We Asked the 'Doctors': How Can We Improve Oral Health?

I have just used the 3d whitening strips, I bought it from hairbb.com, after use, it really works, i am satisfied with the result. Report

As I saw on a billboard years ago in Western USA - "Ignore your teeth and they'll go away"...

The video doesn't work November 2017. Report

As the daughter of a (now retired) dentist, I have always been conscious of other people's teeth. (And I heard some horror stories from Dad when I was a kid.) When I met my (now) husband), he had just finished 3 rounds of antibiotics to treat his gum disease. I have told him that if he hadn't been given a clean bill of health from his dentist, I never would have kissed him!! And I am a gentle reminder to him about his oral habits b/c I love to kiss him! What bacteria he has in his mouth transfers to mine, and I don't want to compromise my good health, either! Luckily, he is very respectful of my requests to brush and floss every day, and he gets regular checkups every 3-6 months, at the dentist's request. We both want to live a long time and watch our kids and grandkids grow up! Report

...and most importantly, cut out all highly processed foods! Report

What a great way to answer your questions - from the mouth (pun intended) of an expert to our ears.

I am one of those people dentist's love to see (not!).

At 65, I've only had two cavities - both in wisdom teeth, and I solved that problem (and a crowded mouth of teeth) by having them pulled.

I've also never had gingivitis.

Both my Mom and Dad lost their teeth before they were forty, so inheriting good genes seems a bit unlikely. I grew up in an area that had naturally fluoridated water and milk was a beverage I would drink as a teen - probably 6-8 glasses a day.

My younger brother has teeth like mine but my sister inherited Mom and Dads genes and she was never a great lover of milk.

I brush my teeth once a day, most of the time, and floss once or twice a month. I know I'm extraordinarily lucky. I'm sure a great deal of it has to do with the consumption of milk as I was growing up, even today I drink at least two cups of skim milk every day.

I've also never had a single broken bone. Strains, sprains dislocations and torn muscles - I've had all that. When I asked my doctor, I was told that my bones are probably so hard my joints and muscles give first. Report

I floss daily and brush at least twice a day and drink (almost always) my 8 glasses of water a day, but I've recently been told that my salivary glands have calcified and are no longer producing saliva. I am constantly thirsty and cannot consume a meal without copious amounts of water (hence the 8 glasses bonus!). They put me on pills 3X a day that are for Sjogrens syndrome but I don't notice much of a change. As a former gingivitis sufferer I am very aware of my dental hygiene, but I've been getting cavities much more frequently lately. Fortunately I have dental insurance but it's not fun! A dentist friend told me once that I didn't need to floss all my teeth every day...only the ones I wanted to keep! Good advice! Report

I work in a dental office and it is amazing how many problems could have been avoided for people if they had only flossed! It adds years to your life people...why would you not?! Report

I liked the video - clear presentation and informative. Have flossed and eliminated all soda from my diet for the past 15 years. Haven't had a cavity since, in spite of not having been able to see a dentist for 3 years due to lack of insurance until last month. Flossing pays off, not only in the health arena, but in the finances too. Report

My teeth are genetically horrible so I make sure to do everything I can for them! Except, due to inconsistent health insurance I haven't actually been to the dentist in over two years. Once I can get things straightened out I'm heading back in. It may not be fun, but neither is the results from not taking care of things! Report

Brushing and flossing of course, and I also use a flouride rinse daily.
I make sure I to get a check up and cleaning twice per year, it's especially important to me because I am taking bone drugs for stage IV breast cancer, and one of the possible side effects is osteonecrosis of the jaw, and that risk goes up with any kind of invasive dental work. So I have to keep my teeth in tip top shape to avoid having to have any type of surgery done to my teeth. Report

Thanks for putting a focus on this issue in the states, but until poor people can get more help it is going to be tough avoiding alot of causes...

I keep my mouth in tip top shape but wish plastic filling technology could make them held as long as old fillings did..

The vanity white doesn't hold and is more expensive than metal fillings.. I still have many of my childhood fillings in good condtion and my dentist only replaces them if they fall out or new decay turns up..
I think it is dawning on him, I am back once a year to have my front teeth technically replaced and the utter pain of injections..
Screw in teeth is looking better for every round of pain I suffer replacing plastic.. Are there any side effects of swallowing plastic fillings? The primer or what ever they use to coat the surface before the plastic is applied tastes fowl.. Report

Great information. I love Crest and use it everyday...I was happy to find something that really worked. While some people may brush daily, they tend to forget to floss not realizing how important it is. Great information, thanks. Report

Is he ever right! So many of us don't do the flossing! Don't wait until your teeth are in bad shape to start -do it now! Report

This is very interested. We all should always brush our teeth at least twice a day and visit the dentist at least twice a year, but most of us don't. Flossing is a knowno for some people. Report

This is very interested. We all should always brush our teeth at least twice a day and visit the dentist at least twice a year, but most of us don't. Flossing is a knowno for some people. Report

Thanks. This was interesting and fun.
Janet Report