Author: Jennifer Wells

How often do you floss? If you’ve ever been to the dentist you have surely been asked that question. Only 4 out of 10 Americans report flossing daily. We often get asked if flossing is really necessary, so let us tell you why it is such an important habit to have!

If you were washing dishes, you wouldn’t wash one side of the dish then call it “clean”. Well, you shouldn’t do that with your teeth either! When you brush you are really only cleaning 3 of the 5 surfaces of your teeth. If you don’t floss you are not getting a good clean in-between your teeth and that can lead to inter-proximal caries, otherwise known as “flossing cavities”. These are cavities that can be easily avoided by flossing at least once daily. Flossing breaks up the bacterial bio-film so that it cannot continue to populate and wreck havoc on your teeth.

If you skip flossing you could have more than just bad breath and cavities in store for you. Not flossing can lead to gingivitis, a gum disease that causes inflamed and sensitive gums. Gingivitis is preventable and can be reversed if you practice good oral hygiene.  If ignored gingivitis can turn into periodontitis, a serious gum infection that damages the gum tissue and often times causes bone loss, putting the patient at a greater risk of losing teeth. Periodontitis cannot be reversed and can lead to insulin resistance and therefore diabetes. Believe it or not, the same bacteria associated with periodontitis has also been found in diseased human hearts. Doctors still don’t fully understand why, but are linking periodontitis to heart disease.

Gums bleed when you floss? There is an easy solution to that-floss more! Don’t exactly love flossing?

Here’s a few tips:

-If you have tight contacts between your teeth and floss tends to shred on you, try a thinner “tape-like” floss.

-For open spaces between teeth, try a thicker, nylon floss.

-When flossing use a C motion to curve around each tooth.

-Be sure to keep using a clean section of floss.

Still don’t want to floss? There’s plenty of flossing options out there for those who can’t get down with the old fashioned stuff. Utilizing a Waterpik is a great option if you just know you won’t ever become a flosser.

At First Impressions Dentistry, we are here to help you achieve the best smile of your life! Feel free to call our office if you have any questions!

704-933-2115

We had an exciting and busy week here at First Impressions! Us ladies are happy for any reason to celebrate and this week we had several!

On Tuesday we celebrated National Dentist Day and Mary-Kate’s, one of our awesome assistants, birthday! We enjoyed Chick-fil-a and Dunkin Donuts for Mary-Kate’s birthday lunch. In honor of National Dentist Day our staff pitched in on a beautiful flower arrangement and a few goodies for Dr. Jennifer. We are so fortunate to work for such an awesome dentist. If you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Jennifer, you know that to know her is to love her!

This week was also National Dental Assistant Recognition Week and we enjoyed celebrating our fantastic assistants! We are so grateful to have Tabitha, Mary-Kate, and Katie on our team. They help the office function smoothly, in addition to about 100 other things. First Impressions and our patients are so lucky to have them! We love you ladies!

Overall it was a fun and VERY busy week! We’re looking forward to a relaxing weekend. See y’all Monday!

Give us a call today, we’d love to get you set up for a consultation and help you achieve the smile of your dreams! 704-933-2115

Invisalign is a form of orthodontic treatment that uses clear, retainer-like trays to straighten your teeth and correct any bite issues you may have. Trays are typically changed out every week. Whether it be crowded teeth, an open bite, a crossbite, etc., Invisalign could be a great option for you!

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of Invisalign is the fact that the trays are undetectable to peers, thus making them a great option for adults or even teens who don’t want to wear traditional braces. Invisalign gives you another option to get that perfect smile you desire.

The Invisalign process is very easy and the appointments are quick, so you don’t have to take too much time out of your busy schedule. At your first appointment a dental assistant will use a digital scanner to take a 3D image of your teeth. No yucky impressions need to be taken! This image is then sent to Invisalign where they then make custom trays for you that are sent back to our office. From there on out the process is very simple, you’ll likely return every 6-8 weeks for a new set of trays and for Dr. Jennifer to examine your progress.

Invisalign is also a budget friendly option, often times it’s more affordable than getting braces at an orthodontist office. Many insurances are offering orthodontic coverage for children and even some adults. Our office would be happy to check to see if your insurance plan covers Invisalign. Our office also works with Care Credit to make Invisalign treatment an affordable option for everyone.

Give us a call today, we’d love to get you set up for a consultation and help you achieve the smile of your dreams! 704-933-2115