Understanding Oral Care Probiotics

What ARE Probiotics

Probiotics are a hot topic in the media today. Want to be more “regular”? Try this yogurt with probiotics. Want to boost your immune health? Try a supplement or another yogurt with probiotics known to support the immune system. In fact, yogurt has long been the delivery system for the beneficial bacteria known as probiotics. So, if you’re the average American who spends time on the Internet or watching TV, it’s likely you’ve heard about probiotics

What Exactly ARE Probiotics?

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria.

There are billions of bacteria in the human body. Actually, it’s thought that there are more bacteria in the human body than the cells that comprise the human body. Most of these beneficial bacteria are basically inert, causing no harm and offering no benefit.

Some of the bacteria in our bodies is harmful. These are what cause your head-cold, your stomach illness and many lesser known health issues.

When  harmful bacteria launch wage war, the beneficial bacteria in the body are right there waiting to fight back. If the beneficial bacteria in your body aren’t prepared to fight off the bad bacteria, you may end up with an infection and a prescription for antibiotics.

The use of probiotics -  be they food additives, supplements or any of the array of products which now include beneficial bacteria – help maintain a healthy balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria in the body.

Probiotics Benefit Mouth, Too

Research has shown that not only are probiotics beneficial for digestive health, they can also affect your oral health. By blending three beneficial bacteria commonly found in very health mouths, researchers at Oragenics, Inc. have created oral care probiotics for the entire family, focusing on maintaining a healthy balance of bacteria in the mouth. EvoraPro is a professional-strength oral-care probiotic meant for use after a professional dental cleaning or scaling. EvoraPlus is an oral care mint, which, when used twice daily, can help support gum and tooth health, freshen breath and naturally and gently whiten teeth. EvoraPlus is blended specifically to address the oral care needs of the those over the age of 10. EvoraKids oral care probiotics are blended to address the oral care needs of children ages 3-10. And even your pets can have fresher breath and whiter, cleaner teeth with Teddy’s Pride oral care probiotics for cats and dogs.

Dental Health Month

What’s 5 Times More Common Than Asthma and 7 Times More Common Than Hayfever in Children?

Dental Disease.

Each and every day, parents wake their kids and try their best to get them ready for school.

Dressed? Check.

Backpack ready? Check.

Lunch?  Sure.

Breakfast? Absolutely.

Teeth brushed? Here’s hoping!

Tooth decay is an important concern for most parents. And, according to the Surgeon General, it’s the cause of 51 million lost school hours each year.

According to the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation, pediatric dental disease is 5 times more common than asthma and 7 times more common than hay fever.

Dental and periodontal diseases have been linked to a hefty handful of major chronic conditions, such as heart disease, kidney failure, diabetes, strokes, osteoporosis and even Alzheimer’s, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Sometimes it’s really hard to know how well our kids are taking care of their teeth, but with so much at stake, it’s worth it to get involved to make sure your child is prepared for a lifetime of oral health.

Here are some ways you can help make sure younger childrens’ teeth are brushed well enough:

•    Teach proper brushing technique, which is to brush gently in small circles, with the brush angled away from the child’s gums.

•    Once your child seems ready to brush, let him try!

•    After he brushes for about a minute (which will feel like a long time the first few times!) you take over the brushing.

•    While you’re brushing, give lots of praise and encouragement for the great brushing your child has done.

•    If your child is consistently missing a certain spot, try teaching her from another angle. Sometimes standing behind the child, cradling her head in your arm and letting her hold the brush while you provide hand-over-hand assistance will show your child how to make brushing work from a better angle.

•    When you think it’s time to let your child do the brushing on her own, let her take over the morning or evening routine, but keep the other routine the same, so you can ensure that missed spots aren’t overlooked for too long.

Before you know it, you’ll have a pro-brusher on your hands!

Ah – ah- ah- ACHOO!

Keeping Your Distance From the Common Cold and Flu

It seems everyone in your home or your office is sneezing up a storm. Your daughter’s nose won’t stop running. She has a low-grade fever and is complaining of a sore throat. Or your colleague in the office next door is hacking away with a deep chest cough. You know that with each cough, germs are being spewed into the air. You wish he had called in sick.

When those around you are suffering from the common cold, there is one strong feeling that probably accompanies your sympathy for them – a strong desire to not “catch” whatever ails them, be it a bacterial or viral infection. Whatever it is, you surely don’t want it.

How Can You Arm Your Immune System for Its Fight Against the Cold or Flu?

There are many commonsense approaches to keep in mind when those around you have a contagious illness: Wash your hands often. Avoid direct contact with the person’s belongings (especially any phone the person may have used!). Use ample amounts of hand sanitizer. Don’t grab a tissue from a tissue box in a common area. Don’t eat food off of a platter from which those who are sick may have also eaten.

Think About Your Face

When there’s a nasty “bug” going around, don’t touch your mouth, nose, ears or eyes with unwashed or unsanitized hands. The bacteria or virus that is causing the illness that is tormenting those around you enters your body through your mouth, your nose your ears or your eyes. Think about how often you casually wipe your eyes after you’ve been working at your computer for an extended period, or how you might casually itch near your mouth or nose. Even resting your chin in your hand is dangerous territory when you’re trying not to get sick. Touching your face is the fastest way to introduce illness-causing germs to gain a foothold in your body.

Boost Your Immune System and Stay Healthy!

Here are some ways to support your body’s natural germ-fighting defenses:

•    Brush your teeth. Yep – it sounds a little silly, but brushing your teeth can help remove some of the germs that may have entered your mouth in an effort to make you the next victim of that wicked cold or horrid flu. Before you brush your teeth, make sure you thoroughly wash your hands. Also, make sure your toothbrush is clean. If it’s more than six weeks old, get a new one. Toothbrushes should be thrown out after you have used them for about four to six weeks. Beyond that window of time, your toothbrush is simply too worn out to be effective. If your toothbrush is newer than that, pour a small amount of hydrogen peroxide on the bristles between brushings and be sure to let your toothbrush dry out before you brush again. Hydrogen peroxide will wipe out the harmful bacteria hiding in your bristles, and bacteria can’t survive on dry nylon bristles. You could even splurge and buy yourself a second brush. By alternating use between two brushes, you can ensure that your brush is dry and bacteria-free before you brush again.

•    Take some probiotics. Probiotics for digestive health can help boost your immune system, because they fortify the native bacteria in your digestive tract. By supplementing with a digestive probiotic, you‘re giving your digestive bacteria a little extra help as they wrestle with the foreign, illness-causing bacteria. While you have probiotics on your mind, add EvoraPlus and EvoraKids oral care probiotics to your shopping list. Oral care probiotics help support gum and tooth health by crowding out harmful bacteria in the mouth. EvoraKids is formulated specifically to address the oral care needs of children ages 3-10, while EvoraPlus is the proper formulation for those over the age of 11. EvoraPlus not only supports gum and tooth health, it also naturally freshens breath at the source and gently whitens teeth.

•    Boost your vitamin C intake. What your mother and grandmother told you is true: drink your orange juice! Orange juice isn’t the only way to get vitamin C, though. Many vitamin C supplements are now combined with other immune-boosting supplements. These products are so common that you can likely find them at your local pharmacy, or in the supplement section of your favorite grocery store.

Don’t fall victim to the common cold and flu! When those around you are suffering with a cold or the flu, taking precautions can help you from becoming the next person who needs a sick day.

Stop the Nagging Cycle!

Looking for Ways to Help Kids Brush Better?

“Brush your teeth!” You say for the 5th or 10th or 28th time this week. Why do some kids need constant reminders to brush their teeth?

If you’re one of the many frustrated parents who finds yourself wondering that very thing fairly often, one of the major things to consider is whether your messages about the importance of good oral hygiene are geared toward the right audience.

Teaching Preschoolers About the Importance of Good Oral Care

Getting most preschoolers to brush their teeth regularly (and well) is as simple as finding ways to make it fun. Try different things, like putting a mirror low enough for your child to see himself while he brushes (kids love to look at themselves in the mirror!) or make up your own silly “brush your teeth” songs. If those ideas don’t seem like the ticket to getting your kiddo to take up the task of thorough, regular brushing, consider making brushing a fun game, or creating a sticker chart, which, once completed, promises a reward.

How to Discuss Oral Care with Younger Grade-Schoolers

By the time many children have entered grade school, they are much more comfortable with trips to the dentist’s office. This is very handy for teaching kids about the importance of brushing! Ask your dentist to talk about how good home-brushing and flossing habits can mean less time getting their teeth cleaned by the hygienists. Your family dentist is also one of your best allies in explaining how important brushing and flossing are to avoiding cavities.

Oral Care for Older Grade-Schoolers

As our children get a little older, it gets much harder to make sure they are taking good care of their hygiene in general. By approximately the age of 10 (depending on the child), children are far less willing to have their parents checking on their cleanliness. No more peeking in the shower to make sure they’re actually soaping up; way more moaning and complaining when you tell them to smile so you can check for plaque.

By those same ages, however, children DO understand the concept of responsibilities – at least better than younger children. If you are able to teach your older grade-schooler that it is his or her responsibility to keep teeth well brushed and flossed, you’re well on your way to ensuring that child’s good oral health.

If that child isn’t buying the “responsibility talk,” however, perhaps he or she would be more motivated by consequences. When used properly – by not being harsh or threatening things you would not deliver – consequences can be a good motivator for stubborn children. Figure out their currency. Is it video gaming? Watching TV? Going to a friend’s house? Tell him or her that the consequence for not brushing and flossing is losing that privilege they hold so dear. Then follow through – every time. Yes, it’s hard for both of you. But poor oral health is harder – for both of you!

Using the “Fear Factor” to Show Your Preteens the Necessity of Brushing and Flossing

If your preteen – or even young teen – is still slacking on his or her brushing and flossing, one of your best weapons is showing them evidence of the consequences of not taking responsibility for their oral health. Yes. That’s right. Google some really ugly pictures of tooth decay, print them out and get ready for a serious discussion about how your teen’s teeth could easily turn out that way if they can’t come to terms with a few minutes of brushing twice a day and once daily flossing.

As harsh as it sounds, this little dose of reality is all it takes for most preteens and young teens – who are highly concerned with their appearances! – to step up to the sink and get the job done right every day.

No matter the age of your child, there are ways to make sure they learn the importance of proper daily oral hygiene.

If you’re looking for other ways to support your children’s oral health, consider adding oral care probiotics to your child’s brushing and flossing routines. EvoraKids Wild Very Berry probiotic chews are specifically formulated to meet the oral health needs of children. For children ages 11 and up, EvoraPlus probiotic mints not only meet those needs – they also freshen breath. If your preteen or teen has that infamous teenager bad breath, they might really need the extra boost!

Children and Gum Disease

Think Periodontal Disease is Just for Adults?

You brush your children’s teeth every day, and then you take them to the dentist for cleanings and to check for tooth decay. You expect the dentist may point out teeth that are crowding, or poor brushing habits. But what about periodontal disease?

Yes, your children can have periodontal disease. In fact, some studies indicate that nearly all children have gingivitis – the very first stage of periodontal disease.

Signs of Periodontal Disease

Keep alert for these signs of periodontal disease. If you notice any of these symptoms between dental appointments, you may wish to schedule an appointment to have your child assessed.

Bad Breath

Does your child’s breath stink? It might mean something… Sometimes children have bad breath because they don’t brush thoroughly, or because they don’t floss. It could be a sign of strep throat or a sinus infection. Or it could be a sign of periodontal disease. If your child has persistent bad breath, you need to have him or her examined by a dentist to determine the cause.

Bleeding Gums

Gums that bleed while brushing (when there are no loose teeth in the mouth) are an indication of gum inflammation. Children should not have gum inflammation.

Puffy Gums

Swollen or puffy gums are another symptom of periodontal disease, or its predecessor, gingivitis. You may also notice that puffy or swollen gums are red.

Receding Gums

Receding gums, or gums that are pulling away from teeth, can expose the roots of the teeth. This is very dangerous for the teeth and can lead to the loss of permanent teeth.

It’s important to understand that there are many considerations for childrens’ oral health. When it comes to your kids’ mouths, it’s not just about tooth decay. Be alert for symptoms of periodontal disease, and if you notice any of the symptoms listed above, be sure to contact your dentist.

Here’s another great video to inspire your little ones to do their best when brushing their teeth.

Say Boo! To Cavities

Understanding the Basics of Tooth Decay

If the abundance of sugary treats available at Halloween awakens you with nightmares of tooth decay, you’re not alone – many people think of tooth decay when they see bowls full of candies and trays full of donuts and cookies.

But how does sugar cause cavities, anyway? Let’s start from the beginning.

What is Tooth Decay?

Tooth decay is a breakdown of tooth enamel that only happens when foods containing carbohydrates (either sugars or starches) are left on the teeth. Harmful bacteria that naturally live in the mouth thrive on sugars and starches. When they consume these carbohydrates,these harmful bacteria produce acids that destroy tooth enamel and cause tooth decay.

Are Children the Only Ones With Cavities?

While children are at higher risk for cavities due to their diets and oral-care habits, adults are also at risk for developing cavities.
In adults, the areas exposed when the gums recede and also the areas surrounding old fillings are often the most susceptible to new cavities. These areas often provide the small spaces bacteria find ideal for growth.

How Can You Prevent Decay?

The following are some great tips for helping prevent tooth decay, according to the American Dental Association:

•    Brush your teeth twice a day.
•    Clean between teeth daily with floss.
•    Eat a balanced diet and limit between-meal snacks.
•    Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and oral exams.
•    Ask your dentist about dental sealants, a protective plastic coating that can be applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth where decay often starts.

Taking an Extra Step to Support Tooth Health

For those who want to ensure that harmful bacteria don’t get the upper hand in their mouths, oral care probiotics are a great way to keep those harmful bacteria in check. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that are natural residents of your mouth. By boosting their numbers, you are helping them in their fight against the harmful bacteria. Beneficial bacteria and harmful bacteria compete for both nutrients and places to live. When the beneficial bacteria have the upper hand, they successfully crowd out the harmful bacteria.

What’s That Smell?

Ready to Kiss That Morning Breath Goodbye?

Was it the onions on your salad? That cup of decaf after dinner? When you wake up with morning breath, the cause hardly matters. You want the bad taste in your mouth – and the stink that goes with it – gone, and fast, please!

If your morning breath is caused by foods like garlic, onions or even beverages coffee, it will probably linger even if you give brushing and flossing your very best shot. The breakdown of food particles in and around your teeth can cause a lasting foul odor. After foods like onions and garlic are digested and the pungent oils are absorbed into your bloodstream, they’re carried to your lungs and are given off in your breath until the foods are eliminated from your body.

Another major cause of morning breath is dry mouth. Not only do our mouths produce less saliva at night, if you are a mouth-breather or someone who snores through your mouth, you’re likely to have a very dry mouth at night. This can translate to some very smelly breath in the morning. Drinking alcohol can also lead to dry mouth.

If you suffer from periodontal disease, you may also have morning breath. Fortunately, this is something you can potentially avoid by brushing and flossing properly before bed each night. If you don’t brush and floss daily, food particles remain in your mouth, collecting bacteria that can emit chemicals, such as hydrogen sulfide — the compound that gives rotten eggs their characteristic smell. Over time, a colorless, sticky film of bacteria called (plaque) forms on your teeth.

If it’s not brushed away, plaque can irritate your gums, causing gingivitis and tooth decay, and eventually forming plaque-filled pockets between your teeth and gums called periodontitis.

The microscopic uneven surface of the tongue also can trap bacteria that produce odors.

In addition to carefully and thoroughly brushing and flossing your teeth before bed each night, consider using oral care probiotics. By flooding the mouth with good bacteria, oral care probiotics leave little room for smelly bacteria to thrive. But don’t think of it as a short-term solution like a piece of gum or a mouthwash. Used twice daily, oral care probiotics hit bad breath where it really counts, knocking out the bad bacteria in places that brushing and flossing alone simply can’t, like in the pits and crevices of the teeth, deep beneath the gums and in the surface of the tongue.

Now that you know what’s behind that stinky morning breath, don’t you think it’s time to go ahead and kiss it goodbye?

We’re always looking for great ways to inspire kids to take good care of their teeth, so we were super excited to stumble across this new video created by Uplift Comics.

See, as most parents know, there’s no one way to teach your kids to do anything. In fact, the best way to teach your children to do things is to show them a variety of ways to do something, and then repeat yourself often. We also know that kids tend to learn well when things are set to music, which is what makes video clips so great.

Enjoy!

Click here to watch now!

Talk About Teeth

Helping Your Kids Understand the Importance of Good Oral Hygiene

Do you find yourself nagging your kids to brush their teeth every day? Have you ever wondered why? It might be because your kids just don’t understand the importance of good oral hygiene.

What’s The Big Deal With Tooth Brushing?

Helping your kids understand the importance of good oral care will go a long way toward getting them motivated to not only brush their teeth every day (twice!) but also to do a good job while they’re at it. Here’s what they need to know:

Teeth are important. They give us beautiful smiles, and help us chew our food (think about how hard it is to take a good bite of food when you have a loose or missing tooth!).

If you don’t take care of your teeth, you can get cavities, and cavities HURT. Cavities can give you a tooth ache that can make it difficult to eat, talk and sleep.

Sometimes, if you don’t take good care of your teeth for a long time, you can lose your teeth, and that hurts too. When you lose your teeth from neglect (not brushing and flossing), it hurts more than it does when a baby tooth falls out.

What Can Your Child Do Take Good Care of His or Her Teeth?

Taking good care of your teeth is as simple as brushing twice a day for two minutes, and flossing once a day.

Chew a tasty oral care probiotic! Probiotics are beneficial (good!) bacteria that support the health of your teeth.

Knowledge is power. Empower your kids to make good choices when it comes to their oral care for a lifetime of healthy, beautiful smiles.