When you need a tooth extraction, it is common to feel a great deal of fear and anxiety about the process. When you need to have a tooth extracted, it can be beneficial to take some time to help prepare for the process. Feeling prepared can help you to ensure that your process can be completed more smoothly, while helping you to avoid potential complications. Here are a few steps that you can take to help prepare for your tooth extraction.

Don’t Smoke

Smoking can wreak havoc on your health, both oral health and overall health. This is especially true when you are having a tooth extracted. Smoking too close to your extraction will often create a harmful, excruciating condition called dry socket. Ensure that you avoid smoking for 12 hours prior to your extraction. You also need to stop smoking for at least 24 hours following your extraction. Use nicotine patches if necessary to help with withdrawal symptoms.

Dress Comfortably

Having a tooth extraction is not a situation where you are required to wear your Sunday best. Take some time to dress comfortably in order to ensure you can have a more comfortable experience. Loose, comfortable clothing is ideal for your tooth extraction. You should also try to wear a shirt with short sleeves. This will help to prevent problems if you need an IV for the anesthesia.

Consider when you Eat

The time that you eat can impact your tooth extraction. For example, if you are having substantial oral surgery such as wisdom tooth removal, you will need to ensure that you don’t eat for at least 12 hours before your extraction. This will help you to prevent harmful interactions between your food and the anesthesia. However, if you are just having a single tooth extracted, it is likely that your dentist will only use a local anesthetic. If this is the case, you may be able to eat before the extraction. However, it will be important to ask your dentist for guidance, because they will be more knowledgeable about the specific kind of anesthetic that they intend to use.

Ask Questions

Spend some time asking questions before your tooth extraction. This will help to ensure that you receive as much information as possible about your process. This time is also a great opportunity to address any concerns that you may have about the extraction process.

Prepare for Transportation

Anesthetic is likely to impact your ability to drive. Even a local anesthetic can have an impact on your reflexes. You will want to account for this prior to your tooth extraction. This will help you to ensure that you are able to make it home safely after you have your tooth extracted.

Consult with your Insurance Provider

Whether a treatment will be covered by your insurance will depend primarily on your insurance company and policy. Due to this, it is important to ensure that you spend some time communicating with your insurance provider to learn about what your specific policy will cover.

Preparing for tooth extraction can help you to limit problems that can impact your process. At Mt. Ogden Dental, we are passionate about providing an array of services to ensure that your oral health needs can be met. Whether you need tooth extraction or a new dental implant, we are able to meet your needs. For more information about our services or preparing for a tooth extraction, contact us at Mt. Ogden Dental today.

Caring for your dental implants can help to increase their longevity and enhance the appearance of your smile. When you take the appropriate steps to care for your dental implants, you will be able to keep your teeth in much better condition. Caring for your dental implants requires a superior oral hygiene routine, as well as regular visits to your dentist. Here are a few of the ideal tips for caring for your dental implants.

Take Care of your Teeth

Caring for your dental implants is often as simple as taking care of your teeth. This generally means that you need to use a great oral hygiene routine to keep your teeth in great condition. First, you need to ensure that you are brushing your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes. You will also have to ensure that you floss regularly and thoroughly. The ideal oral hygiene routine will also help to minimize damage to your dental implants, while preventing problems with your other teeth.

Use a Soft Bristled Toothbrush

Your toothbrush will have a huge impact on the overall condition of your teeth. When you use a toothbrush that has hard bristles, it may cause scratching, wear, or other damage to the enamel layer of your teeth. This same thing applies to your dental implants. By opting for a soft bristled toothbrush, you will be able to ensure that you protect your dental implants and the outer layer of your teeth.  

Visit your Dentist Regularly

Regular visits to your dentist can be especially helpful for the health of your teeth and the condition of your dental implants. When you ensure that you visit your dentist on a regular basis, they will be able to more easily identify and resolve problems with your oral health. It is usually recommended that you visit your dentist at least twice a year. This will help to ensure that you receive the regular examinations and cleanings that are necessary to protect your oral health.

Stop Drinking and Smoking

Quitting drinking and smoking are great steps to take to protect your general health, but are especially good for the health of your teeth. When you stop drinking and smoking, you will be able to keep your teeth and dental implants in better condition. This is especially important for the first 6 months after having your dental implants installed. Drinking and smoking can interrupt the healing process and can even cause complications with the implant.

Use a Water Flosser

A water flosser can be a great tool to add to your regular oral hygiene routine. These flossers use a stream of water to help wash plaque and harmful food particles away from the surface of the teeth. When you use a water flosser, you will often be able to significantly improve the effectiveness of your oral hygiene routine.

Choose the Ideal Toothpaste

Toothpaste that contains abrasive ingredients may cause damage to your teeth’s surface, as well as your dental implants. When you are choosing your toothpaste, you will need to ensure that you choose a variety that doesn’t contain these abrasive ingredients. This may include stain removal agents, baking soda, or other abrasive ingredients. The right toothpaste can go a long way toward keeping your dental implants in the best possible condition.  

Soak Dentures Overnight

If you have dentures, the care will be slightly different than for your dental implants. You will need to follow all of your specific care instructions to keep your dentures in good shape. It is important to soak your dentures in their designated solution overnight. Don’t soak them in particularly hot water, as this can lead to warping. It will also be necessary to rinse your dentures thoroughly before you use them again to remove all traces of the solution.

Taking care of your dental implants can go a long way toward keeping them in the ideal condition. Our team at Mt. Ogden Dental & Implant Clinic can help you to obtain the best possible dental services to keep your teeth and dental implants in superior condition. To learn more about how to care for your dental implants, contact us at Mt. Ogden Dental & Implant Clinic today!

Cosmetic dentistry provides many advantages. It helps you to substantially improve the appearance of your smile, as well as create a far healthier smile. If you are considering cosmetic dentistry, it is extremely useful to understand the advantages of cosmetic dentistry for your own smile. Here are a few important things to keep in mind about the advantages of cosmetic dentistry.

Improved Oral Hygiene Routine

The oral hygiene routine that you follow will have a substantial impact on the health of your teeth. When you obtain cosmetic dentistry services, you will likely be more dedicated to providing superior oral hygiene for your teeth. This will often greatly enhance the overall health of your smile. By putting the appropriate care into your oral health, you will be able to ensure much healthier teeth.

Healthier Teeth

Cosmetic dentistry often involves reshaping or straightening teeth that were previously misaligned. This is important in ensuring that your teeth can remain healthier. When your teeth aren’t aligned properly, it is common for food particles to become trapped between the teeth. It also makes it much more difficult to thoroughly clean these particles out from between the teeth. Cosmetic dentistry can help to prevent these problems and ensure that your teeth remain much healthier.

Beautiful Smile

Cosmetic dentistry is called so due to its ability to improve the appearance of the smile. When you have your teeth whitened, shaped, or otherwise modified, you will be able to have the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted. Though this is often the most obvious advantage of cosmetic dentistry, it certainly isn’t the only advantage.

Higher Confidence Levels

The appearance of your smile tends to have a substantial impact on the overall appearance. Due to this, issues with your smile can lead to an impact on your confidence. By improving the appearance of your smile, you will be able to similarly improve your confidence. Higher confidence will often create higher performance and quality in other areas of your life, including personal relationships and your career.

Better Social Interactions

When you are consistently self-conscious about your smile, this will bleed into your other relationships and interactions with other people. By improving the appearance of your smile, you will minimize any concerns that you have regarding the appearance of your teeth during your social interactions.

A Youthful Appearance

Your smile changes as you age. As problems arise with your smile, they can make you appear older. When you receive cosmetic dentistry to enhance the appearance of your smile, you will be able to ensure that you look much younger and maintain a more youthful appearance. This can go a long way toward improving your confidence.

Improved Digestion

The healthier your teeth are, the more effective your chewing will be. By chewing your food into smaller pieces, you will be able to minimize problems with your digestive system. This enables you to maintain a healthier system.

Give Up Bad Habits

Improving the appearance of your teeth can incentivize you to give up other harmful habits that impact your health. You may decide to quit smoking because smoking can cause yellowing of the teeth. This may also encourage you to quit drinking red wine or excessive coffee, because these can stain your teeth.

Improving the appearance of your smile can improve both your confidence and your health. Our experts at Mt. Ogden Dental can help to ensure that all of the right services are provided to benefit your smile and provide the ideal appearance. For more information about the advantages of cosmetic dentistry, as well as the related services that we are able to provide, contact us at Mt. Ogden Dental today!