Your very last molars, or wisdom teeth, are the final set to appear in your mouth. While some people’s back molars come in with no problems, the majority of teens and adults don’t have enough room in their mouth to accommodate the extra teeth. Unfortunately, this leads to issues with crowding, and your wisdom teeth may be impacted or unable to grow completely through the gums. Pain, swelling, and cavities near the gum line are just a few symptoms that may lead to a need for removal. Fortunately, most problems that come from wisdom teeth quickly go away once the teeth are removed, and you can use these strategies to prepare for your recovery.

Prepare for the Procedure

Wisdom teeth removal recovery is affected by your current state of health at the time of the procedure. For this reason, your dentist may recommend that you make lifestyle changes before your appointment. For instance, quitting smoking helps to improve blood flow to the soft tissues of your mouth that promotes faster healing. Make sure to eat a nutritious meal and get a good night’s rest before your appointment so that your body is ready to begin healing immediately after your wisdom teeth are extracted.

Plan to Eat Soft Foods

Most people feel better within just a couple of days after their wisdom tooth procedure. However, you still need to take precautions as you eat to avoid harming the removal site. Typically, you will need to stick to a liquid or soft food diet during the first 24 hours after your surgery, and you should avoid certain foods until the area is healed such as extremely hot items that could cause a burn near the extraction site.

Address Pain and Discomfort

The truth is that most people have some degree of pain and discomfort after wisdom teeth extractions. Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to ease this part of your wisdom teeth removal recovery. For instance, your dentist may prescribe pain relievers that also reduce the inflammation. Some people often find it helpful to hold a cold pack on the outside of their cheeks to alleviate pain and swelling.

Promote Wound Healing

The soft tissues of your mouth heal rather quickly provided that you take care of the extraction site. Once the teeth are removed, your body forms a clot in the hole left behind. This clot is necessary for healing, and you will need to follow special instructions to keep it from getting dislodged. Make sure to abstain from activities that generate suction in your mouth such as smoking, drinking from straws, or vigorously slurping as you eat. In addition to these temporary lifestyle changes, keep an eye out for warning signs of a potential problem with the extraction site such as increasing pain or continued bleeding beyond the first day. This way, you can report the problem to your dentist and get prompt treatment that helps you stay on track for a healthy recovery. At Mountain View Dental, we believe that recovering from dental procedures should always be comfortable. Give us a call today with your questions about wisdom teeth removal so that we can help you make the best decisions for your oral health.

Digital dental x-rays can improve the quality of your dental care, and you can get one done at Mountain View Dental. Here’s what you need to know about them:

How Do They Work?

In order to understand how they work, you first need to understand how x-ray machines in general work. X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation, and unlike visible light, this radiation is able to pass through soft tissue. Bones reflect more of the radiation, and this makes them visible to your dentist. While traditional x-rays use film to capture the image, digital dental x rays use a sensor that’s hooked up to a computer. A thin wire is used to connect the sensor to the computer.

What Makes Them Better Than Conventional Dental X-Rays?

You’re Less Likely To Experience Side Effects

You are exposed to radiation when you get an x-ray, and this can be harmful in rare cases. In fact, frequent exposure to x-rays can lead to cancer, and there is even a small risk of short-term side effects. However, digital x-rays produce a far smaller amount of radiation than conventional x-rays. As a result, digital x-rays are safer, and they are designed to expose the body to only 10 percent of the radiation that typical x-rays do.

You’ll Find Them More Comfortable

Traditional x-rays can be quite uncomfortable, and this is especially true with certain machines. It’s necessary to bite down on papers, and this can cut the inside of the mouth. Also, this can result in jaw cramps and difficulty biting down on the piece of paper. Not only that, but you’ll also have to put on a lead bib. However, you won’t have any of these problems with a digital dental x-ray! That’s because you don’t have to bite down on paper at all, and instead, you bite down on a sensor placed in the front of the mouth.

You’re Likely To Have Better Results

You’ll have the result of your digital dental x-ray in three seconds or so, and the image is often of better quality. Furthermore, it is easier for your dentist to manipulate the images, and this can allow them to get a much better view of your teeth.

They’re Beneficial For The Environment

Traditional x-rays require chemicals that can cause environmental damage, but these chemicals are not used to produce digital dental x-rays. Also, there is no need to dispose of film paper.

Call Mountain View Dental Today For Your Digital Dental X-Ray

Not only is it easy to get in touch with us to make an appointment or ask questions, but our office is exceptionally comfortable and our staff consists of highly competent professionals. Visit our contact page on our website or call 385-324-3557 for an appointment!

Who should worry about healthy teeth brushing? Well, everyone should focus on oral hygiene. There are a variety of healthy brushing routines you can use to develop good dental hygiene. You should brush your teeth two to three times per day because this will eliminate plaque build-up and keep your teeth feeling and looking great. Also, your teeth are a direct correlation to your heart health. So brushing is not only good for oral hygiene but your heart health as well. Brushing can be boring at times, but if you make it a habit you will not even realize you’re doing it.

Brushing

Brushing is a very healthy habit and will allow you to keep your teeth for a longer time. It doesn’t matter the type of toothbrush you use, although sometimes long-picked toothbrushes are helpful for some. Another benefit of brushing is just having whiter teeth; this is always good for your confidence and well-being. Teeth should be maintained like any other body part, and brushing is its exercise.

Flossing

Remember, flossing is also a huge benefit in addition to brushing. These two in conjunction can take your dental health to the next level. While brushing should be done two to three times per day, flossing is okay to be done once a day.

Cleaning Your Tongue

While brushing your teeth, you should take care to gently brush your tongue as well. This is because there are bacteria present on your tongue. It is very common for people to forget to brush their tongue, but it is important for your oral hygiene.

Time of Day to Brush

Brushing before bed is probably the most important time to brush. If you skip this step, plaque has more time to build overnight. Also, consider using the mouthwash to finish the job.

Other Habits to Consider

What are some other healthy teeth habits? You should consider what you are putting on your teeth and try limiting sugary foods. These can stay on your teeth and lead to tooth decay. Aside from sugar, you should also consider if you are getting the right amount of calcium intake. Calcium can be beneficial to the strength of your teeth and has great properties for dental health. In addition, while brushing two to three times per day is great for your dental health, you don’t want to over brush because this can become harmful on your teeth as well as your gums. Following these recommended teeth brushing habits will help you develop good oral hygiene. If you are in need of a new dentist to clean your teeth, please check out Mountain View Dental and their comfortable and professional office. Feel free to call 385-324-3557 with any questions or to schedule an appointment!

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