When Your Child Fears the Dentist

There are some kids who love going to the dentist, but for the kids who fear dental appointments, it can be tough to calm them down. At our Colorado Springs, CO dental practice, Southern Cross Dental, Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour, DDS want all of our patients to enjoy their dental appointment and feel relaxed. Take some tips for calming down your child when he or she fears dental appointments.

The key to relaxing your child is familiarity. This is most easily done by taking your child to the dentist routinely from an early age. However, if your child is going to the dentist for the first time, you can still prepare them and make them more familiar. Take them with you to your dental appointments first so they can see the office, meet the staff, and see that you have no problem seeing the dentist. You can also help them understand what the dentist will do by setting up a pretend dental appointment at home. Have your child lay back on a couch or reclining chair and open wide. Look inside their mouth and maybe use a toothbrush to scrub each tooth. Pretend to look at each tooth and comment about how healthy they are. This helps them become familiar with the actual process so when it really happens, they will know more of what to expect.

Kids will also feel better when they know that their teeth will be clean and healthy after seeing the dentist. A good checkup will give them something to be proud of. To schedule your child’s dental appointment with Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour, DDS at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call us at (719) 471-1717 or visit our website, www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com. 

Cavity Basics

Many people think only children get cavities, but changes in your mouth as you age can make them an adult problem too. Cavities are permanently damaged areas in the hard surface of your teeth that develop into tiny openings or holes. If cavities aren’t treated they get larger and affect deeper layers of your teeth. Not all cavities cause pain, so it is important to schedule regular dental checkups at Southern Cross Dental to maintain a cavity-free smile.

Cavities, also called tooth decay, or caries, are caused by a combination of factors including bacteria in your mouth, frequent snacking, sipping sugary drinks, and failure to practice proper oral hygiene. The signs and symptoms of cavities vary, depending on their extent and location. However, your indicators may be non-existent at first. As the decay gets larger, it may cause a toothache, tooth sensitivity, mild to sharp pain when eating or drinking something sweet, hot or cold, visible holes or pits in your teeth, and/or pain when you chew. Regardless of where they occur, the best way to diagnose and treat them before they become serious is to brush and floss on a daily basis and schedule dental checkups every six months.

If you are experiencing tooth sensitivity and suspect you may have a cavity, give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call our office at 719-471-1717.

What Causes a Tooth Abscess?

If you experience throbbing pain in your tooth or gums that will not go away or oral sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures, you may have developed what is called a tooth abscess. An abscessed tooth is a painful infection at the root of a tooth or between the gum and the tooth that is typically caused by severe tooth decay. The good news is that it can be prevented and treated. At Southern Cross Family Dental depending on the type of abscess that is present, treatment may include drainage, antibiotics, and/or endodontic therapy.

Dental abscesses may range from mild to severe. If the abscess has spread to a superficial area, there is typically tenderness to the touch of the infected area. Most abscesses are painful, so people usually seek treatment immediately. If the infection is not treated, it can damage the surrounding bone and teeth. Daily brushing and flossing along with regular dental checkups can prevent tooth decay and dental abscess.

If you are experiencing extreme inflammation of your gums, give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call our office at 719-471-1717.

Nutrition and Dental Health

At Southern Cross Dental, we may not be able to monitor your diet, but we can educate you on how nutrition and dental health go hand-in-hand. Diet plays a major role in dental decay, because what you eat and how frequently you consume food and beverages can cause bacteria in the mouth to convert sugars and carbohydrates to acids. These acids attack the enamel on teeth, starting the decay process. The more often you eat and snack, the more frequently you expose your teeth to the cycle of decay.

The best thing you can do to prevent tooth decay is when snacking, select foods from the five food groups. The best food choices for the health of your mouth include cheeses, chicken or other meats, nuts, and milk. These foods are thought to protect tooth enamel by providing the calcium and phosphorus needed to remineralize teeth. Other food choices include firm/crunchy fruits and vegetables. These foods have a high water content, which dilutes the effects of the sugars they contain, and stimulates saliva flow to wash away food particles and acid.

If you have further questions about the relation between nutrition and dental health, give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call our office at 719-471-1717.

Is Your Brushing Routine an Effective One?

When you don’t brush your teeth, all of the food you ate from the night before sticks to them and forms into plaque. Plaque makes teeth feel “fuzzy” to the tongue and over a period of time, if left untreated, develops on the tooth roots under the gum causing breakdown of the bone supporting the tooth. At Southern Cross Dental, we want you to have the healthiest “plaque-free” smile feasibly possible and you can begin by utilizing these effective brushing tips the next time you practice proper oral hygiene.

• Place the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums.


• Move the brush back-and-forth gently in short strokes.


• Brush the outer surfaces, the inside surfaces and the chewing surfaces of all teeth.


• To clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and make several up-and-down strokes.


• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and keep your breath fresh and don’t forget to floss!

If you desire a more effective brushing routine and have any further questions, give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call our office at 719-471-1717.

What is Xylitol and How Does it Help Teeth?

At Southern Cross Dental, we want you to know that the benefits for xylitol are numerous, but here we will explain a few. Xylitol is a naturally occurring carbohydrate, which looks and tastes just like regular table sugar and is widely found in nature as well as most of the fruits and vegetables that we eat on a daily basis. Xylitol can benefit dental patients who have dry mouth, and can also help protect teeth from demineralization in patients who are low risk or prefer not to use fluoride.

Xylitol is a natural ingredient in sugar free chewing gums, candies, mints, diabetes friendly foods and oral care products. It also reduces the acidity of saliva, which helps to fight acid-driven degradation of tooth enamel. Xylitol stimulates salivary flow, allowing calcium and phosphate to be deposited into the enamel to keep the enamel strong. Xylitol starves harmful bacteria in the mouth, reducing plaque buildup and tooth decay. This prevents dental cavities and inflammatory gum diseases.

To learn more about services provided at the practice, visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com for more information. To schedule a professional dental cleaning with Dr. Navid Rahimpour DDS or Dr. Faranak Rahimpour DDS at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call our office at 719-471-1717.

How to Choose the Correct Toothpaste

 

When it comes to selecting toothpaste, there is a large variety of types to choose from, to the point where even shopping in the toothpaste aisle may seem overwhelming. While all of the products on the shelf might seem the same, they are not. At Southern Cross Dental, we can help you determine which toothpaste is best for your specific oral health needs.

No matter the brand, it’s important to always select toothpaste with the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of approval. Almost all of the options on the market contain fluoride. Fluoride prevents tooth decay, and actively strengthens tooth enamel. 

If your gums are red and swollen you may have gingivitis. Selecting an anti-gingivitis toothpaste can help reduce oral bacteria and be very effective in reversing this gum condition. If you experience tooth sensitivity on a daily basis, you may want to switch to desensitizing toothpaste. This type of toothpaste reduces pain by blocking the tooth’s pain signal to the nerve. For those who have healthy teeth and gums, you may just be looking to whiten your smile. Whitening toothpaste contains chemical agents that remove surface stains that maintain the natural color of your teeth.  

To learn more about services provided at the practice, visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com for more information. To schedule a professional dental cleaning with Dr. Navid Rahimpour DDS or Dr. Faranak Rahimpour DDS at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call our office at 719-471-1717.

When it comes to selecting toothpaste, there is a large variety of types to choose from, to the point where even shopping in the toothpaste aisle may seem overwhelming. While all of the products on the shelf might seem the same, they are not. At Southern Cross Dental, we can help you determine which toothpaste is best for your specific oral health needs.

No matter the brand, it’s important to always select toothpaste with the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of approval. Almost all of the options on the market contain fluoride. Fluoride prevents tooth decay, and actively strengthens tooth enamel. 

If your gums are red and swollen you may have gingivitis. Selecting an anti-gingivitis toothpaste can help reduce oral bacteria and be very effective in reversing this gum condition. If you experience tooth sensitivity on a daily basis, you may want to switch to desensitizing toothpaste. This type of toothpaste reduces pain by blocking the tooth’s pain signal to the nerve. For those who have healthy teeth and gums, you may just be looking to whiten your smile. Whitening toothpaste contains chemical agents that remove surface stains that maintain the natural color of your teeth.  

To learn more about services provided at the practice, visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com for more information. To schedule a professional dental cleaning with Dr. Navid Rahimpour DDS or Dr. Faranak Rahimpour DDS at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call our office at 719-471-1717.