Filling a Cavity

Our doctors at Riverwalk Dental never want patients to experience a cavity. This is because a cavity is a hole in the tooth that is caused by decay. Cavities can develop for a variety of different factors such as poor oral care habits and a poor diet. If you fall victim to a cavity, our doctors have a variety of filling materials to repair the tooth, but we’d much rather you improve your oral care habits, as well as your diet, to prevent a cavity from forming.  

Fillings can be made from many types of material, but the most common filling is composite resin. Composite fillings are designed to match the shade of the tooth and will give the restored tooth a natural appearance. To fill a cavity, the doctor will numb the area to reduce pain and help you relax. Once you decide which type of material is best for you, the doctor will then remove the decay and replace it with filling material. Your oral cavity may remain numb for a few hours after the procedure, but the result is a restored, healthy tooth that is cavity-free.

If you have questions or concerns about dental fillings, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.riverwalkdental.ca for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Riverwalk Dental located in Canada, Alberta, T1B 4Y2, Medicine Hat, 101-7 Strachan Bay, SE, 403-456-4994.

What is the ADA Seal?

When you purchase products that bare the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of approval, this means that you’ve made a good choice when choosing your oral care instruments. When you see the ADA seal of acceptance, this means that you have found an oral care product that has been scientifically evaluated to be safe and effective. At Riverwalk Dental, we encourage patients to use oral care products that advertise that they are from the American Dental Association to guarantee optimal oral health.

Not every dental product possesses the ADA seal of approval, but this doesn’t mean that it won’t get the job done. When a product has the ADA seal of approval, this just means that the company selling the product may or may not have submitted their product for review. Each year, the American Dental Association receives inquiries about potential and existing ADA Seal products. To put it simply, it is the goal of the ADA to keep oral care a patients top priority and to help them maintain good oral health and prevent dental diseases.

If you have questions or concerns about dental health or oral care, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.riverwalkdental.ca for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Riverwalk Dental located in Canada, Alberta, T1B 4Y2, Medicine Hat, 101-7 Strachan Bay, SE, 403-456-4994.

Lip Care in Winter

Following some bitingly cold weather, we at Riverwalk Dental in Calgary want to ensure our patients understand proper lip and dry mouth care during winter. The low moisture in cold air makes lips vulnerable to chapping and damage to soft tissues in the mouth can have consequences for the teeth, as well.

It’s tempting this time of year to take long, hot showers, but this will cause skin to dry out faster. Evaporating water or saliva takes more moisture with it. Therefore, it is also a bad idea to use saliva to keep the lips wet. Even worse is tucking them inside the teeth: this will irritate them and, if done too often, could push the teeth out of alignment. A much better idea is to use lip balm, with the caveat that fragrances and menthol cause irritation to some people. If swelling or redness occurs, a change in products is necessary.

Dry mouth is also worse in the winter. The absence of saliva makes the mouth more vulnerable to infections such as dental caries. Humidifiers in the bedroom can provide significant relief, as can the use of throat moisturizers.

Dr. Jared Palmer and his team operate Riverwalk Dental at 540 6^th Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta, T2G 1K5, Canada. To schedule an appointment, call 1-403-456-4994 or visit Riverwalk Dental.

 

Keeping Up With Regular Dental Cleanings

The doctors at Riverwalk Dental encourage patients to maintain a great oral health routine at home, but it is still important to come into the office for biannual professional cleanings.  Even when you regularly brush and floss, some harmful bacteria grow in your mouth that cause gum disease and can only be removed by a dental professional. At a cleaning, our hygienists use professional tools to remove plaque, tartar, and bacteria build-up from your teeth that is too tough to remove on your own.

The Academy of General Dentistry recommends you have a dentist or hygienist perform a dental cleaning every six months.  It’s important to see a professional regularly to locate and monitor areas in the mouth that may need special attention, and a dentist can tell you if you may be missing a spot or skipping an important step in your regular oral care routine.  During a teeth cleaning, our hygienists thoroughly clean the area above and below the gum line with scaling tools to rid them of plaque and tartar. After the surfaces of the teeth are cleaned, the hygienist flosses between every one of your teeth and may apply fluoride if recommended by the dentist.  If you need your teeth cleaned, don’t wait any longer!

To learn more about dental cleanings and all the services we provide, visit www.riverwalkdental.ca for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Riverwalk Dental located at Canada, Alberta, T1B 4Y2, Medicine Hat, 101-7 Strachan Bay, SE, call 403-456-4994.