Night guards

via

Do night guards work? Who would benefit from them? Those are two very good questions. First lets talk about what they are  used for. Night guards are essentially used to protect ones teeth from damage due to grinding. In a lot of cases they are also used to help those with temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ for short. To find out if you are one of the individuals that would benefit from a night guard, ask yourself some of these questions.

• Has someone told you that you grind your teeth at night?
• Do you wake up with headaches?
• Do you find yourself clenching your teeth throughout the day?
• Have your teeth become worn down?
• Is your jaw clenched upon wakening?
• Are you commonly stressed?
• Does your jaw pop when you open and close?

If you answered yes to any of these, it's probably a good idea to check with your dentist to find the right night guard for you. There are several different types so it's best to find out what fits within your budget and what will do the best job. 

Dental what?

Do you remember the word "dental prophylaxis" that showed up a little bit ago? Well today we are going to get familiarized with the term. Most people like to refer this word as a "cleaning". However it means a lot more than just that. By definition, dental prophylaxis means the removal of plaque, material alba (a whitish deposit on the teeth), calculus, and stains by the hygienist as a preventative measure. Big emphasis on the preventative. Some of us think that "cleanings" are not as important and can be skipped. That however is not true. Take a car for example. You wouldn't buy a brand new car and then only change the oil every 25,000 miles. You would change it every 3,000 miles. Some people will skip preventative hygiene visits or only come in every 2-3 years. That's like never getting your oil changed. So please make sure to keep you "dental prophylaxis" a priority and come in every 6 months.

Cavity Free Club

Congratulations to our Cavity Free Club winner Eric! You have won four movie tickets! Keep up the good brushing and flossing and we will be contacting you shortly. 

New Year's Dental Resolutions

A New Year's resolution is a great time for us to make new goals for the year. Many of these goals are health related. But how many of you make oral health goals? Unfortunately these get overlooked. Since many Americans have some form or gum disease, (such as bleeding when brushing or flossing) this is one area of health that shouldn't be overlooked. Establishing oral health goals should start with a thorough dental exam, oral cancer screening, and a dental prophylaxis (cleaning). More on the proper name coming soon. This is a great time to get a refresher course on proper brushing and flossing techniques from the hygienist. As we go throughout the new year, here are some of the basics to help you and your family members out.

• Brush at least twice a day
• Floss once daily
• Drink plenty of water
• Limit your intake of sugars, sports drinks, and sodas
• See your dentist every six months

Up and running

Our blog is officially up and running! Take time to check it out. We will be posting different information on oral health care, prizes, fun facts, top 10's, and any other dental related information that you are interested in learning about. Feel free to send an e-mail to us regarding any dental topic you wish to know more about.

You can also request an appointment online with us with the "Book Now" button on the side of the blog. Simply choose whether you want to come in for a cleaning (hygienist), or if you have work that needs to be done (dentist). Next pick your employee, Dr. Wilson, or Stephanie, request the day and time you would like to come in and fill out the information. That's it!

We hope you enjoy this new addition!