General Dental Articles

Dental x-rays are a vital diagnostic tool used to properly identify any underlying conditions that may not yet be visible on the surface. At our dental offices in Middletown, Kettering, and West Chester, we perform dental x-rays only as often as necessary, which can vary from patient to patient depending on their oral needs and health history. We also understand our patients may have questions regarding dental x-rays, and we’d like to answer them so you can make the best informed decisions about your health.

Intraoral & Extraoral

Dental x-rays, or radiographs, are usually separated into two categories — intraoral and extraoral. Intraoral x-rays mainly focus on the details of the teeth themselves. While extraoral x-rays still showcase the teeth, the aim of these photos is to look at the bigger picture of the teeth within the jaw and skull.

A Closer Look at Intraoral X-Rays

We already know that intraoral x-rays focus on teeth. They’re also the most common types of x-rays and can help:

• Find cavities
• Check bone health around teeth
• Detect gum disease

Bitewing x-rays are the most frequently used intraoral x-rays. They allow your dentist to see cavities in between teeth that aren’t yet visible on the surface. The images produced from bitewing x-rays also help keep an eye on the wear and tear of any dental restorations, such as a filling or an implant.

Explore Extraoral X-Rays

Extraoral x-rays are less detailed than intraoral images, but still serve a helpful purpose when it comes to looking at:

• Impacted teeth
• The jaw and teeth relationship
• Growth and development

The most common extraoral x-rays are panoramic x-rays. These images show the entire set of teeth as well the jaws in one photo. Panoramic x-rays are great when looking at tooth development or wisdom teeth eruption and can help identify problems with the jaw (TMJ).

We recommend visiting our Middletown, Kettering, and West Chester dental offices at least every six months. We may not perform x-rays at every appointment unless it’s necessary, but visits twice a year are recommended so we’re able to catch problems early, making them easier, and often less costly to treat.

At our dental offices in Middletown, Kettering, and West Chester, we always want to ensure our patients’ comfort. One of the ways we do that is by numbing the area we need to work on before we begin treatment. But sometimes we encounter someone who has difficulty getting numb. Why is that? We have some possible explanations.

Hot Tooth

Having a ‘hot tooth’ is a dentist’s way of saying your struggle to get numb may be caused by a particularly painful tooth. When a tooth is causing you a lot of pain, your nerves change. They can either become overactive, therefore needing more anesthetic to calm it down, or they can actually develop additional pain receptors. More nerves means the need for more numbing agent.

Movement During Administration

We understand the thought of getting a shot of anything isn’t very pleasant, especially when that injection is going into your gums. But it’s really important that you try really hard to stay really still. If you squirm or jerk away suddenly, your dentist can miss the nerve, requiring additional injections to get properly numb.

Missed Target

While we all like to think we hit the bullseye 100% of the time, the truth is, we’re human. Unfortunately, sometimes that means we miss the target. Most dentist are trained so well that they hit their mark the majority of the time. But if you aren’t getting numb, we may recommend taking another try.

Your Body

Everyone is different, and just like how some people react differently to medications, anesthetics can do the same thing. Sometimes your body removes the numbing agent from your system too quickly, making the numbness wear off faster than we’d like. Other times, your body’s removal process is lightning fast, meaning you may not get numb at all.

If you have a history of being unable to get numb prior to a dental procedure, try to relax before your visit to our Middletown, Kettering, or West Chester dental office. We’re here to help ease any concerns you may have and we’ll do whatever we can to help keep you comfortable throughout your visit.

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At our dental offices in Middletown, Kettering, and West Chester, it’s no secret to our patients that we really love our jobs. Dentistry isn’t only rewarding because we get to boost people’s confidence and get them smiling again after smile transformations, but also because we help keep people healthy. To us, dentistry is one of the best careers out there. But how does a dentist become a dentist? Let’s check it out.

The Basics

Before someone considers a career as a dentist, they should examine some of their interests and characteristics to ensure they’re compatible with what’s necessary for the job. For instance, dentistry is highly scientific, and the required courses dentists-to-be need to take are mainly science related. Because of this, someone thinking about dentistry as a career should have an interest and excel at science. Additionally, since a dentist’s main job is to monitor oral health,  and then determine and perform proper treatment if there’s ever a problem, one considering becoming a dentist should care about the health of others and have a desire to help.

The Schooling

Dentists complete, at a minimum, eight years of school and need to pass some exams before they can fulfill all the steps necessary to become a dentist. We’ve detailed them below.

• Finish a Bachelor’s Degree. While a Bachelor’s is usually required prior to getting into dental school, the undergraduate degree can be in anything. However, it’d be wise to explore science-related degrees or classes such as biology, physiology, and chemistry to get a head start.
• Take the Dental Admissions Test (DAT). Taking this exam, and scoring well on it, is required before applying to dental school.
• Complete a Dental Degree. Whether it’s a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or a Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD), a dental degree will require at least another four years of schooling.
• Pass Your Boards. All states require dentists to pass the National Board Dental Examinations before practicing dentistry. Other requirements may be necessary and vary by state.

The Job Market

Nobody wants to prepare for a career where there are no jobs available. Thankfully, dentistry isn’t one of those occupations. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 18% job growth for dentists through 2024 — more than twice the average growth rate for other jobs.

At our Middletown, Kettering, and West Chester dental offices, we would encourage anyone with an interest in our field to explore what it takes to become a dentist and what the job could look like in more detail, and if it sounds like a good fit, to take the plunge and become one.

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You go to the supermarket in search of a toothpaste that not only freshens your breath, but also protects your teeth. In the healthcare aisle, you’re assaulted by boxes and boxes of multicolored toothpastes in a variety of flavors. How do you know which one to choose? Our dental offices in Middletown, Kettering, and West Chester can help you find which is right for you.

For a Whiter Smile…

Foods, drinks, age, and some habits can all contribute to a dull, dingy, or even yellowish smile. Sometimes, a whitening toothpaste can take the edge off of discoloration. The most effective whitening toothpastes contain mild abrasives that contain magnesium carbonate or calcium carbonate. If your whitening toothpaste isn’t quite giving you the boost you’re looking for, veneers or a professional whitening treatment can help.

For Extra Cavity Protection…

Some people tend to get more cavities than others. If this is the case for you, make sure your toothpaste has fluoride (tip: most do). Fluoride is a natural occurring mineral that coats teeth and helps keep damaging bacteria off.

For Those Who Are Sensitive…

When we say sensitive, we aren’t talking about emotions. We’re talking about those who have sensitive teeth and experience pain when heat or cold are introduced into the mouth. As long as cavities or a root infection is ruled out, chances are those who suffer from sensitivity are brushing too hard or with a toothpaste that’s too abrasive. If you fall into the sensitive category, look for a toothpaste with ingredients like strontium chloride or potassium nitrate, both of which can help desensitize your teeth or gums.

Look for the ADA Seal of Approval

Toothpastes that earn the ADA (American Dental Association) seal of approval have been tested and the ingredients were shown to do what the box says they’ll do. So no matter if you’re looking for a sensitivity blocker, cavity fighter, or tooth whitener, make sure to scope out that seal before making a purchase.

Although that toothpaste aisle can seem intimidating with its rainbow boxes of possibilities, there is a toothpaste for everyone. Your dentist can help determine your specific needs and recommend a toothpaste that fits your oral health goals. Just make sure that you use it each and every time you brush — which should be twice a day.

If you’re not sure you’re using the right toothpaste for you, or you’re looking to schedule your next dental cleaning and exam, call our Middletown, Kettering, or West Chester dental office. We’ll be happy to help.

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The benefits of regular dental exams and cleanings are applicable to everyone from women and men to children. Yet, according to research, American women are ⅓ more likely to get preventive dental care than men. At our dental offices in Middletown, Kettering, and West Chester, we wanted to know more about our male patients, and even those who we may not yet have the pleasure of knowing, so we explored a few reasons why men seem to avoid going to the dentist.

The Academy of General Dentistry surveyed several dentists and asked them why men tend to forego regular dental visits. The results include:

• 18% blamed busy schedules
• 30% said men are more embarrassed or afraid to go to the dentist
• 45% believed men don’t see a need to visit the dentist

We found a few other reasons, too. Men tend to avoid preventive dental care and rather just go to the dentist when there is a problem, even though the problem itself may have been avoidable through regular dental cleanings and exams. Additionally, societal norms insinuate that men should “tough it out,” and visiting a doctor may be perceived as a sign of weakness (which, for the record, isn’t a weakness, it’s smart).

Why Are Regular Dental Appointments Important?

Visiting the dentist at least twice a year is crucial to maintaining a healthy mouth and a healthy body. Many oral health problems affect overall health, and if not caught and treated early, some of these issues can be severe. Scheduling and keeping appointments with your dentist can help keep these serious, scary problems away or at least catch them before they have a chance to affect the rest of the body. Some of these concerns include:

• Oral cancer that can affect the lips, tongue, throat, and cheeks
• Gum disease which can increase the risk for heart disease
• Sleep apnea which commonly leads to high blood pressure

Besides keeping your mouth and body healthy, dental appointments can also be used to discuss anything about your smile that you may not like. If you’re embarrassed to smile or are missing teeth, there are plenty of options available to get you a smile you’re confident of including whitening, veneers, dental implants, bridges, and so much more.

If you know a man in your life who has been avoiding dental care for whatever reason, we encourage you to to have him call our Middletown, Kettering, or West Chester dental office to schedule an appointment. Even if he hasn’t seen a dentist in years, we don’t guilt trip our patients. In fact, we celebrate the important things — the fact he made an appointment and is taking the right steps towards better health.

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When we think of toothpaste, we obviously think of the main purpose… to clean the teeth. That is what it’s designed for, after all. But at our dental offices in Middletown, Kettering, and West Chester, we always hear of other uses for toothpaste, and while we haven’t tried them all, we still thought it’d be fun to share them with our patients.

• De-Fog a Mirror. After a relaxing, hot shower, the bathroom tends to resemble a steam room with fog everywhere. And the mirror is no different. This can be a pain if you need to get ready fast and nothing you do seems to make it clear enough to see as well as you’d like to. We may have a solution. People have credited the use of toothpaste for a clear, fog-free mirror. True? Maybe. Worth a shot? Absolutely. Just apply some toothpaste to the mirror and wipe it down prior to turning on the shower water. Legend has it when you step out of the shower, the mirror will be clear.  

• De-Stink Hands. Cutting garlic, onions, or other exceptionally potent food can leave your hands pretty stinky, sometimes for what seems like days. No matter how often you wash them, no matter what fantastically fragrant soap you use, the stench lingers. Some foodies insist that toothpaste can rid your fingers of smells from last night’s dinner preparations. Slather some toothpaste on your hands, scrub together, rinse off. Then let us know if this worked for you.

• De-Spot Your Faucet. Gunk from spit, residue from soap, and who knows what else may be lurking on your sink faucets, giving them that spotted appearance. Sometimes people can’t seem to remove the spots completely for a sleek, shiny clean. However, the word on the street is that if you wash the faucet with toothpaste, you just may be able to get that pristine clean finish. Apply it with a clean cloth, gently scrub, and thoroughly wipe away.

If you’re up to trying any of the above, let us know if you have success, but make sure to always leave enough toothpaste in the house to use for its intended purpose — brushing your teeth. We recommend brushing at least twice a day to keep your mouth free of cavities. That, paired with regular dental cleanings and exams with your Middletown, Kettering, or West Chester dentist, is the best recipe to avoid the need for dental treatments like crowns, fillings, root canals, or onlays.

If it’s been awhile since you’ve been in to visit, or if you’re in need of a new dentist, call our Middletown, Kettering, or West Chester dental office to schedule an appointment today.

Welcoming patients from Middletown, Kettering, and West Chester.

Maintaining good posture can go a long way in keeping your bones aligned as nature intended, which allows your muscles to work smoothly and you to exert less effort. This means less soreness, which we’re always a fan of here at our dental offices in Middletown, Kettering, and West Chester. But what some may not know is that your posture can also affect your oral health.

The Head Bone’s Connected to… All the Bones!

Your head is connected to your jaw, your jaw to your neck, your neck or your back… and on and on. But that’s why posture is so important. If one part of the chain is out of whack, it can throw off all the other parts. This connection is particularly true with your posture and your jaw. Most people stand or sit with their heads too far forward, placing strain on the muscles in the neck, shoulders, and jaw. This strain actually makes the head heavier, causing the muscles to react. What happens next? The shoulders fall forward, the jaw falls back, and your bite falls out of place. And a bad bite can lead a whole host of uncomfortable, and sometimes serious, concerns including TMJ disorder or cracked, damaged teeth.

Signs of a Poor Bite Caused by Poor Posture

• Pain in the jaw or neck
• Numbness in one hand
• Headaches
• Inability to clear ears

How’s Your Posture Measure Up?

Not sure if you have great, mediocre, or poor posture? Try one of these simple tests to find out.

• The Wall Test – Put the back of your head against the wall and your heels about six inches apart. Allow your buttocks to touch the wall and check the distance between your lower back and the wall, and your neck and the wall with your hand. Within an inch or two? Congratulations! You have near perfect posture.  
• The Mirror Test – Stand facing a full-length mirror and check for even shoulder height, a straight head, level hips, kneecaps that face forward, ankles that aren’t bent, and that the spaces between your arms and sides are equal. If you check all those boxes, you’re posture is in pretty good shape.

At our dental offices in Middletown, Kettering, and West Chester, we care about all aspects of our patients’ health. If you think you suffer from poor posture, talk to us about it. We’ll check out how it may be influencing your dental health and work with you fix it.

Serving patients from Middletown, Kettering, West Chester.

There’s a common belief that dental problems occur as a result of genetics passed down from parents to children. Many assume the appearance of a smile and someone’s overall oral health is based solely on DNA. And while for some instances that’s true, at our Middletown, Kettering, and West Chester dental offices, we’d like to share with our patients just which dental issues can be blamed on genetics and which likely have another cause.

It’s All in The Genes

There absolutely is a connection between several oral health concerns and genetic makeup. Some of the common dental health factors related to DNA include:

• Overcrowded or crooked teeth which can make effective brushing and flossing difficult
• Oral cancer risk increases if it’s common in your family
• Size and shape of the mouth which may lead to a bad bite and potential TMJ pain

Even if someone is at increased risk for any of the problems above, we don’t always have to work with what nature gave us. Cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics, and early treatment can help transform the looks and health of a smile. If your family has a history of any of the above, we encourage you to talk to your dentist.

What We Can’t Blame DNA For

While there are definitely some parts of oral health that can be passed down directly through DNA, some are a result of behaviors. Discoloration, decay, and even gum disease aren’t problems that are transferred from the genes of parents to children, but may more so be the habits of parents passed down to children. If oral hygiene and regular dental appointment aren’t started early and made a priority, the chance for problems later in life greatly increases.

What Can You Do?

If you know you’re family medical history and are experiencing some of the DNA-related dental concerns, or are at risk for them, there are things you can do. For example, if oral cancer runs in the family, avoid smoking and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol to lower your risk.

Even if your family doesn’t have a history of any of the DNA-related concerns, it’s still crucial to brush twice a day for at least two minutes, floss every day, and get professional cleanings and checkups at least every six months. Having good oral hygiene and getting regular exams can lower anyone’s risk for decay, gum disease, and other dental problems.

If it’s time for you to see a dentist about changing the smile nature gave you, or if you haven’t seen a dentist in awhile, give our dental office in Middletown, Kettering, or West Chester call to schedule a consultation today. We’ll help identify any concerns and work with you to fix them.

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“Will it hurt?” “How long will it take?” “What should I expect when getting a filling?” These are all questions we typically get asked before filling a cavity for a patient. And while they’re great questions, there’s one we wish we’d get to answer more and it’s, “Will the filling last forever?” So all of us our Middletown, Kettering, and West Chester dental offices figured we’d ask it and answer it all in one place for everyone.

Dental fillings are a great way to keep your natural teeth healthy by closing in and protecting any decay that may have occurred. There are several types of fillings that are made out of different materials. It’s these materials that determine how long your cavity filling should last. And unfortunately, no, it’s not forever.

White Fillings

More commonly becoming the preferred treatment for cavities, white fillings, also known as tooth-colored or composite fillings, are a great way to make your restorations virtually invisible. Your dentist will closely match the filling material to neighboring teeth, making it look like there’s nothing there but a healthy, natural tooth. On the downside, the expected lifespan of tooth-colored fillings is the lowest of all restoration options at about 7-10 years, depending on the location of the filling and your oral health habits. However, it’s still one of the most viable, trusted options for treating cavities.  

Silver Fillings

Silver or amalgam fillings are another option for treating a cavity. They do last longer than a tooth-colored one, usually about 10-15 years, but there are some aspects to them that many patients find unattractive. Not only can these restorations cause teeth to look gray, dingy, and discolored, they also usually require more of the undamaged tooth to be removed for application. What’s more, there has been a rise in concern about the mercury levels in amalgam fillings. If you’re worried about the mercury content or have questions about the safety of these fillings, ask our Middletown, Kettering, or West Chester dental office. We’ll be happy to help.

Gold Fillings

These fillings aren’t incredibly popular anymore, but they are still in use and a viable option. While cast gold fillings typically last 15 years or more, which is longer than any other filling discussed, the cost for them is typically higher than other options. There’s also the aesthetic concern with the obviousness of the gold color.

If you think you may have a cavity, don’t wait to get it checked out. Any treatment is better than no treatment, and can actually save your tooth. Don’t have a dentist? Give our dental office in Middletown, Kettering, or West Chester a call today!

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