Flossing is a vital dental habit often overlooked by many. Whether due to difficulty handling traditional floss or simply a lack of time, many struggle to incorporate it into their routine. However, at Cosgrove Dental Care, we prioritize your oral health and want to make flossing easier for you. Here are some effective alternatives to traditional flossing to ensure you can maintain a healthy smile:

1.) Disposable Floss Picks

These handy tools feature plastic handles with pre-threaded floss and Y-shaped prongs, making them convenient for travel or on-the-go use. Simply insert the floss between your teeth, and when finished, dispose of the pick.

2.) Non-Disposable Floss Picks

With longer handles than disposable picks, these options are ideal for individuals with small mouths or crowded teeth. They offer enhanced maneuverability, making it easier to reach back teeth for thorough cleaning.

3.) Water Flossers

Water flossers use streams of pressurized water to clean between teeth, providing a gentle yet effective alternative to traditional flossing. With adjustable pressure settings, they cater to individual comfort levels and are available in various models to suit different budgets.

4.) Interdental Brushes

Resembling miniature toothbrushes, interdental brushes are particularly beneficial for individuals wearing braces or those with mobility issues. They provide effective cleaning between teeth and can be reused, offering a cost-effective solution for maintaining oral hygiene.

5.) Air Flossers

Using air pressure combined with a small amount of water, air flossers offer a mess-free alternative to traditional water-based flossers. They are easy to use with simple point-and-click instructions, providing efficient cleaning between teeth and along the gumline.

Maintaining plaque-free spaces between your teeth is crucial for optimal oral health. Finding the right tools and techniques for your needs is the first step towards establishing lifelong habits for a healthy smile. Consider incorporating any of these flossing alternatives into your routine, or reach out to Dentist Vestavia for personalized recommendations. Our team is dedicated to helping you achieve and maintain a radiant smile.

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and seen what appeared to be small cracks on the outside of your teeth, congratulations. You may have craze lines.

First, it’s important to know that these lines are relatively harmless in most cases. Craze lines appear as a natural response to years of normal tooth function. Throughout your life, teeth can take a lot of pressure from normal chewing. If you suffer from bruxism (teeth grinding), or regularly use your teeth as a tool to cut things, these effects may be more severe.

Craze lines can appear on the front or back of your teeth and are common in adult teeth. Usually, they don’t require treatment and are considered by many dental professionals to be simple cosmetic concerns. For instance, if you drink certain beverages or use tobacco, these lines can become stained.

If you have concerns, your doctor can check on your craze lines to see if they are exasperbating any tooth injuries, or seemed to be caused by frequent grinding. The majority of cases have no negative effects. Some studies have explored the possibility that craze lines may increase sensitivity after bleaching treatments, but the results were inconclusive.

If you don’t already have craze lines and want to limit your chances of getting them, it’s important to keep up with your regularly scheduled visits to a dental professional. While they may be unavoidable for some patients, it’s always a good idea to practice the best possible oral health care.We are experts in keeping your smile as healthy as possible for as long as you live. If you have any questions about your dental health, please do not hesitate to contact our office. We look forward to hearing from you.   

Accidents always happen. Be sure to know what to do when one arises – it can be the difference of saving a tooth or losing one.  

A dental emergency is an injury to your teeth or gums that can be potentially serious. Ignoring one can increase the risk of permanent damage. For all dental emergencies, it is important to contact our office as soon as the injury occurs.  Provide detailed information about the injury to your mouth. We will be able to give you instructions on how to care for your mouth in the time before coming to our office. In some instances, we may recommend emergency care. 

Here are some common dental injuries and how to care for them. 

Knocked-out tooth 

Rinse the tooth with water if it’s dirty and try not to remove any attached tissue fragments. Keep the tooth moist at all times by carefully putting the tooth back in place without forcing it back into the socket. If this is not possible, place the tooth in a small container of milk or in a cup of water that contains a pinch of salt. Contact our dental office as quickly as possible. 

Chipped or cracked tooth 

Save any pieces if possible. Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the injured area as well as remove any small tooth fragments. Apply cold compresses to your mouth to keep down the swelling and relieve pain.  

Objects caught between teeth 

Carefully try to remove the object using floss. If you cannot get the object out, see your dentist. It is important to never use a pin or sharp instrument to remove the object since you may cause injury to your gums or the surfaces of your teeth. 

Soft-tissue injuries 

Injuries to your tongue, cheeks, gums and lips can result in bleeding. To control the bleeding, rinse your mouth with mild salt water. Apply a moistened piece of gauze or tea bag to the bleeding site for about 15 minutes. You may also use a cold compress to relieve pain. If the bleeding doesn’t stop, contact our dental office. 

You can also take simple precautions to avoid dental emergencies:  

• When participating in sports, always wear a mouth guard 
• Avoid chewing ice, popcorn kernels and hard candy 
• Never use your teeth to cut things – use scissors 

If you encounter a dental emergency, always contact our Vestavia dental office as soon as possible. We can provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to care for your mouth or may ask you to come into the office. If you have any additional dental emergency questions, be sure to contact us.

A cracked tooth can affect the appearance of your smile and hinder the function of your teeth. Depending on the severity, you may experience discomfort or find it difficult to chew comfortably. Thankfully, damage to your teeth can be avoided by knowing what causes it. Below we have gathered the most common reasons for a tooth to crack and how to avoid it from happening. 

Chewing Hard Foods 

While healthy teeth are strong, they are not indestructible. Try to avoid or limit chewing on hard foods such as nuts, ice, or popcorn kernels, as these can cause cracks in your teeth. 

Grinding Your Teeth at Night 

Teeth grinding (known as bruxism) is a common occurrence and can happen without your knowledge. Most teeth grinding happens in your sleep and can gradually damage your enamel, causing stress fractures or what are known as craze lines. Combat this issue by wearing a night guard, which acts as a barrier between your upper and lower teeth and protects them from wear. 

Natural Aging 

As you age, so do your teeth. While you can’t avoid aging, you can help limit the effects it has on your oral health. Cracked teeth are commonly found in people over the age of 50 due to a lifetime of daily use. Because of this, it is important to practice strong oral hygiene habits and visit the dentist on a regular basis.  

Trauma to the Mouth 

Traumatic dental injuries can occur during vehicle or sport collisions. Often, these accidents are unavoidable and can cause damage to your teeth. While playing contact sports, we encourage you to wear a mouth guard to lower your chances of cracking a tooth. 

Cracked teeth, especially when left untreated, are one of the leading causes of tooth loss. There are ways to avoid these injuries that will help keep your teeth strong and safe. Sometimes, a cracked or chipped tooth is unavoidable. In this case, our team at Cosgrove Dental Care can help restore your teeth back to full health. 

For more information or to schedule your next appointment, contact our office today.