Fact or Myth? Oral Health Care Trivia with Colgate

Did you know that when brushing teeth, we should angle toothbrush bristles along the gumline at 45° for optimal reach?

make sure to brush for two minutes, read this and watch this video on how to brush properly

It might be interesting for you to know too that while we all think candies and sweets are the enemy, this is a MYTH.

Its actually the acids produced by bacteria in our mouth that causes cavities. That said, any carbohydrates we eat can start that process. This includes sugar, rice, potatoes, bread, fruits and vegetables. Yes, and that's a FACT.

Ok, here's one more! Did you know the ideal length of dental floss is 20 inches?

It should be long enough to use a fresh section for each tooth. Ideally, it should be waxed because to help remove plaque and debris stuck between teeth and below the gum-line, polish tooth surface and control bad breath. So, wag tipirin!

See, I made a visual pa, so you won't forget!

So here I was thinking I knew everything I should be doing to take care of my kids' teeth (especially after that episode with Berry) but Colgate's Oral Care Quiz-off at Seda BGC shattered my confidence. Haha.

The afternoon was a treasure trove of information for us moms, and that afternoon of myth busting, sorting out misconceptions, and a refresher on useful trivia about kids’ oral care reminded me there is still much to remember!

Glowie Robillo, Digital Marketing and Public Relations Manager of Colgate-Palmolive Philippines, asked the most common but confusing questions about oral health

Are you ready for more? Take this quiz, and see how well versed you are in oral care. Answers at the bottom.

Colgate’s resident dentists, Dr. Bong David, Dr. Louie Quiambao and Dr. Noel Luna, as well as the BSBF/Public Health/Professional Oral Care Digital Manager, Diomar Escat where there to bust myths and answer all our questions about proper oral health care

1. True or False. It is best to rinse with a non-alcohol based mouthwash immediately after brushing.

2. True or False. The acidity of your food or drink must be considered before brushing your teeth.

3. The incidence of cavities among Filipino children is:

• a. 3 out 10 
• b. 5 out of 10 
• c. 7 out of 10 
• d. 9 out of 10

4. There are ____ types of bacteria species living in the oral cavity:

• a. 500-650 
• b. 600-750 
• c. 700-850 
• d. over a thousand

5. True or False. Mouthwash takes care of the spaces inside the mouth that your toothbrush cannot reach.

6. True or False. Tooth stains are only caused by external factors

Diomar Escat of Colgate shares that the two most common oral healthcare problems in the country are dental caries and periodontal disease. These may be avoided by teaching kids who are entering school age proper oral health care and instiling a positive oral health behavior

Answer Key:

1. FALSE. Fluoride in toothpaste will be washed away after gargling with mouthwash or even water for that matter. Just spit out toothpaste, no need to rinse! Also, it is better to rinse with mouthwash before brushing to soften plaque and loosen particles in between teeth.

2. TRUE. Because of the acidic nature of the food we eat or beverage we drink, the outermost portion of the tooth becomes porous. Immediate brushing can cause enamel abrasions, exposing the dentin causing tooth sensitivity.

3. 9 out of 10 grade 1 public school kids have cavities. If you read this blog, you'd know that by now. Heehee.

4. 500 to 650 types of bacteria live in the oral cavity - one of the main reasons for bad breath. Most people only host between 34-72 different varieties. Most are harmless, some even protect our teeth and gums, some are known as probiotics which are good bacteria that aid digestion. This is why it is better to use non-alcohol based mouthwash, because we don't want to kill good bacteria.

5. TRUE. Mouthwash takes care of the spaces inside the mouth that toothbrush cannot reach. Mouthwash with fluoride will help reduce cavities and periodontal disease.

6. FALSE. There are two types of tooth stains: intrinsic and extrinsic. Extrinsic stains appear on the surface of the teeth. These are cased by dark-colored food, coffee, tea, wine, tobacco, and wear tear. Minor ones can be removed with brushing and prophylaxis. Stubborn ones may require bleaching.  Intrinsic stains result from trauma, aging, exposure to minerals like tetracycline and excessive ingestion of fluoride.

So. How well did you score?

Whether you got a perfect score, or need to literally brush up on your oral health care knowledge, here are a couple more tips for you, most of which I've also shared here and here:

- Retain the milk teeth as much as possible. It serves as a guide to erupting permanent teeth to prevent misalignment of permanent teeth

- Bring your child to the dentist as soon as the first tooth erupts. Bring your child to your own dentist appointments so that he becomes familiar with the surroundings. This helps alleviate their fear of the dentist and the dental chair

- Baby teeth can get cavities that spread to other teeth if left untreated

- Once you get a cavity filled, the decay spot is removed. If you take care of teeth, decay that was filled will most likely stay clear

- Children under the age of 2 should use a smear of fluoride toothpaste. Those aged 2 to 5 years old should use a pea-sized amount

- Aspirin placed next to a tooth does NOT help a toothache. You need to swallow it to ease pain. Aspirin is acidic and could burn gum tissue and cause abscess if placed next to a tooth. 

- Orthodontic treatment can begin as early as 6 or 7 years old. At this age, certain conditions such as crowding, cross bites and protruding front teeth are easier to address.

Colgate has made it their mission to keep parents abreast about the importance of proper oral health for them and the rest of the family. Visit the Oral Health Center, www.Colgate.ph for more information on Colgate products and Tips on proper Oral Care.

NEW! Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection + Sugar Acid Neutralizer

Ahhh, cavities. We must have spent a small fortune on dentist visits for Berry because well, she can't resist sweets. Then again, I do have a sweet tooth, but tempered lately because I don't want to have gestational diabetes. Teehee.

In fact, I have become so paranoid about diabetes, cavities, and the costs associated with it, that I have stopped buying sweets. But then again, Halloween came around, and we found ourselves with bags full of chocolates and candies, resisting proved futile.

However, late last October, and just in the nick of time, Colgate came out with a new breakthrough in cavity protection: this snazzily packaged Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection with Sugar Acid Neutralizer, tadaaa!

According to Mr. Antonio Caro, GM of Colgate-Palmolive Philippines, Sugar Acid Neutralizer is the second biggest breakthrough next to fluoride, which makes this a really big deal in oral health care.

Their new product, Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection + Sugar Acid Neutralizers is in fact, the first and only anti-cavity toothpaste that goes beyond the protection of fluoride that directly fights sugar acids in plaque – the #1 cause of cavities.

But did you know that sugar in sweets is NOT the main cause of tooth cavities? Any kind of food can be culprits – from the rice we eat everyday to healthy food such as fruits and vegetables! This is because all of these contain starch, which are converted to sugar acids that weaken teeth and cause cavities. 

So yeah, good to know chocolates and candies aren't exactly the enemy (whew! they ain't so bad after all). But scary that our everyday food is causing cavities too eeep!

Thankfully, the NEW Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection plus Sugar Acid Neutralizer toothpaste fights cavities in two ways with the unique combination of Sugar Acid Neutralizer and Fluoride. 

Sugar Acid Neutralizer helps deactivate the sugar acids in plaque making it easier for Fluoride to strengthen and repair the teeth, thus preventing cavity formation. 

Together, our families get a fighting chance to be truly Cavity-Free!

For more on Colgate Philippines' breakthrough products, Like their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ColgatePhilippines

Smile! Oral Health Month with Colgate & PDA

February was Oral Health Month, and Colgate, together with the Philippine Dental Association (PDA), has partnered to raise awareness about the importance of good oral health & proper hygiene. After all, when we practice good oral hygiene, the result is healthy teeth and gums, which are key to our overall well-being.

Because seriously, who wants to be writhing in pain, unable to think or do anything, just because of a massive toothache? Unfortunately, tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in children and adults. Statistics also show that 9 out of 10 kids have cavities, which is unthinkable, considering that it is preventable with brushing 3x a day, flossing, using mouthwash regularly and visiting the dentist 2x a year.

Last February 16, 2014, Colgate, PDA and Watsons celebrated Oral Health Month at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, and Berry & I got to join in the festivities.

And when I mean festivities, I mean it was truly a real tooth fair!

There were game booths such as this video game where you could brush cavities away.

A ring toss where you get to catch plaque.

And because we got to catch all the plaque, we won travel sized Colgate Plax.

There was a show for kids, Dr. Rabbit & the Tooth Defenders, starring Dr. Rabbit and Dr. Brushwell, who bravely fought to eradicate the Placulus puppets. 

And the Colgate Sensitive booth where you could test for tooth sensitivity by biting onto ice cubes. 

Customers who bought a Colgate 360 Slim Soft Charcoal toothbrush from the Watson’s booth could get their toothbrush personalized for free.

Here’s a sample, showing the name and the date the toothbrush should be replaced.

It was not all fun and games though. There were serious booths here, like the dark & “scary” booth were they do the plaque test.

Thankfully, when they shined blue light onto Berry’s teeth, she passed with no bacteria in sight!

The most popular booth would have to be the Free Dental Check-up Booth where guests lined up patiently to have a dentist check on their teeth.

Wouldn’t it be great if Colgate and PDA would do this twice a year in malls so that people who otherwise wouldn’t have the means to see a dentist can have their required check-ups done there & then?

An added highlight to the event was a storybook reading activity by model/artist/actress Solenn Heusaff, who undoubtedly added glamour to an event meant to remind parents to teach their kids the importance of good oral hygiene practices.

Then again, there is no glamour in rotten, decayed teeth. In the long run, brushing 3x a day, flossing, using mouthwash regularly and visiting the dentist 2x a year is less costly and less of a hassle than having to suffer in pain and shelling out thousands to get your teeth pulled, have a root canal or replacing teeth with dentures.

After all, an ounce of prevention is always, always, always better than a pound of cure.