Month: March 2020

Centreville VA Dentist | Preventing Enamel Erosion

Centreville, VA Dentist

Posted on by IDMadmin
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Do you have white spots on your teeth? Are your teeth quite sensitive? Do your teeth have cracks, chips, or indentations? If yes, then you may be experiencing enamel erosion.

Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body. It is the clear coating that protects your teeth. However, being the strongest substance in the body does not mean it should be neglected. Enamel can erode. Without the protection of enamel, you not only risk developing decay, but also abscesses, tooth pain, and even tooth loss.

What Causes Tooth Enamel Erosion?

There are several factors that cause tooth enamel to erode, some of which are the result of everyday actions. Sugars and acids can wear down enamel. If you regularly drink soft drinks or sugary fruit drinks, you may be damaging your teeth. To protect your teeth, limit your consumption of such drinks. Alcohol can also erode enamel, as well as a diet that is high in sugary or starchy foods. The bacteria in the mouth can transforms starches and sugars in foods such as bread into damaging acid.

Other factors include acid reflux, recurrent vomiting, gastrointestinal problems, genetically inherited conditions, grinding your teeth, even brushing too hard or not flossing properly. All of these impact the health of your enamel, and, ultimately, your teeth. Once the enamel is worn or chipped away, it cannot be replaced.

Keep the sweets from becoming everyday treats, replace white breads with whole grains, and try eating more cheese and yogurt to bolster the calcium in your saliva to keep the acids in check.

How Can Enamel Erosion Be Prevented?

In addition to exercising moderation with soft drinks, alcohol, sugars and starches, and, of course, taking extra care with regard to medical conditions and your tooth care regimen, there are a few extra things you can do to protect your smile. Saliva can neutralize harmful acids in your mouth. By drinking water and chewing sugar-free gum, you can boost saliva production.

Keep the sweets from becoming everyday treats and replace white breads with whole grains. Add more cheese and yogurt to your diet. Not only are both foods high in calcium, but they also help neutralize harmful acids in your mouth.

Tooth enamel is essential for maintaining a healthy smile. Be mindful of what you eat and drink. Enamel erosion may also be the consequence of other complications such as excessive teeth grinding or acid reflux. Regular visits to our Centreville dentist allow our team to provide a full examination. If we detect that your enamel is eroding, we will discuss potential causes and solutions.

To schedule your next visit to Contemporary Dentistry of Centreville, please contact our Centreville family dentist today.

 

Contemporary Dentistry of Centreville
Phone: (703) 968-7022
cash, credit card
5703 Centre Square Drive
Centreville, VA 20120

A Heads Up to our Dental Family in Regards to COVID-19

Centreville, VA Dentist

Posted on by IDMadmin

You will notice some changes at any upcoming appointments. You might not be seeing the smiles of those that greet you, as they may be wearing a mask. You will be asked to wash your hands and use hand sanitizer upon arrival. It will be helpful if you arrive on time (not early) to prevent overlapping appointments and come alone when possible.  We are happy to check you in by text if you prefer. You are also welcome to wait in your car and we can text you when you should enter the building. We are not allowing any team members with respiratory symptoms to come to work and we ask that you reschedule your appointment if you or your family is dealing with sickness or respiratory issues.  You won’t see magazines and we won’t be shaking your hand or giving out hugs (for now). The coffee bar will be shut down. And we don’t want you to feel offended if you see us disinfecting pens, door knobs, etc behind you. We will have done this after the patient ahead of you too.  

We aren’t afraid to provide dental care to you because we use universal precautions every single day on every single patient. That means we treat all patients as if they have the flu, a cold, HIV, Hepatitis or other transmittable diseases at every visit. We use the measures recommended by OSHA and the CDC at every single appointment.  We do this to keep you safe and our team safe.  For years we have had immunocompromised patients swish with an anti-microbial/anti-viral rinse before treatment. During this time of crisis we will  have every patient rinse with this before any and all treatment. 

But with all this being said, let’s all try to remember the basics and be smart. COVID-19 is not airborne.  It is transmitted by sneezing and coughing not by air. It can live on your hands for 10 minutes (wash your hands). It can live on metal for 12 hours (we sterilize EVERYTHING) and it can live on fabric for 9 hours (you will notice some of our non-essentials are gone for now). It’s easily spread, but easily killed. Knowledge is power. Be smart. 

We will update you if things change or need to be modified.  Our primary goal is keeping everyone safe and protected while having access to dental care. We realize a few offices are proactively closing. No recommendations have been for practices to close, but I assure you we monitor the guidelines closely and should that decision be made, we too will close. 

Sincerely,
Marco Flores DDS MS and the team at Contemporary Dentistry of Centreville

Centreville VA Dentist | Oral Hygiene at Work

Centreville, VA Dentist

Posted on by IDMadmin

Do you brush your teeth after lunch? If you’re one of the millions of people who work outside the home, chances are you don’t have the time or resources to brush during the day. However, not being able to brush doesn’t mean you can’t protect your teeth at work.

Grab a drink of water. When you finish eating, get a drink of water. Swish the water around in your mouth, then spit or swallow it. Water helps to remove small particles of food that can remain on your teeth after your meal or snack.

Chew sugarless gum. There are certain types of sugarless gum that are approved by the American Dental Association (ADA) as good for your oral health. The reason for this is that chewing stimulates the production of saliva in your mouth. That saliva washes away food particles and helps to neutralize acids on your teeth.

Limit time drinking coffee or soda. Coffee, soda, tea, and many other beverages contain high levels of sugars and acids. The more time you spend sipping your drink, the longer your teeth are exposed to these sources of decay. Instead of spending an hour taking small swallows, drink quickly to limit exposure, then rinse your mouth or switch to water to help counteract the effects.

Brush and floss when you can. Try to keep to a regular routine of good oral hygiene practices when you are at home. Brush at least twice daily, for two full minutes each time. Floss or use an interdental cleaner of your choice once a day. Keep your recommended appointments to have your teeth cleaned and evaluated by our team.

Taking care of your teeth doesn’t have to interrupt your workday. Keeping these simple tips in mind can help protect your mouth from tooth decay, periodontal disease, and other oral health issues.

To learn more ways to preserve your oral health, talk to our Centreville dentist during your visit. Contact Contemporary Dentistry of Centreville to schedule your next appointment today.

 

Contemporary Dentistry of Centreville
Phone: (703) 968-7022
cash, credit card
5703 Centre Square Drive
Centreville, VA 20120