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Just like that, it’s Spring, and the world looks brighter! The skies are sunnier. Daylight in Green Bay lasts longer. And your smile can be brighter, too—with a little bit of spring cleaning.

After all, sometimes dental habits become so automatic that we don’t pay them as much attention as we should. Without careful daily brushing and flossing, you could start to see surface staining on your enamel. Or red and swollen gums. Or tartar deposits along the gumline or behind your teeth. 

The start of the season is a good time to spring ahead with a plan for better oral health, and we have some simple ideas to help you clean and protect your smile all through the year.

Assemble the right tools.

• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush, because anything firmer can be hard on your tooth enamel and gums. If you’re having trouble removing food particles and plaque, an electric toothbrush might be a game changer.
• Find the right floss. If you’ve been neglecting flossing because it’s difficult, or if you have mobility issues, there are lots of options available to improve efficiency and comfort. Whether it’s floss picks, interproximal brushes, or water flossers, our doctors can recommend the best products for your individual needs.
• Choose fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride not only helps prevent cavities by creating an unfavorable environment for cavity-causing bacteria, it also actually strengthens tooth enamel as well. Win/win!

Use those tools!

• Brush all the surfaces of your teeth carefully and thoroughly (no need to scrub) and brush along the gumline at a 45˚ angle. This will help prevent plaque from accumulating above and below the gumline, where it can harden into tartar.
• Brush often enough and long enough. The team at Oak Grove Dentistry generally recommends brushing twice a day, for two minutes each time. 
• If you wear aligners, a retainer, a mouthguard, a nightguard, or other appliances, brush your teeth before wearing them. You don’t want to trap food particles or bacteria in your appliance!
• Floss at least once a day, or more often as recommended. Proper flossing can be difficult sometimes, so ask our doctors for the best techniques.

Make sure your dental products are in top shape.

• Replace your toothbrush as often as necessary. After three months or so, bristles start to fray. They don’t clean as effectively, and they could be abrasive to gum tissue. Change out your brush every three to four months, including the head on your electric brush. A good way to remember is to change your brush with the change of seasons. 
• Check the date(s)! Many toothpastes, mouthwashes, and other oral supplies come with a “best used by” date, ensuring that your products remain safe and effective.
• Choose the right toothbrush holder. Your brush should air-dry upright, because germs thrive in closed, damp environments. And your holder shouldn’t allow your brush to touch other people’s brushes to avoid transfer of bacteria and viruses. Clean your brush holder regularly to remove toothpaste residue and germs.
• Clean your aligners, retainer, mouthguard, night guard, and/or cases for your appliances as recommended. Bits of food, bacteria, viruses, and other germs collect there as well.

Work with the experts for your brightest smile.

• See our doctors regularly. You’ll discover any problems which might be dimming your smile, and you’ll discover them early.
• Schedule cleanings with your exams. The team at Oak Grove Dentistry uses tools such as ultrasonic or hand scalers and polishers to remove stubborn plaque, tartar deposits, and surface stains that brushing can’t.
• If you want brighter, whiter teeth, consider professional whitening. While whitening kits are available in almost any drug store or supermarket, office treatments or kits provided by our doctors use stronger ingredients and are more effective.

Easy steps, yes? Step up your cleaning routine, and you’ll have a springtime filled with not just brighter smiles, but healthier smiles, too!

The wisdom teeth are the last of the permanent molars to emerge from the gums. This can occur as early as age 17 or as late as 21. Though some teens and young adults experience a completely normal tooth eruption with ideally aligned molars that pose no health threat, this is not the case for everyone.

According to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS), wisdom teeth must meet specific criteria to avoid a required extraction. These guidelines include:

• Completely erupted and non-impacted
• Completely functional
• Painless
• Free of decay
• Disease-free
• Capable of being properly cleaned

If one or more of your child’s wisdom teeth do not meet these conditions, we recommend scheduling an appointment with our doctors; an extraction may be necessary.

Impacted wisdom teeth

One of the most common reasons for extracting a wisdom tooth is due to impaction. An impacted wisdom tooth is one that has not erupted and will not fully erupt from the gums. Usually this occurs because there is not enough room for the tooth to emerge. Impaction can be painful and can also lead to infection if left untreated. According to the AAOMS, roughly 90 percent of the teen and adult population has at least one impacted tooth. Extracting an impacted wisdom tooth early can help prevent future complications, such as periodontal disease, infections, and damage to neighboring teeth.

Extracting fully erupted wisdom teeth

Even if your child’s wisdom teeth are fully erupted, our doctors and our team at Oak Grove Dentistry may recommend removing them as a preventive measure. Fully-erupted third molars often interfere with a healthy bite. This can lead to problems with tooth and jaw alignment and may also contribute to the development of headaches. Your child’s wisdom teeth may also be more prone to tooth decay and gum disease, because their location in the back of the mouth makes them more difficult to reach for brushing and flossing.

To learn more about wisdom teeth, or to schedule an appointment with our doctors, please give us a call at our convenient Green Bay office!

A dental filling replaces and restores the health of a tooth that has been damaged. Often, the need for a filling results from a cavity due to a large amount of decay in a tooth.

Teeth may also require repairs after cracking from chewing on hard objects, trauma to the mouth, grinding or clenching of your teeth, uneven chewing pressure, or exposure to extreme hot and cold temperatures.

Over time, a filling may have to be replaced after normal wear and tear has occurred. There are signs and symptoms to watch out for if your tooth may need a replacement filling, or a new filling. Oak Grove Dentistry performs various types of filling treatments, depending on the damage to the tooth.

Common signs and symptoms to watch out for if you have a cracked tooth can include sharp pain when you bite down, pain that comes and goes, discomfort when eating or drinking, or a constant feeling that something is stuck in your teeth. The crack may not be visible to the eye, which makes it hard to tell whether a tooth is actually cracked.

Pain may come and go quickly when you bite down because you’re expanding the crack with the combined pressure of your teeth. If you notice this happening, contact our doctors right away so we can get X-rays of your mouth and quickly fix the problem.

If you’ve had a filling in your mouth in the past, you could be due for a replacement. The seal between the tooth and the filling may break down over time, after which bacteria can build up underneath the filling and cause more decay.

It’s vital to catch this early so a filing can fix the problem. If you wait too long, a crown or a root canal may be the only option. You may not notice that a long-time filing is cracked or worn down, because it can take a long time to feel any discomfort. This is one of the reasons we recommend a dental checkup every six months.

If you need a tooth filling or a replacement filling, different filling choices vary in price. Gold fillings and porcelain fillings are more expensive options that last longer -- typically around 20 years. Porcelain fillings match the color of the rest of your teeth, however, which makes them less visible.

Another option is amalgam, or silver fillings, that less expensive but may be more noticeable in visible areas of your mouth. Composite, or plastic fillings, are another affordable option that can be matched to the color of your teeth. Composites are more likely to wear out over time and not last as long: usually around three to ten years.

If you think a past filling might be due for replacement, schedule an appointment at our Green Bay office. Make sure to stay on top of your routine dental appointments in order to prevent decay from breaking down problem teeth.

If we catch the problem early, we can save you both money and time. Fillings can be a great way to resolve any existing teeth issues, and prevent extensive dental care practices from becoming necessary in the future.

Many studies over the past several years have focused on this question. Since we will all face stressful situations during our life, it is a good question to ask. This question also delves into the mind-body connection—the psychological having an effect on the physical and vice versa.

Studies were performed as far back as the 1940s and continue today. Many of them have shown that stress "downregulates" or hinders cellular immune response. The most common periodontal diseases related to this stress-induced downregulation are gingivitis and periodontitis.

It is believed that stress and depression contribute to a state of chronic inflammation within the body. Stress also raises levels of cortisol in your body, which has been linked in studies to higher levels of tooth loss and deeper pockets between the gums and teeth.

Perhaps the biological side of this equation makes sense, but an important factor is that people who are stressed and/or depressed tend to neglect oral hygiene and other health-promoting activities. The studies seem to support both the behavioral and biological effects as risk factors for periodontal disease.

Here are some things you can do to help prevent stress-related periodontal problems:

• Daily relaxation –You may consider meditation or yoga. Both have been proven effective at easing stress.
• Practice good oral hygiene – Don't let your oral hygiene fall by the wayside. Doing so will obviously have a detrimental effect on your oral health. You should also aim to quit smoking if you do smoke.
• Get regular dental checkups – Getting regular checkups will help you to spot anything that's amiss before it gets out of hand. You can speak with your dentist if you have any pain or concerns and have them take a look.

Stress is something that affects all of us but it can be managed. Each one of us may manage it in a different way. Find what works for you and always make sure to keep up with your oral hygiene routine. For more information about stress-related periodontal issues, schedule an appointment with our doctors at our Green Bay office.