3 Ways to Support Rapid Recovery After Oral Surgery

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Whether you are having your wisdom teeth removed or something else, oral surgery in Houston, TX will usually involve a brief period of recovery while your mouth heals. To make sure your recovery goes by as smoothly and quickly as possible, there are a few small things you can do after your procedure. Here is a closer look at some tips to support your recovery after oral surgery.

1. Get rest with your head elevated

Your body heals well when you are resting, so make sure you pencil in time to get enough of it. When you do rest, try to keep your head elevated. This prevents excess fluid from accumulating in your mouth, which may help keep swelling at bay.

2. Use ice or warm salt water to deter inflammation

Swelling after oral surgery is normal, but too much inflammation can interfere with the healing process. Using an ice pack on your cheeks or mouth from the outside can soothe some of the inflammation. Likewise, the dentist may recommend rinsing your mouth with salt water to help draw out excess fluids.

3. Keep your mouth as clean as possible

Whether the dentist tells you to stick with a soft diet or regular foods, make sure to keep your mouth clean. Food particles can contribute to bacterial growth in your mouth. Without precautions, this could put the surgical site at risk of infection. Swish with water after a meal and you should be fine.

Discuss Your Recovery with Your Houston Dentist

Oral surgery can feel like an intimidating endeavor, but with the right plan for recovery in place, you and your mouth will be back to good in no time. Ready to discuss your oral surgery needs with a dentist in Houston, TX? Reach out to us at Chloe Dental to schedule a consultation.

Is Your Child Ready For Their First Dentist Appointment?

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Your child’s first dentist appointment should be a positive experience. After all, your child’s first trip to the dentist can establish a life-long trust in the dentist, which can help set up your child for maintaining good oral hygiene.

Seeing the dentist the for the first time can make some kids nervous, while others are uncomfortable around adults they don’t know. There are many things you can do to ensure that your child’s first trip to the dentist starts off right. Here’s what to know when taking your child to the dentist for pediatric dental services in Katy TX.

When to Bring Your Child to the Dentist

It’s important to know what to expect when you bring your child to the dentist for the first time. Depending on your child’s age, the dental appointment may be a very short examination of your child’s few existing teeth, or the appointment may consist of a more extensive cleaning. You will be allowed to be with your child either way, so you can provide some comfort and reassurance.

How to Pick a Pediatric Dentist

The dentist you choose for your child’s first visit is important! Look for a dentist with pediatric experience, who knows how to reassure pediatric patients and make them feel comfortable. To find a pediatric dentist for your child, call dentists in your area and ask them about their experience serving young patients.

How to Prepare Your Child

Tell your child days in advance that they’ll be going to the dentist. You can help them get used to the idea by telling your child about your own experiences with the dentist in Katy, TX. Preparing your child will help set them up for success.

Why You’re Going to Love Solea Laser Dental Technology

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What do you fear the most about visiting your dentist? Is the noise of the drill? Is it that initial shot to numb your gums? Maybe it’s the sight of your own blood on the gauze used to clean up. Regardless, we know dental appointments fill most people with dread. That’s why patients love our Solea Laser technology. Using the Solea Laser, Chloe Dental, your dentist in Katy, TX, can clean cavities and prepare teeth for fillings without the pain, noise, and frustration of traditional methods. Here’s everything you need to know about the use of the Solea Laser.

What Is Solea Laser Technology?

Solea Laser uses advanced science to pinpoint and remove damaged tooth enamel. Because the procedure is painless, no anesthesia is needed. Instead of using a drill to clean and prepare teeth for fillings, your dentist uses the laser to remove infected areas.

What Are the Benefits of Solea Laser Treatment?

The benefits of Solea Laser treatment are multiple. They include:

  • Less noise
  • Less vibration
  • No shot needed to numb the area
  • No need for prep time or recovery time from anesthesia
  • Reduced patient stress
  • Shortened procedure time
  • Faster recovery times

Dentists love using the Solea Laser because it cuts down on prep and recovery times, allowing them to help more patients in a day. Patients love this technology because it’s safe, effective, and worry-free. There’s never a reason to fear your appointments with Chloe Dental in Katy, TX, because Solea Laser technology makes quick, painless work of your procedures.

When you’re ready to learn more about laser fillings in Katy, TX, call Chloe Dental to schedule a consultation. At Chloe Dental, you’ll love the ease with which we get you in and out and back to your regularly scheduled day.

3 Things to Do Today to Lower Risks of Gum Disease

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While most people give a lot of focus to keeping their teeth healthy, one just as important aspect of your oral health is the periodontal tissue (gums) that supports your teeth. The gums support and protect your teeth, so they, too, must be aptly protected. Many people end up needing periodontal treatment in Houston, TX due to gum disease, but there may be ways to prevent the problem. Check out a few changes you can make today to lower your risk of gum disease.

Stop using tobacco products

People who smoke cigarettes are four to five times as likely to develop gum disease than people who do not. The risk is more profound the more you smoke. Even people who use smokeless tobacco are at risk of gum disease. If you are a smoker, quitting is always recommended for the betterment of your health, but this may also protect your gums.

Make sure you floss

Flossing your teeth when you brush every day is such a small task, but it is also an oral hygiene routine that is most neglected. When you floss, you are getting the small bits of debris and bacteria that hang out next to the gum line, which can help thwart the risks of bacterial growth and periodontal disease.

Invest in therapeutic mouthwash

Therapeutic mouthwash is specifically formulated with ingredients that can naturally lower the levels of bacteria you have in your mouth that can be related to gum disease. Look for products that are approved by the American Dental Association (ADA) and state that the product is anti-gingivitis.

Find Out About Gum Treatment in Houston, TX

Because your gums are a major player in your overall oral health and the appearance of your smile, it is ever-important to work with a Houston dentist to keep them healthy. If you have issues with your gums, reach out to us at Chloe Dental to schedule an appointment.

Is Dental Care Important for Patients with No Teeth?

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Research suggests that about 40 million individuals in the United States are completely edentulous, which means they have lost all of their permanent teeth. If you have lost all of your natural teeth, is dental care still important? Yes. Here is a look at why comprehensive dental care in Katy, TX is still important.

Oral Cancer Assessments

Risks for oral cancer can elevate as you get older, and those risks do remain even if you no longer have your natural teeth in place. The screenings for oral cancer are simple and can be done with a general oral health checkup.

Periodontal Health Exams

The periodontal tissue makes up a large portion of the oral cavity. While the common misconception is you don’t have to worry about your gums if you have no teeth, the opposite can be true; you may have more concerns to consider. Lesions, abscesses, injuries are more likely to affect the gingival tissue if you have no teeth to protect it.

Monitoring Bone Height Issues

Jaw bone height can naturally decline when teeth are pulled. If you wear dentures, retaining as much bone height as possible is important to make sure your dentures continue to work with your jaws. During oral health checkups, the dentist will examine bone height and look for signs of deterioration. If bone loss is detected, there may be solutions that can help.

Tend to Your Oral Health with the Help of a Katy Dentist

Your oral health is exceptionally important, even if you have lost your teeth. Plus, you may have a number of options available when it comes to smile restoration, such as dental implants in Katy, TX. If you would like to know more about taking care of your mouth, reach out to us at Chloe Dental to schedule an appointment.

What is Dental Implant Restoration?

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Dental implant restoration in Houston and Katy, TX is available for patients who need to replace a missing tooth. Dental implants consist of three essential components, but the visible result is an artificial tooth takes the place of the missing tooth. The implant itself is surgically placed inside the jawbone, where it holds in place a faux “root,” which replaces what used to be the tooth’s natural root. Then, a dental screw is installed in that dental implant, and the crown is installed atop that screw. The crown is the part that looks like the natural tooth.

What is Dental Implant Restoration?

Dental implant restoration is simply the process of restoring healthy teeth and gums with the use of dental implants. The restoration that is referred to has to do with the restoration of the smile, and the restoration of a correct bite in the patient’s mouth. Dental implants in Houston and Katy, TX are done on a frequent basis to help patients regain their smile and their confidence.

How Long is the Dental Implant Restoration Process?

When you get dental implants in Houston or Katy, Texas, your dentist will tell you all about the process so that you can be fully knowledgeable about what to expect. But in general, the dental implant restoration process is about the same with everyone. The most important thing to know is that it does not happen in one day like some other dental treatments. Multiple visits are needed over the course of several months. This is because the gums need to heal in between treatments. There may also be a need for some bone restoration, in which case the “resting period” may be even longer while you and your dentist wait for your bone growth to occur.

The final results with dental implant restoration are typically very amazing and transformative. Your dentist can restore and improve your smile and confidence with dental implants. Contact us today to learn more.

Top 5 Ways to Fix Teeth Discoloration

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Are your teeth not quite pearly or white? Don’t worry, we have five easy solutions to make your teeth whiter and brighter.

Did you know that one-third of Americans are unhappy with their smile? That statistic includes more than teeth discoloration but having yellow teeth was definitely a complaint from survey respondents.

Are you one of that 1/3? Have you tried or looked at trying commercial whitening strips in the past, but found them too expensive or inefficient? If yes — that’s because there are better ways to fix teeth discoloration, like by talking to your dentist about it.

Want to know what your dentist would suggest if you asked them about yellow teeth? Read about the dentist-approved methods below.

1. Reduce Consumption of Staining Foods

While you can’t go back and time and un-eat or un-drink all the things you’ve consumed in the past, you can prevent your teeth discoloration from getting worse. This is especially important if you use one of the more efficient teeth whitening methods below, as you’ll want to protect your investment.

Some of the worst foods that turn your pearly whites into yellowy whites are…

Black Coffee

The issue with coffee isn’t so much its dark color, but its high acidity. That acidity hurts your enamel, which, in turn, allows the color to discolor your teeth.

We’re not suggesting you stop drinking coffee. We know that’s unrealistic and mean to suggest. Instead, try adding a little more milk or creamer to your cup of joe. Milk and creamers (and some plant milk) have fats in them, which reduces the effect of the coffee’s acidity on your teeth.

Red Wine

Alas, it’s true. Dark wine can discolor your teeth if you drink enough of it. Instead of turning them yellow, however, they get a little blue. Just ask the French, who have this problem often.

If you’re going to keep drinking red wine, make sure to rinse by drinking water afterward and ask your dentist for a neutralizing mouthwash recommendation.

Cutting back on wine, coffee, and other foods that are bad for your teeth won’t retroactively whiten them, but they can help you keep your new teeth (see below) healthy for longer.

2. Get Regular Cleanings

It’s possible that you have naturally white teeth but that they’re hiding under all that plaque. Plaque is a substance that builds up on your teeth when you eat, drink, and just generally live your life.

It’s a film of bacteria that builds up and can be taken care of by regular brushing and flossing. If it builds up for too long or you’re not doing a good job brushing, it can cause tooth decay, discoloration, gum disease, and increased tartar build-up.

Plaque and tartar are what your hygienist removes from the cracks of your teeth when they use the scraping tool during cleanings.

If you’re thinking, “but I do brush my teeth!”, it’s possible you don’t brush them well. You should be brushing twice a day for 2 minutes each time.

Ask your hygienist or dentist if you’re missing a certain area of your teeth while brushing to improve your technique — no one is perfect, and they’ll respect you for asking!

3. Get a Professional Whitening Done

The most effective way to fix tooth decoloration, at least, without getting “new” teeth, is to get professional whitening done at your local dentist office.

Your dentist will prescribe a specific treatment strength and length for you, based on the types of teeth stains you have and your sensitivity levels. Those are two things you won’t get from at-home whitening kits, which are made to be much stronger than they need to be.

If you’ve ever used one, you probably remember having heightened sensitivity or even pain after going through a course of at-home whitening treatments. While in-clinic treatments aren’t perfect, they’re a lot less likely to cause you pain — during the treatment and after.

Think that getting your teeth professionally whitened will take too long? Our clinic prides itself on being fast and efficient, without losing quality. We’ll get it done as quickly as possible so you can get back to your day, with your teeth shining.

4. Veneers

Sometimes whitening isn’t the best option. Either it would take too many treatments to fix the types of teeth stains that are part of your tooth discoloration issues or you have sensitivity issues.

If that’s the case, look into getting veneers. They’ve come a long way since you heard about them (or even got them) as a child and the process is getting more pleasant.

If you have white stains on teeth, veneers are a better option than whitening, as whitening teeth can just make those stains whiter.

The veneers we use are custom porcelain, which we custom-shape to your teeth using CAD/CAM technology.

Additionally, the coating on our veneers is stain-resistant, so you don’t have to add that much milk or creamer to your coffee as we suggested above.

Are you dealing with more issues than just teeth discoloration? Veneers are multi-use. They can help create the appearance of closing gaps between teeth, reshape a crooked tooth without painful drilling, and aren’t as involved as getting dental implants (though those are sometimes necessary).

Veneers are something our dentists specialize in, so let the team know if you’re interested in them at your next appointment or by calling our office staff.

5. Full Mouth Restoration or Smile Makeover

Technically these are two different procedures, but people use the terms interchangeably. To clarify, a full-mouth restoration includes more than addressing cosmetic damage and may include dental implants, extensive dental work, and possibly surgery.

A smile makeover, on the other hand, is mostly cosmetic. It could include braces, teeth whitening, getting veneers , or a combination of the three.

Your dentist will help you decide which treatment is right for you based on your specific concerns. Call today to set up a quick consultation and squeeze in a cleaning while you’re at it — you know you’re due for one (most adults are).

Addressing Teeth Discoloration: The Root of the Problem

Part of fixing teeth discoloration is figuring out what made it possible in the first place. Of course, some age-related discoloration is normal, as our teeth age over time.

But if you think your teeth are more yellow or you have more teeth discoloration than other people your age, talk to your dentist about it. They can help you whiten your smile and keep it from getting re-discolored after treatment.

Ready to book an appointment? Call now.