Ephrata Family Dentistry Blog

Your dentist in Ephrata is always pleased to answer any questions you have about your oral health, but did you know that your dental hygienist is also a treasure trove of information? Hygienists have spent a lot of time learning about the human mouth and how to keep it clean and healthy. Next time you go in for a routine dental appointment, please be sure to take advantage of your hygienist’s knowledge! Here are a few questions you can ask to get the conversation rolling:

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The human body is an amazing creation; it seems like science is always discovering some new, mind-boggling fact about the way we’re built. While we could easily spend hours discussing all the cool things that make us function, today we’re just going to focus on the part of the body that we know best — the mouth. Your dentist in Ephrata is here to take you on a brief tour of this fascinating orifice.

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Ouch! Experiencing some pain in one of your pearly whites? You may say you have a toothache, but “toothache” is just a generic term for any pain that occurs in a tooth. It isn’t an official diagnosis, and it doesn’t describe the problem that is behind the discomfort. Understanding why your tooth hurts is the first step to getting on the road to recovery, and while your emergency dentist in Ephrata is the only one who can make an official diagnosis of the problem, you can make an educated guess about what is wrong based on the nature of your pain. Let’s talk about a few different types of tooth pain and what they mean.

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According to your dentist in Ephrata, keeping your mouth clean is not a particularly difficult task to accomplish. However, there are still several reasons people fail to take proper care of their mouths in between their dentist visits, assuming they go. People will rush out the door thinking about the work they need to do that day and don’t even realize how dental plaque silently eats away at their enamel. They might think “I’ll just brush after work when I get home” but rarely do.

The next time you start your routine, keep these tips from your dentist in mind to confirm hat you’re care is sufficient.

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Once the snow finally melts away, the flowers will come out again and spring will be upon us! Spring has always represented new beginnings. People make the effort to sell or donate the items they don’t need and introduce new habits to their regular routines. When you think about it, it’s kind of like a second chance to check on the resolutions you made earlier this year.

While you’re deep cleaning your bathroom, take a moment to consider these tips from your dentist in Ephrata.

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Did you know that only 4 out of 10 Americans floss at least once a day? What’s even more unsettling to your dentist in Ephrata is that 20 percent of people never floss. However, that same data cites that people who flossed every day as part of their oral routine reported better oral health than those who did not. That’s probably because when you fail to floss, you fail to clean 40 percent of your teeth.

Unfortunately, toothbrushes can’t reach the sides or deeper pockets of your teeth and gums, so flossing is necessary if you want to maintain a thorough oral care regimen. Here’s what flossing can do for you.

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Sometimes when you’re missing the right tool to get a job done, it can be tempting to look into the mirror and say, “Why don’t I just use my teeth?” Your dentist of Ephrata cautions you to stop and think before doing this, because using your ivories for anything else other than biting and chewing food is a recipe for disaster. As you continue reading you’ll learn more about why such practices can be detrimental to your oral health and can lead to emergency situations.

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When you think of expiration dates, the thought usually involves such products as meat, dairy, vegetables and other foods. Interestingly enough, though, the only food expiration that is regulated by the federal government is that for milk, which means that you’re responsible for educating yourself about what the safe ranges to stay within when it comes to your use of other products, including those made for oral hygiene. And although the effects of using them when their expiration dates have passed won’t have the dire effects that outdated food will, you still want to get the maximum effect, so your dentist of Ephrata will provide some guidelines to follow as you continue reading.

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The month of February is a time to step back and reflect on a part of your body that is often overlooked until there are signs that something is wrong with it. The area we’re referring to is your gum tissue and February is National Gum Disease Awareness Month, so your dentist of Ephrata wants you to take a moment to think about how you can improve the health of this vital part of your overall wellness. He’ll also provide you with information on why your gums are so important as well as ways to keep them functioning at their best.

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If you went to a New Year’s party this year, did you have someone to kiss when the clock struck midnight? More importantly, were you confident when you went in for that special moment? If your oral health isn’t what it should be, you might have hesitated. But there’s good news! Before next year’s bash, you have plenty of time to master your habits and become the proud owner of a mouth that is clean, fresh, functional, and completely kissable. Here are a few suggestions for New Year’s Resolutions from your dentist in Ephrata to help you improve your oral health in 2018.

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