Oral Health
Benefits of Good Oral Health
Do you want your smile to sparkle forever? By practicing proper oral health, you can keep your pearly whites healthy and feel great about your appearance.
Keeping your mouth clean and free of disease is vital to maintaining your oral health. Good dental hygiene can also prevent bad breath and help you maintain your overall health.
Tips for Maintaining Good Oral Health
To protect your oral health, practice good oral hygiene every day. Here are some tips to help you keep your teeth and gums healthy:
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste
- Floss daily
- Eat a healthy diet and limit between-meal snacks
- Replace your toothbrush every three to four months or sooner if bristles are frayed
- Schedule regular dental checkups and cleanings
- Avoid tobacco use
If you have any questions or concerns about your oral health, call our office at 843-281-0181. At North Myrtle Beach Dentistry we believe that taking care of your oral health is an investment in your overall health.
Fluoride
Fluoride is a mineral that occurs naturally in many foods and especially tap water. This mineral helps prevent tooth decay by making the tooth more resistant to acid attacks from plaque and sugars in the mouth. It attracts other minerals and strengthens tooth enamel.
Gentle Professional Cleanings
People over the age of four or five should visit their dentist for a professional teeth cleaning at least twice a year. To maintain oral health, it is very important that you stay current on the condition of your teeth so that if problems are detected, they can be treated early to avoid developing more serious issues.
At North Myrtle Beach Dentistry, we provide comfortable, gentle teeth cleanings, specifically to detect, deter and prevent gum disease. If we find a cause for concern, we may recommend a deep gum cleaning to remove tartar below the gum line, smooth out surfaces where plaque builds up and eliminate bacterial infection.
Mouth Guards
Custom-fit mouth guards are prescribed and created by a dental professional from thermoplastic material and are based on a detailed mold taken of your mouth and teeth. They can be made for either sports or for nighttime teeth grinding and are created differently depending on the intended use. They're highly personalized, as your dentist can adjust the thickness of the mouth guard, and they're designed to fit perfectly in your mouth with no adjustments needed.
Night Guards
If you’re experiencing chronic headaches and migraines because of involuntary night-time teeth clenching, let North Myrtle Beach Dentistry help you with a night guard. A night guard is a thin, transparent device that is worn over the biting surface of your teeth while you sleep to prevent contact between the upper and lower teeth. Night guards have also proven to be an effective remedy for patients who are suffering from the effects of grinding and clenching their teeth while sleeping.
Oral Cancer Screening
The dental community is the first line of defense in early detection of oral cancer. The goal of oral cancer screenings is to detect mouth cancer or precancerous lesions that may lead to mouth cancer at an early stage when cancer or lesions are easiest to remove and most likely to be cured. When found at the early stages of development, oral cancers have an 80-90% survival rate. Early detection is imperative!