1. You’re worried that you may have a cavity.

Cavities are common. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research reports that a whopping 92% of adults have to have had at least cavity treated, and 26% of adults leave their tooth decay untreated. Sometimes, people develop tooth decay and don’t even realize it.

If you have experienced the following symptoms, you may have a cavity:

• Toothache or biting pain
• Dark spots or holes on the enamel (surface of the teeth)
• Sensitivity to hot and cold food and beverages
• Pus near teeth (abscess)
• Bleeding, swollen gums

Before tooth decay worsens, it’s imperative to visit a dentist as soon as possible. Your family dentist can create an action plan to help save the integrity of the remaining dental tissue before it is destroyed.

2. Your gums bleed after brushing or flossing.

Do you notice crimson bloodstains on your toothbrush or in your sink after caring for your teeth at home? Bleeding gums are one of the initial signs of periodontal (gum) disease. When oral bacteria flourish, it can cause gums to be infected and inflamed, inducing bleeding, swelling, or redness. 

For many, dentists can reverse gingivitis (a mild form of gum disease) with a deep dental cleaning called scaling and root planing. During scaling and root planing, a dentist removes bacterial plaque and tartar below the gumline. However, if gingivitis morphs into periodontal disease, it cannot be reversed and only managed by a dentist.

3. You’re concerned about bad breath.

Even if you are not conscious of it, bad breath can be a problem that dramatically affects your health and agreeableness with others. While bad breath can be an embarrassing problem, it doesn’t always go away with regular brushing. Many conditions can trigger bad breath, including:

• Chronic health problems
• A side effect of certain medications
• Oral infections
• Chewing and smoking tobacco products
• Mouth, nose, and throat conditions
• Poor dental hygiene

No matter the cause of bad breath, it can be challenging to manage alone. A general dentist can help patients manage their uncontrollable bad breath with professional teeth cleaning.

4. You haven’t been to the dentist’s office in over six months.

Even if your teeth and gums look nice, it’s essential to schedule a dental exam and cleaning at least twice a year (every six months). Frequent trips to the dentist can help protect your teeth and gums from bacterial buildup, tooth decay, and gum disease.

Schedule Your Next Dental Cleaning Right Now

At Chisholm Trail Smile Center, Dr. Matthew L. Bridges and our dental hygienists help patients of all ages achieve their best smiles with consistent and calming dental cleanings and exams. Book your and your family’s next dental cleaning in Duncan, OK by calling 580-255-4800 or messaging us online today.

The post How to Tell It’s Time for a Dental Cleaning appeared first on Chisholm Trail.

Dr. Matthew L. Bridges wants to help you explain the importance of dental cleaning to your children in an informative and accurate way. Our hope is that your child will continue visiting the dentist throughout his or her life—not just because you say so.

Here are five reasons why regular dental cleaning appointments are important:

1. To prevent cavities.

Your daily oral hygiene routine is a major factor in reducing the risk of cavities, but even those with the most effective oral hygiene routines need to visit the dentist every six months. Regular dental cleanings ensure that no food or plaque provides a home for bacteria in your mouth. These particles love to hide between your teeth, along the gum line, and on your tongue. When overlooked, plaque can create cavities in your teeth. Cavities can lead to pain, tooth sensitivity, and tooth loss.

The gentle and thorough care of a dental hygienist is extremely effective in cleaning those hard-to-reach areas of your smile.

2. To brighten your smile.

A regular dental cleaning can remove unwanted stains from your teeth caused by certain foods and drinks like:

• Coffee
• Berries
• Tomatoes
• Red wine
• Soda
• Candy

You most likely won’t experience the same results that professional whitening treatments deliver, but for lighter stains, dental cleanings are certainly effective.

3. To freshen breath.

If you or your child constantly have bad breath, a dental cleaning may be exactly what you need. Bad breath is embarrassing, but it can usually be cured by removing the bad bacteria from your teeth, tongue, and gums.

Continuous bad breath can be a sign of a more serious dental issue like tooth decay and gum disease. Schedule an appointment with your dentist today if you are experiencing this problem.

4. To improve your overall health.

The health of your mouth can have a direct impact on your overall health. By visiting the dentist regularly, you can lower your risk of certain health issues, such as:

• Stroke
• Heart disease
• Dementia
• Diabetes
• Premature birth

By making your oral health a priority, you help keep your whole body healthy.

5.  To save money.

Right now, you are likely the one paying for your child’s dental appointments, but one day he or she will take over.

By attending regular dental cleanings, you and your child avoid more serious oral health issues like cavities and gum disease. If you were to skip regular dental appointments, these problems may develop and cause you to spend more money on expensive procedures and treatments.

Prevention is the best policy when it comes to your oral health, overall health, and finances.

Schedule Your Dental Cleaning Appointments Today

Find fun and interesting ways to make these five reasons relatable to your child. Once you and your child arrive at your family dentist’s office, the dental team will make your child feel welcome and comfortable. Hopefully, the next appointment won’t require so much convincing!

Contact your local family dentist today to schedule regular dental cleanings for you and your child.

The post How to Explain the Importance of Dental Cleanings to Your Children appeared first on Chisholm Trail.

The best thing you can do for your oral health is regularly visit your dentist, which means visits every six months. Dr. Matthew L. Bridges in Duncan, OK is passionate about providing preventive dental care for patients of all ages. He’ll help you determine what you can add to your homecare regimen to help deter oral disease. For parents, Dr. Bridges provides tips and answers questions, so you can work together for the best result for your children.

Maintain a Healthy Smile at Home

Include these three essential steps into your daily oral hygiene routine:

• Brushing: Proper technique is extremely important. Start with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Use a circular motion to brush along the gumline, the back, front, and top of each tooth, and your tongue. Pay special attention to your back molars and any fillings or crowns. Brush for two minutes. Remember to replace your toothbrush at least every three months.
• Flossing: Most people avoid flossing altogether, but you shouldn’t! Flossing reaches the areas your toothbrush can’t. Use regular floss, dental floss holders, or interdental cleaning devices to remove plaque and food particles from between your teeth. Always move the particles away from the gum line. Floss every single day.
• Rinsing: Mouthwash offers a variety of benefits. It can reduce bad breath, prevent plaque buildup that leads to gingivitis, promote remineralization of enamel, and whiten teeth. Use an ADA-approved mouthwash or ask Dr. Bridges which mouthwash he recommends.

Healthy Eating

Foods and drinks with a high amount of processed sugar and other carbohydrates are one of the top causes of cavities. Changing your eating habits will benefit your oral health as well as your overall health.

We won’t ask you to completely avoid eating sweets and carbs, but there are foods you can add to your daily diet that will strengthen and clean your teeth. These include:

• Dairy products such as cheese, milk, and yogurt
• Leafy greens
• Lean proteins like chicken and fish
• Fibrous, low-sugar vegetables like carrots and celery

Of course, you should also make it a priority to substitute water for beverages such as sodas, sports drinks, and juices that eat away the protective enamel on your teeth.

Regular Dental Visits

According to the American Dental Association, you should visit the dentist at least twice a year. These visits are important because your dentist can detect oral health problems that you likely won’t spot at home. Symptoms of overall health issues such as diabetes, thyroid problems, heart disease, and osteoporosis commonly manifest in the mouth, so your dentist may be the first to detect signs of these conditions.

A regular dental cleaning will also deter cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss. Research shows that oral health is linked to overall health, so by reducing the potential for oral health problems, you will also reduce the likelihood of overall health problems.

In addition to visiting the dentist a least twice a year, you should schedule an appointment if you notice changes in your oral health, such as:

• Sensitive teeth
• Irritated or bleeding gums
• Persistent bad breath
• A toothache
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing
• Jaw pain
• Dry mouth
• A loose filling or crown

The First Step: Visit the Dentist

Our team at Chisholm Trail Smile Center would love to be a part of your journey towards great oral health. Visit Dr. Bridges soon for a checkup and cleaning, and to learn specifically how to improve your daily oral care routine.

The post What’s the best oral hygiene routine? appeared first on Chisholm Trail.

If it’s been a while since your last dental office visit, contact Chisholm Trail Smile Center at 580-255-4880 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Matthew L. Bridges.

Here are the top benefits of a dental cleaning:

1. A Brighter Smile

Extrinsic stains on your teeth are caused by coffee, tea, red wine, tomatoes, berries, and many other food and beverages. Because these stains are just on the enamel, they can be removed when they are gently scrubbed with a high-quality toothpaste and dental tools such as the ones we use during a dental cleaning.

A dental cleaning won’t produce the same results as a professional teeth whitening, but you may notice a significant difference in the brightness of your teeth.

2. A Thorough Cleaning

A dental hygienist can clean and floss your teeth more thoroughly. The hygienist can reach your back teeth more easily and completely floss in-between your teeth and down to your gums. These places are where disease-causing bacteria often lurk and cause cavities, periodontal disease, and tooth loss

3. Prevention of Overall Health Problems

When you skip dental cleanings, you are more prone to cavities, gum disease, and other oral health problems. These problems can lead to heart attacks, strokes, infertility, pregnancy complications, and diabetes.

4. Freshen Breath

Poor dental hygiene, oral infections, and gum disease are common causes of bad breath. A dental cleaning is a great way to rid your mouth of the bacteria that causes bad breath.

5. Save Money

Your dental cleaning helps prevent dental issues that are much more expensive to treat. For this reason, regular dentist office visits will actually save you money in the long run. Additionally, most insurances completely cover your dental cleaning and oral exam so you won’t have to pay a penny. However, if you don’t have dental insurance, the visit is still affordable, especially when compared to most other dental procedures.

At Chisholm Trail Smile Center, we also accept CareCredit® and offer in-office, affordable payment plans to break up the cost of your visit.

Visit Your Duncan, OK Dentist Office Today

When you attend your regular dental cleaning, you don’t just walk out with a shinier smile, you walk out with a healthier mouth and body. Additionally, if any other dental or periodontal issues are detected, we can create a personalized treatment plan to restore your oral health and prevent major problems in the future.

Dr. Bridges and our team of caring dental hygienists are passionate about providing excellent dental care to patients of all ages. Maintaining the health of our patients is what motivates us to do our jobs to the best of our ability every day.

To schedule your dental cleaning, contact us today at 580-255-4880.

The post Why are dental cleanings important? appeared first on Chisholm Trail.

How Often Do I Need Dental Visits?

Each patient has unique oral health needs, so the frequency of these visits can vary for person to person. Most patients see the dentist every six months, although some may need more frequent cleanings if they are prone to certain issues, such as periodontal disease. Most dental insurance plans cover the cost of biannual visits.

Factors that Dr. Bridges will consider when scheduling the frequency of your exams or cleanings may include:

• Severity of periodontitis (gum disease)
• Age
• Frequency of past dental visits
• Restorative treatments the patient has undergone in the past
• Restorative or cosmetic treatments that are being considered

What Are the Benefits of Regular Dental Visits?

• Prevention of dental problems: Prevention is always preferable to treatment. Dental exams and cleanings can address a wide range of dental problems before they develop. If you do have gum disease, cleanings can reverse the spread of harmful periodontitis. By removing plaque and food build-up, you can lower the risk of developing cavities. Oral cancer screenings are another potentially life-saving exam that can be performed quickly and for little cost.
• Brighter smile: You don’t have to undergo cosmetic treatments like teeth whitening to enjoy the benefits of a brighter smile. Cleanings can remove buildup. One final step of the process involves polishing the front row of teeth for an even whiter smile.
• No more bad breath: Cleanings can address bad breath. There are many causes of foul-smelling breath. During your exam, Dr. Bridges will be able to explain some of the potential causes while prescribing treatments or remedies.
• Boosted self-confidence: If you suffer from tooth pain or gum disease, you know how insecure that can leave you feeling. Once your dental problems have been treated, you can enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing you are in good oral health.
• Improved overall health: Endocarditis (heart infection), heart disease, and stroke have all been linked to gum disease. Research continues, but the current consensus points to bacteria entering the bloodstream through infected gums as one potential cause of these ailments.
• Lower overall treatment costs: Dental implants, dentures, and other restorative treatments can cost thousands of dollars. The need for many of these procedures can be prevented with regular dental visits.

What Preventative Treatments Are Offered at Chisholm Trail Smile Center?

• Routine Examinations
• Regular Cleanings
• Patient Education
• Dental Sealants
• Fluoride Treatments
• Custom Mouth Guards
• Digital X-rays
• Oral Cancer Screening

Contact Our Office Today!

It’s never too late to address dental problems. If you are interested in learning more about treatments in preventative dentistry, schedule an appointment with Dr. Bridges. Contact Chisholm Trail Smile Center online, or call our office at (580) 255-4880.

The post Benefits of Regular Dental Office Visits appeared first on Chisholm Trail.