Your dentist probably requests that you come in for check-ups twice yearly. Do you know why? Seeing the dentist in North Little Rock, AR, on a regular basis can help you maintain healthy teeth and gums. Keeping up with regular dental appointments is important! Here’s why.

1. Your dentist can catch dental problems in their early stages.

When you visit the dentist, you’re examined for potential dental problems like cavities, cracks in your teeth, chips, and signs of a dental infection. If you visit your dentist twice yearly, your dentist will likely catch those problems in their earliest stages. Catching problems dental problems early makes treating them much easier. Early treatment can also help you avoid more serious problems down the road.

2. Your dentist will get rid of plaque buildup.

Plaque is a sticky layer of saliva and food that can build up on your teeth over time. If the plaque is left on your teeth for too long, it will harden into tartar. Visiting the dentist frequently can remove plaque before it becomes tartar. Tartar can contribute to problems like gum disease and gum recession, so getting rid of plaque is good for you in many ways.

3. Seeing the dentist helps your smile look bright and beautiful.

Your dentist will polish your teeth when you come to visit. This polishing action can remove stains and keep your teeth looking white, bright, and beautiful. If you want to feel confident in your smile, visiting the dentist twice yearly is one of the best things you can do.

Is it time to make an appointment for dental preventative care in North Little Rock, AR? Call Mounts Dental Care today to make an appointment.

Fluoride is important for keeping your teeth healthy and strong. In fact, your dentist in North Little Rock, AR, may provide you with fluoride treatments when you come in for a cleaning. Many people have questions about fluoride, including what it is and why it’s effective. Below are just some of the common questions that people ask about fluoride.

What is fluoride?

Fluoride is a mineral that occurs in nature and is found in rocks, soil, water, and even in the air. Fluoride is naturally found in our water supply, but usually not enough to make a measurable difference in your dental hygiene.

What does fluoride do to your teeth?

Fluoride prevents tooth decay in adults and children. It also helps you suffer less pain from tooth decay and helps you get fewer cavities. Fluoride sticks to the teeth and reinforces the tooth enamel to prevent cavities from forming. To a certain extent, fluoride can even help reverse damage from tooth decay.

How can I get fluoride?

In many communities, fluoride is added to the drinking water. Around 200 million people in the United States get fluoride through their community water system. However, not all communities add fluoride to their water.

Even if you don’t get fluoride through your tap water at home, you may still get fluoride through food and beverages that you consume that have been made with fluoridated water. Fluoride can also be found in some toothpaste and in other dental cleaning products.

If you live in a community where fluoride has not been added to your water, you may be able to get a prescription for fluoride from your doctor. If you have more questions about fluoride, speak with your dentist next time you come in for a tooth cleaning in North Little Rock, AR. Call Mounts Dental Care today to make your appointment.

Sources

https://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/faqs/about-fluoride.html#:~:text=Fluoride%20is%20an%20effective%20way,Fewer%20and%20less%20severe%20cavities

Your dentist in Little Rock, AR has probably been telling you that smoking is bad for your mouth. But you probably aren’t aware of just how bad smoking is for your mouth and oral health.

How Cigarettes Affect Your Mouth

Here are the ways smoking could affect your mouth.

• Smoking Hinders Your Body’s Healing Process

Smoking lowers your immune system. And since your mouth is full of bacteria, smoking gives all those bacteria a better chance of surviving and spreading. That means anytime you have an oral issue, it will take longer for it to heal, and you will have a higher chance of infection.

• Smoking Increases Your Chances of Getting Oral Cancer

Smoking can lead to you getting oral cancer. This is because when you smoke, you are exposing the tissues in your mouth to high concentrations of dangerous carcinogens that lead to cancer—oral and otherwise.

• Smoking Makes It Harder to Fight Off Gum Disease

Smoking not only makes it harder to fight off gum disease in Little Rock, AR, but it will actually cause gum disease. In fact, smoking is the leading cause of gum disease.

• Smoking Can Lead to Tooth Loss

As we mentioned, smoking leads to gum disease, which is basically an infection of your gums caused by bacteria. And since smoking causes gum disease, that gum disease could lead to tooth loss, which happens faster when you expose your mouth to the carcinogens found in cigarettes. In fact, people who smoke generally lose 2-3 teeth for every ten years they continue smoking.

Do You Need a Dentist in Little Rock, AR?

If you need a dentist in Little Rock, AR, please Contact Mounts Dental Care today. We use advanced technology and techniques to provide you with the best dental care available. We also have a comfortable, relaxing environment and a team that truly cares.