Post Treatment for Dental Services in St. Peters, MO

Floss:

Floss removes plaque and whatever else takes refuge on your teeth, both above and below the gum line. Plaque refers to the bacteria and other things that stick to your teeth. There is a direct connection between plaque, gum disease, and tooth decay. Therefore, you won’t have gum disease and tooth decay if you don't remove the plaque. Glide Floss is one of top floss products currently available. It is designed not to shred or get caught on your teeth or fillings. Take about an 18-inch length of floss and wrap it around your two middle fingers. Hold about a one-inch length of this floss between the thumb and forefinger of each hand, keeping it tight. Gently place this one-inch tight piece between the tooth contact. When you reach the gum line, hold the floss against one tooth and move it into the space between the gum and tooth below the gum line. While keeping the floss in contact with the tooth, move it up and down along the side of the tooth, from just below the contact to as far as you can comfortably get below the gum line. You must get the floss in the space between the gum and tooth, as this is where gum disease begins. Repeat this procedure for the tooth on the other side of the contact. As you move from tooth to tooth, use a fresh section of floss. If you haven't flossed in a while, your gums may bleed when you do this. If you do it correctly (and at least once a day), your gums will start to heal, and the bleeding should stop in two weeks.

Tongue HYGIENE:

A tongue scraper is great for removing bacteria and food debris on the tongue. These substances get stuck in the deep crevices of your tongue; if not removed, the byproducts give you bad breath. After brushing, a tongue scraper followed by a rinse is frequently the best way to control bad breath. The tongue scraper we give you has two sides, regular and soft. Usually, you will use the regular side. Hold the scraper with two hands between the thumbs and forefingers. Bend the scraper so that it forms a ""." "Stick your tongue out and start scraping from back to front several times. You will notice a creamy film develop on the scraper. Rinse it off. Repeat the scraping and rinsing until the film coming off your tongue is clear. Rinse and dry the tongue scraper. It is designed to last a long time. An antibacterial rinse is just that: a rinse that cuts down on the bacteria that cause gum disease and cavities. It also reduces those bacteria and the bacterial byproducts that cause bad breath. After scraping your tongue, it is recommended that you use a non-alcoholic antibacterial rinse, such as BreathRx or Crest Pro Health Rinse. This will significantly decrease the bacteria and volatile sulfur compounds (the substances responsible for bad breath). It will improve the health of your mouth, and you will be delighted to be near it. Why a non-alcoholic rinse? Most mouth rinses (such as Scope) contain a high percentage of alcohol. Alcohol dries your mouth out. Just put some alcohol on your hand and observe how quickly the skin dries out. Using a mouth rinse with a high alcohol content may make your mouth smell nice for only a short period. Once the alcohol begins drying the tongue and gums, your breath can smell worse than before you used it. Therefore, an alcoholic mouth rinse is not recommended. Use a minimal amount (you need less than you think) of mouth rinse, swish for 10-15 seconds, and spit it out—no rinsing with water.

Remember: You don't have to clean all your teeth, only the ones you want to keep. Congratulations! You are on your way to excellent oral health.

Composite Fillings Post-Treatment Instructions

Composite fillings are set up hard right away. There is no waiting time to eat. Children should be observed until the anesthetic wears off. Due to the strange feeling of the anesthetic, many children will chew the inside of their lips, cheeks, or tongue, which can cause severe damage. Sensitivity to hot and cold is common for a few weeks following dental restoration. Usually, the deeper the cavity, the more sensitive the tooth will be. If you feel the bite is not correctly balanced, please call for an appointment for a simple adjustment. The gum tissue and the anesthetic injection site could have irritated during the procedure and may have been sore for a few days. The finished restoration may be contoured slightly differently and have a different shape than the original tooth. Your tongue usually magnifies this slight difference and will become adjusted to this in a few days.