At our dental office in Greenwood, we know that coming in to see us is certainly not at the top of anyone’s list of “fun things to do this summer”. Fortunately, there are many patients who have learned the benefits of coming in at least bi-annually to have their teeth examined and cleaned. Our focus today, however, is on the larger part of the population that find themselves wanting to visit the dentist but constrained by their own dental anxiety. Dental anxiety is a fear of dentists, a condition which is found in both children and adults. Statistically, anywhere between 9% and 20% of patients that visit a dentist suffer from anxiety. This anxiety has many causes, including concerns of what the dentist might find during the examination and the need for additional treatments to ensure that teeth are completely healthy.

The stress that folks feel in a dental office ranges from mild anxiety to severe panic which is probably why there are so many people that will simply avoid coming in for the treatment they need. In fact, 26% of Americans admit that they need dental care, or that getting dental treatment would help them to live a fuller life with healthier teeth and improved oral health. The same people also state that they will not visit a dentist unless it is an emergency because they are overcome by their dental fear. Knowing that there are literally millions of people who fall into this category, we are determined to become a catalyst for change right here in Greenwood. Our friendly dental office in Greenwood has come up with three simple things that you can do that will help you mitigate some of these fears. While you may never fully overcome them, our goal is to provide you with tools that can allow you to get the treatment you need with as little stress as possible.

How our dental office in Greenwood can help you to overcome some of your dental anxiety –

To overcome any anxiety, you have to first know what exactly it is that you are afraid of. Dental anxiety is no exception to that rule. For too many people, dental anxiety is an overarching fear of dentists that increases as they age. However, the reality is that there is usually something specific that you are afraid of like the needles, a fear of pain, or a fear of loss of control. When we identify what you are afraid of it becomes much easier to isolate and work with or around this fear. The second step is education. The more you understand about what we are doing, and the incredible steps we take at our dental office in Greenwood to ensure your safety and comfort, the less likely you are to have anxiety. Finally, regularity and familiarity are important. While this may seem hard to do, the best way to overcome you anxiety is to schedule a non-invasive cleaning and examination at least once every 6 months. This will allow you to become familiar with our dental office, staff, and the equipment we use, without needing any major dental work done.  If you still have anxiety, we can discuss the sedation options that we offer.

When you are considering making dental improvements, you should visit a dentist for teeth whitening in Greenwood before you make any further decisions. Many patients prematurely decide to have cosmetic dental procedures done, when all they really need is a thorough professional dental cleaning and a teeth whitening. The results of a deep clean and teeth bleaching will improve your smile greatly and could be all the dental improvements you want once you realize the difference it makes. We can save you money and time with a professional teeth whitening in Greenwood.

Where can I go for a teeth whitening treatment in Greenwood?

Look no further. We can offer you the most affordable and efficient routes to whiter teeth. Our teeth whitening treatments involve professional-grade bleaching agents that will get the job done faster and also provide quality results. The results you receive from our office will be much more immediate and lasting than if you were to use a store-bought teeth whitening product.

What is the benefit of visiting a dentist for teeth whitening in Greenwood?

When you visit our dentist office for your teeth whitening, you will know that:

• you are getting the best teeth whitening product with the longest lasting results,
• you are following the right treatment plan for your needs,
• you are not endangering your dental enamel,
• you will not experience sensitivities, and
• you are in good hands that can keep an eye on your teeth roots and dental health throughout the whitening process.

What causes teeth staining?

Most yellowing or discoloration is due to surface stains that appear naturally as you age, eat and drink, and use your teeth in daily life. Some staining is enhanced due to smoking and other tobacco use. More severe discoloration under your enamel can be caused by the use of certain medications, the use of fluoride in childhood, or a dental injury that caused lasting damage. These are just a few of the many possibilities why your teeth have been stained. When you visit our office for a whitening consultation, we can check over your teeth and determine the main reasons for your individual staining. We will also be able to provide you with the best teeth whitening treatment plan for your needs, whether it is an in-office treatment or at-home regimen.

Will teeth whitening in Greenwood cause sensitivity?

If you experience any sensitivity, it will be very mild, and we can help you combat the discomfort. We can provide you with the necessary desensitizing toothpaste that will also help to strengthen your enamel, so you do not experience future discomfort. Our teeth whitening treatments are completely safe, so any sensitivity you experience should not be cause for alarm.

When you visit our dentist office for teeth whitening in Greenwood, you will know you are in the best, most experienced hands. We have made our teeth whitening services into a developed art that will leave you with beautifully whitened teeth that look healthy and natural.

As a provider of dental exams in Greenwood, we are passionate about the oral health of our patients and the lifetime of their teeth.  Other areas of your body may not require regular medical care unless there is a problem.  Other than routine screenings, most people can go years without visiting their doctor.  Your oral health is entirely different.  Regular dental visits are essential for ensuring that you have no problems down the road.  Without ongoing dental care, it is highly likely that you will get cavities, gum disease, and potentially lose your teeth.  These are all worst case scenarios and things we work to prevent on a regular basis.

Dental Care and Education

When you visit our office for dental exams in Greenwood, we will take the time to discuss your habits and your health in order to provide you with the information you need.  Our goal is to educate you about what you can do at home to promote healthy teeth and gums.  This may include showing you how to brush your teeth properly, discussing dietary changes, and suggesting a particular toothpaste based on your situation.  If your current dental provider does not offer these educational opportunities, we invite you to schedule an exam with our office.

Dental Care for Your Health

When you come in for dental exams in Greenwood, you are taking an important step in keeping your teeth and gums healthy. During your appointment, we will clean your teeth and remove harmful plaque and tartar buildup. Cleanings are critical to your lifelong oral health – plaque buildup can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.  While cavities are a primary concern, gum disease can often be far worse. When plaque and tartar become trapped under the gums, they irritate them, lead to swelling, redness, bleeding and eventually – gum recession.  As the gums recede more of the tooth structure and roots are exposed and prone to attack.  This can lead to serious infection and even bone loss. The combination of bone loss and infection will often lead to loose teeth.  Gum disease is a compounding problem and visiting our office will help to prevent it.

Screenings

When you visit us for dental exams in Greenwood, we take another important step.  We will examine your mouth and look for signs of oral cancer.  As with any cancer, the earlier you detect and treat it, the better chances you have of beating it. Some of the common signs of oral cancer are hard lumps, red and white bumps, and rough patches that do not go away.  It is difficult, if not impossible to truly examine your own mouth so we are the first line of defense for most of our patients.  If you smoke, use chewing tobacco, or have the HPV virus, you are at a greater risk for the disease. Regular dental screenings are necessary for early detection. To schedule yours, call our office today.

As a kids’ dentist in Greenwood, we are aware that treating children poses a unique set of challenges and demands a unique set of skills. Children have mouths and jaws that are still growing while we are treating them. Despite this, the most challenging thing we face does not come from children or their growing teeth. The most difficult thing about being a kids’ dentist in Greenwood, or anywhere in the world for that matter, is a misunderstanding among children’s parents about the importance of early dental care. We prefer to see a child after they have turned three, so they are entering preschool with excellent oral health. Parents tend to be very diligent when it comes to the medical care of their children, but are unaware of their oral health needs. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), less than two-thirds of children aged two to four visited a dentist in the last year. In that same age group, the majority did visit a pediatrician. As a direct result of this lack of focus on oral health compared to physical health, we see ever-increasing numbers of pediatric dental disease, also known as childhood tooth decay. In children between the ages of two and five, decay occurs in at least 25 percent of children. For older demographics, between the ages of 12 and 15, that number rises to 50 percent.

Good Oral Health Is Important for School

As your kids’ dentist in Greenwood, the best advice we can give you is to start your child early and make sure you bring them in regularly for cleaning and checkups. There are too many school hours lost across the country from children who have to get emergency dental work done or restorative work. It may be surprising, but we lose 2.26 million school days every year to these procedures. However, we have found that for every $1 spent at your kids’ dentist in Greenwood on preventative dental work, you save approximately $50 later on restorative or emergency dental care. This is a tremendous savings, and that’s not even taking into account the amount of discomfort you will be saving your child from by dealing with problems before they become painful. You can prevent most oral health problems by following a simple rule of 2-2-2.

The 2-2-2 rule goes like this: make sure that you are brushing or supervising the brushing of, your children’s teeth at least two times per day. Each brushing should be a minimum of two minutes in length using a fluoride toothpaste, and you should bring your child to a kids’ dentist in Greenwood at least two times per year. We also recommend you feed them a mouth healthy diet that includes lean protein, green leafy vegetables, dairy products, and nuts. Avoiding foods high in sugar or starch will help to reduce their risk of getting cavities, as will drinking plenty of water throughout the day.

As a family dentist in Greenwood, we treat patients with a variety of oral health problems. The first thing we do is identify what the problem is, create a plan for treating it, and then help our patients prevent the problem from reoccurring. This involves educating our patients about what they can do to improve their oral health. Very often, this involves debunking popular myths so we can set them on the path toward habits that are genuinely healthy, not just perceived to be. With that in mind, here are a few common oral health myths we hear.

Myth – Only older men get oral cancer.

As a family dentist in Greenwood, we know that men over the age of fifty are at the greatest risk of getting oral cancer, but they are not the only ones. Oral cancer impacts men and women of all ages, claiming one life a day. People who smoke, use chewing tobacco, drink a lot of alcohol, are exposed to too much sun, or have the HPV virus are at great risk for developing the condition. If you fall into any of these categories, we encourage you to have an oral cancer screening on an annual basis.

Myth – Adults who did not get cavities as a child will not get them as adults.

If this were true, there would be fewer adults with cavities. While your past oral health can be an indicator of future health trends, this does not preclude you from getting cavities now. You still need to eat a healthy diet, brush your teeth two to three times a day with a fluoride toothpaste, floss daily, and visit our office for a bi-annual teeth cleaning. As a family dentist in Greenwood, we can help your teeth to remain healthy so you will not get cavities in the future.

Myth – It is safe to whiten teeth with a lemon.

Nope. If you use a lemon to whiten your teeth, it will brighten them, but also hurt them. Lemons are highly acidic, and any time you apply acid directly to your teeth, it can lead to the erosion of your enamel. The enamel is the hard outer layer of the tooth, and you only have a limited amount of it. Once the enamel is gone, your teeth can become overly sensitive. There is no reason to take this risk since you can have your teeth whitened at our office. As a family dentist in Greenwood, we can do so in a way that is safe and effective.

Myth – Root canals are only for infected teeth.

We also perform root canals when a root become damaged. This can happen due to grinding your teeth at night, being in an accident, or having too much dental work done in quick succession. We encourage you to be careful with your teeth, but if you ever do need a root canal, we can complete it quickly and without causing you irritation.