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Making Oral Health a Priority in 2024: A New Year’s Resolution Guide.
It’s the ideal moment to put our health and wellbeing first as we begin a new year.
Prep Your Smile for
the Holidays:
The Importance of Scheduling a Dental Cleaning Before the Holiday Season.
As the holiday season approaches, there’s an essential item you might want to add to your to-do list: scheduling a dental cleaning. Before the hustle and bustle of festivities consumes our time and attention, ensuring your smile is at its healthiest might be the best gift you can give yourself. However, waiting until the last minute might pose challenges that could affect your holiday cheer.
The holiday season often brings about a rush and an influx of last-minute appointments, making it challenging to secure dental bookings. Numerous obstacles, including office closures during the holidays and fully booked schedules due to the rush to utilize insurance benefits before they reset in the new year, can stand in the way of your preferred appointment time.
Attempting to book a dental cleaning amidst the holiday rush could result in frustration and limited availability. Offices might close for an extended period, and the demand for appointments might skyrocket due to patients trying to maximize their insurance benefits before they expire. Hence, securing a slot for a dental cleaning could become increasingly challenging as the year draws to a close.
On the flip side, planning and scheduling a dental cleaning before the year concludes come with numerous advantages. Starting the new year with a fresh and healthy smile can set a positive tone for the months ahead. A professional cleaning not only enhances oral health but also gives a confidence boost that can be carried into the festive celebrations.
Moreover, by proactively addressing your dental care needs before the holidays, you significantly reduce the risk of unexpected dental emergencies disrupting your precious time with family and friends. Dental issues can arise unexpectedly, causing discomfort and stress during what should be a joyful time. Preventive care through a pre-holiday dental cleaning minimizes these risks and ensures a smoother, worry-free holiday season.
Embracing the holidays with optimal oral health not only enhances your confidence but also allows you to fully indulge in the season’s joys. From smiling brightly for family photos to savoring the delightful holiday treats, a healthy smile allows you to relish every moment without the worry of oral health issues dampening the festivities.
This holiday season, give yourself the gift of a healthy smile and step into the celebrations with confidence and optimal oral health.
October is National Dental Hygiene Month
The summer’s brilliant colors fade into the comforting embrace of autumn in October, a month of transition. As October is observed across the country as National Dental Hygiene Month, it’s also the perfect time to start a fresh commitment to oral health. This month should be used as a gentle reminder to prioritize your oral hygiene, with an emphasis on fundamental procedures like brushing and flossing, as well as the importance of routine dental check-ups and cleanings.
The Foundation, Brushing and Flossing Techniques:
Proper brushing is the cornerstone of any successful oral hygiene regimen. The American Dental Association advises using fluoride toothpaste to brush your teeth at least twice a day. Following are some pointers for efficient brushing:
- To prevent harming your gums and dental enamel, use a toothbrush with soft bristles.
- Brush your teeth for at least two minutes, making sure to reach every surface.
- To get rid of plaque and debris, gently brush in a circular motion.
- Don’t forget to brush your tongue to remove bacteria that can cause bad breath.
Flossing Techniques:
Flossing is equally crucial because it reaches areas your toothbrush can’t. Proper flossing techniques include:
- Dental floss about 18 inches or so should be used.
- Slide the floss between your teeth slowly and gently, forming a ‘C’ shape around each tooth.
- To avoid hurting your gums, be thorough yet gentle.
Why Regular Dental Check-ups Matter:
Even though practicing good oral hygiene at home is important, it cannot replace routine dental exams. Why?
Cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer are just a few of the dental problems that a dentist can spot early. Early diagnosis paves the way for simpler, less expensive treatment.
Professional Cleaning: Even the most assiduous brushers and flossers fall short of completely removing all plaque and tartar. Dental hygienists utilize specialized tools to completely clean your teeth, preventing cavities and gum disease.
Dental professionals can offer personalized oral health recommendations based on your unique requirements and difficulties. They may make suggestions for ways to brushing and flossing more effectively.
To strengthen your teeth and prevent cavities, dental professionals might apply fluoride treatments and sealants.
The Six-Month Rule
Experts advise scheduling a dental appointment at least every six months. This routine makes sure that any problems are identified quickly and that your teeth receive routine, specialized care.
Finally, the month of October, which is designated as National Dental Hygiene Month, serves as a yearly reminder of the significance of using the right brushing and flossing methods. These daily routines, together with routine dental examinations and cleanings, are essential for preserving a healthy smile for life. Don’t wait; book your next dental visit right now and resolve to give your oral health first priority. Your smile will be grateful.
Who can benefit from cosmetic dentistry?
Cosmetic dentistry is any dental procedure that changes the appearance of your teeth. If you are interested in teeth whitening, have missing teeth, or maybe you would like to straighten your teeth, or fix any gaps or space between them; in all of these cases, cosmetic dentistry will help you improve the appearance of your smile.
Three major benefits of cosmetic dentistry.
Cosmetic dentistry can improve your nutrition. Let’s say you have missing teeth or molars. This means that you may be having difficulty grinding and chewing your food, which can be very frustrating. In some cases, people even have to restrict themselves from eating some foods that are essential to their body and a great source of protein due to having missing teeth.
Cosmetic dentistry will help you have better oral health. If your teeth are straight, brushing and flossing your teeth can be simple. Misaligned teeth are complicated to clean and remove bacteria; plaque can accumulate quickly in crowded teeth. This situation can cause more significant health issues and develop gum diseases; this is why orthodontic treatment with braces or clear aligners, also known as invisalign, are often recommended by the general dentist.
Cosmetic dentistry will enhance your appearance. It’s not a secret that after cosmetic procedures, people first notice how their new smile improves their overall appearance. Cosmetic dentistry not only enhances your life quality but also provides you with a boost of confidence which also brings a lot of benefits.
Important things to know before having cosmetic procedures done.
Before cosmetic treatment. Treating any existing oral condition before starting cosmetic treatment is highly recommended. If you have cavities to be filled or were advised to have a deep cleaning, etc., you must take care of that before starting cosmetic treatment. Your teeth must be strong and healthy, especially before orthodontic treatment; this can ensure a better experience avoiding any dental complications or more damage.
Recovery time. Cosmetic procedures can have different recovery times depending on the type of treatment and the amount of work that needs to be done. For example, people who have teeth whitening done may feel some sensitivity for the first few hours, and those who have dental implants may start to feel healing after the first week. The dentist can tell you what kind of recovery time you can expect depending on the type of procedure.
Cosmetic dentistry can benefit anyone seeking to enhance their smile. It improves nutrition by restoring dental function, enhances oral health, and boosts appearance and confidence. Embrace the opportunity to transform your smile and elevate your overall well-being.
Halloween treats…just tricks in disguise?
Fall is here, even in Southwest Florida, and that can only mean one thing – Halloween is on the way! We all love this festive holiday and the fun it brings. Of course, this festive fun almost always comes coupled with sweets. These candies, while delicious, can wreak havoc on your dental health as sugar builds up and eats through the protective enamel on your teeth. Overtime, this destruction causes cavities and if not treated, a plethora of other dental issues.
Here are some tips to make sure these sweet treats don’t turn out to be just painful tricks for children and adults alike…
- Categorize the goods: Separate anything sticky from the rest of the candies. That’s right, make a pile of all those gummies, taffies, fruit chews and sticky candies. Everything else goes in a separate pile. Then, do your best to avoid that first pile like it’s a spooky ghost! Why? Dental cavities go hand-in-hand with sugary and/or sour substances. The bad bacteria that shows up in your mouth loves the kind of environment these types of candies create, and works to turn it into acid. What happens next? A monster of a cavity.
- Have little monsters at home? Keep them away from that sticky pile too. Regardless of age, the oral health damage can be just as significant. Halloween is also a fantastic time to reinforce proper oral hygiene. Remind those little ghosts and goblins about the importance of brushing twice a day and flossing regularly. During a time extra sugars and sweets are being consumed, like the days following Halloween, encourage your children to brush right after snacking, and to drink lots of water. Make sure you’re following through too!
- Find substitutes: Are you eating the candy because you want it, or because it’s there? Try picking up a pack of sugar-free gum to help curb the craving without the danger! In fact, Sorbitol, Xylitol and other low-calorie sweeteners found in some sugar-free gum can actually help to stop destructive bacteria on their path for total takeover. This substitute to the sugar-ridden candy is like calling Ghostbusters on those potential cavities! If all else fails, keep a bowl next to the candy for all the wrappers. A visible reminder of how much candy you’ve consumed just might be worse than the scariest Halloween nightmare.
You can also consider trading your child’s candy for a toy or non-food item they’ve been eyeing. You can even donate that candy to organizations like these – https://www.today.com/parents/how-donate-halloween-candy-good-cause-t117994!
Shopping for what you’ll hand out at your home this year? Consider a non-food item like stickers, glow sticks or bubbles. You’ll help keep your trick-or-treaters on the path to oral health!
- Is your current dental health situation a whole bunch of Hocus Pocus? Halloween is a fantastic time to establish routine dental care. Call Horizon One Dental today to schedule check-ups for your whole family of monsters. We promise, it will be nothing but a treat!
Above all else, enjoy the holiday and of course the sweets, in moderation. Happy Halloween from the friendly ghouls and goblins at Horizon One Dental!
Routine Care
Did your phone just go reminding you to make that six-month routine follow-up to Horizon One Dental? Thinking about putting it off another few weeks? Think again! Have you ever wondered why the need for a revisit every six months? Simply put, it is routine dental care that will help you to achieve long term oral health and maintenance of your smile.
Routine dental visits have more benefits than just a cleaning. It is at these visits that your provider is likely to find any evidence of dental diseases including tooth decay, gum disease and larger periodontal problems, just to name a few. Skipping that follow-up appointment can send you down a longer road of necessary services that could have been avoided with early identification and prevention.
So, you have booked your appointment – what can you expect? At Horizon One Dental you will receive a thorough examination of your mouth and smile, identifying any issues including decay of teeth, inflamed gums and other things negatively impacting your oral health. Your provider will also examine your teeth for the degree of plaque and calculus on the tooth’s surface.
What is plaque and why is it so important? According to Delta Dental “plaque is a soft, sticky film that builds up on your teeth and contains millions of bacteria. The bacteria in plaque cause tooth decay and gum disease if they are not removed regularly…” If plaque is not removed through good dental hygiene at home and routine visits to the dentist’s office, it can harden on the teeth leading to the creation of calculus. It is excess plaque and calculus that usually are associated with the onset of serious oral diseases.
During your visit, the hygienist will also perform a full evaluation of gum health, looking specifically for any deep pocket formations that may show separation between the teeth and gums, often signaling an oral issue. In some cases, a patient experiencing gum problems may need a deeper cleaning to help prevent future gum disease.
Finally, your provider will evaluate the overall health of your mouth, tongue, and various soft tissues to ensure there is not an abundance of redness or swelling that could be caused by an oral issue. After this thorough investigation, a care plan is created and discussed at length with the patient to ensure dental success for years to come.
What should you do after you leave the office? Keep the good oral habits up! Be sure to brush your teeth for at least two minutes, two times a day preferably with an electric toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Following that up with flossing at least once a day to ensure debris and plaque between the teeth is removed. Finally, use a mouthwash to aid in the prevention of plaque formation and ensure fresh breath.
Here at Horizon One Dental, we are committed to helping you reach the smile you desire! Give us a call to book your appointment today at (239) 267-7385.
Dental Work and COVID-19
Like your favorite restaurants and attractions, dental offices are reopening for business as usual after months of only handling emergency cases due to restrictions put in place in response to COVID-19. While dentistry is considered one of the highest risk professions for the coronavirus, offices like Horizon One Dental are now able to provide routine dental care including cleanings, fillings, and other various procedures once again.
You may be wondering how our office is ensuring the safety of its staff and patients during these times. “You’ll see some notable changes before and during your visit,” Dr. Marc Dadkhah, doctor at Horizon One Dental, noted. “Our traditional waiting room looks a bit different, lacking its usual magazines and paper materials, a simple step we have taken to help control the spread of COVID-19. Now and always, patient safety is our top concern.”
Additional measures and comprehensive infection control procedures are in place with all staff and team members. These include frequent hand washing, the use of clean masks and gloves, and full disinfection of all services in the treatment rooms and reception area. Other precautions including instructing team members to stay home if they’ve traveled to high-risk areas or if they have any COVID-19 related symptoms, the removal communal items that may be touched by multiple people throughout the day, and updated patient visit protocol including pre-visit temperature checks and a patient survey to assess your risk of exposure to COVID-19 have also been implemented. Air purification systems have also been added to our waiting room area and patient treatment rooms for additional protection.
If bringing a guest to your appointment, we respectfully ask them to remain outside the practice during your appointment. Exceptions will be made for children and patients needing assistance. In these cases, each patient will be limited to one guest.
We take the utmost pride in knowing that we are following the expert guidance from groups such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the American Dental Association (ADA), and the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) in order to ensure that the safety of all who walk through our doors is our top priority. You can rely on us to stay diligent and rigorous in these efforts to ensure your utmost safety.
“Know that we are here for you,” Dr. Dadkhah reports. “We’ve got an incredibly safe and comforting environment to welcome you to for all of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing your smile in our office soon.”
Horizon One Dental is located at 8004 Summerlin Lakes Dr. Ft. Myers, FL 33907. Our office hours are Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. To book your appointment please call (239) 267-7385.