The McCarl Dental Group team is happy to be welcoming the majority of our dentistry patients back to the office for regular, preventive dentistry visits, but we’re still encouraging those patients who are considered higher risk to postpone non-essential dental office trips for the time being. This includes delaying “fun visits” for kids. In this blog, we’ll talk about why it’s important to postpone these appointments for young patients and how you can care for your child’s smile until fun visits are available again.
(more…)Why We’re Delaying Our “Fun Visits” for Kids
Tooth Decay on the Root Surface
Tooth decay on the root surface of teeth may also be called root cavities, root decay, or root caries. It is a potentially detrimental oral health problem that needs immediate treatment to prevent severe dental damage. In this blog, you can learn more about what root decay is, why it happens, how it’s connected to gum disease and soft tissue recession, and what treatments are available to repair your teeth and soft tissue. If you’re concerned you have decay on your tooth’s root surface, contact your dentist in Greenbelt, MD as soon as possible to begin repairs.
How We’re Prioritizing Safety During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The McCarl Dental Group team is serious about the safety measures our dental offices are implementing during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. We appreciate and value our loyal patients and want to share some updates about new procedures. This is especially important now that non-emergency patients are returning to the dental office. Although we are seeing fewer patients than pre-COVID, we’re having more patients return for dental care than during the last few months. We’re taking even more precautions to keep our dental patients, our employees, and the Greenbelt community safe. You can learn more about the updates to our protocols by watching our video from Dr. Richard Duarte and reading this blog.
(more…)Why did We Update Our Pre-Rinse During the COVID-19 Pandemic?
We are all hearing a lot of conflicting information about what does and doesn’t help to keep us safe while we’re navigating the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. When it comes to visiting the dental office, pre-rinses have come under some scrutiny. You can find almost as many seemingly reputable sources supporting and opposing the use of pre-rinses. At McCarl Dental Group in Greenbelt, we’ve always included a pre-rinse as part of our preventive dental exam routine, and we haven’t stopped doing this in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, we changed to a pre-rinse product that exceeds the recommendations of the American Dental Association (ADA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In this blog, you can learn more about the oral rinse we’re using, but don’t hesitate to call to chat with one of our team members if you have questions.
(more…)Improving Safety Protocols in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
To better protect our patients and staff against Covid-19, we have implemented several additional safety upgrades at McCarl Dental Group of Greenbelt. We understand that many of our clients are feeling some concern about venturing back out into the world, and we want to reassure you that we are going above and beyond to make your visit safe. In this blog, you can read all about the steps we’re taking to safeguard our patients. You can feel confident that your health and safety remain our top priorities.
(more…)4 Ways Your Dentist Protects Patients and Themselves During COVID-19
As dental offices are allowed to see non-emergency patients once more, dentists are so happy to be able to see all of their smiling patients. Our dentists have always taken patient health and sanitation very seriously, but in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are taking additional steps to ensure our patients, staff members, and families remain safe. You can learn more about some of the additional safety steps we’re taking in this blog.
(more…)Extra Time During COVID-19 Shelter in Place? Let’s Improve At-Home Oral Hygiene!
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many of us find ourselves with a little extra time on our hands. If you’re looking to fill the hours, this may be the perfect time to improve your oral hygiene routine. According to some experts, it takes 40 days to create a new habit, and while we’re all hoping we don’t have to stay at home for another 40 days, there’s no time like the present to start changing the way we care for our smiles. In this blog, we will discuss the best ways to brush and floss and other great oral hygiene habits that can benefit you now and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
(more…)Periodontal Pocket Depths
As part of our ongoing efforts to help patients achieve and maintain their healthiest smiles, we recommend regular preventive dental checkups and teeth cleanings. During these visits, you have probably heard your dentist calling out numbers as they check your smile. They are measuring the depths of your gum tissue pockets. This is called periodontal charting, and it helps us keep track of your gum health. This important measure of periodontal (gum) health tracks the depth of the pockets around each tooth. The top of gum tissue does not attach directly to teeth. There is a space or pocket between the gum and the tooth before it attaches. This pocket deepens in the presence of bacteria, plaque, and tartar build up that lead to gum disease. To monitor and evaluate gum health, the pocket depth must be measured, recorded, and monitored over time. In this blog, we’ll walk through what periodontal pockets are, how they are connected to gum health, and why it’s so important to regularly monitor periodontal pocket depths.
Tips for Keeping Your Smile Healthy Until the Dentist Reopens
If you’ve always visited your dentist every six months like clockwork, you may be feeling a little nervous with your dental office closed for non-emergency care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We want our patients to be able to maintain their optimal level of oral health at this difficult time, and we also want to protect the health and safety of every member of our community. We are hopeful that your Greenbelt dentist will be ready to see your smile for regular dental checkups soon because, as always, we believe in the essential benefits of preventive dentistry to keep smiles healthy. Until we can safely offer preventive dental appointments again, read our blog to learn some of the ways you can protect your smile with good oral hygiene at-home.
(more…)Top 10 Causes of Tooth Enamel Erosion
Tooth enamel erosion and wear weakens the overall structure of your smile, exposing you to an increased risk for tooth decay (cavities), dental chips and cracks, and infection in or around the tooth. In this blog, we discuss the most common causes of tooth enamel erosion and how we can help you protect and repair damaged smiles.
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