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Keeping your regularly scheduled dental visits is only one part of keeping your teeth and gums healthy for a lifetime.
Maintaining good oral hygiene is a simple daily way you can minimize or even eliminate the need of extensive dental treatment in the future. And, it only takes 5 minutes each day!
- Brush – Brush your teeth and gums two minutes twice a day. We recommend using a Sonicare toothbrush and a fluoride, tartar control toothpaste.
- Floss – Flossing is just as important as brushing and is often over looked. Floss your teeth at least once a day getting between the teeth and below the gum line. Floss aids such as Water Piks make flossing easy. Other floss aids include picks, battery powered, and one handed.
- Scrape - After brushing, a tongue scraper followed by a rinse is frequently the best way to control bad breath.
- Rinse – Using a mouth rinse for 10 -15 seconds after scraping helps eliminates the bacteria that causes bad breath. Be sure it is alcohol free. Alcohol dries out the tissue in your mouth and causes more bacteria growth.
You don’t have to clean all your teeth; only the ones you want to keep.
Fillings are needed when a tooth is affected by decay. Fillings restore the function and integrity of the tooth. In some cases where there is shallow decay, a sealant may be used instead of a filling. When a filling is necessary, Dr. Hale only uses composite fillings. Composite fillings are safer and more attractive than silver fillings.
After receiving a Composite Filling
Composite fillings set up hard right away. There is no waiting time to eat. Children should be observed until the anesthetic wears off. Due to the strange feeling of the anesthetic, many children and adults will chew the inside of their lips, cheeks, or tongue which can cause serious damage. Ask us about our numbing reversal!
Sensitivity to hot and cold is common for a few days following dental restoration. Usually, the deeper the cavity, the more sensitive the tooth will be. If you feel the bite is not correctly balanced, please call for an appointment for a simple adjustment.
The gum tissue could have been irritated during the procedure and may be sore for a day along with the anesthetic injection site.
The finished restoration may be contoured slightly different and have a different shape than the original tooth. Your tongue usually magnifies this small difference and will become adjusted to this in a few days.
Metal Filling Replacement
Replace your ugly black or silver fillings, which contain mercury, with natural, tooth colored composite fillings. Composite fillings are safer and more attractive than black and silver fillings. They are as strong as the tooth structure and look great!
Did you know that ONE PERSON EVERY HOUR DIES FROM ORAL CANCER IN THE UNITED STATES and 25% of oral cancer victims have no lifestyle risk factors?
At Today’s Dental, we are concerned about oral cancer and look for it in all our patients. Early detection of precancerous tissue can minimize or eliminate the potentially disfiguring or even deadly effects of oral cancer. Along with visual oral cancer screenings, Today’s Dental uses ViziLite Plus to help identify any suspicious areas that are difficult to detect during a conventional exam. A ViziLite Plus exam is painless and only takes a few minutes.
What you can’t see is more important than what you can see. Gingivitis or “gum disease” is a silent disease affecting 4 out of 5 adults. Good oral hygiene combined with regular scheduled cleaning will help eliminate or reduce the effects of Gingivitis. After evaluating your gums, Dr. Hale will work with you to customize a schedule to meet your specific needs. Click here to schedule cleanings for you and your family.
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