Dental 360° – Nevada Winter Issue

Dental 360° – Nevada Winter Issue

The holiday season is here! In this winter issue of Dental 360°, find out why regular dentist visits are so important, learn about the work Roseman Dental & Orthodontics is doing with infants to treat cleft lip and palate, and get the facts about how what you eat affects your oral health. You’ll also get an in-depth look from Roseman Medical Group at why vaccines are important and safe.

Roseman Dental & Orthodontics’ Dental 360° is a monthly e-newsletter. Each month you’ll receive a panoramic view of dental health. Dental health is key to your overall health and here at Roseman Dental & Orthodontics, we are dedicated to improving not only your mouth, but your whole self. At our clinic we have an excellent team of licensed dentists, orthodontists, orthodontic residents – 30 to be exact, and dental residents all focused on you and your family’s oral health. Roseman Dental & Orthodontics has been serving its community since 2009 and is a comprehensive, one-stop shop for all your dental needs including dental, orthodontic and craniofacial cleft lip & palate treatment.

We hope you find Dental 360° helpful and informative. We look forward to connecting with you each month.

Happy holidays, and all the best for the new year! We’ll meet you there.

Dental 360° Winter Articles

A Dentist Twice A Year Keeps the Cavities Away
Treating Cleft Lip and Palate in Infants
Your Diet and Your Mouth 
Immunizations and Vaccines 

 

Subscribe to e-newsletter

 

Click Here to Leave a Review

A Dentist Twice a Year Keeps the Cavities Away

Proper dental hygiene at home goes a long way toward keeping your mouth healthy. Brushing and flossing at least twice a day is an important part of your oral health regimen. In addition, a regular cleaning and examination at the dentist’s office is necessary to ensure the longevity of your teeth.

Early Detection

Dentists recommend that patients come in for a professional cleaning every six months. These visits usually include X-rays to check for tooth health and cavities, and a special cleaning by the hygienist to remove plaque with a polisher and metal scaler. When the cleaning is done, the dentist looks for plaque formation and cavities, and checks for signs of inflammation or other warning of potential problems. If detected early, cavities can be drilled and filled while they are small, before they abscess. Abscessed teeth often need to be pulled, and can also lead to a root canal in adults or a pulpectomy in children. Regular visits to the dentist can save you the pain of these procedures by catching problems early.

Save Your Smile

Without regular cleanings, minor tooth problems can get out of control. Besides a root canal, poor hygiene and infrequent dental check-ups can lead to the need for more complex procedures, including extractions, bridges, crowns, veneers, implants, and dentures. Dentists are also often the first ones to notice that braces or other corrective devices are necessary. Braces and retainers not only make smiles straighter and more pleasing; they also ensure that teeth line up correctly for chewing, speaking, and swallowing, all vital functions of your mouth.

Save Money

Skipping or not scheduling dentist appointments puts your teeth at risk. While there is a cost to getting regular cleanings and check-ups, waiting until a dental emergency can cost a lot more. Many dental insurance plans cover the cost of cleanings, and patients without insurance can often work with a dentist to get an affordable price. Medical procedures such as pulling teeth, drilling cavities, crowning teeth and inserting bridges can cost hundreds or even thousands of, so it makes financial sense to get a check-up and cleaning every six months and avoid the cost (and discomfort) of repairing problems that could have been detected early.

Keeping up with your dentist doesn’t have to be a challenge. Schedule the next appointment at every visit. During a move, add “find a dentist” to the to-do list, right along with “update address.” Going to the dentist regularly is one of the simplest, and most important, ways to maintain dental health.

Oral Health & Aging

Your body changes as you grow and age, and your mouth is no exception. Understanding how your mouth changes with age will help you make the right decisions to stay healthy.

Tooth Anatomy

The teeth have several parts:

  • The outermost layer is the enamel. This is the part of the tooth you are accustomed to seeing, and is the strongest tissue in the body. It is hard, shiny, and white, and covers the chewing surface or crown of the tooth.
  • Dentin is a brown layer below the enamel, and makes up most of the tooth. Although dentin is porous, it’s hard and solid.
  • Below the dentin is the pulp of the tooth. This soft tissue houses blood vessels, nerves and other connective tissue, nourishing teeth as they grow. Once teeth are mature, the pulp provides sensory input from the tooth to the body.
  • Each tooth has roots, which are anchored in bone.
  • Teeth are surrounded by soft pink tissue called gums.

Your Aging Mouth: Enamel and Dentin

Once a tooth reaches maturity, it contains all the enamel it will ever have. The dentin layer, however, is constantly growing thicker. Though teeth start out completely covered in white enamel, the enamel wears away over time. At the same time, the brown dentin layer continues to thicken. The result is a darkening or discoloration of the teeth with age as the dentin layer becomes visible below the enamel. Even good oral hygiene cannot stop these changes from occurring. However, bleaching or veneers can help whiten teeth for improved appearance.

Your Aging Mouth: Pulp, Bones and Gums

As the dentin in teeth thickens, the pulp chamber inside the teeth shrinks. This leads to less sensitive teeth, which can be a problem because cavities may go undetected in older people with decreased tooth sensitivity. Gum disease can cause bones in the jaw and mouth to deteriorate. Bacteria and plaque on the teeth cause pockets to form between your teeth and gums, leading to infection. If left untreated, this infection can deteriorate the bones, causing teeth to loosen or fall out. Warning signs of gum diseases include bleeding gums or teeth that appear longer than they once did. This can be an indication that the gums are pulling away from the teeth. If you think you may have gum disease, regardless of your age, see a dentist at once.

As you age, your body matures and changes. Being aware of these changes can help you make informed decisions about your health. The providers at Roseman Dental are great resources for understanding dental health and accessing high quality, affordable dental care.

Dental 360° – Nevada November Issue

Dental 360° – Nevada November Issue

Here come the holidays! During this busy season, taking care of yourself is important. In the November issue of Dental 360°, get the facts about infant and toddler dental care, learn how to keep plaque at bay, and find out how diabetes impacts oral health. Plus, dig into an overview of orthodontic treatment needs and options.

Roseman Dental & Orthodontics’ Dental 360° is a monthly e-newsletter. Each month you’ll receive a panoramic view of dental health. Dental health is key to your overall health and here at Roseman Dental & Orthodontics, we are dedicated to improving not only your mouth, but your whole self. At our clinic we have an excellent team of licensed dentists, orthodontists, orthodontic residents – 30 to be exact, and dental residents all focused on you and your family’s oral health. Roseman Dental & Orthodontics has been serving its community since 2009 and is a comprehensive, one-stop shop for all your dental needs including dental, orthodontic and craniofacial cleft lip & palate treatment.

We hope you find Dental 360° helpful and informative. We look forward to connecting with you each month.

Dental 360° November Articles

The Diabetes & Oral Health Connection
Preventing Plaque
Infant and Toddler Oral Health Basics
Orthodontic Treatment
How to Tackle Tough Eating Triggers

 

Subscribe to e-newsletter

 

Click Here to Leave a Review

Infant and Toddler Oral Health Basics

If you are the parent of a baby or toddler and your family has successfully made it through the dreaded teething stage, you may be wondering what the next step is in terms of your child’s oral hygiene and care. Dental professionals agree that the sooner a child can see a dentist, the better. This is particularly true when it comes to preventing dental health issues. Periodontal disease and many other dental problems that commonly affect children are more likely to occur in children who do not receive regular dental care and evaluations.

If you’re thinking it’s not that big of a deal because your child will lose those baby teeth anyway, keep in mind that these issues can lead to a broad range of more significant problems down the line, including nutritional problems from trouble eating and drinking, and problems with speech development and self-esteem.

When to Schedule Your Child’s First Dental Visit

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), infants and toddlers should have an oral evaluation performed within six months of the appearance of his or her first tooth. Because there’s so much variability among children as to when that first tooth erupts, AAPD recommends visiting a dentist for an evaluation before the child’s first birthday even if that first tooth has yet to appear.

Oral Health at Home

While seeing a dentist early on improves your child’s chances of optimal oral health, there are several other things you can do in the comfort of your own home. AAPD recommends avoiding putting children to sleep with a bottle of milk or juice, and not allowing them to sip on a bottle with those things in it throughout the day either. Both actions increase your child’s chance of tooth decay. If your child has trouble falling asleep without a bottle, make sure it contains only water, and try to take it away entirely before your child hits the one-year mark.

Another tip is to gently wipe their gums and teeth with a soft washcloth to remove bacteria, and to start doing this early on so they get used to it. There are also infant “brushes” that go on the finger.

When it comes to your child’s oral health, prevention is paramount. Taking the aforementioned tips and seeing a dentist early on are the best ways to set your child up for healthy teeth and gums. Roseman Dental offers care for even the youngest members of your family.

.

Preventing Plaque

Spending your day in the dentist’s chair having plaque scraped from teeth is no fun. While it is necessary to go to your dentist for regular cleanings, there are also some things you can do to prevent plaque build-up before you get to the dentist. Most people would probably rather go this route because it usually means a short and uneventful checkup.

Plaque 101

Plaque is a sticky layer of bacteria and sugars. It forms a film on teeth that makes them feel rough to the tongue. Acids in plaque attack the teeth, which eventually leads to cavities. When plaque forms below the gumline and between teeth, the bacteria may also begin to attack the sensitive tissue of the gums, leading to gum disease. As gums become infected, they pull away from the roots of the teeth and form pockets full of bacteria and pus. This can lead to tooth loss, as well as a number of other serious health problems.

Preventing Plaque Buildup

Although everyone develops plaque, no one has to put up with it on their teeth. Proper brushing and flossing techniques successfully remove most plaque. Since plaque is continually produced from the reactions of bacteria, saliva, and food, brushing and flossing should be done at the beginning of the day and the end, as well as after meals or after consuming drinks or foods high in sugar. In some cases, brushing and flossing within thirty minutes of eating or drinking may harm enamel softened by acid, so it’s best to wait a little while after eating before you brush.

Proper Brushing Technique

The American Dental Association recommends using a soft-bristled toothbrush that is small enough to reach all areas of the mouth. Make sure you’re using a toothpaste that contains fluoride, which strengthens tooth enamel. The bristles should move gently along the gums and teeth at a 45 degree angle in short, circular strokes that cover all the surfaces of each tooth. Brushing the tongue is also recommended to remove excess bacteria.

Proper Flossing Technique

Floss is the most effective tool for fighting plaque. The floss should be guided between teeth with a gentle back and forth motion, following the sides of each tooth all the way up to the point where it meets resistance at the gumline. Although it is best to floss every day, even flossing three or four times each week is helpful in removing some plaque, protecting the gums from disease, and shortening the time in the dental chair.

Even if you follow all these tips for removing plaque, there is still no substitute for a dental checkup and cleaning (recommended every six months). However, if you keep your teeth clean in between checkups, your next dentist visit should be quick and easy. Make an appointment at Roseman Dental for a full check-up from one of our highly qualified and compassionate providers.