Author Archives: Sixth Avenue Dentistry

Avoiding Childhood Dental Anxiety

It is very important for your children to feel comfortable during their visits to the dentist’s office. Most adults who struggle with dental anxiety can trace their phobia back to a childhood trauma. If a child cannot overcome his or her fears at an early age, he or she may very well avoid the dentist well into adulthood. With this in mind, consider the following tips for making the dentist a pleasant experience for your kids:

  • Get your child started early. The general recommendation is that a child’s first dental visit should occur when he or she turns one. This serves to make the child feel more accustomed to the experience.
  • Don’t show any anxiety when you discuss the dentist’s office. You may not even be aware of the the emotional clues you give, but your child will pick up on this and likely mirror your attitude.
  • Do not attempt to offer your child a bribe for going to the dentist’s office. This is sending him or her a clear message that there is something to be afraid of.
    Avoid using phrases like “everything will be okay”. This can cause you to lose your child’s trust in the event that he or she experiences some pain in the dental chair.

Most Women Practice Better Oral Hygiene

Recently, the Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences conducted a study on eight hundred participants. These participants were asked a series of questions on their oral habits, and then underwent an examination of their oral health. The results were as follows:

  • Women are about 26% more likely to floss.
  • Women are about twice as likely to schedule their regular dental appointments.
  • Women are about twice as likely to take notice if someone is missing one of their teeth.
  • 44% of women were aware that periodontal visits could help their overall bodily health, as opposed to only 33% of men.
  • About 74% of women said that they would be embarrassed to have a missing tooth, as opposed to 57% of men.

Something that is apparent here is that women have a tendency to take better care of their teeth. Should you be falling short in this regard, remember to make an appointment with our South Seattle dentist to get the care that you need and deserve.

Dental Care After a Stroke

Suffering a stroke is never a pleasant experience. Afterward, you will have to take special measures to assure that your health does not decline. Indeed, even your dental health can suffer as the result of a stroke. If you or someone you love has recently undergone a stroke, keep the following in mind:

Firstly, be sure to tell our International District dentistry clinic of any medication your doctor gives you following your stroke. Anticoagulants are a common concern in such situations, since they bring about excessive bleeding during dental procedures. If your stroke compromises your memory, you may also benefit from having your dentist write your instructions down for you following your appointments.

At home, you may find that you have trouble brushing. If your grip is weaker or your fine motor skills have been affected, you may benefit from making use of an electric toothbrush or a special flossing tool. Alternatively, try wrapping your brush in extra padding to make it easier to hold on to. Contact Sixth Avenue Dentistry for more information.

Athletes and Tooth Decay

Ideally, an Olympic athlete should be the picture of good health. They practice and exercise day in and day out to achieve physical perfection. Unfortunately, in their efforts to tone their muscles and optimize their circulatory systems, their oral health suffers.

This is according to observations made during the 2012 Olympic Games in London. It was here that nearly twenty percent of the participating athletes were found to be suffering from some sort of dental problem. Some had toothaches, some had bleeding gums, and some had even worse. Particularly bad cases actually threatened to keep certain athletes from competing.

The problem with most athletes as far as their oral care goes is twofold. First of all, many of them favor sugary sports drinks and carb-heavy diets, both of which encourage tooth decay. Secondly, a vigorous workout routine will often leave you dehydrated. Since bacteria thrives when your mouth is at its driest, this is a time when tooth rot is all the more likely. So, if you’re an avid athlete, be sure to get your regular appointments with Sixth Avenue Dentistry in South Seattle.

Why is My Tongue Red?

If your tongue is healthy, it should have that pinkish coloration that we generally see. When your tongue takes on a darker red coloration, there is something amiss. A number of conditions can cause bring about a red tongue, including the following:

  • Geographic Tongue: Known technically as benign migratory glossitis, this condition gets the name “geographic tongue” from the patterns that form across the tongue’s surface, resembling geographic formations. It is usually a harmless condition. However, if it persists for longer than two weeks, you should bring it to the attention of your dentist.
  • Kawasaki Syndrome: Usually, it is only children who develop this syndrome. It will generally be paired with a very high fever, and maybe swelling in the hands and feet. This is a condition that should be taken to your family doctor.
  • Scarlet Fever: A form of infection, scarlet fever is characteristic of something called strawberry tongue, where inflamed taste buds give your tongue a strawberry-like look.
  • Vitamin Deficiency: Failing to get enough folic acid or vitamin B12 in your diet can turn your tongue red.