Oral health Q&A with Dr. Moles!

It may seem crazy, but there are so many rumors out there about what’s good for your teeth, what’s bad for your teeth, what will make your teeth crooked, what will discolor your teeth, and so on. Below are are answers to some of the most frequent questions Dr. Moles and our staff at Moles Orthodontics always hear from patients. We hope you find this informational! Happy Tuesday!

Q: Which foods and drinks are actually healthy for my teeth?

A: Drinks: Water, Green Tea, Milk. Foods: Cheese, Celery, Kiwi’s, Onions, Parsley, Sesame Seeds, Shiitake Mushrooms, Wasabi. To view information on why these are healthy for your teeth visit this helpful article.

Q: Can fingernail biting cause damage to my teeth? What about lip biting or biting the ends of pencils?

A: Chewing anything that’s not food and is not edible is never good for your teeth and its enamel.

Q: It’s said that the changing seasons can have an effect on your body and joints. Can the seasons changing also have an effect on the way my mouth feels, especially during orthodontic treatment?

A: There is no research that shows any connection with the seasons and braces. Patients with braces and joint problems may feel joint pain and confuse that with brace pain.

Q: Can hard candies or hard mints cause damage to my teeth?

A: Yes, Most definitely.

Q: Now that I’m wearing braces, I miss chewing gum. Can I still chew sugar-free gum with braces on?

A: No, You want to stay away from all GUM. No gum is ever good for treatment. It can slow your treatment up, by pushing wires in the wrong directions and contribute to breakage. Gum can also make your jaw much more sore than it already may feel.

Q: Is a soft toothbrush or a medium toothbrush better for my teeth and gums?

A: Soft, always choose a soft toothbrush. Its not how hard you brush, its how long you brush.

Q: Are spicy or acidic foods bad for my teeth?

A: Spicy foods are not bad for your teeth, although you may want to brush your teeth soon after as it can affect your breathe. Acidic foods and drinks on the other hand, can cause damage over time to your enamel, and wear it down.

Q: If I play sports and use a mouth guard can constantly biting down on the hard rubber eventually cause my teeth to shift and become crooked?

A: No, you would need constant pressure to move your teeth out of alignment. (example: 12-24 hours of constant pressure on your teeth , will begin to move them)

Q: If my wisdom teeth came in straight, do I still need to get them removed?

A: Some people prefer to have them removed because they can be hard to keep clean, which can lead to decay and more unnecessary plaque and bacteria in the mouth. If they do come in and have plenty of room, its perfectly okay to not have them removed. Most people find in their mouths there just isn’t enough room though.

Let’s talk about teeth - Dr. Moles

The average adult has about 28-32 - depending on - wisdom teeth. If they need wisdom teeth extracted - they have 28, if they are able to keep wisdom teeth they could have up to 32. Not all wisdom teeth grow in. Some people have all 4 some have only 1. It can really change from mouth to mouth.

We lose our first set of teeth basically because as we grow so does our jaw/mouth. If we grow permanent teeth right away as a small child, they would not fit and would automatically be crowded. They would basically be far too large for our mouths.

Teeth are made of enamel, dentin and pulp.

If you think you may have a cavity you should see your dentist right away before it worsens. You can usually tell or have an idea you may have one if the color of your tooth changes, or your having pain in an area or tooth you haven’t had it before.

People get cavities because they are either prone to them, bad oral hygiene, and too many sugary or sweet food/ drinks.

The wearing away of the enamel or large roots (sensitive roots) can make teeth sensitive to hot and cold. Enamel is the hardest and most highly mineralized substance of the body.

Wisdom teeth are just your 3rd molars. Typically most people have these and end up having them extracted, because they don’t have enough room in there mouths and the wisdom teeth usually crowd the rest of the teeth in the mouth.

Even if you have enough room in your mouth for them the dentist/orthodontist may still suggest you have them out, due to hygiene. It can be very difficult to clean around them and that’s a better chance for calculus/decay to erode the teeth and cause damage later.

Our teeth become discolored because of our daily habits ex: eating certain foods (fruits and veggies) drinks (dark sodas, coffee, teas, wine etc.) tobacco, poor dental hygiene, diseases, aging, genetics, environment, trauma to a tooth (due to a fall) and medications. So as you can see there are a lot of variables when it comes to how teeth discolor. There are so many factors.

Crooked teeth can be genetic but are not always. Crooked teeth can be caused from wisdom teeth coming in, grinding, and the way your bite is aligned. It isn’t always genetic.