It may be hard to believe, but there are more than 700 types of bacteria in your mouth. Fortunately, most are not only harmless, they can be beneficial to the health of your entire body.
But the harmful ones can cause you a lot of dental pain and other problems. Simple carbohydrates like sugar and sticky foods (candy, cookies, crackers, chips, dried fruit, etc.), as well as sodas, are often left on the teeth. Bacteria thrive in this environment and create a sticky, clear film on teeth called plaque around the gum line. If not cleaned off, this will cause an infection that is not initially painful. Meantime, it also hardens into a yellow substance called tartar on the surfaces of the teeth, which could lead to cavities.
The gum infection is not painful at first, but you will soon notice that your gums easily bleed when you brush. This inflammation can reach the root of a tooth and if it dies, this will result in a throbbing pain that gets worse when you chew and tenderness around the area. You may also experience sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages, darkening of the tooth, swelling in your cheek, and chronic bad breath. If you have any of these symptoms, have your general dentist diagnose the problem immediately and if he suspects a root canal is needed to save the tooth, you will be referred to NYC Endodontics.
Prevention of periodontal infection is best, of course. It would lower the risk to snack instead on fruit, raw vegetables, cheese, or plain yogurt and to eat a balanced diet. However, if teeth are not brushed after eating any foods right after breakfast and before going to bed (flossing then, as well), plaque will develop. It’s not always easy to do this process right.
WedMD advises holding the brush (preferably an electric one) at a 45-degree angle to the gum line and moving it across the teeth with a circular motion, without pressing too hard: https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/teeth-gum-care#1. Move the floss up and down against the teeth and around the gum line (we can show you how). This should be followed by an antibacterial mouthwash.
But if your best efforts sometimes are not enough, our endodontics team can get you back to good oral health in partnership with your general dentist.