Get Smart! - 13 Things Dentists Want You To Know

You only need to floss the teeth you plan to keep! Patients who don’t floss are missing out on cleaning over a third of the surface of their pearly whites.

- Anna-kaisa Walker

1 Handy reminder: you only need to floss the teeth you plan to keep! Patients who don’t floss are missing out on cleaning over a third of the surface of their pearly whites.

2 Dentists can screen for more than just cavities. An estimated 4,700 Canadians were diagnosed with oral cancer last year, according to the Canadian Cancer Society, and the disease can be hard to spot in its early stages. Tell your dentist about any persistent sores, discoloured patches or difficulty chewing or swallowing.

3 Soda isn’t the only beverage that destroys teeth. “Not only do fruit juices, energy drinks and sports drinks contain a lot of sugar, the acidity can cause significant decay,” says Dr. Mitch Taillon, president of the Canadian Dental Association. To protect your enamel, don’t brush your teeth for 30 minutes after downing these drinks (or better yet, avoid them altogether).