7 Ways to Prevent Cavities this Halloween

Oct 26th, 2012
Easton Dentists Mar 1st, 2017

Halloween is a fun time of year and we want to keep it that way.  Yes, we’re dentists but we’re also regular people who love candy, too!  The key to keeping your teeth healthy this Halloween is not to avoid candy , but following these tips and reminders!  Happy Halloween!

  1. Always maintain healthy dental habits no matter the time of year.  It’s easy to focus on teeth during Halloween but the truth is, if you take care of your teeth year round, they will be strong enough to get through October with no problems.
  2. Eat healthy when you can.  We don’t expect you to skip out on candy entirely but it’s probably best if your meals consist of something besides chocolate.  Nuts make a filling substitute when you’re looking for a quick snack.
  3. Brush your teeth in the morning and before you go to bed.  This is simply a good habit to get into.  Not only will brushing your teeth be good for them, it will have you looking and feeling fresh throughout the day and night.
  4. Floss when you brush.  You may remember flossing being a hassle in the past.  You would have to get just the right amount of string and then try to squeeze your fingers in your mouth to get your back teeth.  The hassle is gone with dental flossers that are about the length of a toothpick.
  5. Ration out your candy.  Bad things happen when you eat all your candy at once.  First of all, it’s bad for your teeth.  Second of all, if you eat it all at once, you won’t have any candy later!  If you eat a few pieces of candy a day, your teeth and your sweet tooth will be happier.
  6. Brush your teeth right after eating candy.  Like we said, we don’t want you to stop eating candy; we just want to help you be responsible when you do it.  If you brush after a chocolate bar, the sugars won’t have time to really damage your teeth.
  7. Maintain your regularly scheduled appointments with your dentist.  Your dentist knows your teeth almost as well as you do so he or she will be able to keep your teeth and your dental health up to par.  When you see your dentist frequently, you will be able to take care of issues before they become real problems.

If you don’t have a dentist, give us a call at The Dental Center at Easton Town Center and we’ll get your teeth in shape for a Happy Halloween.

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When is it Time to Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?

Oct 9th, 2012
Easton Dentists Mar 1st, 2017

Most of us have had our wisdom teeth removed or know someone that has but if you are unfamiliar with the process, it can be a little mysterious.  Maybe the only thing you know about wisdom teeth removal is that your friend from high school or college missed a week of classes because of it but that does little in helping decide whether or not you need your wisdom teeth removed.

Wisdom teeth removal is a medical procedure, usually performed by a dentist or surgeon, that removes anywhere from one to all four of the patient’s wisdom teeth.  If done at all, the extraction is usually performed when the patient is between the ages of 15 and 25, though it can also be done later in life.  In most cases, the younger a patient is, the quicker and more easily they heal making surgeries performed later in life more of an ordeal for the patient.

The main reasons for wisdom teeth extraction are to prevent future problems or to stop current problems.  When wisdom teeth grow in, they often do so at strange angles, which can lead to pain and infection.  By removing the teeth before they finish growing in, the surgery prevents infections down the line.  If the teeth have already broken through the gums, they can begin to push against other teeth and cause pain.  If they are causing irritation, immediate removal is often the best option.

For the actual surgery, the dentist or surgeon will first numb the area surrounding the teeth with a local anesthetic.  After that, they will make an opening in the gums above and around the tooth to make extraction easier.  The tooth is then separated from the jaw and gums.  As you can imagine, this would be a pretty painful procedure without the use of anesthetic.

After the surgery, the doctor will stitch up the area where the tooth had once been.  The patient is then sent home, usually with a prescription for painkillers.  Recovery time is typically a few days but could be longer if the patient is older or doesn’t follow the doctor’s orders.

The cost of having wisdom teeth removed varies but it would be best to talk to your dentist and insurance agency before you commit to anything.  If you still have questions about your wisdom teeth, let us know!  The Dental Center at Easton Town Center is more than happy to help.

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