It is important to have good oral habits, therefore it is important to understand the consequences of having bad oral habits. Having bad oral habits can lead to bad oral hygiene over time, causing bad breath, tooth discoloration, red, swollen gums, cavities, gum disease and ultimately, tooth loss. It can affect not just your oral health, but also the following:   

1) Bad oral heal can effect your chewing and speech. Dental decay will start to hurt if left untreated. Imagine grinding your food when your teeth are hurting.  Missing or broken teeth can effect the way you talk. Imagine say F and Th with out healthy front teeth.   

2) Self-esteem. Now we can not speak for everyone, but having swollen gums, bad breath and stained teeth or no teeth, can indeed put a damper on ones confidence.

3) Budget/Finances:  Delaying needed dental treatment by not visiting the dentist regularly can cause more harm than good, even to your wallet. When you defer your dental treatments small dental issues that may have been address early on goes untreated and turn into larger more cost dental problems.   

4) Overall Health. Many research studies has shown that gum disease is linked with health problems including heart disease, stroke, pneumonia and other systemic diseases. Bad oral health is also shown to increase the risk of pre-term delivery and low-birth-weight infants.

Did you know that the little things you do or do not do on a day to day basis affect your oral and dental health and may fall under a list of bad oral habits? These include not brushing or flossing enough, eating too many sweets too often, or even using your teeth to open a bag of chips.

When people are unable to access dental care, it can affect their ability to stay healthy, secure employment and improve their families’ economic success. Oral health may not be top of mind for many people, but it should be front and center. Oral health is an integral piece for good over all health

Good oral health is essential for general health and well-being at any age. Oral health problems affect not only the ability to eat and speak but are inter-connected with serious health issues like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, and preterm or low birth weight. However there is good news, oral health problems are preventable. A healthy smile for life starts with healthy habits like brushing and flossing, using fluoride, making smart food choices and eating habits, and visiting the dentist at least twice a year.

It is important to  make sure you are brushing your teeth every day twice a day for at least two minutes as part of your daily dental care habit. For a healthy mouth the ADA recommends you follow these tips.   

1) Brush your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled brush. The size and shape of your brush should fit your mouth allowing you to reach all areas easily.  

2) Replace your toothbrush every three or four months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed. A worn toothbrush won’t do a good job of cleaning your teeth. 

3) Make sure to use an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste.

I need to get a new dental bridge.   I had my old one now for over eight years and I need a new one because the tooth that it  is attached too has a new cavity under it.  Not even sure how that happen but that is what I am being told.  If they take the bridge off to fix it I will need to pay for a new bridge. I do not have dental insurance and need help.  

Reply: You may want to buy yourself some dental insurance. By getting an individual dental insurance plan, it will help you with your dental care and reduce your dental cost. Look at dental HMO plans for now since generally dental HMO insurance plans do not have long terms waiting periods for the dental care you currently need to have   You may also want to look into dental discount plans options. Dental discount plans will give you a discount off the cost of the new bridge and all your other dental needs. Hopefully so that you can afford to get your needed dental work done.

It is important to have smiles that does not only look good on the surface but is healthy inside and out.  For teens having good oral health care habits is very important in maintaining healthy looking teeth and a good smile. Here are some tips that may help maintain your teens dental health.   

1) Make they always brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste for two minutes.  
2) Flossing daily is very important. They should floss before going to bed and in-between meals if there is any food that is suck between their teeth.  
3) Avoid sugary and starchy snacks  
4) If your teen is in any active sport make sure they wear a mouth-guard.  
5) Talk to them about not smoking. Smoking is not only bad for their oral health but their over all health as well.  
6) Many teens like piercing but, pierced lips or any part of their mouth can cause dental damage.  
7) Have them see their dentist regularly

I have this really nice girl friend and I really do like her a lot.  The thing is when we first started going out things were find but lately I have been noticing she has really bad breath most of the time.  Now I know she brushes her teeth and I seen her floss before too.   I do not think it is because she does not have good oral hygiene since everything else about her is clean. What would make her have bad breath and is there any advise I can give her.  Not to be mean but this will start to become a issue with us if it goes on.  

Answer: Depending on how much she is willing to listen with out taking it personally and getting up set. I would say have her see a dentist. She may have gum disease or some dental tooth decay both can cause bad breath issues.   Other reasons to have bad breath can be health related such as: Diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, lung disease, sinus disease, reflux disease.

Staining and or discoloration of tooth surfaces, can happen as the result of injury, genetics, smoking, certain medications, drinking of coffee or tea but is ultimately a part of aging. You may want to see your dentist if your teeth are not as white as you may like to talk about your teeth whitening options.

Recently I notice that my gums have been hurting a bit and them seem redder then they normally do.  I brush twice a day and floss almost every day.  They do not bleed when I am doing that but they just kinda hurt when I do.  I read a little about gum disease but since I am not bleeding I am not sure that is what I have.  Can anyone advise?  

Answer: It could be that your are brushing to hard. Did you get a new toothbrush? Sometime a new brush can be a little hard in the beginning.  However, if you are worried about your gums see your dentist.  A dentist will be able to advise if you are having any issues with your oral and dental health

Orthodontic treatment is used to make teeth line up correctly. Braces are a kind of orthodontic treatment.  If you have children that may need orthodontic services make sure you have a dental insurance plan that provides benefits for orthodontic care

I just go an upper expander put on two days ago and besides the fact that my mouth is sore and it is hard to eat right now I also am taking funny.   It is like I have a lisp now.  How long will this all last?  I am told that I will need to have the expander for at least a year.   

Answer:  Do worry so much it will take some time for you to adjust with having the upper expander in but over some time you will be able to talk normally

It is very important to have good daily oral hygiene habits. Good oral hygiene include brushing your teeth, cheeks, tongue and dentures. They also include using mouthwash, flossing, and having a dentist or hygienist clean your teeth at least twice a year