Dental Blog
Dr. Karl Olson has created this informative blog to help educate the community.
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Latest Posts: | Keeping Your Toothbrush Healthy |
Posted on 11/15/2019 by Karl Olson |
Most people do not recognize the reasons it's time to change their toothbrush when it has only been three months. Research generally reveals a single toothbrush can have 10 million germs and parasites. Imagine how many stays embedded in the bristles past the 90-day mark. Taking into consideration your brushing pressure and angle, combined with how you store of the brush, you may need to replace it sooner. When to Get a New ToothbrushWhen you have entered the cold and flu season, it should signal you to pick up another toothbrush. Once it's your turn to spend a few days in bed, throw that brush away following the illness. Virus and bacteria can hang around keeping you sick or releasing the sickness back into your system weeks later. Pay close attention to the bristles. When they are frayed, they won't clean teeth well. If you are granting more consideration to your health care, be proactive and get a soft-bristled tip. Repeated brushing by hard tipped bristles can result in removing enamel from your teeth. Toothbrushes Staying Manual or Going ElectricThere are your two main types of toothbrushes to choose from. Pick the one you'll stick to your oral routine with. We recommend changing to an ADA electronic one that comes with multiple head attachments. They remove more plaque and you're more likely to switch the bristles out every 90 days by having many at hand. Regardless of which one you go with, they both need replacing every 90 days and occasionally sooner. The American Dental Association recommends washing your toothbrush under the tap water after each brush to wash toothpaste, saliva, and as much bacteria away. Be sure to store your brush vertically so it will air dry quickly. If you have questions or would like more information regarding your oral care, call us today....
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| The Difference Between Panoramic X-Rays and Digital X-Rays |
Posted on 10/25/2019 by Karl Olson |
You might have heard the terms “panoramic x-ray” and “digital x-ray” and wondered what they mean and what the difference is. As it turns out, they are more or less the same thing. Actually, panoramic x-ray is a powerful type of x-ray that does a lot more than traditional radiography. The Difference between Normal X-Ray and Panoramic X-RayWhen you visit a dentist's office under normal conditions, they might want to take an x-ray. They will give you a piece of plastic on which you're supposed to bite during the procedure. They will then take multiple pictures of your mouth at different angles. The whole idea is to get many pictures of your teeth at different angles. It all really depends on the teeth you have a problem with so they might just take a few pictures, or they may take a whole bunch. While normal x-rays are all good, they are actually a bit time consuming and expose the patient to x-rays longer than they might be comfortable with. That's where panoramic x-rays come in. A panoramic x-ray doesn't require multiple pictures to be taken. It gives a single image of the entire mouth, including all the teeth, jaws, and sinuses. You get a nice and flat picture of the curved mouth, which makes it much easier to analyze for our dentists. Panoramic x-rays are pretty useful for showing impacted teeth, cysts, tumors, infections, cysts, and fractures. This is something that you won't be able to do easily with a normal x-ray. On the other hand, panoramic x-rays aren't as useful as normal ones for identifying cavities. When you come to our offices, we're going to decide which type of x-ray is best for your teeth, depending on the kind of problem you have. However, for that to happen, it is important that you visit your offices whenever you suspect that you might have a problem so we can look at it immediately....
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| Why a Healthy Mouth During Cancer Treatment is So Important? |
Posted on 10/15/2019 by Karl Olson |
Oral hygiene is probably one of the last things on the mind of a cancer patient or their family, but cancer treatments, especially radiation, will often have lasting side effects that will appear in your mouth. By paying special attention to your basic oral hygiene, as a cancer patient undergoing treatment, you can avoid common dental issues that could ultimately have an impact on your cancer treatments. We recommend that you come into our office to see one of our dental professionals at least one month prior to your chemotherapy or radiation treatments. This is what we call a proactive oral hygiene approach, and we can help you address any existing concerns or problems and advise you on how to proceed as your treatment progresses. This will make sure that you avoid any challenges and we can work with you on a customized routine that is specific to your particular condition. In addition to visits to our office before and after your treatment starts, we also recommend you take the following measures on your own. How to Keep Your Mouth Healthy During Cancer TreatmentBe sure to keep your mouth as clean as possible by using a soft bristle toothbrush and a mild fluoride based toothpaste after each and every meal, and especially before you go to bed at night. Take the time to floss as much as you can and use a mouthwash that is alcohol free to give you an added layer of security against bacteria. Be sure to change your toothbrush regularly, as they are a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. The side effects of cancer treatments can differ from one patient to the next. You can often discover that your particular side effects are just mere annoyances, while others may experience more serious symptoms. Reach out to us for a consultation so we can discuss your options and keep your mouth and smile healthy!...
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