dentist and patient

Why getting regular dental check ups is so important

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As adults, we have one set of teeth that need to serve us our entire lives. Protecting those teeth is essential. And, one of the cornerstones of good dental hygiene and health is regular dental checkups.

What Happens at a Check Up?

A dental checkup has two parts. First, cleaning is performed, a dental hygienist will perform a service known as scaling. During scaling, special dental tools are used to remove tartar, a hard substance that can accrue on your teeth near the gum line. You will probably also have your teeth polished. Polishing involves using a gritty substance to remove any surface stains to improve the appearance and cleanliness of your teeth. Finally, the hygienist will floss. This removes any material from between teeth and helps dental professionals assess the health of your teeth and gums.

dentist and patient

The other part of your dental checkup involves a dental exam. Your dentist or another professional from the office will visually examine your teeth, gums, tongue, and the interior tissue of your mouth. They will look for issues that can include cavities, cracked teeth, inflammation, and more. Your gums will be checked with special tools that help assess the depth of the spaces between your gums. In healthy gums, those spaces are shallow. However, when someone has gum disease, the spaces may become deeper as gums recede.

X-rays may also be a part of your dental exam. These can reveal issues with your teeth that are not visible to the naked eye.

Catching Potential Issues Early

During this exam, your dentist may see issues that include cavities, gum disease, and more. When problems are noticed, dental care can be scheduled to correct them.

Experts recommend that you go for check-ups twice a year. Going this often allows your dentist to catch any potential issues early before they become big problems. The sooner a problem is found, the easier it is to correct.

By engaging in regular preventive care, you can keep your teeth stronger and healthier now and throughout your life. Is it time for your next checkup? Call to schedule one today.

Healthy Eating for a Healthy Mouth

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Healthy Eating — Healthy Food in Owensboro, KY

You brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes. You floss too. Along with your at-home oral care routine, you also visit the dentist every six months for a professional-level cleaning and preventative services. But is that it when it comes to maintaining a healthy mouth?

Even though at-home and in-office dental care are essential to keep your teeth and gums healthy, you also need to pay attention to what you eat. While some foods (such as cavity-inducing candy) can harm your teeth, others are beneficial.
What foods have dental health benefits? Take a look at some of the top foods that work to boost the strength, function, and overall health of your teeth and gums.

Dairy Choices

Milk, cheese, and yogurt are all foods that you know well. They’re kitchen staples that are filled with calcium, which helps build strong bones. But that’s not where calcium’s benefits stop. Calcium also helps to build strong, healthy teeth.
Calcium, along with the phosphates, in dairy products re-mineralize your teeth. This helps to keep the outer layer of your teeth hard, giving it the ability to resist chips, cracks and other damage. To provide protective benefits, you should eat at least 1,000 to 2,000 mg of calcium per day.

Other Calcium Sources

While dairy foods and beverages provide plenty of calcium, they aren’t the only sources of this valuable mineral. You can add to your calcium intake by choosing a few non-dairy foods too.
Whether you don’t like dairy, you’re allergic to it, you have a sensitive digestive system, or you prefer plenty of variety in your diet, you have several different selections to pick from that also provide plenty of calcium.
Some foods and drinks have added calcium. Even those these foods naturally contain calcium, manufacturers boost the amount so that you can get in the daily recommendations without having to eat or drink all day long. Orange juice and tofu are two options that are often fortified with additional calcium. Read the label and nutrition facts carefully to find out how much of the mineral these items have.
Beans, almonds, canned fish, and leafy greens (such as spinach, collard greens, and kale) are all calcium-rich options as well.

Phosphorus Picks

Foods and beverages with calcium often also include phosphorus. Like calcium, phosphorus also plays a role in developing and maintaining strong teeth. Those calcium-rich dairy foods and drinks, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt, are also good picks for phosphorus intake. Other phosphorus-rich foods include eggs, fish, and lean meats.

Vitamin C Choices

Don’t forget about your gums. They’re part of a healthy mouth too. When creating a diet that boosts your dental health, including vitamin C-containing foods is a must-do. Foods with this vitamin are important additions to your diet because these foods contribute to gum health.
Sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits (such as oranges and grapefruits), broccoli, spinach, and tomatoes.

Fiber-Rich Foods

Fiber won’t build or strengthen your teeth in the way that calcium does, but it still has plenty of healthy mouth benefits. High-fiber foods help you to salivate. This naturally washes away the gunk and leftover food particles in your mouth. While salivation certainly isn’t a substitute for brushing, it does help to reduce the risk of plaque and cavity development.
Foods that are high in fiber include some fruits such as raspberries, pears, and apples along with vegetables such as green peas, broccoli, turnip greens, and brussels sprouts. Whole-grain breads, brown rice, barley, lentils, and black beans are also all excellent sources of fiber.
Do you need a new dentist to make sure that your teeth are healthy and strong? Do you need a new dentist to make sure that your teeth are healthy and strong? Contact Travis Wilson, D.M.D. for more help taking care of your teeth.

How to Keep Your Smile Looking Its Best

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Smile — Beautiful Smile in Owensboro, KY

Smiling has a significant impact on your health and how you are perceived. Like a prescribed anti-depressant, a smile causes an increase in the serotonin levels in the brain. Additionally, anti-stress hormones, such as endorphins and dopamine, are released as you smile, lowering your blood pressure. Smiling even helps others to view you as more attractive.

Still, you might find it difficult to smile often and freely if you feel that your smile is disappointing. Here are a few things that you can do to ensure that your smile is at its best every time you flash a grin.

Whiten Your Teeth

Based on the findings of a recent study, people with whitened teeth are more apt to be hired and receive a larger salary offer than their counterparts with dental discoloration. Whitened teeth may even increase the likelihood of a person being asked out on a date.
Nowadays, whitening your teeth doesn’t have to be cumbersome, time-consuming, or uncomfortable. Professional teeth-whitening applications, such as Zoom whitening, can whiten the teeth quickly and safely.
The Zoom whitening system, which can only be prescribed by a dentist, can be applied in-office or used as an at-home treatment. The system, which can whiten the teeth up to eight shades, can transform the appearance of the mouth without causing dental sensitivity. Additionally, because a special whitening light is used during the treatment, the results of the system are accelerated.
In-office whitening applications offer multiple benefits when compared to over-the-counter whitening kits. Here are a few of them:

  • Faster whitening results. Over-the-counter kits may require weeks or even months to achieve optimal results. In-office procedures can whiten the teeth by several shades after a single application.
  • Less dental sensitivity. Because over-the-counter kits are self-applied, there is an increased likelihood of misuse that could lead to chronic dental sensitivity. In-office treatments are applied by trained dental professionals.
  • More dramatic whitening results. Over-the-counter kits tend to whiten the teeth less effectively, even when applied precisely according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The Zoom whitening treatment can increase the whiteness of the teeth by eight shades in less than an hour.

Dental discoloration that results from the teeth’s exposure to pigments in the foods and drinks that you consume is considered temporary. However, a dental whitening application may be needed to brighten the color of the teeth.
Whiter teeth can improve the look of your smile and help increase your self-confidence. As a result, after having your teeth whitened, you may be apt to smile more often.

Replace Lost Teeth

Gaps in your smile are often considered unattractive. If you have lost one or more teeth and you want a great-looking smile, restorative applications, such as dental implants, can help.
A dental implant is a titanium post or screw that is used to replace the roots of a lost tooth. The implant can be fitted with a connecting mechanism and a dental crown to fully replace a missing tooth.
An implant can also be used to support other dental appliances that replace lost teeth, such as dentures and fixed bridges. The use of implants in conjunction with other applications is often preferred when a large number of teeth are missing from a palate.
In addition to improving the look of your smile, a dental implant offers other benefits:

  • Bone stimulation. The implant transfers bite pressure to the jawbone to stimulate the production of additional bone cells.
  • Longevity. Dental implants rarely fail and are designed to remain in place for the remainder of the patient’s life.
  • Stability. Implants can withstand the same amount of pressure as natural teeth, making it easy for patients to enjoy a wide range of foods.

If you are interested in improving the appearance of your smile, contact Travis Wilson D.M.D. We can help your teeth look their best.

Creating Smiles

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Everyone has teeth, and everyone can smile, but not everyone has a great smile. Fortunately, Travis Wilson D.M.D. has been helping to create great smiles since 1998. Sometimes it takes a little extra work to get all the teeth to line up appropriately, so we offer orthodontic services to coach a great smile into being.

Orthodontic dental procedures sound scary, especially to the parents who have to pay for the child’s procedure; however, modern developments have made treatments much more accessible to our patient’s wallets. We accept multiple insurance types, and financing plans make this procedure affordable for everyone.

What used to be an obtrusive wire structure in your mouth now resembles nearly invisible or even personalize tidy wires. There are even clear plastic mouthpieces that align the teeth in stages, which can be removed in public settings. The options today for orthodontic treatment are much greater and easier than ever for our clients.

Have you ever wanted a perfect smile? Maybe a tooth has always bothered you with the way it is positioned in your smile. Talk to Travis Wilson today about how you can improve the smile you have always just tolerated. Our office looks forward to working with you, contact us today!