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As the school year gets under way in Middleton, WI, you’ve got a lot going on. New classes. New teachers. New activities. New books and supplies and . . . well, it’s a lot! Luckily, you have some familiar skills you can rely on to help you enjoy all these new experiences with a healthy, confident smile.

You may not have realized it, but the skill sets you’ve developed for school are useful beyond the classroom. Let’s put those skills to use with our dental study guide:

Do Your Homework

Dental care begins at home! Brush for two minutes twice each day and floss once a day to remove cavity-causing plaque.

If you’re in orthodontic treatment, you might need to brush and floss more often, whether several times a day or after each meal or snack. Follow your orthodontist’s recommendations and use orthodontic friendly tools like interproximal brushes and floss designed for braces.

If you have trouble with getting your teeth their cleanest, electric toothbrushes and water flossers can be a game changer when it comes to removing plaque and food particles from tricky spaces. Talk to Dr. Joel Hartjes and Dr. Jon Szewczyk to see if these tools are right for you.

Essential Supplies

Put together a kit for your backpack or locker so you’ll always have the smile-approved supplies you need on hand. These tools will help you manage any expected—and unexpected—dental challenges while you’re away from home. Your bag might include:

• Travel toothbrush in a ventilated case (bacteria aren’t fans of fresh air!)
• Travel size toothpaste
• Small mirror to make sure your smile is food-free
• If you wear braces, add orthodontic floss and interproximal brushes, dental wax to prevent irritation from loose wires or brackets, and extra rubber bands as needed
• If you have a retainer or aligners, bring your appliance case to prevent damaging or losing them
• Your dentist’s and orthodontist’s phone numbers for emergencies

Add any other items you think will be helpful, and you’ll be prepared to handle any dental-related issues throughout the day.

Follow Directions

Your dental team at Hartstone Dental has the best recommendations for a healthy smile—but these recommendations only work if you follow them!

• See Dr. Joel Hartjes and Dr. Jon Szewczyk for regular checkups. These appointments are the time to learn about better brushing techniques, a dental-healthy diet, and other ways to help prevent cavities. Bonus: Regular cleanings will keep your smile sparkling!
• If you’re an orthodontic patient, wear your aligners, appliances, or elastics for the recommended number of hours each day. If you don’t, your treatment could take longer.
• If you wear aligners, it’s important to change your trays on schedule. Changing to a new set of aligners too soon can cause stressful pressure on your teeth and jaws. Changing trays later than recommended can delay your progress.

Any Questions? Ask!

Asking questions is one of the best ways to learn. Your dental team at Hartstone Dental has years of education and experience to help you answer some of the questions you have about navigating your school day.

How can you keep your smile clean and fresh throughout a long day of school? Which cafeteria foods are orthodontic-friendly? Why are mouthguards so important when you play sports?

Your dental team has the answers—or knows how to help you find them. Work with your team to make sure that you’re able to enjoy all the possibilities of the school year, from classroom to lunchroom to extracurriculars, with a healthy confident smile!

At Hartstone Dental, we work to find a dental plan that will work best and most effectively for you. But we’ve found that three treatments tend to be the most common and useful. If you ever find yourself in any of the following situations, we suggest you look at these options.

If you’ve lost teeth due to trauma, fracture, or decay, dental implants are a great choice. With all the technology available to us now, dental implants look and function exactly the way a natural tooth would. They blend in perfectly and are custom made to fit you. They’re a great investment that will restore the balance to your smile.

If you struggle with stress and catch yourself clenching or grinding your jaw, you may want to consider a bite guard. Constant grinding of teeth is dangerous for fillings and crowns, as well as natural teeth. It can cause serious joint inflammation as well as headaches. Luckily, bite guards can be worn night or day (depending on what you need), and are a great way to prevent further grinding.

Finally, there’s teeth whitening. It’s not uncommon for patients to want to brighten their smile, and the best way to do it by far is with in-office tooth whitening. There are many DIY options out there, of course, but in-office whitening has greater benefits.

When the whitening gel is applied to your teeth, we make sure your gums are protected. The results are generally faster and last longer with this approach, as well. Other methods may work, but they typically don’t last as long; sometimes they may not fully whiten all areas of your teeth.

No treatment is as easy and free of challenges as it seems. You still have to care for implants like regular teeth, which means no skimping on brushing and flossing just because they’re fake. Bite guards must be worn regularly to be effective. They also must be customized for your teeth; otherwise, they can be uncomfortable.

Whitening may cause temporary sensitivity in some mouths. For others, genetics may prevent you from achieving the precise shade you want.

If you have additional questions, feel free to call our Middleton, WI office. Our team is here to help you achieve your best possible smile!

Getting a dental implant is a surgical procedure and everyone’s pain tolerance level is different. Therefore, what one person may perceive as pain is only a slight discomfort for another person. The general consensus about pain and dental implants is that the majority of people feel discomfort, not pain.

A dental implant is a complex procedure. Let’s take a look at what may cause discomfort:

• Some people may find that having the IV put in is uncomfortable, especially if the healthcare worker has to try more than once. If you have a fear of needles or if you have anxiety about the procedure, we can prescribe a sedative, which you take before you arrive.
• Of course, during the dental implant surgery, you will be asleep. Therefore, you will not feel any pain or discomfort at all.
• When you awake from the surgery, your mouth should still be numb. In many cases, we can give you a “block” – it is basically a 24-hour pain medication, so you will not feel any pain or discomfort at all.
• We will also provide you with a prescription for a strong pain killer, and you will most likely sleep while you are taking them. If you are still in pain, do not take more than is prescribed without calling us first. You will need someone to stay with you for 24 hours after the surgery, and they will be instructed on how to give you any prescription medication. The anesthesia tends to make people a bit loopy and forgetful the first 24 hours.
• After the first 24 hours you may feel some discomfort. The most important thing you can do is take your pain medication regularly, whether you are taking the prescription medication or an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Tylenol or Advil.
• You should not need pain medication for more than the first few days.

Most people do say there mouth is sore and they have to be careful what they eat, so it’s best to stick to soft foods. If you have any additional questions, please contact our Middleton, WI office and speak with Dr. Joel Hartjes and Dr. Jon Szewczyk.

Have you ever noticed your attention being instantly drawn to peoples’ teeth when they smile at you? Some people have dull and yellowing teeth, while others have teeth that appear bright white. Everyone’s teeth naturally dull over time because of aging and the contact your teeth have with staining foods, such as chocolate and coffee. However, teeth-whitening treatments can help you keep your teeth white for life.

Get Regular Treatments

The effects of teeth whitening or bleaching treatments are only temporary, so regular treatments at Hartstone Dental are necessary to keep your teeth white for life. Bleaching too frequently, though, can wear away your tooth enamel. The effects of in-office bleaching can last for several months to a year, while you may need to repeat your use of at-home bleaching kits every few months to maintain your white teeth. Whitening toothpastes do not contain bleach, so you can use them daily. The American Dental Association suggests asking your dentist for advice on which treatment is best for you.

Have Realistic Expectations

Not everyone’s teeth can be turned bright white, according to the American Dental Association. Your teeth may naturally be a light yellowish color that lends itself well to teeth-whitening procedures, but bleach is not likely to be effective for grayish teeth. Brownish teeth fall somewhere in between.

Practice Good Oral Hygiene

Your teeth whitening efforts will not be as effective if your teeth are in poor health. Visible fillings, implants, or bridges that are metallic stand out against the white color you want to achieve. You can help prevent tooth decay and reduce your risk of needing these unsightly treatments by maintaining a good oral hygiene routine. In addition to brushing your teeth twice a day to remove dirt and potential staining agents, the actions below can promote a healthy mouth.

• Floss every day
• Visit Hartstone Dental regularly
• Rinse your mouth with water after each meal and snack
• Limit sugary and starchy foods and beverages, especially between meals