Our General Dentistry Office Sheds Light on Common Health Myths

As a general dentistry office, we treat patients who are dealing with a wide variety of oral health challenges. We begin by determining what the issue is, treating it, and then discussing ways to prevent the problem from repeating itself. These conversations can be enlightening, and one thing we regularly hear are questions based on dental myths. For example, there is a myth that diet soda is okay for the teeth because it is sugar-free. Patients who are heavy soda drinkers can sometimes be surprised that they have cavities and that their soda habit could have contributed to the problem. Getting accurate information is important to maintain a healthy smile, both now and in the future. For this reason, we have compiled a list of the myths we hear on a regular basis and our response to them. 

Myth – Raw diets are good for your teeth.

The truth is that any extreme diet has some drawbacks. The biggest challenge with the raw diet is that much of the food is highly acidic. When acid comes in contact with your teeth, it can begin the process of erosion. You only have a limited amount of enamel on your teeth, so when it starts to erode, your teeth could become sensitive. If you are on the raw diet, be sure to rinse your mouth after eating and drinking, and brush your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste that can help strengthen them. We invite you to visit our general dentistry office any time you are trying a new diet and want to know if it is good for your teeth.

Myth – Adults do not get cavities on a regular basis.

Everyone is susceptible to getting cavities. It does not matter how old you are. If you have teeth, they can experience decay. We encourage all of our patients to have their teeth cleaned at our general dentistry office twice a year, so we can reduce the risk of cavities forming in the first place.

Myth – Flossing is optional.

Flossing is one of the most important things you can do for your oral health, and it is the best thing you can do to prevent gum disease. Every time you eat, food particles can become trapped in between your teeth, and plaque can also build up in these spaces. Flossing allows you to remove food and plaque, preventing it from leading to cavities or from becoming trapped underneath your gum tissue. Leaving it there can lead to inflamed and irritated gums in addition to infections. If you do not like to floss, purchase a flossing tool, since these are easy to hold and make it faster to get the job done. 

Myth – Only older people get oral cancer.

This is certainly not the case. While men over the age of fifty are at the greatest risk for developing cancer, anyone can get it. The HPV virus has been known to cause oral cancer, and if you have been diagnosed with it, smoke, drink a lot, or use chewing tobacco, you are at an increased risk. We recommend being screened on an annual basis. 

To learn more about oral health or to ask questions, call and schedule an examination.

Dental Veneers are a Versatile Solution

Dental Veneers are small pieces of porcelain that are used to restore the natural looking beauty of your teeth. They are placed after removing a tiny portion of the tooth enamel, usually not more than a few millimeters and cemented into place so that they are stable. The fact that we do not have to remove a great deal of enamel makes the veneers a much better solution for some kinds of dental problems. Typically dental veneers are used to fix minor problems with your teeth. This can include chips, cracks, and small breaks. They can also be used to correct minor bite related problems and for teeth that have not responded to teeth whitening so that you can have straighter and whiter teeth. With new technology, it is possible to make veneers that are extremely natural looking, doing away with the blocks of fake looking white teeth and replacing them with veneer covered teeth that look extremely realistic. The results are natural looking, dramatic, and beautiful.  Once placed, the best thing about veneers is that they are easy to maintain. You simply need to brush your teeth, as long as you avoid toothpaste isn't excessively abrasive.

Dental veneers are a superior method of correcting minor problems. Some of the reasons for this assessment are well known while other are mostly known by dentists.

Here is why we like dental veneers as a treatment option -
Dental veneers are versatile meaning that they can fix a large number of problems. For example, a number of people use dental veneers to correct the coloring of their teeth. Few of these patients realize that dental veneers can also be used to broaden the smile, and remove wrinkles induced by worn out teeth. When teeth get worn, they lead to sagging in the mouth which creates tiny folds around the nose and in the corners of the mouth. These wrinkles can be easily removed with the help of dental veneers. What we can do is broaden your smile, using bonded porcelain while also lengthening your teeth. This can cause the mouth to be properly stretched over the teeth, and the aging wrinkles to disappear.

Dental veneers are natural in look and feel. Dental veneers have many of the same qualities that the enamel does. It is incredibly hard and incredibly brittle. For a person with veneers what this means is that you will not need to change the foods you eat. You will, however, need to take a few additional precautions when eating food like apples, which are hard to bite into. Taking the time to dice the apples will not only ensure that your veneers do not become broken or fall off, but will also make sure that your teeth do not sustain damage. One common warning we give all our patients is never to use your teeth as a tool. The teeth, with or without dental veneers, are not designed for bottle opening, chip bag tearing, or nail biting. Such activity can and will result in broken teeth and broken veneers. With proper care veneers have been known to last up to 30 years, though the average is around 12.

Cosmetic Dentist  >  Teeth Whitening Service

Visiting a Family Dentist Should be Part of Your Routine

As a family dentist, we want to be part of your annual routine. We understand how important your teeth are to your daily enjoyment of life.  While you may only think about them when you are brushing and flossing your teeth, they are part of your normal life, far more than it may seem.  For example, if you have dinner with your mother, you need your teeth to smile when you see her, chat about the family and to eat your steak salad.  Without your teeth, these basic activities would be difficult, if not impossible, to do. The challenge is that you only get one set of permanent teeth.  Taking care of them is critical to being able to live a full life, without restriction, as you age.

In our dental office, we want to see you twice a year so that we can clean your teeth and remove plaque and bacteria.  This way, your mouth can remain healthy, and the chance of you developing irreversible health conditions will be minimal. Simultaneously, if you develop a cavity or gum disease, we can treat the conditions right away before they cause you any discomfort.
Why you need a family dentist.

You never know when you or one of your children will have a dental emergency.  A toothache may develop, or someone may crack a tooth.  This is all possible during the course of normal life, and it is important that you have a dentist who can help you quickly.  We can, and we welcome your phone calls.  We offer restorative dentistry so regardless of what happens to your teeth, we have you covered.  Simultaneously, we hope that you visit our dental office for preventative care first so that we can prevent many of these oral health problems from developing in the first place.
The solutions we offer in our family dentist office.

The procedures we offer are as diverse as our patients' needs.  We begin by providing preventative care to keep your teeth healthy.  Next, we offer restorative solutions should your teeth become infected.  For example, we can perform a root canal in order to remove the infected area so that the tooth can be saved.  Once the infection has been removed, we may use a dental crown to protect the tooth and prevent any further damage.  This same solution, a dental crown, can also be used to save a tooth that has been cracked or chipped because it is a cap that surrounds it completely.  Since a crown can be created in a tooth-colored material, we can also use this solution to cover darks stains in your teeth and even change their overall shape or size.  Many of our solutions work exactly like this.  They can be used for restorative care and also as a cosmetic solution.

Some of the other procedures we perform include dental implants and dental bridges to replace teeth that have been lost and teeth whitening to improve the overall appearance of teeth.  Regardless of what your needs are, we can help.

Children's Dentist  >  Dental Office

Signs You Should Visit a General Dentistry Office

There are times where you may need to visit our general dentistry office for your oral health needs. Yes, it is important to keep your teeth beautiful and to retain an attractive appearance, but your teeth offer even more important benefits than the aesthetic attributes. Your oral health is a huge part of your overall health. If you have tooth problems, they can get worse quickly. Therefore, you should visit our office if you have any of these symptoms or other unknown problems.

Q. Why do I have bad breath and an unappealing taste in my mouth?
A.    Many people have perpetual bad breath, so they think it is just a way of life. Don't give into this dangerous belief. Bad bread and unpleasant tastes in your mouth often are signs of periodontal disease and tartar growth under your gum lines. If you haven't had your teeth professionally cleaned by our general dentistry office lately, you haven't been brushing like you should, or you have a genetic disposition to bad cavities, you may be at risk for this disease. Your bad breath may also be the result of dry mouth. Dry mouth can be a side effect of some medications, but it can also lead to more bacterial development in your mouth and decay in your teeth. If you are experiencing these problems, you should visit our general dentistry office.

Q. My gums are swollen, and they bleed when I brush, what should I do?
A.    If you are experiencing discomfort, bleeding, or inflammation of your gums, you should visit our general dentistry office immediately. These distressing symptoms are called gingivitis and may also be the result of periodontal disease or infection. These symptoms could also lead to these conditions. A general dentistry office can help you get rid of these bothersome issues and save your teeth from further damage.

Q. I am a tobacco user. Is tobacco really as bad for your mouth as people say it is? 
A.    Yes. Tobacco can be incredibly harmful to your oral health. Exposing your mouth to the cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco can lead to chronic bad breath, infections, and even cancer. Use tobacco with caution, and visit our general dentistry office regularly so that we can check for areas that have the capacity to be malignant.

Q. Do I really need to brush twice a day? 
A.    Brushing thoroughly twice a day should be a minimum standard for good oral hygiene. If you eat sugary foods or drink acidic sodas, you should be brushing even more than that or at least washing your mouth out after consumption to prevent enamel wear and cavities. Additionally, replace your toothbrush every few months and use a Fluoride toothpaste. You should be flossing regularly as well.

These are just a few of the questions our general dentistry office regularly receives. Get educated, protect your natural teeth, and visit our office twice per year to start making your oral health a priority.

Dentist  >  Dental Office

Tips From a Children's Dentist For Getting Kids Excited to Brush

When you visit our children's dentist office, you are going to hear a lot about teeth brushing.  We can't help it – brushing teeth is that important!  Still, we understand that for parents the idea or concept of getting their kids to brush makes 100 percent sense.  Implementation, however, can be incredibly difficult, especially with a child that is absolutely uninterested.  Regardless of whether you have a toddler at home or a teen, brushing teeth will often take a backseat to playing, watching a show, running around, etc.  Our goal is to help you to change the tide and make brushing teeth a fun and interesting activity.

Yes – it is possible.

The first thing we suggest is to put away the old timers and stopwatches.  If you have been timing your kids while they brush, that is a good thing.  How you do it, however, can make the difference between teeth brushing being something to dread and a fun activity.  Instead of using a timer, start to have fun with it by playing their favorite song for two minutes at a time.  If you have several kids, let them take turns picking to change things up a bit.  This works really well in the morning if you play an upbeat song that they can sing and dance to.  This is not the time to play your personal favorites, but let them make the song selection.  The ultimate goal, after all, is for the to start having fun while brushing their teeth.

As a children's dentist office, we also suggest that you visit the American Dental Association website and use the tools that they have available for kids and parents.  They have a rewards chart that you can use to start encouraging your kids to brush.  This works really well for younger kids, but you can use the same concept without the chart.  For example, if your teen wants to go out with friends on Friday, make brushing their teeth twice a day, every day, the criteria for doing so.  It's simple, but it creates a positive association.  With your younger kids, you can offer a reward of staying up fifteen minutes later if they brush their teeth without being told.  Once again, you are offering a simple reward that costs nothing but will show them how healthy habits can positively influence their life.

The ADA also has a section on their website that features two minute videos.  These are popular cartoons like Adventure Time and sing-alongs for the younger kids.  Each video is only two minutes long so that you can grab your tablet and play it while they brush.  Once the video is over, they can stop brushing, and you will know that they did it for a long enough period of time to be successful at it.  If you have kids, that hate to brush teeth, letting them watch their favorite show is a simple and easy way to get them to change their mind.  When you visit our children's dentist office, we will reinforce what you are doing at home and further encourage them to keep up with their good, healthy habits.

Family Dentist  >  Dentist

Visit Our Dental Office to Have Your Bad Breath Treated

In our dental office, a lot of patients ask us about bad breath and what they can do to eliminate it.  We understand that this is an inconvenient problem to have.  Foul-smelling breath can make it difficult to have social interactions or meetings at work since it can make those around you uncomfortable.  The more severe cases of bad breath (halitosis) can be so dramatic that the smell can literally stink up a confined space.  Fortunately, we can help before it ever reaches this level, and we recommend that you schedule an appointment at the first sign of bad breath.

Why do I need help treating bad breath?

It is important to note that bad breath isn't always caused by what you had for dinner.  Very often, it is a sign of an infection and the body's way of letting you know that there is something wrong. This is why we want you to call and schedule an appointment if your breath is consistently smelling foul or is progressively getting worse.  One of the things we will look for is an infected tooth.  If a tooth is infected, or starting to have severe decay, it can emit a strong smelling odor.  By identifying the problem, we can treat the tooth, eliminate the infection, and restore it to optimum health.  As a result, your breath will start to smell better.

Another cause of bad breath is gum disease.  This is a condition that impacts most adults at some point in their lifetime.  In its earliest stage, gum disease, also known as gingivitis, will make the gums red, swollen, and may cause some bleeding.  It is uncomfortable but shouldn't disrupt life too significantly.  However, if the condition is left untreated it can cause the gums to recede, and as they pull away from the tooth structure, the risk of an infection only increases.  Gum recession can create pockets in the gum tissue where bacteria are prone to gather, leading to bone loss and even tooth loss.  When you visit our dental office with bad breath, we will identify any gum disease and treat the condition.  This level of care can often prevent tooth loss in the future.

In our dental office, we will also conduct a thorough teeth cleaning so that we can remove any plaque or bacteria that has gathered in between your teeth or other hard to reach spaces.  Food or plaque that is stuck may be what is causing your bad breath, and a simple teeth cleaning can help your breath to smell better.  We can also clean your tongue since bacteria gather here as well.

What you can do at home.

We recommend that you brush your teeth three times a day using a soft toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste.  This will help your teeth and gums to stay clean while also improving your breath.  Be sure to floss at least once a day as well, since this is where a lot of bad breath comes from.  You can also use an antiseptic mouthwash to kill lingering bacteria and use a tongue scraper to remove bacteria from your tongue.  If you are otherwise healthy, this should help to control your bad breath.

Family Dentist  >  Dentist

Here’s Why We Use Fluoride in Our Family Dentist Office

In our family dentist office, our goal is to help our patients to stay in excellent oral health.  With that in mind, we are passionate about preventative care.  We encourage you to come to our office and have your teeth professionally cleaned at least twice a year so that we can remove plaque and bacteria before cavities and gum disease occur.  In addition, we may talk to you about fluoride or even recommend a fluoride treatment.  While most of our patients have heard of the substance, few are familiar with exactly how it works.  Here are some of the questions we are commonly asked in our dental office.

Where can I find fluoride?

Fluoride is derived from fluorine, a naturally occurring ion that can be found in the dirt, air, and even food.  In these quantities, it doesn't benefit your teeth, so it has been placed in public water.  Through a massive public health initiative, fluoride has been added to the water supply of over 10,000 communities across the United States.  Simultaneously, we apply fluoride treatments in our dental office by placing a varnish on the teeth. The varnish is virtually odorless and tasteless, so it doesn't bother young children.  Within four minutes, it will be fully absorbed, so the treatment is incredibly convenient.  If you want to use fluoride at home, we recommend brushing with toothpaste that contains it.  There are additional products you can buy like fluoridated milk, but the science is unclear as to how much it will help you.

Why is using fluoride important?

As a family dentist, we turn to what the Center for Disease Control said.  According to the CDC, tooth decay is the most commonly occurring infectious disease in children.  This is alarming and as a dentist, we do our part to help prevent tooth decay and cavities.  The use of fluoride can decrease the risk of tooth decay by thirty percent, making it an important tool for helping us to fight the problem. In essence, it can help to keep teeth strong in between dental visits so that there is less of a chance that a cavity will exist or become large by the time you come in for your next appointment.
Who should use fluoride?

We specifically recommend that children and teens have a fluoride treatment on an annual basis in order to reduce their risk for cavities.  Adults can also benefit from fluoride though most get it in their drinking water and by using a fluoride toothpaste. We recommend always brushing with a fluoride toothpaste since this is the easiest way to strengthen your teeth and fight tooth decay at home.
Is it safe?

As a family dentist, we are frequently asked this question, and the answer is yes.  Like all things, fluoride most be used in moderation, so the EPA regulates how much of it is put into drinking water.  In our office, we apply the correct dosage through the varnish and the toothpaste is also regulated, making it perfectly safe for your family.

Children's Dentist  >  Dentist