Brushing and flossing are two of the best things you can do to fight dental disease and maintain healthy teeth and gums.

Or is it flossing and brushing? What we mean is, should you floss first or brush first?

There's virtually no debate among dental professionals about whether or not to perform both hygiene tasks. While brushing removes disease-causing plaque from the broad surfaces of teeth, flossing gets to deposits of this disease-causing, bacterial film lodged between the teeth that brushing can't reach. You don't want to neglect one task over the other if you want to fully minimize your risk of tooth decay or gum disease (and don't forget semi-annual dental cleanings too).

But where there is some debate—good-natured, of course—among dentists is over whether it's better hygiene-wise to brush before flossing or vice-versa. For those on Team Brush, you should pick up your toothbrush first for the best results.

By brushing before you floss, you'll remove most of the plaque that has accumulated since your last cleaning session. If you floss first, the flossing thread has to plow through a lot of the plaque that otherwise might be removed by brushing. For many, this can lead to an unpleasant sticky mess. By removing most of the plaque first via brushing, you can focus your flossing on the small amount left between teeth.

Team Floss, on the other hand, believes giving flossing first crack at loosening the plaque between teeth will make it easier for the detergent in the toothpaste to remove it out of the way during brushing. It may also better expose these in-between areas of teeth to the fluoride in your toothpaste while brushing. And because flossing is generally considered a bit more toilsome to do than brushing, tackling it first could increase the likelihood you'll actually floss and not neglect it after brushing.

So, which task should you perform first? Actually, it's up to you: Weighing both sides, it usually comes down to which way is the most comfortable for you and will give you the greatest impetus for flossing. Because no matter which “team” you're on, the important thing is this: Don't forget to floss.

If you would like more information on personal dental care, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Daily Oral Hygiene.”

Singer and actor Demi Lovato has a new claim to fame: formidable martial artist. When she is not in the recording studio, on stage or in front of the camera, Lovato can often be found keeping in shape at Jay Glazer's Hollywood (California) gym. Glazer, who is best known as a sports journalist, also runs conditioning programs for professional athletes and celebrities based on mixed martial arts. On March 6, Glazer got more than he bargained for when 5'3" Lovato stepped into the ring and knocked out his front tooth.

Glazer reportedly used super glue to put his tooth back together. Not a good idea! While it may not be convenient to drop everything and get to the dental office, it takes an expert to safely treat a damaged tooth. If you glue a broken tooth, you risk having to undergo major work to correct your temporary fix—it's no easy task to "unglue" a tooth, and the chemicals in the glue may damage living tooth tissue as well as the surrounding gum and bone.

Would you know what to do in a dental emergency? Here are some guidelines:

• If you chip a tooth, save the missing piece if possible. We may be able to reattach it.
• If your tooth is cracked, rinse your mouth with warm water, but don't wiggle the tooth around or bite down on it. If it's bleeding, hold clean gauze to the area and call our office.
• If your tooth is knocked loose or is pushed deeper into the socket, don't force the tooth back into position on your own. Immediate attention is very important.
• If your tooth is knocked out, there's a chance it can be reattached. Pick up the tooth while being careful not to touch the root. Then rinse it off and have either someone place into its socket, or place it against the inside of your cheek or in a glass of milk. Please call the office immediately or go to a hospital.

What's the best thing to do in an emergency? Call us right away, and DON'T super glue your tooth! You can prevent worse problems by letting a professional handle any dental issues. And if you've been living with a chipped, broken or missing tooth, call us to schedule an appointment for a consultation—there are several perfectly safe ways to restore your smile. Meanwhile, if you practice martial arts to keep in shape, think twice before getting into the ring with Demi Lovato!

To learn more, read the Dear Doctor articles “Trauma & Nerve Damage to Teeth” and “Saving New Permanent Teeth After Injury.”

Here's the bad news on the overall state of dental health in the United States: Over 120 million people have one or more missing teeth—roughly one American in three. But there's also good news: We can replace missing teeth with a number of effective restorative methods. At the top of the list are dental implants, highly regarded by dentists and patients alike as the most lifelike and functional tooth replacement system available.

Dental implants have been growing in popularity since their introduction in the 1980s. Their structural design and construction have continued to improve, giving patients even more options for implant-based tooth replacement.

To bring greater attention to the benefits of this popular restoration, the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID) designated August as Dental Implant Month in 2016. In recognition, here are 3 of those benefits you might gain from choosing dental implants to replace your missing teeth.

Durability. Unlike other restorations such as conventional dentures or bridges, implants replace the entire root structure of the tooth. To be more precise, implants are a tooth root replacement in the form of a post imbedded securely in the jawbone. As the bone grows around and attaches to the implant, it develops a durable and highly functional hold that can last for decades.

Adaptability. Many people assume dental implants are used only to replace individual teeth, but implants can also support multi-tooth restorations. A few strategically placed implants can securely attach a partial or total bridge to the jaw, or provide added support for a removable denture.

Affordability. At first glance, an implant's initial cost places it at the high end of the scale for tooth replacement options. But because of their long-term durability and high success rate (greater than 95% still in place after ten years), implants may cost less in the long run than lower-priced restorations that may require repair or replacement sooner.

Although they have a wide range of applications, implants aren't suited for some dental situations. Because implants require a minimum amount of bone present in the jaw, for example, extensive bone loss might nullify them as a current option. Even in this case, though, grafting therapy to rebuild the bone could make it possible to place dental implants at some point in the future.

If you've recently lost a tooth or you have an older restoration you'd like to replace, dental implants might be a great option for you. Your first step is an initial exam and consultation to find out if this premier dental restoration is right for you.

If you would like more information about dental implants, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Implants: Your Third Set of Teeth.”