Tag: cavity prevention

Dental Care at College

Dec, 13, 2019

dental care for college students — *Is your college student prepared to take care of their teeth?*

Last month we talked about habits for your school-age children. But what about your student that’s in Grades 13 – 16? Yes, we’re talking about dental care for college students.

Let’s face it – if they live close enough, your student will be home frequently for food, money, and to do laundry. Aside from making sure they have an adequate supply of toothpaste, floss, and one toothbrush per semester, there’s not a lot you can do once they’re out of your sight. You’ll have to trust that the good habits you’ve ingrained during their life will stick during the transition into adulthood.

But your child has most likely had only one or two different dentists in their lifetime by the time they move out of the house. In addition to all the other adjustments college students must make, they should also have a dental “home away from home”.

Check-ups

The average college student is home at least twice a year for several weeks. They should be able to continue their twice-annual schedule of check-ups here at Meyer & Johns Dental in Springfield. But book their Winter Break appointments today – the holidays are a busy time for everyone! You should still identify a local dentist in your student’s location, especially if they’ve had past problems. Establishing that relationship ahead of time may make it easier to get an appointment if a dental issue comes up.

Emergency care

Dental care isn’t usually something that people think about when considering collegiate athletics, scholarships, and intramural competitions. But a disproportionately high percentage of mouth injuries occur during sports. With this in mind, if your student is an athlete you should be prepared. Make that connection with a local provider ahead of time. That way your athlete isn’t blindly searching for a dentist immediately after undergoing a physical trauma.

If your student-athlete is injured while playing ion a sanctioned school training or competition, they are covered under the NCAA’s Catastrophic injury policy, which includes dental injuries but carries a $90K deductible. According to a 2016 NCAA survey, 70-80% of D1/D2 schools provide secondary health insurance to cover injuries with a treatment cost of less than $90K.

The exception is that full coverage is provided to all athletes who participate in championship events.

Brushing Alternatives Away from Home

Oct, 18, 2019

By now everyone has settled into the school year routine of homework, carpools, and lunchboxes. But does your child’s routine include tooth care at school? Do they have any brushing alternatives?

Ideally, your child has the tools, time, and opportunity for brushing their teeth after finishing lunch. But because most schools can’t facilitate mass brushing, here are a couple of tips you can teach kids. These early actions may help instill a habit of good oral care around meals – even when it’s inconvenient.

Rinse

All it really takes is a mouthful of water from the drinking fountain, a couple of quick swishes around their mouth, and then spit it back out. This helps to dislodge food particles from nooks, crannies, and in-between spaces of teeth. It also helps by washing away any sugary or acidic residue from the surface of teeth. (Just make sure that the Spit Out is back into the drinking fountain or a sink – not at another student!)

Rub

If your child is old enough, they can bring their own travel brush and paste and visit the bathroom sink after lunch. But if a brush isn’t an option, using a finger with a paper towel or napkin wrapped around it makes a decent substitute. This simple contact with tooth surfaces, along with rinsing, is great at removing meal residue.

Chew

Do you know those gum commercials that claim to help prevent cavities? They’re true. We’ve often pointed out the importance of saliva and the natural substances it contains. Chewing stimulates saliva production and helps flood teeth with natural cleaning and strengthening compounds. The kicker? It MUST BE Sugar-Free!

As children’s teeth are developing, it’s more important than ever to keep cavity-causing substances from settling on their teeth for extended periods of time. We can help reinforce these brushing alternatives with them at their next visit. Just have them ask us!

Root Canals – How Much Ouch?

May, 30, 2019

Did You Know?

Earlier this month there was actually an official celebration of Root Canal Awareness Week. Even though it’s not something most would “celebrate,” the procedure isn’t as bad as its reputation suggests.

What They Are

The pulp at the center of your teeth contains nerves, blood vessels, and other soft tissue. A damaged tooth or unfilled cavity often allows decay to spread unchecked. This can lead to infection and permanent damage to the root of the tooth. At this point the options are extraction of the infected tooth or a root canal.

Since we obviously want and need our own natural teeth whenever possible, root canals are usually the best treatment option. Under local anesthesia, the affected pulp is carefully removed and placed with a solid filler, usually a natural polymer prepared from latex made from the Percha tree. The affected tooth is then fitted with a crown that will last decades if cared for properly.

What to Expect

The entire procedure usually lasts less than 90 minutes, and is only slightly more uncomfortable than a regular filling. However, there can be another pain — the cost. It’s usually around $1,000, depending on the tooth and the degree of damage. Though many insurance plans cover the cost of root canals as medically necessary procedures, co-pay amounts can vary, and some don’t cover them at all. So your best bet is to avoid needing one. Which — it turns out — is pretty easy to do.

Just BRUSH! Dental experts estimate that the average person spends around 48 seconds brushing their teeth — far less than the 2-3 minutes recommended by dentists. Since many root canals result from advanced cavities or decay, the other main tactic to avoid root canals is to see your dentist regularly. When we do visual exams and take x-rays, it allows us to spot problem areas before they become big issues.

Have you made your next six-month appointment? Besides checking your mouth, we’ll give you this special Root Canal Prevention kit – For FREE!

Dental Sealants

Dec, 14, 2018

We know that we go on and on about tooth care… it’s kind of in our job description. But what if your kids’ brushing routines are on point, and they’re still getting cavities — even sometimes multiples during a single checkup? If you have taken the right dietary steps, and are 100% confident that they’re brushing properly and often, your kids’ cavities might not be entirely their fault.

Just like faces and bodies and personalities, each set of teeth is unique to its owner. We all have common tooth features, but sometimes the natural contours on teeth can cause problems. In some children and adults, the pits and fissures on the chewing surfaces of back teeth are especially deep or irregularly shaped. Food, plaque, and other cavity-causing substances gather in these nooks and crannies, thwarting even the most diligent brushing attempts.

Sealants to the Rescue

The good news is that there’s an option other than simply filling in the cavities as they occur. Around since the 1960’s, dental sealants have gained popularity in recent years for adding a protective layer to teeth and preventing decay. The treatment is simple, painless and performed in our offices. It consists of painting a thin plastic coating on chewing surfaces of the molars and pre-molars. The sealant is then hardened with ultraviolet light, much like modern fillings. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, sealants are recommended for children between the ages of 6 -12, and the treatment can remain effective for up to 10 years. Even small cavities that existed before treatment will not spread, since the sealant cuts off the source of decay.

Debunking BPA Concerns

In recent years dental sealants have come into question for containing Bisphenol A (BPA). It is widely used in consumer packaging, as well as plastic water bottles, canned foods, pacifiers, cash register tape, and many other products. BPA is present in most U.S. residents, its effects on overall health have yet to be conclusively determined. And while dental sealants do contain traces of BPA, the levels are far lower than other common areas of exposure. In fact, according to the ADA, exposure from breathing normal everyday air is 100 times higher than standard dental sealants.

Even more good news – if Drs. Meyer or Johns determine it would reduce cavities, dental insurance is likely to cover the treatment cost. Along with a fluoride-based toothpaste and good brushing habits, sealants provide a One-Two punch that prevents nearly all tooth decay.

If you have a question about sealants for your child, ask us at their next appointment.