Most of us understand the value of brushing our teeth daily, but flossing your teeth is just an important part of maintaining a healthy mouth.
When you eat something, tiny particles get trapped in between your teeth. Even if you reach for a toothpick after chomping through a piece of corn on the cob, you are still exposing your teeth to a number of plaque-forming substances that remain hidden within the crevices of your teeth.
Regularly flossing your teeth prevents plaque from forming on the surface of your teeth and it also maintains the health of your gums. If plaque is not removed, it can lead to cavities and gum disease, like gingivitis and periodontitis.
In addition, flossing your teeth can prevent bad breath. As particles remain in between your teeth, the microorganisms that naturally exist in your mouth start to feed off of such particles. As they do, they produce foul-smelling odors and result in bad breath – kind of like how unrefrigerated food left out begins to smell rancid after awhile.
Talk to your dentist about proper flossing techniques, particularly if you have sensitive gums.
For more information on this topic or any dental related procedure check out our website. If you have any questions, or a dental emergency, you can reach Dr. Jay at Livonia Dental Care at 734-427-7555. Become a fan on Facebook and check out our YouTube
Monday, April 26, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Kids Dental Emergencies: A Knocked-Out Tooth
It is Thursday afternoon and your son takes a big fall and knocks one of his permanent teeth out. While it’s important to call your pediatric dentist and request that you come in for an emergency visit, you can also take matters into your own hands by adding a bit of damage control into the situation. The sooner you act, the better the chances the tooth can be saved.
Follow these steps for the safest and most effective way to handle a knocked-out tooth:
1. If the tooth is dirty, hold the tooth by the crown and rinse it with water. Pay careful attention to not scrub the tooth and leave any remaining tissue shreds on the tooth.
2. If your child is the non-squirmy type, gently secure the tooth in its socket with a clean wash cloth or piece of gauze. Have him hold it into place, while you drive to the dentist office.
3. If having your child or another person hold the tooth in place is not possible, then put the rinsed tooth into a small container filled with milk, saline or saliva and head to the dentist, with the tooth and patient in tow. Avoid placing the tooth in water or worse yet, transporting it dry.
4. You can also place the tooth in your child’s mouth, next to the cheek, as long as your child is old enough to not swallow it. The mouth will prevent the tooth from being exposed to harmful bacteria and the moisture from the saliva protects the root.
5. If your child is bleeding from his tooth socket, rinse his mouth with water and hold a compress of tissue or gauze on the socket until the bleeding stops.
Having a tooth knocked out is far from an enjoyable experience but by acting swiftly and smartly, you can increase the chances that your child’s tooth can be properly restored into its rightful place: His mouth.
For more information on this topic or any dental related procedure check out our website. If you have any questions, or a dental emergency, you can reach Dr. Jay at Livonia Dental Care at 734-427-7555. "Like" us on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.
Follow these steps for the safest and most effective way to handle a knocked-out tooth:
1. If the tooth is dirty, hold the tooth by the crown and rinse it with water. Pay careful attention to not scrub the tooth and leave any remaining tissue shreds on the tooth.
2. If your child is the non-squirmy type, gently secure the tooth in its socket with a clean wash cloth or piece of gauze. Have him hold it into place, while you drive to the dentist office.
3. If having your child or another person hold the tooth in place is not possible, then put the rinsed tooth into a small container filled with milk, saline or saliva and head to the dentist, with the tooth and patient in tow. Avoid placing the tooth in water or worse yet, transporting it dry.
4. You can also place the tooth in your child’s mouth, next to the cheek, as long as your child is old enough to not swallow it. The mouth will prevent the tooth from being exposed to harmful bacteria and the moisture from the saliva protects the root.
5. If your child is bleeding from his tooth socket, rinse his mouth with water and hold a compress of tissue or gauze on the socket until the bleeding stops.
Having a tooth knocked out is far from an enjoyable experience but by acting swiftly and smartly, you can increase the chances that your child’s tooth can be properly restored into its rightful place: His mouth.
For more information on this topic or any dental related procedure check out our website. If you have any questions, or a dental emergency, you can reach Dr. Jay at Livonia Dental Care at 734-427-7555. "Like" us on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.
Monday, April 12, 2010
The Impact of a Bright Smile
For many people, having crooked, yellow or chipped teeth can take its toll on their self-esteem and result in image and appearance issues. Years ago, not much could be done to improve the appearance of someone’s teeth but today, great strides have been made in the dentistry profession that have awarded individuals with not only a beautiful smile, but also with a boost in self-esteem.
Whether it’s whitening stained teeth, straightening crooked teeth or correcting broken teeth, dental makeovers today are much more common and much less invasive than they were years ago.
At Livonia Dental Care, while we don’t want to boast about the quality of work and quality of service we provide, we do feel that the proof of our work is reflected through our patients’ satisfaction.
“You not only gave me back my smile, you gave me back my self esteem which had been missing for a long time,” says Livonia Dental Care patient, Rhonda R. (Canton, Mi.)
Thanks Rhonda!
Much of the joy of our job comes from knowing that our care provides you with such a positive result, whether it’s a brighter smile, a pain-free tooth or a lift in your self esteem.
We are happy to speak with you about making cosmetic improvements to your smile. Call our office today to set up a smile consultation with our dedicated and competent staff.
For more information on this topic or any dental related procedure check out our website. If you have any questions, or a dental emergency, you can reach Dr. Jay at Livonia Dental Care at 734-427-7555. "Like" us on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.
Whether it’s whitening stained teeth, straightening crooked teeth or correcting broken teeth, dental makeovers today are much more common and much less invasive than they were years ago.
At Livonia Dental Care, while we don’t want to boast about the quality of work and quality of service we provide, we do feel that the proof of our work is reflected through our patients’ satisfaction.
“You not only gave me back my smile, you gave me back my self esteem which had been missing for a long time,” says Livonia Dental Care patient, Rhonda R. (Canton, Mi.)
Thanks Rhonda!
Much of the joy of our job comes from knowing that our care provides you with such a positive result, whether it’s a brighter smile, a pain-free tooth or a lift in your self esteem.
We are happy to speak with you about making cosmetic improvements to your smile. Call our office today to set up a smile consultation with our dedicated and competent staff.
For more information on this topic or any dental related procedure check out our website. If you have any questions, or a dental emergency, you can reach Dr. Jay at Livonia Dental Care at 734-427-7555. "Like" us on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Eat Calcium-Rich Foods for Strong Teeth
Just as calcium-rich foods like dairy can help to promote strong bones, they can also strengthen teeth. The mineral calcium helps the tooth enamel remineralize. Remineralizing is a natural process in which minerals like calcium and phosphorous are redeposited on the enamel after being removed by acids that exist in your mouth from certain foods like citrus and tomatoes. It’s not that you should avoid acidic foods but some dentists recommend eating them in combination with a larger meal in order to minimize direct acid exposure to your teeth.
Some of the best food choices for strong teeth are low-fat yogurt, cheese, milk, tofu, almonds cottage cheese, navy beans and leafy greens. But when it comes to yogurt, opt for low-sugar, sugar-free, plain or Greek yogurt. Many store-bought yogurts contain a significant amount of sugar, which we all know is not beneficial to the health of your teeth.
Following a nutritious diet, one that is filled with calcium-rich foods as well as fruits and vegetables, can help to maintain a healthy body and a healthy mouth.
For more information on this topic or any dental related procedure check out our website at Livonia Dental Care. If you have any questions, or a dental emergency, you can reach Dr. Jay at Livonia Dental Care at 734-427-7555. "Like" us on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.
Some of the best food choices for strong teeth are low-fat yogurt, cheese, milk, tofu, almonds cottage cheese, navy beans and leafy greens. But when it comes to yogurt, opt for low-sugar, sugar-free, plain or Greek yogurt. Many store-bought yogurts contain a significant amount of sugar, which we all know is not beneficial to the health of your teeth.
Following a nutritious diet, one that is filled with calcium-rich foods as well as fruits and vegetables, can help to maintain a healthy body and a healthy mouth.
For more information on this topic or any dental related procedure check out our website at Livonia Dental Care. If you have any questions, or a dental emergency, you can reach Dr. Jay at Livonia Dental Care at 734-427-7555. "Like" us on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.
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