Dr. Lisa Creaven Answers Your Oral Care Questions

Dr. Lisa Creaven answers your questions posted on Spotlight Oral Care's Instagram Stories.

In back to back videos, Lisa gives her expert advice on questions put to her on Spotlight Oral Care's Instagram account. From tooth recession to changing your Invisalign, Lisa answers a number of topical oral care questions. 

Be sure to follow us at @spotlight_oral_care on Instagram for more oral health tips as well as promotions and discounts. 

Will the Spotlight toothbrush and toothpaste help to remove plaque?

Lisa Creavan:

0:00

Yes, our Sonic toothbrush used with our toothpaste is very effective at removing plaque. Use the toothbrush along the gum line for best results because that is where plaque starts. So make sure to brush half on the gum, half on your tooth for best results.

Any advice for receding gums?

0:14

Some of the most common causes of recession is a build-up of plaque leading to inflammation, and also over brushing or scrubbing too hard. This is why a Sonic toothbrush is amazing if you are having recession, because it's really really thorough at brushing your teeth, but it's also much more gentle.

Is it ok to use the Sonic toothbrush with braces?

0:29

Absolutely. When you have braces on your teeth, you get more plaque build-up because the plaque gets caught in around the braces. A Sonic brush is excellent here because it gets in around the braces, but you might also want to include a Water Flosser, because that's really good for getting in around the braces for best results.

I have a mouth guard for grinding but it's very tight. Will it shift my teeth?

0:44

I would check with your dentist that your night guard or your mouth guard is actually fitting correctly. Sometimes they just come back a little bit tight and you might need to trim it. But wearing a well fitting night guard is not going to cause your teeth to move. It actually will hold them in the right place.

Can you change your Invisalign sets every 4/5 days instead of once a week?

0:59

I would never comment on the treatment of an individual case, especially with Invisalign. I, as a dentist and Invisalign provider, I have often asked some patients to change every week, but it's based on a treatment plan that allows that, so I would check with your provider for the best results.

Can you use the whitening strips on veneers?

1:14

You can use the whitening strips over your veneers, they are not going to damage them. Though veneers are made from porcelain and you can't change the shade of porcelain, but you can lift staining and you will also whiten the teeth around the veneers.

Do you need to normal floss along with the Water Flosser?

1:26

Everyone is very individual when it comes to flossing. I use the Water Flosser alone, somebody else might have a slight overlap, or maybe an area that they can't access with a Water Flosser, and might need a combination of both. So whatever works for you.

Is it ok to have white spots/lines appear when using whitening products?

1:41

Yes, absolutely. This is a very normal thing. How your enamel is mineralized actually varies, and it can be down to dehydration as well. We are using active ingredients for clinical results so you can get white spots, but they even out and they disappear after a couple of weeks.

Do whitening strips affect your teeth over long term use?

1:56

If you're using whitening in a controlled way using a safe formulation, it is designed to be used more regularly. Our strips are designed for people with sensitive teeth so if you have sensitive teeth and you're worried that's going to damage them, it's not.

I have a funny taste in my mouth and gums, what could this be?

2:10

I would always urge you to go to your dentist and have this checked and diagnosed fully. But a lot of time a bad taste and any issues with gums is inflammation, a build-up of plaque. So improve your oral hygiene, use a Sonic toothbrush and floss every day and that typically reduces inflammation.