How Often do I Really Need to Visit the Dentist for a Teeth Cleaning?

How long has it been since you visited your dentist for a teeth cleaning? Was it several weeks ago? Several months ago? Several years ago? You may be surprised to learn of how many teeth cleanings are recommended each year by dentists. 

Nearly all dentists recommend a teeth cleaning of twice a year- or every six months- for the average person. However, if you’re a very good brusher, floss regularly, and have very little recent history of dental issues, you could extend this to a longer time- such as every nine months, or even a year. However, to be safe, stick to six months for the maximum clean. On the other side of the spectrum, if you know that you need some work on brushing, and that flossing every day hasn’t been part of routine, you may want to visit the dentist for a cleaning every three or four months. If you have dental insurance, check to see how often they cover teeth cleanings- many insurances cover some or all of the costs of cleanings twice a year. 

When you visit the dentist for a cleaning, you not only get an expertly cleaned, refreshed mouth, but you also have the opportunity for your mouth to be seen by someone who has an expertise in dentistry. Keep your mouth healthy, clean, and always remember to smile!

Get to Know the Affleck Team!

How well do you know your friendly Affleck staff? Did you know that Jaime raises cattle and that Kacie has raised horses? Read on for more exciting info…maybe you share something in common with Jamie, Kacie, Tana, or all three!

Jamie: Jaime has been at Affleck Dental from the very beginning- 2002- the same year as the Olympics in Salt Lake. She loves any outdoor activity, including riding horses, camping, boating, both in Utah and the surrounding states. Summer is an especially exciting time as she can enjoy lots of outdoor activities. Jamie has been married for 20 years and has two beautiful 13 and 15-year-old daughters. 

Kacie and Jamie have been long-time family friends. Kacie started at Affleck Dental in 2009, and has always been interested in the health field. What she loves best about working at Affleck Dental is helping people, watching the transformations, smiles, and seeing them get their lives back. Like Jamie, Kacie also enjoys camping and hunting. She also has fun playing softball and dodgeball. 

Tana is one of the newest members of the Affleck Team and has been at Affleck Dental for 13 months. She enjoys helping make Affleck Dental patients happy and has had an interest in the health field throughout her life. Tana also loves anything outdoors, such as boating, ATVing, and snowboarding at Powder Mountain.

Hope you enjoying getting to know the Affleck Team! We hope to see you in the office and look forward to helping you however we can. Hope you have a great day and Labor Day weekend!

Toothpaste Brands - Why Some are Better Than Others

The toothpaste aisle at the store can be rather daunting. Of all the toothpastes out there, which one should you choose? Or, are they all the same?

Which toothpaste is best for you depends entirely upon what you need. Flouride is the most important ingredient when a person needs extra help avoiding cavities. Fluoride not only hardens the important outer enamel layer of your teeth, but it can also restore it in the early stages of damage.

Other toothpaste characteristics you may want to consider are: whitening and tartar control. The ingredients in tartar control toothpaste reduce the amount of hard build-up that collects on your teeth. Too much tartar can harm your gums, which are important to the overall health of your teeth and mouth. And while the whiteness of your teeth doesn’t impact your health, many people find that white teeth make them more confident and able to smile in social settings.

Some people suffer from tooth sensitivity. If you’re one of those people, you may want to choose toothpaste that offers relief from tooth pain over long periods of use.

What about abrasiveness? Some toothpastes are “rougher” or “harsher” than others and can wear down the outer surface of your teeth, cause sensitivity or damage gums over time if used frequently. If this is a concern for you, look for toothpaste with baking soda, which cleans the teeth and gums more gently.

Back to School

You have probably been checking off your to-do lists for getting your kids back to school… new clothes, haircut, school supplies, register in sports, yearly physical. It may seem like the list never ends, but you may be forgetting an important necessity — bi-annual tooth cleaning to prevent tooth decay and the need for fillings in permanent teeth. Now is the perfect time to make the appointment for your kids, but also to re-assess their current habits.

Brushing twice a day is recommended. And with new kid-friendly toothbrushes and toothpastes, it is easier to get your kids to brush daily. Another idea is to pack a travel sized brush and tube of toothpaste in your child’s backpack so that they are able to brush after meals as well.

It also is crucial that the children are eating and drinking correctly. Sugary drinks and candy during and after school are consistently lingering around enticing children to partake; which also means more trips to the dentist. One way to help deter this behavior is to pack your child a healthy lunch and provide fruits and veggies in between practices.

While Affleck Dental doesn’t specifically provide cleaning appointments, its affiliates do. The staff and doctor from Affleck Dental believe that with proper cleaning habits, and bi-annual cleanings, you and your children will maintain good dental health and minimize the chance of tooth decay.