Your Child’s Visit to Greenville Family Dentistry

At Greenville Family Dentistry, we are always welcoming new patients regardless of age. The idea of early dental visits can be surprising to many new parents, but the general rule of pediatric dentistry is that your child should have their first visit by their first birthday. At Greenville Family Dentistry, our staff takes pride in providing your child with a positive experience. Here is how we make that happen.

The best way to prepare for this visit is to consider what you want to know, what you want to look for and what you should expect. Be prepared to ask about any concerns you may have while we get to know your child and teach them good oral hygiene habits. Teaching children these habits early can lead to a lifetime of good dental health.

You can also expect us to review your child’s history, respond to your questions and concerns, as well as talk to you about your child’s overall oral health, including: development, teething, biting, oral habits such as sucking, and factors that affect the risk of cavities, such as diet and hygiene practices.

For more information about pediatric services or how to schedule an appointment with Greenville Family Dentistry of Greenville, TX, call us at 903-455-6701 or visit our website, www.greenvillefamilydentistrytx.com. 

How to Have a Tooth Friendly Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and it is an infamous holiday for an abundance of food choices, many of which are not particularly healthy for your waistline or your teeth. Foods that contain sugars of any kind can contribute to tooth decay and this might be a problem when it comes time to devour pumpkin pie and candied yams. Fortunately, at Greenville Family Dentistry we have some foods to recommend so that you can have a tooth friendly Thanksgiving.  

For appetizers, put out plates of cheese and mixed nuts for guests to snack on while dinner is being prepared. Cheese is great for teeth because it contains strength-building calcium. Casein, a protein found in milk products, fortifies the surfaces of teeth to help prevent cavities. For the main course, green beans are often served as a side dish. This year, rinse your green beans in sesame oil. Rinsing with sesame oil in place of mouthwash has been shown to reduce the effects of plaque and even, in some cases, to reverse the effects of gingivitis. In addition, we can’t forget about dessert. We suggest whipping something up that contains pears and honey, because pears have been shown to neutralize acid on the surface of the teeth, while honey acts as a natural antiseptic. Surely you have to wash all these delicious dishes down with something, so stick to tap water because tap water contains fluoride which reverses damage to enamel caused by acids.

For more information about oral health or how to schedule an appointment with Greenville Family Dentistry of Greenville, TX, call us at 903-455-6701 or visit our website, www.greenvillefamilydentistrytx.com. 

Cleaning Your Tongue

When you think about taking care of your oral health, you probably think about your teeth and gums. But did you know that you tongue should get just as much attention? At Greenville Family Dentistry of Greenville, TX, we are reminding patients to brush their tongue and letting them know why it is important.

Our tongues can become harbors for bacteria. The whitish film that builds up on it every day is from our food, drinks, and saliva. Removing it helps keep a cleaner mouth. It helps keep away plaque build-up which keeps away cavities and gum disease. In addition, keeping a clean tongue is a great way to avoid bad breath. Bacteria are what cause bad odor and the more you remove, the more fresh your breath will be.

Clean your tongue after brushing and flossing your teeth. To clean your tongue, you can use your toothbrush or a tongue scraper. To use a toothbrush, put a small amount of toothpaste on your toothbrush and brush the tongue up and down and then side-to-side. Rinse the brush every couple of strokes to get rid of the bacterial film you are removing. You do not want to redeposit it. Tongue scrapers are sold in most places that sell dental supplies. There are metal ones and plastic ones. Take the scraper and drag it down your tongue, starting from the back. Be firm, but do not hurt yourself. After each stroke, rinse off the scraper. Rinse your mouth after you are done cleaning your tongue.

For more information about oral health or to schedule an appointment with Greenville Family Dentistry of Greenville, TX, call us at (903) 455-6701 or visit our website, www.greenvillefamilydentistrytx.com. 

Tips for a Healthy Halloween

Halloween is here again and there is candy galore! While Halloween treats may be tasty, they can hurt your dental health if you let them. At Greenville Family Dentistry of Greenville, TX, we want to remind our patients of how to enjoy a happy and healthy Halloween!

Candy is filled with sugar, which as we know, causes cavities. But mostly everything is fine in moderation. To limit the amount of sugar that your teeth are being exposed to, set a limit on the candy you eat each day. Pick a healthy number of candies and stick to it. In addition, make sure you are brushing your teeth two to three times per day and flossing once per day. Sticky candies are especially good at getting stuck between teeth, so have that floss ready! While brushing away the sugar is important, do wait at least thirty minutes after eating to brush. Food, especially sour gummies, has acid that softens the enamel on your teeth. If it is brushed right away, the enamel may become worn down.

For patients who have recent fillings, crowns, braces, or other similar dental appliances, stay away from sticky candies and caramel apples. Gum and taffy are infamous for pulling off crowns and brackets. Very hard treats should also be avoided for those with braces. The pressure from biting into it may cause a bracket to pop off. No one wants an emergency dental visit in the middle of trick-or-treating.

Follow these tips and you are sure to have a fun and healthy Halloween! To schedule a dental cleaning with Greenville Family Dentistry in our Greenville, TX office, call us at (903) 455-6701 or visit our website, www.greenvillefamilydentistrytx.com. 

Effects of Poor Oral Hygiene

It is surprisingly easy to forget to brush your teeth. With the hustle and bustle of today’s world, we rush out the door in the morning, and fall asleep on the couch at night. But do you know the consequences of not making oral care a priority? At Greenville Family Dentistry in Greenville, TX, we want our patients to know why a great oral hygiene routine is so important.

The point of brushing and flossing is to remove plaque and bacteria from the teeth. Plaque can turn into tartar, a hardened material only removable by dentists, if it is not brushed away. Plaque and bacteria cause cavities, irritate the gums, and can lead to gum disease and tooth infections. These conditions can be painful and troublesome to fix.

Gum disease happens when bacteria irritates the gum line. Gums can turn red, puffy, and irritated. The plaque and tartar can get in between the teeth and the gums and form pockets. These pockets become deep, allowing bacteria to reach further down, and causing the gums to pull away from the teeth. This level of serious gum disease is difficult to get rid of. It is painful, unsightly, and causes bad breath. Left untreated, it will cause infections and loss of teeth. Infected teeth through decay can also cause gum disease. In addition, it can destroy a tooth and become abscessed. An abscessed tooth will continue destruction below the surface, damaging bone and gum tissue.

Brushing your teeth two or three times per day, flossing once per day, and regularly visiting your dentist will ensure a healthy mouth. To schedule your appointment with Greenville Family Dentistry of Greenville, TX, call us at (903) 455-6701 or visit our website, www.greenvillefamilydentistrytx.com. 

How to Keep a White Smile

Look your best this fall by keeping those pearly whites white! There are many at-home ways of protecting the natural color of your teeth or making them shine brighter than ever before! At Greenville Family Dentistry in Greenville, TX, we want to offer our tips and tricks to keeping a white smile.

The first rule for avoiding stains and discoloration of your smile is to keep it clean! A great oral hygiene routine is important to keep away stain-causing debris. Foods, drinks, and plaque can stain our teeth if they are not cleaned regularly. In addition, plaque is sticky and can hold in stain-causers close to our teeth. That is why it is important to brush two to three times per day and floss once per day.

After drinking dark liquids or eating dark foods, make sure to rinse your mouth out. You should wait at least thirty minutes after consuming anything but water to brush your teeth. This preserves the enamel. However, rinsing with water will help deter any stains from sticking and it will not hurt your enamel. In addition to rinsing afterward, drink your dark liquids through a straw to minimize contact. Avoid smoking or chewing tobacco if you want a bright smile. These habits will absolutely darken teeth over time.

In addition to these tips for avoiding stains, a professional teeth whitening can help you get to where you want to be. To schedule an appointment with us at Greenville Family Dentistry in Greenville, TX, call our office at (903) 455-6701 or visit our website, www.greenvillefamilydentistrytx.com. 

Frenectomy for Lip Tie and Tongue Tie in Greenville, TX

Lip tie or tongue tie is a condition that can majorly inhibit a baby’s ability to feed. Later in life it can cause complications, as well. Fortunately, there is a simple solution call a frenectomy. At Greenville Family Dentistry in Greenville, TX, we perform frenectomies for infants, children, and adults.

Lip tie and tongue tie are the conditions where the frenulum, the piece of tissue that connects the lips to the gums and the tongue to the floor of the mouth, is short or tight. This creates a small range of motion for the lips or tongue which can prevent proper feeding. This can cause low-weight in babies and pain for breastfeeding mothers. Later in life, lip tie and tongue tie can affect things such as eating, cleanliness, speech, and kissing.

A frenectomy is a very quick procedure with little or no discomfort. The frenulum is numbed and it is detached using a scalpel or a laser. This allows the frenulum to heal with more range. Healing time is minimal with very minor discomfort.

To learn more about the frenectomy procedure, contact Greenville Family Dentistry of Greenville, TX. We are committed to helping our patients make healthy and informed oral decisions. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call us at (903) 455-6701 or visit our website, www.greenvillefamilydentistrytx.com.