7 Tips for Overcoming Fear of the Dentist

Having a fear of the dentist is common- we do our best to help you relax & feel comfortable. Here are some handy tips to help you become more relaxed.

1. Manage your own pain. Accept that there’s no need for you to feel anything beyond the Novocaine shot. The minute you do, ask for more Novocaine. Because of the panic, I metabolize that stuff like crazy, and have to ask for up to two reapplications per procedure. Raise a finger so they know to pause and tell them you have sensation. A good dentist is uncomfortable when you are, and they’ll take care of it or explain your options.

2. Close your eyes. You don’t need to see the implements. Especially not the needle. Breathe.

3. Pay attention to your body. Note how your entire body is clenched like a vise? Concentrate on relaxing your muscles one and at time, from the toes up. Unclench your jaw. Unfurrow your brow. If you feel yourself panicking, start again from the toes.

4. Wear headphones. Loud, soothing music you rarely listen to in real life. No need to sabotage your favorite tunes with dental recall. Ask your dentist to squeeze your hand if he or she needs something.

5. Find an escape. If your dentist doesn’t already have one, ask him or her to hang a poster of a soothing scene (the ocean or something) on the ceiling above the chair. That way, if you do open your eyes, there’s something non medical to look at.

6. Care for yourself. When you’re back at home, ice your jaw and rinse gently with warm saltwater whenever you’re in pain. This controls swelling and infection, both of which cause a lot of the post-procedural pain. If they gave you painkillers, take them the first day even if you don’t think you need them. If they gave you antibiotics, set an alarm on your phone to remind you to take every last one of them.

Rinse. Repeat.

Source: https://mightygirl.com/2011/01/07/overcoming-fear-of-the-dentist/

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Simple Tips For Good Oral Hygene

Brushing your teeth in the morning is a routine nobody fails to do. But after a hard day’s work we are so tired that sometimes we just crash to bed after dinner, without bothering to clean our teeth.

This results in poor oral hygiene causing bad breath. Studies report that about 50 – 65 percent of the working population suffer from bad breath. Below are some useful tips to keep your teeth healthy.

  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Eat a variety of healthy foods from all the five major food groups.
  • Avoid high-sugar foods.
  • Brush twice a day. Learn the correct way to brush from the dentist. Avoid aggressive brushing.
  • Remember to floss everyday.
  • Get your teeth checked and cleaned every six months.
  • Rinse your mouth thoroughly after every meal.
  • Get all existing dental problems—bleeding gums, missing teeth, cavities—treated immediately. Prolonging treatment can lead to further severe complications. Bad breath may be caused by existing oral diseases such as gum disease and Candida infection. In such a case, see your dentist as soon as possible.
  • Have herbs, the natural antibiotics. Fresh parsley and aloe vera are effective in preventing bad breath. Chew fresh parsley whenever you can. It not only detoxifies your mouth, but it also contains abundant chlorophyll, which sweetens your breath. Furthermore, all this will increase the flow of saliva that helps avoid dry mouth. Make your own mouthwash: mix two teaspoons aloe vera juice with a tumbler of water.
  • Eat crisp fruits and vegetables such as apple, celery, cucumber and carrot. Chewing them cleans the mouth naturally by removing plaque and food particles stuck between your teeth and gums.
  • Chewing sugarless gum increases salivation. Saliva has anti-bacterial properties so the more saliva you have, the more you suppress the bacterial growth. Fennel seeds, cinnamon sticks, mastic gum and fresh parsley are some of the commonly found food items that help you salivate naturally.

Source: https://completewellbeing.com/article/simple-tips-for-good-oral-hygiene/

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Professional Teeth Whitening

As the years go by, teeth tend to absorb stains from various foods and drinks and other things like cigarettes. Due to this absorption, without our knowledge, our teeth gradually turn a few shades darker. You’ve probably seen dozens of at home remedies for teeth whitening, however none of them come close to the results that can be achieved through our in office professional teeth whitening.

Our office offers three types of procedures to help give you the desired results you are looking for.

1. One Hour Whitening – This process uses the number one rated Zoom2 technology, which speeds up whitening and completes the entire treatment within one hour.

2. Two Week Home Whitening – This is a much lower cost option. We will provide you with custom made trays and an application of bleaching solution that you will use at home for about 30 minutes per day.

3. Deep Bleaching Technique – Through the combination of in-office and home teeth whitening procedures, along with a specialized tray system, we are able to maximize results. Following three to four weeks of treatment, our proprietary bleaching formulation produces excellent results.

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The Burgess Difference

At the Burgess Center, we know how important it is to ensure a positive experience for each and every one of our patients. As a result, all our staff members are devoted to giving you personalized, comfortable, state-of-the-art services in a relaxing and tranquil environment. We have invested in the most effective patient comfort products and procedures to assist in making your appointment at the dentist as restful and pain-free as possible. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment! (904) 273-3001

 

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Your Mouth is Made up of More Than Just Teeth

Your mouth is made up of more than just teeth, so good oral health goes beyond simply brushing and flossing! In addition to your teeth, your mouth is made up of gums, oral mucosa, the upper and lower jaw, the tongue, salivary glands, the uvula, and the frenulum. All of these structures play an important role when it comes to good dental health and are routinely examined when you receive dental care. The next time you’re brushing your teeth, spend a minute looking at the parts of the mouth that lie farther inside the oral cavity!

 

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7 Tips to Help Ease Your Child’s Fear of the Dentist

Dentist. Just saying that word and reading that word brings up a lot of anxiety for people. Even for grown adults who have been visiting dentists their whole lives, or avoiding them their whole lives. I don’t know what it is about the profession that makes many people afraid (myself included), but I do know it’s quite common.

When it comes to our kids, being afraid of the dentist can be a difficult thing. We want to teach them the importance of oral care and want their experiences with the dentist to be easier than ours, but sometimes their anxiety and fear gets in the way.

If your child struggles with anxiety and fears about dental visits, they’re not alone – it’s actually quite common.

Here are some simple tips on how to help ease the fear your child has of the dentist that will make the process easier on all of you:

  • Find a Dentist That is Good With Kids – A good dentist really goes a long way when it comes to dental fears. Find someone through recommendations who is good with kids. Usually pediatric dentists are great with kids and have great offices set up.
  • Often Remind Them of the Importance of Oral Health – Have regular conversations about why it’s important to brush and floss and visit the dentist. Talk regularly, because then it won’t seem so out of the norm to take care of your teeth.
  • Be Sure to Make Regular Dental Visits – The more regularly they visit (every 6 months), the less afraid they will be because it will become less unknown.
  • Explain in Ways They Understand – Let your child know what to expect, but in terms they understand. Tell them, or ask the dentist to tell them, what they’re doing and what to expect so they won’t be so afraid.
  • Don’t Share Your Own Fears – If you have a fear of the dentist, be careful never to share that with your kids. If you do, it could very well make them more afraid and stressed.
  • Tell the Dentist – If your child is feeling anxious or afraid, let the dentist know. They may be able to help ease their fear and treat them with a little more care.
  • Avoid Using Scary Words – Kids and scary words don’t really get along well. Avoid using words like “hurt” or “freezing” or “shot” with your kids if you think it could make them more anxious.

Source: https://www.babble.com

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Have you heard of Grush, the gaming toothbrush?

This Bluetooth-Enabled Gaming Toothbrush is Designed to get Your Kids to Brush

When you’re a kid, brushing your teeth is right up there with coming inside for dinner and taking naps. A new toothbrush system, based on a game, intends to change all that.

Grush is launching its Gaming Toothbrush at CES, a system that will turn this “chore into a fun and interactive game,” according to their site.

How does it work? The toothbrush is synced with games, like “Monster Chase” and “Brush-a-pet.” Bluetooth motion sensors work with the games playing on your smartphone, so kids can brush along. It even guides them to hit spots commonly missed, like back teeth. Parents can then download results and see how their kids are doing.

Watch the video to see how it all works.

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Kind Words From Another Dental Office!

Review on Google

Awesome Job Kelly

“I work in a dental office and had the pleasure of speaking with Kelly. I will say when having x-rays sent from dental office to dental office, some offices think that customer service does not apply to other offices since we are not patients. Kelly was just as sweet to me as she would be with a patient and followed through with what she said she would do in a timely manner. It really is the little things that matter.”
-Amelia K.
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Dental Implants in Jacksonville, FL

If you feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about your smile, or feel that worrying about missing teeth will keep you from doing the things you love, dental implants may be for you. There are several benefits to getting dental implants over other teeth replacement options.

It’s the closest thing to having a real tooth!  It looks, feels, and functions just like a natural tooth.  There will be no slipping when you eat, talk, laugh, kiss, or cough like traditional dentures.  You can feel free to eat your favorite food because you will be able to bite and chew naturally.

It will protect your mouth from additional problems.  If there is an empty space in your mouth from a missing tooth, the bone will begin to deteriorate over time. A dental implant will simulate a natural tooth, therefore preserving and prevent bone loss.

An extra added benefit over a natural tooth, dental implants can’t get cavities. However, it is still important to brush and floss daily and continue to schedule your regular visits with your dentist for cleaning and care.

Dental implants are a long-term solution for tooth loss.  If cared for properly, they can last a lifetime.  If you feel you could benefit from dental implants, Dr. Burgess at the Burgess Center in the Jacksonville, FL can help you decide if you would be a good candidate for dental implants.

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Fitness For Your Teeth

The American Dental Association estimates more than 90 percent of the population has some type of dental disease that takes on the form of mild tooth decay to complete tooth loss and bone destruction in the jaw.

With so many of us suffering from dental problems we should be use to seeing a dentist but we’re not. The American Dental Association said 50 million people fear the dentist. Another 40 million Americans won’t go to a dentist because of that overwhelming fear.

By the time we reach age 65, less than 10 percent of us will have all our natural teeth. So, it’s easy to say sometime in our life we will have to see someone about a problem with our teeth. According to Dr. Adam Carven, a Philadelphia dentist, our teeth won’t last forever no matter what we do to them. Dr Carven did say there are some things we can do to prevent a lot of the problems we have with our teeth.

Your teeth are hard calcified structures that attach to the upper and lower jaw. The primary function of your teeth is chewing food. Your teeth are directly involved in speech, bracing other teeth and making certain sounds. The human tooth consists of an external portion, called the crown and a root that is embedded within the jaw. The outer layer of the crown is composed of calcified tissue known as enamel, which is the hardest substance in the body.

Inside the enamel is the dentin, which is a bone like substance extending from the inner surface of the enamel into the jaw to form the root. Covering the dentin of the root is a thin layer of a hard tissue called cementum. The roots are held in place by elastic fibers that make up the periodontal membrane, which extends from the cementum to a thickened layer of bone.

One of the best things we can do for our teeth is to brush them regularly. Brushing helps to remove plaque and germs that cause the plaque. Some doctors recommend a soft brush and others have said the key is a hard brush. All doctors agree brushing should be regular.

Source: https://www.phillytrib.com

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