Frequently Asked Questions

How do my eating habits affect my teeth?
Certain foods (like potato chips) contribute to tooth decay while others (like cheese) may actually help resist it. A well-balanced diet contains nutrients necessary to ward off infection and, at the same time, nourishes your whole body. That includes your teeth and mouth!
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How do the foods I eat cause cavities?
Tooth decay can occur when the acids in plaque attach to your teeth. Plaque is the sticky, colorless film of bacteria that forms on everyone's teeth daily. After you eat the bacteria in plaque produce acids that attack the tooth enamel. After repeated acid attacks, the enamel can break down and may become decayed. Foods with carbohydrates and starches, especially those that stick to teeth, contribute to this harmful acid production.
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Do I have to eliminate sugar from my diet?
No, but candy and sticky, gooey foods that get caught between teeth give the bacteria in plaque more opportunities to attack tooth enamel. This is why it's so important to clean teeth thoroughly after snacking.
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What's best for my child's dental development?
Children need a healthy diet for the proper development of their teeth. Protein, vitamins and minerals (especially calcium, phosphorus and fluoride) are key to strong teeth at the developmental stage. Good hygiene habits are a must. Learning how to properly brush and floss your childs teeth is critical for the development of health teeth and gums.
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What causes TMJ?
When your bite is off, pain and other symptoms can occur. This is commonly known as TMJ. The jaw is supported by a sling of muscles that guide our teeth together. Even when our jaw is at rest, our muscles position our jaw near our bite. If our bite is in line with our muscles, everything feels good. But if our muscles have to strain while our jaw is in the rest position or in the bite position, symptoms can develop. Some of these symptoms are headaches, facial paid, neck and shoulder pain, feeling of ear congestion, dizziness, and other symptoms not considered "dental".
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What are the advantages of composite "white" fillings?
Composite fillings are more natural looking the silver "amalgam" fillings.

Composite fillings strengthen the cured tooth. Layers of silicon dioxide, which is a plastic mixture filled with glass are used to fill and stabilize the tooth.

Silicon dioxide does not conduct extreme hot and cold temperature like amalgam fillings. Because of this your teeth will not be as sensitive after treatment.

Composite fillings harden very quickly after they are placed. Amalgam fillings usually take a couple of hours to harden.

Composite fillings save more of the natural tooth structure. When doing an amalgam filling some of the good tooth surface has to be removed in order to wedge the amalgam filling in the tooth.

What do I need to know before I bleach my teeth?
First you should keep in mind that if your teeth are already white there may not be a big change in color. Any restorations you have on your teeth will not bleach. This means if you have restorations on your front teeth after you bleach you will need to replace those restorations to match your new color.
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Why do I need my wisdom teeth removed?
Wisdom teeth are located in the back of the mouth so they are sometimes hard to keep clean. This means you have a higher chance of getting cavities and decay. You also run the risk of forming pockets that can collect food and plaque, this leads to bad breath and decay. Wisdom teeth do not erupt like other molars they can grow in sideways and begin to destroy your 2nd molar roots. When this happens you run the risk of needing restorative work in order to save your 2nd molars.
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Why do I need dental x-rays?
X-rays are needed to get a good look at things that we can not normally see during an exam. We are able to diagnosis cavities, infection, bone lose, cyst, tarter under the gum line, impacted teeth, TMJ problems, periodontal problems, and loss on tooth root. Sometimes if these problems are found early enough we are able to correct them before major work is needed or pain and infection set in.
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What is the difference between a preventative cleaning and a deep cleaning?
A preventative "regular" cleaning means that you have no gum disease and minimal to moderate tarter build up. This cleaning is called a prophy. The hygienist does not have to go very deep underneath the gum line to clean. A deep cleaning "DSRP" (Deep Scale Root Planning) means that the patient has been diagnosed with periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is when there is moderate to heavy tarter build-up, bone loss and gum inflammation and bleeding. In order to treat this the hygienist has to go deep down into the pockets to clean out the tarter and then smooth the roots of the teeth. This requires a lot more time and additional follow-up visits.
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Why is it important to have your teeth cleaned by a dental professional twice a year?
When you are seen by a hygienist or dental professional for a preventative cleaning they do more than remove built up tarter and hard to reach plaque. You may not know it, but you are being screened for oral cancer, periodontal disease and TMJ.
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What do you offer to patients who are nervous about undergoing dental treatment?
Our office offers two services to help you relax.

Nitrous oxide commonly known as "laughing gas" is safe and effective during small procedures. This service is recommended for patients that need just a little help relaxing.

Our other service is oral medications "oral sedation" which allows the patient to be in a relaxed state for a long period of time. With this service the patient is coherent but has not recollection of what is happening around them. We recommend this service for patients undergoing extensive treatment or who are very nervous.
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103 Belview Rd
Leesville, LA 71446
(337) 239-2509
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

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