Pediatric Dentistry

In short, YES!

It is actually recommended to eat a high-protein and high-carb meal prior to your general dentist appointment. It will help keep you feeling full longer, as well as allow you to feel more relaxed and reduce any dental anxiety.

However, you may want to brush in between your meal and appointment to remove any excess food particles. It is also a good idea  to avoid sugary foods and drinks, sticky foods, and food containing food coloring as these can make it more difficult for the dental team to clean and evaluate your teeth.

It is important to see your dentist every six months for a variety of reasons. These semi-annual appointments allow your dentist to check for issues that you might not be able to see or feel and catch dental issues in their early stages before they manifest into more complex issues.

At an appointment, your dentist can also:

• Screen for early signs of diseases
• Check your fillings
• Check your lymph nodes and lower jaw joints

An appointment is also a great opportunity to discuss any concerns or desires you may have with your dentist.

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends brushing twice a day and flossing at least once a day.

https://smiledentalpartners.com/how-to-properly-clean-your-teeth/

Leading up to a visit, it is a good idea to brush and floss twice daily and mentally prepare yourself for x-rays, a comprehensive dental exam, and an extended cleaning. Otherwise, all you need to do is schedule an appointment!

At Smile Dental Partners, we understand that there are various reasons people don’t regularly visit the dentist. No matter the reason, we will do our best to make it an easy and stress-free experience!

While not fun, dental accidents and emergencies are common and have a tendency to occur when least convenient. The most common emergency dental cases people experience are a knocked out tooth, uncontrolled oral bleeding, or an oral infection. A chipped or cracked tooth may also qualify as an emergency if a sharp fragment is left behind and or it is causing severe pain.

If you are experiencing a dental emergency, the most important thing is to remember to stay calm and apply pressure to stop any potential bleeding. From there, call your Smile location, in most cases there will be an on-call dentist for emergencies like the ones previously mentioned. If the emergency includes trauma to the face or jaw, it is best to visit an urgent care or local ER to ensure there are no underlying issues.

If the emergency involves a tooth that has been knocked out, it is important to act quickly. If the tooth cannot be placed back into the socket, it is crucial to keep it moist at all times. The ideal practice is to place the tooth in milk, however if none is on-hand, position it in between your cheek and gums. Water should only be used as a last resort as it can cause the root cells to swell and burst, reducing the chances of a successful reimplementation.

Here at Smile, we believe that proactive dentistry is the best way to ensure long-term dental health. When you come to us with a problem, we don’t want to “watch it” to see how it progresses and if it grows into a bigger issue. We believe in treating as soon as possible, giving you the best possible care.