How to Take Care of Your Dentures
Daily Exercises for Your Smile	How to Tell Someone They Have Bad Breath
Dental Care Checklist - Adults	Kid Friendly Dental Tips: 1800Dentist.com
Dental Insurance Plans Video	Learn How to Get White Teeth on a Budget on 1800Dentist.com
Dental Myths: Separating Fact From Fiction, Finally!	Men, The Weaker Sex Regarding Dental Care: 1800Dentist.com
Double Duty Dental Health Tools: 1800Dentist.com	Mouthwash Prevents Premature Delivery: 1800Dentist.com
Find Out When to Toss Your Toothbrush Thanks To 1-800-DENTIST.	New Year's Resolutions for Dental Health: 1800Dentist.com
Green Dental Tips: 1800Dentist.com	Parent’s Guide to Dental Safety
Home Remedies For Dental Health: 1800Dentist.com	Pick Your Perfect Toothbrush: 1800Dentist.com
How a Clean Mouth Does Wonders for Your Body & Mind	Soft Foods for Oral Surgery Patients: 1800Dentist.com
How to Brush Teeth	Surprising Causes of Tooth Staining: 1800Dentist.com
How to Choose a Dentist	Toothpaste Selection Tips: 1800Dentist.com
How to Control Fluoride Consumption: 1800Dentist.com	Top 10 Dental Terms You Should Know
How to Ease Dry Mouth Syndrome	Your 911 Guide to Dental First Aid