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You’ve probably heard it time and time again: brushing your teeth, flossing, and regular dental exams are important. While we can all appreciate having a beautiful smile, it’s often easy to overlook the health benefits of preventive dental care.

The health benefits of going to the dentist regularly go deeper than just making sure your teeth stay in good condition. We’re learning more all the time about how dental issues (like gum disease) can affect your overall health and lead to more serious health problems. That’s why regular dental visits and a  good oral hygiene routine at home are so very important!

Six-Month Check-Ups Are Essential

Six-month check-ups give your dentist a chance to keep an eye on your gum and teeth health, which allows any developing issues to be caught early on. A small cavity is easy to fix but if it’s not addressed for many years, it can develop into severe tooth decay or even lead to infection. If a tooth is too badly infected, it may need extraction. It’s much easier to take care of a cavity as soon as it develops – and it can save you money in the long run if you don’t need more extensive procedures. We also do oral cancer screenings at every six-month check-up. Without regular dental appointments, oral cancer is very difficult to detect until it’s reached stage III or IV. By then, it’s already made its way through the body. 

Don’t Forget Teeth Cleaning, Fluoride Treatments, or Dental Sealants!

Regular cleanings are important because they remove tartar, plus any plaque that your toothbrush and floss might have missed. While your teeth are being cleaned, our hygienists can look for anything concerning, like cavities or signs of gingivitis (gum disease). Fluoride treatments are also helpful because they remineralize your teeth, which prevents soft spots in the enamel that can turn into cavities. Likewise, dental sealants protect your molars (which are particularly vulnerable to cavities) from things like bacteria, acids, and food particles. 

Keep Your Smile Strong and Healthy at Enamel Dentistry

At Enamel Dentistry, we want our patients to have a lifetime of strong, healthy smiles, which is why preventive dental care is at the heart of what we do. Our dental office serves all of Austin, providing complete dental care for children and adults. Contact us online or visit us at our South Lamar, Parmer Park, Lantana Place, Saltillo location. We also have a fifth location at the Domain opening soon! 

How many times have you gone to the dentist and lied about how much you floss? It’s OK; you’re not alone! Many patients don’t really enjoy flossing. We have a theory that in part, it’s because flossing doesn’t have any noticeable direct benefit—unlike exercise, eating healthy, or even brushing your teeth. However, there are plenty of benefits to be had from regular flossing; the first is that patients who floss regularly have very few dental issues. Keep reading to find out more about flossing and why it’s so important to your oral health.

The Benefits of Flossing Regularly

• Teeth & Gum Health

Brushing your teeth is great for preventing tooth decay because it scrubs away food, plaque, and bacteria sitting on your teeth’s enamel. However, toothbrushes can only do so much; they can’t reach the tight spaces between your teeth and along the gum line—but floss can! Flossing daily helps your teeth and gums stay healthy and reduces your risk of developing cavities and gum disease.

• Fresher Breath

Brushing your teeth with minty-fresh toothpaste will help your breath—but only for so long if you have food and tarter between your teeth. Food trapped between your teeth can start to decay and cause a foul odor, but tartar is one of the main culprits of halitosis (aka chronic bad breath). Flossing removes food particles and plaque before it can become odor-causing tarter.

• Flossing Can Help Prevent Heart Disease

Studies have shown that patients with gum disease are almost twice as likely to have heart disease as those without gum disease. Why? When you have gingivitis or forms of gum disease, it allows bacteria to enter the bloodstream, where it can make its way to the heart. If you floss regularly, it helps protect your teeth, gums, AND your heart! What’s not to love?

• A Brighter, More Confident Smile

Plaque and tartar have a yellowy appearance, which can affect the overall appearance of your smile. Flossing regularly will help remove plaque, prevent tartar buildup, and remove food trapped between your teeth for a brighter, whiter smile you can flash with confidence.

What Happens if You Don’t Floss?

If you don’t floss, it allows plaque and bacteria to accumulate in your mouth. Bacteria can lead to cavities and tooth decay over time, but gingivitis (gum inflammation) can develop much more quickly.

If gingivitis gets worse, it can develop into periodontal disease, which causes bone loss and eventually tooth loss. Plaque that’s allowed to sit for too long becomes calcified and turns into tartar, which makes it more difficult for you to brush and floss thoroughly; even worse, tartar that sits above the gum line has bacteria in it that can irritate and damage your gums.

The bottom line is no matter how often you brush or how long you brush, there are areas around your teeth and gums that a toothbrush just can’t reach. Flossing helps you reach every nook and cranny, dislodging food, plaque, and bacteria that you wouldn’t be able to remove otherwise.

For the cleanest, healthiest smile, you should aim for flossing at least once a day. If your gums bleed while flossing, don’t worry! This is just a sign that you need to floss more frequently. The more you floss, the less your gums will bleed. We know it doesn’t feel like the most glamorous activity, but trust us—your teeth and gums will thank you!

If you have questions about your oral health or proper flossing technique, contact an Enamel Dentistry near you. Our team is always happy to help you find the best ways to care for your smile!

Whether you’re expecting a child or are a brand new parent, there are so many questions and new routines to develop—including those surrounding oral health. Your baby may not have teeth for a while, but it’s never too early to get prepared for when they do! Although they’ll eventually fall out, baby teeth essentially lay the foundation for adult teeth. When baby teeth are decayed, broken, or missing, it can cause changes to the structure of your child’s mouth and affect the development of their adult teeth and their speech.

With that in mind, here are a few helpful tips to give your child a head start on a healthy smile!

1. Introduce brushing and flossing early.

Brushing should begin as early as possible; in fact, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry advises new parents to start cleaning or brushing their baby’s gums from day one. This should be done after every meal using an infant toothbrush or a soft washcloth soaked in cool, clean water. Flossing should start as soon as your child has two teeth that touch. Making brushing and flossing a part of their routine early gets them used to it and makes it easier for them to establish it as a daily habit later on.

2. Wipe or rinse your child’s mouth after giving them medication.

Baby medicine is very sugary and can contribute to tooth decay if it’s allowed to sit on the surface of your child’s teeth. After each dose of medication, make sure to rinse their mouth out with water or wipe their teeth with a wet washcloth.

3. Introduce hard foods early on.

Giving your child hard foods will help aid their facial development and give added support for their jaw once their teeth come in.

4. Follow bottles of milk with water.

Baby bottle tooth decay is very common among infants. It’s generally caused by drinking milk or sugary beverages in a bottle without cleaning their mouth afterward. To avoid this, give your child some water in a bottle after they’ve had milk, and avoid giving them bottles with sugary beverages.

5. Find a pediatric dentist by age one.

Children should start seeing the dentist at a year old or at the eruption of their first tooth—whichever comes first. Like brushing and flossing, the younger children start visiting the dentist, the sooner they’ll get used to it! Early dental visits are also a great way to ensure your child doesn’t develop dental anxiety—plus, they give our dentists a chance to develop a relationship with your child and understand their unique oral health challenges.

Set Your Child Up for a Lifetime of Healthy Smiles

Maintaining excellent oral health is a lifelong journey and Enamel Dentistry is proud to offer quality pediatric care in Austin and Dallas TX. Whether you’re bringing your infant or toddler in for their first appointment or you have an older child who needs routine or restorative care, you can rely on us to help your family have strong, healthy smiles. To get your child established at our practice, contact the closest Enamel Dentistry location near you or request an appointment online.