Manual vs. Electric Toothbrushes

When people want to brush their teeth better, we at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs are happy to teach them how. There is a wide variety of dental products out there, but which ones are effective often depend on the user’s knowledge of them. This is best exemplified by the choice between electric and manual toothbrushes.

Electric toothbrushes have the advantage of taking less time and requiring less hand movement. Compared to manual toothbrushes that are used properly, they are not known to be more effective at preventing tooth decay. But to use a manual toothbrush properly, a person must thoroughly scrub every tooth surface for at least two minutes.

The expense of an electric toothbrush may not just be due to its motor. Many are now equipped with Bluetooth technology and can be linked to apps on a phone. These apps include records of a patient’s brushing habits that will inform them if they consistently miss a spot, warnings if a patient is brushing too hard, and children’s games that reward them for completing their daily hygiene routine. While a manual toothbrush is sufficient for most people’s needs, an electric toothbrush could be a great help to people with limited motor control or who have had a very difficult time making good brushing into a habit.

Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour operate Southern Cross Dental at 1855 S Nevada Ave, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80905-2516. To schedule an appointment, call 719-471-1717 or visit Southern Cross Family Dentistry and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Flossing Properly

At Southern Cross Dental, we want to see the families we provide for continue healthy oral care routines at home.  Regular flossing is essential to maintaining oral health and you should floss once a day, either before or after brushing. Remember these tips to floss effectively:

• ·        A strand of dental floss about 18 inches long allows you to wrap the ends of the floss around a finger on each hand. This gives you excellent control over the portion of floss you are using.


• ·        The proper technique to flossing is sliding the floss between the teeth and rubbing the floss back and forth up until you reach your gums.


• ·        Pushing at your gums too hard with floss can damage your gum line and isn’t necessary to floss properly. Gently rub the floss up to one gum, then down and back up towards the other.


• ·        As you move on to the next tooth, adjust the floss to expose an unused portion. Repeat this rubbing motion between each tooth and dispose of the floss once you are finished.

To learn more about dental hygiene and the services we offer at the practice, visit ww.scdsmile.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call 719-471-1717.

Tooth Extraction Procedure

If a tooth has been broken or damaged by decay, one of our doctors at Southern Cross Dental will first try to fix it with a filling, crown or other dental treatment. However, when there’s too much damage for the tooth to be repaired, the tooth may need to be removed from its socket in the bone. Though tooth extraction is typically a last resort when all other options fail, we offer this service to eliminate oral discomfort.

There are two different categories of extractions – simple and surgical. A simple extraction is performed on a tooth that can be seen in the mouth. In a simple extraction, the dentist at Southern Cross Dental loosens the tooth with an instrument called an elevator. Then, the dentist uses forceps to remove the tooth. A surgical extraction is a more complex procedure. It is used if a tooth may have broken off at the gum line or has not come into the mouth yet, such as wisdom teeth. During a surgical extraction, the doctor will make a small incision into your gum. Sometimes it’s necessary to remove some of the bone around the tooth or to cut the tooth in half in order to extract it.

If you have questions or concerns regarding tooth extraction, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.scdsmile.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call 719-471-1717.

Losing the First Tooth

If your kid is turning into a big kid, losing the first baby tooth is on the horizon.  It’s an exciting sign of growing up, but many kids still feel anxious or uncomfortable dealing with the unfamiliar sensation of a loose tooth.  Southern Cross Dental wants kids and parents to be prepared and understand why this pain occurs so your child can still have a positive tooth loss experience.

Before a baby tooth is lost, it begins to break free of its nerve endings.  This is the natural process that makes the tooth feel loose and wobbly at the gums, and the area will become swollen and red.  It can be painful, and for kids a great way to soothe tooth pain is applying a cold compress to the outside of the mouth in the affected area.  Children may complain that they find it hard to bite or chew with loose or missing teeth.  It’s still important to keep eating healthy while they grow new teeth so encourage soup, pureed fruits, and cooked vegetables.  A few tales of the tooth fairy can usually ease the pain a little, too!

To learn more about tooth loss and the services we provide at the practice, visit www.scdsmile.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call 719-471-1717.