Dental Education Archives - Page 2 of 4

20/Apr/2024

Protect Your Teeth During Spring Training

The weather is warming up! This is the time of year many sports and physical activities begin. Spring training is a fun time for parents and kids of all ages. Whether you are out there joining a local league yourself or cheering for your child, remember that playing sports comes with certain risks. Make sure you know what to do to prevent and treat dental injuries and protect your teeth during spring training this season.

Staying Hydrated

Sports drinks have become a popular source of hydration for athletes during intense physical training. They are supposed to supply the athlete with much needed hydration. The problem is, along with the much needed electrolytes and carbohydrates, they also have high amounts of sugar and acid that are harmful to tooth enamel. Try drinking through a straw to keep the sugars and acid from coating your teeth. Also, rinsing with water helps dilute the sugar. Without dilution, bacteria that are left in the mouth have fuel in sugars. The best choice is to choose water every time.

Protect Your Teeth Against Injury

There is always the risk of getting hit with an elbow or equipment during competitions and practices. We recommend using mouth guards for protection against losing or chipping your teeth during physical activities. Most sporting goods stores have mouth guards in stock that are easy to fit. Mouth guards are there to protect your teeth from injury. However, if a permanent tooth does get knocked out, locate it quickly and see a dentist immediately. That tooth can survive if it is replaced in the socket within an hour. For more information about what to do in a dental emergency, read our article “What is Considered a Dental Emergency?”.

Whether you are a current patient of ours, or you are new to our Tampa office, South Tampa Smiles is available to help should you require emergency dental care. We will be happy to work you into our schedule the same day. If you have a dental emergency outside of our regular business hours, please call at (813) 289 – 0560 and leave us a message. We will return your call as quickly as possible.

Dr. Cannariato

20/Apr/2024

Extracting Certain Teeth Can Boost Orthodontic Effectiveness

Malocclusion is a misalignment of the teeth that can lead to serious oral health complications. Most malocclusions are treated with braces or clear aligners. Some malocclusions may require extra procedures to achieve successful results. Incoming teeth may crowd the other teeth and cause them to erupt abnormally. The space needed to move the misaligned teeth into their correct position may be reduced by the crowding. In these instances removing certain teeth prior to orthodontic treatment can boost orthodontic effectiveness.

The Process

The teeth to be removed are those whose absence will have minimal effect on both appearance and dental function. Those teeth are commonly the bicuspids, located between the cuspid (eye) teeth and the back molars. Following the extraction, braces can be put on almost immediately and the remaining teeth will move into the opened space. This is a lengthy process and can take months or even years to close the gaps. Once the teeth are moved in the perfect alignment, the patient will not even notice they are missing.

This process takes time and commitment to complete from beginning to end. Going through the extraction process for most people is one of the biggest hurdles. Having teeth missing for a period of time during treatment is another factor. You must be fully informed of this type of dental treatment and prepared to put in the extra dental visits. The end result can be well worth the time and effort. The patient has better function and a beautiful, new smile!

Keep your smiles in top oral condition with regular dental exams and cleaning along with a vigorous home hygiene routine. Contact South Tampa Smiles for your next dental checkup and cleaning at (813) 289-0560. We look forward to being your South Tampa Dentist!

Dr. Cannariato

20/Apr/2024

How Tea Benefits Your Teeth and Gums

January is National Tea Month! Can’t you just smell the aroma? We would like to shed a little light on the many ways tea benefits your teeth and gums. Tea often gets a bad wrap when it comes to teeth due to the staining factor, but tea can actually strengthen your teeth and gums and improve your overall health.

The beverages you choose to drink have a significant impact on oral health. Although water is essential and should be a main source of hydration throughout the day, we all have cravings for something with a little flavor to quench our thirst. Brewed tea is one of the best options available when it comes to flavored beverages and oral health. Tea has anti-bacterial properties that may help protect against cavities and gum disease.

There have been many studies about the benefits of tea on oral health. Research has shown that tea has almost no erosive effect on tooth enamel. There have also been studies showing that black tea may be linked to the reduction in likelihood of developing cavities. If you are a fan of green tea, you can benefit from the antioxidant compounds in it. Antioxidants are effective in fighting and preventing gum disease and overall inflammation in your body.

Go ahead and treat yourself to that cup of tea, but there are a few things to keep in mind when you do:

Avoid Adding Sugar
Avoid Prepackaged Tea
Brush After Consumption
Follow with Water (If You Can’t Brush)

Along with your daily home care routine and regular dental checkups, your smile benefits from your healthy choices. South Tampa Smiles encourages healthy eating and drinking habits to all of our patients. Give us a call at (813) 289-0560. to schedule your next visit with us.

Sources on How Tea Benefits Your Teeth and Gums:

Science Daily – Green Tea

Science Daily – Brewed Tea

Dr. Cannariato

20/Apr/2024

Preventing Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

There are moments when parents may compromise just about anything to get your baby to sleep. Nursing and bottle feeding are very often used as a comforting methods. Your little bundle of joy becomes instantly quieted and soon falls to sleep. What does feeding baby to sleep mean for teeth? Should you break those bedtime habits once your baby develops teeth? Furthermore, how can you prevent your baby from developing baby bottle tooth decay?

There is little evidence supporting that breast milk alone increases the risks of tooth decay in babies. Actually, some studies suggest the lactoferrin found in breast milk may aid in fighting the bacteria that causes tooth decay. Breast milk does not lower the pH of the mouth like many other liquids do. A lower oral pH environment can encourage bacteria growth.

With this knowledge, there is really no rush to wean your baby from bedtime feeding at the first sign of tooth eruption. It could be way too early considering tooth eruption can occur as early as 3 months of age. Breast milk does contain sugars and so does baby formula which can cause a more acidic environment. When your baby’s teeth are coated with sugary liquids for long periods of time, there is an increased risk for tooth decay. This is more prevalent with sugary drinks once your baby begins to wean and change eating habits. Drinking sugary drinks from a bottle at bedtime significantly increases the risk of decay.

Baby bottle tooth decay can have some serious consequences, such as crowns and even tooth extractions in severe cases. Primary baby teeth are very important for the proper development of your child’s permanent teeth and jaw. Proper care for your baby’s teeth from birth can help prevent other dental problems including misalignment of a their bite, malformed permanent teeth and painful infections.

Tips to Avoid Baby Bottle Tooth Decay:

Try keeping your baby from falling asleep with milk that has not been swallowed.
Remove the bottle once your baby falls asleep.
Don’t put juice or other sugary drinks in their bottle. Stick to breast milk, formula and water until they are able to drink from a cup.
Once your baby’s teeth start coming in, limit the potential for bacteria transmission by not sharing cups, spoons, etc.

Start your baby off with proper oral hygiene right from the beginning!

Contact South Tampa Smiles for more information or to schedule an appointment at (813) 289-0560.

Further Reading:

What is Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

Dr. Cannariato

20/Apr/2024

Dental Blog Year in Review – 2016

As the year winds to a close, the South Tampa Smiles team hopes you all have found happiness in what 2016 has brought to you. For us, it has been another great year of growth and gratitude. We would like to thank each of our loyal patients as well as all of our wonderful new patients this year! South Tampa Smiles loves to share quality information, helpful tips, and new technologies with our patients and community. We have hand-picked our top 10 dental blog posts we shared throughout 2016. Here are the highlights for our patients to recap on or just in case you missed one due to fast-moving social media feeds.

Our Top 10 Dental Blog Posts

Get a Celebrity Smile from Your South Tampa Dentist – We offer high quality cosmetic dentistry using the latest technologies and equipment. If you are looking for a Hollywood smile, read more.
Introducing Dr. Benedict – We knew everyone would be excited to meet Dr. Benedict. This post has a link to her bio on our website.
Sedation Dentistry in South Tampa – We offer sedation dentistry for those patients that are nervous about having dental treatment. This article explains sedation dentistry in more detail and walks you through the process.
Know What Type of Smile You Want – Each of us want different things. Some people want a smile of perfection while others are fine with little imperfections. So before seeking cosmetic dental treatment, you need to know what type of smile you want.
Rejuvenate Your Smile This Fall – Rejuvenating your smile rejuvenates your whole self. What better time than just before the holidays and all the festivities?
How to Brush Your Teeth Like a Hygienist – This article is step-by-step proper oral hygiene instructions for your home care routine.
Pumpkins are Good for Your Teeth – We take topics that are “in season” and narrow our focus down on one area, like pumpkins. It’s interesting to learn how all the different foods affect your oral health.
A Vote for Veneers – If you are looking into cosmetic dentistry, veneers look like natural teeth and are our top choice for achieving the perfect smile.
Replacing Old Dental Bridges – Maintaining all dental work is very important. It’s sometimes necessary to replace old fillings, bridges and partials, to keep your teeth in optimum health.
Brace Yourself. Winter is Coming! Six Month Braces – No-one wants to wear metal on their teeth for years. Thanks to dental technology, unnoticeable braces in 6 months or less has become a viable option.

We hope you enjoyed reading through our favorite articles from this year. We try to reach out to our patients and offer information to help everyone maintain bright and healthy smiles. We’re so grateful to be able to share with each and every one of you. We have a Get Caught Up section on the blog page of our website for those that would like further reading. All of our dental blog posts are updated to Facebook and Twitter, so come follow along…we update regularly. South Tampa Smiles is eager to start this new year and continue offering the highest quality care to all of our patients in the Tampa Bay area. Give us a call at (813) 289-0560 to schedule your next visit and keep your smile bright and healthy for 2017. We wish you all a happy and healthy new year!

Dr. Cannariato

20/Apr/2024

Replacing Old Dental Bridges

November is National Historic Bridge Awareness month. This month is dedicated to the preservation of our nation’s transportation heritage. As a team of dental health professionals, we would like to take this time to advocate a different type of aging bridge… old dental bridges! How long do bridges last? Well, there are many factors. With proper oral hygiene and regular dental checkups, bridges can last just up to 15 or even longer. If you have a historic bridge in your mouth and needing some maintenance or a new replacement, this is your chance to get informed and take action.

Old dental bridges begin to fail due to complications such as cement leakage, which can cause underlying tooth decay. If there is a problem with the teeth supporting your bridge, the bridge will fail. There are certain instances that a bridge may be fixed. If the porcelain coating on your bridge is chipped, but the bridge itself is still in good shape, it may be possible to simply repair the coating. However, when the time comes to replace your old dental bridge, you can choose replacing it with another bridge or dental implants.

Dental implants are far superior to dental bridges because the dentist just replaces the individual tooth. They are stronger, permanent and put less strain on the surrounding teeth.

However, there are certain times when a bridge may be the best option due to neighboring teeth with large fillings or crowns. Another consideration is if the tooth has been missing for a long period of time. This could mean there is significant underlying bone loss and may require other dental procedures prior to implant placement. You will need to talk to your dentist to determine if you are a good candidate for dental implants or if a bridge is right for you.

Contact South Tampa Smiles if you are experiencing problems with a current bridge or are due for a dental checkup and cleaning at (813) 289-0560. Keep your smiles in top oral condition with regular dental visits along with your home hygiene routine.

Visit colgate.com for more information on dental bridges vs. dental implants.

Visit HistoricBridges.org photos, maps, and more information for all types of historic bridges.

Use #HistoricBridgeAwarenessMonth for social media sharing.

Dr. Cannariato

20/Apr/2024

Pumpkins are Good for Your Teeth!

Welcome to pumpkin season! This time of year you will find everything pumpkin infused, from pumpkin pies and cakes to pumpkin ales and lattes. Although these seasonal favorites tend to be loaded with sugars and tend to be on the unhealthy side, the pumpkin itself is quite good for you. There is no shortage of vitamins and other nutrients, which we all need to keep our bodies healthy and strong. South Tampa Smiles would like to take this opportunity to honor this wonderful and delicious food and share the many oral health benefits.

Pumpkin provides more than 100% of our daily vitamin A requirements. It also has a healthy source of vitamins C, E, B and various other nutrients such as magnesium, manganese, potassium, copper and zinc. Don’t forget about the seeds, which have lots of fiber, iron, protein and calcium. Each vitamin and mineral found in pumpkins play an important role in the health of your teeth and gums.

How Pumpkins are good for your teeth (Nutritional Roles & Daily Requirements):

Vitamin A promotes healing. One cup of pumpkin provides all the vitamin A you need in a single day.
B vitamins can reduce tongue inflammation (Glossitis). Ongoing deficiencies in the vitamin B families can cause the loss of the tiny fingerlike projections on the tongue (papillae).
Vitamin C boosts your immune system, which helps fight infections and inflammation.
Magnesium works with calcium to harden enamel, resist tooth decay, and is essential in bone production. One ounce of pumpkin seeds give you more than one-third of your daily magnesium needs.
Zinc keeps keep your teeth and bones strong. 1 oz of roasted pumpkin seeds gives you about a third of your daily zinc needs.

Everyone can see that pumpkins are good for your teeth, but we are speaking of the actual pumpkin and not the flavorings and spices. Keep snacks in moderation and include healthy portions of pumpkin into your diet. There are many ways to incorporated pumpkin into your diet such as smoothies, soups and roasted pumpkin seeds for a snack. How the pumpkins are prepared, cooked and served define whether or not you get the full nutritional benefits that pumpkins have to offer.

Keep following South Tampa Smiles to learn more about the nutritional facts of the foods you eat and their impact on your oral health. Call us today if it is time for your six month checkup or if you are experiencing any dental concerns at (813) 289 – 0560.

Further Reading: Thanksgiving Foods that are Good for Your Teeth

Dr. Cannariato

20/Apr/2024

How to Brush Your Teeth Like a Dental Hygienist

Have you ever wondered about your favorite dental hygienist’s home dental routine? October is National Dental Hygiene Month so we thought it would be the perfect time to share proper toothbrushing techniques and tips. Consider this your personal tutorial on how to brush your teeth like a dental hygienist!

First, you have to pick the right toothbrush. Always go with a soft-bristled brush. Medium or hard brushes can be too abrasive and damage the enamel on your teeth. Also, the head of the brush should be small enough to reach all of your back teeth. Remember to replace your tooth brush every few months or after being sick.

Always brush your teeth at least twice a day, preferably after breakfast and before bedtime. Also use the correct amount of toothpaste, just a pea-sized dollop. This will keep your mouth from becoming too foamy and reduce the chance of ingesting fluoride. Brush your teeth for at least two minutes to ensure that all of the surfaces have been rid of bacterial plaque.

Proper Toothbrushing Method

Begin by angling your toothbrush to a 45 degree angle into the gum line. Use circular or up and down motions, never brush side to side. Also it is important to not brush too aggressively. If you brush too hard, you can damage the enamel and injure your gums. All surfaces of your teeth should be brushed including: front, back, sides and top (chewing) surfaces. Don’t forget to brush your tongue. Your tongue harbors bacteria that cause bad breath. Lastly, rinse your toothbrush with water and your mouth using a little mouthwash if you like that extra zing and freshness.

And there you have it: How to brush your teeth like a dental hygienist. We want all of our patients to have the insight to be able to brush the right way and give yourself the excellent oral care you deserve!

Contact South Tampa Smiles at (813) 289 – 0560 to schedule your next professional cleaning and exam. Also enjoy our previous post: National Dental Hygiene Month Oct. 2015 or visit ADHA.org for more information about National Dental Hygiene Month.

Dr. Cannariato

20/Apr/2024

Crowded Teeth – Problems and Fixes

Not everyone is lucky enough to have been born with straight, perfectly spaced teeth. Most people with the perfect smile have had cosmetic and/or orthodontic treatment at some point in their lives. A beautiful smile is the most common reason most people seek treatment for crowded teeth, but crowded teeth can negatively affect your dental and overall health as well.

First of all, properly cleaning crowded teeth can be quite difficult. Reaching all the areas of the tooth surfaces can be problematic and bacteria can begin to accumulate in those hard-to-reach areas. This allows bacteria continue to colonize and break down the enamel on the teeth resulting in decay. Crowding can sometimes hinder the discovery of dental decay because it may be difficult to see and even be masked on dental x-rays. Decay may not become evident until it has turned into a bigger problem, thus requiring more extensive dental treatment.

Along with the negative impact crowding causes on your teeth, it also affects the health of your gums. Your gums protect the underlying hard tissues of your mouth: bones and teeth. If bacteria are not properly cleaned away from your gums regularly, your gum tissue can wear leading to recession. Recession occurs when the gums pull away from the teeth. This can ultimately lead to bone and tooth loss if left untreated.

Treatment for Crowded Teeth

South Tampa Smiles offers various forms of treatment for crowded teeth in Tampa, FL and surrounding communities. When teeth are rotated, it is usually because there is not enough room for them. Moving the teeth through orthodontic treatment remains to be the most common solution. Braces are used to expand the space and allow for more room between the teeth. Many advancements have been made including 6 month braces to make orthodontic treatment a more pleasant experience. There are many cosmetic methods of achieving a straighter look such as bonding, crowns and veneers. The form of treatment weighs heavily on severity of crowding & positioning and personal expectations of the patient. Give us a call to schedule a consultation and find out what type of treatment is best for you! (813) – 879 – 0560.

What Happens If You Haven’t Seen a Dentist in Several Years?

With today’s hectic lifestyles, it can be challenging to take care of all of your countless priorities on any given day. Finding the time to squeeze in a regular dental checkup can be easily overlooked and forgotten. Time keeps passing by until one day you realize you haven’t seen a dentist in several years. Going a couple months past your regular checkup time won’t ruin your smile, but neglecting regular cleanings and dental treatment can cause negative effects on your oral health.

Preventative Care & Early Detection

Never assume that your teeth are fine if you have no toothaches and maintain a meticulous dental hygiene routine at home. There are dental problems that can developing without presenting any noticeable symptoms. Cavities can often form without experiencing any pain and it is important to detect them early to keep the extent of damage to a minimum. Gum disease can also develop without any symptoms. Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss and should be treated as early as possible. Most dental complications can be treated without any major complications. This is why it is so important to stay on top of your regular checkups and cleanings combined with proper dental hygiene routine at home.

Making Your Appointment

Preventative care is the best care. Taking care of your teeth will help protect against dental complications so make sure you brush and floss twice a day and stay on top of checkups and professional dental cleanings. South Tampa Smiles is a gentle dental practice. You can rest assured that if you haven’t seen a dentist in several years, we can help you get back on the path to excellent oral health again. Remember, the fate of your dental health rests in your own hands. Contact us today at (813) 289 – 0560 and get back on track!

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