Dr. Chris Green Named Top 40 Dentists Under 40
The Benefits of Fluoride Treatments
The Benefits of Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride is a naturally-occurring mineral that has been discovered to have protective effects on teeth. This substance can be put on your teeth as a gel, mouth rinse or varnish. Once on the surface of your teeth, it soaks into the tubules (tiny holes) in order to kill any bacteria there and strengthen the enamel of your teeth. In this article, you’ll discover why you need to get fluoride treatments at Green Dental Care at least twice each year.
Why Fluoride Treatments are Good for You
Remineralization. Fluoride treatments help to restore minerals to tooth surfaces that have had these minerals eroded by acidic food and drinks. Bacterial activity also erodes tooth surfaces, and regular fluoride treatments at Green Dental Care can help to restore those minerals so that the teeth retain or regain their strength.
Prevents cavities. Fluoride also helps to combat tooth decay in both children and adults. We asked our friend, Dr. Ben Kacos, a dentist in Shreveport, LA, about the benefits of fluoride. Dr. Kacos explains that fluoride goes in and kills any bacteria which is lodged in the tubules of your teeth. The fluoride also fills the tiny microscopic holes formed in the initial stages of tooth decay. This prevents the decay from progressing into the deeper layers of the teeth.
Reducing the cost of dental care. The modest fee that you pay for a fluoride treatment at Green Dental Care in Parker, CO pays off massively in the savings you make on dental care costs. The protective effects of the fluoride on your teeth mean that you will have fewer caries or tooth decay, and that means that the money you would have spent on treatment for these conditions is saved.
Preserves your perfect smile. As already mentioned, fluoride protects your teeth from various problems, such as gum recession due to gingivitis and teeth discoloration since the fluoride fills the tubules and makes it harder for stains to form. Regular fluoride treatments at Green Dental Care, therefore, increase the odds of having your beautiful smile for your entire life.
Preventing teeth sensitivity. As enamel is eroded due to bacterial activity and acidic eats and drinks, the soft dentine is exposed and your teeth can become sensitive each time you consume hot or cold substances. Fluoride gets into the tiny pits formed in your teeth and prevents the softer dentine from being exposed, hence averting sensitivity.
How Often Should I Get a Fluoride Treatment?
For most patients, Dr. Chris Green recommends that they get a fluoride treatment once every six months. However, the frequency of treatments can vary depending on a variety of factors. For instance, Parker, CO dentists recommend that people who face a higher risk of caries, such as those with poor oral hygiene habits and those with limited or no saliva production, get fluoride treatments once every three months. For some people, even a single fluoride treatment in 12 months may suffice.
The exact frequency of fluoride treatments that you need will, therefore, be determined after Dr. Chris Green examines your teeth and recommends the best frequency of treatments for you.
How Are the Fluoride Treatments Done?
The most common way through which a fluoride treatment is administered at Green Dental Care is by “painting” it on the surface of your teeth. This layer of fluoride stays on your teeth for 4-6 hours before you can brush your teeth to remove the excess fluoride.
Fluoride treatments can also be administered by the use of a tray which is fitted onto your teeth for the required duration. Your dentist in Parker, CO will then remove the tray and ask you to brush your teeth.
Alternatively, the Parker, CO dentist may give you a fluoride mouthwash and ask you to rinse your teeth with it for a few seconds after which you spit out the liquid. After a set interval, you can brush your teeth once the fluoride has penetrated the surface of your teeth.
How Soon Can I Eat After a Fluoride Treatment?
Dr. Chris Green may ask you to wait for about 30 minutes before you eat anything. This precaution is intended to prevent what you eat from washing away the recently applied fluoride on your teeth.
However, it is also possible to eat right away after you have had a fluoride treatment as long as you don’t consume anything very hot or sticky. The hot food or drinks may melt the fluoride from your teeth, while the sticky eats can adhere to the fluoride and remove it from the surface of your teeth.
As you can see, fluoride treatments are simple, yet packed with benefits for your oral health. Contact Green Dental Care today if you haven’t had a fluoride treatment in more than six months. Our friendly staff will clean your teeth and administer this protective treatment so that you can enjoy a lifetime of good dental health.
The Green Dental Care Dental Savings Plan, DSP
The Green Dental Care Dental Savings Plan, DSP
At Green Dental Care, we take you and your family’s dental health so seriously that we have designed a dental savings plan (DSP) to cater for your dental care even if you don’t have insurance. Read on and discover more details about this dental savings plan and how you can benefit when you enroll for it.
What You Get in the Dental Savings Plan
Green Dental Care’s DSP includes;
- 1 Comprehensive Dental Exam
- 1 Annual Dental Exam
- 1 Emergency Dental Exam
- 2 Professional Dental Cleanings
- 2 Screenings for Oral Cancer
- 2 Fluoride Treatments when you come for the dental cleanings.
- Needed dental x-rays during the year of the DSP.
- A variety of discounted services and dental procedures.
DSP Membership Options
At Green Dental Care, Dr. Chris Green, and the entire team believe that there should be no barriers to quality care for people regardless of their insurance status. The following fee schedule has, therefore, been designed to take care of the dental health needs of individuals and families of various sizes as outlined below.
- Single/Individual membership $365 (You save $362 from the fees you would pay for the services included in the plan)
- Dual membership $714 (the two of you save $740 on the normal cost of the services you receive)
- A family of 3 $1,038 (this comes with savings of $1,143 off what you would pay for the services provided under the plan)
- A family of 4 $1,338 (you get to enjoy savings of $1,570 off the cost you would incur if you weren’t on this plan)
- Each additional family member once the four members have been registered attracts a fee of $199.
What Discounted Services Do DSP Members Qualify For?
Root canals, fillings, and crowns. People who are enrolled in the dental savings plan and need these dental procedures get a 15 percent discount on the total cost of the procedures.
Invisalign and other orthodontic procedures. Lack of dental insurance should not stop you from getting the best orthodontic treatment, such as the use of Invisalign to treat underbites, overbites, and other orthodontic issues. For this reason, Green Dental Care in Parker, CO, offers a discount of $500 from the total cost of the needed orthodontic treatment.
Teeth Whitening. We know that over time, medications, pigmented drinks and foods, and other factors can cause your teeth to become discolored or stained. The members of the dental savings plan enjoy teeth whitening treatments as part of their package for having this plan. This treatment alone would cost $325 if you were to pay for it out of pocket!
Have More Questions?
Feel free to call Green Dental Care today. Our staff is waiting to answer any question you may have about the Dental Savings Plan, and any other question about your overall dental health. We want to make sure that you receive the dental health care you need throughout the year whether you have insurance or not, so get in touch with us today!
Must-Knows About Periodontal Disease
Must-Knows About Periodontal Disease
What You Should Know About Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease is a common infection which damages the gums and alveolar bone surrounding one’s teeth. If left untreated, the condition can worsen and cause you to lose the affected teeth, in addition to causing other systemic health problems, such as heart disease. At Green Dental Care, we take this infection very seriously and take the following measures to address it.
The Preliminary Examination
As soon as you come in with a suspected case of periodontal disease, Dr. Green will take some gum measurements to ascertain the size of the gingival pockets. Gingival pockets are the gaps between one’s teeth and gums. If this pocket measures 3mm or less, you are regarded as normal. Bigger pockets which are 4-5mm wide signal gingivitis (the initial stage of periodontal disease). If your dentist in Parker, CO finds that your gingival pockets exceed 5mm, you will be categorized as someone suffering from periodontal disease and in need of urgent treatment.
Another step taken during your initial assessment entails getting intraoral images using a camera. These images reveal where plaque and calculus (tartar) have accumulated around your teeth.
Dr. Chris Green will also order dental x-rays in order to view the condition of the teeth beneath the gumline. The roots of your teeth have soft bone coverings called alveolar bone. Periodontal disease gradually eats away at this bone tissue in an irreversible process. The x-rays help to show to what extent this damage has occurred.
Treating Periodontal Disease
Once all this information has been gathered, Dr. Chris Green will design an appropriate treatment plan to address the specific magnitude of the gum disease. The following are some of the steps taken to treat periodontal disease at Green Dental Care in Parker CO.
Root Planing and Scaling: Root planing and scaling refers to the process by which a dental scaler or ultrasonic instrument is used to remove bacterial pockets and plaque or tartar from beneath the gumline. The objective is to prevent periodontal disease from getting worse. Scaling smoothens the surfaces from which bacteria has been removed so that further colonization doesn’t take place. This treatment procedure is done after administering a local anesthetic to deal with any pain triggered during the procedure.
Medication: Your dentist in Parker, CO may also opt to use medication alongside root scaling and planning as a way to treat periodontal disease. The medications range from prescription antibiotics, antibiotic gels, and prescription mouthwashes and rinses. These target the microorganisms in your gums and teeth in order to bring down inflammation and allow the gums to heal.
Surgery: Some severe cases of periodontal disease may require surgical intervention in order to treat the infection. For example, the professionals at Green Dental Care may recommend flap surgery as the only feasible way to remove the bacteria which is lodged deep within your gum tissue. Flap surgery can also be performed to remove a section of the gum so that what is left fits optimally on the tooth affected by periodontal disease. Tissue and bone grafts may also be performed to cover the parts of roots which have been exposed as a result of periodontal disease.
Regardless of the treatment option selected, Dr. Chris Green will advise you to pay additional attention to your oral care at home. This added vigilance is necessary to prevent recolonization by bacteria.
Your treatment may also require several visits, especially if the problem was extensive. If one visit is enough, another follow-up visit may be scheduled after three months to clean out the gingival pockets and to monitor how well you are healing. Don’t miss this follow-up visit because you will not know whether additional treatment is required or what you received was sufficient.
As already mentioned, the initial stage (gingivitis) of periodontal disease can be reversed by paying more attention to your oral hygiene. As the disease progresses, it causes damage which is irreversible. Contact Green Dental Care and schedule an appointment as soon as you suspect that you could be having periodontal disease. The sooner you commence treatment, the higher the chance that the disease will be stopped before it causes extensive damage to your oral health.
Teeth Whitening Instructions at Green Dental Care
Teeth Whitening Instructions at Green Dental Care
Teeth Whitening Instructions for Our Take-Home Kit
When you receive your take-home teeth whitening kit provided by Green Dental Care, the package will contain various items, such as a number of syringes containing a whitening (bleaching) gel, custom dental trays and instructions on how to use the kit for best results. Here is a summarized version of what you need to know to get the best teeth whitening outcomes.
Dental Work
The teeth whitening gel will neither whiten (bleach) nor harm any artificial dental work in your mouth, such as crowns, fillings, caps, and bridges. The bleaching compound will only work on your natural teeth.
It is therefore wise for you to skip putting any whitening gel on the part of the dental tray that will cover the teeth with artificial dental work on them. Dr. Green suggests that you consider having any dental work redone so that its appearance matches your new look after whitening your natural teeth.
Tooth Sensitivity
We asked our friend, Dr. Taher Dhoon, a dentist in Greeley, CO, about tooth sensitivity and teeth whitening kits. Dr. Dhoon says that the chances are high that your gums and teeth will become sensitive to hot, cold, or pressure while you are whitening your teeth. Discontinue the teeth whitening process if the sensitivity is more than mild. Resume bleaching the teeth after a few days if you notice that the sensitivity has subsided.
For preventive purposes, you could brush with Sensodyne as a precaution to prevent sensitivity from developing. Alternatively, you can talk to Dr. Green, a dentist near Parker CO, about using a desensitizing gel after every teeth whitening session. The desensitizing gel is applied following the same procedure that is used for the teeth whitening product.
Storage
Parker dental care professionals recommend that you store the teeth whitening gel in the refrigerator. Refrigeration extends the shelf life of the gel from one to two years. You can, therefore, use the stored gel months later when you want to touch up some teeth that have developed stains. You can also keep the bleaching gel in a cool, dry place that is away from direct sunlight. Don’t freeze the teeth whitening gel.
Prior to Teeth Whitening Treatment
Brush and floss your teeth thoroughly before you start using the teeth whitening kit. This will allow the bleaching gel to adhere to the teeth properly for the best results.
It is also prudent for you to try on the custom tray to confirm that it fits well before you add the gel to the tray.
Also, ensure that the whitening tray is clean and dry before you place any whitening gel on it. Dr. Green explains that moisture interferes with the effectiveness of the gel and increases the bleaching time.
Applying the Teeth Whitening Gel
Add just a tiny dab (the size of a grain of rice) of the whitening gel in the portion corresponding to the teeth which you want to whiten. As earlier stated, skip the teeth with any dental work since the gel will not whiten them. Also, it may be wasteful for you to whiten the back teeth since they aren’t visible when you smile. Don’t try to spread the gel in the tray; this will happen on its own once you wear the tray.
Inserting the Bleaching Tray
Insert the bleaching tray gently over the teeth. Make sure that the tray sits firmly over the teeth. Wipe away any excess gel that seeps out to your gums. Otherwise, your gums will be burnt by the gel.
Wearing Time
Dr. Green recommends that you wear the teeth whitening tray for 2-4 hours each day. Do this for 10-14 days. This wearing time will be sufficient to give you the desired results. After wearing the tray for the recommended duration, refrain from consuming any substance, such as coffee, which may stain your teeth.
Experienced Parker dental care experts also advise patients to keep the custom trays even if they have obtained the results that they wanted. This is because the same trays can be used later on to touch up any tooth or teeth that develop stains. You will therefore simply buy more bleaching gel if what you have runs out.
After a Teeth Whitening Session
After keeping the whitening tray in your mouth for 2-4 hours, remove it and rinse your teeth. Brush away any gel remaining on your teeth. Brush and floss as usual during the days when you are whitening your teeth.
Caring for Your Custom Teeth Whitening Trays and Gel
Use a Q-tip/toothbrush and cold water to clean the custom dental tray after wearing it. Thereafter, place the tray inside the tray holder. Place the gel in the refrigerator as earlier recommended.
Warnings and Precautions
The specific instructions (how long to wear the tray, for example) may vary depending on the product that Dr. Green recommends based on your unique requirements. Adhere to the guidelines given to you, rather than those you read elsewhere.
Don’t use the whitening tray if you are pregnant or when breastfeeding. Desist from smoking, eating, or drinking anything while the dental bleaching tray is in your mouth. Needless to say, keep the bleaching gel out of reach of children.
Still, have more questions about whitening your teeth at home using a kit provided by a dentist? Call Green Dental Care today or schedule an appointment so that all your questions and concerns can be adequately addressed.