Left untreated, dental infections and periodontal disease will not only affect the appearance of your smile but, can destroy your oral health. Neglecting routine at-home oral and professional care places you at greater risk of losing teeth and bone density. At some point when you finally do try to “catch up” you may face painful complications that require extensive cosmetic procedures in order to restore the appearance of your smile.

Prevention is the key to maintaining a beautiful healthy smile. By making your dental care a priority you can save you the future cost and embarrassment of dental disease. At our Slidell Family Dental Office, one of our goals is to educate our patients on effective ways to prevent cavities and gum disease. Even the most consistent routine of brushing and flossing is not enough to maintain a healthy smile. Practicing good at-home oral hygiene is vital, but it must be paired with professional dental cleanings to be really effective.

Many of our patients understand the importance of following good oral health by following proper oral hygiene routines and avoiding damaging food and drinks. As we eat, drink, and speak a sticky bacterial film called plaque coats tooth enamel and oral tissue. Flossing and brushing help to remove some plaque build-up but cannot eliminate it completely. The plaque that is not removed hardens into a substance called tartar. Tartar continues to build up on teeth, causing dental decay, gum disease, and eventually tooth loss unless it is removed through regular professional cleanings.

You can take control of your dental health by:
1.    Maintaining a proactive at-home cleaning schedule (to reduce daily plaque build-up)
2.    Seeing your dentist for semi-annual professional cleanings (to remove tartar and give you a “clean slate” for brushing and flossing).

It is never too late to get back on track with your dental health routine. Start by scheduling a visit with the Slidell, Louisiana General Dentist for a professional teeth cleaning to give yourself and your family the best possible chance for optimal oral health.

The thought of Root Canal Therapy can cause stress and anxiety, resulting in the patient putting off treatment until it becomes a significant problem. But fear and anxiety can quickly become a thing of the past when you understand that today’s dentistry sedation options can make the entire process of root canal therapy pain and stress-free.

Why do I need a Root Canal?

Root canal therapy is required when the nerve of a tooth is affected by decay or infection.  In order to save the tooth, the pulp, nerves, bacteria, and any decay are removed and the space is filled with special, medicated, dental materials, restoring the tooth to its full function. Root canal treatment performed by the Slidell Root Canal Dentist is highly successful and usually lasts a lifetime.

Why not extract the tooth?

Many patients believe that removing the tooth is the solution due to their fear of root canal therapy, but you must realize that tooth extraction is ultimately more costly, causing significant problems for adjacent teeth.

How do I know if I need a root canal?

The only person who can determine if you need a root canal is a dental professional, but some warning signs are:

• An abscess (or pimple) on the gums
• Sensitivity to hot and cold
• Severe toothache pain
• Swelling and/or tenderness

Once you experience any of the above symptoms, you must get to your dentist immediately. Procrastinating often creates a more painful situation than is necessary. Often there are no outward symptoms, so regular checkups and examinations will ensure that root canal therapy, if needed, is done promptly.

The more quickly the root canal is addressed, the more options you have for sedation and an anxiety and pain-free procedure. The Slidell, Louisiana Root Canal Dentist can consult with you about the details of the procedure, and our entire dental team is committed to providing a stress-free environment so that you will feel completely comfortable throughout the course of your treatment.

When your family’s oral health is at stake, it’s great to know that there is a specific type of dental practice that will cater to your needs and maintain your family’s good oral health. The practice of family dentistry is similar to general dentistry; both types of dentistry handle oral hygiene and tooth health, but family dentists usually accept patients of all ages, establishing an important ongoing relationship with you and your family.
 
Family dentistry provides preventative dentistry services, such as regular cleanings and fluoride treatments, routine x-rays and other basic dental work. The emphasis at Slidell Family Dentist is prevention. The American Dental Association suggests visits to your family dentist for checkups a minimum of twice a year.

During each checkup, you will have a routine oral examination and cleaning to get rid of stains and plaque buildup in order to prevent tooth decay and gum problems. Your dentist will give you tips and recommendations for brushing, flossing and rinsing at home to prevent plaque and tooth decay between appointments.

Monitoring the oral health of your family from the time they’re babies and into adulthood establishes an important ongoing relationship with your Family Dentist.  It is essential that young children establish a comfortable relationship with a family dentist. At Slidell Family Dentistry we address the special needs of our young patients by creating a comfortable and friendly atmosphere to make your child’s visit as stress-free as possible.

It is important to schedule regular appointments for checkups, so your dentist can catch any problems before more extensive and costly dental work becomes necessary. Finding a family dentistry practice with which your whole family is comfortable can take a lot of stress out of making and keeping your regularly scheduled appointments! Your family dentist is trained to keep your teeth healthy by providing preventative care.