Tips on Getting Used to Your New Braces

February 1, 2018

Filed under: Blog,Dental Health — Tags: , , — southlakedental @ 8:06 pm

Getting new braces can be more uncomfortable and frustrating than you might have expected. The good news is that in most cases, patients with new braces get used to them within a week or two. The bad news is that they might have a good deal of discomfort until then. Here are some tips on getting through this time.

Use the Mouthwash Your Orthodontist Gave You

When you get your new braces put on, you were probably given a sample of mouthwash designed for mouth sores. Unfortunately, many people with braces get sores on their inner lips as they get used to the appliances. If you are one of them, you’ll want to go and buy a bigger bottle of the mouthwash that you were given. It will clean out the sores and make them heal more quickly.

Use the Orthodontic Wax… But Not Too Much

Your orthodontic will give you orthodontic wax to cover any sharp parts of your braces that are irritating your lips and cheeks. Using the wax will bring you some relief… but it will also delay the point where you can comfortably go without the wax. It will take a bit of discomfort to get past this. Try to take the wax off for an hour or two each day in the beginning and to stretch that time out each day until you are comfortable most of the time without the wax.

Take an Over-the-Counter Pain Reliever

If you are experiencing soreness in your teeth and jaw, this is a good sign that the braces are doing what they’re supposed to do. Usually the discomfort is the strongest the first few days after you have new braces put on and a day or two after you have them adjusted. Taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen should keep you comfortable until it passes.

Be Careful Eating

Finally, your braces might make it more likely that you’ll bite your tongue, cheek, or lip while eating. Chew carefully and slowly, particularly in the early days when you’re getting used to your new braces. In time, this will become second nature.

If you are having a lot of pain or you have a sore that you are afraid has gotten infected, give us or your orthodontist a call. Otherwise, just know that some discomfort is normal and that it will pass.

How to Stop Forgetting to Floss

January 15, 2018

Filed under: Blog,Dental Health — Tags: , , — southlakedental @ 1:21 am

Flossing your teeth: It’s something you know you should be doing, but it’s so easy to forget. After all, if you’re doing it in the morning, you’re probably in a hurry and it’s the easiest thing to put off until bedtime. By the time that time comes, you might be ready to drop. How can you find a way to stop forgetting to floss? Check out these tips.

Set a Reminder on Your Phone

If the problem is that you’re truly forgetting and not just procrastinating, put technology to work for you! Most people have their phones within an arm’s reach all day and into the night, so set a reminder an hour or so before your typical bedtime. As long as you’re done eating for the night, go right then and brush and floss. You will still have an hour left to watch a television show, surf the Internet, wash the dishes, or whatever else you might do right before bed, but your oral hygiene regimen will be done.

Get an Accountability Partner

Having someone else encouraging you to floss might be all you need to make it a habit. While you might feel strange asking a friend to take on this role, your spouse or partner is the perfect person to keep you on track. After all, they should be flossing, too, and you can remind them. Another option is to ask a child, either your own or another one in your extended family. Many kids will take their commitment very seriously and will take joy in reminding you every evening to floss your teeth.

Give Yourself a Reward

Rewards work when it comes to establishing new habits. Yours can be whatever will motivate you to keep up the good work. Some people are happy to simply mark an X on a calendar or put a sticker or a checkmark on a chart. Seeing a fully filled-out week or month can be satisfying. If that doesn’t do it for you, pick anything you’d like: a new pair of shoes? Fresh flowers to put on the table after a full week of flossing? One caveat: Try to avoid making a sticky, gooey dessert your reward of choice… but if that’s what you pick, be sure to brush and floss well after you indulge!

Please call to make an appointment if you are due or if you need tips on your oral hygiene regimen.

Infection Control in the Dental Office

December 13, 2017

Filed under: Blog,Dental Health — Tags: , , — southlakedental @ 9:25 pm

It’s cold and flu season, so infection control might be on your mind. While you might ramp up your handwashing this time of year, your dental office follows the same precautions all year long. Have you ever wondered how infection control is handled in dental offices? Read on and find out!

Spray Down the Room

After you leave the exam room, your hygienist or assistant will make sure it’s ready for the next patient. Anything that was covered in plastic (such as the seat) will have the plastic changed. Anything that wasn’t will be sprayed down with an antimicrobial sanitizing agent and then wiped with paper towels. This removes any debris and kills bacteria and viruses that might have been left behind.

Change Personal Protective Equipment

Every time a clinical staff member (dentist, hygienist, or assistant) enters your exam room, they will don fresh gloves. The protective equipment is to protect not only the workers but the patients as well! If you don’t see the staff member put on fresh gloves, feel free to ask or to request that they do so in front of you.

Sterilize the Equipment

The instrument and equipment that go into our patients mouths is all sterilized before being put on a tray to use on someone else. We have cold sterilization processes for plastic instruments and hot sterilization processes for glass and metal equipment.  Most instruments go through an ultrasonic cleaning procedure first. Then the cold sterilization process includes a solution that the instruments soak in overnight, and the hot sterilization includes a run through the autoclave.

Good Hygiene

In the dental office, hygiene is not limited to cleaning teeth! Our staff members wash their hands in between patients as well as after using the restroom, after eating, and after leaving the operatory area. Long hair is pulled back and good personal hygiene is expected and enforced. Our goal is to keep everyone healthy, so that includes minimizing bacteria and germs that are introduced into the office in the first place.

If you have questions or concerns about sterilization and sanitization procedures, please don’t hesitate to ask! We would be happy to discuss our processes with you so you can be assured that we take infection control and our patients’ health very seriously.

Dentures vs. Implants: What’s the Right Choice for You?

October 1, 2017

Filed under: Blog,Dental Health,General — Tags: , , , — southlakedental @ 2:23 pm

If you’ve had several teeth removed or you’re facing an upcoming extraction, you need to think about how you will replace the teeth. Two of the most common options are dentures and implants. How do you know which is better for you? Only your dentist knows your specific circumstances, but here are some considerations to keep in mind.

Cost

One of your primary concerns might be cost. If you have many teeth that need to be replaced, than dentures will cost substantially less than implants. You should talk to your dental office’s financial administrator to find out what the cost difference will be. Also, find out whether your dental insurance will cover any of it. There might be payment plans to consider, too. Get all of the details before you make a decision based solely on the price.

Convenience

Once your implants heal, all you need to do is treat them like natural teeth. They stay in your mouth permanently and just need to be brushed and flossed. With dentures, you’ll need to take them out each evening to clean them. You also might need to avoid certain foods that are difficult to eat with dentures.

Ease of Use

Dental implants function like natural teeth. You can speak, whistle, chew, bite, and do everything you do with the teeth you’ve had your whole life to this point. Dentures have a bit of a learning curve. They can slip a bit and you might have a hard time whistling or biting into certain foods. Some of this will be overcome as you get used to them.

Your Dentist’s Recommendation

If you don’t have a lot of bone available, dental implants might not be an option for you. Also, there might be reasons why dentures won’t be your best option. Because your dentist knows your specific anatomy and challenges, he or she can best advise you on which type of tooth replacement is appropriate for you.

Keep in mind that some people choose to have one or more implants placed to give full dentures something to snap onto. This is a great way to maximize the benefits of both types of appliances. You can enjoy better stability of the dentures while minimizing the cost of the dental implants.

If you need your teeth replaced and aren’t sure what to do, please call us today to schedule an appointment.

Worst Foods for Dental Health

September 1, 2017

Filed under: Blog,Dental Health — Tags: , , — southlakedental @ 4:18 pm

You might already know what foods to eat for stronger teeth. Some examples are apples, strawberries, cheese, and foods high in calcium. While you might know that eating too much sugar is bad for teeth, you might not know other worst foods for dental health. Read on to find out which foods are the worst for your teeth.

Dried Fruit

Fruit is good for you, but if it’s dried, it can wreak havoc on your teeth. Dried fruit tends to be chewy and sticky. It’s also full of concentrated sugar. Chewing on raisins or sticky fruit leather can leave pieces of sticky, sugary fruit on your teeth. This gives bacteria something to feast on while they contribute to gum inflammation and tooth decay. If you do choose to eat dried fruit, be sure to brush very well afterward.

Potato Chips

Potato chips are exactly the type of starchy treat bacteria love. The starch tends to stick to and get in between your teeth, where it can cause tooth decay and gum inflammation. Keep in mind that starch turns to sugar, so avoid eating a lot of potato chips, white bread, and pasta for healthier teeth.

Unpopped Popcorn Kernels

You’ve probably had the experience of biting down on a handful of popcorn and crunching down on an unpopped kernel. This is painful and it can also cause damage to your teeth. Eat popcorn cautiously to avoid cracking a tooth or breaking a filling on kernels. Other foods that you should avoid biting down on include peppercorns, ice, and hard candies.

In general, if you stick to a diet of lean proteins, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, you should be able to improve your overall health as well as your dental health. If you have questions about what types of foods are best for your teeth, ask your hygienist the next time you are in for a cleaning.

Are Dental Sealants Right for You?

August 15, 2017

Filed under: Blog,Dental Health — Tags: , , — southlakedental @ 3:58 pm

During one of your cleanings, your dentist or hygienist might suggest that you get dental sealants. Sealants are also commonly recommended for children as their permanent molars grow in. Have you wondered what sealants are? And if your dental insurance doesn’t cover them, do you want to know if paying for them out of pocket is worth it? Read on for valuable information you should know.

What Are Dental Sealants?

Sealants are a type of liquid filling material that go into the grooves on the biting surfaces of the molars. Because many people have deep pits and grooves in their molars, sealants can prevent bacteria from getting into these deep grooves where they can multiply and cause dental decay. For children, sealants are usually put on as the permanent molars erupt, preventing decay from occuring in the first place. For adults, they’re generally offered only to those with deep pits.

What Is the Procedure Like?

You won’t need any type of anesthetic if you have sealants placed. It’s a quick and non-invasive procedure. First, your hygienist or dentist will clean out the grooves of your teeth by spraying them with water and air. Then, they’ll apply an etching material, which prepares the surface for the filling material. A small amount of material is dripped onto the tooth, and it’s cured with an ultraviolet. The procedure is repeated for each molar being treated. Throughout the procedure, you’ll have a suction straw and cotton rolls in your mouth to keep saliva from contaminating the area.

Will Dental Insurance Cover Dental Sealants?

Many dental insurance carriers will cover the procedure for children under a certain age. They might or might not cover it for adults. Even if yours doesn’t, however, paying for sealants is often less expensive than paying your copay for fillings, root canals, and crowns that might become necessary if you were to develop decay. In addition, sealants are much less invasive than fillings and maintain the integrity of the tooth.

If you have questions about any procedure your dentist recommends, including dental sealants, don’t be afraid to ask! You can ask during your appointment or call us later with any questions.

Bruxism: Do You Grind Your Teeth?

August 1, 2017

Filed under: Blog,Dental Health — Tags: , , , — southlakedental @ 2:41 pm

Has your sleeping partner ever nudged you in the middle of the night because your teeth-grinding was disturbing their sleep? Do you often wake up with a sore jaw, painful molars, and a headache? Are your molars worn down or do you tend to dislodge fillings frequently? If the answers to any of these questions are “yes,” you might have a problem with bruxism, more commonly known as grinding your teeth. Check out what bruxism is and how you can stop.

What Is Bruxism?

Bruxism is, simply stated, when you grind your teeth. Sometimes it also includes jaw-clenching. You might do it when you are frustrated, when you are sleeping, or simply as a matter of habit. The dangers associated with bruxism are pain in the head, jaw, and teeth. You might also experience neck or shoulder pain from being tense while you are grinding your teeth.

Self-Help Tips

If you suspect that you are grinding your teeth, there are a few things you can do that might help. First, make sure you have your stress levels under control. Many people clench and grind when they’re anxious. Try deep-breathing exercises, yoga, talking to friends, muscle relaxation exercises, and other stress-reduction techniques. Secondly, if you notice that you’re clenching, make a concerted effort to stop. Once you are aware of the problem, you might be able to control it. This is, of course, only true if you are clenching and grinding during the day, when you’re awake.

See Your Dentist

Those who don’t find relief with self-help techniques or who grind during their sleep should see their dentists. He or she can fit you for a night guard. This is an appliance that you put in your mouth at night to stop you from grinding your teeth. It can save you a lot of pain, as well as wear and tear on your teeth.

If you are having symptoms of bruxism, please give our office a call so we can create a night guard for you or give you other tips to relieve your pain.

Perfecting Your Oral Health Regimen

July 15, 2017

Filed under: Blog,Dental Health — Tags: , , , — southlakedental @ 4:53 pm

You already know that you should brush twice daily and floss each night to keep your teeth healthy and your smile bright. Did you know, however, that technique counts? You could be brushing but not getting your teeth as clean as you could be. Read on for tips on how to perfect your oral health regimen by picking up these good habits.

Brush for Two Minutes

If you’ve ever timed yourself brushing your teeth, you might have been surprised at how quickly you got the task accomplished. In this case, however, quicker does not equal better. You should spend two full minutes brushing to allow yourself to get to every surface of your each tooth. You can set a timer, play a song, or hum “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” four times.

Use Floss Properly

If you’re just snapping it between each tooth and calling it good, you’re probably not doing a very effective job flossing. You need to consciously move the floss along the inner edges of each tooth. This requires two passes in each space; first up and down the edge of the tooth closer to your midline, then up and down the edge of the tooth closer to the back of your mouth. Also, be sure to use a clean piece of floss for each space to avoid spreading bacteria around your mouth.

Clean Your Tongue

With lots of nooks and crannies, your tongue is prime bacteria real estate. Use a tongue scraper to clean your tongue each time you brush. You can also just use your toothbrush. Be careful; there’s no need to gag yourself.

Take Care of Your Toothbrush

Rinse your brush well after each use and allow it to air dry. Don’t put a cover on it; that can cause mold or bacteria to grow. Yuck! Change your toothbrush every three months or after you’ve had a cold or the flu.

See your dental hygienest every six months so he or she can evaluate your oral health regimen and check for decay or areas of gum inflammation. By perfecting your technique, you can keep your teeth for many years.

Foods That Strengthen Teeth

July 1, 2017

Filed under: Blog,Dental Health,General — Tags: , , , — southlakedental @ 1:27 pm

You might have heard the adage, “you are what you eat.” You know that filling up on sugary sweets or carb-filled salty snacks will do a number not only on your teeth, but also on your waistline. What you might not know is that the foods you eat can positively impact your teeth, too. Here are some foods that can strengthen teeth and brighten your smile.

Cheese and Yogurt

When you combine calcium and protein, you get a teeth-strengthening combination that’s hard to beat, and cheese and yogurt contain both of them. Yogurt also contains beneficial bacteria, which help to fight off decay-causing bacteria. In addition to the protein and calcium, cheese raises the pH in the mouth, which makes it harder for bacteria to stick around and do their dirty work. Go for the hard cheeses (such as cheddar) to keep both your bones and your teeth healthy and strong.

Apples and Strawberries

Apples and strawberries both help to scrub off the plaque that accumulates on your teeth in between brushing. If you’re unable to brush your teeth after lunch or a snack, following it up with a few slices of apple or a couple of strawberries can help. They can’t substitute for brushing twice daily, but these fruits are good for the times in between your morning and evening oral hygiene routines.

Celery and Raw Carrots

If you’re not in the mood for fruit after a snack, how about some celery and carrot sticks? These have the same effect as the strawberries or apples, and the provide a nice crunch for someone who isn’t looking for a sweet palate-cleanser.

Tea

While not exactly a food, tea contains antioxidants that help prevent plaque from sticking to teeth. In addition, some types of tea contain trace amounts of fluoride, which strengthens enamel. One caveat: If you take your tea sweetened with sugar, you could undo the benefits. Try it unsweetened or consider a pinch of stevia.

If you have questions about how you can strengthen teeth and make your smile healthier, give us a call! We’d be happy to talk about it during your next dental checkup.

Creative Commons image by Rodney

Pregnancy and Your Dental Care

June 1, 2017

Filed under: Blog,Dental Health — Tags: , — southlakedental @ 2:56 pm

When you are pregnant, it seems as though almost every part of your body changes. Your gums and teeth are no exception! It might surprise you to know that during pregnancy, you have special needs when it comes to your dental care. Take a look at these considerations that you should keep in mind.

Pregnancy Gingivitis

Even if you have never had gingivitis or cavities in the past, it can be disconcerting to notice that your gums are tender, swollen, and maybe even bleeding. This is in response to your hormone levels. It’s normal and common, and it will get better once your baby is born.

You will need to be extra vigilant about brushing and flossing while you are pregnant. Switch to a soft toothbrush if you are experiencing tenderness, and talk to your dentist if your gums are bleeding when you floss.

Dental Checkups

It’s just as important as ever to see your dentist regularly when you are pregnant. Having your teeth cleaned is a good way to keep bacteria under control and also gives the dentist an opportunity to see if there are any areas of concern. It’s best to schedule your cleaning during your second trimester if possible; this is the time when you will be least likely to be nauseated and most likely to be comfortable while laying back in the dental chair.

In most cases, x-rays will be postponed until after your baby arrives. The exception would be if you were to be having a problem that was not able to be diagnosed with a visual exam. Your dentist will use a lead apron to shield your baby from any radiation; also, keep in mind that the radiation used for dental x-rays is extremely low.

Dental Work

It’s safe to have most dental work done during pregnancy. You can have local anesthetic and filling materials used at any point of your pregnancy if it’s needed. With that being said, any cosmetic or non-urgent work can be put off until after your delivery. Your dentist can talk to you about the benefits and risks of either going ahead with dental work or waiting until after the baby is born.

Please call us to schedule an appointment for a cleaning if you don’t already have one. If you do have one set and it’s during the early weeks of your pregnancy and you aren’t feeling well or during the last month or two of your pregnancy, call and find out whether it would be better to reschedule it.

Creative Commons image by Jacob Bøtter

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