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Short answer: No. But, since an answer that short is hardly worth the time it took you to click on the link, allow us to explain further!

We tend to think of tooth decay as something we leave behind with childhood. And, while it’s true that youthful cavities are unfortunately common, older adults face unique challenges of their own that put them at risk for cavities.

Root Cavities

Gum tissue often recedes with age. And our roots, which were once completely covered and protected by gum tissue, become partially exposed to plaque, acidic foods, and the abrasive effects of heavy-handed brushing.

This is a problem. Instead of enamel, a substance called cementum covers and protects our roots. But cementum isn’t as strong as enamel, and so our roots are much more vulnerable to the cavity-causing bacteria in plaque, erosion from dietary acids, and damage caused by abrasive brushing. Root cavities also progress faster than crown cavities, which can mean a root canal procedure in your future, or, even worse, an extraction if a cavity isn’t treated promptly.

What can you do to avoid root cavities?

• Do what you do to avoid any cavity—brush at least twice a day for two minutes, use floss to clean between the teeth and along the gumline, and use a fluoride toothpaste.
• Fluoride treatments can be applied to the exposed root area for added protection. Ask Dr. Robee Bailey Jr., DMD about this option.
• Always use a soft toothbrush. Even a brush with medium bristles can be too firm for teeth and gums.
• Take care of your gum health. If you have symptoms of serious gum disease, expert care in diagnosis and treatment can be provided by Dr. Robee Bailey Jr., DMD.

Why see a periodontist? Gum recession can have many serious consequences if left untreated. Besides root cavities, gum recession can lead to infection, bone loss, and tooth loss. A periodontist is skilled in treating the structures which support our teeth, with additional years of study after dental school specializing in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of gum disease.

Dr. Robee Bailey Jr., DMD can help restore gum health with both non-surgical and surgical options at our Concord, NC office, including:

• Scaling and planing. These non-surgical deep cleaning procedures remove plaque and tartar above and below the gumline, and smooth tooth roots to remove bacteria and help the gum tissue reattach to the teeth.
• Flap surgery. This procedure treats persistent gum infection, reducing pocket depth between gum and tooth and re-securing the gums snugly around the teeth.
• Gum grafting. For more severe gum recession, tissue from your own mouth or a tissue bank can be surgically placed to cover exposed roots, restoring and regenerating gum tissue.

Keeping up with our dental and periodontal health is important at any age. Brushing and flossing, fluoride toothpaste, regular dental exams and cleanings—the basics of dental health don’t change over time, even if our dental challenges are a bit different as we get older. After all, do you ever outgrow an attractive, healthy smile? This answer is short and sweet: never.

Toothpaste ads are usually all about the teeth. Cavity-fighting benefits. Whiter smiles. Reducing tooth sensitivity. But lately, we’re also hearing a lot about toothpastes which are formulated to clean, renew, and repair our gums. Maybe it’s time to consider whether a tube of gum-healthy toothpaste should be your new main squeeze.

Gum Health Affects Our Overall Health

According to the CDC, almost half of all adults over the age of 30 suffer from gum disease—and the percentages get even higher with age. And, just like tooth decay, gum disease is most commonly caused by bacterial plaque.

Plaque is a biofilm made up of saliva and food particles and millions of bacteria. Within hours after we’ve brushed and flossed, this sticky substance starts forming again on teeth and around the gum line.

Gingivitis, or early gum disease, occurs when plaque around the gum line irritates gum tissue, causing inflammation. You’ve probably noticed some symptoms of inflammation if you’ve ever neglected your brushing and flossing routine for even a day or two. Gums become red, or swollen, or tender, or bleed easily.

Careful attention to brushing and flossing is essential to prevent gingivitis and to reverse early symptoms. That’s because, left untreated, gingivitis can lead to periodontitis, a serious gum disease.

The bacteria in plaque produce toxins, which our immune systems react to with inflammation. Over time, this inflammation response causes the breakdown of the bone and ligament tissue which hold our teeth in place. Once-snug gum tissue starts to pull away from the teeth, creating pockets around the teeth where more bacteria collect. This leads to infection and further loss of bone and tissue.

Infection, loose teeth, and lost teeth cause chronic pain, difficulty eating and speaking, and alterations in facial appearance. And it’s not just our oral health which can be affected by gum disease. Studies have found connections between gum disease and other inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular disease, and between gum disease and medical conditions such as xerostomia (dry mouth) and diabetes.

How Toothpastes Can Help Prevent Gum Disease

We already know that dentists recommend fluoride toothpaste because fluoride prevents cavities. Fluoride bonds with the calcium and phosphate ions in our tooth enamel, repairing weak spots. Even better, this new bond is stronger and more cavity-resistant than enamel alone.

When it comes to preventing gum disease as well as fighting cavities, though, not all fluoride formulas are the same. The common go-to ingredient in gum-healthy toothpastes is stannous fluoride. Like the more commonly used sodium fluoride, stannous fluoride reduces the risk of cavities and strengthens tooth enamel. And more! Studies have shown that stannous fluoride:

• Has anti-microbial agents which reduce the number of gingivitis-causing bacteria
• Disrupts plaque formation
• Continues working to reduce plaque levels even after brushing.

Because inflammation caused by bacterial plaque buildup is the most common cause of gingivitis, it makes sense that toothpastes which reduce bacteria and plaque can also reduce gum inflammation and gingival bleeding when used regularly.

But Toothpaste Can’t Do It All!

No matter which paste you use, you still need to be proactive with your dental health.

• Brush at least two minutes, at least twice each day, to stop plaque buildup. And use proper technique. Angle the brush toward the gums to gently clean around and below the gum line.
• Floss at least once a day. Flossing really does remove plaque between teeth and near the gum line which your toothbrush won’t.
• Use a soft-bristled brush. It protects both delicate gum tissue and strong enamel from abrasion.
• Keep up with your regular professional cleanings.
• For specialized periodontal treatment, make an appointment at our Concord, NC periodontal office.

If you have sensitive, inflamed, or bleeding gums, or if you have any worries about your gum health, don’t take advice from a toothpaste carton.

Talk to Dr. Robee Bailey Jr., DMD about the best toothpaste for your specific dental needs. Whether it’s a recommendation for a specific kind of toothpaste or rinse, prescription medication, or more advanced periodontal treatment such as deep cleaning procedures or gum surgery, we have the treatment options to help you keep your gums their healthiest!

We’ll give it to you straight: it can be harder to keep your teeth their cleanest while you’re wearing braces. Food particles play hide-and-seek, plaque builds up around brackets, flossing is harder when you need to maneuver around wires. But keeping your teeth and gums healthy is even more important now that you’re wearing braces.

Why? Because when your braces come off, you want to enjoy the beautiful smile you’ve worked so hard for without worrying about discolored enamel, cavities, or swollen gums. Let’s look at some of the possible consequences when brushing and flossing are more challenging.

Decalcification

If you’ve noticed white spots around your brackets, you’re seeing the signs of decalcification, a common problem for those who wear braces.

Decalcification begins when plaque collects on the enamel around your brackets. The bacteria in plaque produce acids. These acids eat away at the minerals which keep your enamel strong, minerals like calcium and phosphorous. Places on the enamel where erosion takes place are left weakened and discolored.  Eventually, these weak spots can lead to . . .

Cavities

When plaque sticks around, whether near your brackets or anywhere on your teeth, it provides the perfect conditions for decay to develop. Left untreated, bacterial acids continue working away at decalcified spots in your enamel. This continuing erosion causes these surface spots to expand, grow deeper, and become cavities.

If you’re having trouble with built up plaque, and brushing isn’t doing the job for you, your dentist can remove it with a professional cleaning. Getting rid of plaque is healthy not only for your enamel, but your gums as well.

Gum disease

When plaque and tartar collect around the gumline, they irritate delicate gum tissue. This irritation causes gingivitis, or early gum disease. And, while young people rarely suffer from serious gum disease, the pain, redness, bleeding, swelling, and bad breath caused by gingivitis are not anyone’s life goals!

Brushing and flossing are essential to keeping your enamel and gums plaque-free. But even if you brush more often, it’s not as easy as it once was now that you have to work around and between brackets and wires. Luckily, there are lots of tools out there to help you get your teeth, gums, and braces their cleanest.

• Orthodontic toothbrushes

Special brushes designed just for braces can help you work around brackets and wires. V- or U-shaped bristle formations let you brush around and over your braces. Curved bristles can fit under wires. Smaller brush heads let you reach those hard-to-reach places.

• Electric toothbrushes

Many people find these brushes can clean more easily and effectively, especially when wearing braces. Tapered orthodontic brush heads are available, and, if you’re a heavy-handed brusher, there are models which alert you if you’re brushing too hard—protecting your braces and your enamel.

• Orthodontic floss

Special orthodontic flosses can help you do the tricky job of fitting floss behind your wires and between your teeth, or use a floss threader, which helps guide uncooperative floss into tight spaces.

• Water flossers

With their pulsing streams of water, water flossers can reach spots where regular brushes and flosses just can’t comfortably fit. There are even flossers available with special orthodontic tips.

Straight teeth are great. Straight and healthy teeth? Even better! You, Dr. Robee Bailey Jr., DMD, and our Concord, NC orthodontic staff make a great team. Take advantage of our advice and tips for the best tools and techniques to make sure your smile is both perfectly aligned and perfectly healthy once those braces come off!

You might be surprised to see one of your second grader’s friends with a dental appliance. Isn’t orthodontic work just for teenagers? And, if not, should your seven-year-old be sporting braces right now? The answer to both of those questions is “Not necessarily.” Two-phase treatment is a process designed to correct issues that arise during different times in your child’s life.

First Phase Treatment

We recommend that every child have an orthodontic evaluation around the age of seven to determine if there is a problem that would benefit from early treatment. First phase orthodontics is not the same as orthodontics for older patients. The focus here is on the developing bone and muscle structures which form your child’s bite and provide space for the permanent teeth when they arrive.

There are some clear-cut orthodontic goals that are much easier to attain when children’s bones are still growing.

• Reducing Crowding

If your child’s mouth is small, the permanent teeth will have little room to fit in when they arrive. We may recommend gently enlarging the upper dental arch with the use of a palatal expander. This device will provide room for the adult teeth, and could potentially shorten second phase treatment time. Sometimes the extractions necessary to create more room for permanent teeth in later years can be avoided, as well as the possibility of an impacted tooth—one which doesn’t erupt because it is blocked by other teeth.

• Dealing with Jaw and Bite Concerns

Bones and muscles do not always develop properly, leading to problems with jaw and facial structure. Your younger child still has growing bones, so this is a great time to gently re-form the jaw into a healthy shape. Problems caused by crossbites, underbites, open bites, and other malocclusions can be reduced with early treatment.  

• Protecting Teeth

If your child has protruding front teeth, these teeth are more likely to be damaged in falls, at play, or while participating in sports. We can gently reposition them.

Second Phase Treatment

Second phase treatment is designed for your older child. After a resting period, when the permanent teeth finish erupting, we should see your child to evaluate any further orthodontic needs. This is the time to finish the process of straightening the teeth and making sure that each tooth fits together properly for a comfortable and healthy bite. This phase usually makes use of braces or aligners, and can take approximately 12-24 months.

Two-phase treatment is not necessary for every child. But there are some unique reasons that early orthodontics might be recommended for your child, even if it’s clear that more orthodontic work will be needed later. Make an appointment with Dr. Robee Bailey Jr., DMD at our Concord, NC office, and let’s evaluate your child’s orthodontic needs, whether now or in the future, for a lifetime of beautiful smiles.