FAQs
Frequently Asked
Questions
Dental health varies from person to person; a general rule for adult patients is to visit a dentist once or twice a year, even if your mouth is in excellent condition. This way, you can get your teeth professionally cleaned regularly and maintain excellent oral health.
In addition to daily brushing and flossing, take your oral hygiene to the next level by following a few steps to good dental health. These include:
- Using products that contain fluoride.
- Limiting snacks that are high in sugar.
- Eating a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables.
- Avoiding tobacco in any form
A beautiful smile with clean, white teeth is a huge confidence booster. Most people experience some discoloration of teeth over the years, either from surface stains or internal ones. Treat stains caused by coffee, wine, tobacco, and pigmented foods with at-home whitening or have professional, in-office whitening done regularly. For internal discoloration, consider composite bonding or the application of veneers to the affected teeth, which provides a more permanent solution.
The best way to ensure a healthy mouth is to follow a balanced diet and regularly visit the dentist while maintaining your oral care routine with twice-daily brushing and once-daily flossing. Protect yourself against problems that can advance quickly by discussing these questions with your dentist.
Your dentist should take a full set of dental X-rays early into the doctor-patient relationship. X-rays help your doctor monitor any changes that could be happening in your teeth between appointments.
Patients with tooth sensitivity feel pain when they consume foods or drinks that are hot or cold, sweet, or acidic. Sensitivity happens when tooth enamel, which usually protects the tooth’s pulp and dentin, is thinned from repeated exposure to acidity and extreme temperatures. Sensitivity can also occur as a result of:
- Receding gums
- Tooth grinding during sleep
- Chipped or fractured teeth
- Tooth whitening
- Orthodontics and fillings
Talk to our dentists, and they will examine the affected teeth and recommend treatment to reduce your sensitivity.
Dental implants are the ideal way to replace missing or weakened teeth. Implants are permanent and serve as an excellent alternative to dentures for anyone with an otherwise healthy mouth and jaw. Most adult patients are good candidates for dental implants because they can help prevent the remaining teeth from moving or loosening.
It depends – there are different kinds of mouthwash. Cosmetic mouthwashes aim to freshen breath and to maintain a healthy teeth color, but they contain fluoride to help fight cavities as well.
Therapeutic rinses work to help treat conditions such as gingivitis, tooth sensitivity, and inflammation. For more advanced conditions, prescription mouthwashes often contain chlorhexidine gluconate to kill bacteria that cause bleeding, inflammation, and plaque or biofilm formation.
Studies show children can develop their first cavities by two years old, so the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends booking the first visit once their first tooth appears . This helps your dentist catch potential problems that can affect your child’s overall health and well-being as more teeth grow in overtime.
Most children begin losing their baby teeth between the ages of six and eight years. They typically fall out in roughly the same order in which they grew. Keep in mind that all patients are different. Children and adult oral conditions depend on how long they’ve gone without an appointment, how long a child’s baby teeth last, and what kinds of things you are naturally more sensitive to.
Next time you’re at the dentist, don’t be afraid to ask any questions you might have; We are here to help! With these questions queued up, you’ll never be in doubt about the state of your oral health.
Yes, sweets and foods with acid, like candy and soda, could stick to teeth and lead to cavities. Smoking and chewing tobacco can cause oral cancer and gum disease.
While teeth are strong enough to chew ice and tear open packages, this can break them and stress your jaws. Gritting or grinding down on teeth when you’re stressed may crack them.
Biting your nails is another bad habit. It pulls your jaw out of position and changes how your teeth fit together.
Medical and dental experts study the use of X-rays and set limits for their safety. Our dentists take as few as possible. Sometimes dentists may recommend X-rays to diagnose a special problem. Advancements in technology means today’s digital X-rays release much less radiation and are safer than in the past.
Expect to get them during a first exam, after not seeing a dentist for a while. This helps to check tooth and gum health. If you have gum disease, the dentist may want pictures every 6 months. For regular check-ups, it’s about every 2 years, depending on your dentist’s plan.
A panoramic x-ray examination requires no special preparation.
You may be asked to wear a lead apron as a safety precaution to protect the rest of your body from any radiation exposure that may scatter from the panoramic x-ray beam. You may also be asked to remove your jewelry from the region being imaged, eye-glasses and any metal objects that might interfere with the x-ray images.
Women should always inform their dentist or oral surgeon if there is any possibility that they are pregnant. Many imaging tests are not performed during pregnancy so as not to expose the fetus to radiation. If an x-ray is necessary, precautions will be taken to minimize radiation exposure to the baby.
A panoramic x-ray machine consists of two sides. An x-ray tube is mounted on one side and the x-ray film or a detector on the opposite side. The patient’s head is positioned with chin, forehead and side rests. The patient may be provided with a bite blocker to open the mouth slightly for a clearer picture.
