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Mon - Fri Saturdays and after hours By appointment only |
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1337 E Palmavista Dr Suite D Palmview, Texas 78572 (956) 600-7412 |
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601 N. McColl Rd Ste. A McAllen, TX (956) 800-4501 |
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Before we delve into preferring solutions, we, first of all, determine medical and dental factors that are the likely cause of the patient’s bad breath. The degree and type of halitosis is then determined by organoleptic examination, and then the breath is tested with professional diagnostic tools like the Halimeter that objectively analyzes the respiratory gases.
If the examination shows that there are disorders of the throat, nose or ears, allergies, infections of the upper respiratory tract, etc., the patient will be referred to the appropriate physician for further examination.
If oral halitosis has been established, the cause may be the bacterial plaque found in gum inflammation or the bacterial plaque on the tongue back (tongue coating).
If gum disease is present, it must first be examined more extensively before treatment takes place. The treatment almost always consists of teaching the patient to properly remove all bacterial plaque from the teeth and molars by the patient (oral hygiene). If necessary, bacterial plaque in the space between the tooth and gums (pocket) is also removed by the dentist or dental hygienist (professional dental cleaning).
Oral halitosis can also be caused by a thick tongue coating on the back of the tongue. The tongue coating can be significantly reduced by scraping the back of the tongue thoroughly twice a day with a tongue scraper. Also, the tongue is gargled with a special cleansing agent that fights the bacteria on the tongue.
The bacteria found in the tongue coating of patients with mouth odor are also often found in the plaque of patients with gum disease. That is why the treatment of halitosis (tongue scraping and gargling) usually runs parallel to the treatment of gum disease.
The fluoridation of the teeth is a measure in which the trace element fluorine is used for the prevention of tooth decay. In addition, it can bring existing, less pronounced tooth damage by decaying to a halt.
Fluoride reacts with the enamel on the surface: The surface of the tooth hardens and forms a covering layer, which protects against bacterial attacks. The incorporation of the fluoride in the enamel makes the teeth less acid sensitive. Also, the antibacterial effect of the fluoride hinders the growth of the bacteria found in dental plaques.
In a fluoride treatment, a fluoride gel is applied to the teeth with the help of bits. These bits must be held in the mouth for ten minutes, with the jaws on top of each other. Fluoride can also be applied to the teeth with a cotton swab or brush. It is also now possible to use a varnish to the teeth from which fluoride is slowly released unto the teeth.
Children, people who produce far too little saliva production, patients with an autoimmune disease where the salivary gland is affected such as Sjögren’s syndrome, Orthodontic equipment users, persons with poor motor skills, which makes brushing difficult, individuals with sensitive teeth or exposed tooth necks etc. will benefit immensely from fluoride treatments.
With the help of dental floss, interdental spaces, points of contact of teeth, the bottoms of bridge constructions as well as the environment of fixed orthodontic appliances can be cleaned thoroughly. The use of dental floss is therefore a useful supplement to daily dental care you shouldn’t ignore.
Flossing: How you can do it
You need about 50 centimeters of the floss. A short section of this thread is held on both sides between thumb and forefinger, pulled tight, passed between two teeth and there repeatedly moved from top to bottom, back up and down again. Once you’re done flossing an interdental space, clamp a new and clean thread section and proceed to clean the next interdental area.
For many, this procedure is complicated. Luckily, there are dental floss holders in the market today that are much easier to handle and make flossing more fun to complete.
So also, you should be aware that there are different kinds of dental floss are available, which differ in their surface structure. They can be made of nylon or polyethylene – waxed, not waxed or coated.
We can guide you on settling on the best option as well as help teach you how you should floss at home safely and effectively.
Dental sealants are particularly useful for children and adolescents because of the vulnerability of their developing teeth to decay. For this reason, experts recommend having the tooth surfaces sealed to protect the enamel.
However, because a dental seal acts only as a preventive measure, existing caries or damage caused to the tooth can neither be stopped nor reversed with such a step. Therefore, as your dentists, we will evaluate the existing condition of your teeth before advising you on the best line of action. Additionally, we strongly recommend an effective preventive program to keep your teeth healthy as long as possible, especially if a health insurance company is paying the costs.
When applying a dental seal, the dentist must first thoroughly clean the areas on the tooth that are to be sealed and remove any deposits such as tartar. For this purpose, a powder jet is used, which achieves a significantly better cleaning effect than a toothbrush, without the tooth surface or the gums getting damaged. Subsequently, the cleaned tooth surface is roughened with an acidic gel so that the sealing material adheres to it as well as possible. After a short drying time, the actual sealant is applied and cured with a special lamp. At the end of the treatment, the dentist polishes the surface and grinds off protruding material.
Are you one of those who go about brushing their teeth using circular movements? You need to stop because it is not ideal.
Rather:
The toothbrush should be set at a slight angle and brushing done from the transition of the gum and teeth vertically – always from “red to white”, i.e. from the gum to the tooth.
Brushing: How long and how often?
On average, everyone should spend around five minutes, grooming their teeth. But since each person has a different dentition, the optimal cleaning time is unique. Therefore, it is important to talk regularly with the dentist about the cleaning technique. To help determine the ideal period you require to effectively brush your teeth, any of our expert dentists will walk you through all you need to know. Plus, we can also make readily available special treatments that produce colorations indicating plaque. You can use this type of treatments at home to help determine how effective your brushing is.
Brush your teeth after every meal? Or three times a day? When your teeth are cleaned properly, brushing twice a day is alright. Plus we encourage you should also floss daily.
Your personal oral hygiene plays an essential role in the long-term preservation of your dental health. We recommend healthy patients to thoroughly clean their teeth twice a day, which depends on the right brushing technique and the tools used.
If good results are achieved with the manual toothbrush, which we can confirm at our practice, you can proceed this way. However, electric toothbrushes perform movements that a manual toothbrush cannot achieve. Our dental team will gladly advise you on what’s best for you.
For brushing, we recommend fluoridated toothpaste since the fluoride strengthens the enamel. But because the fluoride content of toothpaste varies and what is acceptable from toddler to adult differs, you will receive detailed information and advice on what your best option is.
We encourage you to visit our dentistry bi-annually for dental checks. Periodontitis patients or those with implant-supported dentures are encouraged to visit more often. During these visits, we’ll give you an idea of the status of your dental health and take any necessary measures that the treatment of tooth decay or periodontitis serve or support the prevention of dental disease.
In addition to the clinical examination of your oral cavity, the professional cleaning of teeth, which is performed by specially trained staff, is an integral part of an effective oral care program.