The Soft Bristle Requirement
There’s blood in the sink — you stare, surprised, wondering what the cause could be. Your teeth didn’t slip against your tongue. There are no ulcers that could’ve opened (and that still stuns you, reminds how fortunate you’ve been not to have the stress of your career manifest in your mouth). There is not even a trace of Gingivitis. Your dentist has offered proof of your good health, has assured you always that there is no concern to find.
And so you peek into a mirror, examining your lips, trying to discover what is wrong. That discovery is a quick one, though. Because there are flecks of blood along your gum-line, little openings, tender. The skin has been cut — and the culprit is your toothbrush.
It seems like an impossible thing. The intention of a brush, after all, is to protect teeth, to ensure no dental problems occur. But the hard bristles (so unyielding) claw at your gums, causing instant damage and a variety of troubles: such as tearing, recessions, sores and swelling.
All of these complications can be easily avoided, however — you simply must choose the right tool.
Be certain the item is clearly marked as soft. The title should be available on the packaging. If not, ask for assistance. Once a purchase has been made take time to test the bristles. Drag them against your fingers before placing them into your mouth. If they bend with ease, they should be acceptable. If they offer resistance, they will only hurt. Make sure they move appropriately.
Using the softer alternatives will enable you to scrub your teeth as needed — without irritating your gums. The sores will disappear and the bleeding will stop. Should you be unsure of which brush to purchase, however, contact your dentist and ask for recommendations. He will offer the best choices and help you to reduce all problems.
Soft bristles, quick relief: that’s the philosophy you must remember.
Early Exposure: Dentistry
A scream greets the morning, rising sharp within a room: your child is clinging to his bed, tiny hands wrapped tight around the headboard — strong as steel and just as unrelenting. You would marvel at this if it wasn’t being used to spite you. And you tug again at a waist, trying to force your son to relinquish his hold. But he’s proving far too stubborn, shrieking his denials. The sound is nearly deafening in its refusal, its defiance, its fear. And your attempts to soothe his panic are lost within the wailing. They can’t be heard. They can’t be understood.
They wouldn’t have been needed at all, however, if you had simply scheduled an appointment earlier.
Visits to the dentist are a necessity — you know this, have dedicated the proper time to seeking check-ups and advice, to following the rules of health care. You haven’t been so thorough with your child, however. His teeth have been ignored, with all efforts given instead to seeking fairies and their dollars. There has been no concern for cavities. There has been no worry of plaque. You assumed such things would require years to develop, knew all appointments could be made later on.
This was a mistake.
Because your child has now become aware of the rumors, the playground horrors of needles. He is terrified to seek a dentist and you can’t convince him that the experience will be easy. He’s certain instead that you’re dragging him to his doom (and such theatricality is difficult to combat).
Parents must expose their sons and daughters to dentistry at an early age. Don’t hesitate, believing visits to be without merit. Even if no obvious health concerns have appeared within teeth, the simple action of meeting with a doctor will make it understood — and familiar. There will be no fear therefore. Children will instead be placated.
And you will then be spared the inconvenience (and embarrassment) of screams.
The Essential Timing: Children and Brushing
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It’s the quick splash of water, the idle scrub of cavities — your child is standing by the sink, lazily dragging a toothbrush along his gums, scratching occasionally at a tongue. The seconds pass and he suddenly declares himself to be done, offering proof in the form of wet lips and wetter bristles. His regime is complete. And he can now pursue far better activities (such as bartering for a later bedtime, assuring you that he is not too young to have an extra hour). He pads from the bathroom, unaware of your startled expression, your surprise.
Your child didn’t combat dental problems. He merely ignored them, convinced that a meager effort would be enough to ward off concerns (or at least your perceived complaints).
It wasn’t, however — and you must now reverse the consequences.
It is all too easy for children to ignore a toothbrush, to deem it a waste of precious time. They do not understand the necessity of health care. They are intent instead on simply playing. All other actions are to be offered only occasional moments. They deserve nothing else, it’s believed.
But battling cavities requires more than that. It instead demands thoroughness, with effort given to brushing, flossing and rinsing. Five minutes is the recommended minimum, ensuring that all bacteria is vanquished and all plaque is removed. And, while such a demand is reasonable to you, children may instead deem it impossible.
It’s imperative therefore that you explain why this must done. Note the dangers of decay. Tell of potential gum diseases. Emphasize the necessity of brushing and make certain it’s completely understood. Purchase a timer then that can be placed in the room, counting down the steps of a routine. Teach your child to adhere to these steps, watching carefully until he can be trusted to follow them on his own. Stress how proud you are of him to ensure he doesn’t stop.
Master timing to master health.
Fear and Mimicry: Dental Concerns
Shadows do not frighten. Heights do not concern. And the notion of little-legged insects and their serpentine companions does not worry at all. Fear, you believe, is a wasted emotion. Your time instead is to be dedicated to joy, to the quests for comfort. Panic offers no rewards. It merely steals all sense, leaves you unable to do what you must and accomplish what you need. There is no value to be found in the bursts of adrenaline and terror…. except when they’re offered to dentistry.
You have never been fond of needles, the search for cavities. Appointments make you nervous, trying always to find excuses, canceling at the final moment (and refusing to reschedule until long days have passed). It has always been a mild phobia — and a perfectly logical one, you believe. There is nothing worthy about fingers probing your mouth, trying to find flaws. You hate it.
And you child learns to as well.
Parents who despise visiting the dentist will teach this trait to their children (and will then have no one to blame but themselves when those same children shriek and wail, trying to avoid all appointments). Sons and daughters will mimic what they observe; and emotions are all too easy to find, can be seen in every grimace and every glare. These will be assumed to be common. All worries will then be claimed. And the pattern will be perpetuated.
This must stop.
You are an adult — it is essential therefore that you remember this, understanding the responsibility you wield. A child must be encouraged to take care of his mouth, offering diligence to teeth, gums and tongue. And dentists must be deemed happy necessities, to be approached without trepidation. It is only through your acceptance of these doctors that children can discover the same feeling.
No longer cling to your old concerns. Offer instead a smile and recognize the impact it will have.
Seeking Specialty: Dentistry
- Image via Wikipedia
It should’ve been an easy afternoon — an appointment had been scheduled; a day had been planned. Your child was to receive his first dental check-up, with all of his new teeth examined. This had been explained to him and the consequences had been (blissfully) silent, without the expected shrieks and bartering. The visit was merely accepted, deemed necessary. Nothing, you were certain, would go wrong.
But that certainty fell apart when you realized an unfortunate truth: you had chosen your own dentist, knew him to be capable. He has proven to be awkward with your son, however — offering none of the needed humor, compassion. His reasons are too brittle. His gestures are too quick. And the adult sensibilities that he provides are met with confusion and a growing panic.
This was a mistake. It’s one you’ll never make again.
It is all too tempting to choose familiar surroundings for your child, to provide him with the competency you know is essential. Your dentist understands you and it’s therefore assumable that he’ll be just as professional with your son. But there are far different expectations between youths and adults; and individuals without the necessary training (and attitude) won’t be able to offer the craved experience. They’ll make it instead despised.
Parents must therefore seek out specialists. Pediatric dentists are available and should be utilized for all visits. Allow a relationship to form — with your child offered an easier environment and a happier time. Do not rely on your doctor to answer all questions and concerns. Instead provide an alternative that will please your son and ensure he doesn’t fret when an appointment is even suggested.
Choosing the proper dentist is imperative for all families. Be certain he is qualified in more than science, but can instead give the necessary attention. Make each visit a pleasant one to inspire trust and comfort — both of which are needed to coax your child into returning.
Fluoride Decisions
It’s a revelation you weren’t expecting, a truth you couldn’t predict — cavities have slipped into your teeth, burrowing deep and demanding attention. Such a thing should be impossible. You brush daily; you floss (despite the inconvenience); and you even suffer the taste of that alcohol-sharp rinse, letting it burn away all traces of bacteria and disease. There should be no complications, you believe. All enamel should be without worry. But your dentist swears instead that you will now need fillings; and you’re left wondering how this could’ve happened.
The answer is all too easy: there was a lack of fluoride in your routine.
Defined simply, fluoride is a natural compound that exists throughout the world. It can be found in water, produce and more. Its commonality doesn’t brand it unimportant, however. Instead it is essential in combating decay, protecting against plaque and reversing damage.
The process isn’t complicated but it must still be understood: as teeth are exposed to sugars, acids and more they begin to demineralize. Their enamel is lost and cavities begin to form. Fluoride, however, manages to deflect this problem. It attaches itself to each tooth, coating them all in a heavy layer. This layer serves as protection against all outside forces, ensuring that no dangerous properties can enter the gum-line or penetrate the roots. Minerals are instead encouraged to reform, allowing every tooth to become stronger.
It’s vital then for all individuals to rely on this compound and receive daily doses — most of which can be obtained by simply drinking tap water from the kitchen sink. If there is a concern of purity with that, however, tablets are instead available. These will provide singular amounts and fast results, without requiring exposure to potential chemicals.
Your preventive measures, while necessary, were simply not enough. Cavities still occurred and enamel still suffered. Rely on fluoride instead to ease this burden and to help you offer a clean mouth to your dentist.
Defining Teeth, Knowing Limits
Bottles — you have decided — are fiends. That is the only explanation, the only reason you can offer for this sudden failure: you can’t twist a cap away, can’t reveal the contents beyond (the simple soda drops, waiting to be tasted). You tug with your fingers; you push with your palm; you even use a knife, trying to force the lid to fall. It doesn’t. And that is simply not fair.
So you latch onto the edge with your teeth, remembering the claims that they are far superior to hands, that they can provide the needed friction. And you yank at the top, wanting to snatch it away. It resists, however, demanding that you bite harder and pull faster. You do.
And the result is… pain.
Your tooth cracks against the bottle — and that mocking cap still remains.
It is a far too common thing to use lips as tools, to transform teeth into enamel covered pliers. They’re meant to offer strength, can succeed often when typical methods fail. It is considered reasonable to utilize them as needed.
But those needs can quickly become disasters.
Teeth are — despite the assumption — not infallible. They can break; they can chip; they can shatter. Their edges can become soft with time (and sugar). Their centers can be filled to cavities. And this leaves them vulnerable to your desire to use them as a wrench.
Dentists will then have to be sought. Fillings will have to be offered. And problems will have to be corrected: a force of time, patience and dollars.
This is completely avoidable.
Do not use your teeth for anything beyond the consumption of food. Avoid trying to make them open any form of containers. Do not try to shape them into tools. They must instead serve only a singular purpose to spare you the chides of your doctor, the calls for a bill.
The Brush Encouragement
It’s the struggle of bristles, the wild splashes of water — your child flees from the bathroom, hands clasped across his mouth, refusing to return. This was meant to be the night when dental health was established. Instead, however, you succeeded only in vexing your son.
He despised the brush you offered him. He hated the flavor of paste (and swallowed far too much of it). And he grew frustrated as you corrected his fingers, tried to improve his grasp. It was an absolute failure.
It didn’t have to be.
You can encourage proper dental techniques for your child. You must simply understand these simple suggestions first:
One: The Essential Choice. Children fear the unfamiliar — all new actions are offered suspicion, concern. It’s essential therefore that you involve your son in the process of dental care as much as possible; and the easiest way to accomplish this is to allow him to choose his own brush. Let him pick his favorite color, design or style. It will offer him a sense of empowerment and ensure that he’ll actually use the item.
Two: Seeking Togetherness. Young minds crave structure, the proof of gestures. Allow your child to watch therefore as you take care of your teeth. He’ll mimic your routine, learning it through simple observation. And good habits can be established quickly.
Three: Taste Success. The sharp flavors of fluoride, the alkaline reminders of sodium bicarbonate (more commonly known as baking soda): these tastes are familiar to you, understood as important. Your child, however, will deem them vile. Choose less aggressive pastes, enabling them to be used without wincing.
Four: Patience Remembered. It seems such a simple action and yet your son is incapable of it. His posture falters; his attention wanes. He doesn’t want to brush. Yelling, however, will not convince him to. Stay patient. Stay calm. Coax instead of chiding.
Brushing doesn’t have to be a challenge. It can instead become an ease.
Put What You Can Toward Your Dental Bills
There are times in everyone’s life where there is just not enough money to go around. If you have had dental problems recently, and are now trying to pay these bills, you may find that things are much more difficult than normal. Paying your dental bills is a high priority for most people, so you may feel like you have to put some of your other bills by the wayside. This does not have to be the case. There are ways to keep afloat, and pay your new bills at the same time.
When thinking about different ways to save some money, your car payment may come to mind. In fact, you may think “Hey, I should refinance my car!” This is definitely a good way to save some money – in fact, it can save you up to hundreds of dollars a month. That money can then go to paying your dental bills.
Find out if you have a flex spending account. Most of the time, this is something that you will know, but it doesn’t hurt to look into. This will generally be offered by the company that you work for. This tax free money goes toward helping to pay for medical bills, including dental bills.
Every little bit helps, so consider cutting back in any place you can. Walk or ride a bike instead of taking the car. Eat in, instead of going out. See if you can cut down the minutes or texts that you have on your cell phone plan. Make your coffee at home, or at the office, instead of stopping in at Starbucks every day.
Put all of these savings toward your dental bills. If you do this on a regular basis, your bills will be paid much quicker than you expect!
The Sugar Concerns
A rush of flavor, a sensation most craved — sugar crumbles elegantly against your tongue, the perfect greet of texture and taste. You swallow, greedily reaching for another treat (knowing your waistline will protest later but willing now to ignore the consequences). A dessert is too good to resist; and you indulge in bite after bite, enjoying your evening. The day has been so long, an exercise in tedium. This is a reward, you’re certain, for all of the budget woes and manager worries. You’ve earned this relief.
Such relief comes with a cost, however.
Because, when you shuffle to your room and seek out the comfort of your sheets, you remember that you forgot to brush. The idea of abandoning your bed, however, seems absurd. You’ll simply take care of your teeth in the morning.
By then, though, the damage will be done.
Sugar — despite its happy tastes, the joy it brings to all — is a terror. When left to settle against teeth and gums, it can spawn endless bacteria; all of which can slip into the crevices of enamel, begin to strip away the minerals there. Within the short span of 12 hours, cavities can be formed (even if they won’t be seen for months to come). And this will force individuals to seek out dentists, trying to correct the many problems.
A simple cleaning would’ve stopped them entirely.
It’s essential that all individuals brush twice a day (this is the minimum requirement. Should sweets be consumed frequently the number should rise to match them. Make it an even correlation). Offer at least three minutes to your teeth, ensuring that all surfaces are scrubbed. Flossing and rinsing are naturally recommended — but brushing is the most vital. It shouldn’t be forgotten, even for one night.
Your love of sugar can’t be denied, but can neither the complications it can bring. Brush often and spare yourself the appearance of plaque and cavities.