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Greenville Dental Studio, dentist, family dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, Greenville, South Carolina

Keeping a Healthy Smile in 2021

Brush and floss, Checkups, Cleanings, family dentistry, News, Taking care of your teeth , , , , , , , , ,

Keeping a Healthy Smile in 2021

We hope the new year brings health and happiness to all of you, and that includes a healthy smile. 2020 was a year like no other, and continuing to live through the pandemic is difficult. Focusing on your well being is more important than ever.
Here is what we recommend for keeping a healthy smile in 2021.  First, keep brushing and flossing.  Aim to brush twice a day and floss before you go to bed. And here’s a tip, don’t rinse after you brush in the evening. Leaving the toothpaste in your mouth will keep the fluoride around longer to penetrate your teeth to make them stronger at fighting cavities.

Visit the Dentist Twice a Year

Many people have put off dental checkups during the pandemic, but we encourage you to visit the dentist twice a year. Most dental insurance plans cover cleanings and checkups twice a year at 100%, so get the most out of your insurance. During those appointments, you’ll get a professional cleaning that only trained staff with specialized instruments can perform. Your dental team can reach areas of your teeth and gums that brushing and flossing at home just can’t do.

Greenville Dental Studio, dentist, family dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, Greenville, South Carolina

Preventative Exams

Preventative exams can save you money in the long run, and save your teeth.  Your dentist can check for signs of gum disease, cavities and the effects of stress on your teeth and the muscles along your jawline. Clenching and grinding your teeth during the day and while you sleep can damage your smile and even leave you in pain.  A bite guard that you wear at night can protect your teeth. Your dentist may also recommend prescription toothpaste for sensitive teeth or a special mouthwash for dry mouth.
Greenville Dental Studio, dentist, family dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, Greenville, South Carolina

Keeping a healthy smile

Build a Relationship With Your Dentist

Building a relationship with your dentist and staff, like the dental team at Greenville Dental Studio, can give you peace of mind when something goes wrong.  You’ll know who to call if you chip a tooth or develop tooth pain. You’ll also have a trusted group to work with if you’re considering cosmetic treatments like teeth bleaching, veneers and implants. In our office, you’re always in the driver’s seat of your oral health, and we’re your best ally in that journey. We want you to have a smile you can enjoy.

Healthy Smile Checklist

Follow these tips for a healthy smile:
Brush twice a day
Floss before bed
Visit the dentist twice a year

We also recommend eating a healthy, balanced diet, and drink your water!

New Patients Welcome

New patients are always welcome at Greenville Dental Studio. Dr. Bullard and his team can be reached at 864-520-2942 or click here to request an appointment.

Greenville Dental Studio, dentist, family dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, Greenville, South Carolina

Greenville Dental Studio welcomes new patients

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Avoid These Foods for Healthy Teeth

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Avoid These Foods for Healthy Teeth

Your diet plays a large role in the health of your teeth.  Avoid these foods to keep your smile healthy and bright.  First on the list are sodas.  Sipping on sodas constantly feeds cavity bacteria.  The sugar and acid can destroy your enamel.   Other acidic and sugary drinks, like energy drinks, sports drinks and coffee and tea with sugar also damage teeth and feed harmful bacteria. Water is the best thing to drink throughout the day.

Don’t Chew Ice

Chewing ice can fracture teeth and dental work. For many, chewing ice is a habit. It’s one habit you should avoid.  Even though ice doesn’t contain sugar, it can still wear down your teeth and lead to expensive dental work.

Avoid chewing ice

A Warning About Sticky Foods

Many dried fruits are sticky and will hold sugar against your teeth for an extended period of time.  This increases your chance of getting cavities.  This might surprise you, but raisins can be worse for your teeth than chocolate.  If you like to snack on trail mix containing dried fruit, be sure to brush and floss after you eat.

Dried fruit leaves sugar on your teeth

Limit Citrus Intake

Lemon water or other citrus flavored water is refreshing, but it can lead to an increase in cavities.  Be mindful of your citrus intake and rinse with water after eating acidic fruits, such as oranges, limes, grapefruit and lemons.  The American Dental Association suggests you eat acidic foods as part of a meal instead of by themselves.  This includes tomatoes.

Hard Candy Danger

Hard candy is sticky and sugary.  This is awful for your teeth.  I’m talking about mints with sugar, lollipops and your other favorites in the candy aisle. Breath mints that contain sugar are no different than any other type of candy.  Therefore, select sugar free mints.

Avoid These Foods

Limit sweets in general.  What’s good for your body is also good for your teeth.  As you’ve heard before, everything in moderation.  As always, brush and floss to keep those teeth happy and healthy.

Checkups are Important

Regular visits to the dentist keep you aware of how your teeth are doing.  I recommend checkups twice a year.  This professional examination can identify problem areas and help form a checklist to achieve and maintain healthy teeth and gums.  We are accepting new patients.  You can call us to schedule at 864-520-2942 or click here to request an appointment.

Taking care of your teeth

Dental checkup

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family dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, dentist, Greenville Dental Studio, Greenville, South Carolina

Flossing Before Bed Is Important

Brush and floss, Checkups, Cleanings, family dentistry, News, Taking care of your teeth , , , , , , , , ,

Why Flossing is Important

If you want your teeth to last, you must make brushing and flossing a daily habit, along with regular professional cleanings at the dentist.

There’s a saying in dentistry, “only floss the ones you want to keep.”

Take a second to think about that that.  Would you want to lose any of your teeth?

Flossing is a crucial step in the care of your teeth, because brushing twice a day is not enough.

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It’s important to floss before bed

Flossing is a must.  Why?  Because brushing does not clean the whole tooth.  Brushing alone only cleans 60% of a tooth, but flossing can reach the surfaces your toothbrush can’t reach.

Flossing Helps Fight Cavities

When food particles are left between your teeth, bacteria can use that decaying food to form cavities in those areas.

Cavities between teeth are difficult to fix and can lead to crowns and root canals.  These procedures are time consuming and costly.

Food debris left between your teeth can also lead to bad breath.

You can also make your teeth look brighter by keeping stains from developing between your teeth.

Many people may use water flossers, such as the name brand Waterpik, to clean between their teeth.  These are good for removing bacteria around your gums and under bridges and dental work, but you still need to use traditional floss to protect against cavities between teeth.

What You Should Know

Follow these steps to make sure you’re getting the most out of flossing:

Hug the floss tight to the side of your tooth
Rub the floss gently up and down against the side of each tooth
Make sure the floss reaches the base of each tooth

You can view a demonstration from the American Dental Association.

Healthy teeth increase your quality of life.  Your daily routine should include brushing twice a day for two minutes and flossing before bed.  If you don’t already do this, it’s time to start.  I know it can be difficult to change dental hygiene habits, but it’s far worse to lose teeth to decay and disease.

Visit the Dentist Twice a Year

In additional to taking care of your teeth and gums at home, it’s important to visit the dentist twice a year.  You can get directions to our office and schedule a checkup on our website.  We accept all major insurance and work with your schedule for morning, evening, weekend and emergency appointments.  Call us anytime at 864-520-2942.

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Children’s Dental Health Month

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Children’s Dental Health Month

February is National Children’s Dental health Month, so it’s a good time to talk about building healthy habits from an early age.

Teaching kids to properly care for their teeth will help them develop healthy habits from the start, and not struggle to brush and floss regularly, like most adults.

Tooth Decay

Dental disease is preventable, and prevention is always better than treatment.

Children’s Dental Health Month is a time to raise awareness that cavities can be prevented, and healthy habits begin at home with parents and caregivers.

Tooth decay, which we also call cavities, is the most common chronic disease in children.  Kids get cavities because they’re not brushing properly.  Their diets may also contain too much sugar.

Dental Checkup, brushing and flossing

What Parents Should Know

Parents should be actively involved in brushing their children’s teeth up through the age of eight years old.  This means parents should be in the room with their kids, thoroughly brushing their children’s teeth for two minutes, twice a day.  Start the flossing habit each night before bedtime too, as soon as your kids have two teeth that touch.

It’s good to get young children involved in brushing their teeth, but children below the age of eight are generally not able to properly brush and care for their teeth by themselves.

Family Dentistry

Our practice is focused on family dentistry.  You can book a checkup and a cleaning on our website or by calling 864-520-2942.  We work with your schedule to provide morning, evening, weekend and emergency appointments, and all major insurance is accepted.  We created a video to show you what a checkup with x-rays will look like, click here.

Important Recommendations

South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) encourages parents to implement mouth care routines beginning as early as infancy, before a child’s first tooth even appears. Here’s what DHEC recommends for parents:

  • Begin oral care during infancy by wiping a baby’s gums and mouth with a soft cloth
  • Brush a child’s teeth with fluoridated toothpaste twice a day for two minutes. Children under the age of three should use a smear of toothpaste, and children over three should use a pea-sized amount.
  • Take their children for regular dentist visits beginning at the age of one.
  • Talk to a pediatrician, family doctor, nurse or dentist about putting fluoride varnish on children’s teeth as soon as they get their first tooth.
  • Limit a child’s consumption of sugary snacks and drinks.
  • Ask their child’s dentist about dental sealants that protect teeth from decay.
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    We care for patients of all ages

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Dr. Andy Bullard, family dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, Greenville Dental Studio, Greenville, South Carolina

Regular Cleanings and Checkups Can Save You $

Checkups, Cleanings, Fighting Decay, Taking care of your teeth , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cleanings and Checkups

Let me tell you how important it is to visit your dentist at least twice a year for cleanings and checkups.

You can catch problems earlier or prevent them from happening at all, with regular visits.  Once cavities reach a certain stage, they’ll only continue to grow, and you can end up with a root canal or having to pull a tooth.

checkup, cleaning

The hard buildup around your teeth by the gum line won’t go away on its own.  Brushing and flossing won’t remove it, but your family dentist can knock it out with special instruments.

Checkup, cleaning

That buildup is called tartar, and it can lead to decay and gum disease.  Take a look at the before and after pictures from a recent cleaning in Dr. Bullard’s office:

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Before

dental cleaning, checkup, family dentistry, dentist

After

According to the American Dental Association, almost half of adults over 30 have some form of gum disease.  You simply do not want to miss checkups.  Your problem areas won’t go away, and they will cost you more money down the road.  Imagine the bill for a routine cleaning and checkup compared to a root canal and crown.

Even if you don’t have any symptoms, you can still have dental health problems.  Small cavities and gum disease often go unnoticed if you’re not feeling any pain.

Use Your Dental Benefits

If you have dental benefits, you are already paying to see your dentist twice a year, so you may as well schedule an appointment, and show up!

Dental cleanings and checkups are part of your overall health and wellness.  Studies show there is a link between a healthy mouth and a healthy heart.  Dental checkups fit right in with exercise and eating well to keep your body in top shape.

Fresher Breath and Whiter Teeth

You can have whiter teeth and fresher breath.  At your dental cleanings, your hygienist or dentist will remove stains from your teeth that are impossible to brush away at home.  A professional cleaning will also remove bacteria that cause bad breath.  Your smile is often the first thing others notice about you.  Don’t you just love how your teeth feel after a cleaning?  Doesn’t it make the day seem brighter?

Book an Appointment

To schedule your next checkup, click here.  You can also call our office at 864-520-2942.