Dental Care Tips for Summer

  

The weather is heating up, the days are getting longer, and summer vacation is just around the corner.  Nothing says summer like a dazzling, joyful smile on your child's sun kissed face.  Here are some tips from your Salinas Family Dentist, Dr. Russell Cureton, for keeping your child's smile looking and feeling great all summer long:

Schedule a dentist appointment

Get the summer started out on the right foot by taking a trip to see your Dr. Cureton before you fill up your vacation calendar.  With the kids out of school, there is no better time to schedule an appointment than early in the summer season.  Getting a check-up in ensures that you and your kids are on track for healthy smiles all summer long.  There is nothing worse than when a child gets a toothache or other dental emergency while on vacation or away at camp, but taking the kids in for a cleaning and oral exam can help to prevent any problems from arising.

Keep up the routine

During the school year, brushing and flossing is likely part of your family’s daily routine, but when the summer months hit and schedules change, even the healthiest of habits often get forgotten.  Don’t let oral hygiene practices be ignored, regardless of the season of the year. Give your kids frequent reminders to brush their teeth throughout the day and to floss each night.  If you find that your kids are resistant to brushing, consider using music or a timer to turn the oral hygiene process into fun all summer long.

Plan ahead

Summer is a time when you and your kids will likely be on the go, so keeping your kids’ teeth healthy can require some planning.  Going on a trip or away to camp often means stocking up on travel sized toothpaste, grabbing a few extra toothbrushes, and refreshing the floss supply before you even leave the house. Last minute trip?  Keep a few travel toothbrushes in your car just in case a toothbrush gets forgotten at home.  For those fun filled day trips, grab a pack of disposable toothbrushes, like Colgate Wisps, to keep the whole family feeling fresh and clean no matter where the day takes you.

Go for healthy alternatives

Summertime always means lots of snacking- but it is possible to keep those snacks healthy for your body and your mouth.  Sugary foods might have great crowd appeal, but they also attract bacteria that can lead to tooth decay.  Instead of grabbing a cookie or candy bar for a snack, encourage your kids to select a refreshing piece of fruit or a handful of fresh vegetables.  Sodas and sports drinks might sound like a great way to quench your thirst on a hot, sunny day, but they are also highly acidic. Foods and beverages that contain lots of acid can cause tooth erosion, so switch out the soda for a glass of cold water.  Healthy snacking can keep your family healthy and happy throughout the summer months.

Prevent problems

As the summer heats up, kids tend to get a whole lot more active.  Between pool time and soccer practice, bike rides and playdates, a lot of fun and a few accidents are likely to take place and could put your child’s teeth at risk.  Many summertime dental problems are preventable, so be sure talk to your kids about how to stay safe while enjoying themselves throughout the summer.  A large number of tooth-related accidents take place in or around pools, so be sure to remind children to always follow pool rules.  Children should be careful not to run in a pool area, refrain from diving in shallow water, and be sure to be aware of the space they are playing in to keep from knocking out or chipping teeth.  Kids who are participating in sports that involve contact might consider wearing a mouthguard to keep their teeth intact.  Lastly, any time a tooth is cracked, chipped, or broken, you should contact your dentist immediately to ensure that no further damage is able to take place.

The summer is a great time to get some extra time in with the kids, but make sure that it is also a time in which your whole family maintains a healthy routine for dental health.  By keeping up on oral hygiene, making smart food and beverage choices, visiting the dentist, and playing it safe, your family will be all smiles all summer long.

To schedule a summer cleaning for you and your kids, or for help answering any of your other oral hygiene questions, call your Salinas Dentist, Dr. Cureton today.

What are Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars, and the last set of teeth to develop. They get their name from the time they erupt: typically in the late teens and into the twenties. A small part of the population will never get their wisdom teeth, but most individuals do.

If wisdom teeth fully develop, they can have a negative impact on your beautiful smile. Often times, wisdom teeth cause crowding which can be painful. If this is the case, your dentist may suggest to have some or all of your wisdom teeth extracted.

Continue reading to find out why wisdom teeth can become so bothersome.

Why do we have wisdom teeth?

Anthropologists believe that evolution is to blame. Eons ago, man used his wisdom teeth to chew through coarse plants and meats. Today, wisdom teeth are no longer necessary, because humans have learned to use utensils to cut their food.

Impact on the mouth

Most of the time, wisdom teeth have a negative impact on the mouth. They can be painful should they break through, and they can also cause the teeth to crowd. Additionally, wisdom teeth can be hard to keep clean and your chance of getting gum disease increases. A fully developed wisdom tooth can also cause recession around the adjacent tooth. 

Such as they are, wisdom teeth should be closely monitored by your dentist.    

Should you have them removed?

In some cases, when the wisdom teeth have no effect on the rest of the mouth, there is no need to remove them. Yet, often a dentist will recommend a tooth extraction on one or all of the wisdom teeth.

A tooth extraction is a standard procedure, in which a tooth is removed from its socket in the bone tissue. The timing for removal is critical. It is better to have them removed at a younger age before the risk of periodontal disease increases.

Care after removal

After the extraction of you wisdom teeth, it is important to take care of yourself.

Keeping the area around the tooth clean is crucial to prevent infection or dry socket. Dry socket happens when the blood clot that covers the bone and nerves dissolves. This leaves that area of the mouth exposed to anything that goes through: water, air, food, etc. For these reasons, dry socket can be painful and lead to serious infection.

Fortunately, dry socket is treatable.

Your dentist will want to remove any food debris that may have gotten into the hole. Next, they will fill in the hole with a special paste that will help heal the area.

To learn more about wisdom teeth, contact Dr. Cureton at 831-449-8363. One of our staff members will be ready to assist you.

What is Plaque?

A routine trip to the dentist will likely involve a cleaning. What are they cleaning? Most people tend to develop a build-up of plaque on their teeth that doesn’t just go away with standard brushing and flossing. Of course, brushing and flossing your teeth regularly is a great way to minimize plaque, but getting a teeth cleaning in Salinas helps ensure that plaque doesn’t turn into something worse.

What exactly is plaque? Read on for a detailed explanation of what plaque is and why having your teeth cleaned by a dentist is necessary.

What is plaque?

Do you ever run your tongue over your teeth and feel a soft or fuzzy coating? That’s plaque. It contains a ton of bacteria that will, if left to their own devices, attack your tooth enamel. It’s highly important to brush and floss your teeth every day to remove plaque and prevent it from building up.

What happens if plaque builds up?

If you don’t brush and floss thoroughly enough, the plaque on your teeth hardens into tartar. This tartar tends to collect around your gums, and often behind your teeth. It’s very difficult to get rid of. If you have a build-up of tartar around your gums, the easiest way to get rid of it and ensure your oral health is to schedule a teeth cleaning in Salinas. If your tartar build-up is severe, it can lead to gingivitis and eventually periodontitis. These are serious gum issues that can, in turn, lead to worse effects. The best way to prevent them is to get rid of plaque daily.

How do I get rid of plaque?

It’s easy to recommend brushing and flossing, but many people do take care of their teeth and still see plaque build-up. Your Salinas dentist can give you the best guide for oral care, but what if it isn’t enough? When brushing and flossing, be very thorough. Make sure to floss between each and every tooth and don’t neglect the back of your teeth, as that is where plaque (and subsequently tartar) builds up the most. Avoid overly sugary foods, as the sugar forms acids when it comes into contact with the bacteria in plaque.

What’s my next step?

It’s almost impossible to prevent all plaque and tartar build-up. For that, you should schedule a regular teeth cleaning in Salinas. Not only is this a good idea for getting rid of plaque, but it also gives your Salinas dentist the opportunity to assess further oral health. If you are finding it difficult to rid your teeth of plaque even when brushing and flossing thoroughly and regularly, talk to your dentist about other causes. You may need to switch toothpastes or schedule more frequent teeth cleaning in Salinas. Plaque by itself is normal, and can be adequately controlled at home, but for more stubborn tartar and the initial signs of gum disease, you will want to visit the dentist.

Restorative Dentistry

Restorative dentistry is a double edged sword- it aims to both manage oral health and address any dental problems that could be affecting the look, feel, or functionality of the mouth. Restorative dentistry addresses more than just dental problems, it strives to provide you with a future of great dental health. This practice is a way of ensuring that your teeth and mouth are restored to their healthiest, most beautiful state through a variety of procedures.

Restorative procedures

Restorative dentistry includes a wide range of dental procedures that aim to keep your mouth looking and feeling beautiful and healthy. Some common restorative dentistry practices include:

●      Fillings- Fillings are used to fill in the space left behind by tooth decay or to fix cracked teeth. Fillings can be made out of a variety of materials, but all aim to keep teeth functional while preventing any further damage to the tooth. 

●      Root canals- Also known as endodontic treatment, this procedure is used to salvage teeth that are greatly damaged due to decay or infection.  Root canals can greatly reduce pain caused by infection and aim to preserve as much of the natural tooth as possible.

●      Crowns- Chipped, damaged, or cracked teeth can be treated with crowns, which cover the broken tooth and restore its functionality and appearance.  Crowns are made to match the color and shape of your natural teeth, allowing them to keep your teeth looking great and feeling as strong as ever.

●      Bridges- If one or more tooth is missing, a bridge can often be used to take its place. Bridges are advantageous because they are permanent and they can keep other teeth from shifting around in the empty space left by the missing teeth. 

●      Dental implants- Implants are a great, and fairly new way of fixing missing teeth.  They are used to take the place of the roots of missing teeth, providing a foundation for replacement teeth.  Implants can be designed to match the look and feel of the surrounding teeth, which can improve the look, comfort, and functionality of the mouth.

Why should I choose restorative dentistry?

            Maintaining great oral hygiene can be difficult, especially if you have existing dental problems that affect the look, feel, and overall health of your mouth.  With the help of restorative dentistry, your mouth could return to its healthiest and most attractive state in no time at all.  Restorative dentistry can turn back the hands of time and ensure that your smile looks and stays at the top of its game.

For more information about restorative dentistry, contact the office of Dr. Cureton.  His friendly office staff will be happy to discuss restorative dentistry, as well as any other dental inquiries, with you.

Same Day Crowns!

Most people do not have time to come to the dentist twice. Dr. Cureton can quickly restore damaged teeth in a single with natural-looking ceramic crowns. Our state-of-the-art technology and in-office tools allow us to make your custom crown in a single office visit. No longer do you have to put in temporary crowns followed by another office visit for your permanent crowns.

Our Value:
• Single-visit convenience
• High-tech accuracy
• Natural, tooth-colored crowns
• Metal free
• Preserves more healthy tooth material
• Extremely precise for long-lasting, natural results

CAD/CAM technology has changed the way we are able to practice dentistry. Using our technology we are able to take live, full-color, video imaging of your teeth and surrounding structures. These images are used to create three-dimensional digital models. Using these models, we can design and fabricate your crown.

To learn more about Dr. Cureton or what his patients are saying about him – CLICK HERE. If you would like to schedule your first consultation with Dr. Cureton, please feel free to call us at 831-449-8363 and one of our happy staff will be ready to assist you.