Roselle Park Dental & Implants Blog

Living through a global pandemic for most of 2020 made it a challenging year for many of us. Despite our best intentions, the many obstacles we faced – quarantine, limited access to groceries, fear of getting sick – made it difficult to prioritize our health and stick to good habits.

As we head into a promising new year, now is the perfect time to plan to make 2021 your healthiest year yet! And there is no better place to start than with your oral health.

According to the Mayo Clinic:

“Your oral health offers clues about your overall health (and) problems in your mouth can affect the rest of your body.”

To help you improve your oral health and establish healthy habits to protect your teeth, mouth and gums, we have come up with a year-long healthy smile schedule:

Winter

1. Get and Understand Your Dental Insurance: Almost three quarters of Americans pay for dental insurance each year, and for good reason.  While all plans differ, most cover all or most of preventive care, as well as a varying percentage of basic and major procedures. If you need to sign up for insurance, check out eHealth. To learn more about what benefits your existing coverage offers, give us a call at 908-998-4698 or send an email to roselleparkdental@gmail.com.
2. Schedule Your First Dental Cleaning: According to the Mayo clinic, one of the best ways to protect your oral health is to schedule dental checkups and cleanings twice a year.  Most dental insurance plans will cover 100% of twice annual exams, cleanings, and X-rays. Visit us online to schedule your first visit for 2021!
3. Out With the Old … Toothbrush or Brush Head: The ADA recommends replacing your toothbrush or electric toothbrush head with a new one every three to four months. Due to daily use over time, the bristles become worn down. The older and more frayed the bristles, the less effective the brush becomes at cleaning food particles from your teeth and gums.

Spring

1. Visit Us at Roselle Park Dental: One of our amazing hygienists will take x-rays of your teeth and then perform a professional cleaning to remove any built-up plaque. Next, one of our skilled dentists will inspect your teeth, gums, and overall oral health. Before you leave, be sure to set up your next cleaning appointment in six months.
2. Spring Clean Your Diet: As the weather begins to warm up, it is a perfect time to make some healthy changes to what we eat to benefit both our waistline and our oral health! Making a few simple swaps, such as eating fresh fruits instead of cookies or candies and sipping on water instead of soda or juice, will reduce the amount of sugar in your diet which lowers your chance of tooth decay and may lead to weight loss as well.
3. Replace Your Toothbrush or Brush Head Again😊

Summer:

1. Stick to a Daily Flossing Routine: During this season of fun vacations and R&R, our regular routines and schedules often lapse. But one daily habit we should not take a break from in the summer is flossing daily! If you find yourself forgetting to floss since your bedtime is later and you are too tired, try doing it right after lunch each day instead.
2. Schedule Your Second Dental Cleaning: If you haven’t already, call Roselle Park Dental at 908-998-4698 or visit us online to schedule your next cleaning appointment now to beat the back-to-school hustle and bustle.
3. Replace Your Toothbrush or Brush Head Again😊

Fall:

1. Assess What Dental Benefits You Have Remaining: If you have dental work you’ve put on hold, now is a good time to schedule an appointment to maximize your insurance benefits. If you have been paying a monthly premium to keep your insurance, be sure to use it before the year ends! It is also a great time to use any remaining flexible account dollars you may have saved up. Flexible accounts are created to set aside pre-tax dollars for medical and dental expenses, but if that money is not used before the end of the year, it is lost to you forever.
2. Visit Us at Roselle Park Dental: We offer several amenities to help you feel at ease during your appointments, including sedation dentistry, pillows blankets, and more. We also utilize the most state-of-the-art tools and equipment to improve the accuracy, speed, and quality of the dental care we provide to you at every visit.
3. Replace Your Toothbrush or Brush Head Again😊

We look forward to helping you make 2021 your healthiest year yet!

At Roselle Park Dental & Implants, our dedicated team believes that dentistry can change not only your teeth, but your overall quality of life as well for the better. That’s why we work so hard every day to give each patient a new reason to smile.

Author: Sara Magnola Taner is an online marketing and communications specialist – with a website development and editorial background – who has 15 years of experience creating and editing clear, compelling content on diverse topics across a wide-range of mediums.

Specially written for Roselle Park Dental & Implants by Sara Magnola Taner

As with most things this year, the 2020 holiday season is looking a little different. Despite the pandemic, there are many ways to still get into the holiday spirit, celebrate, and enjoy while staying safe:

• Listen to your favorite holiday music
• Prepare and enjoy yummy seasonal treats
• Decorate your home
• Buy gifts for your loved ones

Along with the joy and fun this time of year brings, it also creates stress. This year, navigating the COVID-19 health crisis could be causing you to worry about the health and safety of you and your loved ones, which can lead to more stress, depression and anxiety.

Did you know that there is a direct correlation between your psychological stress level and your oral health? According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, experiencing higher stress levels can cause damage to your teeth and gums and is linked to poor oral health including gum disease and tooth loss. Here are some of the ways that stress can wreak havoc in your mouth:

1. TMJ & Bruxism: Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ) are caused by clenching and grinding of the teeth. Over time, this can lead to pain as well as broken and worn down teeth.
2. Dry Mouth: Taking certain medications to help manage depression and anxiety, as well as not consuming enough water, can lead to a decrease in the body’s ability to produce enough saliva. In the absence of the moisture needed to wash away bacteria and food particles in the mouth, it becomes a breeding ground for periodontal disease.
3. Canker Sores & Mouth Ulcers: The development of these painful sores – also called aphthous ulcers – can be triggered by stress. They are small, shallow lesions that develop on the soft tissues in the mouth or at the base of the gums.
4. Gum Disease: Being under extra stress can lead to increased bacteria in the mouth, and periodontal disease develops when bacteria from plaque builds up.

Stress is a normal part of life, so the key to avoiding its negative effects is to be able to manage your feelings. Establishing and maintaining good oral health habits is key! Daily brushing and flossing – along with twice yearly visits to your dentist – are the most important steps you can take to protect your teeth and gums during times of high stress. Other important ways you can help to manage stress this holiday season are to set realistic expectations, plan ahead, and seek professional support for feelings of anxiety and depression.

This holiday season, the team at Roselle Park Dental is here to help you with your stress related oral health needs! Call us today at (908) 998-4698 or visit us online to schedule an appointment today! 

Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, our community give back efforts will be a little different this year. But that does not change the fact that: At Roselle Park Dental We Are Thankful for Our Patients, So We Are Giving Back!

We are collecting new or gently used clothes for infants through adults, nonperishable food items, and diapers, to be donated to the Parish Food Pantry at the Roman Catholic Church of the ASSUMPTION for those in our community in need this holiday season.

For every item donated, Roselle Park Dental will match the donation.

Donations can be dropped off at our office, located at 205 West Westfield Ave., Roselle Park NJ, from December 8^th-10^th from 9 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Tax deductible receipts will be provided for all donations.

Our community give back efforts are being sponsored by RPD Dreams – a nonprofit organization that teaches children of all ages how to develop necessary life skills and leadership abilities so they can achieve their dreams. To learn more and donate to this great cause visit: www.roselleparkdental.com/rpd-dreams.html

For more information, please call 908-955-0274 or visit us online at roselleparkdental.com.

Thanks in advance for your donations! Stay safe and smiling this Holiday season😊

*Please call from the parking lot and a member of our staff will come remove your donation items from the trunk of your car. Please wear a mask and adhere to safe social distancing measures when necessary.

You’re considering dental implants in Roselle Park to replace your missing teeth, but you’re unsure if your dental insurance will cover the costs. With only a few months to go before the end of 2020, the clock is ticking on being able to use your benefits before they expire. What do you do? Before you throw in the towel and simply wait until next year, read on to learn what you can do now to move forward with treatment and find ways to pay for your new smile.

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This month, we celebrate our courageous dental hygienists, who are showing up to be our oral health champions even in the face of a global health pandemic.

Good dental hygiene is so important – for both your oral health and your overall well-being. Along with daily flossing, and brushing teeth thoroughly three times each day for two minutes per session, visiting your dentist and hygienist twice a year is vital to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. 

Although your dental check-ups may look a little different this year due to Covid-19, during these visits our hygienists will still perform these important procedures, which he or she are trained and skilled at, to ensure your oral health is at its best:

• Provide education about creating at-home habits for maintaining healthy oral health, as well as the importance of nutrition and other lifestyle choices, such as avoiding tobacco
• Review a your medical history and evaluate the health of your gums and teeth
• Take and read x-rays
• Perform a professional cleaning to remove plaque build-up and tartar and prevent them from causing cavities
• Administer local anesthesia
• Apply sealants to prevent cavities from forming

Be sure to schedule your next appointment – call (908) 998-4698 – and visit us this month to thank your courageous dental hygienist for all that they do! And comment or share a photo in the comments to show us how you and your family are celebrating National Dental Hygiene Month this year.

#dentist #dentalimplants #roselleparknj #cranfordnj #roselleparkdental

Bruxism is a common problem that affects millions of Americans. You may be thinking, “What’s that?” Well it’s the formal word for “teeth grinding.” This grinding or clenching your smile usually occurs at night, and it can lead to cracked, shortened, or damaged teeth. However, if you just got dental implants in Roselle, this condition can also put you at risk of your new tooth replacement failing. Read on to learn more about bruxism, it’s relationship with dental implants, and how you can protect your smile!

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A beautiful smile is a precious asset. Not only can it give you confidence in social settings, but it can also affect the way you perceive yourself on a day to day basis. It can even make others see you as being younger, more attractive, and more successful. Are you satisfied with the way your smile looks? If not, you are far from alone. Millions of people wish their teeth were whiter, straighter, or more aesthetically pleasing in other ways. Let’s talk about your dentist can help you correct some of the most common cosmetic dental flaws and give you the smile you’ve always dreamed off.

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