Wednesday, December 28, 2016

How Your Dentist Can Improve Your Sleep With Sleep Apnea Oral Treatment

If you suffer from sleep apnea—chronic irregular breathing during sleep caused by obstruction of the airway—you probably know that the potential problems are far more serious than just snoring. While nearly all sleep apnea sufferers also snore, the shallow and interrupted breathing associated with the condition is the real issue. The best way to address your condition may be sleep apnea oral treatment by your dentist.

Symptoms and Indicators

Several factors can predispose one to the breathing obstruction, including excessive weight associated with the soft tissue around the mouth and throat. Your dentist is specifically trained to recognize other indicators, such as oversized tonsils or a severe overbite. Depending on the cause, your dentist may be able to recommend a sleep apnea oral treatment that will restore free breathing during sleep and alleviate snoring. For more detail on sleep apnea, view the short clip under “Sleep Apnea” on our links page.

Patient Options

Your dentist can discuss multiple treatment options with you, each of which has its own comfort and inconvenience profile. Among the latest options is the Moses Oral Appliance, a quiet and comfortable solution designed to keep airflow unobstructed without forcing air into the throat, as other treatments do. If you suffer from disrupting rest patterns, consult with your dentist to find out if there is an oral treatment which may work for you.

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

How to Be Prepared for a Dental Emergency

Like other mishaps, a dental emergency occurs without warning. Before you know it, an accident happens, and someone is missing a tooth. Knowing how to respond in this situation is crucial for the best outcome. Many times, the best thing to do is to call a dentist right away.

Recognize an Emergency


Knowing what requires an immediate call for help is important. Anytime a tooth is knocked out, chipped, or broken, call your practitioner right away. Another potential emergency situation might involve severe pain. A toothache or any other type of mouth pain that cannot be alleviated with over-the-counter pain relievers also elicits a call to the dentist.

Responding Quickly


If a tooth or part of a tooth has come out, collect every piece as quickly as possible. Rinse away any dirt from the root area with cool water, but do not scrub. Replace the tooth into a vacant socket or place it into a cup of milk.
A quick call for help in an emergency situation should provide the assistance needed to resolve the matter successfully.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Understanding Fluoride and the Role It Plays in Keeping Teeth Healthy

Every dental patient knows that fluoride helps build strong teeth. That’s why your dentist always recommends using fluoride toothpaste. But what exactly is fluoride? In its natural state, it’s a mineral commonly found in nature, but many towns add it as a supplement to their water supply to help prevent cavities in residents.


How Does Fluoride Work?


It’s important to know what causes tooth decay to understand how fluoride improves oral health. When plaque builds up on the surface of the tooth, it produces acids that seep into the tooth’s enamel. If untreated, this may turn into a cavity that destroys the tooth’s structure. Fluoride prevents tooth decay because it aids the tooth enamel's remineralization process and slows the breakdown of enamel. The new enamel crystals that form with the help of fluoride are larger and harder, proving to be more resistant to acid.


How Much Fluoride is Enough?


Most dental professionals agree that patients who use fluoride toothpaste and brush their teeth with fluoride water receive adequate doses of the mineral. Patients who live in areas where fluoride is not added to water need to use mouth rinses, drops, tablets, or other products with high concentrations of fluoride.

Every patient has different needs, so it’s important to speak with your dentist to be sure your teeth are getting the minerals they need to stay strong and healthy.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

What is Preventive Dentistry and Why do Patients Need it?


Taking care of teeth and gums is an important part of overall oral health. Part of this care involves seeing a dentist regularly and eating a healthy diet. People who seek ongoing preventative dentistry care may have fewer long-term issues.

Dental disease can sneak up on patients, often with no symptoms to indicate a problem. This is one of the main reasons that preventive dentistry is so important. Regular examinations can find and diagnose potential issues before they become serious. Patients tend to appreciate this benefit because resolving minor issues is often less expensive than the addressing major ones. Beginning preventative dentist visits as a child can be especially helpful in tracking potential issues in growth and development. A dentist can even help identify a child who might be a candidate for future orthodontic treatment.

With regular dental check-ups, patients can rest assured that a professional is monitoring oral health to resolve problems as they arise.