| Three Quick Tips to Make Tooth Pain Easier to Manage |
If you suffer from tooth pain, here are three things that may help alleviate pain temporarily.
Avoid Hot or Cold Foods
Some types of tooth pain are aggravated by extreme temperatures. Avoiding food and drink that is too hot or cold can go a long way towards keeping your pain at a manageable level.
Consider Over the Counter Medications
If your tooth pain it not too severe, you may find that you can manage it using something as simple as Tylenol, Advil, or some other similar painkiller. Of course, keep in mind that pain means something is wrong, so you should not just look for ways to push through the pain. Rather, try to manage it while you wait to get the problem taken care of.
Consider a Mouth Guard at Night
If you suffer from bruxism (the habit of grinding your teeth in your sleep), consider using a mouth guard when you are sleeping. Creating a barrier that reduces teeth grinding can provide significant relief and prevent future damage to your teeth.
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| Is It Possible to Brush Your Teeth Too Much?
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It may seem counterintuitive, but brushing your teeth harder doesn't mean that they'll get any cleaner. In fact, brushing too aggressively can damage your teeth, and some of the signs that you are brushing too hard include:
• When the handle of your toothbrush bends with the excess pressure
• If you are using a brush with medium or hard bristles
• If the bristles on your brush fray quickly after getting a new brush
• If your gums are sore after brushing
• If your gums are starting to recede away from the teeth
Your teeth might need to be brushed twice a day, but brushing too much can be just as bad for your teeth as avoiding brushing altogether. If you need tips on the proper method for brushing your teeth, be sure to ask us at your next appointment! |
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| A Brief History of Toothbrushes and Toothpastes |
You may be surprised to learn that the tradition of brushing teeth goes back about 5,000 years ago. Archaeological evidence reveals that both the Egyptians and the Babylonians brushed their teeth with frayed twigs beginning around 3500 B.C.
In the 15th century, the Chinese are credited with creating the toothbrush. This toothbrush was an all-natural brush designed from boar bristles that connected to a handle fashioned out of bamboo or bone. In 1600 B.C., the Chinese also developed 'chew sticks' from twigs, using them to keep their breath fresh.
Eventually, the early 15th century Chinese brush found its way to Europe and was produced with horse hairs or feathers. In 1780, the first modern toothbrush's design credit went to William Addis, who used a pig's bristles and a bone handle.
Natural bristles continued to be used until nylon was invented in the late 1930s, leading to the development of the toothbrush as we know it today. Today, brushes come in all shapes and sizes to help make brushing safe and easy no matter what your dental health needs are.
Toothpaste, like early tooth brushing, is attributed to the ancient Egyptians from around 5000 B.C. Later, Greece, Rome, China, and India adopted toothpaste. These early toothpastes included a wide variety of ingredients that would sound quite distasteful today, including powder of ox hooves, ashes, crushed bones, shells, and powdered charcoal. Sometime after - to make the toothpaste more palatable - spices, mint, flower petals, and even salt were added.
The first modern toothpaste was manufactured by Colgate in 1873 and was distributed in jars. Tubes came twenty years later. Fluoride was added in 1914, guiding us into the era of today's healthy, flavorful, effective toothpastes.
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