The Importance of Replacing Missing Teeth

Missing teeth can create more than just a goofy grin. When missing teeth are not replaced, they can create health hazards. Southern Cross Dental of Colorado Springs, CO wants our patients to know why it is so important to replace missing teeth.

When a tooth goes missing, the gum and bone tissue that used to surround it begin to deteriorate. When the tooth is not replaced quickly, this deterioration will cause problems. The other teeth in the mouth will begin to shift towards that open space. This will create spots where bacteria can hide. It will also change the appearance of your smile.

When multiple teeth are missing, the deterioration of the jawbone can lead to a noticeable change in your jaw shape. Facial muscles may also begin to sag, making you appear older than you actually are.

Replacing a tooth as soon as possible stops other teeth from shifting around in the mouth and can help keep the shape of your jaw. At our dental practice here in Colorado Springs, CO, we offer multiple options for tooth replacement. Our experienced dentists will be able to tell you whether a bridge, a dental implant, or dentures are right for you.

Do not put off replacing a tooth simply because it does not presently bother you. Choosing not to replace teeth can create complications in the future. To schedule your consultation with Southern Cross Dental here in our Colorado Springs, CO practice, call our office at (719) 471-1717 or visit our website, www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com. 

Toothbrush Tips for Painful or Difficult-to-Move Hands

When a patient has limited hand movement or difficulty using their hands, it can be difficult to do a good job with oral care. Thankfully, there are ways to make brushing less of a hassle. At Southern Cross Dental here in Colorado Springs, CO, we want our patients with difficulty moving their hands to know that they can still take excellent care of their teeth.

Toothbrushes can be hard to maneuver around the mouth when you are struggling with conditions like arthritis. Take a few tips for picking out the right toothbrush to help you out. The toothbrush should have a handle that you can easily grip. Thicker handles are best for this. Also, look for one with a non-slip grip. This will make the toothbrush easier to control. One more tip is to look for a toothbrush with a small head. A smaller head makes it easier to move the toothbrush around in your mouth and reach every corner.

If you are using all of the above tips with a manual toothbrush and still having difficulty cleaning your teeth, try using an electric toothbrush. While normally, manual toothbrushes do just as good of a job of cleaning as electric ones, for those with difficulty using their hands, electric toothbrushes can offer major benefits. They basically just need to be held in the right positions and they do all the scrubbing.

Do not let painful hands or difficulty with movement stop you from having great oral health. To schedule a cleaning with Southern Cross Dental in our Colorado Springs, CO office, call us at (719) 471-1717 or visit our website, www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com. 

How to Make Dental Care Fun for Kids

We all know that sometimes it feels like getting kids to brush and floss is like “pulling teeth”. However, it is an important step in their oral health. Southern Cross Dental of Colorado Springs, CO wants to give parents pointers on making dental care fun for kids.

To help kids understand how to brush their teeth well, brush yours with them. This way they can see how to hold the toothbrush, which spots in the mouth to brush, and how long they should be brushing for. Kids love to play “monkey see, monkey do”, so they will most likely find this fun.

A full two minutes should be spent brushing teeth. A great way to make sure kids reach that full two minutes is by playing one of their favorite songs. This makes the time go by quicker for them, plus you will rest assured knowing they are doing a good job.

Offer rewards for when they complete all of their brushing and flossing for the day. These rewards can be like picking a bedtime story, getting to spend extra time playing outside, or taking them to a park on the weekend if they complete their brushing and flossing every day for the whole week.

Healthy home habits promote healthy dental visits. To schedule your child’s dental visit at Southern Cross Dental of Colorado Springs, CO, call us at (719) 471-1717 or visit our website, www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com. 

Preventive Care and Oral Hygiene

If you don’t take care of your teeth and properly maintain your oral health, you may find yourself spending thousands of dollars in restorative dental care down the line. Although we love to see you here at Southern Cross Dental, we want to save you money and help you keep your teeth for life. When the dental team and the patient work together, this can help to prevent the need for treatment.

Preventive dentistry emphasizes the importance of ongoing hygiene procedures and daily practices to prevent tooth decay and other dental diseases and conditions. Effective preventive dentistry combines at-home oral care by patients with chairside treatments and counseling by dental professionals. The American Dental Association recommends a minimum of two dental checkups each year for professional cleaning and management of any developing conditions. Obeying this recommendation can help our dentists stop dental disease in the earliest stages, protecting your smile and your wallet.

Considering that oral health is linked to overall health, preventive dentistry is important for the sake of your overall wellbeing. For more information on prevention dentistry, give us a call today or visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Navid Rahimpour DDS, or Dr. Faranak Rahimpour DDS at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call 719-471-1717.

Dental Sealants in Colorado Springs, CO

Have you ever wondered if there was a way to seal out tooth decay? At Southern Cross Dental we utilize dental sealants as a barrier to prevent cavities. Typically, children should get sealants on their permanent molars and premolars as soon as teeth come in. In this way, the sealants can protect the teeth through the cavity-prone years of ages 6-14. However, adults can receive sealants too, so don’t forget to ask about them during your next appointment.

Sealants are easy for the dentist to apply. The sealant is painted onto the tooth enamel, where it bonds directly to the tooth and hardens. This plastic resin bonds into the depressions and grooves of the chewing surfaces of back teeth. Sealants can protect teeth from decay for up to 10 years, but they need to be checked for chipping or wearing at regular dental check-ups. Dental sealants can be replaced as necessary, but are only effective for the tooth they are applied on.

For more information on dental sealants, give us a call today or visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Navid Rahimpour DDS, or Dr. Faranak Rahimpour DDS at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call 719-471-1717.

Benefits of a Tongue Scraper

At Southern Cross Dental, we want you to have the freshest breath on the block. If you’ve ever looked at your tongue in a mirror, you may or may not see a colored film on it. If your tongue is pink, then congratulations! That means you are cleaning your tongue properly. However, if build-up is there, it’s time to invest in a tongue scraper.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), bad breath affects up to 50% of the adult population. Bad breath can be the result of conditions like pneumonia, bronchitis, diabetes, and liver or kidney problems, but more often than not, it’s a direct result of what’s going on in your mouth –or what’s not going on. A tongue scraper (tongue cleaner or tongue brush) is an oral hygiene device designed to clean off bacteria, food debris, fungi, and dead cells from the surface of your tongue. Using a tongue scraper is easy: simply place it toward the back of your tongue, and drag it forward toward the tip of your tongue. Then begin to reap the benefits of fresh breath, improved ability to taste and most importantly, improved dental health.

For more information on maintaining proper oral hygiene give us a call today or visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Navid Rahimpour DDS, or Dr. Faranak Rahimpour DDS, call 719-471-1717.

Are You Flossing Properly?

Flossing is an essential part of the tooth-cleaning process because it removes plaque from between the teeth and at the gumline. Here at Southern Cross Dental we want you to get the most out of your oral hygiene routine, which is why we want to be sure that when you floss, you are doing it properly.

If you eat a meal and experience pain in your gums shortly after, you probably have some food stuck in your teeth that you need to remove. Dental floss dislodges food particles trapped between the teeth and under the gums where the toothbrushes can’t reach. To receive maximum benefits from flossing, it is best to use the following proper technique.

•  Starting with about 18 inches of floss, wind most of the floss around each middle finger, leaving an inch or two of floss to work with.


• Holding the floss tightly between your thumbs and index fingers, slide it gently up-and-down between your teeth.


• Gently curve the floss around the base of each tooth, making sure you go beneath the gumline.


• Use clean sections of floss as you move from tooth to tooth.

For more information on maintaining proper oral hygiene give us a call today or visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Navid Rahimpour DDS, or Dr. Faranak Rahimpour DDS at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call 719-471-1717.