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My Blog
Posts for: April, 2018
The most important part of dental health maintenance isn’t what your dentist does—it’s what you do every day when you brush and floss your teeth. And all you really need is a multi-tufted, soft bristle toothbrush, toothpaste, a roll of dental floss—plus a little effort from your hands and fingers.
Of course, manual power isn’t your only option—an electric or battery-powered toothbrush is a convenient and, for people with strength or dexterity issues, a necessary way to remove disease-causing plaque from tooth surfaces. You have a similar option with flossing—a water flosser.
Although water flossers (or oral irrigators) have been around since the early 1960s, they’ve become more efficient and less expensive in recent years. A water flosser delivers a pulsating stream of pressurized water between the teeth through a handheld device that resembles a power toothbrush, but with a special tip. The water action loosens plaque and then flushes it away.
While the convenience these devices provide over traditional flossing is a major selling point, they’re also quite beneficial for people with special challenges keeping plaque from accumulating between teeth. People wearing braces or other orthodontic devices, for example, may find it much more difficult to effectively maneuver thread floss around their hardware. Water flossing can be an effective alternative.
But is water flossing a good method for removing between-teeth plaque? If performed properly, yes. A 2008 study, for example, reviewed orthodontic patients who used water flossing compared to those only brushing. The study found that those using water flossing were able to remove five times as much plaque as the non-flossing group.
If you’re considering water flossing over traditional flossing thread, talk with your dental hygienist. He or she can give you advice on purchasing a water flosser, as well as how to use the device for optimum performance. It could be a great and more convenient way to keep plaque from between your teeth and harming your dental health.
If you would like more information on water flossing, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Cleaning between Your Teeth: How Water Flossing can help.”
There are well-known holidays on the calendar this month, but here’s one that might have escaped your notice: “Keep America Beautiful Month,” which is observed throughout April! At this time, people from coast to coast are encouraged to clean and beautify their communities. So why not think of it as an occasion to spiff up your smile? Here are five ways to do exactly that:
Have your teeth professionally cleaned. A routine dental visit, which includes a professional cleaning and exam, is one of the best preventive healthcare values there is. It’s a chance to catch dental problems (including potentially serious ones like oral cancer) before they become more difficult to treat. A dental professional can remove built-up deposits of tartar from your teeth using specialized instruments—something you can’t do at home. Plus, you’ll leave the office with a freshly polished smile that looks and feels great.
Get a professional teeth whitening. Having whiter teeth often makes people look more youthful. And one of the best ways to brighten dull teeth is with professional teeth whitening. You can achieve the fastest, most dramatic results with an in-office treatment—up to ten shades in just one visit! We can also make you a custom take-home kit to achieve similar results over time.
Repair chipped teeth. If you feel self-conscious about a chipped tooth, consider cosmetic bonding. In this relatively inexpensive procedure, which often takes just one office visit, tooth-colored resin material is applied to the chipped area and hardened under a special light. The translucent resin is built up layer by layer, bringing teeth with minor flaws back to a great, natural-looking appearance.
Replace old dental work. Sometimes old dental work can stand out more than we’d like it to. This is especially true of amalgam (silver) fillings—but even white fillings can absorb stain after many years. If you feel old dental work is detracting from your smile, it may be time to replace it with up-to-date dental materials.
Straighten your smile. Did you know that there is no maximum age for successful orthodontic treatment? It’s true: Healthy teeth can be moved at any age. And if you think metal braces wouldn’t fit in with your look or lifestyle, consider one of the less-visible alternatives to traditional orthodontic hardware—such as ceramic braces and clear aligners.
Having the smile you want can make you feel more confident in any month of the year. If you’d like more information on cosmetic dentistry, please contact us or schedule a consultation. You can learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “How Your Dentist Can Help You Look Younger” and “Orthodontics for the Older Adult.”
Whether you want to whiten your smile, reduce your cavity risk or repair damage to your teeth, a visit to the family dentist can help you 
improve your smile. Eastpointe, MI, dentist Dr. Peter Jost explains how family dentistry can help you.
Quality care for the entire family
Family dentists don't just treat one age group or specialize in a particular type of dental problem. They care for patients of all ages and are trained to diagnose and treat dental issues that may affect their patients at any point in their lives. Convenience is one of the most attractive benefits of family dentistry. In fact, you can schedule a group checkup for your entire family, rather than individual appointments spread throughout the year.
The services you need
Family dentists offer all of the services you need to look your best and maintain good oral health, including:
- Checkups and Cleanings: During your regular visits to our Eastpointe office, you'll receive a complete examination and a cleaning to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth. If cavities or other issues are detected during your visit, we'll recommend an appropriate treatment.
- Sealants: Sealants prevent cavities in your child's pre-molars and molars. They're applied soon after these permanent teeth erupt and last as long as 10 years.
- Gum Disease Treatment: Gum disease treatment can destroy your gum tissue and even lead to the loss of teeth. Family dentists offer deep cleanings and other treatments that will help restore the health of your gums.
- Fillings: Fillings restore areas of teeth damaged by tooth decay.
- Root Canal Therapy: Tooth-saving root canal therapy eliminates infections and inflammation in your tooth pulp by removing the pulp and replacing it with a flexible filling.
- Crowns: Hollow crowns slip over teeth are used to support fragile teeth, restore damage, change the shape or length of teeth, and also conceal flaws.
- Veneers: Veneers also hide imperfections and change the shape and length of teeth, but these thin porcelain shells are only attached to the fronts of teeth.
- Teeth Whitening: If you're embarrassed by your dull, stained smile, teeth whitening can help. A quick one-hour treatment removes stains caused by aging, smoking, and foods and beverages, leaving your smile whiter and brighter.
- Tooth Restoration: If you've lost one or more teeth, you may want to consider filling the gaps in your smile with bridges, dentures, dental implants or implant-supported dentures.
Family dentistry can help you keep your smile strong and healthy. If you're concerned about a toothache or other dental issue, schedule an appointment with Dr. Peter Jost in Eastpointe, MI, by calling (586) 771-1460 to schedule an appointment.
