Stop Smoking for Healthier Gums

It’s no secret that smoking is a bad habit for your overall health. Smoking is also one of the leading causes of periodontal disease. If a smoker doesn’t practice proper oral care habits, he or she risks tooth loss in the long run. Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS can give you the tools to stop smoking and improve your oral and periodontal health in the long run.

If you are a tobacco user, the symptoms of periodontal disease will increase. You may notice bleeding gums while brushing, red, swollen, or tender gums, as well as persistent bad breath. Periodontal disease is a serious infection and smokers have twice the risk of developing this condition as nonsmokers. The more cigarettes a person smokes, the greater his or her risk for developing periodontal disease. If you stop smoking, your gums will begin to heal, and you can improve periodontal health with good dental habits.

If you have questions or concerns regarding smoking and periodontal health, please give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

Oral Care with a Floss Threader

Plaque buildup around braces can be detrimental to your teeth and gums. This is because plaque contains bacteria that eat away at tooth enamel and cause periodontal disease and bad breath. While wearing braces, oral care is extra important because your teeth require extra attention. To make flossing easier with fixed appliances, Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS suggests utilizing floss threaders.

A floss threader is a flexible yet sturdy device and once the ends of the floss are inserted the ends can be easily manipulated to clean under bridgework, behind orthodontic wires, and beneath retainer bars. To use a floss threader, gently thread the floss through the loop of the threader and guide it through the main wire of the fixed appliance before passing it between the two teeth. Then, carefully remove the floss and thread it through the remaining teeth.

If you have questions or concerns regarding oral care or dental health, please give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

How to Pick Your Toothpaste

Your toothbrush is a powerful tool used to protect the teeth and gums from inflammation and decay but a toothbrush would be nothing without toothpaste. Brushing with toothpaste using the proper technique works to remove plaque, the sticky harmful bacteria that grow on the teeth and causes cavities, and gum disease. Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, doesn’t want his patients using whitening toothpaste when they should be using desensitizing toothpaste, so use this guide when shopping for your next tube of toothpaste.

• Anti-cavity: This type of toothpaste contains fluoride. Fluoride plays an active role in preventing decay, and it actively strengthens tooth enamel.


• Anti-gingivitis: If you spit blood in the sink, this is an early sign of gingivitis, a mild form of gum disease. Anti-gingivitis toothpaste help reduces oral bacteria and can be very effective at stopping gingivitis in its tracks.


•  Desensitizing: If you’ve ever bit into an ice cream cone and felt a sharp pain in your tooth’s nerve, this type of toothpaste will provide relief by blocking the tooth’s pain signal to the nerve.


• Tartar-control: This toothpaste does exactly what it says, however, the best way to remove tartar is by scheduling a professional dental cleaning with one of our doctors.


• Whitening: This toothpaste contains chemicals that are able to help maintain the natural color of your teeth.

If you have questions or concerns regarding oral care or dental hygiene, please give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

Take Care of Your Toothbrush

It’s important to take care of your teeth, gums, and tongue, but it’s just as important to take care of your toothbrush. Without your toothbrush, you may suffer from periodontal disease, bad breath, mouth sores, and oral discomfort overall. This is why Dr. Eric M. Meyer, DDS, wants patients to clean and replace this optimal oral care instrument when needed.

Each time we use our toothbrush, it becomes filled with bacteria. It is especially important to replace a toothbrush after you’ve contracted a virus, as to not become re-infected. Toothbrushes should always be stored in open space and never in a closed container. A moist environment will cause these bacteria to multiply and may be a cause for concern. You should never share your toothbrush with a loved one, as doing so may increase a person’s risk of infection. A toothbrush should always be replaced every 3-4 months or when bristles become frayed.

If you have questions or concerns regarding oral care, please give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

Brush Your Teeth Before Bed!

It’s nighttime and you want to pour yourself into bed after a long day. Understandable, but don’t forget to brush your teeth first. A nighttime oral hygiene routine is important to implement into your schedule because while we’re sleeping, we’re not swallowing, so the bacteria increases until the morning. The three basic steps to nighttime hygiene are brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash. Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS wants to tell you more about why you should brush before bed.

When you hit the hay without brushing your teeth, plaque turns into tartar that can only be removed by a dental hygienist. Left untreated for too long, tartar buildup can lead to gingivitis, which is the first stage of periodontal disease.  Though gingivitis is reversible, we’d rather you prevent this condition altogether. If you’re too exhausted to brush before bed, Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS encourages you to keep a toothbrush in the drawer of your nightstand. A simple dry brush is better than not brushing at all, but be sure to brush those pearly whites the minute you wake up.

If you have concerns about your oral hygiene, please give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

The 2-Minute Brushing Rule

When we hit the snooze button in the morning, two minutes flies by like lightning, when we are waiting in traffic, two minute seems like an eternity. At the sink, two minutes is the time you need to spend brushing your teeth in order to clean them adequately and reduce plaque. At the dental practice of Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, we want you to understand why you should follow the 2-minute brushing rule.

Most people don’t even come close to brushing two minutes and if you don’t brush your teeth long enough, you may not be getting your teeth clean enough. Brushing twice a day and flossing daily establish the basics of good oral hygiene. Brushing helps to clear particles of food from the teeth, but a brush can’t reach between teeth, which is why flossing is also necessary. To make the two-minute mark seem like less of a lifetime, split the mouth into four quadrants. That way, it should take about 30 seconds each quadrant. The proper position of the brush head should be along the gum line, half on the gums and half on the teeth, pointing the bristles at a 45-degree angle. Don’t forget to brush every part of your mouth, including your tongue!

If you have questions about oral care, please give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

Do You Clean Your Tongue?

When brushing your teeth, do you clean your tongue? It is a simple, but often skipped step that your oral health can really benefit from. Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS of Fullerton, CA is committed to healthy mouths for all of his patients. Keep reading to learn how to clean your tongue and why it is important.

The tongue is a harbor for bacteria. With tiny, hair-like taste buds, bacteria can become trapped, leading to more plaque, more cavities, and bad breath! Just like how plaque can form a thin film over the teeth, a thin, bacterial film can also form over the tongue. You should clean your tongue each time you clean your teeth.

To clean your tongue, you only need your toothbrush. There are, however, tongue scrapers on the market where most dental supplies are sold. They are usually plastic or metal and do about the same job as a toothbrush.

Take your toothbrush or tongue scraper and place it on the back of your tongue, press down firmly and drag the toothbrush down towards the tip of your tongue. Do not press down hard; this may injure taste buds. Just press firmly. You can usually see the color of the film when you rinse your toothbrush off. Scrape your tongue a few times until it looks clean, rinsing your toothbrush or tongue scraper after each stroke.

By cleaning your tongue, you are on your way to a cleaner, healthier mouth (and fresher breath)! To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS of Fullerton, CA, call our office at (714) 879-7943 or visit our website, www.fullertondental.com.