Looking Your Best In the New Season: Is Whitening Your Teeth Safe?

Good morning!

With spring officially here you, like many others, might feel renewed with energy to freshen up your look or work toward a new goal. Part of that fresh start means you might be considering whitening your teeth. But what about teeth whitening? Is it safe? Well the answer is yes, but it depends! With so many teeth whitening options out there, it can be a bit confusing to navigate the best choice for your smile. According to the American Dental Association "The ADA recommends that if you choose to use a bleaching product, you should only do so after consultation with a dentist. This is especially important for patients with many fillings, crowns, and extremely dark stains. A thorough oral examination, performed by a licensed dentist, is essential to determine if bleaching is an appropriate course of treatment. The dentist and patient together can determine the most appropriate treatment. The dentist may then advise the patient and supervise the use of bleaching agents within the context of a comprehensive, appropriately sequenced treatment plan."

We offer professional whitening services here at Germantown Dental Care and would be more than happy to talk to you about your teeth and whitening options. Schedule your appointment today at: http://germantowndentalcare.com/

To learn more about the different whitening products and how they work, visit the link from ADA Here.

How Seasonal Allergies Can Affect Your Oral Health

Good morning!

With spring officially started and warmer temperatures around the corner, we are sharing a great article from Delta Dental about seasonal allergies and how they can affect your oral health. "When allergy season is in full swing, your dental health may not be on the top of your mind. But a case of hay fever can make an impact on your teeth and gums. Here’s what to look out for and how to protect your mouth."

Here are some things that can happen due to those pesky seasonal allergies:

• Tooth pain
• Dry mouth
• Sore throat
• Dehydration

To learn more about each one of these things and how you can help prevent them click here for the article. To learn more about Dr. Mansfield and Germantown Dental Care visit us at: http://germantowndentalcare.com/

Dental Benefits And Paying for Dental Care

Good morning,

Today we are talking about dental insurance and benefits thanks to an article we want to share from Mouth Healthy. If you are looking for better dental coverage or just a better understanding of your own current dental benefits, then this article can help! Click on the link below for some resources on decoding your dental insurance and benefits plan.

"Good oral care habits are about more than just your teeth—a healthy mouth means a healthy body. That’s why it’s so important to see your ADA dentist regularly. Those visits can help prevent and monitor dental health issues that could lead to more serious conditions and require more expensive treatment, such as cavities, tooth removal, root canals and even oral cancer.

But shopping for a dental plan—or any type of healthcare coverage, for that matter—can be an intimidating process. There are endless options to choose from with different types of plans, levels of coverage and costs. Even when you think you know what type of plan you want, the paperwork can be full of unfamiliar terms and acronyms that make the terms of the plan hard to understand.

Dental plans also function differently than most health insurance plans, adding another layer of complexity to the process. But don’t worry! We’ve got you covered. Below you’ll find resources to help you through every step of the way, including figuring out how much coverage you need, what common insurance and dental terms mean and additional resources for finding affordable dental coverage."  Click here for article link.

If you are looking for a new dentist who takes insurance and can help you, contact Dr. Mansfield today! Germantown Dental Care provides trusted dentistry for the entire family. Germantown Dental Care has years of experience with crown and bridge work, implants, veneers, root canals & more! We value our patient relationships, making it our priority to deliver gentle compassionate care that you deserve. Learn more at: http://germantowndentalcare.com/

Nutrition: What You Eat Affects Your Teeth

Good morning,

Did you know that what you eat can help prevent tooth decay? It might seem obvious that cutting down on sugars, hard candies and sodas can help keep your teeth in top shape, but there is a lot more to it than that. "Your mouth, teeth, and gums are more than just tools for eating. They’re essential for chewing and swallowing—the first steps in the digestion process. Your mouth is your body’s initial point of contact with the nutrients you consume. So what you put in your mouth impacts not only your general health but also that of your teeth and gums. In fact, if your nutrition is poor, the first signs often show up in your mouth. Here are a few helpful things to know about how what you eat can impact your dental health." Learn more from the article by clicking the original link here.

Photo credit: Mouthhealthy.org

If you are looking for a new dentist visit Dr. Mansfield today! Located in Germantown, Maryland right off of Rt. 270. Accepting new patients of all ages!! Learn more by visiting: www.germantowndentalcare.com

The Facts About Dry Mouth

You may have noticed that your dry mouth can be more common in the wintertime due to having closed windows and the dry air coming from the heat running in your house. However dry mouth can occur any time of year and can lead to more serious conditions if not treated properly. Although more common in the elderly, dry mouth can happen to anyone regardless of age. What causes dry mouth? Sometimes it can be caused by long-term use of prescriptions or other medications. Dehydration can be another contributing factor. So what can you do about your dry mouth? Learn more by reading this quick and comprehensive article from colgate.com by clicking here.

If you are suffering from dry mouth or any other oral condition and want help from a dedicated and caring dentist, come see Dr. Mansfield!! Located in Germantown, Maryland right off of Rt. 270. Learn more about Dr. Mansfield and the rest of the Germantown Dental Care staff by visiting: http://germantowndentalcare.com/

Selecting the Dental Products Best for You

Good morning everyone,

Today we are sharing an article from colgate.com entitled 'Selecting Dental Products.' You may think that a toothbrush is just a toothbrush or that there are no real differences in floss or mouthwash, but actually there are! Just like choosing the right tools and equipment for other jobs, work or hobbies, it is important to choose the best dental products for your personal health.

To read the article and learn what type of toothbrush and other dental products are right for you visit the article link here. 

To visit a caring, patient dentist in Germantown Maryland then come see Dr. Mansfield! Conveniently located just minutes off of I-270, Dr. Mansfield sees patients of all ages. Learn more about Germantown Dental Care here: http://germantowndentalcare.com/

Keeping Kids Teeth Healthy for the Long Run

Today we are talking about how to care for your children's teeth! As a parent, we know that you have so much to think about, so much to do, and so much to worry about when it comes to raising children and we want to make sure that your child's dental healthcare isn't something to stress about!

When should you start caring for your child's teeth? The answer is, the sooner the better! Many people don't realize that parents can start cleaning their infant’s mouth and gums with a wet washcloth before their teeth seven tart to appear. Then, as soon as your child develops his or her first tooth, which usually happens in the 5-10-month range, you should start brushing with a small, very soft toothbrush or one of the custom finger toothbrushes designed for children.

The following information from kidshealth.org shows even more how you can help your children from the start!

"Good dental care begins before a baby's first tooth appears. Just because you can't see the teeth doesn't mean they aren't there. Teeth actually begin to form in the second trimester of pregnancy. At birth, your baby has 20 primary teeth, some of which are fully developed in the jaw.

Here's when and how to care for those little choppers:

Even before your baby starts teething, run a clean, damp washcloth over the gums to clear away harmful bacteria.

Once your baby gets teeth, brush them with an infant toothbrush. Use water and a tiny bit of fluoride toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice). Use fluoride toothpaste that carries the American Dental Association's (ADA) seal of acceptance. (If you are using baby toothpaste without the fluoride, keep it to the same amount because you still want to minimize any toothpaste that is swallowed.)

Once your baby's teeth touch, you can begin flossing in between them.

Around age 2, your child should learn to spit while brushing. Avoid giving your child water to swish and spit because this might make swallowing toothpaste more likely.

Kids ages 3 and up should use only a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
Always supervise kids younger than 6 while brushing, as they are more likely to swallow toothpaste." 
(http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/healthy.html) 

To schedule your child's first dental visit with us at Germantown Dental Care, please visit our website at: http://germantowndentalcare.com/ or call us at, (301) 540-5195.