Month: October 2021

Are Cavities Contagious? 

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The second most common disease in the United States is tooth decay. The first is the common cold. Of course, we all know how easy it is to catch a cold, but can you also catch cavities? Sounds pretty far-fetched. But guess what your dentist in Holland knows? Catching a cavity is totally possible — technically. 

You Can Catch a Cavity? 

While you may not be able to catch an actual cavity, you can definitely exchange bacteria with another person fairly easily. When you share drinks or food or kiss your loved ones, there’s a good chance that germs are transferred from one mouth to another. This is where the trouble can start. 

The Trouble with Germs

We are all incredibly familiar with how easily germs spread, especially nowadays. But germs also contain bacteria, which means bacteria can also easily spread from person to person quickly. Bacteria is one of the main things that can cause cavities as they eat away at the protective enamel on teeth, causing decay. Every time you’re exposed to someone else’s saliva, you’re exposed to their bacteria too. Gross, right?  Some common ways bacteria is transferred from one person to another, include:

  • Sharing a spoon, fork, or straw
  • Biting off the same piece of food
  • Kissing 
  • Using someone else’s toothbrush

Regular Dental Appointments Help

Children and people with compromised immune systems are especially susceptible to infection and cavities from bad oral bacteria. But by keeping regular appointments with your dentist in Holland, you can help protect your smile from the dangers of bacteria. There are also some other things you can do to limit your chances of spreading bad bacteria from one person to another. 

  • Be cautious of what you share and with whom you share it. Even something like chapstick can transfer germs and bacteria. 
  • Brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once a day. 
  • Do what you can to help produce saliva. Saliva can help fight off bacteria and prevent decay. Drink plenty of water throughout the day and consider chewing sugarless gum to help stimulate saliva production. 

If it’s been more than six months since your last visit to your Holland dentist, it’s time to schedule an appointment. Professional cleanings help reduce plaque and tartar, keep gums and teeth healthy, and allow your dental team to check for any possible signs of decay. If we happen to find anything, there are several things we can do to help, such as fillings. 

When Do Dental Benefits Expire?

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Your dental insurance policy probably has a limited amount of time until it expires, which means you’re going to want to make sure you use your benefits with your dentist in Holland before they’re gone forever. Each insurance has different time frames for when the policies expire, so make sure you check with your plan. Oftentimes, dental benefits expire at the end of each year and reset on January 1st of the following year, and if you didn’t use everything allotted to you, you lose it! 

Maximums Reset

Every dental insurance provides a yearly maximum of how much the insurance company will cover in 12 months. Usually, maximums range from $1,000 to $1,500 a year. However, if you don’t use that money, it will disappear at the end of the year. There’s no rolling over unused maximums, so make sure you use all that your plan has to offer. 

Deductibles Start Over

If your insurance plan requires a deductible, and you’ve met that deductible, there are benefits waiting for you to take advantage of. You see, some insurances require you to pay a certain dollar amount upfront before they’ll start to cover your care. But if you’ve already paid up to that amount and don’t use the coverage, you’re not using the benefits you probably paid for. 

Dental Prevention Saves Money

Your dentist in Holland will often hear patients say that they’re holding on to their dental benefits in case something happens. They are basically treating the benefits as a safety net. While, of course, it’s your choice to use your insurance as you wish, we often find that people who get regular dental checkups can use their benefits more wisely, or on things such as cosmetic dentistry. After all, preventing problems from popping up in the first place, or catching them early can make treatment quicker, easier, and cheaper.

It’s Money You Earned

If your dental insurance is through your employer, think of it this way — it’s part of your salary. After all, you’re probably paying into the insurance each and every paycheck. But if you don’t use your dental benefits, you’re not maximizing all of your hard-earned money. Even if you pay for dental insurance on your own and not through your employer, you should use the benefits provided to get the most out of your investment. 

Call your dentist in Holland today to discuss your end-of-the-year benefits status with our staff and also to answer any questions you may have about our services.

What To Do After Having Your Wisdom Teeth Taken Out

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Once your wisdom teeth have been removed, it’s important to take good care of your mouth during recovery to minimize pain and speed up healing time. Even though wisdom teeth removal is usually a pretty straightforward procedure, it can still cause some pain and discomfort as you heal from the surgery. To help you recover properly, your dentist in Holland is here to offer up some advice about what to do (and what not to do) after having your wisdom teeth taken out. 

A Guide to Successful Healing

Following wisdom teeth surgery, it’s crucial to follow your dentist’s instructions to promote healing and minimize discomfort. Below are some common tips, but it’s still wise to talk with your dentist in Holland about your specific after-care instructions. 

Minimize Bleeding

There will be some bleeding after having your wisdom teeth taken out. But don’t worry, this is completely normal. To help minimize the bleeding, apply pressure on your wound using clean gauze. The gauze may have to be replaced a few times daily, and it’s important that you wash your hands thoroughly beforehand to avoid introducing bacteria into your mouth. 

Reduce Swelling

You may not notice much or any immediate swelling after surgery, and that’s normal too. Sometimes you won’t swell up for a day or two. But it’s still important to get ahead of it by using ice packs. Apply ice to the outside of your cheeks for 20 minutes, then remove it for 20 minutes. Make sure to wrap the ice in a t-shirt or thin towel so the ice pack is never in direct contact with your skin. 

Eat & Drink Wisely

Your dentist in Holland will recommend sticking with soft foods a few days following having your wisdom teeth removed. Food, such as oatmeal, warm (not hot!) soup, mashed potatoes, applesauce, or scrambled eggs are all good options. Also, make sure you drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated, just avoid sipping from a straw as this can cause damage to the surgical site. 

What Not to Do

When it comes to healing from wisdom teeth surgery, there are some things that you may normally do that you should avoid, at least for a little while. 

Rinse Aggressively

While your dentist may recommend rinsing your mouth out with warm salt water a few times a day to reduce swelling, you should take it easy. Swishing too aggressively can cause more harm than good and may even cause you to start bleeding again. 

Smoke

Not only does smoking require a sucking motion similar to drinking out of a straw, but it can also slow your healing. Smoking is also one of the main causes of dry socket, an infection that can cause serious pain for several days. 

Exercise

This may be one of the few times you’ll hear a medical professional tell you not to exercise, but any type of strenuous activity such as exercise following wisdom teeth surgery can increase bleeding and swelling. You should do your best to limit exercise as well as heavy lifting for 3-4 days after surgery or until you’re cleared by your dentist in Holland. 

Wisdom teeth removal is an incredibly common procedure, but we understand that you may feel nervous. Talking with your dentist about any questions you have, as well as following their post-operative instructions, can relieve some of your concerns and get you healed up in no time. 

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