There is no quicker or easier way to dramatically improve the look of your smile than professional teeth whitening. Your dentist probably offers several whitening options and can advise you about the most appropriate type of whitening treatment to ensure your brightest, whitest smile. No matter which whitening treatment you and your dentist decide will be best, there are several tips you can follow to help you achieve the ideal result:
- Have any existing dental problems treated prior to whitening to avoid side effects or complications.
- Schedule a professional teeth cleaning prior to your whitening appointment to remove buildup of plaque or tartar you cannot remove with home cleaning, and provide the best surface for the whitening treatment.
- Begin brushing with a desensitizing toothpaste several weeks before whitening to limit the sensitivity that can sometimes result from whitening agents.
- If you are extremely prone to dental sensitivity, check with your dentist about taking a painkilling medication before your whitening appointment.
- Consult with your dental office to determine how much time you should allow for your whitening appointment.
- Refrain from eating or drinking anything except water for at least one hour after the completion of your whitening treatment, and avoid ingesting foods and beverages that contain stain-causing agents for no less than 24 hours.
- Make sure to attend any follow-up appointments with your dentist.
- Maintain excellent home oral care habits to extend the life of your whitening procedure.
By following these tips, you can boost the results of your professional teeth whitening treatment and face the world with beautiful, bright smile!
Do not wait any longer. Book your appointment now and achieve the smile you have always wanted. Dr. Michael Woolbert & Dr. William Hall is accepting new patients from Shreveport and the surrounding area.
One of the most important decision for the health of you and your family is a family dentist. Similar to a general dentist, family dentists offer a few significant exceptions. Both types of dentists treat oral health and manage dental hygiene, but family dentists offer care to patients of all ages. This makes family dentistry a convenient choice especially if you have family members of various ages in your home.
Traditional dental services that you’d expect from any dentist are available at a family dental office. Preventative services like professional cleanings, fluoride treatments, and thorough examinations are offered. Regular checkups allow for diagnostic tests to catch problems in their early stages, before they have a chance to advance and become very painful or complicated to repair. Procedures like dental fillings, bonding, root canal therapy, teeth whitening and more are often available through your family dentist. If specialized care is required that is not performed in the office, the dentist will provide a referral to an appropriate specialist for treatment.
Finding the right family dental practice for your whole family is vital. This will increase the comfort level of your family members and promote checkups every six months as advised by dentists. To choose your family dentist, ask friends, family, coworkers and neighbors for recommendations. Schedule a consultation to meet the dentist and staff, see the office, and make sure the practice meets your requirements. It is especially important to ensure children are comfortable with the family dentist to help avoid fears or anxiety. Also look for an office convenient to your home so that everyone will be more likely to keep their appointments.
From baby teeth in kids to permanent teeth in adults to missing teeth in seniors, family dentists are trained and equipped to handle everyone’s needs.
Do you live in Shreveport or the surrounding area? Our team is ready to help you achieve your smile goals. Schedule your appointment today.
The school year has started and kids are busy with school, sports, and social activities. It’s a challenge sometimes to get your kids to eat healthy when they are on-the-go, not only for their overall health but also for their oral health. Here are some tasty and healthy snacks that you can offer your kids, and chances are they’ll like them!
Yogurt:
Dairy foods help build strong bones, and they’re also great for a strong mouth. Eating low-fat yogurt provides calcium. Try mixing it with berries and granola for a healthy parfait, or making homemade fruity yogurt popsicles to attract your children’s attention.
Cheese:
Besides providing calcium, cheese helps fight cavities. It triggers saliva production, which washes away food particles in your mouth and the acids that can weaken your teeth. In these ways, cheese halts the process of cavity formation. Cheese not only contains calcium but also phosphorous, which both help rebuild the enamel on your teeth.
Blueberries:
These berries may be small, but they’re packed with Vitamin C, minerals, and folic acid. They also contain ingredients which studies show help prevent diabetes and cancer. Try adding blueberries to pancakes and muffins, or sprinkling them with a small amount of sugar and topping them with whipped cream.
Almonds:
Nuts like almonds contain ingredients to fight diseases, as well as Vitamin E, fiber, calcium, and iron. Most kids enjoy eating almonds raw, but remember they are a choking hazard for young children.
Whole wheat bread:
Bread made with whole wheat provides kids with iron, zinc, magnesium, and vitamins. Whole grain cereal offers calcium, fiber, and vitamins. Enjoying these whole wheat snacks with milk provides an even healthier snack for your kids.
Ready to transform your smile? Schedule your appointment today at our Shreveport dental office.
There are a number of reasons that dentists or oral surgeons recommend surgery, but facial injuries are probably the most unexpected and alarming cause. Maxillofacial injury, or facial trauma, refers to any injury to the mouth, jaw, and face. Most of these injuries result from sports, car accidents, job accidents, violence, or an accident at home. Let’s learn about oral surgery resulting from facial trauma.
Broken bones are a common type of serious facial injury. Fractures can occur in the upper or lower jaw, cheekbones, palate, and eye sockets. Injuries in these locations may affect vision and the ability to eat, talk, and breathe. Hospitalization is often required for treatment, which is similar to that for fractures in other parts of the body. The bones must be lined up and held in place to allow time to heal them in the correct position. Because casts are not possible in facial injuries, the surgeon may use wires, screws, or plates to treat fractures. Sometimes healing takes as long as six weeks or more.
Even though some facial injuries are worse than others, all of them should be taken seriously. They affect an important area of the body, so it is recommended to seek treatment from an oral surgeon to make sure you receive optimum care. Even if stitches are all that’s required, it’s best to have them performed by an oral surgeon who can place them exactly as needed to produce the best results.
It’s no surprise that the best solution for facial injuries is to prevent them in the first place. Oral surgeons suggest consistent use of mouth guards, seat belts, and masks and helmets as required. Improvements have been made to safety gear to make these items more comfortable and efficient, so there should be no excuses for not using them to protect yourself and avoid injuries that can lead to oral surgery.
Ready to transform your smile? Schedule your appointment today at our Shreveport dental office.
If you’ve tried teeth whitening products or other methods to improve the look of your smile but still aren’t satisfied, maybe it’s time to consider the more permanent solution of dental veneers. These provide a painless and simple way to transform your smile without the hassles that some other solutions involve.
What are veneers?:
These very thin shells are usually made from porcelain or composite materials, and they fit right onto the surface of the fronts of your teeth to improve their appearance. They hide imperfections so that no one can even tell what your natural teeth underneath might look like.
What are the benefits?:
In addition to making your smile look nicer, veneers also may be used to fill in gaps between your teeth. They can repair chips in your teeth or decayed areas. Veneers can even correct crooked teeth because they may be used to align your smile in a more appealing way.
Which type should I choose?:
Porcelain veneers are the most popular choice because of its durability and natural appearance. Veneers made of composite are often less expensive, but tend to stain easier and require replacement sooner. Composite veneers may be a good choice for small tooth chip repairs, but for overall improvement porcelain is often the preferred material.
What’s the process for getting veneers?:
After your initial consultation with your dentist, your next appointment will involve gently altering the shape and surface of your teeth if necessary to prepare them for veneers. Then a mold will be made of your mouth so that custom veneers can be created. You’ll be fitted for temporary veneers while your permanent ones are made, which usually takes a few weeks. When they are ready, your veneers will be placed using special glue and then trimmed to fit exactly. Your new smile is now complete!
Take the first step towards a confident smile. Contact our Shreveport dental office to schedule your consultation!
If you are dealing with ongoing tooth pain, you may be too fearful to go to the dentist to find out what’s going on. It’s important that you do, however, as you may need root canal therapy. Your dentist will need to evaluate you to see if that procedure is necessary, and will closely examine several factors: the signs the dentist can see personally, the results of any tests performed during your visit, and the symptoms you have been experiencing with the problematic tooth.
Your dentist may observe:
- A tooth that is discolored
- X-rays that reveal a tooth problem
- A fistulous tract, or persistent or recurring gum pimple
Additional testing done by your dentist:
- X-rays provide an extremely clear picture of the health of the tooth
- Thermal testing can evaluate sensitivity through a careful application of hot or cold temperatures
- Percussion testing evaluates pain response through gentle tapping
You may have been noticing:
- A broken or cracked tooth obviously decayed or damaged
- A discolored tooth, especially a grey tooth
- A “bubble” in your gums, like a pimple. It may or may not have ruptured, leaking pus that smells or tastes awful
- Pain that shoots out from one tooth to your jaw or ear, leading to earache symptoms
- Pain that prevents you from living your life without painkillers
- Pain, sensitivity or swelling on one certain tooth
- Extreme sensitivity to hot or cold liquids that lingers and is very painful
In some cases, an infected tooth that requires a root canal treatment has no symptoms at all that could be discerned by you. Only a dental professional can confirm the need to undergo root canal therapies. If you are experiencing pain that disrupts your life, talk to your dentist or endodontist immediately. Root canal treatments are designed to relieve the pain you’re experiencing now and to restore your tooth to full form and function. Don’t wait to get your life and smile back!
Do not let another day go by without taking care of your dental needs. Request an appointment now at our Shreveport dental office!
