Schedule Your Annual Dental Checkup

Now is the perfect time to schedule your annual dental checkup, especially with the holidays in full swing. Having healthy teeth and gums before you start indulging in those sweet treats will help your conscious and let you enjoy the things you only get to have once a year.

An annual dental checkup isn’t just for your teeth and gums. According to statistics, people who have a comprehensive dental exam have a better chance of oral cancer detection earlier than patients who haven’t had an oral cancer screening.

During the holidays, those cakes, candies, cookies, cakes and other delicious irresistible goodies can cause serious problems for your teeth.

Hard Candy-According to Gentle Touch Family Dental hard candies, peanut brittle, candy canes, and those scrumptious butterscotch hard candies can chip your teeth. If you don’t bite and like to dissolve every drop your teeth will be enjoying a pure sugar bath. If you like to eat hard candies, be sure and rinse and brush or enjoy with another meal.  

Chewy Morsels-Caramels, gummy bears and anything sticky will stay on your teeth. It is nearly impossible to brush away all of the sticky sugar from the fissures and grooves on the back of your teeth. Even dried fruit such as figs, mangos, apricots, dates and pineapple will remain on your teeth quickly converting to bacteria eating away the enamel on your teeth. If you must indulge rinse with water and brush when you can. According to Gentle Touch Family Dentistry, it isn’t a bad idea to eat sticky food as part of a meal.

Starchy Foods-Those chocolate covered pretzels are double the trouble. The chocolate is loaded with sugar and the pretzels are starchy leaving their presence in your mouth long after you have savored the last one on your plate. Keep breads, cookies, cakes, potato chips, crackers and any other starchy food to minimum and rinse and brush after enjoying.

Happy Holidays from Glen Family Dentistry and don’t forget to schedule your annual dental checkup for the New Year today. 

Invisalign Could be the Answer

Invisalign® is the answer if you have slightly tipped or rotated teeth. If your teeth are crooked or if you aren’t happy with the way your teeth fit together, call or click and talk to Gentle Touch Family Dentistry about Invisalign®.

Invisalign® is the clear alternative to conventional wires and brackets and can give you the beautiful Hollywood Smile of your dreams in as little as 6 to 18 months.

Misaligned teeth can also cause problems with your bite. Chewing and even talking can become difficult, but thanks to Invisalign®, you can have a beautiful straight smile without having to resort to uncomfortable braces.

What is Invisalign®?

Invisalign® is a tooth straightening system that utilizes clear plastic aligners that are custom made to fit your teeth. Gentle Touch Family Dentistry, a licensed Invisalign® provider will prescribe between 11 and 31 sets of aligners depending on your treatment plan.

Every two weeks you will swap out your aligners for a new set completing your treatment anywhere between 6 to 18 months.

Advantages

Invisalign® is the painless way to a beautiful straight smile as you remove the aligners when you eat, brush and floss wearing your aligners 20 to 22 hours each day. Because conventional braces are permanently attached to your teeth it makes it impossible to brush under the wires and brackets making you more susceptible to tooth decay and gum disease.

Truly the clear advantage, the only people who will know that you are wearing your clear plastic aligners are you and Gentle Touch Family Dentistry as Invisalign® is barely visible.

Unlike conventional braces that need to be tightened every couple of weeks by your dentist or orthodontist, you only need to see Gentle Touch every six weeks to make sure that your treatment is going according to plan.

If you would like more information regarding Invisalign®, call or click and schedule an appointment with Gentle Touch Family Dentistry today. 

What is Causing your Bad Breath

Bad Breath can happen to anyone, even people who brush twice and floss once each day.

According to the American Dental Association the main cause of chronic halitosis is poor oral hygiene, however, there are some other things that could be contributing to your bad breath.

Dehydration

You may be surprised to learn that dehydration is the leading cause of bad breath, even more so than poor oral hygiene. Being dehydrated means food and bacteria will hang around in your mouth, and the longer it stays, the smellier your breath. Drink eight 8-ounce glasses a day to help sweeten your breath and keep a pack of sugarless gum handy.

Health Complications

Your dentist explains that your bad breath could be an indication of a serious disease. Excess methylamine could be a sign of kidney or liver disease while ammonia breath could signal renal failure. Some studies have even found a connection between malignant throat cancer and bad breath gases.

Too Much Outdoor Exercise

Runners and cyclists suffer from dry mouth, wheezing and asthma and while a breath of fresh air will do you good, too much can dry out your mouth and cause bad breath. Breathing in pollen and pollution not only cause health problems but can also irritate nasal passages, allergies, and chronic dry mouth.

Tonsillitis and other Throat Diseases

Persistent bad breath is a sign of throat disease and if you still have your tonsils, talk to your doctor. If you don’t, talk to your doctor anyway as chronic halitosis could be a symptom of something more serious including neck, throat, and mouth cancer.

Tobacco

Everyone knows that tobacco use leads to cancer, but it can also cause serious problems for your breath. Chewing and smoking can’t be brushed away. If you are a chronic smoker, your breath will give you away. Smoking is also one of the leading causes of gum disease and tooth loss.

If you would like more information regarding chronic bad breath, call or click and schedule an appointment with your dentist today. 

Are you Suffering from Dry Socket?

Dry Socket is a rare condition that occurs after a tooth has been pulled. Dry socket is painful and should be treated by your dentist as quickly as possible.

So what is Dry Socket?

According to Colgate, some discomfort is expected after a tooth extraction. However, if you have intense pain that doesn’t want to go away, you could be suffering from alveolar osteitis or dry socket.

Only about two to five percent of patients will develop the condition, which is very uncomfortable, but treatable.

The hole that is left from the tooth will form a blood clot in the socket to protect the nerves and the bone underneath. Occasionally that blood clot can dissolve or become dislodged after the tooth has been pulled. This leaves the nerves and the bone exposed to fluids, food particles, and air. This can lead to pain and infection.

Who gets Dry Socket?

Some people are more likely to be affected by dry socket after a tooth extraction including: 

• Smokers
• People who practice poor oral hygiene
• Wisdom teeth extractions
• Greater than usual tooth trauma during surgery
• Birth control pill use
• History of dry socket after extractions
• Rinsing, spitting and sipping through a straw can also raise your risk of dry socket 

Dry Socket Symptoms

Check out the extraction site. If you don’t see a blood clot and see a white colored bone, it’s time to see your dentist. Other symptoms of dry socket include: 

• Bad breath
• An unpleasant taste in your mouth
• Pain 

How is it treated?

Your dentist may prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection and will remove any debris before filling the hole with medication to promote healing. You will probably be asked to come back for dressing changes until the socket has healed and your pain has diminished.

If you are having a tooth pulled, or have recently had an extraction that isn’t healing properly, call or click and schedule an appointment with your dentist today. 

Basic Oral Hygiene Tips

Basic oral hygiene is important for healthy teeth and gums, which in turn are essential for a healthy body, but if you are one of those people who seem to be spending every spare minute in the dentist’s chair, there may be one or two things that you aren’t doing properly when it comes to oral hygiene.

Everyone knows that you should brush and floss every day, but using a mouthwash and watching what you eat always plays a big part in your overall oral health.

Brushing

According to Gentle Touch Family Dentistry, you should brush twice each day using a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Use a fluoride gel or paste and be sure and brush at a 45-degree angle for at least two minutes using a soft bristled toothbrush. Replace your brush every two to three months or when it begins to wear.

Don’t brush too hard or you could damage your gum tissue. Brush behind your teeth and don’t forget your tongue. Your tongue is loaded with bacteria that could cause bad breath. Check for red or swollen gums while you brush and if you bleed, call and schedule an appointment with Gentle Touch Family Dentistry.

Flossing

The American Dental Association explains that flossing is just as important as brushing. Curve around and floss in between each tooth. Gentle Touch Family Dentistry recommends that you floss before you brush to remove the food and debris so that it can be brushed away.

Mouthwash

The mouthwashes that are approved by the American Dental Association can get rid of gingivitis and whiten your teeth. There are mouthwashes with fluoride and mouth rinses with anti-plaque ingredients. Gentle Touch Family Dentistry recommends that you rinse after flossing and brushing for at least 30 seconds. Just like brushing for two minutes, rinsing for 30 seconds or more helps wash away any leftover debris while killing germs and bacteria.

Diet

When it comes to basic oral hygiene, Gentle Touch recommends that you enjoy a healthy diet as well. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and include a daily dose of calcium rich foods such as fish and dairy products into your diet. Calcium helps protect your bones and the enamel on your teeth.

Checkups

Regular dental checkups are right up there with the rest of the basic dental health care tips. See your dentist at least twice a year for a cleaning and a comprehensive dental checkup that includes an oral cancer screening. If you are prone to gum disease or tooth decay, have diabetes, or suffer from a systemic disease you may want to visit Gentle Touch Family Dentistry more frequently.

If you would like more information regarding basic dental health care or would like to schedule an appointment with GentleTouch Family Dentistry, call or click now. 

Dental Bonding: Fastest Way to a New Smile

Thanks to dental bonding, you can have your chipped or cracked teeth repaired without having to spend more than one appointment in the dentist’s chair. These days your dentist can bond ceramic or other restorative materials on to your natural teeth to repair cracks or chips.

When you schedule a restorative and cosmetic consultation with your dentist, ask about cosmetic bonding. Dental bonding is the perfect solution if you are unsure about dental veneers. Dental veneers are a great option, but are permanent and more expensive than dental bonding. Some insurance companies will cover dental bonding but not porcelain veneers.

You may be a good candidate for dental bonding if: 

• You have spaces between your teeth
• Your teeth are chipped or cracked
• You have one or more teeth that is too long or short
• Your teeth are stained
• Tooth whitening doesn’t work 

Enamel Shaping

Often used with bonding, enamel shaping is a comfortable and quick cosmetic dental procedure that will give you immediate results. Gentle Touch Family Dentistry will contour and/or remove your enamel to improve the appearance of your teeth.

Dental Fillings

These days the materials that are used for dental bonding are more natural looking and resilient. Depending on the location of the cavity or filling replacement, Gentle Touch Family Dentistry may choose to use dental bonding material to fill a cavity or an inlay or outlay. Both are used to strengthen a tooth that still has life to it.

Instead of Veneers

As mentioned previously, bonding is not as invasive as porcelain veneers and is reversible. Dental bonding will give you a good idea of what you will look like if you opt for veneers.

Ask Gentle Touch about seeing a picture of your smile. Seeing your smile before anything occurs means to more unfortunate cosmetic dental mishaps.

If you would like more information regarding porcelain veneers, call or click and talk to Gentle Touch Family Dentistry in Farmington Hills today.

Do you Practice Good Oral Hygiene Habits?

Good oral hygiene habits begin with brushing twice and flossing once each day, but in order to keep your teeth and gums healthy, you need to do a few other things to keep you cavity and gum disease free.

The American Dental Association explains that bacteria are alive and well and living in your mouth, however, not all bacteria is good bacteria. Plaque causing bacteria, will cause cavities and gum disease. If you want to keep your mouth healthy and clean, good oral hygiene habits are a must.

Just what is plaque?

Plaque contains bacteria and is that sticky layer of film that will accumulate on your teeth, especially where your toothbrush can’t reach. Even if you brush twice and floss once each day, you will still produce bacteria as certain foods can cause bacteria buildup.

Your dentist recommends that you avoid sugary and starchy food, which can cause high levels of acidic bacteria to form. Plaque irritates your gums and will make them sensitive and red causing them to bleed. If this is happening to you, it could be gingivitis, which is usually reversible, however, if gum disease isn’t prevented and advances to the more serious periodontal disease, which leaves pockets in-between your teeth and gums that fill with bacteria, the bone that surrounds your teeth could be destroyed eventually causing tooth loss.  

Plaque Removal

The best and most efficient way to get rid of plaque is to brush and floss everyday as brushing will remove the bacteria. Use fluoride antimicrobial toothpaste that will help prevent tooth decay. Use dental floss to remove dangerous plaque in between your teeth as your toothbrush cannot reach the cracks and crevices and don’t forget to schedule regular professional teeth cleaning appointments with your dentist.

Following a good healthy diet that is full of fruits, vegetables and dairy products, dairy actually helps strengthen the enamel on your teeth, will help keep your mouth healthy as well as regular checkups with your dentist.

Don’t let plaque get the better of you. Call or click and schedule a dental checkup with your dentist today.