clean mouth

Oral Cancer

Posted on March 14, 2023 by Dr. Chea Rainford

As your dental office, it is our responsibility to be more than just your tooth doctor — we also want to contribute to your total body health.

That’s why we do a full oral cancer screening at every checkup. This quick and easy exam can catch oral cancer before it starts! Early detection, as with any cancer, is crucial in a positive outcome.

Some warning signs to look for:

Bumps/sores in the mouth that bleed easily and don’t disappear on their own within 14 days
Pain or difficulty chewing, swallowing or speaking
Numbness in mouth/facial area

So don’t neglect your six-month checkup. Not only will we clean your teeth we’ll also make sure you’re cavity-free. We are committed to your overall health, because your health is our top priority.

<a href=”https://www.vecteezy.com/free-photos”>Free Stock photos by Vecteezy</a>

Brushing And Flossing Especially Important During Orthodontic Treatment

Posted on January 1, 2022 by Dr. Chea Rainford

As you are aware, plaque (the whitish build-up of food material, and bacteria) is the cause of cavities, tooth scarring (white lines as stains, also technically known as enamel decalcification) and gum disease, which may occur if teeth are not kept clean. In order to prevent the above problems from occurring, several techniques have been developed to reduce or eliminate plaque build-up on your teeth. You should brush your teeth immediately after every time you eat, even after snacks. We recommend a soft toothbrush and any brand of toothpaste which contains flouride. Tooth brushing and oral hygiene must be excellent at all times, especially next to the gumline. When oral hygiene is poor several things happen:

• Gum infection (gingivitis) is recognized by puffy, swollen, red gums which bleed easily. This can lead to more severe disease (periodontal disease), which eventually leads to tooth loss.

• Permanent white spots (decalcifications) may also be left on the teeth after appliances are removed if plaque is allowed to remain on the teeth during treatment. Extra care must be taken in the area between your gums and the braces. We call this “The Danger Zone”. Food and plaque that collects around your braces and wires can cause stains and cavities as well as unpleasant odors, so be sure to keep your teeth clean. Take time and do it right. If you have difficulty brushing, an electric toothbrush may be recommended. A “proxy brush” is a small pipe-cleaner type of toothbrush and is recommended for brushing under your wires and between brackets in addition to a regular toothbrush.

• Finally, cavities can occur before, during or after treatment if hygiene is poor. Fortunately, all of these are preventable simply by brushing and flossing. We reserve the right to remove braces and stop treatment if hygiene is repeatedly poor and we feel that high plaque levels are damaging teeth and/or gums. Remember, during your orthodontic treatment you must see your dentist every 4-6 months for your cleanings and dental check-ups.

Remember that although your braces and wires are metal, they are fragile and can be damaged by eating the wrong foods.

Pacifiers and Baby Bottles: Comforting or Concerning?

Posted on October 11, 2021 by Dr. Chea Rainford

When it comes to sucking, babies are naturals — maybe because they practice even before they are born! Children begin sucking on their thumb while in the womb to develop the skills necessary for breastfeeding. And for many kids, this skill has an added bonus: Thumb-sucking can be very soothing. Many infants and toddlers will continue to suck their thumb or use a pacifier even after they start eating solid foods or stop taking a bottle.

Unfortunately, the use of pacifiers, bottles and sippy cups can lead to speech and dental problems as your child gets older. Because children develop at different ages, it’s a good idea to speak with your dentist and pediatrician to make sure that your infant or toddler’s early oral habits don’t cause problems.

Pacifier Blues

In a child’s first few years, pacifier use generally doesn’t cause problems. But constant, long-term pacifier use, especially once permanent teeth come in, can lead to dental complications. Constant sucking can cause top front teeth to slant out, and bottom front teeth to tilt in. It also can lead to jaw misalignment (such as an overbite) and a narrowing of the roof of the mouth.

It is generally advised that children stop or drastically reduce their pacifier use around age 3. If a child is dependent on the pacifier to be calmed and soothed, try giving it to him or her only when absolutely necessary and using positive reinforcement to wean them off the habit.

If possible, buy pacifiers labeled “orthodontically friendly” because they may limit the risk of dental complications. It’s also a good idea to buy pacifiers constructed as one piece. And never attach a pacifier to a string around your child’s neck, this can cause them to choke.

The Big Bad Bottle

Many children use a bottle longer than necessary. Apart from the risks associated with the sucking motion, bottles also carry a heavy risk of promoting tooth decay if they contain anything other than water.

Frequently sucking or sipping on milk or juice from a bottle over an extended period of time will increase your child’s risk of tooth decay. When sugars and carbohydrates come in consistent contact with teeth, they create an environment for decay-causing bacteria to thrive. Tooth decay can lead to painful infection, and in extreme cases, children may need to have a tooth extraction or dental treatment to extensively repair damaged teeth.

If you notice small white spots or lines on your child’s teeth, particularly near the gum line, it’s a good idea to consult your dentist immediately, as this may be an early sign of decay. As a way to cut back on children’s bottle use, your pediatrician or pediatric dentist may recommend using sippy cups. While these are very useful for transitioning your child from bottle to regular cups, they also pose their own threat to teeth and speech development.

For more help breaking baby away from the bottle or pacifier, talk to your dentist.

Pacifiers and Baby Bottles: Comforting or Concerning?

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Dr. Chea Rainford

Pacifier Blues

The Big Bad Bottle

For more help breaking baby away from the bottle or pacifier, talk to your dentist.

A Parent’s Guide to Flossing

Posted on August 2, 2021 by Dr. Chea Rainford

Regular tooth brushing and flossing are important for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. The best way to ensure that your child maintains good oral health through adulthood is to establish their oral hygiene routine early.

In addition to tooth-brushing, you can start teaching your child to floss. Flossing is important for removing the dental plaque trapped between teeth and along the gum line that a toothbrush cannot usually reach. Flossing should be performed at least once a day and should take about two minutes.

You can speak to your child’s dentist for specific suggestions about how and when to begin teaching your child to floss, but generally speaking, you’ll want them to start when they are two to three years old. They will require supervision and assistance until they are about eight years old, but establishing regular flossing habits will put them ahead of the curve as they grow up.

Floss comes in a variety of colors and flavors. Let your child pick their favorite. By making flossing something exciting to look forward to, you will increase the chance that your child will maintain the habit.

Effective Flossing in 3 Easy Steps

Step One. To begin flossing, have your child cut off a piece of floss approximately 18 inches long.

Step Two. Have them wrap the ends around their middle or index fingers on both hands.

Step Three. Next, have them gently guide the floss between their teeth, carefully moving the floss around the tooth and under the gum line. Make sure they floss between the gum line and the side of each tooth.

Your dentist may also suggest that you use a pre-threaded flosser or floss holder to make it easier for your child to maneuver the floss around teeth.

For any questions about creating a great flossing habit for your child, or about any other dental concerns, be sure and consult your child’s dentist for more information.

Toothpicks

Posted on May 4, 2021 by Dr. Chea Rainford

Why Toothpicks Shouldn’t Be Your Pick for a Dental Tool

Toothpicks. You see them everywhere: minty-fresh and plastic wrapped next to the cash register at your neighborhood diner, spearing a bite-size cheese cube and sporting colorful plastic frills at a cocktail party, swimming in a martini and wearing nothing but an olive at the bar, or simply resting in a box of 100 at your local grocery store. In fact, toothpicks are so readily available, it may seem hard to believe that they could be bad for you in any way. The truth is, however, frequently using toothpicks can damage your teeth and gums, and lead to swallowing splinters and worse.

Toothpicks are old news
Toothpicks are primitive devices that are the oldest dental cleaning tool around. Fossils of 7,500-year-old teeth suggest that humans were using wooden sticks to clean their teeth a long time before toothbrushes were even thought about. But again, this is because these ancient people didn’t have any alternative. Here are a few reasons why jabbing a stick around in your mouth in hopes of dislodging food, today, may not be such a great idea:

Lacerating gums. If you use toothpicks frequently and roughly, you could risk damaging your gums, causing bleeding and tearing.
Damaging tooth enamel. Tooth enamel is the covering that makes up the outer layer of each tooth. Although it’s pretty tough stuff, it’s still vulnerable to the type of damage chewing on a toothpick can easily cause.
Damaging tooth roots. If your gums have pulled away from your tooth roots, they could be especially prone to damage by a toothpick. Not to mention the fact that touching exposed tooth roots with anything at all can also be very painful.
Chipping veneers or crowns. Vigorous toothpick use can cause both to become damaged or even fall out altogether.
Splinters. Toothpicks can fall apart and leave splinters in your gums, tongue and throat, which are not only painful and hard to remove, but could also result in a dangerous infection.
Swallowing. Toothpicks could kill you. In fact, on average, there are about 9000 choking incidents reported each year from someone either swallowing or inhaling a toothpick.

So what should I use?
Sure, toothpicks can remove food debris from between teeth, but dentists recommend other cleaning alternatives that are much less damaging to your teeth and gums, including:

Dental floss. Dental floss or tape can quickly and effectively remove food particles without damaging teeth or gums. Flossing also removes plaque, which can lead to cavities, and promotes healthy gums, protecting you from gingivitis and periodontitis.
Interdental brush. Interdental brushes have small bristled heads that are designed specifically to fit between your teeth. Like floss, they can dislodge bits of food and clean plaque from surfaces that can’t be reached just by brushing.

So should I ever use a toothpick?
The best answer to this question is simple: only when you’ve got no other choice. As discussed above, there are many things that make toothpicks bad for teeth. And perhaps the only thing they have going for them is that they are portable and convenient to carry. If you have a bit of food stuck in your teeth that is painful or irritating and a toothpick is your only option, then it’s better to remove it for your own comfort.

But even then, it’s important to ask yourself just how frequently you are having to use that toothpick. We’ve all experienced a niggling bit of food getting stuck between your teeth every now and then. No big deal, right? Well, if it happens on a regular basis and (most importantly) in the same place each time, then that is reason enough to visit the dentist. That’s because food can become stuck due to fillings that haven’t been properly finished, teeth that have shifted or teeth that have developed a hole due to decay. And if you’re just relying on toothpicks to try to remedy these problems, you’re probably going to be seeing much bigger problems down the line.

So, are toothpicks bad? No, toothpicks are great … glued together to create memorable fourth-grade art projects, stuck in a birthday cake to see if it is ready to take out of the oven, and for hundreds of other uses. But are toothpicks bad for you? Yes, especially if they’re used frequently or without sufficient care for your teeth and gums. And because there are other ways that are so much better at getting bits of food free from your teeth, there is really no reason to resort to some crude tool that was invented by primitive man.

Adult Braces

Posted on May 4, 2021May 4, 2021 by Dr. Chea Rainford

Brace Yourself. You’re Not Too Old to Straighten Your Teeth.

Think braces are just for angsty teens and awkward pre-pubescents? Think again.The number of adults undergoing treatment for crooked teeth using braces or other teeth straightening treatment has been rising steadily.

Sure, crooked teeth can be a cosmetic embarrassment, but more importantly, correcting them can benefit you more than just making you look better. For example, fixing a less-than-perfect bite will ensure that you chew your food properly. And overlapping teeth can cause bacteria to get trapped, leading to difficulty with cleaning and, ultimately, tooth decay. Fortunately there are a number of ways to get teeth (of any age) on the straight and narrow.

Am I Doomed to Be a “Brace Face”?

The upside to waiting until adulthood to correct your teeth is you can avoid all those playground bullies and their hurtful name-calling. The other benefit is that trends are changing. After assessing your particular issues, your orthodontist can tell you more about all the options that are available to you today, including:

Visible braces. This type of brace is perhaps the closest to what you may envision when you think “braces.” But it’s pretty safe to say that even visible braces have improved over the years. Usually suggested to fix severe alignment problems, the brace is fixed directly onto the front of the tooth using either traditional stainless-steel brackets with metal wires, clear plastic brackets with metal wires, or ceramic brackets with metal wires. Braces must be kept clean, since food that gathers around the brackets or wires can lead to staining or decay.

Invisible braces. Invisible braces are called lingual braces and are placed on the back of the teeth. If you’re concerned about the aesthetics of having braces, these can be a great option. However, adjusting to this method can be a little tough. Often times lingual braces can cause you to speak with a lisp, and having the brackets sit between your teeth and the tongue can cause irritation.

Nearly invisible braces. This is actually a clear plastic tray that’s worn over the teeth. Every two weeks the trays are exchanged for new ones that are become closer and closer to the teeth’s ideal alignment. This method is popular because they are almost invisible to the naked eye, and can be easily removed for cleaning and eating. However, you have to be strict about wearing the trays, as anything less than 22 hours a day will result in a longer treatment time.

Retainers. Removable retainers are made from metal wires and acrylic formed to the shape of your mouth. They can be made for both the upper and lower arches of the mouth to brace and align teeth. Retainers like this are popular because they can be easily removed for special events or occasional relief, but they are prone to getting lost, so you have to make sure to keep track of them.

Porcelain veneers. Veneers are a cheaper and less time-consuming way to change the look of your teeth by simply covering up minor imperfections. As well as covering crooked teeth, they can mask chips, gaps and stains and — once they are applied — don’t need to be replaced for five to ten years.

So, instead of just hoping that your teeth decide to straighten on their own (which they won’t), put on your grown-up pants, and talk to your dentist. Because today, there are more options than ever for giving you the healthy, attractive smile you’ve always wanted.

Braces Built for Busy Adults

Posted on April 1, 2021 by Dr. Chea Rainford

If you needed braces as a child but didn’t get them, you can still benefit from an improved smile and better oral health by wearing dental braces in your adult years. However, because traditional braces can take longer the older you are, more and more adults are turning to speed braces. Unlike conventional metal braces – which take an average of 12-20 months – speed braces typically take just 6-9 months to straighten your teeth.

One of the best features of speed dental braces is the slide mechanism of the self-ligating brackets: The wire slides through the brackets as the teeth move, allowing your teeth to move more freely, quickly and comfortably. This slide technology also helps reduce the friction between the brackets and wire, which means that you’ll need fewer adjustments.

The self-ligating brackets on speed dental braces can also help promote better oral health than those of braces past: Because the brackets are smaller in size, it’s easier to brush and floss your teeth. And since speed dental braces are left on your teeth for a shorter period of time, you’re teeth are less likely to develop the yellow or brown spots that traditional metal braces can cause.

Invest in speed braces, and you’ll reap both tangible and intangible rewards. If smiling was never easy for you, it will be. Many patients say they felt a boost in self-esteem after treatment, which made it easier to smile and interact with others. Braces can also make it easier to digest food! If your teeth and jaws are misaligned, you may have problems chewing food properly, which can overtax your digestive system and cause stomachaches. With straight teeth, smiling and eating can be a pleasure again.

Deciduous Teeth

Posted on April 1, 2021 by Dr. Chea Rainford

Deciduous teeth are baby teeth. We’re born with two full sets of teeth and this first set is also called primary, milk or lacteal dentition. These teeth begin to erupt anytime after 6 months of age, which is commonly referred to as “teething.” Teeth normally erupt in pairs and the first that normally come in are the lower central incisors. By the time your child is 2, he or she should have a full set of deciduous teeth.

Why Two Sets?

As an infant, our mouths are too small for a full set of permanent teeth, so we require deciduous teeth until our jaw is able to sustain the permanent set. Baby teeth are essential in the alignment, spacing and occlusion of primary teeth. They prepare the adult jaw for their permanent fellows.

As the adult teeth (seccedaneous teeth) form, special cells called odontoclasts absorb the roots of the baby teeth, so that when your adult teeth start to emerge from your gums the deciduous teeth have no roots, making them loose and able to easily fall out.

Caring for Deciduous Teeth

A gross misconception about baby teeth is that since they will eventually be replaced by primary teeth, there’s no reason to take care of them. But cavities are a very real cause for concern — even for deciduous teeth. Children who suffer from dental cavities in their baby teeth are more prone to cavities in their permanent teeth. And every dentist will agree that oral hygiene habits begin in childhood. So it is essential that you take excellent dental care of your little ones’ baby teeth, as they won’t be able to do so themselves for the first handful of years.

Good oral hygiene begins at teething. Simply rubbing your infant’s gums with a wet washcloth will begin to develop habits that he or she will require for life. Once the first teeth erupt, begin brushing them twice a day. Once more teeth fill in, you can begin flossing, too. And be sure to set up your child’s first dental visit when the first tooth appears or by age 1.

Deciduous Tooth Dental Cavities

Sometimes your toddler will get a dental cavity in one of the baby teeth. In that case, your regular pediatric dentist will take X-rays and fill any dental cavity so that tooth decay does not go unchecked and the primary tooth can emerge in the best condition possible.

Like all teeth, deciduous teeth must be cared for properly so that you have a healthy mouth and healthy body. It’s up to parents to ensure that their child develops healthy deciduous teeth and good oral hygiene. If you need help maintaining your child’s oral health, give us a call; we’re glad to help.

Why So Sensitive? 5 Reasons Why Your Teeth Hurt

Posted on October 1, 2020 by Dr. Chea Rainford

Do your teeth hurt when you drink or eat something hot or cold? Most people think this is normal, but that’s not always the case. When your teeth hurt, they’re trying to tell you something: See your dentist.

More often than not, tooth sensitivity is a sign of a dental problem like tooth decay or gum disease. But there are other reasons why your teeth may be hurting:

You might have a cracked or broken tooth
One of your fillings could be broken or rotten
You might be grinding your teeth while you sleep
You could be brushing your teeth too hard
There might be dental plaque buildup on your tooth roots

Don’t make the mistake of ignoring sensitive teeth or trying to self-treat. If your sensitivity lasts longer than a couple of days or keeps recurring over a couple of weeks, make an appointment to see your dentist. The longer you wait, the worse it can get and the more expensive treatment will be. A quick exam can reveal exactly what’s going on and get you back to living pain-free.