Celebrating Dental Hygiene Month

national dental hygiene month - 4th Street Family Dentistry

Celebrating Dental Hygiene Month

4th Street Family Dentistry will be celebrating Dental Hygiene Month all month long! Our staff has compiled a list of home dental hygiene guidelines to help you keep a healthy smile. You can always rely on 4th Street Family Dentistry if you’re looking for a  family dentist in St. Pete, FL, or if you require dental services. 

If you have any questions regarding early warning signs or are due for a cleaning, please contact our dentist in St. Pete right away.

Brush 2x a Day

It’s important to brush a minimum of two times a day. If you can, brush after each meal. Your toothbrush should have soft bristles and be big enough to brush one to two at a time. We recommend using an ADA approved toothpaste. When brushing, focus on the inner, outer areas of your teeth and tongue. If you’re having trouble brushing for the full two minutes, sing the ABC’s three times! Also, Dr. Leeson recommends that patients change their toothbrush every 3-4 months. 

Floss Daily

Brushing your teeth alone will not remove all the debris and plaque that collect between your teeth. That’s why it’s just as important to floss as it is to brush your teeth.

How to Floss Properly: 

  • Use about 18 inches of dental floss and wrap it around two fingers, leaving about 1-2 inches of floss.
  • Holding the floss with your thumb and index finger, you will insert the floss between two teeth.
  • Gently move the floss up and down, rubbing it against each tooth (avoid hitting your gums).
  • Once you’ve reached your gum line, curve the floss, and move it back and forth between one of the teeth.
  • Move the floss to the next set of teeth, repeat the steps above.

Rinse With Mouthwash 

Mouthwash can help put a stop to plaque, gingivitis, bad breath, and tooth decay! There are plenty of mouthwashes to choose from. Choose a mouthwash that will help you meet your oral health goals. Dr. Chris Green, a dentist in Parker, CO, points out that not all mouthwashes are used the same. So, make sure you read the directions carefully.

We recommend using a mouthwash that is ADA approved—rinsing before or after brushing/flossing depends on the product.

Chew Sugar-Free Gum

Did you know there are benefits of chewing sugar-free gum after a meal?

Benefits of Chewing Sugar-Free Gum

  • It helps increase saliva, which washes away harmful bacteria & relieves dry mouth.
  • Helps dislodge food stuck in your teeth, preventing plaque buildup.

Connection Between Oral Health and Body

Many studies show a link between gum disease and other diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, osteoporosis, and more. Additionally, those with high blood sugar are more at risk of developing gum disease. Those with diabetes are highly encouraged to visit their dentist for regular cleanings. As you can see, it’s very important to take care of your oral health. It’s not too late to make a change today.

Why We Celebrate National Dental Hygiene Month

At 4th Street Family Dentistry, we like to celebrate smiles. National Dental Hygiene Month is the perfect way to honor our community and staff members. It also helps us to take our oral health into our own hands. Set a good example for you and your little ones by following the tips above. If you have any questions about your oral health or would like to set up an appointment, please contact 4th Street Family Dentistry today.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in October 2020 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness. 

Must-Knows About Children’s Oral Health

must knows about children oral health St pete

Must-Knows About Children’s Oral Health

February is National Children’s Oral Health Month! To celebrate, our St. Pete, FL family dentist is sharing oral health tips all month long. Creating good oral health habits at a young age is so important to prevent oral health-related illnesses. The American Dental Association recommends that children visit the dentist every six months after they turn one year old or after their first tooth erupts. On today’s blog, we’re sharing all the must-knows about children’s oral health. 

Oral Health Tips #1: It’s Not Too Soon To Start Brushing

Many parents are surprised that it’s never too early to start brushing children’s teeth. However, you should handle brushing your infant’s teeth differently than you handle your own. Infant teeth and gum wipes can be used by parents to swab their child’s gums before teeth come in. This gentle practice helps maintain optimal gum health by slowing the development of bacteria in the mouth and tongue. Teeth and gum wines can be found at your local supermarket!  

For brushing, you can start with a soft-bristled baby toothbrush once your child has at least one tooth. Our friend and pediatric dentist Bethlehem GA, Dr. Uyen recommends parent use a small grain-sized dab of fluoride toothpaste and a gentle brush after breakfast and after dinner. 

Oral Health Tips #2: Try Fluoride Toothpaste

It is safer to begin brushing with fluoride toothpaste. Many of our parents grew up with a training toothpaste, something that was ‘healthy when swallowed.’ As soon as your baby gets his or her first tooth, you should start brushing with fluoride. Again, for your infant, use a grain-sized toothpaste dab. About the time the child reaches three, you can then use a pea-sized dab.

Oral Health Tips #3: Visit Your 4th Street Dentist Often

Around the time of his or her 1st birthday, your child should visit our St. Pete dentist, Dr. Leeson. Adults usually ought to visit the dentist twice a year, and the same applies to your children. An oral exam will be performed by a pediatric dentist and a dental history will begin. Are you prone to cavities? Your child might be as well, but if you start early and maintain regular dental appointments, this can help prevent cavities or other dental health issues. 

Oral Health Tips #4: Help Your Child Focus On Their Brushing Technique 

Usually, children are old enough to begin brushing their own teeth between the ages of 3 and 5. Two minutes of brushing with the bristles towards the gums in tiny circles for each tooth is a good rule. This will prevent plaque build up on the surfaces and spaces of your teeth. That means on the top right and left and on the bottom right and left for around 30 seconds each. 2 minutes may seem like a long time, especially for kids who don’t have all their teeth, it might not take a full 2 minutes.

Oral Health Tips #5: Make Flossing On a Regular Basis Fun

Most parents assume that before the permanent teeth come in, children do not need to floss. However, as soon as your teeth meet one another, you can start flossing. No matter how good you wash, when you touch your teeth, there are areas that cannot be reached. Disposable flossers that are intended for little children to perform well. 


4th Street Family Dentistry knows how busy life can get. This year, make you and your child’s oral health a priority. Good dental care is critical for the growth and overall health of a child. If you have any questions or concerns about your family’s oral health, contact our dental office in St. Petersburg, FL.

Celebrating National Brush Day

National Brush Day - 4th street family dentistry

Celebrating National Brush Day

Is it really a coincidence that National Brush Day is on November 1, right after Halloween? Definitely not! Halloween comes with candy, lots and lots of candy. Many parents tend to get a little obsessed with ensuring that their children’s teeth get back in shape. This is where brushing comes in. While it is the most effective way to clean our teeth and keep them free from plaque and bacteria, brushing too much can also be a problem. 

The following are a few good practices the best dentist in St. Petersburg, FL, recommends for children and grownups to keep in mind when brushing their teeth. We’ve also added some bad practices to avoid while brushing your teeth.

Good Dental Hygiene Practices

Brushing Teeth the Proper Way

Dr. Chris Green, the best dentist in Parker, CO, emphasizes that brushing your teeth involves a lot more than a few up-down and right-left motions using your toothbrush. First, you need to hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against your gums. Follow this up with back and forth strokes on your teeth, making sure you clean the chewing surfaces as well as the inner and outer surfaces of your teeth with the same series of gentle motions. 

Focusing on the Invisible Sufaces

After you’re done brushing the tooth surfaces that are visible, you can now attend to the inside surfaces on the back of your front teeth. It should be noted that some dental complications, such as dental caries, originate from the back surface of your front teeth. Dentists in St. Petersburg state that it’s important to ensure that you remember to clean that area. Effectively but gently brushing your teeth using the proper technique two times a day, every day is good for your gums and teeth and tough on plaque and bacteria, which ensures optimal oral health. 

Choosing the Right Brush Size

When choosing a toothbrush for your child, you should remember that the one size fits all rule does not apply here. Your child’s toothbrush must not be too big or too small for their mouths. Making sure you choose the right size ensures your child does not experience discomfort while brushing. Moreover, using the right size toothbrush makes it easy to clean your child’s teeth properly as it reaches all the parts of the mouth. 

Family dentists in St. Pete also recommend investing in a toothpaste that has fluoride in it, as it’s good for your teeth. This is because fluoride prevents cavities from developing and also prevents tooth decay. Use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste to brush.

Flossing Your Teeth

Emergency dentists St. Pete adds that flossing rids your mouth of the plaque that is on your teeth. This prevents plaque buildup. In addition to this, flossing also helps prevent gum disease and takes care of both your gums and teeth.

Visiting Your Dentist, Dr. Brian Leeson, After or Before National Brush Day

Making a trip to your dentist 33704 for your annual checkup at least twice a year ensures that any issues or problems you might have with your teeth are well taken care of. They may also provide you with extra tips to help keep your teeth healthy.

Bad Dental Practices to Avoid

Brushing Immediately After Eating

Brushing your teeth after eating candy or consuming a meal may end up causing more harm to your teeth. This is because when we eat, the enamel of your teeth tends to soften and stay like that for about half an hour after you’re done eating. During this time, your enamel is weak, which means that if you brush your teeth, it may be scraped away together with plaque and bacteria. 

This National Brush Day, refrain from rushing your children to brush their teeth immediately when they are done eating. Waiting half an hour will give their enamel time to sufficiently harden before they brush, thus protecting their teeth.

Using Toothbrushes with Hard Bristles

Hard-bristled toothbrushes not only cause bleeding of your gums and pain, but they also damage your teeth enamel. Damaged gums may loosen their teeth grip, which may result in loss of teeth. It is, therefore, important to avoid getting hard bristled toothbrushes for your kids or using them yourself.

Not Brushing for the Proper Amount of Time

Effectively brushing your teeth requires at least two minutes. The two minutes ensure that your teeth are properly exposed to the toothbrush’s cleaning action. 

Using an Old Toothbrush

Frayed toothbrush bristles can damage your gums and teeth. If your toothbrush is more than three months old, then you need to get a new one to help you remove all that plaque buildup from your Halloween candy that’s on your teeth. This National Brush Day, contact 4th Street Family Dentistry to keep your smile bright and your teeth right!