3 Simple Reasons to Bring Your Whole Family to One Dentist

Going to the dentist isn’t always a family affair, but it can be. When your entire family is visiting one family dentist in Las Cruces, NM, there are many benefits. Knowing why you should bring your entire family to one dentist can help you decide whether choosing a single family dentist is the right move for you. Below are three advantages to consider.

1. Familiarity and Convenience

When your entire family visits the same family dentist, you’ll become very familiar with that dental office, including its customer service practices, scheduling practices, parking, and more. Knowing what to expect makes going to the dentist easier and less stressful. Familiarity is also convenient because you’ll easily be ready for every appointment.

2. Take Care of Multiple Cleanings At Once

When you and your children all go to the dentist in the same dental office, you can make appointments for yourself and your kids at the same time. This makes it possible to take care of multiple cleanings at once, so you can get going to the dentist out of the way in one shot.

3. Simplifies the Search for a Dentist

Looking for a dentist is easier when you’re only looking for one dentist for all the people in your family. Instead of checking many dental offices to ensure that they’ll accept your insurance, they’re accepting new patients, they have plenty of availability, and other factors, you’ll only need to call one office.

Need a Family Dentist? Call Today

If you’re seeking a family dentist for your family’s teeth cleaning in Las Cruces, NM, call University Family Dental. We serve patients of all ages, including children, adults, and seniors. We’re looking forward to meeting you! Call today to make your first appointment.

3 Ways To Take Care of Your Teeth This Summer

The way you take care of your teeth and oral hygiene may change a little from month to month. In winter, you may eat a lot of sugary holiday foods, which could lead to cavities.

In summer, you probably spend a lot of time with friends and family, outdoors, eating barbecued food. Through it all, it’s important to continue seeing the dentist in Las Cruces NM, and to continue taking care of your teeth. Below are four ways that you can take care of your teeth this summer.

1. Stay hydrated all summer long.

Hydration is important for your oral health. Staying properly hydrated helps your mouth produce saliva, which in turn helps keep your teeth clean and your breath smelling fresh. Whether you’re spending time working or playing in the sun, take care to drink enough water. Consider drinking sugarless sports drinks with electrolytes.

2. Protect your lips from the sun.

Did you know that your lips can get sunburned? They can! Wear chap stick with SPF protection to protect your lips from an uncomfortable and unhealthy problem.

3. Get your teeth whitened.

Summer is a time of big events like weddings, family reunions and trips to visit friends across the country. If you want your teeth to look their best for these events, try getting teeth whitening in Las Cruces, NM. Professional teeth whitening services can turn your teeth several shades whiter, so you can have confidence in your smile.

4. Floss after eating stringy barbecue food.

From corn with little stringy silk pieces to stringy pieces of meat, there are quite a few barbecued foods that can get stuck in your teeth. After eating these foods, step into a bathroom to floss your teeth and get rid of anything stuck in or near your gums.

Need an appointment for a dental cleaning or teeth whitening? Call University Family Dental to make an appointment.

4 Reasons to See a Family Dentist

Choosing a dentist can be tough! There’s a lot to consider when you’re looking for the right dentist for you and the others in your household. Family dentists have many advantages over standard dental practices. If you know what those advantages are, you can decide whether a family dental practice is right for you, your kids and the other people you love.

1. Family Dentists Treat Patients of All Ages

Family dentists are able to treat patients at every stage of life, from infancy to seniors. Did you know that you should start taking your baby to see the dentist when their first tooth erupts? It’s true! If you’re seeing a family dentist, you can bring your little one to the same dentist that serves you. Make an appointment for your child’s first dental exam in Las Cruces NM today.

2. Family Dentists Treat a Wide Range of Oral Health Issues

Family dentists treat everything from cavities to periodontal disease. Whether you’re in the need for restorative dentistry, or you’re seeking a dentist to whiten your teeth, a family dentist can likely do all of those things. This means you likely won’t have to seek help from a professional you don’t know: your dentist will be able to treat your dental problems in house.

3. It’s Convenient to Take Everyone to the Same Dentist

When you take everyone in your family to the same dentist, there are many benefits. You’ll remember how to get to the dentist any time you bring your children for their dental cleaning, and when they go in to the dental exam room, you can feel comfortable knowing that your children are in good hands.

4. Family Dentists Know How to Keep Pediatric Patients Invested

Pediatric patients don’t always understand why they need to go to the dentist, and some of them don’t like receiving dental care. A good family dentist in Las Cruces, NM will have experience keeping pediatric patients invested in their dental and oral hygiene, and that’s important!

Need to make an appointment with an experienced family dentist? Call University Family Dental to make an appointment today.

Which Beverages Are Bad for Teeth?

It’s important to always take care of our teeth and overall dental health. While this includes seeing the dentist on a routine basis, it also includes limiting the consumption of certain beverages.

Take a look at the following drinks that can harm your teeth:

Cola

Due to its extremely high sugar content and level of carbonation, cola is one of the worst drinks for your oral health. Also, while you should try to avoid all soda, cola is especially harmful. It tends to have the highest acidity among all soda types, which can lead to tooth decay and softened tooth enamel.

If you’re in need of restorative dentistry services in Las Cruces, NM, look no further than University Family Dental! Contact us today to speak with an experienced dental expert.

Energy Drinks

Energy drinks are also very acidic, making them a poor beverage for your teeth. Additionally, these drinks can give you hyperactive energy, possibly leading to teeth-grinding, which can also cause issues.

Coffee

Unfortunately, drinking coffee regularly can break down tooth enamel, which can lead to sensitivity problems. This common beverage can also cause teeth staining.

Mimosas

Mimosas contain a lot of sugar and acidity, making them another drink to avoid for your dental health. This beverage is also bubbly, which is a negative for your teeth. Furthermore, mimosas are often sipped, meaning they sit on your teeth for long periods.

Vinegar-Based Drinks

Kombucha and other vinegar-based drinks do provide a number of health benefits, but this doesn’t include your oral health. These beverages tend to contain high acidity levels, leading to a loss of minerals and tooth erosion.

Experiencing dental problems caused by the drinks above? If so, contact University Family Dental today to work with our leading dentist in Las Cruces, NM!

3 Ways Tooth Crowding Can Affect Your Smile  

When it comes to alignment issues, tooth crowding tends to be one of the most common. Tooth crowding occurs when permanent teeth do not have enough space in the jawline to grow, so the teeth can overlap or protrude in such a way that the teeth are not in a straight line. A general dentist in Las Cruces, NM can help you keep your smile healthy in spite of alignment problems, but crowding can come along with several risks for your oral health. Let’s take a closer look.

1. You may be more prone to tooth decay

When the teeth are crowded, you may have a harder time reaching between them when you brush and floss. Food particles and bacteria can get trapped in the tight spaces where teeth overlap, which can lead to damage to the tooth’s enamel and eventual decay. For this reason, being extra vigilant about your dental hygiene appointments will be especially important if you have issues with dental crowding.

2. You may have issues with an uneven gum line

An uneven gum line means that the gum tissue does not consistently cover the base of your teeth in a uniform way. You may have some areas where the gum tissue is especially thin; you may have points where the gum tissue does not cover a lot of the tooth’s root. While some of these issues can be corrected with the help of an orthodontist or a cosmetic dentist, you will have to be more attentive to gum health than usual if you choose not to have the problem corrected.

3. You may see problems with halitosis

Because food particles can be more likely to get wedged between crowded teeth, some people can be more prone to bad breath. Using an extra-strength mouthwash, flossing as thoroughly as possible, and having your teeth cleaned at the dentist regularly may thwart the issues.

Find Out What Can Be Done About Crowding with a Jacksonville Dentist

Even though tooth crowding is a common alignment issue, it is not an issue that should go unaddressed. If you have crowding issues, it will be important that you work closely with a Las Cruces dentist to keep your oral health in check. Reach out to us at the office of University Family Dental to schedule an appointment.

 

3 Common Causes of Bad Breath 

If you are loved ones suffers from bad breath, you already know that bad breath can be very serious condition that affects other aspects of your life. Sometimes bad breath is temporary; other times bad breath of your chronic condition that affects you on a daily basis. Luckily, bad breath is completely preventable. Once you know the cause of your bad breath, all you need to do is take some steps to avoid getting bad breath in the future. Following are X common causes of bad breath.

1. Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is caused by bacteria in the mouth that eat away at the tooth and the roots. If you have tooth decay happening your mouth, chances are you also have bad breath. If this is the reason for your bad breath, all you need to do to get rid of it is to visit a dentist and have the tooth decay treated. As soon as one day, you can find yourself free of bad breath.

2. Smoking and Drinking

If you smoke and/or drink, you may have bad breath and not even realize it. Often, people smoke or drink, they are unaware of their own bad breath because they can’t smell it. It’s very obvious to other people, though. Certain smokes and drinks cause bad breath more than others. Cigars are particularly odorous and, surprisingly, drinking lots of red wine will lead to bad breath. Your choice is obvious. You can either give up smoking and drinking, or you can make sure you brush and rinse after every episode of smoking and drinking. You should brush your hands after smoking anyway, because it causes your teeth to become stained.

3. Sickness

If you have chronic bad breath and you can’t figure out why you might want to consider making a visit to your doctor. Certain serious diseases that cause bad breath. Bad breath may be only one of the symptoms of your disease but it’s worth looking into.

If you have bad breath and you have determined that it isn’t caused by any of the above mentioned problems, talk to your dentist. Your dentist may be able to give you some insight into what may be the underlying cause of your bad breath.

 

 

How Your Dental Health Affects Your Overall Life 

Dental health plays an integral role in your overall quality of life. Like many things you may not even realize how important your dental health is until something goes wrong. At that point, it becomes very clear all the ways that dental health affects your life.

Heart Health

Did you know that problems in your teeth and gums can cause heart problems? When bacteria in your mouth are allowed to propagate, that bacteria may be able to enter your blood stream. Since all your blood eventually makes its way through your heart, cardiac health problems may arise. Surprisingly, if you have heart health reasons, it’s possible that dental health problems may be a contributing factor.

Social Success

If you have dental health issues with your teeth and gums, chances are high that you have bad breath fairly often. If this is the case, others around you may have noticed this issue. Unless it’s someone that you’re very close to, they may be hesitant about letting you know. On the flip side, if you’re aware of your bad breath issues, you may actually be less inclined to be socially active. You may feel like others will notice your bad breath and form a negative opinion about you.

Professional Success

Studies have repeatedly shown that those who smile often are more likely to be liked by others, trusted by colleagues and admired by peers. If you desire professional success, you should know that your dental health is a big factor. If you have stained, crooked or just bad looking teeth, you may avoid smiling as much as possible. This can lead to you missing out on job opportunities or improving your standing in your professional community.

As you can see, your dental health definitely impacts the other facets of your life. If you suffer from any of the circumstances mentioned above, you owe it to yourself to get the dental health attention you deserve. For more information about treatment options for bad breath, stained teeth, crooked teeth and other conditions, please contact our office today.

 

3 Ways to Prevent Cavities

Cavities aren’t fun for anyone, yet they seem to be very common. If you think that cavities are a necessary part of life, though, you’re mistaken. Some people have never had a cavity in their lives. Others get cavities very often. Why is it that some people never experience cavities while others can’t seem to be rid of them? The answer is that some people practice certain dental hygiene tips that prevent cavities. Here are the best ways you can use to prevent cavities, too.

1. Floss After Each Meal

You already know you should brush after each meal, but did you know you should floss after each meal, too? Flossing gets rid of food debris that gets stuck in between teeth. If you don’t floss after each meal, that left over food debris could lead to the development of cavities.

2. Avoid Sugar

Bacteria feed on sugar. When you eat sugar-laden foods, bacteria in your mouth have plenty of sugar to eat, and then the bacteria count grows in number. When you have more bacteria, that means they will end up eating into your teeth, which means you will likely develop cavities. Avoiding sugar means much more than not opening up a sugar packet. You should start reading the labels on the foods you eat to check for added sugars. Unfortunately today, many processed foods do contain added sugars. To be on the safe side, just eat whole foods as much as possible and cook your own foods from home.

3. Get Dental Sealants

Dental sealants is a treatment that is available through your dentist’s office. It’s basically a clear coat that helps to fill in pits and cracks in your teeth that can be an entry point for bacteria to cause cavities. Dental sealants also create an added layer of protection over your teeth enamel. The dental sealants treatment is completely non-invasive and 100% painless. If you’re interested in dental sealants treatment, contact your dentist.

It’s hard to prevent cavities, but not impossible. Use the three tips mentioned above to help keep cavities from forming in your mouth.