General Dentistry Visits Are Helpful for Your Oral Health: Learn Why

Visits to our general dentistry office are the one that we often describe as routine visits. Typically these are scheduled six months apart so that we can keep a careful watch on your oral health and ensure that you do not have any unforeseen problems with your mouth. Luckily there is a growing segment of educated patients that see the importance of these visits, and we can get them scheduled easily.

The question about why these visits are so important is actually an easy one to answer. Your mouth, teeth, and gums should be inspected every six months because they are the first step in your digestive process. Everything that goes in the mouth, or occurs naturally in the mouth, ultimately will end up in your digestive system and could, therefore, end up causing other health problems if an oral infection exists. Keeping your teeth and gums in perfect health is a good way to ensure that the rest of your body also has limited exposure to risks like oral infections.

Ironically the routine that we put you through when you come in for these visits are the very things that cause some patients to question if they really need to see their general dentist once every six months. From an outside perspective, we always seem to do the same things but there are important reasons why. First we will clean your teeth, which includes a polishing so that they are gleaming white. During the cleaning process, we will remove excess plaque from the teeth and the gums themselves. This helps to reduce the potential of erosion and decay. Next you may receive a fluoride treatment if necessary. Then the dentist will perform an oral examination. During this examination, we are looking for soft spots that may become cavities in the future and also active cavities that need to be filled. Sometimes x-rays may be in order to check on the inside of the tooth, the root, and the jawbone.

Finally, we will send you home with a brand new toothbrush and floss. Handing you, a toothbrush and floss is one of those subtle things that we do to keep your oral health in good condition. We know that most people forget to change their toothbrush once every six months, as is recommended. So when you come to our general dentistry office to get an examination we hand you a toothbrush as a reminder that the time has come to throw away the old one and replace it. We do not expect you to, necessarily, use the one we provide as long as you replace the old toothbrush at home.
Another thing we do but do not talk about, is give you a screening for oral cancer when we are examining your mouth. Oral cancer is a deadly disease that can, at times, go unnoticed. In order to combat this, we have made it a practice to examine your mouth, looking for signs of oral cancer every time you come in for a routine well visit. While your physician may be able to give you similar exam, when you visit our general dentistry office once every six months it is easier because nobody knows your teeth better than we do.

Cosmetic Dentistry  >  Implant Restoration

Ways to Keep Your Dentures in Excellent Condition

If you need dental prosthetics, dentures are an excellent way to replace missing teeth, whether you need to replace one or several. Fortunately, the dentures of today have improved significantly upon the older models and are now more comfortable and more secure than ever. You even have options between ones that are removable or affixed. We can make sure they look completely natural and feel good to wear. Then it is up to you to keep them in good condition. If you do, they could last for five years or longer.
Here are a few tips to try at home:

Handle them carefully. It is possible for your dentures to break if dropped. Be sure to keep them in good condition by handling them carefully and resting them on a clean towel once you have taken them out. You want to avoid accidentally dropping them or knocking them off the counter, since this could cause them to break or chip.

Brush daily. You need to keep your dentures clean just like natural teeth. To do so, use a soft toothbrush and brush gently with water. Be sure to avoid a brush with hard bristles and do not use traditional toothpaste, since both can cause them to become scratched.
Use a special dentures cleaning device. There are small cleaning devices that can be used to clean your dentures so they can be sparkling and white. All you need to do is place them inside with the special cleaning solution. The device works using ultrasound technology, though it cannot replace daily brushing.

Soak them nightly. It is important to keep your dentures moist, and to do so, remove them nightly and place them in either a soaking solution or water. Which one is right for your dentures will be based on the type of dentures you wear and whether or not they have metal clasps. We will give you specific guidance when you come into our office.

When you visit our dental office, we can provide you with further instruction regarding how to keep your dentures in excellent condition. Our goal is for you to maintain the ability to smile with confidence, eat your favorite foods, and speak clearly – all things a well-fitting prosthetic can provide. During regular appointments, we will examine your gums and check to see how well your dentures are fitting. These regular examinations are important since it is possible for your jawbone to change, causing your dentures to no longer fit properly.

Since the process of resorption naturally occurs after tooth loss, your jaw can essentially shrink, and as it does, your dentures can become loose. If this is the case, you could develop sores or have the inconvenience of having your dentures slip out of place. We can help to prevent this by discussing your other options like fixed dentures or even dental implants.

To learn more about the prosthetic solutions available to you, call and schedule an appointment today.

Cosmetic Dentistry  >  General Dentist