Top 5 reasons 6 month visits are vital

Nearly one third of Americans did not visit the dentist at all last year.

Not only is this unfortunate, but it can be dangerous to your overall health.

Here are the top 5 reasons, you should keep up with your continued care appointments.

1. Although you may brush twice a day and floss regularly (we hope), your hygienist is able to remove tarter your toothbrush just can't get. They are also able to remove plaque that you may not be able to see, for instance on the back side of your front teeth or around a permanent orthodontic retainer. If this tarter and plaque isn't removed, decay occurs.
2. Do you ever wonder why the Doctor says "stick out your tongue" and grabs it with a cotton swab? It's not just to annoy you. It's because he or she is performing an oral cancer screening. The Dentist is looking for any white spots or abnormalities of the mouth to make sure your mouth is in tip-top shape. This is especially important if you're a smoker or a chew less tobacco user.
3. You should never wait until you're in pain to visit your dentist. If that's the case, the problem most likely just got worse over time. The more often you go in, the better your hygienist and Doctor can look for any cavities and help you prevent those cavities from turning into crowns or root canals.
4. It's never going to cost less than it does today. Going back to #3, if you wait until you're in pain, most likely the tooth has only gotten worse, meaning more of a toll on your wallet. Have your teeth cleaned and checked at least twice a year and in the end you'll save yourself some moola! It's less expensive to pay for a filling than an entire crown.
5. The dental world is constantly changing. New technology is out to help ease any dental treatment in the office as well as making at home care easier. The best way to find out about these updates is finding out from the expert him or herself. For example, back in the beginning of 2013 Dr. Steckbauer decided in order to have a state of the art facility our office needed the most up-to-date technology. He purchased a Conebeam. This x-ray machine allows Glacier Dental's clinical staff to take a 3D image of the patients mouth, allowing him to see the roots of each tooth as well as the bone structure. This is very beneficial when it comes to precise treatment planning. The 3D image is also extremely helpful in any oral surgery he performs, meaning a better and easier appointment for the patient. It also helps eliminate unnecessary follow up visits.

We know the biggest reason patients do not go to the Dentist regularly is because of fear and/or pain. Dr. Steckbauer is extremely gentle and you have nothing to worry about. At Glacier Dental we take time to listen to your concerns and try our best to make our patients feel as comfortable as possible. If you don't believe us, just look at our Google reviews!

Click here to read Glacier Dental's Google Reviews

Why Glacier Dental recommends flossing!

We know you've heard it a million times, why flossing is important and you should floss at least once a day. But why is it still always over looked? According to webmd.com,, ""There is no instant gratification with flossing -- that's the problem," says Alla Wheeler, RDH, MPA, associate professor of the Dental Hygiene Program at the New York University School of Dentistry. "Patients don't think it does anything." " 

And it's true, right? But think about it this way, brushing your teeth only cleans them 70%. Flossing cleans the remaining 30%. When you take a shower, do you only clean your body and not your hair? Of course not!

But what purpose does flossing have in cleaning your teeth? Isn't brushing them good enough? Flossing gets any bacteria out from between the teeth and it also can clean a little deeper into your gums. The bristles on your toothbrush cannot reach these areas. It also helps prevent gum disease and tooth loss. Gum disease and tooth loss!

Another added benefit to flossing, is less scraping at your hygiene appointment. If you're flossing at home at least once a day, you're removing plaque build up. If you don't floss to remove the plaque build up, it becomes harder and turns to tartar, and in return, the hygienist has to scrape it off and cause irritation to your gums.

Now some might say they don't floss because it causes them to bleed. This is normal the first few times flossing, if you have not flossed for quite some time. It just means there was some plaque there and it needed to be cleaned out. However, if bleeding does persist, you may want to go to your Dentist to have your gums checked out. Sometimes this is an early sign of periodontal disease (also known as gum disease or gingivitis).

If you think flossing is too "difficult" or "time consuming", try using a waterpik. Waterpiks use a powerful stream of water to clean between the teeth and below the gum line. Here's a short video clip if you're interested to see how it works: Waterpik Tutorial . Next time you're at your hygiene visit, ask your hygienist about our Waterpiks.

Hopefully this explains why flossing is so important! Losing your teeth and gum disease are only going to cause more pain and money in the future!

Valentine's Day Whitening at Glacier Dental

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Call today to schedule your whitening consult and see which whitening

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920-235-3251