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4 Tooth Care Instructions For the New Year

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Did you have problems like cavities or bad breath in 2024? Now is the time to make New Year resolutions to take better care of your teeth in 2025. Your dentist in Beaver Dam and Owensboro KY can provide you with advice to take care of your teeth. Below are some of the top recommendations to help our patients take care of their teeth in the coming year.

1. Use Best Practices When Brushing Teeth

Good toothbrushing habits can help you avoid plaque and tartar buildup that can lead to cavities, gum disease, and other problems. Here are some best practices to follow when brushing your teeth:

  • Brush for two minutes at a time.
  • Brush the inside of your teeth (facing your tongue) and outside (facing your cheeks and lips).
  • Use a soft-bristle toothbrush, and use gentle pressure.
  • Brush your tongue as well as your teeth.

2. Cut Back on Sugar

Cut back on your sugar consumption throughout the day. Stock up on snacks that contain less sugar. Peanut butter crackers, boiled eggs, almonds, and hummus on pita are all examples of healthy foods that you can eat between meals.

3. Set Reminders to Schedule Your Dental Appointment

Do you always forget to make your dental appointments? Set reminders on your phone or mark your calendar to remind yourself to schedule your dental cleanings on time. Don’t go longer than six months between cleanings to take advantage of your dental insurance benefits.

4. Consider Dental Sealants

Dental sealants aren’t just for kids! If you have problems with cavities, dental sealants can protect your teeth from tooth decay. Talk to your dentist during your next teeth cleaning in Beaver Dam and Owensboro KY.

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Have You Gotten the Most Out Of Your Dental Insurance This Year?

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If you have dental insurance, it’s important to make the most of your dental coverage. Knowing how dental coverage works can help. It’s also important to take good care of your teeth. As your dentist in Owensboro and Beaver Dam, KY, we’re here to help you understand what you can do to take better care of your teeth.

See the Dentist Twice for Cleanings

Most dental insurance policies pay for twice-annual dental cleanings. If you’ve only been to the dentist once this year, you’re not taking full advantage of your benefits. Make an appointment to see your dentist by the end of the year to ensure that you get the maximum benefit from your insurance.

Contact the Dentist When Something Is Going Wrong

Most dental insurance offers the best coverage for inexpensive procedures and preventative maintenance. If you let a dental problem go until it becomes something difficult to fix, your dental insurance may offer less support to repair the problem. If you suspect something is wrong with your teeth, talk to the dentist soon.

Spread Out Procedures Over the New Year

Some procedures are completed in more than one visit to the dentist. If you’re nearing the maximum amount of coverage allowed by your dental insurance, and you’re planning a dental procedure divided among multiple appointments, consider spreading the procedure out over December and January so the costs will be divided between two coverage years.

Do you need preventative dental care in Owensboro and Beaver Dam, KY? Call your dentist today at Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry to schedule your dental appointment.

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 Are You Feeding Cavities? Surprising Foods That Harm Your Teeth

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At Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry, we help our patients to develop good oral health habits at home. That’s why we emphasize brushing, flossing and rinsing after each meal and upon waking and at bedtime. But did you know that there’s even more you can do to protect your teeth from the bacteria that cause tooth decay? Here’s a list of surprising food that harm your teeth that your dentist in Owensboro, KY hopes you will avoid as much as possible!

Sticky Dried Fruits

Sure, who doesn’t sneak the occasional fruit roll-up from their child’s snack drawer? Unfortunately, these kinds of sticky dried fruits, including their most sophisticated counterparts, raisins and apricots, are just terrible for your teeth. They’re viewed as nutritious for their vitamin content, but their stickiness causes them to cling to your teeth, allowing sugars to sit and create an ideal environment for cavity-causing bacteria. “Stick” to fresh fruit as an alternative.

Starchy Food

Starchy foods like bread, pasta and chips can break down into sugar and stick in hard-to-reach areas of your mouth, increasing the risk of cavities.

Acidic Foods and Drinks

Acidic foods and drinks, such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, and sports drinks, can also harm your teeth. The acid in these items can wear away tooth enamel over time, weakening your teeth and making them more vulnerable to decay. You should limit consumption of lemonade for this same reason.

Dehydrating Beverages

Surprisingly, beverages like coffee and wine not only stain teeth but can dry out your mouth, reducing saliva production, which is essential for washing away food particles and neutralizing acids. A dry mouth leads to an increased risk of cavities.

Obviously you aren’t going to eliminate all of the items on this list. Just be aware of the risks so you can take countermeasures! Contact your Owensboro, KY dentist for more info!

I Have a Gummy Smile – What Can I Do?

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Your gums play an important role in the health of your mouth. Gums keep your teeth secure and protected and help nourish the roots of your teeth. Your gums are a wonderful feature, but for some people, gums cover more of the teeth than is desired. This is what some people refer to as a “gummy smile”.

You don’t have to live with a gummy smile – your dentist in Beaver Dam and Owensboro KY can help. At Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry, we offer gum recontouring services to help lengthen your teeth and create the smile you’ve always wanted.

What Are Gum Recontouring Services?

Gum recontouring is a service that allows your dentist to choose a new gumline for your teeth. During the procedure, your dentist will mark the new gum line, numb your gums, and then remove portions of the gum either with a laser or with a scalpel.

Who Is a Good Candidate?

You may be a good candidate for gum recontouring if you have excess gum tissue or an uneven gum line. If you’ve always wanted longer teeth to help your confidence, gum recontouring may be for you. Your dentist can talk to you more about your case.

How Can I Get Started?

If you’re interested in gum recontouring, contact Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry for cosmetic dentistry services in Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY. Some people combine gum recontouring with other services like teeth whitening or dental veneers. This helps them achieve the beautiful smile they’ve always wanted. We can help! Call today to make an appointment.

How to Find the Right Dentist for Your Family

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The benefits of a family dentist are spelled out right in the title. If you find the right practice, you can have everyone in the family visit, so everything can get done in one fell swoop. Of course, few things in life are ever as easy as they seem. We’ll look at what to remember before you choose a family dentist and how the staff at Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry can help you simplify matters.

Factors to Keep In Mind 

Before you choose a family dentist, here’s what you should know:

  • Family dentists in Owensboro, KY are just as good with adults as they are with kids! Just because the staff is trained to help kids calm down, doesn’t mean they aren’t qualified to work with adults. With the right family dentist, you can get everyone on the same general schedule, so your life has fewer interruptions.
  • Family dentists keep everyone’s records together. This way, you don’t have to worry about scheduling the wrong kid for the right appointment. Family dentists understand that your life is hectic, so their logs group people together by clan.
  • Family dentist practices tend to have strong relationships with their clients. While it’s easy to get drawn into new businesses, thanks to special promotions, the reality is that relationships and history are typically more valuable than any one-time deal. Instead of explaining the same issue repeatedly, you can work with someone with all the details at their fingertips.

How to Find the Right Dentist 

If you’re looking for the right dental team in Owensboro, it always comes down to reputation. We’ve worked hard at Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry to build trust with our clients. Contact us today to learn more about how our services can help everyone get the care they need!

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How Facial Spasms Affect Your Teeth

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Facial spasms refer to any involuntary contraction of your facial muscles. For the most part, they’re uncommon occurrences, though it’s worth noting that they’re likely more common than we think.

Because facial spasms can occur for any number of reasons, including an extra cup of coffee or an unexpected stressor, we don’t always even notice them (which means they’re never reported to a dentist in Owensboro, KY). Below, we’ll look at how facial spasms affect more than the muscles in your face.

Facial Spasms and Your Teeth

Facial spasms come in a variety of flavors, with some affecting your eyelids and others affecting your jaw. Bruxism and Meige syndrome are medical terms that refer to involuntary movements of the jaw and mouth. With Meige syndrome, you’ll probably have a heads up about your facial spasms because it happens when you’re awake.

With bruxism, though, you’re grinding and clenching your teeth while you’re asleep. Sometimes, the only way you’ll know that this is occurring is if a partner tells you or if you start to have visible wear and tear on your teeth. With bruxism, you’re slowly grinding your teeth down, which can not just weaken the tooth, it can eventually cause you to either need a root canal or to lose it entirely.

How to Treat Facial Spasms

Treating facial spasms starts with diagnosing them. If you’re not sure what’s causing your facial tics or jaw pain, it helps to have the right professional evaluate you for damage and (potentially) restorative rehab in Owensboro, KY. At the very least, standard dental exams can reveal changes from your teeth over the years.

Missing a Tooth? 4 Tooth Replacement Options to Know About

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Even just one missing tooth can make a big difference in your mouth. Luckily, yourdentist in Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY, can help. The dental professionals at Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry offer a range of artificial tooth options for patients.

From implants to bridges, we can replace missing teeth with fully functional, attractive artificial options. Below are four choices for you if you’re missing a tooth.

1. Dentures

Dentures can replace an entire arch of teeth at one time. If you’re missing many of your teeth, or need to have many teeth extracted, dentures may be a good option for you. Dentures fit over the mouth and are not permanently installed, which means they need to be removed on a regular basis for cleaning. They’re also removed at night to give your mouth time to rest.

2. Dental Implants

A dental implant is an artificial tooth that is surgically installed in the body. Each implant is inserted into a hole drilled in the jaw bone, then the screw is allowed to become fused with the body the way that a tooth root is fused with the body. Dental implants are an option if you are missing a tooth and have a healthy jawbone.

3. Dental Bridge

A dental bridge is a prosthetic tooth that’s held in place with crowns that fit over the teeth on either side of the hole. Dental bridges don’t rely on a healthy jaw bone for installation, but they do rely on healthy teeth surrounding the gap in the mouth.

4. Partial Denture

A partial denture is a denture that can replace several missing teeth. Like regular dentures, partial dentures are worn and are not permanently installed in the mouth.

At Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry, we provide all these options for our patients and more. Do you need toreplace missing teeth in Beaver Dam and Owensboro KY? Call today.

Are Dental X-rays Safe?

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Dental X-rays are an important tool that dentists use to diagnose patients and provide excellent dental care. Dentists use dental x-rays periodically to take a deep dive into the patient’s oral health status and see things they otherwise wouldn’t be able to see.

When you come in for a dental exam with yourdentist in Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY, you may be given dental X-rays. If you have questions about the safety of dental X-rays, you’re not alone. Dental X-rays expose patients to a small amount of radiation, and that leaves many patients with questions. Here’s what you need to know about dental x-rays, their usefulness, and their overall safety.

Why Do I Need Dental X-Rays?

Dental X-rays help your dentist see things that are going on inside the mouth that might not be visible during the examination. Dental X-rays can be used to check the status of your jaw bone, tooth roots, and sinuses. Using dental X-rays, your dentist may be able to identify a cavity or other problems taking place in the teeth.

Are Dental X-Rays Safe?

Dental X-rays are considered quite safe. In fact, the amount of radiation that is released during a dental x-ray is equivalent to the amount of radiation that is released by items like cell phones, televisions, and the earth. In addition, most dentists don’t take dental X-rays at every visit to the dentist. Instead, dentists only take X-rays periodically to help limit patient exposure.

Overall, x-rays are an important tool that can help dentists uncover problems before they become serious. If you needdental x-rays in Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY, your dental professional at Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry will make it happen. We track when our patients get x-rays and recommend x-ray use when our patients need x-rays again.

Call today to make an appointment.

3 Ways to Protect Your Teeth from Injury

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Protecting your teeth from injury is important. When teeth become cracked, chipped or damaged, this can lead to bacterial infection, tooth loss and tooth extraction.

As yourdentist in Owensboro and Beaver Dam, KY, we can help you protect your teeth from injury. We offer tips and dental cleanings to patients to help them protect their teeth.

1. Get a mouthguard for athletics. 

If you participate in sports, especially if you participate in high impact sports like hockey or football, then it’s important to protect your teeth from injury. You can do this by getting a mouthguard for your teeth.

Mouthguards can be purchased from pharmacies and other stores, but the best type of mouthguards are those that are custom made for your teeth. Your dentist at Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry can help you find a mouth guard that will fit over your teeth and guard your smile.

2. Know if you grind your teeth. 

If you grind your teeth, it’s important to protect your teeth from injury. Grinding happens primarily at night, and most people who grind their teeth aren’t aware this is something they do.

Your dentist will be able to tell you if you grind your teeth because your dentist can see the signs of grinding on your teeth when you come in for a dental exam. If your dentist at Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry says that you do grind your teeth, get a mouthguard to help protect your teeth from damage.

3. Maintain strong, healthy teeth. 

One more thing you can do to protect your teeth from damage is to maintain good oral hygiene habits and to visit the dentist twice yearly for checkups. To make yourdentist appointment in Owensboro and Beaver Dam, KY, call your dentist today.

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3 Reasons to Make a Dental Appointment In the Next 6 Months

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When was the last time you saw the dentist? The next time you visit the dentist should be six months after your last appointment. Below, we’ve listed three reasons to make adental appointment in Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY, in the next six months.

1. Dentist Recommendations

Generally speaking, most dentists recommend that their patients come for dental cleanings twice yearly. Every patient is unique, so your dentist may give you a different schedule to follow, but if you’re like most people, you should see the dentist twice annually.

The good news is that most dental insurance plans will cover two dental cleanings annually. This preventative care can help you take good care of your teeth, so take advantage of that dental insurance benefit.

2. Help Prevent Dental Problems

When you go to the dentist for a cleaning and examination, your dentist will look for problems like cavities, impacted wisdom teeth, dental infections, cracks in your teeth, and more.

Going every six months can help ensure that if your dentist does catch a problem, it will most likely be in its early stages. Catching problems early is important for preventing permanent teeth loss and dental emergencies requiring a root canal.

3. Maintain a Healthy, Beautiful Smile

Getting your teeth cleaned frequently can help prevent gum disease and tooth discoloration. This helps keep your teeth white and bright so you can confidently smile.

Is it time for you to see the dentist inBeaver Dam and Owensboro, KY? If so, contact Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry to make an appointment.