April’s Proving You’re No Fool When It Comes To Your Teeth
Happy April Fool’s Day! Did you get fooled on the 1st of April? It’s always hard rolling over in bed finding a text from a loved one, and trying to determine if they’re trying to fool you, or if this one is legit. “Wait, could she be pregnant… again? So soon?”
Some of the best April Fool’s Day jokes can be downright mean. Have you seen some of the suggestions on the Internet? Some include building an infinite loop of shopping carts around someone’s car…kinda mean! One even suggests putting dirt and grass seeds in a coworker’s keyboard and it will grow grass between the keys…pretty clever if your coworker has a green thumb. Here’s an easy oldie-but-goodie, tape a picture of your face to the top of the photocopy machine at work. When your co-workers go to make copies, they’ll be fooled into thinking you are trapped in the photocopy machine. This is a classic, and should stick around for years to come. For those that really have a side that’s into pranking, they take onions, coat them in a caramel coating and serve them as a “special surprise” treat to their family on April 1. Can we get a huge, “Ewww!?” While this may not win favorite family member points, it will go down in the memory books.
While April 1 is a great time to set aside all of your pride and allow yourself to be fooled, the other 364 days of the year you typically aren’t so willing to accept being tricked so easily. The Internet is a great (or shall we say scary) place for people to post things that might try to fool you into thinking about something differently. One area that this happens often is when it comes to the subject of teeth and dental health. Have you seen some of the myths, or shall we call them misconceptions, out there about teeth?
One misconception about dental care is that you should brush directly after each meal. The thinking behind this idea is obvious: To protect your teeth from decay, get rid of leftover food as early as possible. But, it’s actually better to wait a little while before brushing your pearly whites. Your mouth has a two-step method to defend itself. One is step is tooth enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The second is saliva. Saliva contains some of the same enzymes used in detergent to break down starches and antibacterial substances so effectively that wounds in the mouth will heal twice as fast as those located on the skin. Saliva is your friend who will defend you. Giving your body its natural ability to break down foods a chance to work after you eat is important. The acidic environment in your mouth temporarily softens the enamel on teeth while it breaks down food particles and washes them away. If you brush too soon after meals you’ll end up scrubbing away tooth enamel in the process. As a general rule wait at least 30 to 60 minutes before brushing.
Another misconception about teeth is that if you lose a tooth, it’s gone forever. When your children lose their teeth when they’re little, it’s cute. There’s usually a big celebration for their bravery in the battle to keep the snaggle tooth in their mouth as long as possible. There’s the tucking of the tooth under the pillow for the tooth fairy to bring one to five dollars (the average tooth fairy payout for 2016!). However, when you lose a tooth as an adult, there’s nothing cute about it! As a matter of fact, it’s quite terrifying when you lose a tooth because we all know you only get two sets of teeth in your lifetime.
The good news is that there is hope if you have the unfortunate event that you lose a tooth. Dental implants are a safe and very effective way to replace missing teeth. Implants can be used on teeth that are lost or removed due to cracking or injury. They also can be utilized if you were born with no adult teeth present in your mouth after losing your baby teeth. Missing one or more permanent teeth is perhaps the most common congenital malformation in humans.
Dental implants replace the tooth’s root in the mouth using a titanium foundation (biocompatible) within the bone. After the implant is placed, replacement teeth or crowns can then be fitted into the mouth. The dental implant is not visible once placed and once completed by the insertion of crown or bridge, the resulting implants will have the look and feel of natural teeth.
Les Belles NYC is here to help you feel confident about every aspect of your dental health. We offer dental implants so you can smile confidently. We will help guide you on your dental journey. We know one of your best assets is your smile and we want to encourage, empower and equip you to use it confidently whenever possible!
