Dental Hygiene Essentials

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young woman brushing teeth at the sinkIt’s called a medicine cabinet, but you probably keep more than just pills in the small compartment above your bathroom sink. Depending on whose cabinet you look into, you might find hairbrushes and salon products, deodorant, contact lens cases and cleaners, and hopefully, all the tools you need to keep your teeth, gums, and breath fresh and healthy. While dental care differs from patient to patient, the tenets of good dental hygiene remain the same for everyone, and when you’re at your sink, you should always have access to your dental hygiene essentials.

Dental Health Staples

A Toothbrush That Suits You

No toothbrush is created equal, and while manual brushes typically hold their own against their mechanical counterparts, some patients might benefit more from a brush that does most of the work for them. If you have arthritis, an injury, or another medical condition that makes daily brushing difficult, then a mechanical brush can help you effectively remove bacteria, plaque, and food debris from your teeth without straining yourself.

A Toothpaste That Helps You

While toothpaste’s main purpose is to clean your teeth, some brands contain ingredients that help strengthen them, as well. Fluoride is a popular toothpaste and mouthrinse additive because the mineral bonds to and strengthens the surface of your tooth enamel—the highly-mineralized layer that surrounds and protects your teeth from bacteria.

A Dental Floss That Works for You

The concept of floss seems simple; use a thin string of material to work plaque and food deposits out from between your teeth. Some floss is made from silk or Teflon to pass easily between teeth, but might not grab the particles from between your teeth as you lift it out. Dr. Stewart can recommend an effective floss to add to your medicine cabinet to help ensure you make the most of your flossing routine.

A Mouthrinse That Empowers You

Like toothpaste and floss, mouthrinse comes in a variety of forms, with a variety of ingredients that provide a variety of benefits depending on your specific needs. Cosmetic mouthrinse is bought over-the-counter, and helps freshen your breath and rinse away hard-to-reach particles after brushing and flossing your teeth. If your dental health can use some help, Dr. Stewart might suggest a specific, therapeutic mouthrinse, such as antibacterial rinse that targets harmful oral bacteria.

About Your Livonia Dentist:

Our philosophy is that excellent dental begins with developing a relationship with the patient. James Steward, DDS, and our compassionate staff proudly serve patients of all ages from Livonia, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, and all surrounding communities. To schedule an appointment, call our office today at (734) 425-4400.

filed under: Dental Hygiene, Oral Health

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FAQs About Modern Dental Bridges

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dental bridge and prostheticA dental bridge is a permanent dental prosthetic that replaces a lost tooth, or a few adjacent lost teeth. As a restorative treatment, a dental bridge can help you regain the ability to bite and chew properly. With a mouth full of teeth, you can also smile confidently again. Deciding if a dental bridge is right for you depends on a number of factors, including how many teeth you’ve lost, the current state of your dental health, Dr. Stewart’s recommendations, and your own personal preferences. (more…)

filed under: Patient Education

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Time to Come Clean About Root Canal Therapy

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surprised beautiful girlTruth be told, the fear of root canal treatment, or RCT, can be a good thing. If you dread hearing that you need one, then you might strive harder to keep your teeth clean and infection-free. Unfortunately, misconceptions about root canal treatment typically have the opposite effect. Rather than motivating patients towards better hygiene, their apprehension often causes them to neglect the only treatment that can save their severely infected teeth. (more…)

filed under: Restorative Dentistry

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Signs That Something Isn’t Right

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red warning exclamationA lot of patients are genuinely surprised when told that their dental health is in serious trouble. You might suspect something’s wrong if your tooth hurts, but perhaps didn’t expect to learn that the tooth is so infected, it may be lost if not treated promptly. Such surprises are unfortunate for a number of reasons, the first being that most dental issues are preventable with a good hygiene routine. Another reason is because dental troubles typically offer a variety of warnings as they develop and progress, only becoming dire when neglected long enough to mature. Instead of waiting to visit your Livonia dentist until your mouth is in obvious trouble, you can look for the less-conspicuous warnings that might tell you something is wrong. (more…)

filed under: General, Oral Health

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Got a Dental Emergency? Don’t Panic

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dental health iconThough ignorance may be bliss in some instances, that certainly isn’t the occasion when it comes to your dental health. Knowing how to care for your teeth is important to…well, caring for your teeth, and knowing what to do in the face of a dental emergency can mean the difference between saving a tooth and having to replace it. Merging modern technology and dentistry with an impressive array of experience, Livonia dentist , Dr. Stewart, can help you get through most dental emergencies calmly, and with an improved chance of preserving your healthy smile. To further improve your odds, he also offers a few tips for effectively handling common emergency situations. (more…)

filed under: Dental Emergency, Patient Education

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Reintroducing the Dental Crown

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tooth character waving hiWith the number of issues that can affect the health and appearance of your teeth, dental crowns are an invaluable restoration for many patients with afflicted smiles. As one of the oldest forms of restorative dentistry, a dental crown is a lifelike replica of a tooth’s top portion, or crown, and can be placed over the tooth to conceal its blemishes and improve its function. Livonia dentist , Dr. James Stewart, often utilizes dental crowns for a wide variety of purposes, from cosmetic improvements to saving damaged teeth from destruction or the need for extraction. (more…)

filed under: Patient Education, Restorative Dentistry

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Don’t Gamble with Gum Disease (Hint: You’ll Lose)

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hand rolling the diceLife is full of chances, and unfortunately, your oral and overall health is included. For instance, gum disease is largely controllable with good hygiene, but even if you carefully brush and floss your teeth every day, you face the chance of missing a spot or two of dental plaque. Given time, plaque may have the chance to harden into tartar, which is too strong for your toothbrush and can protect the germs in your mouth while they go about their destructive work. As your Livonia dentist explains, you can avoid gambling with gum disease and other destructive dental diseases by not giving them a fair chance to develop.   (more…)

filed under: Oral Health

The Gift of a Good Night’s Sleep

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couple sleeping peacefullyMany people don’t realize how precious sleep is until they’re deprived of it. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder that affects approximately 18 million Americans, can deprive you of quality sleep even while you remain unconscious and unaware of your condition. As a Livonia dentist with years of experience in obstructive sleep apnea medicine, Dr. James Stewart has helped many patients of all ages find the rest that their minds and bodies need through effective OSA treatment. (more…)

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How Important Are Children’s First Teeth?

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happy smiling little boyYour child’s primary teeth, or baby teeth, are destined to fall out and make room for their permanent replacements. Nevertheless, Livonia children’s dentist, Dr. James Stewart, warns that maintaining the health and integrity of your children’s baby teeth is extremely important to the health of their adult smiles. Teaching your children to care for their baby teeth will help prepare them for a lifetime of excellent hygiene. As the precursors to your child’s permanent smile, primary teeth also help guide adult teeth into healthy growth and development.

Children-Specific Dental Treatments

Dr. Stewart advises bringing your child in for an initial visit (the “happy visit”) by the age of one, and for regularly scheduled dental checkups every six months after the age of three. If a baby tooth is prematurely lost, the remaining teeth can crowd the space where the permanent tooth is destined to erupt. If one or more primary teeth develop cavities, the infection can reach the permanent teeth below, compromising their health before they’ve even fully developed. When a child’s first set of teeth are crooked, or the jawbone is asymmetrical (uneven), then the problem can grow worse if not addressed with early orthodontic treatment. Dr. Stewart employs a number of children’s dentistry techniques designed to address the many concerns that can afflict your child’s dental health and affect their permanent teeth, including;

Dental sealants

Dental sealants are a thin plastic coating that is painted onto the chewing surfaces of your child’s teeth, where bacteria and food debris are fond of hanging out. Once Dr. Stewart ensures that your child’s teeth are free of bacterial plaque and tooth decay, he will apply the sealant, which will provide a protective barrier against the germs that lead to tooth decay and cavities.

Fluoride treatments

Tooth enamel, the super-resilient outer layer of your teeth, is made mostly of minerals, and can retain its strength when your teeth have an ample supply of calcium (as well as other minerals). If your child’s enamel is weak, then he/she is at an increased risk of developing cavities. Fluoride is a mineral that bonds to tooth enamel and helps fortify it against infectious oral bacteria. While fluoride is found in most major toothpaste brands, Dr. Stewart can also directly apply fluoride treatments to your child’s teeth to help strengthen weakened enamel.

About Your Children’s Dentist:

Our philosophy is that excellent dental begins with developing a relationship with the patient. James Steward, DDS, and our compassionate staff proudly serve patients of all ages from Livonia, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, and all surrounding communities. To schedule an appointment, call our office today at (734) 425-4400.

filed under: Children's Dentistry, Oral Health

Conquer Bad Breath at its Source

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bad breath warning signBad breath isn’t always easy to ignore. Trying to hide it from others can affect the quality of your social interactions, and even if you manage to suppress it, you’ll still likely be able taste the odor. Occasional bad breath is common, such as when you wake up in the morning or eat an especially pungent food, like garlic. When it refuses to go away, chronic bad breath can prove a significant influence on your quality of life, and might indicate an issue that requires attention. When you visit your Livonia dentist for help with chronic bad breath (halitosis), you may be surprised to learn that it stems from poor hygiene and the excessive buildup of bacteria. Luckily, halitosis isn’t insurmountable, and in many cases, it can be conquered with better hygiene and the help of our innovative BreathRx system. (more…)

filed under: Bad Breath, Oral Health