Brushing Your Teeth

 

You should brush your teeth at least 2x a day, but you should also consider brushing your teeth under these 5 circumstances. We all know how important brushing your teeth is; there is no other way to remove food from the surface of the teeth and gums. Without brushing, the food on your teeth turns into acid. This acid then wears down your tooth enamel causing cavities and other problems. 

Here are 5 circumstances that might occur when you want to brush your teeth:

1. First thing in the morning 
2. A meal that is high in carbohydrates 
3. After you have drunk soda or alcohol 
4. Before you go to bed, remove any leftover food debris on your teeth at night. 
5. After you consume a dessert 

Having a healthy smile is critical for so many reasons. If you have concerns about the health of your smile, contact us today at Dr. Judy Strutz and schedule an appointment.

Chewing Ice?

Do you have a craving to chew on ice that seems to take over before you can control it? While chewing ice may seem like no problem for your teeth it can actually cause damage and problems to the enamel of your teeth that is costly to fix.

Chewing and craving ice is a sign of “pica,” a disorder where individuals crave non-food items. While most people don’t think that chewing ice is a problem, it can lead to other situations and is believed to be the cause of an iron deficiency.  There is no nutritional value in chewing ice.  The type of pica that is involved in chewing ice is called, “pagophagia.”

While ice chewing may be a sign of a bigger problem, not all cases where people chew on ice is an iron deficiency. If you have questions about this, it is critical to talk to someone about this or to see a medical professional in order to determine if you need something to help with anemia. You may also feel symptoms of fatigue, chest pain, dizziness, cold hands or feet or poor appetite.

In order to stop chewing on ice it may be necessary to replace the habit with something that is healthier. For more information on ice chewing and the problems that it might cause contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team.