Unlock the Benefits of Twice-Yearly Dental Visits

From childhood, you would have been familiar with the standard order of brushing your teeth twice daily, visiting the dentist for an oral checkup, and practicing daily flossing. Even though it seemed stressful at that time, these practices helped you overcome many oral problems while you grew into adulthood. People who ignore dental visits are susceptible to having severe oral problems.

Also, skipping a day or two from brushing your teeth might seem harmless until you continue practicing the habit, and in no time, your oral health will also penetrate your overall health. Therefore, there is a need to keep the mouth clean and a greater need to visit your dentist for bi-annual checkups. The following are the benefits of visiting your dentist twice yearly:

1. It Improves Healthy Teeth and Clean Smiles

It Improves Healthy Teeth and Clean SmilesImagine grinning at someone, and they turn away in disgust, or having your peers make fun of you because you cannot mingle confidently without hiding away your appalling teeth. When you practice frequent teeth brushing and flossing, it might take a while, but you will gradually get back your bright smile when you allow your dentist to help you.

Home practices of flossing and brushing are relevant for improving your oral health, but your dentist will do much more for you. No matter how many times you brush your teeth, if you already have plaque buildup that has turned to hard yellow deposits on your teeth, only your dentist can help you get rid of them. If you are trying to carry out severe teeth cleaning on already damaged teeth, you likely take forever to get rid of buildups.

Your toothbrush cannot even remove strong tartars, and when you shy away from visiting your dentist, loads of bacteria will lead to tooth cavities, and you will soon suffer gingivitis and probably lose some teeth. Your expert dental specialist can use professional equipment to remove tartar from your teeth. After your dentist carries out a professional deep cleaning on your teeth, you will feel fresher and cleaner in your mouth.

2. It Helps You Prevent Gum Diseases

It Helps You Prevent Gum DiseasesGum diseases are painful, and they usually cause inflammation of the gumline. Gum problems can begin from gingivitis and escalate to periodontal cases. Periodontitis is a severe inflammation that firmly deteriorates the bones that hold the gum and teeth. Your gum line can appear reddish, tender, bleeding, and swollen when you have gum disease.

If you have been away from your dentist, it will be difficult to identify this problem on your own during its early stage. When you visit your dentist twice daily, you undergo oral examinations and dental X-rays to determine early periodontal problems. The problem can lead to the teeth loosening from their hold, and they can later fall out. Also, periodontal diseases can lead to jawbone deterioration due to intensive infection, inflammation, and tooth loss. Visiting your dentist twice yearly can stop these problems from occurring.

3. Early Detection of the Problem

Oral health problems can sometimes escalate due to neglect or procrastination in fixing a dental appointment. Many people who now suffer serious issues with their teeth would have saved themselves from expensive treatment and excruciating pain if they had visited their dentist early.

The dentist knows how to catch these problems on time and helps you prevent tartar buildup, cavities, and tooth loss. Also, while the yellow film on the teeth leads to gum disease due to cavities, it further causes the teeth to wear off. But, all these stages of tooth loss will not occur if you meet your dentist on time. Before they become major problems, your dentist will inform you and provide adequate treatment to prevent them from happening. Your dentist can help you save money and exonerate you from invasive approaches.

4. It Helps in Securing Your Overall Health

Once your oral hygiene practice is good enough, your entire health responds to better functions. It is no longer news that most oral health problems are the leading courses of some terminal diseases. Bacteria in the mouth can penetrate the blood to cause severe infections, such as heart diseases, diabetes, and stroke. The best thing is for you to take yourself to the dentist’s desk two times every year, and you will only hear about these problems, but they will never happen to you. Try not to have poor oral health, which can lead to negative problems with your general health.

5. Your Dentist Can Monitor You for Oral Cancer

Cancer is a life-threatening problem that can cause you so much pain. When you visit the dentist frequently, you will be on consistent cancer monitoring as part of your routine checkup. If your dentist detects a trace of cancer, it is possible to apply the remedy on time since the illness will only be at its early stage. Also, treatments are usually successful.

Your dentist has tools that they can use when checking you up for oral cancer. The dentist screens the mouth sores and checks for white or red patches, lumps, and any other malfunctions in your mouth. People who miss yearly appointments will not have this opportunity to know the state of their oral health.

6. It Can Help You Treating Bad Breath

Chronic bad breath can be embarrassing, especially if your own is beyond eating a particular food or just a morning breath. People who complain about their breath suffer from halitosis, a condition due to poor oral practice. You cannot treat halitosis by yourself. Your dentist can help you identify the problem source and provide adequate treatment.

Conclusion

If you cannot recall the last time you visited a dentist, you might be causing harm to yourself without knowing. Maintain twice yearly professional dental visits for deep oral cleaning and general checkups. You can schedule an appointment at a dental clinic near you. What’s more? If you have a child showing early orthodontic signs or you need to straighten your smile, you can book appointments with Miami orthodontics.

5 Questions to Ask when Choosing an Orthodontist

Everyone deserves to smile confidently, no matter who they are or what phase they are in. So, when you decide to improve your smile, know that you have just made the best investment that will also boost your general health. However, choosing the best orthodontic to help you throughout your treatment journey is as relevant as getting those nice teeth.

It can seem like an easy process, but nobody walks up to an orthodontic specialist and starts an orthodontic treatment without checking to see if they are reliable. The whole idea of having a straighter is exciting. But the orthodontist you work with can even make it more worthwhile. Here is a guide on how questions you must ask before selecting the right orthodontist.

1. Do You Have Good Reviews about Your Orthodontic Practice from Previous Patients?

Before you choose an orthodontic specialist to give you a straighter smile, ask if other patients they have worked with have nice reviews about them. If they have online review platforms, you should go there and check what others say about them. From reviews, you can tell if they are reliable to work with or if they can offer you the quality of care you need. Your Miami orthodontist has a support team to take you on a successful teeth-straightening journey. They also have authentic reviews from past patients, and you can go through them before making a decision.

2. Do You Have Adequate Certification and Training to Carry Out Orthodontic Treatments?

Most people who claim to have the skills and expertise in orthodontic treatments might not be as real as they claim to be. It would help if you never assumed that all orthodontic specialists have certifications and proper training. Even if someone recommended them, you still have to determine whether they are reliable. A good orthodontist must pass through serious training during their academic studies.

Orthodontic practice is a part of dentistry, but those who practice them are known as orthodontists and not dentists. Orthodontics is a core of medicines that allows the trained specialist to treat you on a specific area of your dental need. While a good dentist supplies you with advice and guidance on your crown and cavities, a properly trained orthodontist handles issues related to your dental braces.

Make sure you ask them if they have proper orthodontic training in these areas:

  • How to re-establish patients’ facial structure and growth by creating another alveolar structure for them.
  • The maturation and studies of a patient’s jaw and teeth.
  • Biomechanical methodologies that ascertain proper teeth realignment
  • Case studies

Therefore, you must be sure if you want to depend on a particular orthodontist before starting your treatment journey. The person must have good orthodontic training and top-notch experience.

3. Can You Give Accounts of Your Orthodontic Experience?

It is important to know that much about your orthodontist. Trace the background and see the level of experience your orthodontist has. You can ask them several questions that align with their qualifications, especially during your consultation visit. From your first interaction, you can determine if an orthodontic is good enough for you.

You can ask them the following questions:

  • Which school did you attend?
  • How many years have you practiced as an orthodontic specialist?
  • Do you practice updated treatment options?

Any orthodontic specialist with proper training and qualifications can answer your questions and make you feel comfortable if you wish to know more about them.

4. What Treatments Can You Offer Me?

Most patients wonder what treatments to expect. But, orthodontic approaches are unique for treating malocclusions. However, patients have different orthodontic problems, so you can ask your orthodontist specialist some questions, such as; who will oversee my treatment process, how long will my treatment last, will I get follow-up visits, and how often? Asking these questions gets you prepared for the treatment procedure and outcome.

5. What Treatment Plans Are Available for Me?

Your orthodontist will work with you based on the treatment options they have strategized to meet your needs. Only your orthodontist knows what treatment will work best for you. Therefore, do not make decisions that will slow down the treatment process.

Also, getting orthodontic braces can take an extensive process that needs years of assistance and work in most cases. Since each treatment has a strategic duration, you should work hand in hand with your orthodontist to know what treatment methods are available for you to try.

There is a vast range of orthodontic treatment plans as follows:

Traditional Braces

Traditional braces are made up of brackets and wires. Many people reject using metal braces for their orthodontic treatment because they are too common and mostly worn by kids. However, metal braces are reliable for realigning malocclusions.

The braces work by firmly holding the wires connected to each tooth. Continuous pressure can move your teeth slowly and gradually throughout the treatment period. The time for wearing traditional orthodontic braces is between 12-36 months. But, this can rely on the severity of your malocclusions, how fast you respond to treatment, and your practices to determine your perfect result.

Clear Braces

Clear braces are teeth aligners that are as effective as traditional metal braces. The difference between the two approaches is in their appearances. While metal braces have components such as wires and brackets, clear braces use transparent ceramic brackets. Adults prefer them as they can blend with the natural teeth color, making them discreet in appearance.

Invisalign

InvisalignInvisalign or clear aligners are removable orthodontic treatment approaches that use clear trays to adjust teeth. They do not make use of wires and brackets like the others. They are discreet, allowing you to continue your treatment without many people knowing. It is also the fastest, as you can wear the tray for up to 15 months.

Conclusion

When deciding to get a straighter smile, it is right to ask questions about the best orthodontic specialists to work with. Asking relevant questions can help you know if the orthodontist will be good for you and your household before hiring them.

Orthodontic Treatment

When your gum suffers a buildup of excessive plaque, it leads to inflammation over time. People who do not carry out proper dental hygiene are susceptible to gum diseases. The accumulated plaque between the teeth and the gum line is also known as gingivitis, a painful disease that can lead to more severe periodontal problems.

However, people treating malocclusions to have beautiful smiles can also be at risk of gum diseases if they neglect proper teeth cleaning. Teeth cleaning can indeed be difficult, with wires and brackets holding your teeth together. But, to prevent gum problems during orthodontic treatment, there are healthy tips you must practice throughout your treatment process. To achieve a healthy and straight smile, the following tips can help:

1. Practice Frequent Teeth Brushing

Practice Frequent Teeth Brushing

The best way to prevent gum problems is through frequent teeth brushing and flossing. While you might think your braces can be a problem, you can brush gently to get rid of food particles, especially after meals. Even if your brushing feels different with orthodontic braces over your teeth, proper brushing can help you keep gum inflammation away.

The right way to brush your teeth is after eating food and before you go to bed. People wearing orthodontic braces can feel less challenged if they brush their teeth with soft bristle toothbrushes. When brushing your teeth, hold your brush at an angle of 45 degrees, and do not rush the process. Take as much time as possible until your teeth are clean.

If you brush hastily, you can damage your wires or brackets or even injure your gum. Most patients with orthodontic braces who do not follow proper teeth-brushing technique end up bleeding after every routine, or they avoid sending the toothbrush into certain angles of the dental brackets.

You should spend at least 2 minutes brushing your teeth and an additional 2 minutes if you consider flossing. You can purchase proxy toothbrushes with tiny single bristles, as they help you clean properly when wearing orthodontic braces. Also, you can opt for an electric toothbrush. They are easy to use, and they clean teeth properly.

2. Floss

Flossing is just as effective as brushing. It might take longer to floss, but you will save your teeth and gum from plaque buildup and gingivitis if you carry out this practice tirelessly. Flossing helps you get into tight areas between your teeth that your toothbrush did not reach. Your orthodontic specialist can recommend the best product for flossing, or you can get them over the counter at a drug store near you.

Some oral flossing products that can help you prevent gum inflammation during orthodontic treatment include:

3. Floss Threaders

Floss Threaders

If you are wearing orthodontic braces, orthodontic specialists have designed floss threaders to help you floss your teeth between brackets and wires, and you can floss up to your gum. Floss threaders look like big needles, but they are plastic-made substances that you can easily shove between your teeth and metal leaves wire and tooth.

4. Water Picks

Water picks can help you withstand inflammation and gingivitis and maintain good oral health. Water picks can irrigate tight corners between teeth and metal brackets. It uses force to remove dirt from areas in the teeth that are difficult to reach with a toothbrush.

5. Rinse

Rinsing might seem too simple to help you prevent gum problems, but every gum problem starts with accumulated debris formed on the teeth through the food you eat. Therefore, rinsing your teeth after a meal will help loosen trapped food bits around the wires and brackets.

It becomes more effective when you use the rinsing method and apply proper teeth brushing and flossing. You can gaggle with clean water, especially if you consume sugary drinks before bedtime. Your orthodontics can use recommended mouthwashes to get rid of gradually forming plaques that lead to inflammation of the gumline.

6. Avoid Eating Sticky and Hard Food Substances

Sticky and hard-to-bite food is not good for you when you have braces on your teeth. Those sticky food bits can travel into some spaces in your braces and hide there to accumulate problems. Orthodontists suggest that patients wearing braces, especially traditional types, should stay off gummy and hard foods as they can damage the braces and still cause tooth pain and decay.

If you wear clear aligners, you might not have these restrictions because you will need to take the trays off your mouth before eating and clean your teeth before putting them back on. If you chew nuts with your Invisalign, you should break it. If you must have your favorite hard food, such as nuts, grind them before consuming them to prevent ripping off the wires. But stay off sticky candies or other gummy treats.

7. Limit Sugary Drinks

The idea of wearing orthodontic braces is to help improve smiles. But, when you are on this treatment without paying attention to what goes into your mouth, you can obstruct the process without knowing. Most people consume substances that cause trauma to the teeth during orthodontic treatment.

Acidic and sugary drinks can wreak havoc on tooth enamel, and while you are undergoing orthodontic treatment, you can develop cavities. At the end of your treatment, you will not like to see a straight smile with heavy tartars forming on them or yellowy aligned teeth. Therefore, if you must have sugary drinks, rinse your teeth immediately, and if you can, avoid them completely as they are bad for your teeth

Conclusion

Due to poor oral care habits, people undergoing orthodontic treatment can have gum diseases, otherwise known as gingivitis. But, paying attention to better oral hygiene can help keep gingivitis away. You can start by brushing your teeth at least twice daily and flossing daily. Aside from brushing, flossing, and rinsing teeth to clear out accumulated debris on the teeth and braces, you should avoid eating some food and taking some drinks if they cause tooth decay or damage your braces.