Acadia Dental

AN IMPORTANT TOOL for keeping teeth and gums healthy is the toothbrush. That might seem so obvious that it’s not worth saying, but people make a surprising number of basic mistakes when it comes to their toothbrushes.

1. Replace That Toothbrush Regularly
Are the bristles frayed or bent? Are some missing? It’s time to get a new one. The ADA recommends that we replace our toothbrushes at least three times a year. 🗓️

2. Take It Slow When Brushing
As often as dentists everywhere remind patients to brush for two full minutes, the average is only about 45 seconds. This simply isn’t long enough to get the full cleaning effect. The repeated motions are what clear plaque and food particles away, so don’t skimp! ⌛

3. Brush Gently (and Use a Gentle Brush)
Cleaning plaque away from teeth is not the same as scrubbing tile grout. Soft bristles and gentle pressure are enough, but brushing hard or using a firm-bristled brush can actually result in gum recession over time.

4. Proper Toothbrush Storage
The longer toothbrushes stay damp, the more likely they are to end up smelly and covered in germs. Toothbrushes need a chance to dry out between uses. Store it upright in a place with airflow (but not close to the toilet 🚽— yuck!).

Please help us in wishing the glue to our practice, Tami, our Office Manager, a VERY Happy Birthday!!!! 🎈🎉🤗🎂❤️

GRANDPARENTS ARE SOME of the best teachers out there! ❤️Share something your grandparents taught you in the comments below. 👵👴

NOT ALL OF OUR teeth have the same shape. The reason we need so many different types of teeth is that we are designed to eat both plants and meat. Let’s take a closer look at the four types of teeth we have. 🤔

The incisors are the front four teeth (both on the top and the bottom). The middle ones are central incisors and the two on the sides are lateral incisors. These teeth are great at slicing food, but not for chewing it.

The next teeth in line are usually called canines or eyeteeth. These have the longest roots of any of our teeth and make up the “corners” of our smiles. Their sharp points help us grip and tear food, especially meat. 🥩

Third in line are the eight premolars. They have sharp outer edges to help the canines tear food and some chewing surface to help the molars grind it up. We only have premolars as adults; they replace our baby molars. 👶

Finally, we have between eight and twelve molars. These are our largest teeth, with wide chewing surfaces and multiple roots. Molars are essential to grinding up food before we can swallow it.