Learn How to Properly Brush Your Teeth from a General Dentist

In our general dentist office, we treat patients of all ages and show both kids and adults how to brush their teeth correctly.  If you only brush your teeth occasionally and try to rush through it, you probably aren’t getting the best clean.  While your intentions are good, if you don’t brush correctly you may be wasting your time.  Make the most of your efforts by changing your routine and incorporating these simple tips:

• Timing matters.  The faster you can get sugar off of your teeth, the better.  Carry a soft travel toothbrush with you and use it throughout the day.  As an added bonus, your teeth will be less likely to stain, and your breath will smell fresher without the need for gum. No matter what you should brush your teeth at least every night and every morning. 
• Use the right brush.  As a general dentist, we recommend that our patients use a soft toothbrush instead of a hard one.  This is important because a soft toothbrush will get your teeth clean, but it won’t strip the enamel off of your teeth or irritate your gums.  If you can use an electric brush that is even better.
• Keep it new.  The bristles on your toothbrush need to look new. Once they start to fray, you have kept it for too long.  We recommend buying a new brush every three months and if you have an electric one, switching out the brush heads.  This will help you to consistently get a good clean. 
• Toothpaste.  You should use toothpaste that contains fluoride because this is a mineral that will keep your teeth strong and help to prevent cavities. We recommend that children receive fluoride treatments when they visit our office, and this is one additional way to keep teeth healthy and strong in between teeth cleanings.  If your teeth are sensitive, you may want to use desensitizing toothpaste instead. 
• Brush in circles.  You should brush your teeth in a circular pattern that starts at the gum line and moves towards the center of your mouth.  This way bacteria, plaque and food, are pushed away from your gums. This is a far better way to brush then going from back to front, which can irritate your gums.
• Keep it clean.  Your toothbrush needs to stay clean and dry so that bacteria cannot develop on the brush itself.  Use a toothbrush holder so that it can air out throughout the day.  You can also put it in an empty dishwasher so that your brush can get cleaned and sterilized on a weekly basis.

When you visit our general dentist office, we will remove any plaque and bacteria that have been left behind from your daily brushing and flossing.  Working together we can help to prevent cavities and gum disease so that you can stay in excellent oral health.  Taking the time to do so will prevent you from experiencing discomfort down the road.

Learn How You Can Save Money While Visiting the Family Dentist

Don’t let money prevent you from visiting our family dentist office.  There are ways that you can save and reduce your overall dental care expense.  We also offer financing solutions and can discuss payment plans if you need it. This way you and your family can get the care that you need without worrying about your budget.

When trying to manage your health care cost, you can start by planning for preventative care.  We recommend that you schedule a teeth cleaning for twice a year.  This way we can remove bacteria and plaque from your teeth in order to prevent cavities and gum disease from developing.  When you prevent infections, you also prevent the need for more expensive dental procedures.  Most insurance companies will pay for this type of treatment so you may have little to no out of pocket expense. 

You can also save money by investing in a dental savings plan.  These plans can be bought online and work by giving you discounts on a variety of treatments.  It can be used by itself or in combination with an insurance plan. This is especially beneficial for people that want to get orthodontics treatments or major dental work.  You can get more information when visiting our family dentist office. 

Whenever possible, take steps to avoid a dental emergency so that you can keep your health care cost at a manageable level.  Brushing your teeth two to three times a day, using fluoride toothpaste, flossing, and eating healthy are all ways to do so.  They keep your teeth clean and strong so that they are less prone to infection.  We also recommend that the athletes in the family wear a mouth guard.  The American Dental Association claims that over 200,000 high school and college athletes avoid injury every year by wearing one.  When you can prevent injuries and infections, you can prevent the need to pay for major emergency dental work. 

If you do need a dental procedure, ask about your options.  There is typically more than one way to have dental work done.  For example, if one of your teeth has fallen out you can use dental implants, a dental bridge or dentures to replace it.  Likewise, a chipped tooth may be fixed with a bonding procedure, dental veneers, and a dental crown.  During your consultation let us know if you have specific budgetary constraints so that we can make recommendations as to which procedures can solve the problem while staying within your budget.  

In our family dentist office, we understand that at times families need to have dental work completed but simply can’t afford it.  Whether you chip a tooth during the holidays or while saving to buy a house, medical emergencies can strike at inopportune times.  We offer financing solutions and payment plans that can help. This way you can get the procedure that you need without having to pay anything out of pocket immediately.  

These are some of the ways that you can continue to get the dental care that you need while saving money and living within your budget.