We Are Here if You Need an Emergency Dentist This Summer

An emergency dentist and the summer - what could those two things possibly have in common? Much more than you might think. Summer is a time of fun, family, and frolicking in the great weather. All over the country people are planning their vacations, packing, and finding their way to their favorite holiday spots. 88% of the country will go on vacation this summer. For those that are still home, there is a ton of activities happening that do not happen during the other seasons. Pool parties, barbecues, and outdoor sporting activities for the whole family.

Why would anyone need an emergency dentist in this scenario? Accidents mostly.  Summer is a time when we see a large uptick in the number of people who come in to see us. In fact, 1 in every 6 people enjoying the perfect vacation weather will have an accident that requires them to see an emergency dentist.

If you think about all of the potentials for damaging your teeth that are exacerbated during summer, it makes sense. Pools have slippery edges that people walk around on while tracking water to other locations. This increases the risk for slip and fall accidents. All the barbecuing can lead to biting down on a bone too hard, or even misadventures with a volleyball can lead you to an emergency dentist visit. The good news is that we are here, and your accident does not have to spell the end of a good season.

For us, as an emergency dentist, the first rule, and pretty much the only rule we have for you is to be able to contact us immediately in the event of an emergency. If you do not know who your emergency dentist is you will spend precious minutes looking for a solution. Even if you have a dentist, and this provider does not work nights and weekends, you will need a different doctor. When dealing with a dental emergency, the key word is 'emergency'. If you knock out a tooth, for example, you have a limited time in which to bring the tooth into our office so that we can reattach it. To help keep the tooth alive you can do one of two things. First, you can place the tooth back in the socket and hold it there with some pressure. This is the best option, and if you can do this within the first 5 minutes of the tooth coming out, you have a good chances of saving the tooth. If you are too uncomfortable to replace the tooth in the socket, you can place it into a container with cold milk. Since milk has the same osmotic pressure as what the tooth is used to, it helps to preserve the tooth for longer.

Ultimately you need to remember that immediate medical attention is the best way to save your tooth. In many cases, we can reattach the tooth, make sure that you do not get an infection and give you the proper care you need so that you can go back to your summer fun.

Straighten Your Teeth with a Visit to our Invisalign® Dentist Office

Visiting our Invisalign® dentist office will help to answer the questions you have about this state of the art treatment. If you are considering Invisalign®, you may have several questions about the product and what it can do for you. Our frequently asked questions and answers will help you determine if Invisalign® is the best treatment for you. As an Invisalign® dentist, we can walk you through the treatment steps and everything else you need to know about Invisalign®.
Who is the best candidate for Invisalign®?

If you are an adult seeking a more attractive and convenient way to treat your dental flaws without the discomfort and aesthetic distraction of braces, Invisalign® may be right for you. A disciplined adult is the best candidate for Invisalign® because you must be diligent to wear your aligners. As an Invisalign® dentist, we will take a mold of your teeth and build an alignment plan for you to follow. Every two weeks you will switch your aligners out to keep the process going. Aligners are conveniently removable for special occasions, meals, and brushing your teeth, but you should try to wear them for at least 20-22 hours a day. Adults tend to be more responsible with the discipline of keeping their aligner in for the allotted time. For older teens looking for a better alternative to braces, we can also offer Invisalign®Teen.
Will Invisalign® affect my speech?
When you put in your first aligner, you may notice a small lisp. As your mouth grows accustomed to your aligner, the lisp will dissipate. It normally won't take more than a day or two and as an Invisalign® dentist, we find that most of our patients don't have any issues.

What does aligner care involve?
In order to keep your aligner clear and invisible, you should clean it daily. Use a toothbrush and warm water to rinse out the aligner and gently scrub the food particles out. Never use an abrasive substance or toothpaste to clean your aligner— this could cause scratches or pits that could harbor bacteria.
Do I leave my aligner in while I eat?
As an Invisalign® dentist, we encourage you to remove your aligner for every meal and snack. Removing your aligner will prevent bacteria from getting wedged in your aligner and promoting tooth decay. It will also keep your aligner from getting warped or broken.
Is Invisalign® really invisible?
Invisalign® is virtually invisible. As an Invisalign® dentist, we will provide you with a clear, smooth plastic aligner that will barely be visible when placed over your teeth. Most people will never notice you are going through the treatment.
How long does the treatment last?
Treatment times vary depending on the person. Most commonly, as an adult, your treatment won't last more than 12 months. Of course, this treatment length does depend heavily on how misaligned your teeth were to begin with.
Will I need to wear a retainer when I'm done?
Whether or not you will need a retainer will depend on how out of line your teeth were originally. As an Invisalign® dentist, we encourage you to wear a retainer following your treatment just to help preserve the longevity of your results.

Cosmetic Dentist  >  Teeth Whitening

Why You Should Visit Our Family Dentist Office

As a local family dentist, we are committed to the overall health and wellbeing of our patients. To us, keeping teeth healthy is incredibly important, and our reward is seeing our patients with a healthy smile that they love.  As a dentist, we naturally understand how important teeth are to the enjoyment of life.  You use your teeth all throughout the day.  They are an important aspect of your glowing smile, they are the tool that allows you to speak clearly and greet your friends or neighbors, they give you the ability to taste the delicious new entrée at your favorite restaurant.  Your teeth are critical to your enjoyment of life and as long as they are healthy, they function seamlessly and without the need for you to give them much thought.
If they suddenly become infected or damaged, your teeth will stop functioning as they should and be prompt in their demand for attention.  This is why preventative dental care is so important.  We make it possible for you to live life without dental emergencies by cleaning your teeth on a regular basis and treating any signs of infection or decay when they first develop.  This way you can focus on enjoying life and all that it has to offer without a toothache.
What to Expect From Our Family Dentist Office
When you visit our family dentist office, you can expect to receive the highest level of patient care.  Our goal is to keep your teeth healthy and intact.  We do this by cleaning them and treating health issues immediately.  Simultaneously, we are also focused on the overall appearance of your smile.  We know that a gorgeous smile is a confidence booster that can influence how people perceive you.  As a skilled cosmetic dentist, we offer various solutions that can be used to keep your teeth healthy while also transforming their appearance so that you can love your smile again.
A perfect example of this is a dental crown.  The crown has developed a reputation for saving teeth that have become infected.  Most people associate a crown with the silver amalgam that has been popular for decades.  Now, however, we can place crowns that blend in with the surrounding teeth because they are made of a tooth-colored material.  This enables crowns to accomplish far more than they used to.  For example, it can be placed around a tooth that is suffering from sensitivity and at the same time, it can cover dark stains or change the overall shape and size of the tooth.  There are multiple ways that we can use solutions like this to correct anything you dislike about the way that your teeth appear.
Selecting a New Family Dentist
If you do not currently have a family dentist, we welcome you to call our office and schedule a consultation and examination.  We are conveniently located, and our patients are delighted with the care that they receive.  Give us a call, read our patient reviews, and come in for a healthy and beautiful smile.

Implant Dentist  >  Teeth Whitening

Why You Should Call an Emergency Dentist Instead of Visiting the ER

If an emergency dentist is not one of the first people on your contact sheet, you are not alone. Simultaneously if you have had a toothache that will not go away and have had to rush in and see a dentist, either for you or for a loved one, you know that some of the worst pain a person can experience can stem from the teeth. We know, that as an emergency dentist, we know that it is a good idea for you to add our phone number to your contact list so that if an emergency situation happens, you have someone that you can call. The sad fact is that many people do not plan for emergency situations, even less so when it comes to teeth. Since teeth are so good at performing their work, without causing major angst, people tend to ignore them. Over 40% of American’s will not even visit the dentist regularly to keep their teeth in good health. What this does is it leaves you in a spot where you may not know where to turn if you do find yourself in incredible tooth pain. Taking the precaution of having the contact number for our office is a small but important step in reducing your potential for discomfort.

Skip the ER -

You won’t find an emergency dentist in the emergency room of your local hospital. Emergency dentists are trained as dentist, and we have simply decided that the needs of our patients extend beyond regular business hours. Unfortunately, there are a growing number of people who do not have an emergency dentist, since their regular dentist does not provide these services, are finding their way to the emergency room to get treatment for their oral and dental issues. A recent study of the data from 24 states, and encompassing 3 years, found that there has been a steady increase in the number of people visiting the emergency room for dental needs. The total increase over these three years was found to be 16%. There is nothing wrong with seeking aid from an emergency room physician if you are in dire condition and have no other options. However, we are trained and equipped to deal with dental issues, whereas the skilled physicians at the emergency room are not. As such, the physicians in the emergency room can treat the symptoms you are experiencing but cannot address the root cause, which means that you will need to see a dentist after your ER visit anyway.

The most common, and often the most complex, reasons why people seek out the care of an emergency dentist is a toothache. Among the most debilitating of pains, a toothache is one of the fastest reasons to send you scurrying off for medical attention. It can also be a symptom of a much larger and deeper problem. Toothaches can occur because of infections, gum diseases, or damage to the teeth.  As an emergency dentist, we can treat you immediately and ensure that you do not continue to experience discomfort.  With that in mind, you should visit us immediately instead of heading to the ER.

Visit Our Spanish Speaking Dentist Office for Dentures

As a Spanish speaking dentist, we can replace missing teeth using dentures, bridges or dental implants. However, we have found that people don’t think about dentures. That may sound like a strange, and very obvious, statement to make but the fact is that people simply do not think about tooth loss in general. Whether this comes from a sense that they will not lose their teeth, thanks in part to improved oral health and hygiene habits, or if they simply have never given it any consideration, over 60% of people surveyed had never thought about tooth loss.  This means there is a large population of patients who do not have any information and education about dentures, bridges, or implants. However, according to a study published in the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry recently, the need for dentures is not subsiding. The data cited the fact that in the early 90’s there were only 33.6 million people who were using complete dentures. Projecting out to 2020, the journal predicts that there could be 37.6 million people using a complete set of dentures. This study did not consider partial dentures or take into account other devices that may be used for tooth loss like bridges or dental implants. For those who believe tooth loss is something that only happens to older folks, you might be surprised to find that over 20 million American woman, aged 40 and up, wear dentures today.

People don’t need dentures suddenly. There is always a chance that you have an accident and find yourself in need of a replacement set of teeth, however, this is extremely rare. As a Spanish speaking dentist, we have found that with most people, the process of getting dentures takes time. There are warning signs, and indications that you might be losing a tooth and should probably be considering what measures to take.

The two largest reasons why people lose teeth and have to get dentures are age and disease. The good news is that while you cannot stop age, gum diseases are far more manageable. The challenge for most people is to realize that when you have gum disease there is a ticking clock. The faster you get in to see a dentist, the better the chances are that you can save your tooth or teeth. Wait too long, and we will be discussing the type of dentures that are right for you. Perhaps the best advice we could give you is to give us the opportunity to catch and fix any problems before they happen. Only 53% of Americans visit the dentist two times a year like recommended, which means that nearly half the country never gives their dentist an opportunity to save their teeth.

Unfortunately, many people just ignore it when they have a dental problem. Did you know that roughly 70% of Americans will experience bleeding of their gums at some point during their lifetime? While this is a very common occurrence, it can also be symptomatic of a more serious condition like gingivitis. Tooth pain, bleeding gums, achy jaws are all ways of your mouth telling you that something is wrong and that you should consider going into our office before it gets worse. As a Spanish speaking dentist, if you do lose some of your teeth, we can replace them with a comfortable set of dentures, a dental bridge, or dental implants.

Visit An Alexandria Dentist Office For Better Smelling Breath

In our Alexandria dentist office, we help a lot of patients that struggle with bad breath issues.  While this may seem like the punchline to a joke, for many people bad breath is a persistent problem that can make social interactions quite uncomfortable. In our dental office, we recommend taking steps at home in order to control bad breath and if this doesn't work, schedule a dental exam.

Start by drinking plenty of water.  A lot of people struggle with bad breath issues, especially as they age, due to dry mouth.  This is a common condition that can be addressed by simply drinking plenty of water.  Your mouth should feel moist at all times and if it doesn't, grab your water bottle.  This single step can help your breath to smell better while also reducing your risk of cavities and infection.
Next, brush your teeth three times a day using a soft toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste.  This will remove the smells caused by the food that you eat while also remove plaque and bacteria that can lead to infections and cavities.  This step, however, is not enough unless you combine it with flossing at least once a day.  Flossing is essential for removing the plaque and food particles that become stuck in between teeth, leading to bad breath.  You should also use a tongue scraper to remove the bacteria and food odor that can become stuck on your tongue, followed up by rinsing with an antiseptic mouthwash.  If you follow this routine and avoid eating a bunch of garlic, your breath should smell fresh.  If not, a trip to our Alexandria dentist office is in order.

Very often, bad breath is a sign of an oral infection or health problem that needs to be addressed.  It is the body's natural warning system.  For example, a tooth infection or severe decay can cause bad breath.  While this may also be accompanied by sensitivity when biting down or eating, an infected tooth will emit a foul-smelling odor that will not go away with tooth brushing alone.  When you schedule a dental exam, we will look for any signs of infection or decay, treat the tooth and restore it.  This way you can continue to eat and speak like normal without fear of discomfort.  Simultaneously, catching an infection early means that we can treat it faster, and you will be spared a sudden toothache.  For this reason, watching for persistent bad breath can provide you with the early detection and treatment that you need.

Other times bad breath is caused by gum disease.  Gingivitis is the first step in this condition, and we prefer to catch and treat gum disease in this stage.  Some common signs of gingivitis are red and swollen gums that bleed when brushing.  This is typically caused by a buildup of plaque and tartar below the gum tissue and by removing it, we can help the gums to become healthy once more.  Otherwise, if the condition is left untreated, it can cause gum recession and further issues like bone loss.  For this reason, we recommend that you schedule a dental exam with our Alexandria dentist office at the first sign of persistent bad breath, red gums, or tooth sensitivity.  After eliminating the infection or built up plaque, your mouth will be healthier, and your breath will be fresher.

Dentist  >  Old Town dentist

Why the Best Dentist Will Recommend a Fluoride Treatment

As the best dentist in town for preventative care, we are focused on keeping our patients healthy and cavity free.  It is important to us that our patients can enjoy life without toothaches or gum disease.  With this in mind, we recommend coming in for a teeth cleaning twice a year so that we can remove plaque and bacteria in order to prevent common oral health problems.  During these appointments, we may recommend a fluoride treatment as an additional way to strengthen teeth.  In fact, we recommend this on at least an annual basis for children and teens.

Why we like fluoride -

Studies have shown that fluoride can reduce the risk of tooth decay (cavities) by 30 percent.  This is significant when you also consider what the Center for Disease Control had to say.  According to the CDC, tooth decay is the most frequently occurring infectious disease in children.  It causes them to miss school and experience the discomfort associated with a toothache.  Given our desire to see our patients healthy, a 30 percent decrease can be significant throughout a person's lifetime.

Where you can find it –

Look around you, and you are likely encountering some amount of fluorine.  It can be found in nature, in the air that you breathe, food you eat, and the dirt that you walk on.  While it is all around us, we don't absorb enough of it and need to obtain it through other means.  Given the desire to improve oral health, fluoride has been put into the public water supply of over 10,000 communities across the United States.  Additionally, you can receive a fluoride treatment in our dental office.  As the best dentist for preventative care, we place a fluoride varnish onto teeth and leave it there for around four minutes.  During that time, it will be absorbed into the enamel. Since fluoride doesn't have a particular smell or taste, this is comfortable even for small children.  You can also purchase a fluoride toothpaste and use it two to three times per day in order to strengthen your teeth.  The results are not as significant as drinking fluoridated water or having a professional treatment, but toothpaste is helpful.

How it helps you –

As you age, teeth naturally start the process of demineralization.  This is where the enamel on the outside of the tooth starts to weaken and even erode.  As it does, the teeth become more susceptible to tooth decay and sensitivity.  In order to fight demineralization, you must remineralize your teeth.  This can be done using fluoride.  When it is placed onto your teeth or drunk, fluoride can reduce your risk of cavities and does so be making the enamel stronger so that the body can fight off infection.  Simultaneously, fluoride can even reverse the effects of preliminary tooth decay, making it the perfect accompaniment to your daily oral hygiene routine.
If you are looking to keep your teeth healthy and strong, call our office to speak with the best dentist in town.

Alexandria Dentist  >  Old Town dentist