best pediatric dentist dr verwest

Wisdom From Wisdom Teeth, Anyone?

Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the last teeth to come in during young adulthood. It is easiest to remove wisdom teeth when the patient is a young adult (late teens to early twenties) because the roots are not fully developed. Wisdom teeth are removed to correct a problem or prevent a problem in the future. The way in which the teeth are growing in determines whether or not a person needs to have them removed, but not all people need to have their teeth removed. It is possible to never have to remove wisdom teeth or to only have to remove one. Wisdom teeth removal can be done by your general dentist or an oral surgeon in office as an outpatient procedure.

Reasons to Remove:

Wisdom teeth may partially break through the gum causing the gum to grow over the teeth, which allows for food and germs to get trapped.
Wisdom teeth may grow in at an awkward angle, which needs surgery to remove so that the tooth does not interfere with the kar or other teeth.
Prevents crowding of the back teeth
Impacted tooth in the jaw

Extraction Process

During the removal process, your dentist/surgeon will use a local anesthetic to numb the area around where the tooth will be extracted. When dealing with multiple tooth extractions you will be placed under general anesthesia, causing your whole body to be asleep during the procedure. In most cases the removal of the teeth goes very smoothly: the dentist opens up the gum tissue around the tooth and pulls the tooth out. Sometimes the tooth is harder to extract and the dentist must break the tooth into pieces to extract it piece by piece. After the tooth is removed, the dentist will stitch up the gum with dissolvable stitches.

Recovery

The recovery process generally only lasts a few days, which includes taking the pain medicine prescribed, rinsing mouth out, and using the gauze to absorb all the excess blood. In order to minimize the pain, try using an ice pack on the outside of your cheek/cheeks. Apply the ice pack for 15-20 minutes at a time for the first 24 hours, after the first day use a warm wrung-out towel for the next few days. Contact your dentist or surgeon if the pain begins to get worse around the fourth day, which may be a sign of complications.

Nighttime Oral Health Care

Keeping your mouth clean isn’t just a day job. It’s just as important to practice nighttime oral care as it is to keep your teeth clean during the day. The (somewhat gross) fact is, when you are sleeping, you are not swallowing your saliva. Eight hours of doing this increases the level of bacteria in your mouth, which can lead to bad breath and plaque buildup. Bad oral hygiene can turn into tooth decay or gum disease, so make sure you follow our steps to keeping your mouth clean at night.

Every night before you go to sleep: brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash. This is the best routine you can get into to prevent future problems with your mouth. So let’s break it down.

Brushing

We recommend that you brush after dinner and before you go to sleep. Doing so will clean your mouth of any plaque buildup and will give bacteria less to feed on. Using an FDA and ADA approved toothpaste with proper brushing techniques will reduce your chances of tooth decay and gum disease.

The ADA suggests the following brushing technique:

Brush at at 45-degree angle to your gums.
Gently brush back and forth on all outer, inner, and chewing surfaces of your teeth.
Use short strokes as wide as your tooth.
Turn your toothbrush vertical to clean the inside of your front teeth.
Brush your tongue to rid of any leftover bacteria and prevent bad breath.

Flossing

While skipping the floss at night may feel like a shortcut, you’re not doing yourself a favor. Flossing helps clean your mouth in the spots your toothbrush physically cannot reach. If you don’t remove that plaque, bacteria will feed on it while you are sleeping. Also, plaque buildup can turn into tartar, which can only be removed by a dentist or dental hygienist.

The ADA suggest the following flossing technique:

Use an 18-inch piece of floss.
Wind the floss around the middle fingers of each hand.
Tightly hold the floss and insert between your teeth using your thumb and forefinger.
Curve the floss in a C-shape around the side of your tooth.
Gently run the floss up and down against the side of your tooth.
Floss in between every tooth in your mouth, and don’t forget about your back teeth.

Therapeutic Mouthwash

Therapeutic mouthwashes are different from your generic cosmetic mouthwash and do much more than just freshen your breath. They contain certain ingredients that help fight cavities, strengthen the enamel on your teeth, and prevent gum diseases like gingivitis.

What Dentist Appointments And Oil Changes Have In Common

Ever get your teeth cleaned and feel like you’re getting a tune-up on your pearly whites? If so, you’ve made the right correlation. Getting your teeth checked is like getting your tires rotated or having your car serviced. After a certain number of miles, your car will need to be checked, just as you teeth need to be checked after not visiting the dentist after a certain amount of time. This way, you can make sure that there are no cavities, tooth decay, or other problems that may develop down the road for your teeth. Just as your car, you would need a checkup every few months to make sure everything is running smoothly to prevent it from breaking down. Be sure to care for your teeth and visit a dentist at least twice a year. This can avoid hitting any bumps in the road for a smooth ride to a better smile!

What To Do When Gingivitis Strikes

So first off, what is Gingivitis? This is when gums are tender and inflamed due to bacteria buildup and can easily bleed when performing oral procedures. It is estimated that 90% of adults have these Gingivitis symptoms! But no need to worry, it is easily curable and we have some simple tips to follow in order to keep your gums in tip-top shape:

  1. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush: As mentioned in the previous post, soft bristled toothbrushes provide a gentle brushing experience that can avoid any irritation to the gums.
  2. Consider using electric toothbrushes: These guys remove even more bacteria than manual toothbrushes, avoiding any inflammation all together.
  3. Monitor your flossing techniques: Make sure to target your teeth when flossing, not your gums! This can be done by flossing in a “C” shape against each tooth, sliding it under the gumlines.
  4. Consider the use of special treatments: This can include prescription fluoride, mouthrinse, or routine cleaning to avoid as much bacteria as possible.
  5. Exercise!: Get that heart beating and blood pumping to get your body to respond more effectively to Gingivitis.
  6. Eat healthy: This can benefit your immune system while providing a satisfying stimulation for your gums while you chew.

 

What Are Tooth Mamelons All About?

Ever take notice of how some of your teeth may have some bumps or ridges on the ends of them? If so, there’s no need to worry! These are completely normal and will eventually fade away as you get older. These bumps or ridges are called mamelons that helped push your new, permanent teeth through your gums as your baby teeth started falling out.

Should mamelons be removed? Not necessarily! These guys wont affect the health of your teeth in any sort of way. The main reason for filing the mamelons down, if at all, is due to alignment or for a better appearance of your teeth. So smile big and rest assure, you and your teeth are doing great for the world to see!

Facts About Fluoride

Did you wonder about any of the myths you’ve been hearing about fluoride?  Well we have a few solid facts to set the record straight!

  • Fact #1: Exposing teeth to fluoride during childhood years strengthens teeth over an entire lifetime
  • Fact #2: Fluoride prevents tooth decay in the most cost-effective way
  • Fact #3: Most of the fluoride in public water is extracted from phosphate rock
  • Fact #4: Fluoride isn’t considered dangerous to children when used as intended
  • Fact #5: Children who swallow toothpaste are at risk of mild  fluorosis
    • What is fluorosis you ask? The appearance of brown or white discoloration spots on your teeth from taking in too much fluoride
  • Fact #6: Fluoride helps to harden the enamel on adult teeth that have already emerged

Animals Have Chompers, Too

Ever wonder how many teeth certain animals have? How they use them? If they’re any different from ours? Well we have some answers! Let’s take a walk through the wild and discover some fun facts about our animal friends and their pearly whites.

Giraffes: These guys have the same amount of teeth as humans do!- 32 to be precise. The only difference is they have no upper front teeth; most of their teeth are located towards the back of their mouth.

Rabbits: These little fella’s teeth never stop growing! An adult rabbit has about 28 teeth and must chew on tough foods to file their teeth down from getting too long.

Elephants: Their teeth are considered to be their tusks. Like rabbits, their extra long incisors never stop growing.

Sharks: How do you think it would feel to constantly lose teeth? Sharks would know! Each week they lose at least one tooth. Next time you hit the beach, keep an eye out for any shark teeth that wash ashore!

Hippopotamuses: Want to know who has the longest canine teeth of any animal? Look no further. These guys have incisors up to 3 feet long that can cut through the toughest objects!

Mosquitos: Our microscopic friends have microscopic teeth as well. Surprisingly, they have about 15 more teeth than adult humans, making them have a whopping 47 teeth.

Snails: Do you think mosquitos had a lot of teeth? Try 25,000 on these guys! Their microscopic teeth are located not on the top or bottom of their mouth, but on their tongue.

The one thing that most animals have in common? They’re cavity-free! Unlike humans, their diets aren’t high in sugar and they chew on tougher materials than humans do to consistently keep their teeth clean.

 

 

Why Tongue Scrapers and Cleaners are Important

You may not always think of going the extra mile to clean your tongue but the benefits from doing so may be worth it.

  • The first advantage you get from keeping your tongue squeaky clean is a crisp, clean taste of every morsel you consume! Keeping your taste buds clean and clear can open up those pores ready to give you bursts of flavor in every bite.
  • It can also be advantageous for your immune system! The removal of bacteria keeps your and your mouth clean and away from any toxins from being reabsorbed back into your body.
  • The removal of bacteria and other toxins can also reduce the overall buildup of plaque, gum infections, tooth decay, and much more.

How to scrape your tongue

  • Stick your tongue out as far as you can
  • Place the scraper as far back on your tongue as you can
  • Work your way up by gently scraping the surface of your tongue
  • Rinse the scraper and repeat until you feel rid of its coating

Pediatric Dentistry of Ft. Myers voted “Best of Southwest Florida”

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Pediatric Dentistry of Ft. Myers, Dr. Tim M. Verwest, DMD has been voted best pediatric dentist of Southwest Florida 2015 by the Ft. Myers News-Press readers. The News-Press 25th annual best of Southwest Florida awards recognizes the top businesses in the community selected by their readers. Earlier this year Dr. Verwest was named for inclusion in the Consumer Research Council of America 2015 Guide to America’s Top Dentists.

Best of SWFL Dr Tim Verwest

His professional affiliations include The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American and Florida Dental Associations and West Coast Dental Association, the Florida Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and the Lee County Dental Association.  He is often a guest lecturer for various organizations and has taught classes at Florida Southwestern State College.

Dr. Verwest is a board certified Diplomat of the National Board of Pediatric Dentistry with professional interests in the areas of pediatric pharmacology, biomaterials, and pediatric anesthesia.  He believes in lifelong learning and continues his education by taking courses in pediatric sedation, pediatric oncology, sealants, prosthetics, pediatric cosmetic dentistry, pediatric materials, childhood growth and development, and more.

Pediatric Dentistry of Ft Myers, Dr. Tim Verwest, DMD, continues to provide pediatric dental care to children for the last 25 years. Areas of service include comprehensive dental exams, cleanings, composite fillings, dental hygiene education, extractions, fluoride treatments, sealants, sedation dentistry, space maintainers, x-rays and tooth nerve treatment. For more information, visit www.DrVerwest.com or (239) 482-2722.