Access Dental: July 2017

Thursday, July 27, 2017

The Effects of Thumb Sucking

A common habit for many children is to find comfort in sucking their thumb or other fingers. About 90% of children between two and four years of age suck their thumbs. Although this is normal for this age range, it can start to impact your child's teeth and mouth composition if this habit continues on to older ages. The best dentist is Springfield, MO is here help point out the common thumb sucking tendencies, as well as some ways to help wean your child away from this habit.

Normal Thumb Sucking Tendencies

While your child is under the age of four, it is not uncommon for him or her to be attached to sucking their thumb. Many children will start doing this as soon as they are born. It is a self-soothing method that develops while still in the womb. It can be a security action and help to reduce any anxiety the child may have. While this is a very common habit for a child to display, it may be hard to break the older they get.

Impacts of this Oral Habit

By the age of four to five, a child may go to the habit of sucking his or her thumb for a number of reasons. Whether it's boredom or simply second nature by that point, there are damaging effects of thumb sucking. As your child's mouth and jaw develop, it can possibly damage permanent teeth as they continue to grow. With misalignment of the teeth growing in and even changes in the palate, your child's bite may be impacted as they grow older. Teeth can be pushed around by continuous thumb sucking, as well as the chance of developing a lisp. Aside from structural damage to the mouth, your child may be allowing more germs to enter his or her mouth by sucking on a thumb or fingers.

How to Discourage Thumb Sucking

Trying to break the thumb sucking habit in your child may be difficult. It's okay if they resist at first, but be persistent with your methods. Try to use positive reinforcement instead of nagging or punishing your child. This can lead to stress in your child, which may lead to more thumb sucking. Another tip is to discuss the reasons why thumb sucking is bad at a certain point. Try to explain the long term effects of this habit to your child. Some kids will suck on their thumbs or fingers as a stress reliever, try to narrow down the source of stress for your child and work to eliminate the habit in that way.

When it comes to parenting, there are a wide range of concerns about children. Thumb sucking may be just one of the things you have to worry about as your child grows older. It's important to practice the correct techniques to sway your child away from sucking on his or her thumb. If you have tried to put a stop to this detrimental habit without success, contact the Access Dental and Dentures location nearest you. We would be happy to take a look at your child's teeth and let you know some helpful tips to solve any dental issues in Southern Missouri that may arise, due to your child's thumb sucking habit.

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile!

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Springfield Office Rolla Office Osage Beach Office Mountain Grove Office
(417) 501-1048 (573) 426-5447 (573) 348-1466 (417) 926-1160
1701 West Sunshine 416 S. Bishop Ave. 4320 Osage Beach Pkwy 921 N. Main St.

Springfield, MO 65807 Rolla, MO 65401 Osage Beach, MO. 65065 Mountain Grove

Thursday, July 20, 2017

7 EASY Tips to Improve Bad Breath

Did you know halitosis is a another name for bad breath? A foul odor that emanates from the mouth can cause embarrassment and even frustration for many. While it's not a major emergency, about 25% - 30% of the population suffer from this problem. Here at Access Dental and Dentures, we get asked if there are any solutions for bad breath. If you are one of these people who have noticed frequent bad breath, it's time to take action. Take a look at the points provided below, by the best dentist in southern MO, to learn how you can combat this issue.

1) Brush at Least Twice a Day

It's important for your overall oral health to brush your teeth twice a day. If you notice the appearance of bad breath, you may consider brushing after every meal. This can help remove any food particles and germs that may gather in your mouth, between meals. If twice a day isn't cutting it, consider increasing the frequency of your daily brushing.

2) Floss Once a Day

Flossing each day is vital to cleaning hard to reach spaces in your mouth. It can also help to remove food particles and bacteria that hides in your mouth. This bacteria and food can sit in your mouth and react with your saliva, to create a foul odor. To reduce the chance of this, floss at least once a day!

3) Add Mouthwash to Your Routine

Mouthwash is a quick and effective way to freshen your breath. While brushing and flossing can clean your tooth surface and in between, mouthwash can help to clean your entire mouth. For a fresh feel to start the day (or anytime throughout), consider adding mouthwash to your daily oral care routine.

4) Frequently Replace Your Toothbrush

If you suffer from bad breath, it may help to replace your toothbrush or toothbrush head every few months. While a toothbrush is helpful to clean your tooth surface, it can also fill up with germs and bacteria. To reduce the chance of this bacteria from entering back into your mouth, change your toothbrush on a regular basis.

5) Scrape Your Tongue

Many times bad breath can be worse in the mornings. Each morning try to scrape your tongue to free any bacteria and other particles from the surface. This can help decrease the bacteria, fungi, and dead cells that cause bad odor in the mouth. Try to scrape off the entire surface of your tongue, for best results.

6) Eat a Citrus Fruit

A piece of lemon or orange can help to freshen your breath. A burst of flavor can help to wake up the mouth too. The citric acid will also stimulate the salivary glands to help fight off bad breath. Keep in mind citrus fruits can wear down the tooth's enamel, so don't try this trick on a regular basis.

7) Drink Plenty of Water

Along with helping with a number of health conditions, bad breath can be improved by drinking the right amount of water. Swish cool water around in your mouth in order to help freshen morning time bad breath. Keeping your mouth hydrated can help the oral functions to work properly.

Now that you've hopefully learned a new technique to reduce the occurrence of bad breath, you're ready to make improvements. If you've tried a number of ways to cure your bad breath, it's time to ask for help. During your next dental visit in southern MO, ask our friendly staff for suggestions. We can help you find the right solution for your bad breath issue. Gain confidence in social situations with fresh breath!

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile!

Springfield, MO 65807 Rolla, MO 65401 Osage Beach, MO. 65065 Mountain Grove

Friday, July 14, 2017

Interesting Facts About Those Pearly Whites

Oral care should be a vital part of your daily routine. From brushing twice each day to flossing at least once per day, there are a number of ways to improve your teeth. Once adult teeth come in, this is the only set you will have - our goal is to help them last a lifetime. Whether you're having dental issues or simple want to schedule a routine check up, the best dentist in Springfield, MO is here for you! We want to help you achieve your oral care goals! In the mean time, check out these fun facts about teeth, provided below by Access Dental and Dentures.

1) Humans only have 2 sets of teeth in their lifetime... baby teeth and permanent teeth.

2) 38.5 days is how long the average person spends brushing their teeth over an entire lifetime.

3) Oral health is linked to a number of other diseases, like heart disease.

4) Milk can help a tooth last longer, should it get knocked out

5) 25,000 quarts of saliva is produced in your mouth over a lifetime - two swimming pools can be filled with that amount!

6) Incisors, canine, premolars, and molars are all the types of teeth found in the human mouth. These different kinds help us cut, tear, and grind food.

7) Sets of teeth are like fingerprints, no two people have the same.

8) 1/3 of the tooth surface is underneath your gums - that's why it's especially important to floss below the gum line!

9) Milk teeth or baby teeth will start to form before a child is even born.

10) The enamel coating is the hardest surface in the entire body and helps to protect your pearly whites.

11) 40% of your tooth surface is missed, if you don't floss.

12) If 3+ glasses of soda are consumed each day, an individual will have 62% more tooth decay.

13) Dental plaque has over 300 types of bacteria.

14) Tree twigs were used as the first toothbrushes. The tips were chewed up to spread out the fibers and used to clean the teeth.

15) A single can of soda can contain about 10-12 teaspoons of sugar!

Hopefully you've learned some fun facts about your pearly whites in today's blog! While oral care is a serious subject, we like to make it FUN too. If you're looking for a great place to help with your oral care needs, Access Dental & Dentures is the place for you! From routine check ups to dental emergency care, our dental office in southern Missouri provides quality care, from quality people!

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile!

Springfield, MO 65807 Rolla, MO 65401 Osage Beach, MO. 65065 Mountain Grove

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Fun Tools to Clean Your Teeth

While there are oral care basics that should be accomplished each and every day, it can be fun to spice your oral care routine up with new gadgets. Whether you prefer an electric toothbrush or one of these fun tools, it's a great idea to find the right oral care devices for your wants and needs. Your trusted dentist in southern Missouri is here for all of your oral care needs! Today's blog goes further in depth with some new tools that are on the market place.

Water Pick

Spraying small bursts of water between your teeth, a water pick is a great device to help clean deeper than brushing alone. Many people with braces find water picks to help clean between their dental appliances and hard to reach spaces in their mouth. It's important to keep food and other germ build up off the tooth surface and a water pick can help do just that!

Clean Betweeners

With small, usually colorful, sticks or picks, you can make flossing a little more fun. It looks like a pick with a small piece of pipe cleaner on the end - helpful for removing food particles. You simply slide the clean betweener flossing tool between each set of teeth and wiggle it back and forth. This helps to remove any food particles and bacteria that may be hiding in these dark places of your mouth.

Tongue Scraper

An unwashed or brushed tongue can be the cause of bad breath for many people. The scraper helps to reduce the amount of bacteria that causes bad breath. You simply scrape the tongue scraper across your tongue which helps it remove bacteria and other particles that may build up on the tongue surface.

Fun Flossers

If you need a convenient way to floss on the go, flossers are for you. The small pick splits toward one end with a piece of sturdy floss strung between the two ends. This helps to get into those hard to reach spaces between your teeth with ease. It's a great item to have with you when traveling or out and about during the day. If you get a little bit of food stuck between your teeth, you don't have to wait until you get home to remove the pesky piece of food.

Now that you've seen a few of the unique and interesting ways to clean your entire mouth, it's time to see if any of these will work for you. Whether you want to get your kids excited about oral care or need to step up your own game, make brushing and flossing fun! While it's important to stick with the basics of brushing twice and flossing once each day - you may as well have a good time while you take care of your teeth! Access Dental and Dentures encourages you to find what works with your oral care routine and go for it! As long as you're cleaning your tooth surface and in between your teeth, we're happy you are keeping up with your oral care routine.

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile!

Springfield, MO 65807 Rolla, MO 65401 Osage Beach, MO. 65065 Mountain Grove