June 2017 - The Dental Place

June 19, 2017

While you can clean your teeth properly with a manual toothbrush if you brush each tooth consistently for the same amount of time, an electronic toothbrush can increase efficiency when it comes to oral hygiene. Brushing your teeth, along with flossing, is an essential part of preventing oral health conditions – particularly tooth decay and periodontal disease. Electronic toothbrushes provide some benefits for preventing the accumulation of harmful substances like plaque and tartar over a manual toothbrush. If you want recommendations for oral hygiene products including electronic toothbrushes, feel free to ask our dentist at your next checkup or cleaning.

Benefits of Electronic Toothbrushes

Electronic toothbrushes can help improve one’s oral hygiene regimen – especially if the brush heads rotate quickly or pulse sonically. The pulsating or rotating aspects of brush heads are consistent and therefore allow a person to clean oral surfaces evenly. An electronic toothbrush will remove most of a day’s plaque deposits when patients brush all their teeth for a total of two minutes. Moreover, sonic pulses help stimulate soft oral tissue – particularly the gums. Those with dexterity issues or folks who have trouble cleaning all teeth with the same amount of strokes typically benefit from the steady rotation of an electronic brush head. Moreover, by holding the toothbrush over teeth and not applying excessive pressure, a person can avoid brushing too vigorously. Brushing vigorously can irritate the gums and weaken teeth over time so it is important to clean teeth with gentle circular motions, a feature that most electronic toothbrushes provide.

Why Plaque is Dangerous to Oral Health

Plaque is colonized oral bacteria. It is a sticky substance that coats teeth. When plaque is exposed to calculus, it hardens into tartar and cannot be brushed or flossed away. Tartar accumulation is a leading cause of periodontal disease. Proper oral hygiene can help prevent tartar buildup by removing daily plaque deposits.

Even if you practice meticulous oral hygiene, dental cleanings and checkups are still necessary. Call us today to reserve an appointment.

June 5, 2017

Do your dentures not feel like they used to? Perhaps they slip and slide in your mouth when eating or speaking. If your dentures are not fitting properly, you should call our office to schedule an appointment with our dentist as soon as you can. Wearing ill-fitting dentures can become very uncomfortable in addition to decreasing oral function and affecting your self-confidence. After visiting our dentist, our team can determine whether your dentures can be relined or if it is time for a new set all together.

Why do dentures become loose?

Dentures become loose over time. This is an unfortunate limitation of these prosthetics. When we lose our teeth, the roots of teeth no longer stimulate the bone in our jaw. Once bone is inactive, the body will resorb it. As the jaw loses density, it will change shape, thus affecting the way dentures fit. With time, these changes in our jaw shape will noticeably affect denture’s stability. Unstable dentures will feel loose and might even move significantly when speaking or eating.

What about denture adhesives?

Denture adhesives can provide extra support but an adhesive can only do so much for ill-fitting prosthetics. When dentures are noticeably loose, it is best to visit our practice for repairs or a new set so that you can enjoy comfortable prosthetics that improve oral function.

What does relining entail?

Relining dentures involves changing the shape and size of their base to accommodate the changing shape of the jaw. Since bone loss occurs over time, it is wise to have your dentures relined to improve the way they fit.

Will my dentures need to be replaced?

Many times, the way dentures fit can be improved with repairs but nearly all dentures require replacement at some point – especially if bone loss is substantial. Moreover, dentures that don’t fit properly can break easily.

Our team understands that you rely on your dentures every day, and when they no longer perform as they should, it will negatively affect your life. We are here to help you enjoy optimal oral function and a beautiful aesthetic. For questions about your prosthetics, call our team at The Dental Place.