Weird but Useful Dental Health Facts for Guys & Dads

Fun Dental Health Facts for Men: What in the world do tongue size, digestion, beards, snacking, and dating have in common?

We have no idea. Just kidding. They are all related to oral health for guys and dads. March 19th is Father´s Day in Spain, so check out these 5 weird but incredibly useful dental health facts for you or the man in your life.

#1.Men have larger, longer tongues

Maybe it’s just because guy’s mouths tend to be a bit larger, but we just wanted to leave that interesting fact here for you to do with what you will.  

You’re welcome.

Speaking of tongues:  Next time you’re near a mirror (and it’s socially acceptable), stick your tongue out and take a look.  Why?  First, because now we know you’re curious and want to see just how long your tongue is.  

Second, check to make sure it looks healthy.  In general, healthy tongues are pink, firm, and don’t have any colored coatings, unusual bumps, or discolored/sore or dry spots. Some diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and infections have signs and symptoms that show up in the mouth.  If you see anything that looks or feels strange, take the time to see your dentist for a checkup.

#2.Digestion

  

Your dental health directly affects the quality of your digestion, and thus your overall health.  Missing teeth, having prosthodontics such as dentures or partials, crowding, or other issues with bite and alignment can directly affect your ability to chew and digest your food.  Not being able to chew well can also affect your food choices, with many men avoiding foods high in fibre and other nutrients. This can lead to digestive issues.

Make sure your teeth are doing their proper job for you when it comes to the digestive process.  If you or someone you know is having issues with chewing or teeth alignment, go ahead and see your dentist for a checkup.

#3.Lookin’ for Love in all the wrong places

What do single folks look for in a male dating partner?  Is it rock-hard abs, a full, manly beard, or big feet?  The answer: None of the above.  Actually, men and women are both looking for the same thing – nice teeth and a great smile. Healthy teeth are more important on dating apps like Match.com andTinder, because a man who takes care of his smile is likely to take care of his whole body.  If you’ve got a gorgeous grill, make sure to show your smile in your profile pic, and expect more singles to swipe right when they see you!

#4.On Beards & Toothbrushes

What do beards and toothbrushes potentially have in common?  Unfortunately, it’s probably bacteria. Luckily, science has prevailed, showing that for the most part the bacteria found in beards is NOT the same found on the average toilet.   It looks like it’s OK again for folks to snuggle up to their favorite bearded dude.  

However, the same can’t be said for your toothbrush. The  average toothbrush has more bacteria then you´d care to know about.  So don´t forget to change your brush every 3 months and never ever use an old toothbrush to groom your mustache or beard!  

#5.In like a Lion, Out like a… Donut?

Men seem to worry less about fad diets, but are more likely to skip meals during the day. Perhaps that’s why there’s a trend showing that men tend to start the day with healthy food choices, but often end up snacking and giving in to the junk food cravings at night. It probably doesn’t help that the people around us can influence what we eat.  

Pair this with the recent survey showing that half of guys may be brushing their teeth only once a day, and you’ve got a recipe for a dental disaster.  Allowing sugars and acids to sit on your teeth overnight by skipping the nightly hygiene routine is a surefire way to accelerate the decay process, and allow plaque biofilm to build and act like tiny jackhammers on tooth enamel.  

The best way to keep your smile healthy is to keep up with the home oral hygiene routine which includes brushing for two minutes, twice per day, flossing at least once per day, and seeing your dentist for a regular checkup and cleaning every 6 months.   It’s also a very good idea to make sure your teeth and bite are properly aligned to make sure your smile is as handsome as you are, and to keep your whole body healthy.

Helping our Patients Smile - Nervous Patients

Dental treatment isn’t easy for some people, but the end results are worth it.

It doesn’t matter which dental practice you visit; dentists throughout the world, will invariably have to treat patients who are very uncomfortable with having treatment carried out. In fact, along with a fear of flying, dental phobia is probably the most common phobia. As with all phobias though, the imagination is invariably worse than the reality.

At Muaks Family Dental, we see our fair share of nervous dental patients. This ranges from those who are worried about any potential treatment but are able to face their fears to help ensure good oral health, through to those unfortunate patients for whom a visit to the dentist is little short of sheer panic.

Avoidance

We would like to assure any nervous dental patients that, however nervous you are, we are still keen to see you at our dental practice. Our team will, especially if advised in advance of your fears, take care that you are well looked after and treated in a calm and considerate manner. Whilst some phobias, such as a fear of flying, can be avoided in many cases by taking holidays in our home country; this option does not apply to dental phobia, and avoiding visits to the dentist is clearly very unwise.

All of us, at some point in time, will need to have dental treatment and those who avoid visiting a dental practice for long periods of time are likely to need quite invasive procedures later on.

Maintenance

The key part of ensuring good oral health lies in prevention. Ironically, many people who suffer from dental phobia do take very good care of their teeth, religiously brushing and flossing every day in the hope of avoiding any dental problems that will force them to have to pay the dentist a visit. Even with this level of care though, problems will inevitably arise. This may be in the form of accidental damage to the teeth through an accident perhaps, but even if this is avoided, there is almost inevitably some dental decay that occurs and quite possibly some gum disease, which if ignored can become very serious.

On top of these two common problems, enamel erosion can be a problem for these patients who sometimes are over enthusiastic when brushing their teeth and actually wear away the enamel.

Sedation

We are also pleased to offer Conscious Sedation. Sedation is a specialised technique where a sedative is administered through an intravenous cannula. You still maintain all your vital and responsive reflexes, e.g. coughing, breathing and swallowing.  Most people find Sedation a pleasant and acceptable way of receiving dental treatment from fillings to Implants. During the procedure you will feel peaceful and unaware of what is going on.

Friendly dental team

Although dental phobia can be deep seated, seeing a friendly and sympathetic dentist can really help a patient to start to overcome their fears. Trust is a big issue for many people, and, through seeing a dentist regularly, we are able to build up a level of trust between dentist and patients which will help them to have both healthy and good looking teeth. If you are a nervous dental patient why not call us at Muaks Family Dental on 968 137 852 and arrange a visit where we can discuss your concerns and help you keep on the right track with healthy teeth and gums.

March News

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We hope you find it of interest.  Please let us know if there are any subjects you would like us to cover!

Top Tips to Keep your Children´s Teeth Healthy

We want to take care of our children in the best possible way, keep them from harm and look after them. We like to treat our children every now and again too, maybe with a sweet treat or a bar of chocolate but what if that treat is given every day? Do you know the possible harm that the little daily treat is doing to their oral health?

Lets look at the facts, decay is the main reason why children in England, between the age of 5-9 are admitted to hospital. Between 2012-2013 it was estimated that the NHS spent nearly £30 million on tooth extractions on children aged 18 and under.  All this can be avoided by regular tooth brushing, fluoridation and diet control.

Top Tips

1. Ensure your child attends regular dental examinations.  These appointments allow the dentist to spot any problems early. It also provides the dentist with an opportunity to coat the adult molar teeth with fluoride.  This strengthens the enamel and helps protect against decay.  If your child is deemed to be a high risk for dental cavities, the dentist may decide to place sealants over the biting surfaces of the new adult molars. These sealants smooth any pits and fissures making it hard for any plaque or food particles to become trapped which could cause decay.
2. Make sure they brush their teeth regularly and properly.  Supervise your child till the age of 7 years to ensure they are brushing rather than chewing the brush. Choose a toothpaste for your child’s particular age.  This will ensure that the toothpaste contains the correct amount of fluoride.  Fluoride levels should be at least 1000ppm up until the age of 3 and between 1350-1500ppm after this age.
3. Control the amount of sugar given to your child.  This means limiting the amount of sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks.  The higher the sugar intake, the higher risk your child is at developing tooth decay.
4. Try to stop or limit unhealthy snacks.  You may think that raisins are a healthy snack when in fact they are high in natural sugars and tend to stick to the teeth. The sugar in them then attacks the enamel.  Even if you choose sugar free drinks they most probably still contain acids which can still attack the teeth.  Milk and water are a good alternative to drink and raw vegetables and bread sticks are a better choice of snack.
5. Be careful when giving your child fresh fruit juices and smoothies to drink.  Again you may think you are giving them the healthy option but in fact these drinks are full of hidden sugars which will and can damage your child’s teeth.

It is simply unacceptable how many children suffer from tooth decay when in fact it is easily avoidable.  We only get 2 sets of teeth throughout our lifetime so we need to take care of our teeth, preventing any possible treatment being needed.  In fact if you instil good oral hygiene habits from a young age, your child is highly likely to carry on these habits throughout adulthood

Need to change your toothbrush?

If you have recently had a cold, flu or a viral infection it is recommended that you change your toothbrush. Microbes can implant themselves onto the bristles of your toothbrush which can then lead to re-infection.

With the battle to get your cash, the large pharmaceutical companies spend millions of pounds marketing their products aimed at keeping your breath fresh and free of decay and gum disease.

Examples of when you should use mouthwash -

• If you have bad breath ✔
• If you have sensitivity ✔
• If your gums bleed ✔

Here at Muaks we do not recommend the use of mouthwash without taking advise from your dentist first.  The type of mouthwash we would prescribe will depend on the underlying factors but will be in conjunction with a personal treatment plan.

Cleaning your Tongue - How and Why

Do you notice that you may sometimes have bad breath, even though you brush and floss your teeth twice a day? The problem isn’t necessarily your brushing technique, but may in fact be that you aren’t cleaning your tongue properly.

Here’s what you need to know about why you should be paying more attention to the cleanliness of your tongue and how to do just that.

Why is my tongue so important?

The tongue is a major feature of the mouth and makes it possible for us to eat and articulate our speech. Without it, we would not be able to taste anything, whistle a happy tune, tell someone about our day, or chew and swallow efficiently. It is such an integral part of our lives, used constantly every day, and yet most of the time we fail to give it a second thought.

You may have heard that the tongue is a muscle, but that is only partly true. The tongue is actually a group of muscles with each one having a specific job. At the tip of the tongue is a small muscle that can move quickly and uses the surface of the teeth to create certain sounds of speech, such as when pronouncing the letter ‘L’. This muscle also moves food from the front of the mouth to the back where it can mix with saliva and break down into swallowable bits.

Other muscle groups in the tongue help to change the shape of the tongue and move it up, down, side-to-side, in, and out. The muscles at the back of the tongue make it possible for us to articulate what are known as hard sounds of speech, such as the letter ‘K’ and ‘G’. They also move food that’s ready to swallow into the esophagus in small and controlled amounts so we don’t choke.

Why do I need to clean my tongue?

Just like bacteria builds up on and in between your teeth, hardening into plaque and tartar if not removed, bacteria also builds up on your tongue. The surface of your tongue is covered in tiny bumps called papillae, and within the grooves of these bumps collect bacteria, dead skin cells, and food particles. This is then covered by a thin layer of mucus which coats the fleshy parts of the mouth. The bacteria and other debris trapped on the tongue can cause bad breath, or halitosis, and a white discolouration of the tongue. In addition, the bacteria on the tongue can redeposit onto teeth and gums, even after they’ve been cleaned, increasing the likelihood of plaque and tartar buildup.

So how do I clean my tongue properly?

There are two main ways to properly clean your tongue: brushing and scraping. Brushing your tongue involves gently scrubbing your tongue from back to tip with a moistened toothbrush. You can do this most effectively while brushing your teeth by spitting out excess toothpaste after cleaning your teeth so that your mouth and toothbrush still have toothpaste residue on them. Then gently scrub your tongue, cheeks, and the roof of your mouth.

If you’d prefer a different or additional tongue cleaning method, try out a tongue scraper. These devices can be found inexpensively at most drug stores. They’re designed to glide along the surface of your tongue, taking off the tongue’s layer of mucus, as well as the bacteria and debris it traps.

To use most effectively, place the scraper at the back of the tongue while sticking your tongue out and, with even pressure, slide the scraper down along the tongue’s surface towards the tip. Rinse the scraper and repeat, making sure to move from the back of the tongue to the tip so as to not to accidentally ingest the bacteria being removed. Once the whole surface of the tongue has been scraped, thoroughly clean and dry the tongue scraper, and brush and floss your teeth as normal.

How often should I clean my tongue?

Cleaning your tongue should be a part of your daily oral health routine. Bacteria begins to build up on the surface of teeth, gums, cheeks, and tongue very soon after brushing, so a daily tongue cleaning, just like regular brushing and flossing, is an important step in warding off oral health issues.

What if it hurts or I gag when I clean my tongue?

If you find that cleaning your tongue daily is resulting in discomfort, you may be scrubbing or scraping too vigorously. The pressure needed to clean the tongue is no more than the amount needed to lightly hold your toothbrush or tongue scraper in place on your tongue. Your tongue is made up of delicate skin which can become inflamed or painful when irritated, so if you are feeling discomfort, hold off on cleaning your tongue for a day or two until the skin of your tongue can restore itself and then try again with a much more gentle approach.

If the discomfort is due to a wound or sore, refrain from cleaning your tongue until the issue has healed as scrubbing or scraping the area will irritate it and may even cause more damage. Also, if this is the case for you, be sure to visit your dentist for further advice and to ensure that what’s hurting you is not part of a larger health issue.

Cleaning your tongue can be a challenge for those who have a very sensitive gag reflex as touching the back of the tongue can sometimes trigger involuntary gag responses. If this sounds familiar to you, try out tongue cleaning slowly to get yourself used to the sensation. A trick of the dental trade is to stick out your tongue and, when you are about to touch a sensitive part, relax the tongue completely while exhaling fully. Exhaling generally overrides the gag reflex and allows you to go about your business without having to worry about unpleasant and involuntary gag responses.

What if I still have questions?

If you still have questions, that’s okay! Make an appointment to have a chat with us!