Scott Walker: Dr. Elizabeth Jackson is with us this morning from Murfreesboro Family Dentistry on Old Fort Parkway near Gresham Lane, kind of down from the Blue Cactus restaurant.
Dr. Elizabeth Jackson : Yes Good Morning.
Scott Walker: Thank you for joining us this morning. Now you’ve got some updates on, I guess, some diseases that happen in the mouth that people don’t think about a whole lot.
Dr. Elizabeth Jackson : Correct, a lot of people know that they’re supposed to brush twice a day. But frequently what they forget to do is floss. Flossing is really the only way that we can get the bacteria out from in between our teeth. Really when you floss, you want to make sure you’re hiking both of those teeth as opposed to just clicking that floss in between your teeth. You want to make sure that you’re getting all bacteria and food particles out from in between your teeth to help prevent both gingivitis and periodontal disease.
Scott Walker: Now it’s really hard to convince kids to floss. I’ve got two and they both have braces, so it’s even more important I think for them to floss but it’s so hard to convince them to do it. Much less to remember to do it ourselves.
Dr. Elizabeth Jackson : Correct, you know it really only takes about 30 seconds more to get in there and floss your teeth after brushing your teeth twice a day. While the perception is it takes a long time, it doesn’t take quite as long as what most people think it does. It’s really the best way to keep our mouths super nice and healthy. Signs that we’re not getting in there and getting all the bacteria off quite as to the extent that we would like to are if you see bleeding gums. Bleeding gums are the first sign of gingivitis or starts gum disease. That’s basically a warning sign kind of sort of like if you were washing your hands and you saw that your hands we’re bleeding, you’d go, “Oh my goodness something’s going on. I need to take care of this.”
Same thing with your gums. If you’re in there brushing and you see a little bit of pinkness or a little bit of bleeding, that’s a sign that your gums are saying I need a little extra help. Get in there and floss me once a day.
Scott Walker: Dr. Elizabeth Jackson with us this morning from Murfreesboro Family Dentistry here in town. It’s so easy to forget to do those little things. But those little things are going to save you in the long run and probably make your mouth feel a little bit better in the long run too.
Dr. Elizabeth Jackson : Correct, we definitely want to make sure that we focus. A lot of time when people are, especially children, they don’t realize the importance of making the habits because once we make those habits, it becomes something that is second nature to us. Then a lot of times when people get into their late teens or early twenties they start to realize they’re getting decay and they’ve never had a cavity before. If we can instill those habits early on, it helps prevent dental disease down the road.
Scott Walker: How often should we go to the dentist just for a regular checkup and cleaning? Because that’s something I don’t think about.
Dr. Elizabeth Jackson : We recommend at least once every six months to get a regular scheduled cleaning and exam. Based on what’s going on if someone does have progressed dental disease or periodontal disease concerns, we would recommend more frequently.
Scott Walker: Again Dr. Elizabeth Jackson with us this morning from Murfreesboro Family Dentistry online at murfreesborofamilydentistry.com and located on Old Fort Parkway near Gresham Lane in the shopping strip where Blue Cactus restaurant is. Thank you for joining us this morning.
Dr. Elizabeth Jackson : Thank you.
