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Dental floss is similar to a lot of products that depend mainly on the consumer’s preference. Fact is, floss comes in a wide variety of flavors, coatings, and other variations, but all types of floss essentially do the same thing. After all, that is what is most important: that the dental floss you buy is functional—cleaning the areas in between your teeth. If you want to know what the best dental floss is, the answer is the kind that enables you to successfully and regularly clean those areas. So to help you find the right type of floss for you, here are some options.

Flavored Dental Floss

Many people that floss prefer a flavored dental floss because it freshens their breath even more than unscented floss. The latter can also take on the smells associated with bacteria in your mouth. And we all know how bad that can be. So, if flavored dental floss is what you prefer, and it allows you to floss your teeth regularly, then it is automatically best for your mouth.

Flossers

There are also products on the market called flossers, which usually consist of a plastic instrument with strung floss and a pick on the opposite end. This option can be both effective at cleaning the areas in between your teeth and scraping off plaque. These flossers also come flavored in mint and various other varieties.

Gentle Dental Floss

Some people find that typical dental floss is too harsh on their gums. For that reason some companies make floss with soft coatings that are less abrasive on the gums. For the most part these types of floss are just as effective as regular floss, and for those people that require a more sensitive approach to flossing, especially when just starting out, this is the best option.

Of the aforementioned options, it is difficult to name an absolute best type of floss. However, Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants and our team say that the type of floss that works best for you, giving you the greatest chance of succeeding at regular flossing, is the best. For more information on floss, contact our Worcester office.

The effects of bad oral habits are something our team sees all too often. You might have bad oral habits that stem from childhood, possibly because your parents did not know about proper oral care or force you to follow it. Or, your bad habits could develop gradually, like slacking on your frequency of brushing.

Bad oral habits can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, and consequences such as losing teeth and experiencing bad pain. They may be deeply ingrained and easy to continue, but you can break them with a little effort. Focus on developing good habits to replace your current ones, and eating a diet that is healthy for your teeth.

Replace Bad Habits with Good

Breaking your bad oral habits may not be as difficult as you expect when you focus instead on developing good habits. These new good habits can naturally replace your bad habits.

• Brush your teeth after each meal or at least twice a day.
• Visit a dentist every six months for an exam and a professional cleaning.
• Floss your teeth every day.

These good habits may not seem natural, so you can take steps to make sure you follow these behaviors. For example, make a daily checklist with your scheduled sessions of brushing and flossing your teeth and using mouthwash. You can also set a timer to be sure you brush your teeth for the full recommended two minutes.

Eat Properly

Poor eating habits can be detrimental to your teeth. A common mistake is to let food, especially carbohydrates such as starch and sugar, stay on your teeth for a long time. You can stop doing this by rinsing your mouth with water after each meal or snack. Also, avoid candy and soft drinks between meals, since the sugar sits on your teeth.

A healthy diet provides the nutrients you need to maintain strong teeth. The mineral calcium is key for healthy teeth, so try to get your three daily servings of high-calcium foods, such as low-fat milk or yogurt, canned fish, or fortified soy or almond milk. Also include vegetables and fruits, which have a high water content.

If you need more tips about breaking your bad oral health habits, contact our Worcester office and speak with Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants or a member of our team.

You might remember that famous grade school dental poster teaching you all about teeth. A large white tooth with a crown, two roots with a bit of a curve, and two perfectly matched root canals inside each root. And, often, a big smiling face on the happy enamel surface—and why not? That tooth is a simple, symmetrical marvel!

But, unfortunately, those grade school posters aren’t exactly the last word in dental anatomy. Real molars might have multiple root canals in each root. The root canals might be curved in odd ways. They might have tiny branches that lead out from the main canal. They might have tiny branches that lead out from the main canal that are curved in odd ways. It can get very complicated.

This complexity is why an endodontist, like Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants, has spent two or more additional years of advanced training after dental school studying the diagnosis and treatment of the inner tooth. And when a root problem puts your tooth in danger of extraction, an endodontist is a specialist in saving at-risk teeth. What can Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants do for a troublesome root?

• Root Canal

Endodontists are specialists in root canal treatments. We have the education, experience, and tools to find, clean, shape, and fill complex root canal formations and tiny root canal branches.

• Surgical Root Canal Treatment

When a regular root canal isn’t possible, we can still reach the root canals by approaching them surgically through the root rather than the crown.

• Apicoectomy

For a tooth that has recurring problems even after a root canal, an apicoectomy (the removal of the root tip) and the cleaning and sealing of the affected root might be recommended.

• Root Resection, Hemisection, and Bicuspidization (Bisection)

For molars with serious decay, fractures, infection, or surrounding bone loss, Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants might suggest a surgical procedure which removes a single root (root resection), part of the tooth and root (hemisection) or divides the tooth and roots into two pieces (bicuspidization). These surgeries allow you to preserve as much of your natural molar as possible.

If a root problem is causing you pain, give our Worcester office a call. Because an endodontist is a specialist in saving teeth—and you deserve a poster-perfect smile!

Sports and energy drinks cause irreversible damage to the teeth of teens and young adults. A recent study published in General Dentistry states that energy and sports drinks contain so much acid that they begin destroying teeth after only five days of consistent use. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, an estimated 30 percent to 50 percent of U.S. teenagers consume energy drinks and as many as 62 percent consume at least one sports drink per day. The high acidity levels in the drinks erode tooth enamel and the result is irreversible damage.

Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants and our team at Central New England Endodontics and Implantology encourage our patients to limit their intake of sports drinks. The enamel erosion ultimately makes teeth more susceptible to bacteria and that can lead to hypersensitivity, staining, and tooth decay. If you do consume an energy or sports drink, make sure to wait at least 45 minutes until you brush, as consumption of acidic drinks causes tooth enamel to soften, making teeth more vulnerable to wear from the abrasives found in toothpaste.

Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease, five times more common than asthma. It’s also preventable with proper care. Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants and our team can help identify early signs of erosion and offer solutions on how to prevent further damage and more serious problems from occurring.