It’s all connected. Ten years ago, who knew that green tea was good for your gum health or that cavities were contagious? Everyday we are learning more from research about how things happen in your mouth are connected to the rest of your body. We now know that by keeping your gums healthy, you can even keep your heart healthier.
It’s all about teamwork. You can count on us to listen and provide options & information to guide you in making solid decisions about your oral health. We’re here to support you along the way.
Brush at least twice a day. If you can, brush after every meal. Brushing removes plaque, a film of bacteria that clings to teeth. When bacteria in plaque come into contact with food, they produce acids. These acids lead to cavities. If you don’t think you’re doing it right...you can always ask us.
Floss once a day. Flossing gets rid of food and plaque between the teeth, where your toothbrush cannot reach. If plaque stays between teeth, it can harden into tartar, which must be removed by a dentist. For more information please visit the websites of American Dental Association & Academy of General Dentistry.
Dentists have long known about the connection between a healthy teeth and a balanced diet. You can take big steps toward good oral health following these few recommendations:
- Eat meals high in natural vitamins and minerals
- Avoid foods and snacks high in sugars and refined carbohydrates
- Drink plenty of water
- Avoid eating before bedtime
- Remember that what is good for your body is good for your mouth
- More info about healthy nutrition at www.mypyramid.gov
Visiting your dentist regularly makes it easy for us to be your partner in oral health.
Hypersensitivity affects 45 million adults in the
United States. You may experience tooth discomfort after eating cold or hot foods or liquids or even breathing cold air.
Your gum tissue acts like a protective blanket to cover the roots of the teeth. Sensitivity can happen when your gums recede exposing the roots of your teeth.
We can help reduce much of the pain you may be experiencing by helping to create new protection for the exposed root and reduce the pain. Most of our options are simple, conservative and low cost.
Your child's first visit to a dental clinic must be a pleasant experience. A bad first impression may last a lifetime. The right time to bring a child for a dental visit is before all the primary (milk) teeth have appearedtypically before the age of three. This sets the stage for optimal preventive dentistry.
Reasons for an early visit:
- Bringing a child when there is no emergency will make the visit a pleasant experience.
- Parents may not recognize a dental problem in it's early stages.
- We can prevent problems like decay from occurring.
- We can provide coaching on nutrition and home care.
Children can develop fear of the dental clinic from both personal experience and what a child hears from others.
Tips for a Positive First Visit:
- Be positive when you inform your child about this visit.
- Make it sound like a routine item.
- Help your child to get familiar with the dental clinic.
- Most important—do not show any anxiety or fear yourself. Children pickup nonverbal cues and tend to mirror the emotions of their parents.
Development of Children's Teeth Children have two sets of teeth, primary (milk or baby) teeth and permanent teeth. Both sets are important for children's speech, chewing, and for appearance. Additionally, milk teeth help in the proper development of muscles for chewing, and they also maintain the space so permanent teeth can erupt in their correct positions.
From birth to the age of six months there are no teeth in the mouth. It is beneficial for parents to clean the gum-pads with a soft cloth.
The first tooth appears in your child's mouth at the age of six months. Parents are required to begin brushing these teeth to prevent them from decaying. All the milk teeth erupt in the mouth by the age of two years. There are 20 milk teeth. Parents must brush their child's teeth, as the child will be unable to do so. The child can gradually be taught to brush his/her own teeth as soon as they have learnt to spit out the toothpaste.
These teeth are shed between the age of seven and twelve years, and are replaced by permanent teeth. But we have 32 permanent teeth, and the additional twelve permanent teeth erupt behind the milk teeth. The first one of these erupts at the age of six years, and is called the first permanent molar. This is a very important tooth.
All permanent teeth erupt by the age of 14 years, except the wisdom teeth, which usually erupt between the age of 17 and 25 years.
