As we continue through the summer and begin to transition into the fall, many of us know that planning to take care of things that we need from hair appointments, doctor check-ups and more have been impacted by COVID-19 with closures of offices, feeling uncertain about the safety protocols and timing. Many have utilized services such as telemedicine, online/Zoom tutorials for their hair care and more. One of the most common questions our readers have asked us about involves whether they should go to their dental appointment, make one or if there is a way that they can do maintenance from home until their next appointment. In the current times, this makes sense to think about this and we talked with Celeb Dentist and founder of Klēn, Dr. Brian Harris. We talk about how we can take care of our teeth in between appointments, sustainable dental care and of course what to expect when we go back for our dental checkups.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Can you tell me about your background, how you found your way to dentistry and launching this line?

DR. BRIAN HARRIS: My father was a dentist so I grew up around dentistry and was always fascinated with the artistic side of the profession. I have been in practice for 15 years now as a cosmetic dentist and have helped thousands of people improve their smile. In doing so I recognized that a pretty smile is great but a CONFIDENT smile is what is most important. True confidence comes from looking good but also having fresh breath and healthy gums. For years patients would ask me what products I recommended but I didn’t particularly love any of them because of the harsh chemicals and abrasives used to make them. For this reason, the Klēn line of oral care products was launched.

AM: Growing up we were taught that having fluoride was a great ingredient to keep cavities away as well as alcohol in your mouthwash being great to kill germs. Your products have neither of these items as you use natural ingredients in Klēn. Can you share why you chose this and how are your products still beneficial to good dental health.

DR. BH: I understand that having an oral care line without Fluoride is blasphemy for a dentist but there is a good reason for it. I believe that Fluoride is extremely useful for preventing cavities and I use it in my office as needed for cavity prone patients. I do not believe that it is something that should be used in toothpaste every day especially if someone is not prone to getting cavities. I also believe that the amount of fluoride used in over the counter toothpaste brands is not strong enough to truly be effective so why put that into your body every day? Topical fluoride applications at the dentist and prescription based toothpastes with a concentrated amount are important for those that are cavity prone. Otherwise, a good non abrasive toothpaste free of chemicals and harmful products is the way to go.

As far as using alcohol in mouth rinse to fight cavity causing bacteria goes, it works. At the same time, alcohol is one of the leading causes for dry mouth which is one of the leading causes of cavities. It’s a little complicated right?! I don’t think the benefits of alcohol outweigh the consequences…. stick with an alcoholic free rinse.

AM: A number of people suffer with issues of irritated gums and you created a portion of your line that has CBD toothpaste as well as mouthwash. How does CBD as sist in oral care for those who have this issue?

DR. BH: When gums are red and inflamed and bleed on a regular basis, this is a condition of gingivitis or periodontitis. It is an inflammatory process of the body letting you know that the gums are not healthy and need attention. In these cases, the best thing is to see your dental office for a routine cleaning. Along with that I recommend the use the CBD toothpaste and rinse as CBD is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. It will help to calm and soothe the tissues.

AM: When we’re at home, what should be our routine in terms of engaging in good dental health as well as the tools necessary to do the job?

DR. BH: The answer to this question may seem a little boring but regular brushing, flossing and the use of a mouth rinse are the most important things you can do. Just make sure you use a non abrasive toothpaste and an alcohol free rinse. If you want to take things next level you can introduce the waterpik and a tongue cleanser to the routine. And for those that are meticulous and want to be free of all stains and build up, the In-Between Klēn mirror and scaler will allow you to get things as healthy and clean as possible.

AM: How often should we see our dentist in a typical year?

DR. BH: On average every 6 months is the safe bet. If someone is more prone to gum disease or other issues I recommend every 3 to 4 months.

AM: How does stress affect our teeth and gums?

DR. BH: Stress can cause excessive clenching and grinding of the teeth causing them to wear down and break. This excessive force can also lead to gum recession and sensitivity of the teeth. In some extreme cases high stress can lead to extreme gum issues causing inflammation and infection of the gum tissue. Try to minimize the stress or at least use some kind of night time dental appliance to minimize the destruction of the tooth structure.

AM: In this time of COVID-19, there have been concerns about doing a number of activities that we have taken for granted. Should we be concerned about going to our dentist?

DR. BH: I think going to the dentist is a personal decision like many of the other decisions we have to make. I f you are someone that is cavity prone or has a history of gum disease in your family then I feel you should go and not postpone it. If you have perfectly healthy gums with no history of cavities then it might make sense to postpone things for a few months to minimize the risk.

AM: If we go to our dentist, what protocols should be in place in terms of us visiting the dentist and what we should expect to see our dentists and assistants wearing and doing to ensure our safety?

DR. BH: Every office is different, but the most important thing is that you see your office taking extra precautions on top of what they would normally do to minimize the spread of the disease.

AM: For those that may want to push back their regular dental appointment as we wait for feeling more comfortable to resume appointments, how does your In-Between assist in maintaining good dental health and how do you use these tools?

DR. BH: The In-Between Klēn is not meant to replace the traditional dental cleaning. With a traditional cleaning your dental hygienist will clean the entire mouth including the areas of bacteria and build up below the gum-line. The In-Between klen is not intended to be used that way. It is to be used on the front teeth only for superficial stains and build up on the teeth above the gum line. Its for cosmetic purposes only and for those wanting to clean things up on their own In-Between their regular routine dental visits.

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PHOTOS COURTESY | Klen Products