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Preventive Dental Care Is All Important

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The best time for a visit to Dr. Travis Wilson in the Beaver Dam area is when you believe you don’t have any oral health problems. Because we are specialists in preventive care, we love to see patients when they have no serious issues to discuss with us.

When you and your family are diligent about regular checkups and regular at-home brushing and flossing, your twice-a-year scheduled visits to our office can simply be a way to confirm that all is well. By keeping each appointment for cleaning and a thorough exam, you are less likely to face the need for a filling, tooth straightening, a crown, or an extraction.

Dental Check Basics

During your initial visit to our practice, we will discuss your medical and dental history to learn about any health issues you may have and to enter any medications you routinely take into our records. This information, along with a complete dental screening and possible X-rays, forms a baseline for future care.

With this information on record, we can monitor your oral health, note any future changes in the condition of your gums and teeth, and give you the best ongoing care possible. Depending on your age and oral health history, your dental professional may conduct other screenings, including an assessment of previous dental repairs and restorations, and will most likely perform an orthodontic assessment to determine if you might be a candidate for tooth straightening, braces, or cosmetic procedures to improve your bite and enhance your smile now or in the future.

Consider Us Your Family’s Dentist

Because we offer a full range of general dentistry procedures, we take considerable pride in serving your entire family, from a toddler’s first dental exam to prophylactic treatment for the senior members of your extended family. We count multiple generations of local families among our patients, and we strive to keep those lasting relationships.

If you’re interested in learning more about the compassionate dental care we provide at both our Beavers Dam and Owensboro offices, contact us to schedule an appointment.

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Can I Just Push a Loose Tooth Back In Place?

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There are lots of reasons why an adult tooth may become loose. You may have experienced mouth trauma, such as from a sports injury. More often, a tooth may become loose due to some kind of problem, such as gum disease or an infection in the tooth socket.

No matter why the tooth has become loose in the first place, you should seek the care of your dentist in Beaver Dam, KY.

A Diseased Loose Tooth Won’t Heal Itself

Often, when a person experiences a loose tooth that seems to be falling out, they will try to push it back in: for a while, that may work, but that doesn’t mean that the tooth is magically going to tighten up again in the socket. In a few hours, the tooth will start to wiggle again or begin the process of erupting from its socket.

When a tooth becomes loose, it’s often because there is a serious problem, such as periodontal disease. When this occurs, the person may become much more diligent about dental hygiene. A trip to the drug store will bring back all kinds of bacteria-killing rinses, a new toothbrush, and maybe even an oral jet rinse appliance to heal the loose tooth. Unfortunately, by the time a tooth starts to fall out, it’s too late for drugstore remedies.

The Dangers of Just Pushing a Tooth Back in Place

When you just push a tooth back in, you’re not getting rid of the underlying problem, which is probably bacterial overgrowth, among other things. Failing to seek treatment from your dentist may result in permanent loss of that tooth, plus more.

Whenever you have a loose tooth, skip the trip to the drugstore and instead make a call to book an appointment with your Beaver Dam, KY dentist for treatment. We look forward to getting you and your loose tooth back on the road to recovery!

Invisalign orthodontics concept - Young attractive woman holding - using invisible braces or trainer.

What Can I Do About Crooked Teeth?

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Crooked teeth can be a problem! In addition to the fact that many people with crooked teeth feel self-conscious about their smile, crooked teeth can also lead to misalignment of the jaw.

If you suffer from crooked teeth, it’s important to see your dentist in Owensboro KY. Your dentist can let you know if you need orthodontic services and if so, can give you a referral for orthodontic care. At Travis Wilson Family Dentistry, you can get your orthodontic care in-house, which makes it easier to get your teeth straightened!

Braces

Braces consist of metal brackets attached to the teeth, connected by wires that are tightened periodically to draw the teeth in different directions. Braces are a traditional way to straighten teeth and correct alignment problems.

Clear Aligners

Clear aligners, also called Invisalign, are made from clear resin that fits over the teeth. Clear aligners act like braces, because they work by slowly shifting the teeth into the correct position. However, clear aligners are different from braces in a few ways.

First, clear aligners are nearly invisible, which means they’re a lot less disruptive to your smile. Second, aligners can be removed at any time, which makes eating certain foods and cleaning your teeth much easier.

Veneers

Veneers are non-orthodontic solution to crooked teeth. A veneer is a cover that fits over the front of your tooth. Veneers look like your natural teeth, but they can be used to hide imperfections in your smile and tooth alignment.

Veneers don’t correct structural problems – they only cover up cosmetic problems. This may be a good solution if your teeth aren’t all straight but your tooth misalignment is not so severe that it’s worth correcting.

Want to know more about orthodontics in Owensboro KY, or about getting veneers installed? Call Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry today.

How to Use Mouthwash

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When your dentist in Beaver Dam, KY advises you to rinse after brushing and flossing, they are hoping you know how to use mouthwash. Using mouthwash may seem straightforward, but there are important things to keep in mind.

Don’t Drink From the Bottle

Mouthwash caps are typically large and shaped in the ideal size for one “dose.” However, you should never actually drink from the cap or from the bottle itself. Doing either of these will result in your contaminating the entire bottle with mouth bacteria. If you share a bottle of mouthwash with other members of the family, it’s even worse. Instead, keep a clean glass or mini paper cups in the bathroom for dispensing each “dose” of the mouthwash.

Keep Mouthwash Away From Kids

Children will have a hard time avoiding swallowing tasty mouthwash. Even the adult, minty varieties are tempting to swallow for kids. The best thing is to avoid buying those bright, shiny, fruity and bubble-gum flavored mouthwashes for kids, and to keep adult mouthwashes away from children. Instead, let kids simply rinse with warm water.

Finish with a Gargle

Did you know that mouth bacteria can get very far back in the throat? Gargling with mouthwash helps to remove harmful bacteria that may be lurking far back at the top of the throat. The last thing you should do before finishing up your oral hygiene routine is to gargle for 30 seconds or so and then spit into the sink.

Use Mouthwash in the Morning

When you awaken in the morning to use the toilet facilities, make a habit of rinsing quickly with mouthwash, even before you brush. This will help rid your mouth of bacteria that built up while you slept.

Visit your Beaver Dam, KY dentist for more recommendations for using various types of mouthwash and about oral hygiene in general. Contact us today to book your appointment.

Do You Really Have to Give up Candy For Oral Health?

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When you visit your Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY dentist, they will advise you to do what you can at home to support your own oral health. This will likely include avoiding certain things, like excessive drinking and smoking, and avoiding excess sugar in the diet. But, you might think to yourself, is a little candy really so bad? If you have what is commonly called a sweet tooth, do you really have to completely deprive yourself of one of your favorite indulgences?

Indulgence is the Key Word

Well, in this case, indulgence is the key word. An indulgence is something that you partake in in small amounts. It’s something you enjoy every now and then, and just a little bit. If candy is a little indulgence for you, then there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy a little bit every now and then.

The Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate has been shown to have certain health benefits. Dark chocolate is often sweetened much less than regular chocolate. If you and your doctor feel that a little bit of dark chocolate is beneficial to your health—even a nibble every single day—then there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy it.

Avoid Large Quantities

What you don’t want to do is to eat large quantities of candy very often. For optimal oral health, don’t be that person in the office with a drawer full of licorice and candy bars. This kind of candy consumption will almost inevitably lead to infection or cavities or both.

Most adults are very aware that sugar can cause problems or even lead to the need for tooth extraction in Owensboro, KY. Knowing the risks, this particular food item should be avoided as much as possible.

3 Myths About Visiting the Dentist 

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There are many common myths that people have about visiting the dentist. Most myths come from an unrealistic fear of the dentist. And most of those fears stem from avoiding the dentist, which only exaggerates imagined scenarios. The more you visit your dentist in Owensboro, the more you’ll see that these myths have no basis in reality. Following are some of the most common myths about dental visits.

1. Dentists Enjoy Using the Drill

Dental drills are only used when significant tooth decay is found and needs to be removed. The drill enables the dentist to “drill out” the decay and clean up the sides and edges so that a clean surface can be created in which to accept the filling material. Dentists don’t particularly enjoy drilling teeth, insomuch that it means there is bad decay happening. But a drill is a useful tool that helps the patient’s tooth from being completely destroyed from decay.

2. The Dentist is Going to Pull All My Teeth

A dentist’s main objective is to save natural teeth. There are more tools and technological advances available today than ever before. Your dentist in Owensboro would rather use those tools and techniques to save your natural teeth than to have to pull a tooth. And, in a worse case scenario when a tooth can’t be saved, a dentist will never pull a tooth without discussing it with the patient beforehand.

3. A Dental Visit is Only Needed for a Toothache or Damaged Tooth

This is a very harmful myth, because it keeps people from visiting the dentist as frequently as they should. In fact, you should have a dental exam at a minimum every six months. If you do this, dental work can be largely preventative, and you may never need extensive dental restoration work. However, when you only visit the dentist is dire circumstances, extensive work may be needed.

Don’t let false myths about dentists keep you from getting the dental services you need for optimal oral health. Visit us soon and see for yourself just how pleasant a dental visit can truly be.

3 New Year’s Resolutions to Consider That Are All About Your Smile

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Another year is nearly gone, which means it is once again time to start thinking about what you want to do differently for the year to come. As you consider all the New Year’s resolutions that you hope to keep, don’t forget your oral health. Your smile is an important part of who you are, which is why restorative dentistry in Beaver Dam, KY is so popular. Take a look at a few resolutions you may want to consider as this year comes to a close.

Resolve to be more attentive to preventative dental health.

Preventative dental care is all about doing everything you can to prevent dental health issues from occurring. Whether it is your at-home oral hygiene habits or your annual visit to the dentist for checkups and cleaning, these steps can make a world of difference to your oral health.

Resolve to tend to small problems you’ve been neglecting with your teeth.

Maybe you have a small cavity that you have avoided for a while. Perhaps you have bite alignment issues you have never addressed. As the new year begins, tending to these problems could be one of the best things you ever do for your oral health.

Resolve to find out how you can be more confident with your smile.

A confident smile can change everything about how you interact with the world around you. Whether you are not so confident about the appearance of your teeth because you have stains or you really want to make a big change, a good dentist can help the visions of a better smile come to life.

Could a Beaver Dam Dentist help you with your resolutions?

Every new year is a new chance to start the year off right, even when it comes to your oral health. If you have something about your oral health or smile that you would like to discuss with a Beaver Dam, KY dentist, reach out to us at Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry to schedule an appointment.