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With today’s modern sedation techniques & better understanding of the causes & solutions for dental phobia, there is no reason to fear the dentist. As dentists, the thing we fear the most is our patients being in pain or experiencing other challenges due to not visiting the dentist for checkups & treatment. Dentists & dental professionals are caring & compassionate people who got into dentistry to help others. Our primary goal is always your health & comfort, so if you experience dental phobia or fear, we will do everything we can to make visits to the dental clinic easy for you.
If you have dental fear or anxiety, it is very important that you tell the dentist, the dental hygienist, the dental assistant, & any of the other dental clinic staff who you directly interact with (for example, the receptionist or even the financial advisor). Don’t be afraid to tell us you’re uncomfortable! There is no way it’s the first time we’ve heard this & you are not alone. Plus, if we know you might be fearful or nervous, we can pull out all the stops to make sure you’re as comfortable & relaxed as possible.
We also recognize that dental anxiety can be a generalized anxiety about going to the dental clinic, or anxiety about a specific dental procedure or routine. For example, if you’re fairly comfortable at the dentist but feel anxious at the sound of an ultrasonic dental scaler, be sure to let us know so we can attempt to make you more comfortable.
We’re also aware that there’s such thing as dental phobia, that is more generalized & not necessarily rational. No matter your level of anxiety or fear, there are many ways we can put you at ease at our dental clinic & restore a positive relationship with your dental care.
For those with fairly mild dental anxiety, we can offer you creature comforts to distract or insulate you from certain irritations. If the sounds of certain dental procedures bother you, we can offer you earplugs. Or, you can wear headphones & listen to music that you find calming or that will distract you. We can offer you headphones if you do not bring your own. We can also provide sunglasses to protect your eyes from the light the dentist may be using to see inside your mouth.
From breathing exercises to simply talking to you, our dental hygienists & dentists are happy to walk you through calming techniques to guide you away from anxiety & back to calm. We’ll be encouraging when you’re doing well & understanding when you are not. If you’re starting to get uncomfortable, just signal us & we’ll pause the procedure until you’re able to go on.
Sedation is a fantastic option for those who have dental anxiety or fear. And just like there are different level of dental anxiety, there are different levels of sedation to go along with it.
Intravenous or I.V. sedation is the most powerful form of sedation & is sometimes referred to as “being put under”. I.V. sedation is usually administered by an anesthesiologist or a dental professional certified in anesthesiology. With I.V. sedation you will be unconscious during your dental procedure & may have very little memory of it when you wake up. You’ll be groggy afterward, so a friend will need to take you home.
Pill sedation involves taking an oral sedative prior to your visit or procedure. This can be prescribed by the dentist once you have had a conversation about your dental anxiety. You will receive instructions on how soon before your appointment to take your pill so it will be in full effect during your visit. Similarly to I.V., you may be groggy as the sedation wears off, so a friend should help you get home.
Lastly & probably most common is nitrous oxide or “laughing gas” sedation. This involves inhaling a scentless gas that calms & relaxes you. Unlike the more powerful options of I.V. & pill sedation, nitrous oxide sedation only lasts while you are inhaling it. That means that after your procedure is over & the inhalation device has been removed, you’ll be back to normal without any grogginess.
Once again, we have to emphasize that it’s very important for you to tell us if you have dental anxiety. The last thing we would want is to put you in an uncomfortable situation that could have been eased or avoided by having a conversation about your anxiety. We have lots of experience working with anxious patients & we encourage you to think of us as a partner in healing & alleviating your dental anxiety.
As the dental health professionals in charge of keeping your smile healthy, we want to do everything we can to keep potential health threats away from your teeth. We all know that sugar can cause major problems when it comes to oral health, particularly tooth decay. That being said, we know it’s unrealistic to tell you to stay away from sugar all together. Still, we want to give you the best opportunities to take good care of your teeth, so here are a few yummy low sugar dessert recipes you can use to satisfy your sweet tooth without overdoing it on sugar!
These yummy brownies promise all the chocolaty goodness of a regular brownie without packing a big sugar punch. Rather that lots of granulated sugar, this recipe includes a liquid sweetener such as maple syrup or brown rice syrup instead. Get the complete recipe from Lauren at Oatmeal With a Fork here.
These creamy & tangy key lime cheesecake bars are sure to be a refreshing treat despite the fact that they contain barely any sugar! If you’re a fan of raw diet options, you should also note that this is a no-bake recipe (but it does contain graham crackers, which are baked). Get the full recipe plus a great video showing the preparation process at Better Homes And Gardens here.
You’ll be stunned at how easy these sweet & chewy cookies are to make! Just like the title says, there are only two ingredients: old-fashioned oats & super ripe bananas. Plus, as recipe-writer Camilla suggests, you can punch up the flavor & the texture with additional ingredients such as peanuts & shredded coconut. Get the entire recipe from Power Hungry here.
This twist on a traditional pudding is sure to satisfy your spiced pumpkin pie cravings without the usual load of sugar that goes along with it. This recipe is also no-bake, dairy free & contains chia seeds which are often called a superfood. Get the full recipe at Low Carb Yum here.
Got another low-sugar or sugar-free dessert favorite? Share it with us & we’ll be sure to tell the rest of our family of dental patients about it!
As your dental clinic, it’s our responsibility to help guide you through your oral health care so it is as easy & affordable as possible. As a result, we’re dedicated to helping you make the most of your dental insurance, ensuring you get the care you need & you take advantage of every benefit available to you.
Did you know that your dental benefits don’t roll over from year to year? Once you reach the end of the calendar year, your annual dental benefits disappear for good, whether or not you’ve used them.
What do we mean by dental benefits? One of the best examples of a dental insurance benefit are the preventive care services that are usually covered between 80% to 100%, meaning the insurance company pays 80%-100% of the cost of the service . For example, most dental insurance plans give you two teeth cleaning visits each year covered at 100%, meaning you pay nothing out-of-pocket for your dental hygiene visit. Most insurance plans also fully cover at least one set of full mouth x-rays each year.
However, if you’ve visited the dentist for one teeth cleaning this year, that doesn’t mean you get three teeth cleanings next year! Instead, that free cleaning that you skipped goes away at the end of the year & you never get it back!
Another example of your insurance benefits is your annual maximum, meaning the maximum amount that your dental insurance company will pay toward your dental care each year. Annual maximums vary greatly, but say your plan’s maximum is $2,500. If you’ve only used $500 of that $2,500 by the end of the year, the remaining $2,000 disappears & you never get to use it. Essentially, you’re leaving money on the table!
So what should you do if the year is almost up & you still have some of your annual maximum left? Well, this is why the end of the year is a great time to start recommended treatment. First of all, if you haven’t had both your teeth cleanings this year, call us as soon as possible to schedule your second cleaning before the end of the year!
As another example, imagine we told you that you need a crown on one of your molars but you haven’t actually completed the treatment yet. If you continue to put off getting the crown until the beginning of next year, you’ll be throwing away your remaining annual maximum for this year & using up next year’s benefits early instead. That means if you need any other treatment during the course of next year, you will have already used up your annual maximum & will have to pay out-of-pocket for it. Using up this year’s insurance maximum could actually save you money next year by ensuring you don’t hit your maximum too early!
So if you have dental treatment recommendations from us that you haven’t completed yet, give us a call as soon as possible so we can schedule your visit before the end-of-year rush. We’d be happy to help you check to see if you’ve hit your annual maximum yet & help you make the most of the money you have remaining on your insurance plan.
Whether you’ve lost teeth to decay, periodontal disease or an accident, we know that having a missing tooth can be embarrassing, inconvenient & often very uncomfortable. Luckily, there are many options for restoring your teeth, but with so many options, there is also some confusion. In this post we’re going to break down the choice between dentures & dental implants for replacing missing teeth.
Dentures are a set of false teeth that fit over the gums (full dentures) or clip into place on existing teeth (partial dentures). You can get dentures for your upper teeth, your lower teeth, or both. Dentures also have a gum-colored acrylic base that can be matched to the color of your actual gums to look natural.
Dental implants are an artificial tooth root made from a titanium metal post. The implant is inserted into the bone of the jaw under the gums, where it can act as the foundation for an artificial tooth, called a crown, to be permanently attached with a dental cement. Dental implants have ridges on them that make them resemble screws. The purpose of these ridges is actually to give the bone of your jaw more surface area to hold onto & grow around, a process called osseointegration. Once in place, dental implants & crowns are nearly indistinguishable from natural teeth & function just like them too.
Ultimately, most dentists will strongly encourage the use of implants for replacing missing teeth. Dentists know that dental implants are the best choice for both your oral health & your comfort. As much as we think about teeth on a daily basis, we don’t want you to have to think of yours constantly! Once a patient’s implants are placed & healed, they can return to a life with a fully functional smile.
Like any dental procedure, your choice of which treatment to undergo & the results you can expect all depend in your individual dental condition. When we make a recommendation of treatment for replacing missing teeth, we take your current oral health, your health history, your ultimate goals & your financial preferences into account. If you’re interested in either dentures or dental implants, please arrange a consultation with us.
Humans have been using toothbrushes to remove food from teeth for thousands of years. Early toothbrushes were sticks with frayed ends, & later brushes were made from bone, wood or ivory & animal hairs. We have come a long way since then, & toothbrushes today are very effective at removing food & plaque & keeping your teeth & gums clean to prevent tooth decay.
Why Brush Your Teeth?
Brushing your teeth removes food & plaque, which is bacteria that eats away at your teeth & can build up & become tartar, a hardened form of plaque. Without daily brushing, plaque & tartar can build up, & the acids that they produce can erode your tooth enamel & irritate your gums. Brushing your teeth can help prevent cavities & gum disease, so be sure to brush every day! The ADA recommends brushing a minimum of twice a day (usually morning & before bed).
Types of Toothbrushes
There are two types of toothbrushes: manual & powered. Both types are equally effective at cleaning your teeth, but powered toothbrushes can be fun for children & easy to use for people who have trouble using manual toothbrushes. Use whichever type is easiest for you.
Bristles on toothbrushes vary in toughness, from soft to hard, & most dentists recommend using a soft-bristled toothbrush. Hard bristles can actually damage your enamel, irritate your gums & can contribute to tooth sensitivity!
No matter which type of toothbrush you use, you should brush twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste & replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months, or whenever the bristles seem frayed. Many toothbrushes even have wear indicators in the bristles that will lose color or change color when the toothbrush needs to be replaced.
For recommendations on how to choose a toothbrush that is best for your smile, ask your dentist or dental hygienist. And remember, brushing at home is not enough to ensure your dental health. Be sure to visit the dentist at least every six months for your professional cleaning! We may even throw in a free toothbrush.
The best way to choose a toothpaste is to ask for a recommendation from your dentist—they will know your needs the best—but here are some tips for choosing a toothpaste yourself!
What Is Toothpaste?
Toothpastes are gels, pastes or powders that help remove plaque from teeth. They are made of made of small abrasive particles (like silicates & salts), fluoride, humectants (used to keep the paste moist), thickeners (like natural gums, cellulose or seaweed), detergents (for foaming action) & flavoring agents. Different toothpastes do different things—like whitening, preventing gum disease & protecting sensitive teeth—but all ADA complying toothpastes contain fluoride.
What Is Fluoride?
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that helps keep teeth clean & tooth enamel strong by making it more resistant to acids that decay your teeth. Fluoride can be found in tea, wine, raisins, potatoes, lamb & carrots! Some communities also put a safe amount in their tap water. Before water fluoridation, children had about three times as many cavities!
The fluoride you get from food, water & toothpastes is applied topically to your teeth & becomes part of your saliva, which means your teeth get constantly bathed in fluoride throughout the day. It’s a great way to prevent tooth decay & strengthen your enamel.
In addition to fluoride in toothpaste & in drinking water, you dentist may suggest an in-office topical fluoride treatment. This treatment is usually recommended for children, but can also be performed on adults.
Types of Toothpastes
Different toothpastes contain different things to affect the teeth in specific ways. Some toothpastes contain ingredients to reduce tooth sensitivity, to help reduce gingivitis, to remove tartar (a build up of hardened plaque) or to whiten teeth by removing surface stains. You can even find fruit-flavored toothpastes to encourage your children to develop good brushing habits!
Make sure to always use toothpaste with fluoride in it to help prevent tooth decay, but you can find toothpastes with additional ingredients to do all of the above! Ask your dentist which toothpaste is best for your smile.
There have been unanswered calls, deleted voicemails, ignored texts, & friendly reminders that never make it out of the envelope…we both know it’s been a while since you visited the dentist. If all our efforts to reconnect with you haven’t convinced you, maybe the following 5 reasons to see the dentist will get you to take care of your teeth properly again!
If you are experiencing a toothache or pain in your gums or another part of your mouth, you should see us as soon as possible. We know this sounds obvious, but a surprising number of people put off going to the dentist when they’re in pain, either because they think it might get better on it’s own, or they’re afraid of what the treatment will cost. We can tell you from experience putting off getting treatment for a toothache will make it more expensive, not less! Plus, we don’t want any of our patients to be in pain for any length of time. The sooner you see us the sooner we can make the pain go away. If you’re experiencing oral pain, especially if accompanied by swelling or redness, please call right away.
While tooth sensitivity can be a result of relatively harmless things such as over-brushing or sensitivity to chemicals in tooth whitening toothpaste, it can also be a sign of a serious oral health problem. Tooth sensitivity to heat or cold can be a sign of a cracked tooth, a filling that’s gone bad, a cavity, tooth erosion, or even gum disease. If you’ve suddenly developed tooth sensitivity, please come in to see us. Not only will we be able to diagnose potential problems, we can offer treatments or advice that may reduce or eliminate the sensitivity.
Bleeding gums can be a sign of serious oral health problems, particularly gingivitis & gum disease (periodontal disease), which can lead to lots of pain, expense, & tooth extraction. Still, we know that many people see a bit of blood when they brush or floss their teeth & don’t think much of it. But consider this: you wash your hands all the time as a way to prevent disease. If your hands started bleeding every time you washed them, wouldn’t you contact your doctor? Same goes for your mouth: if it bleeds when you brush or floss, call us right away!
It’s easy to forget that your oral health affects your overall health & that the opposite is also true. If you have been recently diagnosed with diabetes, you should let us know, as this condition puts you at higher risk for gum disease & poor oral hygiene has also been shown to exacerbate diabetes symptoms. Patients who are starting treatment for cancer should also contact us, as many cancer treatments can have serious side effects on your oral health. If you’ve recently been put on a medication that causes dry mouth, you may be more prone to tooth decay or other problems, so please let us know which medications you’re on & which side effects you’re experiencing. Women who who have become pregnant should also tell us right away, as pregnancy can create changes in your oral health, particularly your gums. These are just a few examples. If you’ve experienced a serious change in your health, please let us know so we can keep an eye on its effect on your smile.
Your teeth don’t hurt, your gums don’t bleed, you brush & floss regularly, you don’t have that much plaque or tartar build up, your teeth are not too yellow, you think your breath smells fine, so why should you visit the dentist? The truth is, many potential dental problems start with no noticeable symptoms at all. Visiting us regularly for a teeth cleaning & dental exam is the best way to detect unseen problems. For example, we do periodic x-rays of your teeth during your visit because it helps us spot cavities that may be starting between your teeth or under fillings that would otherwise not be visible to the naked eye & aren’t yet causing your pay. When you visit us we can detect signs of a problem that you may not know to look for, such as signs of tooth grinding or even oral cancer. Plus, why would you want to miss out on that wonderful smooth & fresh smile that you can only get after a cleaning at the dentist?
Many millions of people suffer from tooth sensitivity at some point in their life, usually in the form of tooth pain in reaction to heat or cold. Tooth sensitivity has many causes, some more easily fixed than others. However, it’s important to know that tooth sensitivity is sometimes a sign of a more serious dental problem of condition. What follows are the basics of what you should know about having sensitive teeth.
First, we need to have an understanding of how teeth are constructed. The hard, shiny outer layer of your teeth is called enamel. This layer protects the softer, porous layer below, which is called dentin. On the part of your tooth that is rooted in your gums, the dentin is protected by a thin, hard layer called cementum. Inside the center of your tooth is the root canal, which contains a substance called the pulp, made up of nerves & blood vessels.
Tooth pain or sensitivity occurs when dentin is somehow exposed & heat or cold is able to penetrate through it & irritate your tooth’s nerve. Wearing away of enamel & cementum, along with receding gums, can cause dentin to become exposed.
You can wear away enamel a few ways:
In addition to erosion, tooth sensitivity can also be caused by a crack or a cavity in your tooth that you may not have realized is there yet. If you have persistent, intense sensitivity that doesn’t go away for a few days, come see as soon as you can so we can look for decay or damage.
The same goes for old fillings that may have become loose or developed tooth decay around them. Fluids can get under & around the filling & irritate the nerve through the dentin. If you find that a tooth with a filling has become extra sensitive, you should also come to the dental clinic immediately so we can see if the filling needs to be replaced.
Some people also experience tooth sensitivity after dental procedures, particularly professional teeth whitening or bleaching. People with hypersensitive teeth can also be irritated by the chemicals in some tooth whitening toothpastes.
Tooth sensitivity is also a notable symptom of gum disease. When you have gum disease, your gums can start to pull away or recede from your teeth, leaving the dentin exposed.
Often the best treatment for tooth sensitivity is a change in your habits & oral care routine. If you brush too hard or use a hard bristle toothbrush, switch to a soft bristle brush & try to brush less aggressively. If you’re irritated by a whitening toothpaste, try switching to an anti-sensitivity toothpaste that also contains fluoride, which helps remineralized & strengthen tooth enamel. With these changes, your tooth sensitivity will decrease & likely disappear over time.
If you still experience a level of sensitivity that bothers you, please talk to us. We may be able to offer you treatments, such as a topical anti-sensitivity paste, that can help.
Our team has been caring for our community for a while now & we’ve noticed many patients come to us with the same questions over & over again. Always feel free to ask us questions when you have them! In the meantime, check out the FAQ & answers below to learn more about your oral health.
Everyone knows about cavities & how they affect your teeth and your oral health, but you never hear very much about gum disease. What is gum disease? How can you protect your gums and teeth from gum disease? And what causes it anyway?
Gum disease (officially called periodontal disease) is the infection of the gums. It is caused by bacteria getting under your gum tissue & eroding your gums & teeth. If left untreated, gum disease can lead to many health issues, including tooth loss, heart disease, stroke & diabetes.
Gingivitis is an early stage of gum disease that manifests as inflammation. Your gums might be swollen & red, & they might bleed when you brush your teeth or floss. Gingivitis can be treated by maintaining your oral health with regular brushing, flossing & visits to your dentist.
Periodontitis is a more serious form of gum disease that erodes the bone & tissues surrounding your teeth. If left untreated, periodontitis can cause you to lose your teeth!
Gum disease occurs when plaque builds up on your teeth, so the best thing you can do to combat it is to clean your teeth regularly!
Gum disease is caused by a variety of factors & has been linked to illnesses that affect your immune system. You are at a higher risk for gum disease if you have cancer, diabetes & HIV, because your immune system can’t fight the bacterial infections that might lead to periodontal disease as well.
Smokers, pregnant women & people with high stress levels are also at risk, & some medications that cause dry mouth can put you at risk as well.
In its early stages, gum disease can be managed & prevented by regular brushing & flossing. Visiting your dentist for a professional cleaning goes a long way toward keeping your gums & teeth healthy as well! If your dentist sees signs of gum disease during your dental exam, they can do deep cleanings called scaling & root planing to remove plaque & tartar from your teeth & keep your gums healthy. If your gum disease is more serious, it might require surgeries, such as gum tissue or bone grafts.
If your gums bleed when your brush or floss, or if you notice your gums are red, swollen or painful, please tell us right away at your next appointment. But keep in mind that many people who have the early stages of gum disease experience no obvious symptoms or pain.
Please note that there is no cure for gum disease. Once you have gum disease it can be treated & managed, but not cured. This makes prevention & early detection of the disease vital to keeping your mouth as healthy as possible.
Dentists & hygienists are trained to detect the signs of gum disease. That’s why controlling gum disease through regular cleanings is such a good way to take care of your teeth—& your overall health!
