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Have you ever wondered exactly how your dentist is qualified to clean your teeth and perform other services? A dentist is a highly trained professional who must meet state regulations and licensing in order to provide dental services legally. Let’s look at four qualifications your dentist has and uses to provide you with excellent dental services.

A Bachelor’s Degree in Health

A dentist must have a bachelor’s degree with pre-requisites in health or science. Most students who wish to become dentists will study a health-related major as part of their bachelor’s degree. This could be biology, chemistry, or human anatomy. A major in a health-related field helps a dentist complete the necessary prerequisites to attend dental school.

Attended Dental School

Once a student has completed their bachelor’s degree, they will then need to take a dental school entrance exam and be admitted to dental school. During dental school, a student will earn a Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry degree. Either of these degrees will have the same course requirements and knowledge. Both programs require intense study.

Pass the National Board Dental Exam

Earning a Doctorate degree isn’t the end of the qualifications for your family dentist. Upon completion of their degree, a would-be dentist must still pass the National Board Dental Exam. This exam ensures that your dentist understands the different dental conditions, topics, and treatments needed to care for patients. Passing this exam will help your dentist become legally licensed in your state.

Obtain a License

Once they have passed the exam, they can obtain licensure for their state. This licensure must be kept up to date. It’s important that you do some research on your dentist to ensure that they are indeed licensed legally to practice dentistry.

Complete Specializations

Some dentists may go on to complete specializations in certain treatment areas such as orthodontics. All orthodontists are trained dentists, but only 5% of dentists specialize in orthodontics, according to AAO. If a dentist is choosing a specialization, they will also complete a residency in that specialization as well.

When it comes to dentistry, you can rest assured that your dentist has the knowledge and skill to properly take care of your teeth. If you’re looking for a reliable, qualified dentist in your area, please contact us today at Lowell Dental Arts. We’re available to answer any questions you may have!

Humans have always tried to care for their teeth throughout history. However, as civilization has evolved, the concept of what’s considered the best dental care has too. Interested to learn more about how far we’ve come from our ancient dental services? Here, we’ll dive into a fascinating overview of the ways dentistry has changed over the centuries.

Early Dental Care

It’s believed that civilizations throughout history have performed some type of dental care or treatments for over 9,000 years. This is based on the analysis of ancient skulls. In addition to treating problematic teeth, it is believed many civilizations also cared for their teeth. According to Healthline, people have been using some form of toothpaste since 500 BCE. It’s believed that twigs and branches were used to fashion homemade toothbrushes, and different liquids were used as primitive mouthwashes and swishing agents.

Dental Care in the 1700s and 1800s

Dentistry became a true profession in the 1700s. Pierre Fauchard, a French surgeon, first introduced the idea of fillings and identified one of the key sources of tooth decay: the acids bacteria leave behind when eating sugar.

The first dental college, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, opened in 1840 followed by the formation of the American Dental Association (ADA) 20 years later. Colgate also began mass-producing toothpaste in 1873!

Dental Care in the 1900s

In the early 1900s, the beginning foundations for American dentistry started to take shape. At this time, the wealthiest Americans were able to seek regular care from a dentist. Toothpaste and toothbrushes also started to become more mainstream. Lastly, the American military started to require soldiers to brush their teeth twice a day and regularly floss them. From there, this routine continued to spread to everyday people, creating dental standards that are still in place today.

Dental Care Today

The technology around dental care has changed a lot. There is a greater focus on dental health, simply because there’s more information out there related to its importance. Dental insurance has also helped make dental care more affordable to the masses.

Today, it’s expected to brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each time, and it’s recommended to visit your dentist at least once every six months to keep your teeth happy and healthy. Today’s dentists can also provide a wider range of services to keep your smile in great shape from cleanings and fillings to X-rays and caps.

Dentistry has certainly come a long way over the centuries, and now you can find the best dental care possible at Lowell Dental Arts. Contact us today for more information about our dental services or to schedule an appointment with us!

People often don’t think about how many teeth they have to care for. According to Healthline, there are usually 32 teeth in a person’s mouth. But what happens when one of your teeth starts decaying? Can it be saved with dental care services? The answer is that it depends. Here, we’ll dive deeper into what can be done to save a decaying tooth, and what your options are in the event that it needs to be pulled.

At Which Stage Is It?

When you come in for dental care services and we find a decaying tooth, we will see if it’s in a certain stage of decay. The earliest stage is when there are white spots on the first layer of the tooth, which is called the enamel. You can use fluoride to strengthen your tooth.

If this decay makes its way deeper into the enamel, those white spots will turn brown. This is when our dentists will suggest fillings to keep the decay from getting worse. These are the best-case scenarios.

What If It Gets Worse?

If the decay has made its way through the enamel, the next part of the tooth is the dentin. If our dentist catches this early, we can still use fillings to treat it. However, if the tooth decay is deeper, we may elect to clean it out and place a dental crown over it to protect the tooth from decaying further.

If the tooth gets worse, the decay can reach the pulp of your tooth or even form an abscess. Our dentist may need to do a root canal treatment and remove the infected area to protect your health. This process is finished with the placement of a crown over the affected tooth. If a root canal may not be in your best interest, our dentist will recommend that the tooth be removed and replaced either with a partial denture, bridge, or a dental implant.

While you can see that it’s possible to save a decaying tooth, it’s important to prevent decay by taking care of your teeth. According to Colgate as well as our own dental experts, it’s recommended to brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes at a time and also floss at night. It’s also a good idea to use mouthwash at night to get rid of any lingering bacteria. See your dentist once every six months for regular exams and cleanings. This way, our dental care services can catch things early on. That will give you a good reason to smile.

Are you looking for dental care services in your area? Lowell Dental Arts can help! Our patients come to us for regular dental cleanings, veneers, dental crowns, and more. Contact us today for more information!

Losing teeth is a natural part of growing up, but if this is your first experience with your child losing teeth, you might be feeling a little concerned about it. Children can sometimes find this part of their development unsettling, and parents may find it challenging as well. Here are a few things you can expect when your child starts to lose baby teeth and how a childrens dentist can help.

Range in Ages

There is no set age for a child to lose their baby teeth, but on average most children will start to notice a wiggly tooth around the age of five. If you notice loose teeth in much younger children or toddlers, you should contact a childrens dentist. This could be a sign of a dental problem. Your child may still be losing baby teeth as old as eleven or twelve. If your child hasn’t lost all of their baby teeth by thirteen, a children’s dentist can advise you on why this may be the case.

Fear or Anxiety

Some children are very excited to start losing their baby teeth because they see it as a sign of growing up. However, some children may be scared by this part of their development. They may be anxious about swallowing the tooth, or they may be scared that pulling the tooth out with be painful. As the parent, you need to reassure your child as much as possible, that this is a very normal part of growing up, and when the tooth is ready to come out it will not hurt.

Helping the Process

It is entirely normal for kids to play with their loose teeth, moving them around with tongues or fingers. This behavior helps the tooth roots let go but warn your child not to pull hard on the tooth. Pulling it before it is ready can cause bleeding and pain and put your child at risk for infection.

If you try to rush the tooth to come out, or insist that you pull it before it’s ready, you could create a great deal of dental anxiety for your child. You want to try and avoid any reason your kid might become afraid of visiting the dentist in the future. Dental anxiety contributes to a lot of oral health issues, and according to the CDC, by age 8 almost 52% of children have had a cavity in their baby teeth.

If you are looking for a children’s dentist, please give us a call today. Lowell Dental Arts provides excellent pediatric dental services in your area. We will be happy to assist you and your family on their oral health journey.

Dental emergencies are a serious matter. These dental problems require immediate emergency dental care and can result from accidents, gum disease, periodontal disease, or other issues. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 47.2% of adults aged 30 years and older have some form of periodontal disease, significantly increasing the risk of experiencing a dental emergency. Let’s explore common dental emergencies.

Loose Tooth

Normally, permanent teeth should never feel loose. If you have an otherwise healthy permanent tooth that is loose, it should be considered a dental emergency. The cause could be trauma to the mouth, tooth decay, or gum disease. Regardless of the reason, seeking emergency dental care promptly is essential to save the tooth. Delaying treatment could result in tooth loss.

Toothache

Toothaches can occur occasionally, but if you experience a severe toothache, it should be treated as a dental emergency. The cause could be an infection, exposure of the soft tissue in the pulp due to tooth decay, a nerve issue, or another problem. Emergency dental care can help diagnose the issue and provide swift treatment.

Bleeding and Painful Gums

Bleeding gums are a sign of serious oral health issues that should never be ignored. This problem is usually indicative of periodontitis, a severe gum disease that can lead to gum tissue deterioration and tooth instability, often resulting in tooth loss. Moreover, this condition can lead to dangerous infections affecting your overall health. If you are experiencing these symptoms, seeking care as soon as possible is crucial.

Jaw Inflammation

If you notice significant swelling and pain in your jaw, it is likely a sign of a severe oral infection, often related to infected salivary glands. This condition can lead to difficulties in breathing or swallowing and is considered a serious health risk.

Abscess

A dental abscess is a severe infection in a tooth’s root. It is extremely painful and poses a significant health risk. An abscess can rupture, exposing your entire system to infection, and often requires surgical intervention.

If you require emergency dental care, please contact us today. Our team at Lowell Dental Arts is equipped to handle most dental emergencies to safeguard your oral health.