3 Back to School Tips to Care for Your Child’s Teeth

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It’s back to school time! Keeping your little one’s teeth healthy during the school year is important. As your dentist in North Little Rock, AR, we’re happy to help you with this process. We’re sharing the tips below to make caring for your child’s teeth easier this coming school year. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Bring your child to the dentist before the school year starts.

Once your child starts school, getting your child to the dentist can become more complicated. Make an appointment to bring your child to the dentist before the school year begins. If it’s already too late to bring your child before the school year begins, make a note in your calendar to make a back-to-school dentist appointment next year.

2. Stock up on healthy lunches and snacks.

The right lunches and snacks can help your child maintain healthy teeth and gums. Stock up on healthy foods that are easy to pack in your child’s lunches. Apples, hummus on pita, nuts, and fresh water in a bottle are all relatively healthy snacks that will fill your child up without doing damage to your child’s teeth.

3. Continue to monitor your child’s tooth brushing habits.

School nights can be hectic between family dinners and homework. Don’t let your child forget to brush their teeth before bedtime. If you brush your child’s teeth for them, pay attention to the appearance of their teeth to watch for problems like cavities. Continuing to brush your child’s teeth twice daily and floss once daily can help your child avoid painful dental problems.

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

Why Is Fluoride Important?

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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

3 Reasons To Go To the Dentist Every Six Months

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Going to the dentist in North Little Rock, AR, is good for you. In fact, most dentists recommend that their patients come to see them for a check-up and teeth cleaning every six months. If your dentist is asking you to make appointments every six months, you have many good reasons to do so. Here’s what to know about why you should see the dentist twice yearly.

1. Your teeth will stay healthier.

Every time you visit the dentist, you’ll get a teeth cleaning that will help keep your teeth healthy and strong. During the cleaning, the dental hygienist will remove plaque and tartar buildup that may have accumulated on your tooth enamel since the last time you visited.

You’ll also get your teeth polished, and that will prevent more plaque and tartar from building up after the visit is over. The result will be a reduction in bacteria in your mouth, which will help your teeth stay healthy.

2. Your teeth will look better.

Your teeth look their best when they’re clean. If you’re coming to the dentist every six months, you’ll enjoy healthier-looking teeth and gums. Are you interested in getting your teeth whitened? Your dentist can also take care of that – ask about it the next time you come in for a cleaning.

3. You’ll avoid painful conditions.

Unhealthy teeth can develop painful conditions like cavities and infections. When you get your teeth cleaned regularly, you’ll avoid problems like this. Unless you’re excited about getting a root canal or a cavity filling, it’s better just to go to the dentist regularly.

Need to schedule a teeth cleaning in North Little Rock, AR? Call Mounts Dental Care to make an appointment.

How Cigarettes Affect Your Mouth

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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.

Which Summer Foods Can Damage Your Teeth?

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Summer is here and it’s time for barbecues and vacations! Watch out, because these activities often come with delicious meals that can be damaging to your tooth enamel. As your dentist in North Little Rock, AR, we can help you protect your teeth by educating you about the foods that cause the most harm. We also provide preventative care to keep your teeth clean and healthy.

Foods With Sugar

Foods that contain a lot of sugar can be yummy, but sugar can cause tooth decay. There are a lot of summer foods that contain a lot of sugar, but some common examples include sweetened fruit salads, ice cream, popsicles sweet barbecue sauces, sodas, milk shakes, smoothies and sweet alcoholic beverages like sangria.

When eating these foods (or drinking these beverages) swish with water after taking your meal to help get some of the sugar off your tooth enamel. Brush your teeth after eating.

Foods That Stain

Foods that stain are also common in summer. Barbecue sauce, wine and summer berries are all common examples of the kinds of food that can stain your teeth. Maintaining good oral hygiene can help. Keep your teeth clean, so the staining foods will wash away easily without changing the color of the tooth enamel.

If you do eat a lot of staining foods, one way to maintain white teeth is to get your teeth whitened by your dentist. Professional tooth whitening can help restore the color of your teeth to their original beauty.

Are you eating a lot of potentially harmful foods this summer? Make an appointment for preventative dentistry in North Little Rock, AR. We can help you take care of your teeth! Call today.

What Is Digital Cavity Detection, and Why is It Important?

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Cavities are easily one of the most common oral health concerns. However, when they are detected early using digital cavity detection in North Little Rock, cavities can be stopped in their tracks. While a visual assessment may detect prominent cavities, sometimes, cavities exist under the surface where they can cause just as many problems. Take a closer look at digital cavity protection below.

What Is Digital Cavity Detection?

Digital cavity detection is a type of dental diagnostic method that involves using a laser-powered tool to detect decay under the surface of the tooth. The handheld tool uses laser technology that evaluates the tooth using reflective light. This light is more capable of pinpointing points of decay than the human eye and can capture signs of deterioration inside the tooth that are not visible outwardly. To make a diagnosis, the dentist will simply sweep the tool over each tooth to conduct an examination.

Why Is Digital Cavity Detection Important?

With any cavities, the quicker the issues are diagnosed and treated, the less likely the cavity will cause extensive damage to the tooth. Cavities that are left to grow inside or between teeth because they are not visible can put the entire structure of the tooth at risk. The more decay spreads, the more difficult it will be to fix the tooth without having to extract it. Further, smaller cavities are not as costly to repair because a simple filling is usually all that is required.

Talk to an Experienced Little Rock Dentist About Cavity Detection

When you visit Mount Dental Care, we take your oral health seriously. Therefore, we use the most innovative and effective dental technology to make accurate diagnoses and provide treatment as your Little Rock, AR dentist. If you are interested in digital cavity detection, reach out to schedule an appointment today.

What Is Digital Cavity Detection?

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Most people know that cavities are holes in the teeth, even if the details about how they’re found and what dangers they pose can be comparatively murky. Cavities are sometimes easy to find for dentists in Little Rock, AR. If they’re right on the surface, they’re pretty much impossible to miss. When they’re harder to find, the dentist has to be creative about how they go about diagnosing the problem.

Methods for Cavity Detection

If you think of cavities and immediately think of X-rays, it’s easy to see why. They’re not only a great way to spot cavities, they can be used to spot a number of other dental problems as well. However, X-rays aren’t fool-proof, which is why dentists may use special instruments to feel along the teeth for any structural deficiencies.

When the dentist wants to take it a step further, they’ll use a laser to really be sure that there are no cavities present. At Mounts Dental Care, a Diagondent is the name of the laser used for early cavity detection. The small laser magnifies the reflection of the tooth and is powerful enough to show whether there’s a cavity under the surface.

Cavity Detection in Little Rock, AR

When you opt for advanced cavity detection in Little Rock, you won’t be sorry. If there are no cavities, then you can keep up your routine in confidence. If you don’t have small cavities, though, you can take care of them before they have the chance to get any bigger. Staving off a root canal or larger filling isn’t just good for your wallet, it’s good for your overall oral health. If you have questions about how the laser works or whether you’re taking enough preventative steps, call Mounts Dental Care to schedule an appointment.

Why do Dentists Take X-Rays?

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When you visit your dentist in Little Rock AR, chances are you may need to have X-rays taken. You already know that your dentist uses X-rays for treatment, but why exactly are they so necessary?

Detection of Hidden Problems

One of the big reasons dentists take X-rays is to detect problems that aren’t visible during a routine visual examination, such as:

  • Tooth decay – X-rays help dentists identify decay in its early stages, preventing it from progressing and causing more severe problems.
  • Gum disease – By providing a detailed view of the bone structure supporting the teeth, X-rays can expose the presence of gum disease, enabling timely intervention and treatment.
  • Infections – X-rays can reveal abscesses or infections hidden beneath the gum line, allowing for prompt and accurate diagnosis.
  • Impacted teeth – Sometimes, teeth don’t emerge as they should, becoming stuck or impacted. Dentists use X-rays to identify impacted teeth and develop a treatment plan.

Ensuring a Good Fit for Dental Work

X-rays provide dentists with the necessary information to plan and execute treatments such as crowns, bridges, implants, or braces with accuracy. For example, X-rays help determine the correct size and placement of dental implants or reveal the need for orthodontic intervention to correct misaligned teeth.

Monitoring Changes Over Time

Dental X-rays are also considered essential for tracking the progress of existing dental conditions and treatments. By comparing current X-rays with older ones, dentists can evaluate the effectiveness of treatment plans, detect any new issues, and make necessary adjustments to ensure optimal oral health.

Dental X-rays are a crucial tool for dentists, allowing them to identify hidden issues, plan and execute dental treatments, and monitor progress over time. Contact your dentist in Little Rock, AR to learn more or to book your next appointment.

Signs of Periodontal Disease (and What You Can Do About It)

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Periodontal disease is a problem caused by inflammation and infection of the gums and bones that hold in the teeth. Periodontal disease can cause your gums to recede and can even lead to loose teeth that fall out. Knowing the signs of periodontal disease and what you can do about it is important. As your dentist in North Little Rock, AR, we can help you understand the dangers of periodontal disease. Here’s what you need to know.

Signs of Periodontal Disease

There are many signs of periodontal disease to be aware of. Some common symptoms include:

  • Red, swollen gums
  • Gums that bleed easily, especially when flossing or brushing your teeth
  • Breath smells bad, even when you brush your teeth
  • Receding gums
  • Loose teeth
  • Teeth are sensitive to hot and cold
  • It hurts to chew
  • The way your teeth fit together when you bite down has changed

If you have one or more of these symptoms, speak with your dentist as soon as possible to get advice and a potential diagnosis.

What Can You Do About Periodontal Disease?

If you have periodontal disease, your dentist may prescribe a variety of treatments, including a deep cleaning beneath the surface of the gums and antibiotics to help treat the infection. Your dentist may also work with you to teach you lifestyle changes that can prevent the periodontal disease from returning.

One way that you can avoid periodontal disease is to come in for regular teeth cleaning in North Little Rock, AR. See your dentist twice per year to get your teeth cleaned. Call Mounts Dental Care today to make an appointment to see your dentist.

3 Reasons to See the Dentist Twice This Year

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It’s important to see your dentist in North Little Rock, AR twice per year, but do you know why? Seeing your dentist twice annually is good for your teeth and good for your gums as well.

1. Your Dentist Recommends It

Most dentists recommend coming in for a dental cleaning twice per year to help control the bacteria in your mouth. They also recommend twice annual visits to prevent plaque and tartar from building up on your teeth.

2. Twice Annual Dental Cleanings Help You Maintain Healthy Teeth

Ultimately, you should see your dentist twice annually because it can help you maintain healthy teeth and gums. During your dental cleaning, your dentist and the hygienist will identify any problems like gingivitis and periodontal disease. Catching these problems in their early stages can help you get treatment before these problems become too serious.

During your dental cleaning, the dentist may also show you how to brush and floss your teeth properly. This too can help you maintain healthy teeth and gums.

3. Frequent Dental Cleanings Help Your Teeth Stay White

Seeing your dentist on a regular basis can help you maintain white teeth. During your visit, your dentist will remove plaque and tartar, and will also remove stains on your tooth enamel.

Unless your dentist recommends that you come in more frequently than twice annually to take care of a dental problem, it’s important to see your dentist at Mounts Dental Care two times per year for dental cleanings in North Little Rock, AR. When was the last time you came in for an appointment? If it’s been more than 6 months, call today to schedule your next dental cleaning.