Dental Tips for Halloween

Halloween is full of tricks and treats but it should not be full of cavities or emergency dental visits! Dr. Dennis Morehart, DDS wants to be sure patients are taking care of their dental health all year long, even during candy-filled holidays like Halloween. Take some of our tips for taking care of your teeth through the holiday and avoiding emergency dental visits.

Sugary and sour candies are delicious, but try to limit the amount you eat every day. With all of that candy collected from trick-or-treating (or left over from passing it out), it is tempting to snack on it all day until it is gone. However, set a healthy limit for yourself and stick to it. This will help you from going overboard. In addition, make sure you do an excellent job brushing and flossing. Acidic candies (sour candy) in particular can wear down tooth enamel, so you should wait at least thirty minutes after eating it to brush. This allows enamel softened by the acid to re-harden before you brush.

Sticky candies like gum, taffy, and caramel are known for pulling out loose fillings and dental crowns. If you have a dental crown, recent fillings, or even braces, it is smart to stay away from these types of candies. Unfortunately, that includes those caramel apples on sticks! Instead, cut up an apple and dip it in smooth caramel.

Have a great Halloween but also remember to take care of your teeth! To schedule your next cleaning and examination with Dr. Dennis Morehart, DDS, call our Enid, OK office at (580) 237-2213 or visit our website, www.eniddentalcare.com. 

Make Sure You Are Brushing for 2 Minutes!

To really get a good cleaning, you should be brushing your teeth for about two minutes. Do you brush yours for two? Many patients only brush their teeth for a few seconds without really realizing it. Take some of our tips for making sure you are brushing for a full two minutes. In addition, make sure you see Dr. Dennis Morehart, DDS in our Enid, OK dental practice for routine professional cleanings!

Brushing your teeth two to three times per day is so important to remove bacteria, however if you are only doing a quick sweep, you are leaving tons of the bacteria in there. Start by breaking your mouth into four quadrants; the upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right. Brush each quadrant for thirty seconds. This ensures that you are getting an even brushing and also doing a good job.

Another great way to ensure you are spending enough time is by investing in a toothbrush that has a timer. Many electric toothbrushes and some manual ones have timers that buzz or beep when you have hit two minutes. For an entertaining way of brushing, keep a music player in your bathroom. Play your favorite song and jam out until it hits the two-minute mark.

Brushing your teeth may seem like a simple task, but it is vital to your oral health. To schedule your next dental cleaning with Dr. Dennis Morehart, DDS in Enid, OK, call our office at (580) 237-2213 or visit our website, www.eniddentalcare.com. 

Choosing the Right Toothbrush for You

When brushing your teeth, it is important to not only have the right technique, but also the right supplies. Dr. Dennis Morehart, DDS of Enid, OK wants to make sure all of his patients have the proper knowledge about brushing their teeth. Take some tips for choosing the right toothbrush for you!

Toothbrushes may seem like a simple choice, but these days there are a lot of options. Let’s start with the most obvious difference: manual vs. electric. Studies have shown that as long as the brusher is doing a good job, an electric toothbrush does not clean teeth any better than a manual toothbrush. However, for patients who have trouble using their hands like those with arthritis, an electric toothbrush may get them a better cleaning. This is because they do almost all of the work; they just need to be held in the right place.

Next, you will want to make sure that your toothbrush has a small enough head. A large toothbrush head may have a ton of bristles but it you cannot maneuver it around all the corners of your mouth, you will not be cleaning your teeth properly. In addition, a good grip will also help with maneuvering the toothbrush around.

Next, you want to be sure that you are not using stiff bristles. These can irritate the gum tissue; causing recession. Stiff bristles can also wear down on enamel causing teeth to become cavity prone and sensitive.

To schedule your next dental cleaning with Dr. Dennis Morehart, call our Enid, OK dental office at (580) 237-2213. Appointments may also be made through our website, www.eniddentalcare.com. 

The Proper Brushing Technique

You’ve known how to brush your teeth since childhood and have likely stuck with the same brushing technique into adulthood. However, many of us would be surprised to learn that we are brushing our teeth incorrectly. There are different ways to brush correctly, but Dr. Dennis Morehart, DDS suggests utilizing this technique the next time you clean your teeth:

• Place the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums.


• Move the brush back-and-forth gently in short strokes.


• Brush the outer surfaces, the inside surfaces and the chewing surfaces of all teeth.


• To clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and make several up-and-down strokes.


• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and keep your breath fresh and don’t forget to floss!

If you need assistance maintaining your oral hygiene routine or have questions about how to properly brush your teeth, please give us a call. To learn more about services provided at the practice, visit www.eniddentalcare.com for more information.  To schedule an appointment with Dr. Dennis Morehart, DDS in Enid, OK, call 580-237-2213.