Alamo Springs Dental Blog

It’s unfortunate, but many people still believe that visiting the dentist is only an optional task. These people justify not visiting because they don’t have any current issues. To them, visiting is only appropriate if you have a dental emergency. The reality is checkups and cleanings are an essential part of your oral health.

You can’t say that you have a complete oral care regimen unless you commit to bi-annual dental visits. To learn why, consider these points from a dentist in Alamo Ranch.

Whether you’ve sustained a dental injury, have extensive tooth decay or simply need a root canal performed, dental crowns are the best solution to save your natural tooth. Of course, most dental crowns cannot be made the same day, as dentists typically utilize an offsite dental lab to create it. This takes about two weeks, which means a temporary crown will be needed.

But what does the temporary crown do specifically? To learn exactly why a temporary crown is important in Alamo Ranch, keep reading!

(more…)

Did you know that an estimated 28% of children ages 2-5 have cavities? It’s a common misconception that baby teeth aren’t that important, but nothing could be further from the truth. Although there are multiple factors that contribute to childhood cavities, there’s one that’s especially harmful (but completely preventable). Known as “baby bottle tooth decay,” it causes rapid, severe decay that can be devastating to a child’s oral health. Keep reading to learn more about this condition and what steps you can take to keep your child’s teeth healthy!

(more…)

If someone mentions a dental issue, you probably think of cavities or gum disease. These issues can be uncomfortable and unfortunately too common among American adults. However, what you may not realize is that other types of dental pain that are just as common, like orofacial pain. If you’re experiencing jaw pain in Helotes, this post is for you!

(more…)

The widely known fact that your mouth is directly correlated to the health of the rest of your body may leave people puzzled as to why dental insurance isn’t automatically complied with your medical insurance. Why are they separate entities?

If you’re confused just as many patients are about the differences between medical and dental insurance, your dentist is here to help clear the air in this week’s blog post.

(more…)

If you have a child, you’ve definitely heard of the anti-bullying campaign that’s been sweeping the Nation. Most statistics relate to pre-teens and teenagers, starting right around when children turn 12 years old. But have you ever thought of how bullying may start even younger than that, say…less than 10 years of age?

Your dentist is here to unveil the unfortunate power of bullying and also empower parents to help stop it. Let’s take a deeper look at how parents and dentists alike can help our youth feel more confident and unfazed by bullies at school.

(more…)

If your child starts to show an interest in their oral health, you’ve got to jump on that opportunity! Usually, parents fight tooth and nail (no pun intended) to get their children to simply brush their teeth.

While brushing and flossing remain the best ways to prevent the development of tooth decay and gum disease, older children may take an interest to mouthwash. If they’re wondering about adding mouthwash to their oral hygiene routine, you should be prepared with the knowledge to guide them in the right direction.

Your children’s dentist is here to inform you all about mouthwash and when your child should start using it. Here’s what you should consider when deciding whether to let your child use mouthwash as part of his or her oral hygiene routine.

(more…)

It’s not your teeth that make you feel less than confident in your smile, it’s your gums. When you smile, your upper lip stretches up high enough to expose a pink ribbon of gum tissue, giving you a “gummy smile.”

Most patients aren’t fond of this look, complaining that it makes their smile appear childish and ruining their polished, mature appearance. In the cases that you have longer gums than teeth, the dimensions of your smile may seem “off.”

Let’s explore gummy smiles and what your dentist may be able to do to help you get the smile of your dreams.

(more…)

During your last dental appointment, you had undergone a typical dental checkup including dental x-rays and a professional cleaning. After your dentist reviews your x-rays, they come back to tell you that you have a cavity, even bringing the dental x-ray with them to show you where the problem resides. The only problem is, you have no clue what you’re looking at or what you’re looking for.

Although you would have to undergo the same training and education as your dentist to become an expert, this post can help you understand what your dentist uses x-rays for and how to better understand them.

(more…)