Category: Dental Tips

Most people know that brushing your teeth twice a day is essential for good oral health. But when it comes to your morning routine, should you brush right after waking up or wait until after breakfast? At Villa Vista Dental in Elk Grove, CA, we get this question a lot! Let’s break down the benefits of each option to help you decide what’s best for your smile.

Brushing Before Breakfast

Brushing your teeth right when you wake up has some solid advantages. When you sleep, bacteria in your mouth multiply, which is why you wake up with “morning breath.” Brushing first thing helps remove that bacteria and kick-starts your day with a fresh mouth. Plus, brushing before breakfast also means your enamel is protected by fluoride when you eat. This helps reduce the impact of acidic foods like orange juice or coffee.

Brushing After Breakfast

Prefer to brush after your morning meal? This approach can help remove food particles left behind and leave your mouth feeling cleaner. However, there’s a catch: brushing immediately after eating acidic foods can actually weaken your enamel. It’s best to wait 30 minutes after eating to allow your saliva to neutralize the acids. Then, you can brush without risking enamel erosion.

So, Which is Better?

It ultimately depends on your routine and preference. If you’re an early riser who likes to brush before breakfast, that’s great! If you’d rather wait until after you eat, just be mindful of the timing to protect your enamel. Either way, brushing thoroughly with a fluoride toothpaste is what really matters.

Keep Your Smile Bright at Villa Vista Dental in Elk Grove, CA

No matter when you choose to brush, making it a consistent habit is key. Dr. Ricky Tin and the team at Villa Vista Dental in Elk Grove, CA, recommend brushing for two minutes twice a day and flossing daily to keep your teeth in top shape. If you have any questions about your oral care routine or need to schedule a cleaning, contact us today! We’re here to help you achieve a healthy, beautiful smile.

Toothaches can happen for a variety of reasons. If you’ve ever had a severe toothache, you know how much they can affect your ability to function. Trouble eating, sleeping, brushing teeth, or even concentrating can be side effects of a toothache.

A severe toothache is considered a dental emergency because it could signify a deeper issue, like advanced decay or an abscess. Call our office if you’re suffering from new or worsened tooth pain. Additionally, there are a few ways you can manage your pain from home until we see you.

1. Use A Cold Compress

If your toothache is so bad that it feels as though it’s radiating from your cheek and face, use a cold compress for some quick relief. Soak washcloths or dishrags in cool water and place them in the fridge. Switch them out intermittently as they begin to become warm on your face. Doing this will help reduce pain and swelling.

2. Take Over-The-Counter Medication

Anti-inflammatory pain medication is available at your local drugstore and can bring fast relief and help to reduce swelling. Ibuprofen and aspirin are the best options until we can see you. If you need a stronger medication, call us first. Do not take a friend or family member’s prescribed pain killer.

3. Eat Soft Foods

Avoid hard, hot, and cold foods until your problem is addressed. Applesauce, scrambled eggs, low-sugar yogurt, purees, and other soft foods are best to help you not aggravate the area in pain.

4. Be Gentle While Brushing & Flossing

Brush gently around the area in pain and try to not place too much pressure on it. A few times a day, gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water to cleanse and reduce pain.

Toothache Treatment in Elk Grove, CA

We’re so sorry if you’re experiencing dental pain! Rest assured, there is a solution and we can help you find it. So please don’t delay calling us if you have a toothache.

Whether you’ve had a tooth extraction, root canal therapy, or a more complex dental procedure, there are certain things you can do after it’s complete to increase your comfort and promote healing. In this article, we offer a few basic recovery tips.

1. Get Plenty of Rest

Avoid physical activity and exercise for two to three days. Vigorous activity soon after your procedure can dislodge the blood clots that are necessary for your mouth to heal. When lying down, you can keep your head propped up with pillows to help reduce any swelling.

2. Ice As Necessary

Ice helps keep inflammation down and helps to numb the area of pain. If you don’t have a proper ice pack, you can put ice in a ziplock bag and wrap it in a hand towel, or even just place ice directly in a towel. Then, place the ice pack on the affected area for 15 minutes on, then 15 minutes off. Remember to never place ice directly onto your skin or to ice longer than 20 minutes.

3. Eat Soft Foods Only

For the first few days after surgery, be sure to follow a liquid or soft food diet. Drink plenty of water and avoid soda. Pureed soup, yogurt, smoothies, pudding, gelatin, and mashed sweet potatoes are tasty and easy to eat. Definitely avoid drinking through straws and eating anything hard or crunchy until a dental professional gives you the go-ahead. Also, until the anesthesia wears off, avoid anything hot, because the numbness can cause you to burn your mouth without even knowing it!

4. Take Prescribed Antibiotics

As in general medicine, antibiotics are also sometimes prescribed in dentistry. If prescribed antibiotics for an infection, it’s very important to finish the entire course as directed. Not doing so can be harmful to public health by ultimately leading to antibiotic resistance.

5. Brush Gently & Keep Your Mouth Clean

Although you shouldn’t brush or floss the teeth in the surgical area for at least 24 hours, you should continue to gently brush and floss the other parts of your mouth. After 24 hours have passed, you can rinse gently with warm salt water. However, avoid vigorous rinsing and spitting. In many cases following oral surgery, the antibacterial rinse chlorhexidine is prescribed, which provides the surgical area with extra protection.

6. Don’t Smoke or Drink Alcohol

Smoking and using other forms of tobacco are incredibly harmful for oral health. Not surprisingly, it should be avoided when recovering from oral surgery — as should alcohol, because they both can interfere with the healing process.

Further Concerns? Contact Us!

If you have any questions about your after-care instructions or if you experience abnormal pain, swelling, or bleeding, call us at 916-691-6802. Dr. Tin and our team at Villa Vista Dental are here to make your recovery as smooth, pain-free, and successful as possible.

Is bad breath bringing you down? Don’t let morning breath and garlic breath ruin your whole day. Here are four tips and tricks to make sure your mouth stays minty fresh!

1. Follow a Routine Oral Care Regimen

Following a strict oral care regimen is essential to not only ensure that your mouth is healthy, but that it smells good, too. Make sure you are brushing twice a day for two minutes each time (don’t forget to brush your tongue!) and flossing at least once a day. Plaque and tartar can release gases that are less than pleasant to smell, so keeping your teeth squeaky clean is a good start to getting your bad breath under control. If you’re noticing particularly serious issues with plaque buildup or if you have persistent bad breath, try chewing sugar-free gum after every meal and decreasing your intake of sugar and processed foods. You may be tempted to brush your teeth immediately after eating, but wait to brush your teeth for 30-60 minutes after eating and drinking anything other than water to allow your enamel time to re-harden from any acids in your meal.

2. Mouthwash Is Your Friend

For those who are experiencing bad-breath issues and even for those who aren’t, adding an alcohol-free antibacterial/antiplaque mouthwash in to your oral care routine is a good way to combat bad breath. Just swish and gargle at least two to three times a week, and you should notice a significant difference.

3. Hydrate with H₂O

Did you know that saliva actually helps fight bacteria in your mouth? If you suffer from dry mouth, that could be the cause of your bad breath. When your mouth is dry, the saliva isn’t breaking down that bacteria. Thus, a dry mouth allows yucky oral bacteria to proliferate and produce foul-smelling gasses. Stay hydrated with water throughout the day to keep bad breath at bay.

4. Visit Villa Vista Dental Every 6 Months

Even if you’re already doing all the above, there are just some nooks and crannies you have difficulty reaching yourself. When plaque starts to build up in these spots, those foul gases can rear their nasty heads. But we’re here to help you have a clean mouth and excellent oral health. By visiting us every six months, we can help keep your mouth smelling less like death and a lot more fresh. Contact us to schedule your next appointment!