Personalized Hygiene Care in Hermitage, PA

As you know, brushing and flossing are essential to maintaining good oral health! How you do it can have as much of an impact as for how often you do it. 

Here are some tips to get the most out of your home care:

• Brush at least twice daily.
• Brush for two minutes.
• Floss at least once daily.
• Use proper brushing techniques.

Proper brushing techniques:                                                                         

• Brush your teeth for at least two minutes.
• Make sure to cover all surfaces (including the backs of your teeth).
• Angle the toothbrush toward your gum line to gently remove the plaque that collects there.
• Use the tips of the bristles to clean your teeth; never press hard.
• Replace your toothbrush frequently – every 2-3 months.
• If you have a cold or flu, replace your toothbrush.
• Do not rinse after brushing your teeth. It removes valuable fluoride.

Proper flossing techniques:

• Make sure to get an extended length of floss for the job! You’ll need about 36 inches.
• Wrap the floss around your middle fingers and grab a section with your index fingers, about an inch apart.
• Gently slide the floss between your teeth and make a C-shape around the tooth. As you floss, move your fingers to use a clean piece every time.
• Be sure to clean both sides of your teeth on either side of your papilla (the small V-shaped gum tissue between your teeth)
• Do not be forceful, but do glide the floss until you feel resistance.
• Floss the backs of your teeth, as well.
• If you have widely spaced teeth, use woven floss.
• If your teeth are crowded, use waxed floss or floss tape. 

If you have questions, we are always happy to demonstrate!

Baby Teeth Play a Major Role in Adult Health

As a parent, it is not uncommon to assume that caries (cavities) on baby teeth are of no concern. Though understandable, this is something that is frequently misunderstood. Your child's baby teeth play a major role in the health and functionality of their adult dentition. 

There are a few reasons why we treat child caries. First and foremost, baby teeth are much smaller in size compared to an adult tooth, and the caries process can travel very quickly through the enamel into the inner structures of the tooth. If the decay reaches the most inner portion of a tooth, there is a risk of infection, which then conducts the need for a root canal and/or more extensive treatment. 

Treating Cavities Encourages Good Oral Health

We strongly encourage keeping baby teeth until their natural shedding time because these baby teeth hold the space needed for the adult teeth to erupt properly. Thus, having your child's cavity treated ensures its longevity until it is ready to shed. 

Sometimes, if the cavity is in its beginning stages, we can monitor them at each visit until they warrant treatment. If you think your child has a cavity, or he/she complains of a tooth hurting, schedule an appointment with us today to see what your child needs.

Do you feel like every visit to your Dentist's you are being informed to floss more? Do you floss frequently but your gums still seem to bleed? Flossing seems simple, but there is a trick to the technique that will give you the best results for your gums. Here's how we do it-

Technique is Key in Flossing. Follow this Step by Step:

1. Grab a long strand of floss the length of your forearm
2. Wrap the floss around your middle finger so you can use your pointer finger and thumb to grab and control the floss
3. Place the floss through the contact of the two teeth and wrap the floss completely around the back tooth first
4. Gently move the floss up and down 3-4 times, assuring you get below the gumline until you feel pressure
5. Move the floss forward to wrap around the other tooth, and repeat step 4.
6. Repeat for all contacts between all teeth

Tips and Tricks for Flossing:

• Start in the same place each time- this allows you to create a habit, ultimately making you quicker with each use!
• Can't reach the back? Try the floss piks, interdental piks, soft piks, etc.
  • These can be found at Walmart, any drug store, Dollar General, etc.
• Water piks can be used in conjunction with traditional floss, but should not be used solely. 
• Only floss the teeth you want to keep!

You will notice the difference from your very first visit to our office!

Welcome to the Office

When you first walk into our office, you will be greeted by Shanequa, Sam or Megan at the front desk where you can check in and sign any outstanding forms needing to be completed.

Meet the Team and Get X-Rays

From then, you will be taken back with your registered dental hygienist, Leia, Jen or Shelby, where you will discuss any questions or concerns that you would initially like addressed. 

Next, you will have radiographs (x-rays) taken which will allow us to get a full, comprehensive image of each tooth in your dentition. Not only do these radiographs give us great baseline information that we can reference for changes in time, but they allow us to see any issues in their early stages that are not visible to the naked eye.

Building Your Dental Chart

From then, we will examine your teeth clinically and create your very own dental chart with any existing work you may have done or additional work needing to be done. 

We will create a periodontal probing chart for you by taking small measurements at the gum line of each tooth to evaluate attachment levels. Periodontal attachment levels are vital to your overall oral health. At our office, we want to ensure that your teeth's surrounding structures are sound before investing any time and money into restorative work. Our periodontal (gum) exam allows us to determine the type of dental cleaning you will need. We know that most people want a dental cleaning, and we don’t blame you! Beating that clean, fresh feeling is hard! Don’t worry if you have some catching up to do! Our hygiene team is thorough, yet gentle, and they work toward helping our patients enjoy a comfortable, healthy smile.

A Comprehensive Exam By Our Doctors

Dr. Thomas or Dr. Peters will perform a comprehensive dental exam and identify any dental conditions that require your attention. We will discuss this with you and never leave you in the dark. At Thomas Family Dentistry, our main goal is to ensure that you, yourself, are involved in treatment needs, decisions and priorities in conjunction with our dental recommendations. 

You will have time to ask questions at your exam. We believe in open communication so you can achieve your health and cosmetic goals for your smile. If there is something you would like to learn more about, we are here to answer your questions!