Friday, February 28, 2020

Enamel: The Shield for Your Teeth


Tooth enamel is perhaps the most important aspect of your oral anatomy. Tooth enamel is the hardest and most mineralized substance in the body and serves as a shield on your teeth. However, enamel does not grow back, so it is vital to understand what it is and how to protect it.

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Regency Dental Testimonial Video


Open in the same location for the past 24 years, we are dedicated to quality service in a home away from home atmosphere.

We strive to make each and every visit a pleasurable experience. Extra care is taken to ensure that the highest standards of disinfection and sterilization are adhered to. This gives all of our patients the confidence to know that they are the top priority and their well being is the most important concern.

Our ultimate mission is to assist in making a contribution to overall health by providing the highest quality dental care possible. You will not only be delighted with the quality of clinical care but also by the way in which you are treated as an individual.

We want this to be your happy dental home.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Your Teeth Explained


Watch the video to find out about your teeth, their structures, the different types, what causes gums to bleed or recede and what you can do to help stop it.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Throwback Toothday: It’s Never Too Late to See Your Dentist


Rip Van Winkle was very late for his dental appointment, but it’s better to be late than never go at all! Join us as we celebrate 160 years of driving dentistry forward by taking a trip through the ADA’s video archive. #ADA160

Sunday, February 16, 2020

Oral Health & Arthritis Tips


For people living with arthritis, maintaining a regular at-home oral hygiene routine can be a challenge due to mobility limitations. For some, holding a toothbrush or handling dental floss is difficult.

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Children’s Oral Health: 3 Tips for Teaching Kids How to Floss


Kids say the darndest things. Everyday topics, like learning how to floss, can turn into a comedy show. Case in point: One night, as my husband flossed his teeth our daughter exclaimed, “Daddy, why are you removing your teeth?”

Lesson learned. Time to teach her how to floss.

Teaching a kid how to use dental floss is probably the last battle you want to take on at the end of a long day, especially when just brushing teeth can be a struggle. But flossing is an extremely important part of children’s oral health. Dental floss cleans 40% of tooth surfaces brushing can’t reach. Between the ages of two and four, when teeth in the mouth start touching, kids can and should be introduced to dental floss.

When it comes to teaching kids about oral health, creativity goes a long way. Here are my three favorite tips for teaching a child how to floss.

Kids Flossing Tip #1: Use Visuals

Dental floss doesn’t automatically make sense to kids. This is why visuals are a great tool for teaching kids how to floss.

To demonstrate the importance of flossing and good oral health, have your child watch as you dig your teeth into some chocolate. Next, floss your teeth to demonstrate how well dental floss removes leftover food particles. Once she is thoroughly intrigued, break out a dental flosser pick (little kids find these easier to handle) and try it out on her teeth.

Kids Flossing Tip #2: Give Rewards

As a parent, you know how well positive reinforcement works on kids. They love when something fun waits for them at the end of a task. Why not use this same idea for your children’s oral health? Create a chart and give your child a gold star each day she flosses. At the end of the week, reward her with a fun activity or a small toy. She’ll consider it a fun game, but you’ll know that, secretly, she is building solid habits and learning how to floss.

Kids Flossing Tip #3: Create Activities

This is one of my favorite oral health activities for kids of all ages! All you need is playdough, a large Duplo block, and some yarn. The block represents the teeth, the playdough represents food and gunk caught between teeth, and the yarn is the floss.

Use the yarn just like dental floss to show your kids how easily it removes food from teeth. This is a great visual, and kids love jamming the dough in the blocks. Plus, not only do you teach your child how to floss, but you’ve found a way to occupy her for a solid ten minutes — win, win.

Need More Help Teaching Your Kids How to Floss?

These tips are a good starting point, but always reach out to your dentist if you hit an impasse when teaching your child how to floss. Your dentist has even more tips and tricks to make dental floss fun for kids.

Article Source: https://www.deltadentalwa.com/blog/entry/2018/02/3-tips-for-teaching-a-child-how-to-floss

Monday, February 10, 2020

Why Is Fluoride Good for Teeth?


If our teeth are made mostly of calcium, why do we use fluoride to keep them healthy? Quick Questions explains why, and how we finally figured it out.

Friday, February 7, 2020

What Is Causing Tooth Pain After My Filling?


The first few days after a tooth filling, it is normal to have some pain in the surrounding area. If after a few days, the pain has not subsided, there may be an underlying issue with the tooth or filling. If this is the case, it is important that you schedule a follow-up appointment with your dentist immediately.

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

10 Causes of Bleeding Gums


You noticed a little pink in the sink after brushing your teeth. Or maybe you noticed blood in your mouth after flossing. What caused your bleeding gums? And is it serious? Gums bleed for many reasons. Some reasons, like gum disease, are serious and warrant a call to your dentist sooner rather than later. Other causes for bleeding gums are less serious. In some cases, you can stop bleeding gums with simple changes to your daily brushing and flossing routine.

Besides serious gum disease, here are ten other reasons gums bleed and how to stop bleeding gums before the problem becomes a bigger issue.

Bleeding Gums Reason #1: Gingivitis
Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease. Symptoms include tender and swollen gums, and in some cases bleeding gums during brushing and floss.

Gingivitis happens when plaque along your gum line isn’t properly removed. This sticky plaque breeds all sorts of nasty bacteria that infect the gums, causing bleeding and sensitivity. At this early stage, gingivitis can be stopped and reversed before it turns to more serious gum disease.

Prevent or stop bleeding gums caused by gingivitis with proper oral care. Brush and floss regularly and stay on top of your routine dental check-ups.

Bleeding Gums Reason #2: Medications
Another possible cause of bleeding gums is blood thinning medication. Blood thinning medications decrease the blood’s ability to clot, leading to easier bleeding, including at the gumline. Every time you visit your dentist, let her know about any new medications. This helps the dentist identify the cause of bleeding gums and other oral problems.

Your dentist might recommend a different oral care routine to help minimize or stop gum bleeding caused by medication.

Bleeding Gums Reason #3: New Flossing Routine
If your gums bleed after flossing, when they’ve never bled before, the flossing itself could be the cause. If you took a few days off from flossing or increased the rate per week at which you floss, you might notice minor gum bleeding. This gum bleeding should stop on its own after a couple of flossing sessions. If your gums bleed frequently, or every time you floss, visit your dentist.

Bleeding Gums Reason #4: New Toothbrush
A new type of toothbrush can also cause gum bleeding. If you switch from soft bristles to hard bristles, bleeding is sometimes your gums’ way of telling you to take it down a notch. Most dentists recommend a soft bristled toothbrush, specifically because it is easier on gums. So, if your gums bleed from a hard-bristled toothbrush, heed the warning. After switching back to soft bristles, bleeding along the gumline should stop within a few brushing sessions.

Bleeding Gums Reason #5: Pregnancy Gingivitis
Yep, it's a thing. Increased hormones during pregnancy cause increased blood flow to your gums, making them extra sensitive to plaque and bacteria. This in turn often leads to tender gums and gum bleeding during brushing. Pregnancy gingivitis, and any associated gum bleeding, usually stops shortly after pregnancy.

Bleeding Gums Reason #6: Poor Oral Hygiene Habits
You might be surprised to learn that even a temporary lapse in otherwise stellar oral hygiene sometimes causes bleeding gums. Research shows healthy gums can become bleeding and diseased gums with just one day off proper oral care. Yikes!

Prevent or stop bleeding gums with daily hygiene habits. Brush for two minutes, twice a day and floss daily to keep plaque at bay and prevent swollen, bleeding gums.

Bleeding Gums Reason #7: Poor Diet
Some ingredients in processed foods irritate gums and cause minor gum bleeding. Opt for healthier alternatives instead. Fruits and veggies, along with calcium, vitamins C and D, and magnesium are critical components of oral health. Make sure you get your daily recommended allowances of these nutrients

Bleeding Gums Reason #8: Stress
Living in a constant state of agitation and anxiety compromises your immune system, making it harder to ward off any number of issues, including bleeding gums and gum disease. Stress also causes inflammation in the blood vessels. This breaks down soft tissues in your mouth, further slowing the healing process for bleeding gums. Try reducing your stress levels whenever possible.

Bleeding Gums Reason #9: Misaligned Bite
If your teeth aren’t properly aligned you may develop “bite disease,” which is yet another possible cause of bleeding gums. If your teeth are misaligned, the wrong type of pressure is applied to the wrong places when you bite down or grind your teeth.

These destructive forces affect your teeth, as well as the supporting tissue and bone. If you apply repeated pressure in one spot, the gums recede and the bone deteriorates, creating a prime spot for gum disease and bleeding gums. Talk to your dentist about solutions for an unbalanced bite.

Bleeding Gums Reason #10: Smoking or Vaping
It’s true. Both smoking and vaping increase your risk for oral health problems, including sensitive, diseased, and bleeding gums. Once gum bleeding starts, dangerous bacteria trapped between the teeth and the gumline can get into the bloodstream, causing further complications.

If you are worried about how smoking or vaping affects your oral health, talk to your dentist or doctor about alternatives or programs to help you quit.

Visit Your Dentist for Persistent or Serious Gum Bleeding
These ten reasons for gum bleeding are meant as a guideline. But as with anything related to your oral health, nothing substitutes regular dental checkups. At routine dental appointments, your dentist checks for signs of gum disease and screens for other oral health issues. He helps identify if your gums are bleeding, the causes for your bleeding gums, and a plan to stop it.

If your gums bleed persistently or if you experience ongoing pain association with bleeding gums, don’t wait for your next checkup. When left untreated, bleeding gums leads to more serious oral health problems, so make an appointment with your dentist now if you are concerned.

Article Source: https://www.deltadentalwa.com/blog/entry/2018/08/causes-bleeding-gums

Saturday, February 1, 2020

Throwback Toothday: Captain Cuspid’s Treasure


Learn the secret to the Captain’s strong smile! Join us as we celebrate 160 years of driving dentistry forward by taking a trip through the ADA’s video archive. #ADA160