Why is dental health so important?
Dental health is very important because our mouth is part of our body, and a lot of our nutrition starts with our mouth, what we eat, and how well we're able to chew. Being able to eat and chew comfortably is an important part of getting the nutrition your body needs.
Also, if there is disease in your mouth, such as gum disease, tooth decay, or an infection, that can affect your oral health and may have connections to your overall health. We know there are associations between oral health and certain systemic health conditions. Oral health is also important during pregnancy, which is another reason maintaining your dental health is so important.
What is a healthy dental routine?
A healthy dental routine is a routine that keeps you healthy. There's an average, but everybody can have different needs and their own routine that works for them. On average, a healthy dental routine includes seeing your dentist for regular checkups. For many patients, that may be every six months. Some patients might need to see the dentist every four months or every three months.
At home, that routine could include brushing twice a day and flossing once a day. Some patients might need different aids. For example, they might need a different kind of floss, little brushes that go between the teeth, or a Waterpik. Whatever routine your dental professional recommends based on your needs becomes your routine for maintaining your dental health.
What are some common dental problems?
Some common dental problems include bleeding gums, bad breath, cavities, an uneven smile, or crooked teeth. Sometimes patients have swollen gums or notice that their gums bleed when they brush or floss. We also hear quite often about clenching or grinding. Sometimes a significant other notices it, or parents may notice that their children are grinding their teeth.
What dental services do we provide in our office?
We are a family general dental practice, and we provide a wide range of treatments in our office, starting with diagnostic and preventive care. We also restore individual teeth, multiple teeth, and even the full mouth. We can address concerns involving your bite, spaces between your teeth, or crowded teeth.
For diagnostic care, sometimes patients call us and say, "I haven't seen a dentist. I don't have a regular dentist, but now my mouth is swollen or I'm in a lot of pain." In that case, we're going to bring the patient in, take an X-ray, look at what the problem is, and determine how we can help. Diagnostic care can include taking X-rays, scans, and pictures, as well as checking your gums and evaluating your overall oral health.
For preventive services, we help patients with routine cleanings and maintenance cleanings, and we offer fluoride treatments. If patients need cavity fillings, we do tooth-colored fillings. If patients need caps or crowns, veneers, or want to do a whole smile makeover, we offer those treatments in our office as well.
We also provide dentures, dental implants, tooth extractions, and some sleep apnea devices. If patients are clenching or grinding their teeth, we offer guards as well. We also provide teeth whitening. We offer a wide variety of dental treatments in our office.
How long does a dental exam take?
A dental exam depends on what kind of exam we're talking about because there are different types of dental exams. Let's say a patient comes in for an emergency and there's only one tooth we're looking at. That will be a quicker exam, anywhere from about 15 to 30 minutes.
If you're looking at a full evaluation of your mouth, we're taking pictures, collecting the necessary information, and getting a complete picture of your mouth so we can develop your treatment plan. That's called a comprehensive exam. That can take anywhere from about 30 minutes to an hour, including everything we do during that visit.
How often should you go to the dentist?
Typically, if you're a healthy adult and you're maintaining your dental health, you may see your dentist every six months. But in some cases, patients might need to see their dentist every four months or even every three months. It depends on your individual dental health and maintenance needs.
How can I schedule an appointment for dental services?
If you’re ready to schedule an exam or would like to learn more about our services, we’d love to hear from you. Call us at (603) 634-9445 or email [email protected]. We look forward to caring for your smile.
At Smiles By The Sea Family Dentistry in Hampton, NH, we offer comprehensive dental care for patients of all ages. We strive to provide a relaxing, caring office environment so visitors always feel comfortable at our practice. Our menu of dental services ensures that you can always receive the oral health care you need from Dr. Shevchenko, no matter what kind of concerns you may have or problems you may develop.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Cosmetic dentistry is a skill and an art. When you are ready to upgrade the appearance of your smile, you will want an experienced and practiced expert like Dr. Shevchenko to help you design your new teeth. There are several ways to improve the look of your smile, and our patients most often request the following:
- Porcelain veneers: Ready to perfect every aspect of your smile? Veneers are super-thin, customized slices of porcelain that conceal every imperfection and give you a straight, white, natural-looking smile.
- Teeth whitening: A small tweak with a big impact, in-office or at-home professional teeth-whitening blasts away stains and discoloration for a smile that is multiple shades whiter.
- Dental bonding: Direct dental bonding is affordable, effective, and fast, whether you have stains, gaps, or chips.
- Tooth-colored fillings: White fillings fix minor tooth decay, broken teeth, and other damage while blending into the rest of your smile.
- Smile design: Want to see what your smile will look like before you get a makeover? Our smile design software makes it possible.
Preventive Dentistry
Our family dentistry practice offers preventive dentistry as the foundation of all oral health care. To have a beautiful smile, your teeth must be healthy and strong. Preventive dental care helps you get there and stay there.
- Teeth cleanings and exams: Everyone should have their teeth professionally cleaned every six months. These visits also include a detailed dental exam, oral cancer screening and, if needed digital x-rays and fluoride treatments for children.
- Gum disease treatment: Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss but special dental cleanings can save your gums and your teeth.
- Emergency dentistry: Get a same-day appointment for a true dental emergency so your tooth can be saved and you can eliminate the pain quickly.
- Sleep apnea therapy: If you are deprived of a restful sleep, your dentist is one of the best professionals to diagnose sleep apnea and treat the condition with a mandibular oral appliance that opens the airway for better sleep.
- Nightguards: Grind and clench your teeth? A customized nightguard saves your teeth and reduces the uncomfortable side effects of this problem.
Restorative Dentistry
Restorative dentistry repairs are intended to restore compromised teeth to good health while also beautifying your smile at the same time.
- Dental crowns: Repair cavities, broken teeth, misshapen teeth, stained teeth, and other damage with a customized dental crown.
- Dental bridges: Replace a missing tooth or a few missing teeth with a carefully designed dental bridge that blends into your smile and is anchored by dental crowns.
- Dental implants: Permanently replace missing teeth – and their roots – with a dental implant. This restoration stimulates the jawbone to improve your overall oral health and fills in the holes in your smile so they look and feel natural.
- Dentures and partials: If you are missing an entire arch of teeth or several teeth in one area, modern dentures or partials will complete your smile.
Orthodontics
Ready to put in the work to straighten your teeth? If you want discreet, effective, fast-working orthodontic dental care, look no further than the following options.
- Invisalign: Treatment time with Invisalign averages about one year. This alignment method uses clear, customized trays to straighten teeth a few at a time until your entire smile is in alignment.
Quality Dental Care in Hampton, NH
Contact Smiles By The Sea Family Dentistry in Hampton, NH, for quality, comprehensive dental care. We are accepting new patients and look forward to welcoming you to our office.