Tag Archives: dentists

Healthcare

Dakota Dental Advances the History of Dental Floss

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Dakota Dental encourages patients to take care of their teeth by regularly flossing.

Apple Valley, MN, USA — Flossing is a crucial way to maintain a healthy smile, but many patients don’t floss daily – or at all. Dakota Dental encourages patients to brush up on the importance of flossing, as well as learn more about the history of flossing and taking care of your teeth.

The simple concept of flossing, or using a thin thread between the teeth to remove food and buildup, has been around for centuries. Discoveries made by researchers have suggested that cleaning between teeth has been practiced and can be traced back as early as the Prehistoric period. Grooves from floss and marks from toothpicks were found in the mouths of prehistoric humans. It’s also presumed that thicker horse hair was used as floss and things like small twigs were used like a type of toothpick. So though the overall concept of flossing hasn’t varied much over time, there have been some improvements and changes to floss.

By 1815, American dentist Dr. Levi Spear Parmly used waxed silk thread as floss. A few decades later, un-waxed silk floss begins being mass-produced for patients to use. By the 1940s, nylon replaces silk as the go-to material for floss, due to the rising costs of silk during World War II and silk’s tendency to shred. Today, floss comes in different flavors, thicknesses, waxed or un-waxed, as floss picks, and more.

Ultimately, each of these different types of floss serves the same purpose. Flossing can help reduce gingivitis and gum irritation, as well as reduce plaque and tartar. As important as flossing is, a recent study showed that only 30% of Americans floss daily and 32% never floss.

If you’re not in the habit of flossing, knowing the benefits that flossing can have for your teeth may be the incentive to start now. The cost of treatment for gum disease far outweighs the cost of buying some floss and the practice of flossing only takes a few minutes a day. The dentists at Dakota Dental work with patients to educate them about preventive dental care and good oral health practices including proper flossing techniques. Regular brushing and flossing will make trips to the dentist even easier.

If you have questions about how to clean your teeth properly, feel free to ask the dentists at Dakota Dental at your next appointment. Request an appointment today.

Media Contact:
Dr. Shelley Wakefield
Dakota Dental
14682 Pennock Avenue
Apple Valley, MN 55124
952-431-5774
swakefield@dakotadental.com

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Healthcare, Marketing

Dakota Dental Announces Timely Dental Services in a Relaxing Atmosphere

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Dakota Dental provides information on what takes place during a typical exam to give patients peace of mind on what to expect at their visit.

Apple Valley, MN, USA — A patient’s first appointment at a new dental clinic can be filled with unknowns. To help alleviate those concerns, the family dentists at Dakota Dental communicate what happens in a typical appointment so patients know what to expect when they come for their dental visit.

The waiting room at Dakota Dental was designed specifically with their patients’ peace of mind as the priority. Comfortable leather furniture, an aviary with songbirds, and a fully stocked snack counter help to make patients feel comfortable from the moment they arrive. There is also a special play area for children with puzzles, books, and toys.

Following a short wait, a hygienist takes patients back to an exam room to go over any concerns patients may have with their teeth or overall dental health as well as review the patient’s medical history. They then check the patient’s vitals and begin the examination.

Hygienists examine teeth, checking for gum irritation or any signs of tooth decay. They remove any plaque or tartar buildup they find as well. After the examination portion of the appointment, the hygienist will polish and floss teeth. Depending on the patient’s history, they may also receive X-rays.

The dentist will come in and discuss with the hygienist anything found during the exam and cleaning, and will look over the patient’s teeth and X-rays. If any further steps are necessary for treatment, such as needing a cavity filling, a discussion will take place and a treatment plan will be made. At the conclusion of the appointment, the patient is led back out to the front office to set up their future or follow up appointments.

The dentists at Dakota Dental, Dr. Shelley Wakefield and Dr. Bennett Isabella, are both highly qualified dentists that are passionate about making preventative dental care and taking care of your teeth as easy and stress-free as possible. They believe that dental awareness and good oral health not only make their patients’ visits to the dental office less stressful, but also supports their dental health for the long-term.

Contact Dakota Dental to make an appointment or ask any questions on what to expect during an appointment.

Media Contact:
Dr. Shelley Wakefield
Dakota Dental
14682 Pennock Avenue
Apple Valley, MN 55124
952-431-5774
swakefield@dakotadental.com

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Healthcare

Dakota Dental Announces Teeth-Friendly Foods for the Super Bowl

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Dakota Dental offers practical tips on how to avoid sugary pitfalls at Super Bowl parties.

Apple Valley, MN, USA — The Apple Valley dentists at Dakota Dental know that maintaining good oral health can be a challenge, especially when surrounded by sweet treats during a big get-together, like at the Super Bowl. To make taking care of your teeth easier, it helps to go in to a gathering like the Super Bowl with a game plan in mind to help make healthy and teeth-friendly choices.

In moderation, these snacks will help maintain healthy teeth and keep football fans away from other, more damaging foods.

Sides like a jalapeño dip or hummus are not only low-sugar simple options, but eating them with vegetables is a smart tooth-friendly solution. Raw vegetables help to build strong teeth and can help prevent gingivitis. Raw veggies, as well as hummus, are also more filling snacks, reducing the temptation to go for those high-sugar snacks.

Meat and cheese trays are another good option. Again, they are filling choices; cheese also contains calcium, which can prevent tooth decay, and casein, a protein which helps protect the surface of your teeth.

However, be careful eating these with breads, crackers, and chips – these foods can stick to teeth, encouraging bacterial growth. Rinsing your mouth with water or brushing your teeth as soon as you can will decrease bacterial growth. If you do indulge in sugary snacks or sodas, even a simple rinse with water afterwards can rid the surface of your teeth of those damaging sugars and acids, diminishing the harm they do to your teeth.

Dakota Dental offers many general dental services to help prevent, or help repair, damage to your teeth. The dentists at Dakota Dental have extensive experience with fillings, sealants, and gum disease treatments. They also have a top-of-the-line dental preventative care program, which includes regular cleanings and checkups, and additional tips and recommendations for keeping your teeth healthy. The dentists at Dakota Dental can also help with teeth whitening or any other dental health issues you may have.

Contact Dakota Dental for more tips to have healthy teeth, or to make an appointment today.

Media Contact:
Dr. Shelley Wakefield
Dakota Dental
14682 Pennock Avenue
Apple Valley, MN 55124
952-431-5774
swakefield@dakotadental.com

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Marketing

Dakota Dental Announces Tactics to Develop Healthy Oral Habits in Kids

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Dakota Dental offers recommendations for creating healthy oral habits in children; starting these good habits and avoiding bad ones are key for a child’s oral health.

Apple Valley, MN, USA (August 31, 2015) — Dakota Dental, a Minneapolis family dentist, works with families to promote and establish good oral health habits in children. Nearly 19% of kids between the ages of two and nineteen have untreated cavities; developing healthy habits for caring for their teeth can go a long way to prevent this decay.

“Oral and dental health habits, both good and bad, are formed early,” explains Richard P. Dugas, DDS in an article from everydayhealth.com. To ensure children’s teeth get off to a healthy start, the family dentists at Dakota Dental recommend a variety of habits to build dental awareness and ways to avoid oral health problems.

A child’s baby teeth are at risk for decay as soon as they appear, which is usually when they are around six months old. For infants, dentists recommend brushing their teeth as soon as they get them. Brush teeth twice per day, making sure to use only a very small amount of toothpaste – roughly the size of a grain of rice.

As the child gets older, the amount of toothpaste can be increased to a pea-sized portion. Once a child can brush their teeth on their own, it’s important to teach them to not swallow toothpaste. Daily flossing is recommended once the child has two teeth that touch.

Making brushing and flossing a daily habit is vital for building healthy habits in children. However, it is also necessary for children to avoid falling into other, more detrimental habits. Make sure to limit a child’s use of a bottle or sippy cup – the sugars in milk and juice can eventually lead to tooth decay. “Constantly sipping milk, juice, or any sweetened liquid does not give a child’s natural saliva a chance to rinse away sugars that cause tooth decay,” Dugas says. A good idea would be to limit sugary juices and replace with water instead. Additionally, having a child rinse their mouths out with water after a sugary drink helps wash away the sugars that could eat away at their enamel.

Another way to make sure that kids maintain healthy teeth is by scheduling regular dental appointments – once every six months is a standard baseline. Dakota Dental offers pediatric dentistry as well as dentistry services for all ages. Talk with the family dentists at Dakota Dental for other recommendations for building healthy teeth habits in your kids by calling 952-431-5774.

Media Contact:
Dr. Shelley Wakefield
Dakota Dental
14682 Pennock Avenue
Apple Valley, MN 55124
952-431-5774
swakefield@dakotadental.com

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