Tooth Tips For Traveling

General Dentistry

Harris Dental Tooth Tips For Traveling

If you will be leaving on an extended trip, make sure it won’t interfere with any dental needs.

It’s always a good idea to have a checkup with your dentist prior to leaving on long vacations, especially if your trip is taking you to developing areas without adequate dental care options. This quick exam will help you be sure that your mouth is ready to travel.

Are You Having Dental Work Prior to Your Trip?

Another important consideration; if you have any dental procedures scheduled before you leave, discuss them with your dentist. Much dental care is actually surgical procedures. This means that your body will need more time to heal than you may realize.

Oral Surgery and Air Travel

Also, if you’re leaving by plane, you should be aware that changes in cabin pressure may cause tooth pain or discomfort for individuals who have just had oral surgery.

In addition, make sure you are aware of any necessary follow-up appointments with your dentist or orthodontist before you schedule a vacation.

Dental Tips for Traveling

Many men and women put their toothbrushes in plastic containers for traveling. If your container isn’t ventilated, be sure to give your toothbrush some air every day. If it never dries out, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria.

If you don’t trust water safety at your hotel or other accommodations, you will probably buy bottled water to drink. If that’s the case, use bottled water to brush your teeth. If the tap water is contaminated, you don’t want it in your mouth.

Also, stock up on sugarless or Xylitol gum in case you find yourself in a situation where you can’t brush your teeth. Chewing gum stimulates saliva which neutralizes the acid in your mouth.

If you are looking for general dental care or quality cosmetic dentistry in the Phoenix area, please call us today and talk to our patient-oriented staff to schedule a consultation or examination.

Contact Harris Dental:

480-428-0040

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

4444 N 32 St Ste 208
Phoenix, Arizona
85018

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Don’t Like Dental Visits? Go Anyway.

General Dentistry

Helping Phoenix Love Dental Visits

It’s no secret that many Phoenix residents dread going to the dentist. Whether they associate dental visits with shame, pain, or financial drain, they avoid it at all costs.

See Your Dentist Regularly to Avoid Painful Oral Problems

However, consider the fact that by seeing your dentist regularly, you can skip dental procedures like fillings and root canals.

Though it sounds backward, the truth is that you avoid dental pain by seeing your dentist regularly–even if you hate dental visits.

Oral Health Improves Your Quality of Life

In today’s message, let’s concentrate on the big picture. We want to make the case that twice-yearly dental visits and following your dentist’s counsel is essential for a high quality of life.

If you have naturally healthy teeth, you may not value your amazing good fortune. After all, you can eat whatever you want. You aren’t embarrassed by stained, chipped, or missing teeth. Tooth pain doesn’t interrupt your sleep.

Lucky people with great teeth may do fine with limited dental treatment in their twenties and thirties. What we’ve observed, though, is that eventually avoiding exams and cleanings catches up with you.

Do You Have Risk Factors for Oral Problems?

This is especially true for people with dental risk factors. These include smoking, recreational drug use, severe alcohol consumption, negligent oral hygiene, teeth grinding, poor eating habits or crooked teeth. Notice that some of these things are a conscious choice, and others, like crooked teeth or teeth grinding, may be unavoidable. Regardless, most people who forego dental exams and cleanings eventually experience oral problems.

Gum Disease is The #1 Cause of Tooth Loss in U.S. Adults

The first thing that may come to your mind is tooth decay. While this is a problem for some middle-aged individuals, it’s actually not the most common dental malady. Gum disease earns the dubious honor as the top cause of tooth loss in U.S. adults.

We Welcome Nervous Dental Patients

If you have neglected your oral care needs, we invite you to make an appointment at Harris Dental. After all, we specialize in making the dental treatment comfortable for nervous patients or those who are self-conscious about the status of their oral health. If you are looking for compassionate dental care, Harris Dental is here for you. Oral conscious sedation is perfectly safe and there are several levels of sedation, so you don’t have to be out cold if you don’t want to be.

Let’s Restore Your Dental Health

At Harris Dental we have so many advanced materials at our disposal to make your smile as beautiful and healthy as it can be. Dental crowns, veneers, implants, teeth whitening, bonding, inlays and onlays, and short-term braces are some of the most popular dentistry procedures in and around Phoenix.

Dental Care at Harris Dental is Convenient and Affordable

Many Phoenix residents are surprised to find that most of these procedures are more convenient than they supposed and more affordable than they expected.

Meet Dr. Harris

I’m Dr. Harris of Harris Dental and I want to help you love dental visits and love your smile. I’ve practiced dentistry since 1979, and I find it especially rewarding when patients find renewed confidence after a smile makeover.

At my Phoenix practice, we offer general dentistry, Invisalign clear braces, and sedation dentistry. If you have any questions, the patient-oriented staff here at Harris Dental would be happy to answer them and schedule an appointment to see how we can improve your life by improving your dental health.

Contact Harris Dental:

480-428-0040

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

4444 N 32 St Ste 208
Phoenix, Arizona
85018

 

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What is Dental Sleep Medicine?

General Dentistry Sleep apnea

dental sleep medicine Phoenix

What is dental sleep medicine?

It’s a relatively new branch of dentistry that treats sleep apnea and other sleep-related breathing problems.

Don’t confuse dental sleep medicine with dental sedation or sleep dentistry. Dental sleep medicine treats sleep apnea.

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a malady where you have frequent, intermittent pauses in breathing while sleeping. These pauses can last for up to 60 seconds. They are caused by soft tissue in the back of the throat that relaxes and obstructs the airway. When the brain is not getting enough oxygen it hinders important physical processes.

There are three different types of sleep apnea. They are categorized by the cause of the cessation of breathing. Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition where your throat muscles relax. Central sleep apnea occurs when your brain doesn’t send proper signals to control your breathing. The final type is called complex sleep apnea syndrome. This serious form occurs when a patient has both of the other apnea types.

How do I know if I have sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea must be diagnosed by a medical doctor. If you have several of the following symptoms, we encourage you to see a doctor that specializes in sleep disorders.

  • Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
  • Insomnia
  • Sleep Deprivation
  • Excessive Snoring
  • Episodes of Not Breathing
  • Mouth Breathing
  • Dry Mouth/Throat
  • Fatigue
  • Frequent Headaches
  • Irritability

How does a sleep apnea dentist treat sleep apnea?

Dentists use oral appliance therapy to treat obstructive sleep apnea. Patients wear a custom-fitted removable oral appliance at night. The appliance fits somewhat like a sports mouthguard.

How does an oral appliance work?

An oral appliance restricts your airway from collapsing. It either holds the tongue or jaw in a forward position.

Does an oral appliance work as well as a CPAP machine?

It depends on the severity of the condition and other variables specific to the patient. Many patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea benefit from OAT.

What are the advantages of OAT over CPAP?

Some individuals find the device more comfortable. It’s smaller and easier to clean than a CPAP system. Patients who suffer from claustrophobia often prefer OAT. Patients who move around a lot when they sleep can get twisted up in the CPAP tube. And a small, portable device that is easier to travel with.

If you have been diagnosed with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea and are interested in OAT, give us a call at the number below.

Contact Harris Dental:

480-428-0040

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

4444 N 32 St Ste 208
Phoenix, Arizona
85018

 

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Gently Now (Protect Your Gums When You Brush)

Dental health General Dentistry Gum disease

cosmetic dentistry PhoenixEveryone wants nice, pearly whites so, naturally, we should brush our teeth more, right? The only dilemma with that is many people brush their teeth too aggressively, leading to gum recession.  You don’t want that.

Gum recession is when your gum line exposes more of your teeth, or in severe cases, your tooth root. It leads to a pocket of space between your teeth and gum line.  Decay-causing bacteria can grow and fester in that pocket. This leads to serious issues down the line. Even tooth loss.

Longer or Harder?

A common fallacy we hear occasionally at Harris Dental is the idea that if you want to lighten your teeth, you should scrub them really hard.

The best way to get pearly whites (and prevent decay) is to brush longer, not harder. Gently brush your teeth until they’re squeaky clean. Run your tongue over them. Doesn’t that feel great?

When you are finished brushing, it’s time to floss. Be sure to get the floss down into the pocket between the gum and teeth.

Why?

Brushing longer and not harder is the key. When you brush your teeth quickly, you may not be getting all the particles of food off. You don’t want the particles of food to turn into plaque.

If you truly desire whiter teeth, be sure you brush your teeth in a slow, circular motion for as close to five minutes as you can. Methodically go over each tooth on every surface. Plus your tongue. If five minutes is impossible, make sure you brush for at least two minutes. Set a timer on your phone. Play your favorite two-minute song.

Use a whitening toothpaste with fluoride. That way, you get all the recent gunk off and your teeth get a little bit whiter each time you brush. And the fluoride helps your teeth remineralize after eating or drinking enamel-weakening acidic foods and beverages.

Let’s Review

If you’re not careful, the way you brush your teeth can lead to gum recession. Gum recession can (and most likely will) cause a space to form between your teeth and gum line. This pocket collects bacteria. Bacteria causes decay. Plus, if the gums continue to recede, the tooth can become loose.

Next, we discussed the proper motion and duration to brush your teeth. Finally, we went over the reasoning behind why all the aforementioned things are so important. Remember, you want a slow, circular motion for two to five minutes.

What If You Already Have Gum Recession?

Come talk to us at Harris Dental. We can discuss your options for reversing it.

What If You Want Your Teeth Whiter Than Whitening Toothpaste Can Make Them?

Whitening toothpastes can make your teeth a shade or two lighter. Professional professional teeth bleaching can make your teeth several shades whiter. In one visit, you can have a stunning white smile.

Contact Harris Dental:

480-428-0040

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

4444 N 32 St Ste 208
Phoenix, Arizona
85018

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Bad Breath Is No Fun

General Dentistry Gum disease Oral Health

Bad Breath Is No Fun For Phoenix Residents

This post from Harris Dental in Phoenix AZ takes on an unpleasant topic: bad breath.

Imagine you are starting a new job and are going to meet with your new boss for the first time. Confidence is key to your success. As you reach out to shake the extended hand your broad confident smile exposes rows of pearly white teeth, yet when you open your mouth to exchange greetings you worry about bad breath.

The technical term for bad breath is halitosis. Many behaviors and health conditions can cause or exacerbate halitosis. One of these factors is the food you eat. Onions and garlic are both known for having a potent effect on your breath.

Brushing and flossing daily is a critical step in curing bad breath. Food particles can build up in your mouth and foster bacteria which can cause bad breath. This not only includes the food particles that may get stuck between your teeth, but also the food that collects around your gums or on your tongue. Brushing and flossing daily can help reduce the number of food particles that stay in your mouth and cause bad breath.

Other factors to think about include dry mouth, tobacco use, and health concerns such as infections.

At Harris Dental in Phoenix AZ, your dental health is always our top priority. People from Queen Creek, Scottsdale, and Mesa come to us for restoration and preventative care, and know they can trust us with their smiles. Schedule an appointment today!

Contact Harris Dental:

480-428-0040

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

4444 N 32 St Ste 208
Phoenix, Arizona
85018

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