We are reaching the final months of 2020, which means the holiday season is soon to arrive. If you have not made use of your dental benefits for the year already, and do not have any appointments scheduled to do so, using them before they run out may be more difficult than you anticipate! Our St. Louis, MO dentist’s office is ready to provide you with the oral health services you need before we reach the end of the calendar. Dr. Johnson helps many families in and around our community maintain healthy teeth. She is also ready to help individuals who are concerned about symptoms of poor oral health. (more…)
Can Teeth Really Shift After Past Orthodontic Work?
At the end of an orthodontic adjustment, you can be excited to see how your smile has improved. While treatment for malocclusion does more than just improve the way you look, the changes made by an adjustment can be exciting. Unfortunately, teeth can sometimes shift after past corrective work. What can you do about movement that affects the alignment and symmetry of your smile? At our St. Louis, MO dentist’s office, Dr. Johnson can talk with you about the benefits of using Invisalign aligners to improve your smile. These appliances are discreet and easily removed, which makes this treatment approach more convenient than work with traditional metal braces. (more…)
How Your Beverage Preferences Affect Your Smile
When you feel thirsty, are you more likely to reach for a glass of water or a flavored beverage? We enjoy a wide assortment of drink choices, but some options can be more harmful to your smile than others. When your preferred beverages are sweetened, they can make you more vulnerable to cavities. Soft drinks can be particularly concerning – they contain sugar, but they are also concerning for their acidity. While your oral hygiene routine and regular dental exams help you stay safe against tooth decay and other threats, your diet also matters. You can discuss positive, smile-friendly behavioral changes with your St. Louis, MO dentist, Dr. Johnson, during your next exam. (more…)
What Impact Can Oral Hygiene Have On Your Overall Health?
While people tend to understand that good oral hygiene is important, they sometimes overlook just how beneficial a healthy smile can be for their general well-being. Issues that form and go untreated can interfere with other aspects of your health, and they can make you more susceptible to new problems. At our St. Louis, MO dentist’s office, we help patients of all ages maintain healthy smiles. At every routine dental exam, Dr. Johnson-G’Sell provides a careful study of your oral structures to determine if there are any problems that need to be addressed. With this care, along with teeth cleanings to deal with calculus buildup, you can stay safe against oral health concerns! (more…)
Why Am I Having A Hard Time Removing Calculus Buildup?
What can you do to fight embarrassing calculus buildup? At home, you are capable of fighting these deposits by preventing their formation. Every time you brush and floss your teeth, you clear away existing plaque deposits, as well as bacteria and food debris that have recently gathered. If you do a good job with your daily routine, you will be able to avoid the accumulation of calculus. Prevention makes you less likely to need restorative dentistry, and it keeps an unsightly buildup of calculus from hurting your smile. So what can you do to remove calculus deposits that are already present? Unfortunately, your daily routine is not an effective way to deal with calculus. Fortunately, your St. Louis, MO dentist’s office will provide a teeth cleaning that can remove calculus during every routine dental exam. (more…)
Using Invisalign Aligners To Fix Unflattering Teeth Crowding
Teeth that are too close together can look crowded, an issue that can throw off the symmetry of your smile. Poor dental alignment also creates potential issues for your dental health. Some people will experience aches and pains in their face and jaw from a misaligned bite. Teeth that overlap can also be more difficult to clean effectively, making it more likely you will need restorative dental work in the future. One way to address problems with overlapping teeth is to straighten them with Invisalign. At our St. Louis, MO dentist’s office, Dr. Johnson can discuss the use of these clear aligners to permanently shift your teeth and fix spacing flaws. At the end of your adjustment, you can feel better about your smile while also enjoying oral health benefits! (more…)
What Can I Do If My Teeth Start To Appear Dull?
It can worry you to look in the mirror and see a smile that seems dull or discolored. The gradual accumulation of particles that stain enamel can be difficult to fully prevent, even when your oral hygiene routine has kept you safe against cavities. With that said, poor habits can lead to more pronounced (and unwelcome) changes. Your St. Louis, MO dentist can talk with you about keeping up with a smart routine that helps you preserve the quality of your smile. You can also learn about the benefits of a professional teeth whitening treatment, which can produce results that go beyond what you could see from a store bought whitening kit. (more…)
Is It Time To Let Your Child Brush And Floss On Their Own?
It can be hard to know when it is right to trust your child with new responsibilities. Even if they are eager to do more on their own, they may need time to mature and develop before certain tasks are manageable. One responsibility kids can take on at a relatively early age is the responsibility to care for their teeth. While you can be eager to see them take on this task (and others) on their own, you need to be sure they are coordinated enough to clean their teeth effectively. They should also understand why this task matters, and take it seriously. Our St. Louis, MO dentist’s office works with parents and kids. During our pediatric dental exams, we can support your efforts to help your kids learn more about oral care by offering guidance and lessons in addition to providing preventive services. (more…)
Stopped Scheduling Dental Exams? 3 Reasons To Start Again
Are you past due for your next oral health checkup? Patients are told to stick with semiannual appointments, meaning you should try to avoid going more than six months without a review. If you no longer schedule checkups, or if you are still looking for a dentist in St. Louis, MO, your long break can have consequences. Until your next professional teeth cleaning, any calculus buildup on teeth will remain in place, which raises your risk for dental decay and gum disease. If these problems already affect you, they can worsen gradually without treatment. Dr. Johnson-G’Sell is ready to help those who need to restart routine checkups, and those who need to find a new practice! (more…)
Can Stress Turn Into An Oral Health Issue?
The toll stress takes on your emotional and physical well-being should not be ignored. While people often recognize the importance of stress management for their general health, they may not realize that it can also help them maintain their oral health. When you control your stress levels, you control your risk for developing teeth grinding issues, which protects you against problems with jaw pain and dental damage. Lowering your stress can also help you stick to a daily routine that is better for your oral health. During regular checkups at our St. Louis, MO dentist’s office, we offer consistent smile support through routine dental evaluations and cleanings. At these appointments, we can talk with you about matters like teeth grinding, and also help you understand the role stress may be playing in your struggles to maintain a healthy smile. (more…)
