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Parents spend a lot of time trying to help their children prioritize the right things. Dental care and oral health are definitely top categories that children need assistance with. Oral health issues can quickly escalate into bigger problems when proper habits are not observed. According to the CDC, about 34 million school hours are lost every year just because of emergency dental. This also results in about $45 billion dollars of lost U.S. productivity. The untreated dental disease could have been avoided through better oral health habits. This quick guide will give you some tips on how to help your child prioritize their oral health.

1. Be a Good Example

One of the most powerful ways you can influence your child’s oral health habits is by being a good example yourself. Children are watching how you take care of yourself, and whether you realize it or not, those habits do seep into their brains over time. Make sure that you are exhibiting good oral health habits on a regular basis for your children to model after.

2. Prioritize Dental Visits

Children also need to see that you set a high priority on visiting the dentist on a regular basis yourself. If children notice that you do not visit the dentist and do not care if dental visits are missed, then they will not think this is an important aspect of their overall health. Even though fitting in dental visits can feel like a chore sometimes, it is crucial to your child’s long-term dental health that you make and keep dental visits. Not only does this model good habits for them but getting that dental care at a young age will also help keep their teeth healthy.

3. Put Oral Health on a Schedule

Just like with many things in life, oral health habits are often easier to establish when they are set on a schedule. Your children know that there is a schedule for certain things. They must get up at a certain time for school, they must do homework at a certain time, and they must go to bed at a certain time. They should know to practice oral health habits at a certain time as well.

If you want your children to have healthy teeth and good health habits for life, follow these simple tips. Our Lowell Dentists specialize in helping patients maintain their health and improve their self-confidence through perfecting their smiles. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment.

Hospitals aren’t the only places to go to treat an accident or health issue. Any dental issue you must deal with immediately, calls for emergency dental care. If you’re not sure what constitutes such an emergency, read on to learn more.

Extreme Pain

There are times when your teeth or gums may cause you extreme pain. According to Vox, over 5 million wisdom teeth are extracted every year. If your wisdom tooth is impacted and possibly decayed, it may begin to throb and require immediate extraction. Major pain may come from deep decay. Once decay has gone down to the root, you may have ongoing pain that will keep you up at night, and need a root canal.

Bleeding

Your teeth or gums can bleed after trauma or due to underlying reasons. However, the reason and level of bleeding can affect if it qualifies as an emergency. For example, you may be in the first stages of gum disease and have some bleeding when you brush. If that happens, you can make an appointment. However, if you fall, have an accident, or get hit in the face, it may result in major bleeding and trauma that you should tend to immediately.

Loose or Knocked Out Teeth

If you or your child is active and plays sports, using a mouth guard is a great way to protect a tooth from becoming loose or knocked out. If you do lose a tooth, pick it up by the chewing surface, gently clean and put it in some milk if you can’t reinsert it. According to the American Association of Endodontists, you can save a knocked-out tooth if you go to emergency dental care services in 30 minutes or up to an hour.

Infection

Infection is never good for any part of your body, and your mouth is no different. If you have a tooth infection and you let it go, you may end up losing the tooth and possibly do more damage to other parts of your mouth and body. Signs of an infection include throbbing pain or a dental abscess.

You may need to see a dentist beyond your regular appointments. Whether you suffer dental trauma or infection, experiencing bleeding or pain keeping you awake at night, visit our local office today. Our caring and professional staff are here to provide expert emergency dental care.

According to BioMed Central, over nine million Americans receive orthodontic treatment, including braces or Invisalign, each year. This makes orthodontics the third-largest dentistry treatment completed. If you have teeth that are overcrowded or have large gaps, you have teeth that are crooked or crossed, or you have an overbite or underbite, you may be looking for a dental professional to help straighten your teeth. One of the questions you may have is whether dentists can provide orthodontic treatments. Read on to find out the answer to this question.

Can Dentists Provide Orthodontic Treatments?

Technically speaking, yes, dentists can provide orthodontic treatments, and many do provide orthodontic treatments, including Invisalign and braces. The reason for this is that there is no requirement for a dentist to complete an orthodontic residency program in order to offer orthodontic treatments. However, they are not allowed to call themselves an orthodontist unless they do undergo an orthodontic residency program.

What Should You Look For In a Dentist That Offers Orthodontic Treatment?

If you decide to utilize the services of a general dentist who offers orthodontic treatment, you should always take the time to ensure that they have training when it comes to orthodontic devices. Many general dentists undergo training or certification programs as part of their dental continuing education requirements. If you are looking to work with a dentist when it comes to straightening your teeth, you should always learn what training they have had in regard to braces. You should also always take a look at the before and after pictures of patients they have worked with. This will help you to see the quality of the work and how effective their treatment is when it comes to straightening teeth.

There are many benefits associated with straightening your teeth. You gain self-confidence, improve the spacing between your teeth, and can help to correct bite issues that may cause you pain later in life. There are many different options available to you when it comes to straightening your teeth, including braces or Invisalign. A general dentist can help to oversee the teeth straightening process, as can an orthodontist. If you are looking to straighten your teeth, schedule a consultation with us today. We offer general dentistry and orthodontic services. Call us now to book your appointment!

If you’re thinking about getting dentures, you probably have a lot of questions. Around 41 million people in the United States had dentures in 2020, according to Statista. Your dentist will inform you of what you need to know about denture wearing and will help prepare you for getting them. To understand the denture process, read on to get an idea of this type of dentistry.

Trust the Dentists

Dentists want you to trust them and the process. They have years of experience and education behind them, and they stay up to date on the latest techniques. They want to make sure you are confident going into any procedure that you’re going to be taken care of.

Trust Your Options

We want you to know that there are choices that you have for your dentures. There are several types on the market, and we can go over which is best for your situation.

Trust the Budget

There are several different costs that come with getting dentures. You will want to talk with us about your options and the costs associated with them. They can help you figure out the best way to pay for your upcoming dentistry.

Trust the Process

There are three stages of getting dentures. There is extraction, an optional temporary denture stage, and your final dentures. Here’s how it will work.

Tooth extraction – The dentist will pull your teeth to get ready for the dentures. All will be extracted for full dentures, but you still may need one or more pulled for partials if they aren’t healthy. Your dentist will talk with you about that.

(Optional) Temporary dentures – You may get temporary dentures to help ease the wait time between extraction and your final set. You will need to heal in the meantime as well.

Final dentures – You will have an impression made of your mouth, and your final dentures will be created. Once received, we’ll check the fitting, make adjustments, and have you begin to get used to your final set of dentures. You may need a few adjustments before they are well-fitted.

If you have dentistry questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please give our office a call. We’re here to answer all your concerns.