Keeping your teeth healthy may seem like a chore although it is very important to your health. We here at Devoted Family Dental make caring for your teeth fun! Here is a list of fun facts about your teeth. (more…)
Dupont Family Dentistry Blog
Top 10 Tips To Avoid Dental Injuries
August 31, 2015
Regardless of the profession you are in, dental and mouth injuries are all too common. These injuries can affect the front teeth, as well as soft tissues, tongue, lips, or even inner cheeks. These injuries can be extremely painful, costly, and in worse case scenarios, permanent! Athletes are prime candidates; they have a 33 to 56 percent chance of obtaining an orofacial injury during their athletic career. Meaning, sooner or later, you are more than likely to end up being a victim of such an injury if you do not take extra precautions!
This can be achieved by wearing protective mouth gear! This will save you time, pain, money, and most importantly, prevent permeant damage. It is quite common for dental injuries to occur in sports. Dentists predict that around 13% to 39% of dental injuries happen while playing sports, and 80 percent of the time, they cause injuries to at least one of the front teeth. Taking this into account, we have listed the top 10 tips to help you avoid dental injuries.
- Mouth guards: Make sure to wear mouth guards while taking part in sports or athletic activities. Wearing mouth guards is a great way to avoid injuries to your teeth. To make sure that your mouth guard does its job and better protects your teeth, have your dentist custom-fit your mouth guard.
- Helmets: Helmets are imperative when it comes to playing sports that are high impact or high speed, such as hockey, football, biking, and skating. Make sure your helmet fits correctly and is customized to the sport. This will allow for the best protection.
- Cage: A face cage allows for full protection and guarantees you will not need stiches or dental work.
- Visor/Shield: A visor/shield does not offer as much protection as a cage, but it is better than not wearing a barrier to your face at all.
- Make sure that all of your protective gear fits perfectly and is comfortable for you.
- Go to a dentist or hospital as soon as you incur a dental injury. Consider it an emergency, as you would a serious bodily injury.
- Try not to touch the injured area! It may cause the injury to get worse and make it more difficult for the dentist to repair or recover the injured part of your mouth.
- In case of excessive bleeding, make sure you only use sterile gauze to avoid infection.
- Take precautions to avoid complications and recover as quickly as possible.
- Most importantly have fun but be safe! Prevention is the best option.
If you still happen to incur an orofacial injury, get to your dentist as soon as possible to help decrease the chances of permanent damage and maximize efficient recovery. At Devoted Family Dental, we provide emergency dental service and will help address your situation ASAP.
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Back-to-School With the Perfect Smile
August 28, 2015
The end of summer is soon approaching which means you’re probably busy getting your kids ready for school. New clothes and supplies will most likely make it to the top of the back to school checklist, but don’t forget to add a dental cleaning so your children are ready to take on the new school year with a smile. Preventative dental care is so important, especially for children and young adults. As a bonus, when you schedule a dentist appointment for your children by the end of August, they will be placed into a raffle to win a free backpack containing all the essential school supplies! This will help you check off a number of things on your back to school list. Why wait, the initial consultation is also free of charge! (more…)
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Parents Guide: Keeping your children’s teeth healthy & strong
July 9, 2015
We understand as a parent you want what’s best for your child! However, sometimes it is tough to judge how much dental care your child needs. You know you want to prevent cavities for your little one but knowing the best way to do so can be challenging. Here are some suggestions and tips to help!
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How to Make The Dentist a Fun Experience for Kids
June 26, 2015
Going to the dentist can be a scary and daunting experience for young children… even for some adults. An unknown person with a mask on, strange shiny devices and power tools approaching your mouth isn’t the most inviting image. It’s understandable why kids have a fear of going to the oh-so dreaded dentist. This is why it is important to break the “scary” dentist stereotype and educate your children about how great and beneficial the dentist is, and get them excited for their next visit. Here are some tips and tricks for making the dentist a fun/painless experience for you and your children!
1) Prepare
Before going to the dentist let your kids know what is going to happen. To help better prepare your kids for the experience you can play pretend dentist and walk through different scenarios. In most cases, this will calm their nerves. When kids have no idea what is going on they can panic and tense up.
Photo Credit: makelessnoise
2) Have some fun
A little fun goes a long way! There are a variety of things you can do to reinforce that going to the dentist will be a fun trip!
Dress up – let your kids dress up in their favorite superhero or princess costumes. Kids love dressing up as their favorite character for a day. You might be reluctant to let them wear costumes to school or run errands in them but if you allow them to wear them to the dentist office they’ll have something to look forward to.
Watch videos – If your child is drawn to a particular character on TV try to find videos that show that character caring about dental hygiene. If they see their favorite character doing something they are more likely to follow their lead.
Prize – Talk about how you’ll get a fun toothbrush/ toothpaste when going to the dentist.
Charts – Every time your child brushes their teeth correctly add a sticker to a chart. At the end of the week if they have brushed their teeth twice a day, every day treat them to a special outing or reward them in some way.
Photo Credit: Phillip Dean
3) Positive reinforcement
Positive reinforcement is key! If your children do an awesome job at the dentist and have no cavities reward them every once in a while. By rewarding good behavior, they will strive for this behavior every time they attend the dentist. Some popular places kids love to go are:
Kidz Bounce – Kidz Bounce is a place with a variety of bounce houses, optical illusions, and slides. They have several drop-in times where your children can play for an hour and a half for only 7 dollars. Your kids will be jumping off the walls with excitement!
Wilson Playfields in Kent and Lake Meridian- Take your kids to this park filled with fun activities. This park includes a nautical theme playground, picnic areas, a swimming beach, boat launch, and more. This park is great for a variety of ages. There is truly something for everyone to do.
Little Discoveries
Little Discoveries is a place where your children can find out what sport they’re passionate about through class sampling. Kids from 4 to 7 will be able to try ice skating, gymnastic, taekwondo, and swimming classes to see what truly interest them before choosing a specific program. Little Discoveries isn’t only a fun place for children to play but a healthy activity for children to do.
Mike N Terry’s Outdoor Fun Park – offers an exciting variety of sports that include: mini-golf, go-karts and batting cages.
Chuck E Cheese’s – Chuck E Cheese’s has always been a favorite among kids. Filled with arcade games, slides, and pizza your children are guaranteed a great day.
Kent Bowl – If your children love to bowl take them to Kent Bowl. They will be able to bowl, play in the arcade and eat here!
4) Lead by example
Show your kids that you floss and brush your teeth on a regular basis as well as reiterate that flossing and brushing are for big girls and boys too. You can make flossing and brushing more fun by getting musical toothbrushes or cool flossers. Also when it is time to take your child to the dentist never show that you are stressed or nervous about taking them. We know that it can be a little nerve-racking for some parents to take their children to the dentist especially the first time. Try to hide any emotions that are negative. Your children will pick up on this and it will higher their anxiety about going. You always want to make going to the dentist a positive, exciting visit, not a nervous, dreaded visit.
As you experiment with different ways to help your children see the dentist in a positive light, don’t forget to have fun yourself! Remember it doesn’t have to be a day filled with stress and anxiety. Try our tips above and before you know it your children might enjoy going to the dentist!
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Three Alternative Valentine’s Day Treats
January 30, 2015
It’s February, and rose stands are popping up in mall parking lots across the country. At the grocery store, Christmas candy and New Years Eve memorabilia have been packed away. Taking it’s place; red and pink merchandise and heart shaped boxes of chocolate. Valentine’s Day is next on the list of festive holidays, and every year America braces for the next big candy craze. Now obviously, our indulgence on Valentine’s Day offers potential dental problems for the future. However, sweet treats are a part of the holiday, and the dental community knows this. While a dentist’s idea of sweet treats may be a little outside of status quo, you might be surprised at how much you enjoy these low sugar Valentine’s Day treats. Here is a list of dentist approved Valentine’s Day treats to keep the holiday spirit festive, all while keeping your dental health in check.
Berry’s and Dark Chocolate
Not only are they colorful, but berries are delicious and beneficial for your overall health. Yep, including your teeth! They can be organized into festive plate platters, or served in themed cupcake liners. If you still want your fix of chocolate, melt down high cocoa dark chocolate to dip your berries into. Dark chocolate contains less sugar than milk chocolate and contains many benefits for your heart and brain.
Bruschetta, cheese, and crackers
Another clever and delicious way to keep your mouth healthy this Valentine’s Day is to skip the sweets altogether. Cheese can be cut into festive heart shapes, and crackers or french bread can be organized into a decorative platter. To make Bruschetta, simply chop fresh cherry tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, and basil together and douce with extra virgin olive oil and squeezed lemon. The content of sugar is low for this platter, and the calcium from cheese benefits your teeth’s health.
Decorative banana and strawberry smoothies
Still have a sweet tooth? Make a delicious smoothie using strawberries and bananas. To add a creamy texture, mix in nonfat Greek yogurt, or some almond milk. Yogurt is a great option because it adds protein which is essential for the body’s future development. Once you are finished blending, dress it up with whole chopped berries on the top, finely grated dark chocolate, and red and pink sprinkles for flare. A smoothy is the perfect option for those with a mean sweet tooth.
Whether you are very wary of your tooth health, or not too concerned, these options offer you a substitute from the sugar packed candies that are so often associated with Valentine’s Day. By decreasing your sugar intake, along with brushing your teeth regularly, your chances of developing a cavity or multiple cavities becomes less likely.
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Dental Veneers: Are They Right For You?
January 16, 2015
The number of people voluntarily receiving cosmetic surgery continues to grow in record
numbers every year. Although vain to some, many American’s believe their personal
appearance will greatly increases their chances to thrive in society. So what aspect of
appearance does the majority pay the most attention to? Many surveys have asked this exact
question to millions of American’s across the country. At the top of the list, a perfect smile. And
cosmetic dentistry can have your teeth looking brand new using dental porcelain or resin
veneers.
What is a Dental Veneer?
A dental veneer acts like a cover over your existing tooth. First, a mold and x-ray of the mouth must be
completed to create the veneer to fit exactly over the tooth. The veneer is a wafer thin shell
made of a tooth colored porcelain or resin material. Both porcelain and resin veneers are
extremely realistic in appearance, however they have different uses for different individual
circumstances. A layer of the tooth’s enamel must be removed before the dental veneer is attached.
Dental veneers will take place of this enamel creating a brand new cover and defensive layer for the
tooth. It is bonded onto the tooth using an extremely strong adhesive that will last up to 10
years of normal wear and tear. As a patient, having dental veneers installed is like receiving a set
of brand new teeth. At least from someone else’s perspective.
Are veneers right for your
Through the course of life, our bodies naturally break down cell matter and reinvent themselves.
Just about every part of our human body is capable of rebuilding and recreating itself including
our bones. In fact, the largest bone in the body is capable of completely rebuilding itself from
new material in less than a year. However, with all of this amazing capability, the body cannot
repair the teeth in our mouth’s. Maintaining a great smile through life is no easy task. Teeth get
stained, discolored, chipped, worn down, and broken just to name a few. We’ve all got one or
more of these problems.
So how much is a beautiful smile worth to Americans. The industry has grown to over 2 billion
dollars in sales with millions of people getting cosmetic dentistry performed every year. And the
numbers climb every year due to the advancements of the technology and the affordability. If
you are tired of the stains, displacement, and chips of your teeth, having dental veneers installed may
be the right decision for you.
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Mouth Matters | Must Know Dental Facts for 2015
December 29, 2014
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The Cavity-Free Survival Guide to the Holidays
December 19, 2014
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday season is in full force bringing lots of good times and good food. While most of the food and sweets probably taste amazing, your teeth definitely do not feel the same way about them. Because of the busy schedule during this time of the year, combined with the frequent consumption of sweets, the holidays can often take a major toll on your teeth. However, avoiding dental disaster during the holidays is not impossible! Here is a survival guide to help keep your mouth cavity free during the season!
Limit the Sugar Intake
Arguably the best part about the holiday season are all of the delicious sweets that are constantly tempting everyone. Due to the spirit of this time of year, avoiding these treats altogether might be close to impossible. If you can totally resist the temptation, more power to you. That is ultimately the best way to stay cavity-free. If you do not want to totally cut out these sweets because this time of the year only comes around once every twelve months, then simply reduce the amount that you eat. The less sugar intake that you have, the better off your teeth will be, and the more likely you will be able to end the holidays with no cavities!
Be Proactive
As we were saying, sometimes getting rid of the sugar intake altogether is not reasonably possible. If you are having a hard time reducing the amount of sugar you consume during this time of the year, then one way of counteracting this sugar is by being more proactive with your dental care. For example, if you have just ate of few treats loaded with sugar, once you are done you can brush your teeth even if it might be in the middle of the day. If you are not at home where your toothbrush is, another option of being proactive is to rinse your mouth out after eating. This will help to reduce some of the effects of the sugar on your teeth.
Follow Your Normal Regimen
While the sweets are generally the most harmful on your teeth during the holidays, they are not the only threat. Holiday parties and events often keep everyone busy. This can lead to getting home later than usual and throwing you off of your schedule, which can occasionally be reason to skip brushing and flossing. One of the most important things that you can do to remain cavity-free is to stay on schedule with your dental care. Learn more with our 10 easy ways to boost dental hygiene.
Keeping your teeth cavity-free during the holidays is not always the easiest task, but it is something to definitely pay attention to while you enjoy the special benefits that come with this time of the year. If you are wondering of other general ways to keep your teeth in the best condition possible, connect with us on Facebook or Twitter and we would love to help you out!
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What is Oral Surgery?
November 27, 2014
If you are talking with your dentist and they suggest dental oral surgery, it might be somewhat intimidating at first. But what is oral surgery? The sound of this process seems a lot more daunting than it generally is. While there are many types of dental procedures small or large, when talking about dental oral surgery there are two common types that are often referred to. Here is a look at these two types of oral surgery that are quite frequently performed.
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