General dentistry

The most common times people brush their teeth are morning and night, either before or after breakfast, after dinner, or at bedtime. But sometimes hiccups in the schedule can knock you off a well-established routine. At The Fort Collins Dentist, we have some thoughts on that.

Sometimes after dinner isn’t super cut and dried. An irregular schedule generally disrupts regular dental maintenance. What are you to do?

One suggestion is to try doing a better job at cleaning your teeth during the day. One of the best things you can do is rinse your mouth with water after you eat. It’s no substitute for brushing, of course, but will give your entire mouth a quick cleansing.

A quick brushing is good, too. An excellent trick is what we call dry brushing. That means brushing your teeth without toothpaste. Yes, it sounds a bit strange – but it’s effective, especially if you can use a little water, too. (We’ve heard of dentists who do it themselves.) It isn’t the way you would brush at home, but it’s going to clean your gums and the surfaces of your teeth – and that’s half the battle.

The other half of the battle is the stuff that gets between your teeth. A good solution here is carrying floss picks with you.

The most important time to brush is after eating sugar or carb-intensive foods. Otherwise, these foods kickstart bacteria growth on the teeth.

We know that life gets busy, but hiccups in your dental routine can damage your teeth if you aren’t careful. The best approach is to brush and floss before bed, and see us at The Fort Collins Dentist for a checkup every six months. People from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor see us for general and family dentistry, complete cosmetic dentistry, and all their dental care needs. Call for an appointment today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

To maintain good dental health, your teeth need a lot of good ol’-fashioned TLC. But even when we do our best, bacteria can sneak in and cause tooth decay. At The Fort Collins Dentist, we are here to take care of your dental issues.

Few of us go through life without getting a cavity. They’re the common cold of dental health!

Cavities are caused when bacteria, acid, food debris, and saliva combine to form plaque. Plaque clings to your teeth, and the acid in it starts to dissolve the enamel. The result is a hole in your tooth.

You can go a long way toward preventing cavities by brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day. Brushing and flossing removes that filmy plaque and promotes healthy teeth and gums.

It’s also wise to see us at The Fort Collins Dentist twice a year for a cleaning and checkup. People from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor come to our office for restorative dentistry, complete general and family dentistry, and much more. Schedule an appointment today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

How are Americans doing when it comes to the dental health of those who are sixty-five and over? Well, at The Fort Collins Dentist we have some good news and bad news.

The Good News:

• Tooth decay rates in older Americans has decreased in the past thirty years.

The Bad News:

• 25% of people over sixty-five have no remaining teeth
• Nearly 20% have untreated cavities
• 10% of adults 65 and over have moderate to severe periodontal disease.
• There is evidence to suggest that advanced gum disease is linked to diabetes, heart disease, stroke and respiratory disease
• Most older Americans don’t have dental insurance

Clearly, there is room for improvement. What elements will improve the oral health of older Americans? The National Institutes of Health cite three things:

1. Improved oral health education for the elderly
2. Seniors practicing effective daily oral hygiene
3. Increased access to dental care

At The Fort Collins Dentist, we are committed to providing all of our patients with comprehensive oral health education and care. People from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor come to us for our full range of family and cosmetic dentistry services. Please call our office to schedule an appointment today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

There are momentous new developments in dentistry: stronger, natural-looking materials; improved techniques; more effective diagnostic methods; and more precise instruments.

Combine these with the experience and expertise of The Fort Collins Dentist team and you’re left with less of what used to make people dread going to the dentist.

Less Pain

Improved painkillers, lasers, and unprecedented techniques take the pain out of dental procedures.

Less Inconvenience

Laser dentistry, which employs powerful beams of light, has significantly reduced the time required to complete dental treatment.

Less Time Needed To Heal

Laser dentistry helps alleviate recovery times for procedures such as dental implants, root canals, smile redesigns, and other types of oral surgery.

Less Risk

The overall success rate of many dental procedures, including dental implants, has increased.

Less Loss of Healthy Tooth Structure

Dental procedures such as decay removal, inlays, porcelain veneers, and crown restoration can be performed with less loss of healthy tooth structure.

At The Fort Collins Dentist we offer general and family dentistry. People throughout Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsoralso come to us for cosmetic dentistry, and much more. We look forward to meeting you.

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

There are little things you can do every day to raise your Dental IQ and benefit your smile. One simple lesson from The Fort Collins Dentist involves bacteria, and everyone’s mouth has a lot of it.

But don’t worry, bacteria per se isn’t the problem. The critical thing is the balance of bacteria. This is where brushing and flossing come into play. Brush and floss properly each day and you will have a better chance of keeping the appropriate balance.

Other precautions you can take:

• Wash your hands before you brush and floss. No exceptions!
• Keep your toothbrush as far away from the toilet as possible. (Also, close the lid of the toilet before you flush!)
• Replace that toothbrush. When it comes to your toothbrush, don’t get sentimental. Get a new one every three to four months.

If you can avoid the unhealthy balance of bacteria in your mouth, you can minimize the risk of gum disease and tooth decay.

At The Fort Collins Dentist we want the best possible dental health for all our patients. We offer complete general and family dentistry, and patients from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor also come to our office for dental implants and much more. Schedule an appointment with us today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

Hello gum chewers! In this post from The Fort Collins Dentist we’re going to talk about that sticky wad in your mouth. You know that it can freshen your breath, but can it really help guard your smile from tooth decay?

It really depends on the type of gum. Chewing regular sucrose-based gum can be helpful in removing bits of food from the surface of teeth, but that benefit is negated by the stream of sugar washing over your teeth as you chew.

However, gum with some alternative sweeteners has an added benefit for your pearly whites. Xylitol is a sweetener which not only has fewer calories than traditional sugars, but it also has antimicrobial properties that lessen plaque build-up. This means that xylitol inhibits the growth of bacteria that causes decay.

So if you’re headed out to a restaurant, bring a pack of sugar-free gum with you and pop it in your mouth when your meal is done. Of course, brushing and flossing are the ideal practices for your oral health, but when you can’t brush, select a sugarless gum with xylitol.

At The Fort Collins Dentist we offer complete general and family dentistry. Patients from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor also come to our office for cosmetic dentistry, and much more. Call to schedule your next checkup with us today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

At The Fort Collins Dentist, the dental health of our patients is our number one priority each and every day. We hope that goes without saying!

How do you measure dental success? A check-up with no cavities? A perfect smile? A crown that looks as natural as the surrounding teeth?

It could mean all those things and many more.

For a child, dental success could be defined as a childhood free of cavities, learning daily dental hygiene practices, and gaining an understanding of why it’s so important.

For a young adult woman with stained but otherwise healthy teeth, dental success may be as simple as in-office teeth whitening.

For a middle-aged man who always neglected his teeth, dental success could be defined as restorative dentistry that stabilizes his condition and improves his oral health.

What about someone with several missing teeth who can only eat soft foods? Dental success might mean dental implants that make it possible to eat whatever he wants.

What are the goals for your smile? At The Fort Collins Dentist, our goal is your good dental health. We’ve improved the smiles of people in Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor, who come to our practice for general and cosmetic dentistry, and so much more. Call to schedule an appointment to find out what we can do for your smile!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

Cavities can be filled, but it is better to prevent them in the first place. If your dentist seems to conjure up cavities at every visit, then it’s up to you to break the cycle. At The Fort Collins Dentist we are here to help you.

How can you lift the cavity curse? Call our office to schedule a checkup! Along with daily brushing and flossing, regular cleanings and checkups are the best way to ensure you have good dental health. That means clean teeth with no cavities, and pink healthy gums.

A cleaning removes any built-up plaque. Plaque is that sticky, filmy stuff that forms on teeth. It is the main cause of tooth decay and gum disease.

After the cleaning, it’s time for the checkup itself. We’ll look for any new cavities that may have appeared since your last visit. We might take X-rays, although this is not done at every visit. We’ll examine your gums, too, for any signs of gum disease.

Finally, we’ll look at your tongue, throat, face and and head, and your neck. We’re checking for swelling or redness, or any signs of cancer.

At The Fort Collins Dentist, prevention is always the best medicine. Dentists never conjure up cavities but we take care of any that might be there. People from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor come to us for family and cosmetic dentistry. Call us today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526