How to Use Mouthwash

When your dentist in Beaver Dam, KY advises you to rinse after brushing and flossing, they are hoping you know how to use mouthwash. Using mouthwash may seem straightforward, but there are important things to keep in mind.

Don’t Drink From the Bottle

Mouthwash caps are typically large and shaped in the ideal size for one “dose.” However, you should never actually drink from the cap or from the bottle itself. Doing either of these will result in your contaminating the entire bottle with mouth bacteria. If you share a bottle of mouthwash with other members of the family, it’s even worse. Instead, keep a clean glass or mini paper cups in the bathroom for dispensing each “dose” of the mouthwash.

Keep Mouthwash Away From Kids

Children will have a hard time avoiding swallowing tasty mouthwash. Even the adult, minty varieties are tempting to swallow for kids. The best thing is to avoid buying those bright, shiny, fruity and bubble-gum flavored mouthwashes for kids, and to keep adult mouthwashes away from children. Instead, let kids simply rinse with warm water.

Finish with a Gargle

Did you know that mouth bacteria can get very far back in the throat? Gargling with mouthwash helps to remove harmful bacteria that may be lurking far back at the top of the throat. The last thing you should do before finishing up your oral hygiene routine is to gargle for 30 seconds or so and then spit into the sink.

Use Mouthwash in the Morning

When you awaken in the morning to use the toilet facilities, make a habit of rinsing quickly with mouthwash, even before you brush. This will help rid your mouth of bacteria that built up while you slept.

Visit your Beaver Dam, KY dentist for more recommendations for using various types of mouthwash and about oral hygiene in general. Contact us today to book your appointment.

Why Cosmetic Dentistry Is a Smart Decision for Your Oral Health

When people consider cosmetic dentistry, it would be easy for them to think that it’s all about improving the aesthetic rather than the health of their smile. However, most cosmetic procedures are actually good for the overall stability of your mouth. See why this is if you’re looking for a dentist in Owensboro or Beaver Dam, KY, and how Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry might be able to help.

Filling in the Gaps

This is often the most obvious benefit of cosmetic dentistry. If you’re missing a tooth or several teeth, your remaining teeth will essentially jostle for that position. If you make the effort to correct it, you ensure that the other teeth will stay where they’re meant to.

Correcting Your Bite

Underbites and overbites are more than just impediments to your smile, they can influence anything from talking to chewing patterns. When ignored, it can also lead to additional problems like cavities or gum disease. Cosmetic dentistry in Owensboro, KY can help you eliminate the hassle by correcting these issues. Not only is it easier to floss and brush properly (without having to worry that you missed anything), but it can help you speak and chew without any issues.

Find a Dentist in Beaver Dam, KY

If you’re looking for a dentist in your area, one of the most important things you can do is take action for the sake of your health. Even if you just want a whiter smile, paying more attention to your mouth is always the right decision. At Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry, you’ll find a staff who can help you decide which cosmetic procedures are right for you and potentially recommend other treatments that will leave you feeling confident every time you smile.

Can a Lisp Be Caused by Dental Problems?

Many youngsters lisp, and whether you think it’s a lovely quality or something to be concerned about, you need to know what’s causing it. If your child is on the verge of starting pre-school, this dilemma might become much more complicated. So you’ve come to the right place to find out if a lisp can be caused by dental problems.

4 Types of Lisp

There are four basic types of lisp that occur when making an s or z sound:

  • Interdental/Frontal Lisp

This is when the tongue protrudes between the top and bottom front teeth.

  • Dentalized Lisp

This is when the tongue pushes against the back of the front teeth.

  • Lateral Lisp

This is where air flows around instead of over the tongue.

  • Palatal Lisp

This is where the tongue makes contact with the palate.

Note that both the interdental/frontal and dentalized lisps are very common in youngsters up to four years of age and sometimes up to seven years of age.

What Causes Lisps?

Sometimes kids naturally outgrow a lisp. But if a lisp persists, it is time to contact a dentist in Owensboro, KY to see if there are underlying causes. They may include:

  • Underbite
  • Overbite
  • Open bite
  • Tongue tie
  • Tongue thrust
  • Delayed muscular development in the tongue

Often, a simple dental exam will result in a firm diagnosis of the problem. If your child needs orthodontics in Beaver Dam, KY, Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry can help. Make sure you see your dentist right away so the issue can be resolved.

The fact of the matter is, a lisp can not only be caused by dental problems; dental and oral issues are the most common reasons behind a lisp. For more information and help with your child’s lisp, contact Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry in Owensboro, KY.

Should I be Cleaning My Tongue?

Anyone who has been inside a drugstore can see that there are products available for cleaning your tongue. Your dentist in Owensboro, KY always advises patients to brush, floss and rinse, but not much is heard about cleaning the tongue. Is this extra step in oral hygiene really necessary, or is it marketing hype to get you to buy products?

Why You Should Clean Your Tongue

Hundreds of microscopic papillae, or finger-like projections that give your tongue its rough texture, cover your tongue. These papillae, interestingly, generate a pattern on your tongue that is as individual as your fingerprints. However, they also leave a carpet-like surface on your tongue, making plaque, germs, food debris, and dead skin cells easy to collect. This can result in foul breath as well as a variety of other oral health problems. In addition to seeing a dentist on a regular basis to keep your tongue healthy, there are several simple methods to keep it clean and enhance your general health.

How to Clean Your Tongue

By adding a minute or two to your daily oral hygiene regimen, you can keep your tongue clean and healthy. Here are two ways to get it done.

1. Brush your Tongue with your Toothbrush

Brushing your tongue with a toothbrush is the simplest approach, since you’re already standing there with a toothbrush in hand. After cleaning your teeth, rinse your brush and brush the whole surface area of your tongue for 15-30 seconds. Rinse once more.

2. Use a Tongue Scraper

Extend your tongue as far as possible. Place the tongue scraper on the back of your tongue. While exerting mild pressure, push the scraper on your tongue and slide it toward the front of your tongue. Rinse after every scrape by running it under warm water to remove any dirt or bacteria. During the tongue scraping, spit out any extra saliva that has accumulated. Repeat as needed.

Everybody Gets at Least One Cavity, Right?

It often seems like cavities are an inevitable part of life. After all, everyone you know has probably had at least one cavity. You yourself may have had one or more cavities over the years. But it may surprise you to know that not everyone gets cavities. In fact, there are many people who have never had a cavity.

Genetic Predisposition to Cavities

There is a large genetic factor insofar as to who gets cavities and who doesn’t. What kind of bacteria you have, the shape of your teeth, and even the composition of your saliva make you more or less predisposed to developing cavities. These are things you can’t control, but there are many things that you can control in order to avoid getting cavities.

How to Avoid Cavities

There are lots of ways to avoid getting cavities, no matter what. Of course, brushing, flossing and rinsing after each meal are essential. Regular visits with your dentist in Owensboro, KY are essential, too. Your diet plays an important part; avoiding excess alcohol and sugar is imperative. Keep in mind that fresh fruit is good, but too much exposes you to excess fructose, a naturally-occurring sugar. And now, there is a new dental treatment that creates another layer of protection between your teeth and harmful bacteria. Dental sealants are available for children and those at higher risk of developing cavities. If you keep getting cavities no matter how much brushing you do, you might be a good candidate for dental sealants.

Remember, if you aren’t genetically predisposed to cavities, that doesn’t mean you are “immune” to getting them. And those who are genetically disposed of aren’t necessarily guaranteed to get cavities. Diet, oral hygiene and having regular appointments with your dentist in Owensboro, KY are key factors, whatever your genetics are. Contact us today to book your next appointment.

Do You Really Have to Give up Candy For Oral Health?

When you visit your Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY dentist, they will advise you to do what you can at home to support your own oral health. This will likely include avoiding certain things, like excessive drinking and smoking, and avoiding excess sugar in the diet. But, you might think to yourself, is a little candy really so bad? If you have what is commonly called a sweet tooth, do you really have to completely deprive yourself of one of your favorite indulgences?

Indulgence is the Key Word

Well, in this case, indulgence is the key word. An indulgence is something that you partake in in small amounts. It’s something you enjoy every now and then, and just a little bit. If candy is a little indulgence for you, then there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy a little bit every now and then.

The Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate has been shown to have certain health benefits. Dark chocolate is often sweetened much less than regular chocolate. If you and your doctor feel that a little bit of dark chocolate is beneficial to your health—even a nibble every single day—then there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy it.

Avoid Large Quantities

What you don’t want to do is to eat large quantities of candy very often. For optimal oral health, don’t be that person in the office with a drawer full of licorice and candy bars. This kind of candy consumption will almost inevitably lead to infection or cavities or both.

Most adults are very aware that sugar can cause problems or even lead to the need for tooth extraction in Owensboro, KY. Knowing the risks, this particular food item should be avoided as much as possible.

3 Myths About Visiting the Dentist 

There are many common myths that people have about visiting the dentist. Most myths come from an unrealistic fear of the dentist. And most of those fears stem from avoiding the dentist, which only exaggerates imagined scenarios. The more you visit your dentist in Owensboro, the more you’ll see that these myths have no basis in reality. Following are some of the most common myths about dental visits.

1. Dentists Enjoy Using the Drill

Dental drills are only used when significant tooth decay is found and needs to be removed. The drill enables the dentist to “drill out” the decay and clean up the sides and edges so that a clean surface can be created in which to accept the filling material. Dentists don’t particularly enjoy drilling teeth, insomuch that it means there is bad decay happening. But a drill is a useful tool that helps the patient’s tooth from being completely destroyed from decay.

2. The Dentist is Going to Pull All My Teeth

A dentist’s main objective is to save natural teeth. There are more tools and technological advances available today than ever before. Your dentist in Owensboro would rather use those tools and techniques to save your natural teeth than to have to pull a tooth. And, in a worse case scenario when a tooth can’t be saved, a dentist will never pull a tooth without discussing it with the patient beforehand.

3. A Dental Visit is Only Needed for a Toothache or Damaged Tooth

This is a very harmful myth, because it keeps people from visiting the dentist as frequently as they should. In fact, you should have a dental exam at a minimum every six months. If you do this, dental work can be largely preventative, and you may never need extensive dental restoration work. However, when you only visit the dentist is dire circumstances, extensive work may be needed.

Don’t let false myths about dentists keep you from getting the dental services you need for optimal oral health. Visit us soon and see for yourself just how pleasant a dental visit can truly be.

How Slimming Diets Can Jeopardize Your Oral Health

The best way to ensure lasting oral health is to have routine visits to your dentist in Owensboro, KY at least once every six months. You should also practice good oral hygiene at home, brushing and flossing after each meal. However, there’s another way that your oral health can be jeopardized, even when you do all these things. Your diet plays a large and important part in your oral health. And, unfortunately, the popularity of slimming diets is a poor companion to healthy teeth and gums.

Diets That Omit Entire Food Groups

Some of the most popular diets today omit entire food groups. One common diet, the Atkins diet, leaves out fruits and vegetables for the most part, for an entire two weeks. The so-called induction period calls for just one cup of vegetables per day. This makes it impossible for a person to get sufficient vitamins and nutrients in their diet. Of course, as the diet continues, more vegetables are supposed to be introduced. Still, diets like this severely limit access to healthy food groups.

Nutrition and Oral Health

Teeth, gums and bones need a well-rounded diet in order to maintain strength, function and health. It’s not so much the actual protein and carbohydrates, but the macro and micro nutrients in whole foods that enable the body to convert foods into what it needs to be healthy. Those who are malnourished for long periods of time will experience loose teeth, degenerating jaw bone, or even mouth diseases. In this day and age it’s hard to think of a person being malnourished. However, being on a slimming diet for a long time or being on a series of diets can indeed lead to malnutrition.

Your dentist in Owensboro can only do so much. It’s up to you to give your body the nutrients it needs for oral health.

The Right Way to Remove Trapped Food From Between Teeth

Your dentist in Owensboro and Beaver Dam, KY emphasizes the importance of brushing and flossing after meals. Small particles of food can easily get stuck in between teeth, leading to the buildup of harmful bacteria, plaque and more. Those with narrow spaces in between teeth are more likely to struggle with trapped food particles, but everyone eventually encounters this issue.

Don’t Use Fingers to Remove Trapped Food

Sometimes people—especially women who have longer nails—will try to remove trapped food using their fingernails. This isn’t a good idea because you’re more likely to push the food further in, where it’s even harder to remove. Or, you may break up the particle and remove only the largest piece, leaving smaller particles behind. Finally, you could inadvertently spread germs around your mouth, using fingernails that are now contaminated with old food particles.

Toothpicks Work

Instead, try using a toothpick to loosen stuck food particles. The caveat is that you need to use a gentle touch. Take care not to poke at the gums, since this will cause pain and/or bleeding. Use several toothpicks, discarding used ones and always using a clean tip. Also, if you have inflamed gum tissue, don’t use a toothpick at all.

Oil Pulling Works

Another safe way to remove trapped food particles is to practice oil pulling after brushing and flossing. Swish a small amount of coconut oil around your mouth and gently “pull” the oil between teeth. The oil lubricates the teeth so the particles can’t stick to teeth, and the gentle pressure releases the food debris so you can spit it into the sink.

Make sure you visit your Beaver Dam and Owensboro, KY dentist at least every six months for a thorough cleaning that will remove any food debris and/or plaque build-up.

Got a Gum Disease Diagnosis? FAQs Answered  

Research has indicated an alarming statistic when it comes to gum disease in the United States. Some figures estimate that almost half of people over 30 have some level of gum disease. If you have been told that you need gum disease treatment in Owensboro, KY, the diagnosis can be hard to hear and you are bound to have questions.

Does gum disease ever go away?

During the initial stages of periodontal disease, immediate and ongoing treatment can actually stop the problem. However, if you do not seek treatment right away, the issue can progress to a more serious problem that is more persistent and harder to fully treat or eradicate.

Will having gum disease make you lose your teeth?

People with untreated gum disease can be prone to tooth loss. This is because the pockets of bacteria eventually grow and affect the soft tissue that supports your teeth and possibly the bones beneath. However, a diagnosis of periodontal disease does not automatically mean you will lose your teeth. With the proper care, your teeth can be protected.

Is gum disease contagious?

Gum disease is not necessarily contagious, so you can’t catch it by drinking after someone or even kissing someone who has it. However, what can happen is you can pass the harmful bacteria from mouth to mouth, which could lead to problems with gum disease without good oral hygiene habits.

Work Closely with Your Owensboro, KY Dentist for Treatment

While a gum disease diagnosis can be scary, this is not an oral health condition that cannot be managed. The input and care of an Owensboro, KY dentist can make all the difference in how the condition progresses. If you believe you have problems with gum health, reach out to Travis Wilson Family Dentistry to schedule an appointment.