Mouthguard Usage

Now that the weather’s hot, Tinley Park residents are having more fun outdoors. But while cycling, skating, or playing sports, it’s important to keep your teeth safe. We know how much effort our patients at Bayberry Dental Care put into maintaining their smiles, which is why we want them to use mouthguards.

When properly fitted, a mouthguard shouldn’t cause difficulty breathing. Sports stores and online retailers offer one-size fits all mouthguards, and these are better than using nothing. However, a more popular option are mouthguards that are softened by boiling and then bitten down on (after cooling somewhat) to perfectly fit the wearer’s teeth. This option is especially appealing to children and people undergoing orthodontic therapy, whose teeth radically shift position in a short amount of time. Boil-and-bite models may be reshaped every month.

Formal sports organizations commonly require participants to wear recently fitted mouthguards. Our office can help you decide whether your current one is providing sufficient protection and is clean enough. Mouthguards need to be cleaned with antibacterial soap after each use and patted dry, as do their containers. They also need to be kept out of extreme heat to avoid accidental warping.

Kathleen M. Falsey, D.D.S., operates Bayberry Dental Care at 8014 West 171^st St, Tinley Park, Illinois, 60477. To schedule an appointment, call 708-802-8300 or visit Bayberry Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Traumatic Tooth Loss

Nobody ever plans to get a tooth knocked out, which is why it’s important for you to know what to do if it happens. With more people enjoying the outdoors during the summer, dental avulsion (as traumatic tooth loss is scientifically called), is a greater risk, but we at Bayberry Dental Care may be able to help if patients follow this advice.

A tooth that has been knocked out should only be held by its crown, not its root. Ideally, the patient will have an ADA-approved tooth container close at hand in a first aid kit. If not, the next best thing is to rinse the tooth with a sterile saline solution and then place it back in its socket. It may take some care to make sure the tooth is facing the right way. If the tooth cannot be reinserted, the patient may try placing it between their gum and cheek or transporting it in a cup of milk.

A tooth that has been cracked at the root may be impossible to save. Dentists also do not re-insert baby teeth that have been prematurely displaced because they may subsequently fail to fall out when the adult tooth is ready to erupt. If a child loses a tooth prematurely, we may recommend an orthodontic spacer to prevent the gap between their remaining teeth from closing. Also, keep in mind that lacerations to the face should take priority over a lost tooth during an emergency. However, we can often save teeth, and when we can’t, we can provide patients with a temporary crown prior to fabricating a partial denture.

Kathleen M. Falsey, D.D.S., operates Bayberry Dental Care at 8014 West 171^st St, Tinley Park, Illinois, 60477. To schedule an appointment, call 708-802-8300 or visit Bayberry Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.

 

National Dental Hygiene Month

Do you have questions about your oral care habits? There’s no better time to ask than National Dental Hygiene Month! In the month leading up to Halloween, we at Bayberry Dental Care in Tinley Park are particularly eager to teach our patients how to brush and floss properly so they won’t have to worry as much about tooth decay during the holiday season.

Patients should always use soft-bristled toothbrushes. They can get good results from proper use of manual or electric toothbrushes, but everyone with teeth needs to brush them twice a day. People using manual toothbrushes should brush for two minutes per session. All the varieties of toothpaste seen in stores can help fight decay, although people with sensitive teeth may want to avoid toothpaste with whitening agents and people with dentures should use specialized toothpaste. Brush every tooth surface, using circular strokes to thoroughly clean the outward-facing sides, and don’t forget the parts of the teeth nearest to the gum line.

Dentists recommend that patients clean debris from between their teeth, but only with things that were made for that purpose. When using floss, use a shoeshine motion to scrape plaque off of the sides of each tooth. Don’t just slide the floss down the gap. Also, be sure to get the backsides of the molars. You can prevent bad breath with daily use of mouthwash or a tongue scraper, but you should also be brushing your tongue.

Kathleen M. Falsey, D.D.S., operates Bayberry Dental Care at 8014 West 171^st St, Tinley Park, Illinois, 60477. To schedule an appointment, call 708-802-8300 or visit Bayberry Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.

Cleaning Dentures

The Bayberry Dental Center provides dental care to patients of all ages and is dedicated to providing all clients with information about preventive care appropriate to their needs. Caring for dentures varies from caring for natural teeth in some significant ways, so we want to make sure our patients know how to maintain their oral hygiene.

It is a good idea for patients to keep two sets of soft-bristled toothbrushes: one for their mouths and one for dentures. They will need to remove their dentures on a nightly basis and continue brushing their mouths twice a day while the dentures are out, making sure to get into any support structures which may have been implanted. Brushing the gums before placing dentures back in each morning stimulates blood flow. Patients will also need to brush the entirety of the denture with toothpaste made specifically for dentures because the minerals in ordinary toothpaste are unnecessary and may scratch the dentures’ delicate plastic.

Keeping in mind how fragile dentures are, patients should never keep them in hot water. However, dentures do need to be kept moist at all times and should be allowed to soak in room-temperature water or cleaning solution at night. It is natural and expected that a patient’s mouth will continue to change shape after a denture is fitted, necessitating refittings over the course of their life. Adjustments and repairs should only be made by dental professionals.

Kathleen M. Falsey, D.D.S., operates Bayberry Dental Care at 8014 West 171^st St, Tinley Park, Illinois, 60477. To schedule an appointment, call 708-802-8300 or visit BayberryDentalCare.com and fill out a contact sheet.