5 ways to avoid plaque

At Dr. Mitchell Scheier's office, we know nobody likes getting plaque on their teeth. Here are five other ways you can avoid that dreaded enemy of the teeth, courtesy of WebMD.

Let’s start with brushing regularly. Brushing your teeth twice a day with a fluoride-containing toothpaste is vital to a healthy mouth. Make sure you softly brush all the surfaces of your teeth.

Next on the list is flossing daily: a simple daily flossing between teeth clears away plaque before it can cause damage and can also clean plaque at the gum line. Plaque is known to reach the spaces between teeth.

Also, evading a trip to visit Dr. Scheier is probably not a great idea. Let’s say you brush and floss daily. You’re still at risk for plaque. With time, the plaque hardens and turns into tartar. Consider visiting Dr. Scheier's office at least twice a year or as recommended, and you have a lower chance of getting cavities or losing your natural teeth.

You’ll also want to stop avoiding those fruits and veggies. Believe it or not, there are foods out there that play a key role in keeping plaque off our teeth. They include apples, carrots, cucumbers and other raw fruits and vegetables. You can still eat these types of fruits and veggies if you’re wearing braces, but be sure to cut them up into bite sized pieces to avoid breaking off brackets.

Finally, before you pick up that candy bar, remember to not give in to your sweet tooth. Consuming sugary drinks or eating candy or other junk food allows sugar to stick to our teeth. The bacteria, then, becomes plaque, which turns into acid and damages our teeth. Avoiding these five bad habits keeps your plaque in check and your mouth as healthy as can be. If you have any questions, give us a call or ask us on Facebook!

Dr. Mitchell Scheier, protecting your child from cavities this Halloween

With Halloween only two weeks away, Dr. Mitchell Scheier knows that there will soon be many tricks and treats! While this festive holiday is full of costumes and fun community activities, it can also be a harmful time for the teeth of young trick-or-treaters in our Havertown, PA neighborhoods.

With all of the sugary, sticky, and chewy treats that are often shared with trick-or-treaters, it is important that you take the necessary steps to prevent cavities this Halloween. Be sure to visit our "Understanding Cavities" blog to learn more about cavities, and how they can be avoided by good oral hygiene habits.

Also, don't forget about Dr. Scheier's Halloween Candy Buy-Back will begin Nov. 1, 2010! This will be a great opportunity for our patients to do something sweet for our troops, and prevent cavities. More details will be announced as the event becomes closer.