We can provide excellent services to assist in the maintenance of your overall dental health. Dental prevention and regular check-ups are your insurance policy toward a healthier, pain free, debt-free lifestyle. It encourages a bright smile, fresh breath and an overall good feeling of personal security.
Our dental hygienists will help you with a personalized prevention plan and inform you of products that we feel are appropriate for your needs.
Prevention Philosphy
Dr. Sara's dental philosophy is centered around prevention, starting at an early age. Most of her time with patients is spent explaining the virtues of flossing, brushing, fluoride rinsing, correct diet, etc. While Dr. Sara enjoys, and gets a great sense of satisfaction out of restoring smiles and resolving dental issues, she also finds rewards in creating patients that she sees twice a year for cleanings, and who avoid the need for more involved, more expensive dental work.
When you visit our office we will:
Instruct you in the proper methods of tooth brushing, flossing and adjunctive dental health services. - Your teeth will be cleaned and polished to remove plaque and tartar both above and below the gumline, eliminating bacteria that lead to cavities, bad breath and gum disease.
- Fluoride will be applied to the teeth to prevent decay (for children) and root sensitivity/root cavities for adults.
- Sealants can be easily applied to the chewing surfaces of children's teeth as a protection against future decay.
- An oral health diet will be recommended to keep your mouth healthy and cavity free.
Maintaining regular appointments with our dental hygienist and follow-ups with Dr. Sara is important. It is an investment in your overall health!
Brushing
Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and a small strip of fluoride toothpaste. When you brush your teeth, move the brush in small circular motions to reach food particles that may be under your gum line. Hold the toothbrush at an angle and brush slowly and carefully, covering all areas between teeth and the surface of each tooth. It will take you several minutes to thoroughly brush your teeth. Brush up on the lower teeth, down on the upper teeth and the outside, inside and chewing surface of all of your front and back teeth. Brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth before you rinse.
Brush your teeth four times daily to avoid the accumulation of food particles and plaque:
- In the morning after breakfast
- After lunch or right after school
- After dinner
- At bedtime
As soon as the bristles start to wear down or fray, replace your toothbrush with a new one. Do not swallow any toothpaste; rinse your mouth thoroughly with water after you finish brushing. It is important to carefully floss and brush daily for optimal oral hygiene.
Flossing
For areas between the teeth that a toothbrush can’t reach, dental floss is used to remove food particles and plaque. Dental floss is a thin thread of waxed nylon that is used to reach below the gum line and clean between teeth. It is very important to floss between your teeth every day.
Pull a small length of floss from the dispenser. Wrap the ends of the floss tightly around your middle fingers. Guide the floss between all teeth to the gum line, pulling out any food particles or plaque. Unwrap clean floss from around your fingers as you go, so that you have used the floss from beginning to end when you finish. Floss behind all of your back teeth.
Floss at night to make sure your teeth are squeaky clean before you go to bed. When you first begin flossing, your gums may bleed a little. If the bleeding does not go away after the first few times, let a staff member know at your next appointment.
Diet
The foods we consume daily affect our oral health. Consequently, our oral health also directly affects our nutrition. Your teeth, gums and oral cavity need to be adequately cleaned in order to remain healthy. Selecting a diet that optimizes oral health is important. Several foods have been shown to promote tooth decay. These include:
- Sugar
- Candy
- Desserts and pastries
- Sugared beverages, such as beer, soda and fruit juices
- Dried fruit and honey
The more frequently you eat sugar or sugary foods, the more likely you will experience tooth decay and root cavities. Some foods have been shown to prevent oral cavities. These include cheese and other dairy products. The protein in dairy products appears to bind to the outer tooth and prevent bacteria from sticking to the surface of the tooth. The Calcium in dairy products may also protect the teeth.
Consuming meats, vegetables, fresh fruits, cooked cereals, breads and pasta can help to prevent cavities and decay as well.
Eating right guarantees a healthy smile. Consuming a variety of foods helps you get all the nutrients you need for healthy teeth. Watch out for high sugar foods and beverages. If you do eat foods high in sugar, do not consume them frequently. Always give your teeth a good cleaning afterwards. Choose healthy snacks, such as:
- Fresh fruit
- Raw vegetables
- Popcorn
- Whole grain cereal with low-fat milk
- Cheese
Try not to snack before bed because saliva flow is low while you sleep. If you don’t take good care of your teeth, sore gums or even tooth loss may affect your ability to eat a healthy diet. Take care of your teeth and be sure to see your dentist regularly.
Sealants
Although only 12.5% of all tooth surfaces are chewing surfaces, cavities form along more than two-thirds of these surfaces. If your children do not properly clean their teeth after eating, bacteria convert sugar and starch into harmful acids that attack tooth enamel. Upon repeated attacks, the enamel may break down, causing cavities to form.
During tooth development, deep grooves, called “fissures,” form in the biting surfaces of the back teeth. When two or more fissures intersect, it is called a "pit". Thorough daily brushing, flossing, and rinsing can help remove food particles and plaque from the smooth surfaces of teeth. However, because toothbrush bristles cannot reach all the way into the pits and fissures, food and bacteria cannot be easily removed.
Sealants act as a barrier, protecting the enamel in cavity prone areas by "sealing out" plaque and food. This resin material is usually applied to the pits and fissures of back teeth. Decay will not start under a sealant because the decay causing bacteria are deprived of the food they need to survive.
Children are much more susceptible to tooth decay than adults. If possible, sealants should be applied to children's teeth before decay can form. The National Institute of Health reported that pit and fissure cavities accounted for at least 88 % of the total cavities experienced by U.S. school children, between 1986 and 1987.
Sealants are easy and painless. It only takes a few minutes to seal each tooth. As long as the sealant remains intact, the sealed tooth surface will be protected from decay. Sealants hold up well under the face of normal chewing and usually last several years.
Fluoride
Fluoride is a substance that helps teeth become stronger and resistant to decay. Regularly drinking water treated with fluoride and brushing and flossing regularly ensures significantly lower cavities. Dentists can evaluate the level of fluoride in a primary drinking water source and recommend fluoride supplements (usually in tablets or drops), if necessary.
