As a parent, you play an important role in your child's dental health. Instilling proper oral habits during your child's growth and development years coupled with regular visits to our Syracuse office are the best ways to ensure strong, healthy teeth into adulthood.

Basic Tips for Parents from Dr. Alexander:
 

Establish Good Oral Health Habits Early

Our Syracuse office can show your child the proper methods for cleaning those hard to reach areas with a tooth brush and floss. We can also work with you to recommend a specific program of brushing, flossing, and other treatments you can use while teaching your child the appropriate ways to care for his or her teeth.

Nutritional Diet

Limit your child's frequency of snacking, especially starchy, sugary and acidic foods. Instead promote healthy snacks that are rich in nutrients, such as fruits, vegetables and cheese.

Fluoride Intake

Ensure your child gets an adequate amount of fluoride in his or her diet. Fluoride helps build strong teeth and prevent cavities.

Make Tooth Brushing Fun

When parents are excited about caring for their teeth, kids will find tooth brushing to be more enjoyable as well.

Regular Check Ups

As recommended by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, parents should bring their child to the dentist by their first birthday. We encourage regular visits to our kid-friendly office in Syracuse to monitor your child's dental development and to educate you and your child about preventative care.

At Dr. Alexander, we understand going to the dentist, especially for children, can be scary, so we make going to the dentist as fun and relaxed as possible. Focusing on education and prevention, our Syracuse office offers a fun, gentle and positive atmosphere for your child that promotes good oral hygiene from the toddler years into adolescence and adulthood. We look forward to caring for your child's teeth and gums throughout their various stages of growth and development.

Oral cancer — which includes cancers of the lips, tongue, cheek, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and throat — can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated early.

Because changes in the mouth can be easily seen, oral cancer can be detected in its early stages. The following symptoms should be monitored closely:

• A sore, lump, rough spot or thick patch anywhere in the mouth, throat or on the lips
• A sore that doesn’t heal or bleeds easily
• Change in color of your oral tissues
• Pain or numbness anywhere in the mouth or on the lips
• Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving the jaw or tongue
• Change in the way your teeth fit together
• Swollen jaw
• Significant weight loss

While these symptoms may indicate less serious health issues, it is important to visit Dr. Alexander if you experience any of them for more than a few weeks.

Risk Factors
According to the American Cancer Society, men face twice the risk of developing oral cancer as women, and men who are over age 50 face the greatest risk. Risk factors include:

• Tobacco use. Smokers are six times more likely than non-smokers to develop oral cancers; and use of smokeless tobacco increases the risk of cancers of the cheek, gums and lining of the lips
• Excessive consumption of alcohol. Oral cancers are approximately six times more prevalent in drinkers than in non-drinkers
• Family history of cancer
• Excessive exposure to the sun

While these risk factors are often associated with oral cancer, many people who have no known risk factors also develop oral cancer and should still take preventative measures.

Prevention
You can take an active role in preventing and detecting oral cancer.

• Avoid tobacco products
• Drink alcohol in moderation
• Eat a well-balanced diet
• Limit sun exposure and wear protective lotions, remembering to apply it to the lips
• Conduct a self-exam at least once a month
• Visit Dr. Alexander for regular check-ups and cleanings. The American Cancer Society recommends oral cancer screening exams every three years for people over age 20 and annually for those over age 40

Remember, spots and sores in your mouth aren’t always cancerous, but should be examined and monitored closely. Call our Syracuse office immediately if you notice any changes in the appearance of your oral tissues or experience symptoms mentioned above. Like many cancers, identifying the cancer early is the key to successful treatment.

How to Brush Your Teeth (The Right Way)

The importance of daily tooth brushing seems obvious. Unfortunately, daily brushing isn't very effective if you aren't doing it correctly. At Dr. Alexander, we want all of our patients to be educated about the benefits of proper oral hygiene to ensure a lifetime of healthy, beautiful teeth.

Proper Brushing Techniques
The following brushing basics from the American Dental Association can help you keep your teeth in great health.

• Brush at least twice a day, especially after meals and before bed.
• Soft-bristled brushes are recommended for thorough, gentle cleansing of the teeth and soft tissues of the mouth.
• Brush lightly. Brushing too hard can damage your gums.
• Brush with a fluoride toothpaste- it's best for fighting plaque and cavities.
• Brush for at least 2 minutes, ensuring you reach all surfaces of each of your teeth.
• Use short, back-and-forth motions to clean the inside and outside surfaces of the teeth, as well as the chewing surfaces and areas around fillings, crowns or other restoration.
• Brush at an angle gently along the gumline to prevent gum disease.
• Remember to brush your tongue to remove bacteria and reduce bad breath.
• Follow brushing with a fluoride mouth rinse for added protection and fresh breath.
• Floss daily to remove debris from hard to reach areas and along the gumline.
• Replace your toothbrush as soon as it becomes worn or at least every 3-4 months.

Proper brushing and flossing combined with a well-balanced diet play an important role in the prevention of tooth decay and gum disease. You should also visit our Syracuse office regularly for professional cleanings and oral exams. We can help you determine what types of oral care products and techniques will be most effective for you and your family.

Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is an oral health condition characterized by consistent, foul breath. Frequently unpleasant and often embarrassing, there are easy steps you can take to keep your breath fresh, starting with good oral hygiene.

The main cause of bad breath is odor-causing bacteria which collect on food particles in the mouth. Foods that accumulate between the teeth, around the gums, and on the tongue can decay, causing an unpleasant odor when not properly removed. Other common causes include certain types of food, such as garlic and onions. Tobacco use that causes dry mouth can contribute to breath odor as well.

The easiest way to eliminate bad breath is to exercise good dental hygiene. Brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss daily. Remember to gently brush your tongue. Rinse and gargle thoroughly with a dentist recommended mouthwash to freshen your breath.

While the majority of bad breath is easily treated, chronic bad breath may be a sign of more serious medical disorders and underlying conditions, including gum disease, respiratory infections, diabetes, kidney or liver disease and digestive problems. With that said, if simple steps to fresher breath don't eliminate your problem, visit Dr. Alexander to determine the cause of your bad breath.

It is important to discover the underlying cause of halitosis, and from there, create a plan to eliminate the problem. Visiting our Syracuse office is a good place to start. If your mouth is determined healthy and not originating from your mouth, you may be referred to your family physician to determine the cause of your bad breath and treatment.

Gingivitis -- an inflammation of the gums -- is the mildest form of periodontal (gum) disease and the easiest to treat. The leading cause of gingivitis is poor oral hygiene, which leads to plaque buildup. Plaque is the sticky, colorless film of bacteria that constantly forms on the teeth and gums. When plaque isn't removed with daily brushing and flossing, it produces toxins that can irritate the gum tissue, causing gingivitis and eventually advancing to the most severe form of gum disease when left untreated. Other factors may contribute to gingivitis as well, including smoking, aging, diabetes, nutrition and pregnancy.
The signs and symptoms of gingivitis are often subtle, and many people have gingivitis without even knowing it. It's important to notify Dr. Alexander when you notice the slightest changes in the condition of your gums, including:

• Gums that bleed easily during and after brushing or flossing your teeth
• Swollen, puffy gums
• Change in color of gums from pink to red
• Bad tasting or smelling breath
• Soft, tender gums

Reversing the Symptoms to Save Your Teeth

With professional treatment from your dentist and an improvement in your oral hygiene, gingivitis can easily be reversed since the bone and connective tissue that hold the teeth in place are not yet affected. Left untreated, however, gingivitis can advance to periodontitis, a serious infection that destroys the soft tissue and bone that support your teeth. As the disease progresses, gums begin to recede and the teeth shift and become loose. In fact, gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.
Luckily, keeping gums healthy and avoiding gum disease is easy with good oral hygiene and regular checkups with your dentist. You can promote healthy gums and stop gingivitis before it develops by:

• Brush regularly, at least twice a day
• Floss daily
• Eat a well-balanced diet
• Rinse with mouthwash after brushing and flossing
• Avoid smoking and other tobacco products
• Visit our Syracuse office regularly for professional cleanings and check-ups

Gingivitis is a serious condition that can lead to severe forms of gum disease when left untreated. Fortunately, with a dedicated dental health plan and regular visits to Dr. Alexander, gingivitis is easy to detect and easy to reverse before it has a chance to advance to periodontitis.