Other Ways to Clean Your Teeth
Brushing and flossing form the foundation of dental hygiene. However, there are more things that you can do to help your smile stay clean and bright! Two of those things are to incorporate mouthwash into your morning and evening routines and to chew gum after meals. Mouthwash can be an excellent addition to the hygiene routines of some people. Therapeutic mouthwashes are the best, as they are formulated to do more than just freshen your breath. They can kill bacteria, fight plaque, and a host of other beneficial things. Look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance on any mouthwash you choose to incorporate into your routine. After you eat, your mouth is more sensitive to abrasion. Thus, it is not a good idea to brush your teeth immediately after eating. However, it IS a good idea to get all of the food particles and debris away from your teeth as soon as possible. Enter chewing gum. Chewing sugar-free gum for 20 minutes after eating has been proven, through multiple studies, to stimulate saliva flow. This saliva flow cleans your teeth and delivers fortifying substances to your mouth. Of course, chewing gum with sugar in it also stimulates saliva flow, however, the sugar present in the gum feeds the bacteria in your mouth, negating the benefits of the gum. For more information, feel free to call Dr. Scott Chandler, DMD in Park City, UT at 435-649-2078. Dr. Scott Chandler and our team look forward to speaking with you.
Getting Your Child to Brush Their Teeth
As your dentist will tell you, it is important that you brush your teeth at least twice a day. As any parent can tell you, getting your child to do that is sometimes easier said than done! But it does not have to be a chore and with a little imagination and ingenuity, you can convince your child that brushing their teeth is not only important, but even fun! Get your child involved in the process. Let them pick out a toothbrush in their favorite color, or featuring their favorite cartoon character or superhero. Toothpastes now come in a variety of flavors and in interesting tubes. Let them pick out their own toothpaste, as long as it has the American Dental Association Seal of Approval. Let them practice brushing the teeth of toy, stuffed animal or action figure. You can watch videos with them about brushing, flossing and visiting the dentist. Praise and encouragement can work wonders when you want your child to brush their teeth. Let them know how proud you are for doing a good job brushing and try positive reinforcement with stickers or other small gifts as a reward for brushing. One of the best things you can do for your child is to set a good example. If they see you brushing and flossing on a regular basis, they’re more likely to follow your lead. You might try brushing your teeth together to make sure they have the technique down and are brushing for a full two minutes twice a day. If it is time for your little one to make a trip to the dentist (or for that matter, if it time for your regular cleaning and checkup), you can make an appointment to see Dr. Scott Chandler at Dr. Scott Chandler, DMD in Park City, UT, today by calling 435-649-2078. We’re looking forward to seeing your family!
What Causes Tooth Decay?
Tooth decay, which is also known as a dental cavity, is a severe and dangerous dental issue that can damage your teeth and alter your oral health. Unfortunately, there are many things that cause tooth decay, and some of those things are: -Poor oral hygiene: This means you forget to brush twice a day, floss once a day, rinse daily, and visit your dentist every six months. If you fail to do these things, the harmful, decay-causing substances in your mouth won’t be removed, which can lead to cavity development. -Eating tooth-harming foods: This means eating sugary, high-carbohydrate, and acidic foods regularly. The sugar and carbohydrates promote cavity growth while the acid wears down the tooth enamel and gives the oral bacteria a chance to attack. If you think you might have a cavity, it’s important to call our office and schedule an appointment with your dentist, Dr. Scott Chandler. The sooner you receive treatment, the better because the cavity can spread and make the problem worse. Call Dr. Scott Chandler, DMD today at 435-649-2078 if you have any questions, if you would like to learn more, or if you need to schedule an appointment. Our dental team is here to help you in any way we can!
A Dentist Needs to Treat a Tooth with a Missing Filling
When a small cavity, minor dental fracture, or area of dental attrition forms on one of your teeth, it can often be treated with a simple dental filling. The specific material used to repair the tooth will be based on its location and the tooth’s prevalence in your smile. If you have further problems with maintaining good oral hygiene habits, or you develop a bad habit of skipping your routine dental checkups at Dr. Scott Chandler’s dental office, the dental filling could be at increased risk of failure. If a dental filling falls out, you should not delay in seeking treatment at Dr. Scott Chandler’s dental clinic. The longer you wait the more likely you are to experience severe complications of tooth decay or a dental fracture. If the missing dental filling was large, or a new area of decay has formed within the surrounding tooth enamel, there might not be enough healthy enamel for Dr. Scott Chandler to apply a new dental filling. In a situation like this, [heshe] might recommend a dental crown. This method of treatment is designed to replace the entire tooth enamel layer with an alternate material such as porcelain, gold, or a base metal alloy. If you live in the Park City, UT area and you have a tooth suffering from a bad or missing filling, you should call 435-649-2078 to seek treatment at Dr. Scott Chandler, DMD.
Super Senior Citizen Smiles
Your every-age smile is important to Dr. Scott Chandler and our dental team. This is why we encourage you to take good care of your teeth and gums! If you do so, you can maintain a healthy, beautiful, and natural smile throughout your life. Here are some tips to help you care for your smile. First, do your best to care for and clean your teeth and gums. Keep up on oral hygiene, which should consist of brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes, and flossing your teeth once a day for 2-3 minutes. Using ADA approved therapeutic mouthwash may be a good addition to the oral hygiene routines of some people. You also need to visit Dr. Scott Chandler twice a year for a six-month checkup. These things can help you avoid common culprits of tooth loss. Second, it’s best to have a balanced and healthy diet. Unfortunately, there are certain foods that can harm your smile. Sugary, starchy, or acidic foods can cause problems for your mouth. It’s also best to eat more fruits, vegetables, and dairy products (like cheese and yogurt). If you need to limit dairy, try other calcium-rich foods such as beans or dark leafy greens. Third, stop smoking or chewing tobacco. Not only does smoking increase your risk of having certain types of cancer, but it can also promote tooth decay and gum disease, which ultimately result in loose and lost teeth. The best thing you can do for your smile–as well as your overall health–is to quit smoking. Doing these things can help you have the smile you deserve. For more information and details about how to maintain a healthy smile as a senior in Park City, UT, please call Dr. Scott Chandler, DMD at 435-649-2078. Our dental team looks forward to helping you and your smile!
Dental Diet Do’s and Dont’s
We all want to take care of our bodies, and that starts with what we eat. To make it easier to feed a healthy smile, Dr. Scott Chandler and our dental team have some diet do’s and don’ts to share with you today! Do: Eat fruits and vegetables. Crunchy, water-filled fruits and veggies such as apples, pears, and celery fight cavities by scraping plaque and food particles away from teeth. They also stimulate saliva production, which is the body’s first defense against cavities. Choose calcium and phosphorous. Calcium and phosphorus are essential nutrients for a healthy smile. Phosphorus can be found in protein-rich foods such as milk and other lean proteins such as chicken. Calcium can be found in milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products, as well as in beans, dark leafy greens, and fortified foods such as orange juice and tofu. Chew sugar-free gum. Chewing sugar-free gum stimulates saliva production, washing away food particles and coating the mouth with healthy nutrients and bacteria-fighting substances. Don’t: Chew On Ice: Ice is for cooling off drinks, not for chewing! Ice can be very damaging to your tooth enamel, and frequently causes oral accidents such as chipped or cracked teeth. Consume sugars and acids. Cavities occur when damaging bacteria use sugars to create acid that erodes the tooth enamel. This does not mean you should never eat sugar or drink juice again, but you do need to be careful. Drink lots of water and clean your teeth well after eating. Brush Immediately After Eating: Brushing immediately after eating can cause damage to your enamel. Wait about 20 minutes before brushing or flossing, especially after eating acidic foods. Try chewing sugar-free gum during that time to help fight cavities while you wait. For more mouth-healthy tips, contact our team at Dr. Scott Chandler, DMD at 435-649-2078. We look forward to helping your smile shine!
Welcome to Our New Blog!
Here at Dr. Scott Chandler, DMD, we endeavor to use our new blog as a regular means for publishing valuable content for our community through monthly blog posts. Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, we’re able to further explore some of the most important topics pertaining to our industry and area of expertise here on our website through these articles. Each profession tends to be its own little niche, which is a good thing because it creates a unique space for our services and a place for you to learn and implement helpful ideas that can benefit you and the people you care about. We’re excited to share this ongoing knowledge base of blog articles with this online community. These blogs provide timely and relevant information that’s conveniently accessible online. Indeed, we hope that this community will use the valuable information found in our regular blog posts, because they are an effective way for us to reach out to you on a monthly basis, while you still enjoy the comforts of your own home. If you have any questions or want more information, we invite you to call our team at Dr. Scott Chandler, DMD in Park City, UT, today at 435-649-2078. We look forward to helping you in any way we can, and we thank you for the opportunity!