August 2016 - Westgate Dental Care Blog

August 19, 2016

6f422f1b-1d61-480a-9859-b76d0d168963

WE’VE MENTIONED IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN… Flossing is an essential part of good oral hygiene. Many people don’t see the need for flossing when they already brush their teeth; others simply hate the task. We understand that it can be tedious! But as your trusted dental professionals, we want to assure you that flossing will greatly benefit your dental and overall health.

So, How Does Flossing Benefit My Health?

Did you know that when you don’t floss, you miss cleaning 35 percent of tooth surfaces in your mouth? That’s because brushing simply cannot get into those hard-to-reach spaces between your teeth. Unfortunately, however, bacteria can! Flossing completes brushing by cleaning the spaces your toothbrush can’t.

Regular flossing can:

Prevent cavities. Have you ever flossed, even after brushing your teeth, and were surprised to find a remnant of your last meal? Flossing removes food debris and plaque, preventing cavity formation between the teeth, a common place for tooth decay.
Fight bad breath. If food or plaque are left in between teeth, they will eventually release a bad smell. Yuck!
Inhibit tartar buildup and gum disease. If left on teeth for too long, plaque hardens into tartar, which can only be removed by a dental professional. The presence of tartar can lead to gum disease and tooth loss. Gum disease is associated with other systemic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
Improve your appearance. Food debris and plaque make teeth look more yellow and gritty. Clean, healthy teeth always appear whiter and brighter!

From years of experience, we can confidently say that flossing makes a big difference in your oral and overall health.

For Flossing To Work, It Has To Be Done Correctly

To reap the benefits of flossing, it has to be done correctly. In a 2006 study, researchers wanted to see whether flossing at home had the same benefits as having daily flossing done by professionals. The study showed that participants who were flossed professionally had a 40 percent decrease in their risk of cavities than their at-home flossing counterparts. The researchers concluded that flossing, when done properly, has a substantial, positive effect on oral health.

Many people simply snap the floss in between their teeth and pull it back out. The correct way, however, is to curve the floss around the tooth, as if the floss were hugging it. Still curved around the tooth, move the floss up and down to scrape the plaque. Do the same on the other tooth.

Take The Flossing Challenge

We’d like to challenge you to make daily flossing a part of your oral healthcare routine. We promise you’ll feel the difference! If you still have questions about flossing, call or come in to see us. Seeing our patients is the best part of our day!

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions. Top image by Flickr user angela n. used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

August 18, 2016

Do you hide your smile because of missing teeth? If so, imagine what it would feel like to correct the problem, knowing you could smile again with confidence!

Attaining a healthy, beautiful smile again doesn’t just have to be a dream – it could be a reality with dental implants.

Why choose dental implants?

There are many benefits of dental implants as a solution for missing teeth or even decayed, diseased, or damaged teeth. Dental implants look and feel completely natural, restoring your smile to its original beauty and function.

Without compromising the strength of neighboring teeth, implants allow you to chew and speak comfortably and naturally. Additionally, they help prevent tooth shifting and misalignment, which could occur if a missing tooth is left untreated for a long period of time.

Unlike bridges and dentures, implants are a long-lasting solution; they can last a lifetime when properly cared for.

Are you a candidate for dental implants?

Many people, including those advanced in years, are ideal candidates for dental implants. Some factors your dentist will consider include:

The condition of your general, overall health.
Whether or not you have sufficient healthy jaw bone density to support an implant.
The health of your gum tissue.

There are a few factors that could potentially lower the success rate of your dental implant. These include:

Smoking.
Excessive alcohol consumption.
Cancer, a blood disorder, diabetes, or other illness.

Although these factors may prevent you from being an ideal implant candidate, they don’t automatically disqualify you from the procedure.

Questions to ask during your implants consultation

Before you choose dental implants over another solution, you’ll want to feel comfortable with what’s involved. Here are a few questions you may want to ask your dentist or oral surgeon during your consultation:

How long have you been placing implants?
Do you have any case studies or before and after photos you can share with me?
What special training have you received?
How much do dental implants cost?
Will my insurance cover any portion of the expense?
Do you offer a payment program?
What will you do to ensure I’m comfortable during treatment?
This procedure makes me nervous. What will you do to calm my nerves?

Dental implants are a life-changing solution for many people who have suffered from missing teeth! If you believe you might be a candidate for implants, discuss your options with your dentist. Now through the end of September take advantage of our special deal of $500 off dental implants.

Share this article with any of your friends or family who may be searching for a solution for missing teeth.

August 12, 2016

a5eb4a88-1123-4228-b8cb-55c54453c4a7

GOOD NUTRITION IS ESSENTIAL for a child’s healthy growth and development. It’s also important for their dental health! A good diet can help your child build strong, healthy teeth, while poor eating habits puts your child at a higher risk of tooth decay.

You may understand how important nutritious meals are, but one thing some parents struggle with is snack time. Here are our best tips on how to make sure your child’s snack time is tooth-friendly!

Not All Snacks Are Created Equal

Stay away from starchy, sticky or sugary foods during snack time, like dried fruit, crackers, chips and cookies. These types of snacks can stick to the teeth for long periods of time, potentially causing cavities. For snack time it’s best to opt for fruits, vegetables, nuts, yogurt and cheese.

If You Indulge, Do It During Mealtime

Don’t worry, we don’t expect you or your child to never eat sweets or starches. There is a better time to eat them than at snack time, however, and that is during meals! That’s because it’s not just important what you eat, but when you eat. At mealtime, there is an increased amount of saliva in the mouth that can help wash away those starches or sugary treats, counteract acid-producing bacteria and remineralize teeth.

Watch Out For Added Sugars

Almost all foods have some type of sugar in them. Naturally occurring sugars–like those found in milk and vegetables–are less worrisome, since these choices are healthy overall. What you want to keep an eye out for when choosing snacks are added sugars.

According to the American Dental Association, added sugar consumption should be limited to less than 10 percent of total energy intake, ideally less than five percent. To put things in perspective, one can of soda is equivalent to three times the daily recommended sugar intake of a child!

Choose Beverages Wisely

On that note, we’d like to advise parents to choose their children’s beverages wisely. Soda and juice may be your child’s preferred drinks, but milk and water are much healthier choices. Good sources of calcium, like milk, aid in building strong teeth and bones and water helps to wash away food particles that may be clinging to teeth, thus protecting against decay.

Sip All Day, Get Decay

Whether your child is drinking milk, juice or soda, don’t let them sip it throughout the day. Constant consumption of either food or drink is harmful for teeth, because not only are you feeding yourself, you’re also feeding the cavity-causing bacteria that reside in your mouth. Limit snacking to once or twice a day and have your child sip on water. If they drink anything that contains sugar, have them drink it during mealtimes or all at once.

Your Family’s Health Is Our Priority

If you have any tips or healthy snack ideas that your kids love, leave it in the comments below! At our practice, we care about the health of your whole family. Proper nutrition, especially at snack time, will ensure healthy smiles for you and your children for a lifetime!

Thank you for being part of our practice family!

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions. Top image by Flickr user Larry Grubbs used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.