20 Mistakes You're Making With Your Teeth

Taking care of your pearly whites isn't rocket science, but it's easy to slip into habits that could cause heartache -- er, toothache -- in the long run. We got the latest on giving your teeth the TLC they need from two New York City pros: Alice Lee, DDS, an assistant professor in the Department of Dentistry for Montefiore Health System, and Alison Newgard, DDS, an assistant professor of clinical dentistry at Columbia University College of Dentistry, will clue you in on where you could be going wrong.

Multitasking while you brush
Every minute in the morning feels precious, so it's tempting to brush your teeth in the shower or while scrolling through your Twitter feed. "To each his own," says Dr. Newgard, "but I prefer patients to be in front of a mirror, over the sink; you can be sure to hit all the surfaces of your teeth, and you'll do a more thorough job when you're not distracted." Better to leave the bathroom a few minutes later having given proper attention to each step of your prep.

Overcleaning your toothbrush
Thinking about running your brush through the dishwasher or zapping it in the microwave to disinfect it? Think again: While we've all seen those stories about toothbrushes harboring gross bacteria, the CDC says there's no evidence that anyone has ever gotten sick from their own toothbrush. Just give your brush a good rinse with regular old tap water, let it air-dry, and store it upright where it's not touching anyone else's brush. More drastic cleaning measures may damage your brush, the CDC notes, which defeats its purpose.

Using social media as your dentist
The web is full of weird and (seemingly) wonderful DIY dental tips that can hurt much more than they'll help. Read our lips: Don't even go there. "I've heard of patients who go on Pinterest and find ways to whiten their teeth there--by swishing with straight peroxide, for example--which are not good for their teeth," Dr. Newgard says. "Use ADA-approved products that have been tested." (Another online tip to skip: trying to close up a gap in your teeth with DIY rubber band braces.) 

To read the entire article written by Lauren Oster, please visit HuffingtonPost.com 

Gettysburg Dental Associates
Eric Seidel, DMD  |  Cleveland Null, DDS
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com 
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
Stephanie DeFilippo, DDS  |  Kristin Russo, DMD
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 334-8193
Fax: (717) 334-0884
www.gettysburgfamilysmiles.com 

Antibiotics & Your Heart

Learn what the American Dental Association has to say about antibiotics and your heart.

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Gettysburg Dental Associates
Eric Seidel, DMD  |  Cleveland Null, DDS
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com 
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
Stephanie DeFilippo, DDS  |  Kristin Russo, DMD
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 334-8193
Fax: (717) 334-0884
www.gettysburgfamilysmiles.com 

Operation Gratitude By Dr. Stephanie DeFilippo

Operation Gratitude
By Dr. Stephanie DeFilippo

Who wants to get paid to go trick-or-treating and help support the military at the same time? If this sounds like a great idea, then you should bring any trick-or-treat goodies to Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates the week following Halloween.


What is Operation Gratitude? Operation Gratitude sends 150,000+ care packages filled with “snacks, entertainment, hygiene and hand-made items, plus personal letters of appreciation to New Recruits, Veterans, First Responders, Wounded Warriors, Care Givers and to individually named U.S. Service Members deployed overseas” every year. Their mission is to “lift the spirits and meet the evolving needs of our Active Duty and Veteran communities, and provide volunteer opportunities for all Americans to express their appreciation to members of our Military.” Along with the Halloween candy, the office will also be sending any cards made by patients to send well wishes and encouragement to our Armed Forces. This year we are also sending a portion of the donated candy to a local group, For the Love of a Veteran. Any donation is appreciated.


However, there is an additional benefit to “selling” your Halloween candy back to the dental office. All of that sugar will give you and your children cavities! The biting surfaces of the back teeth have pits and fissures that are easily decayed after eating sticky candies or chewing on lollipops. It is also difficult to clean out that sticky consistency at home with your toothbrush. So, the best thing is to avoid these types of foods to make sure it does not cause any types of decay. So, what is the best type of candy to eat out of the trick-or-treat bag? Chocolate! Chocolate won’t stick into the pits of your teeth and is easily cleaned off with a toothbrush.


As always, remember to see your dentist every six months for a cleaning and exam for you and your children. Please help your children brush before bed and make sure they are brushing at least twice a day. Flossing is also very important and kids need to be helped with this task before bedtime. Remind your children that brushing is best before bedtime because we do not want all of the food from throughout the day sticking to their teeth and causing cavities as they sleep. Fluoride rinses are also good after brushing and flossing. Make sure that you wait until your child is around the age of six before using the rinse, or when they are able to spit out the fluid completely. The amount of ingested fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwash should be controlled in young children. Fluoridated water is recommended for children as they grow. This type of ingested fluoride is a different concentration and is safe to be swallowed and helps decrease the incidence of decay.


Have a safe and Happy Halloween!


Stephanie DeFilippo, DDS is co-owner of Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates and a board certified pediatric dentist.

Gettysburg Dental Associates
Eric Seidel, DMD  |  Cleveland Null, DDS
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com 
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
Stephanie DeFilippo, DDS  |  Kristin Russo, DMD
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 334-8193
Fax: (717) 334-0884
www.gettysburgfamilysmiles.com 

More Than a Quarter of Americans Have This Untreated Disease

Let's just say, it might be time to get your pearly whites checked.

It's time for Americans to get over their fear of the dentist. According to new data published from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, more than 25% of U.S. adults aged 20 to 64 have untreated tooth decay. Additionally, 1 in 5 adults aged 65 and older may have it as well.

And if that's not motivation enough to take a seat in the dental chair, 91% have one tooth (or more) that has been treated for tooth decay or needs to be.

To read the entire article written by Samantha Toscano, please visit GoodHouseKeeping.com

Gettysburg Dental Associates
Eric Seidel, DMD  |  Cleveland Null, DDS
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com 
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
Stephanie DeFilippo, DDS  |  Kristin Russo, DMD
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 334-8193
Fax: (717) 334-0884
www.gettysburgfamilysmiles.com 

Power Toothbrushes

Learn what the American Dental Association has to say about power toothbrushes.

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Gettysburg Dental Associates
Eric Seidel, DMD  |  Cleveland Null, DDS
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com 
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
Stephanie DeFilippo, DDS  |  Kristin Russo, DMD
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 334-8193
Fax: (717) 334-0884
www.gettysburgfamilysmiles.com 

Risks to Oral Health During Pregnancy

Learn more about what the American Dental Association has to about risks to your oral health during pregnancy.

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Gettysburg Dental Associates
Eric Seidel, DMD  |  Cleveland Null, DDS
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com 
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
Stephanie DeFilippo, DDS  |  Kristin Russo, DMD
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 334-8193
Fax: (717) 334-0884
www.gettysburgfamilysmiles.com 

Best and Worst Halloween Candy Options for Children’s Teeth

Halloween is just around the corner, and although candy consumption is almost unavoidable this time of year, the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) wants parents and children to know that there are both good and bad candy options, both of which may find their way into children's trick-or-treat bags this fall. 
  
"Of course, dentists do not advocate that children eat large amounts of sugary treats, but it is that time of year, so we want to clarify for parents which treats are better for their kids' teeth and which ones may increase the risk of developing cavities," says AGD spokesperson Cynthia Sherwood, DDS, FAGD. 

To read the entire article, visit: KnowYourTeeth.com

Gettysburg Dental Associates
Eric Seidel, DMD  |  Cleveland Null, DDS
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com 
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
Stephanie DeFilippo, DDS  |  Kristin Russo, DMD
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 334-8193
Fax: (717) 334-0884
www.gettysburgfamilysmiles.com 

Braces and Babies By Richard J. Moses, III, D.M.D.

Braces and Babies

 By Richard J. Moses, III, D.M.D. 

“Kids are getting braces at a younger age than they did when I was a child.” Does this sound familiar? I’ve said it myself! I’ve even wondered in the past why the 8-year-old child sitting in my pediatric dental chair had braces on the only two adult teeth that they had. That was then; now as a trained orthodontist, I am considering when the appropriate time to begin orthodontic therapy on my 6-year old son will be. Six seems mighty young to begin orthodontic therapy on a child! When you consider that there is possible irreversible adverse skeletal growth occurring, it does not seem as far-fetched any more.

Evaluation and guidance of jaw growth is just one thing that a dentist trained in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics (an orthodontist for short) does for a growing child. Orthodontists are dentists that have 2-3 years of formal specialized training beyond dental school. We can spot subtle jaw imbalances and tooth emergence problems before all the baby teeth have fallen out. Even though your child’s teeth may look beautiful, straight, and white, there may be a developing problem that only an orthodontist would notice.

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that all children have an orthodontic check-up no later than age 7. Most children don’t need braces at this age, but an orthodontist can evaluate them and develop an appropriate and customized monitoring program for them. If they do need treatment, the orthodontist can determine the most advantageous time for therapy. Waiting until the completion of facial growth may be a disadvantage.

Although a thorough orthodontic evaluation is the safest way to rule out growth and development problems in a child, there are several things that you can look for:

• Baby teeth that have fallen out too soon or too late 
• Prolonged sucking on fingers or thumbs 
• Difficulty with speech • Teeth that are in the wrong places 
• Teeth or jaw that sticks out or protrudes (“bucky”) 
• Difficulty with biting or a bite that does not “look right” 
• Difficulty breathing through the nose or routine mouth breathing 
• Facial imbalance 
• Teeth or jaw that is too far back (“underbite”) 
• Upper and lower front teeth that don’t touch when biting (open bite) 
• Cheek biting (crossbite) or lower front teeth that bite the roof of the mouth (deep bite) 

It’s not a bad idea to have a specialist on your side; although, not everyone needs orthodontic treatment. It’s never too late; so even if your child is older than 7, head over to your orthodontist for a check-up. While you’re there, feel free to ask that burning question that you have about your own teeth! Orthodontics and technology have come a long way since we were kids. Braces (and aligners) are not just for kids anymore; moms and dads are sporting them as well!

Richard J. Moses, III, D.M.D. is a dual trained orthodontist and pediatric dentist at Gettysburg Dental Associates. He specializes in child and adult orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

Gettysburg Dental Associates
Eric Seidel, DMD  |  Cleveland Null, DDS
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
Stephanie DeFilippo, DDS  |  Kristin Russo, DMD
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 334-8193
Fax: (717) 334-0884
www.gettysburgfamilysmiles.com

What are Cavities?

Learn more about what the American Dental Association has to say about what cavities are.

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

 
Gettysburg Dental Associates
Eric Seidel, DMD  |  Cleveland Null, DDS
www.GettysburgDentalAssociates.com
Just Kids at Gettysburg Dental Associates
Stephanie DeFilippo, DDS  |  Kristin Russo, DMD
www.JustKidsGettysburg.com
353 York Street Front
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 334-8193
Fax: (717) 334-0884
www.gettysburgfamilysmiles.com