The holiday season is a wonderful time to gather with family and friends and show gratitude for the year’s blessings. If your family is like mine, these family gatherings usually involve taking pictures of everyone and all the fun being had. While it is fun to look back at past photos and reminisce, no one wants to see themselves in pictures and wish their smile were better. Tooth bleaching is one simple way you might be able to improve your smile for those holiday photos. [Read more…]
Why Dental Check-ups are Important During the COVID-19 Pandemic
As we all do our best to prevent exposing ourselves to the coronavirus by isolating at home or by protecting ourselves with masks, hand sanitizer, and maintaining six foot distances as we venture out, we also need to be mindful of keeping our bodies healthy so that our immune system can be ready in case it is confronted with this virus. Did you know that there is a direct link between your oral wellness and your overall health? We have all heard that people with certain risk factors like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems are more likely to have complications if they contract COVID-19. Maintaining good oral hygiene and ensuring that we have regular dental examinations and cleanings is important in helping to ensure that our immune system is functioning at full capacity and is not already overwhelmed fighting off oral bacteria when it is confronted with coronavirus particles. [Read more…]
Set Your Child Up for Success with Sealants
Did you k
now that the most common chronic disease found in school-age children is tooth decay (or cavities)? While brushing twice a day and flossing daily are the best ways to prevent cavities, dental sealants are another preventative tool that can help reduce the risk of children developing cavities. Dental sealants are a protective barrier placed on the chewing surfaces of teeth that help to seal out plaque and acids from the deep pits and grooves of teeth, preventing them from forming cavities. In an October 2016 report released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the importance of sealants for school-age children was affirmed when they found that “school-age children without sealants have almost three times more cavities than children with sealants.” More recent studies have found that sealants reduce the risk of developing cavities on molars by nearly 80%. [Read more…]
How COVID-19 may change your visit to the dentist
Never in our lif
etime have we experienced such a worldwide health crisis as we are currently. Protecting the health of ourselves, our families, and our community members has become a major group effort! Wearing masks, frequent hand washing, and sanitizer use is now the norm for everyone. Infection control has always been a top priority for us at Cheek Dental, but COVID-19 has certainly put our procedures to the test! [Read more…]
Sensitive Teeth
Does a bite of cold ice cream or a sip of hot coffee sometimes hurt your teeth? If so, you are not alone. Sensitive teeth is a common problem we see among our patients. The great news is that sensitive teeth can be treated; however, the type of treatment depends on what is causing the sensitivity. [Read more…]
Do You Take My Insurance
This is a question we are often asked in o
ur dental practice, but the answer to that is a little complicated. When deciding on a dentist for yourself and your family, you want to be sure you are considering a multitude of factors including insurance, but insurance certainly should not be the #1 consideration. [Read more…]
Why Baby Teeth Matter
As parents, there is nothing more special than seeing our child smile. While the baby teeth that make up those smiles may only be temporary, it is important to remember that they serve a very important role in our child’s health and development and must be meticulously cared for until they fall out. [Read more…]
Give the Gift of Oral Health
The holidays are here, and ‘tis the season for giving. As we shop for gifts for our friends and family, we all have those hard-to-buy-for people on our list. This year, why not give them the gift of oral health? Here are some great gift ideas to keep your friends and family members smiling! [Read more…]
Benefits of Invisalign
Did you know that straight teeth are healthier teeth? Invisalign clear aligner therapy, a popular orthodontic alternative to traditional braces, uses aligners to move teeth into their proper position gradually and gently without the use of unsightly brackets and wires as are necessary with conventional dental braces. But many people think that the reason for doing Invisalign is simply related to vanity – wanting a more attractive smile without having the metal “grill” from traditional braces. While that is certainly one of the benefits of straightening teeth with Invisalign, there are some big health-related benefits as well. [Read more…]
Same Day Implant Teeth
Over the past decade there has been a lot of buzz in the media about same day implants and teeth. In some cases, a smile can be restored with a single implant and crown or with multiple implants and a set of teeth in just one day. Dentists must use good judgement when assessing a patient to determine whether same day implant restoration is a good option for that patient. In many cases it is much more difficult to place a single implant and restore it with a crown the same day than it is to place multiple implants and a full set of teeth in one appointment. [Read more…]