At KB Dental, we practice a preventive model of dentistry so we can catch small problems before they progress and hopefully avoid larger, more painful, and more costly complications down the road. We always seek to educate our patients about all things oral health, so you can feel empowered to take your health into your own hands. With a careful and deliberate oral hygiene routine, and regular visits with your favorite dentist at KB Dental, we’ll have you on the right track for a healthy, happy smile for life.
We know we always sound like a broken record, “Have you been flossing regularly?” But we only ask because we care. Oral hygiene really is the foundation for a healthy smile, and a healthy smile encourages a healthy body. If you’re looking for a simple way to improve your oral and overall health, start with the basics!
You should brush at least twice every day with a soft-bristled toothbrush—we highly recommend investing in an electric brush because they really do clean better than a manual, and with less effort! You should floss every day, curving the floss in a c-shape around each tooth and under the gum line. Avoid snapping the floss up and down and brushing too hard as you can easily damage your enamel and gum tissue. For an added boost, rinse your mouth with water after eating, before brushing, and periodically throughout the day to minimize plaque, bacteria, and acid buildup.
A stellar oral hygiene routine is a great start, but every six months we need a little extra TLC to remove excess tartar buildup. Only we have the tools and the expertise to get rid of this pesky plaque. Our hygiene team is gentle and friendly for stress-free cleanings.
Oral cancer is unfortunately on the rise in the United States. It is one of the deadliest forms of cancer because it is usually not detected until late-stage. At KB Dental, we take oral cancer very seriously, as well as our role as your oral health allies in providing regular screenings.
When less than 20% of American dentists screen for oral cancer, it makes sense that most cases go undetected until it’s too late. At KB Dental, we want to break this cycle by being proactive and actively screening our patients for oral cancer along with their regular checkups.
If you notice any of the signs and symptoms, if you fall into any of the high-risk categories, or you just want peace of mind, come see us for a screening today. It might just save your life.
If you or your child or teen is involved in any type of contact sports, we highly recommend a custom mouthguard to protect your greatest asset—your healthy smile. Oral injuries happen all too often in sports, many of which could have been avoided with the use of a proper mouthguard! Of course, there are stock and boil and bite mouthguards you can find at your local sporting goods store, but only a custom mouthguard is precision-fitted to your mouth for the utmost comfort and the highest level of protection against oral injuries—they may even minimize damage from concussions!
Maybe you’re not into sports, but your mouth is the site of a nightly throw-down between your top and bottom teeth. Teeth grinding and clenching, or bruxism, is very common, but over time can cause serious damage to your teeth—not to mention the chronic tension, jaw pain, and headaches. Thankfully, a simple mouthguard worn during sleep can provide a soft cushion between the teeth to minimize the damage and allow you to wake up refreshed and pain-free!
Gum disease affects a large majority of the American population and is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults. If that weren’t bad enough, gum disease also significantly increases your risk of serious and potentially life-threatening health complications like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Gum disease is a bacterial infection that develops when proper oral hygiene is not followed. Plaque hardens into tartar, which creates even more surface for bacteria to hold on to. Eventually the gums become irritated and start to recede, and deep pockets form allowing the infection to flourish. Left untreated, these bacteria, or pathogens, have a direct pathway through the gums, into the bloodstream, and into your main lifelines—your heart and brain.
If your gums are bleeding, we’re sorry to tell you, you have gum disease. It may only be in the mild gingivitis stage, but the good news is, gum disease is treatable and reversible! Depending on the severity of the infection, we may be able to treat it with some simple improvements to your oral hygiene routine and more regular visits with Dr. Bartz for deep cleanings, also called scaling and root planing.
If your case is more moderate to severe and you’ve lost a decent amount of healthy tissue, you may require a gum graft or gum surgery to supplement the gum tissue and save the teeth. Healthy gums are essential for keeping the teeth healthy, because left unprotected, your teeth and sensitive tooth roots are left vulnerable to disease, decay, and infection. Receding gum treatment can literally save your teeth from needing to be extracted, so it’s important to treat receding gums sooner than later!
It’s also important to note that gum disease is not the only cause of gum recession—recession can also be caused by brushing and flossing too aggressively, or other harmful habits like using your teeth as tools. Whatever the case, don’t let your gums recede any further! Come see us for a treatment before it’s too late.
If you have any questions about general dentistry or you’re ready to schedule a visit with your Heath general dentist, Dr. Bartz at KB Dental, give us a call today or request an appointment easily online. We look forward to helping you discover the joys of health, beauty, and confidence—it all starts with your smile!
