Bad Breath: Causes and Treatment

Bad breath, medically called halitosis, can result from poor dental health habits and may be a sign of other health problems. Millions of bacteria live in the mouth, particularly on the back of the tongue. In many people, they are the primary causes of bad breath. The mouth’s warm, moist conditions are ideal for the growth of these bacteria. In between professional cleanings from Top Choice Dental, you can treat bad breath by brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and using a tongue scraper to eliminate odor causing bacteria on the tongue.

Bad breath can be an embarrassing problem and can be caused by a variety of things. Diet, medication, poor oral hygiene, and diseases or conditions such as diabetes, GERD, lactose intolerance and gum disease are just a few. Bad breath odors vary, depending on the source or the underlying cause. Some people worry about their breath even though they have little or no mouth odor, while others have bad breath and don’t know it. The treatment of bad breath depends on its cause. If you suspect you have bad breath, review your oral hygiene habits.

If you are concerned about the cause of your bad breath, give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn more about the services we provide, visit www.hoptowndental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental in Hopkinsville, KY, call 270-886-8585.

Are You Brushing Correctly?

To prevent cavities, you need to remove plaque, the transparent layer of bacteria that coats the teeth. The best way to do this is by brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes and flossing at least once a day. Brushing also stimulates the gums, which helps to keep them healthy and prevent gum disease. It is one of the most important things that you can do to keep your teeth healthy for a lifetime. At Top Choice Dental we want to make sure you are brushing correctly, so utilize these tips the next time you take out that toothbrush.

• Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums.


• Gently move the brush back and forth in short (tooth-wide) strokes.


• Brush the outer surfaces, the inner surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth.


• To clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and make several up-and-down strokes.


• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and keep your breath fresh.

Remember that brushing your teeth isn’t the only part of a complete dental routine. Don’t forget to floss and visit us regularly for professional cleanings and oral exams.

If you have questions about your oral hygiene routine, give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide, visit www.hoptowndental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental in Hopkinsville, KY, call 270-886-8585.

Proper Flossing Technique

Many people think that they only need to floss twice a year when they visit the dentist, or to remove food particles from their teeth on a daily basis. The main purpose of flossing isn’t just to remove food from your teeth. It’s to get rid of plaque. Busting out the floss every day prevents gum disease and tooth loss.  So if you want to keep your teeth forever, allow our staff at Top Choice Dental inform you how to floss correctly.

• Use 18 inches of floss. Wrap most of it around the middle finger of one hand, the rest around your other middle finger.

• Grasp the string tightly between your thumb and forefinger, and use a rubbing motion to guide it between teeth.

• When the floss reaches the gum line, form a C to follow the shape of the tooth.

• Hold the strand firmly against the tooth, and move it gently up and down.

• Repeat with the other tooth, and then repeat the entire process with the rest of your teeth.

• Use fresh sections of floss as you go.

If you have questions about your oral hygiene routine, give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide, visit www.hoptowndental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental in Hopkinsville, KY, call 270-886-8585.

Pregnancy Gingivitis

Pregnancy gingivitis is the swelling/inflammation of the gums that many pregnant women suffer from, especially early on in their pregnancy. If you already have gingivitis before getting pregnant, it will likely worsen during pregnancy if left untreated. To avoid this, Dr. Greg Fort recommends scheduling a routine dental exam either before your pregnancy or during to reduce or eliminate gingivitis symptoms.

The hormonal changes during pregnancy change the body’s natural response to dental plaque exaggerating the way gum tissues react to the bacteria in plaque, resulting in a higher chance of pregnant women getting gingivitis. If pregnant, you may also develop a benign nodule on your gums that bleeds when you brush. This relatively rare nodule is called a pregnancy tumor – but don’t worry, as scary as it sounds, it is harmless and usually painless. To avoid these issues, it is important for you to maintain good oral hygiene throughout your pregnancy. In addition to scheduling a routine exam, you should brush with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day and after each meal when possible.

If you are pregnant, please inform us when scheduling your next appointment. To learn more about the services we provide, visit www.hoptowndental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental in Hopkinsville, KY, call 270-886-8585.

Treat Gum Disease with Arestin

Periodontitis is a chronic bacterial infection caused by microbial plaque, also called dental biofilm that colonizes on the tooth’s surface and below the gingival margin. For early stages of periodontitis, scaling and root planing treatment may be all that is needed to get the condition under control. At Top Choice Dental, Dr. Greg Fort uses ARESTIN Microspheres in accompaniment to scaling and root planing.

When dental biofilm irritates the gums, it breaks down the tissue and bone supporting the dentition. Left untreated, periodontitis can increase periodontal pocket depth and bleeding on probing may lead to the spread of active infection to healthy sites. ARESTIN Microspheres is an antibiotic that is placed in the pockets below your gum line. This may happen at the time of scaling and root planing or during routine periodontal maintenance. ARESTIN contains microspheres—tiny particles – that are smaller than grains of sand and are not visible to the eye. The microspheres are filled with the antibiotic minocycline hydrochloride and release the antibiotic over time, killing bacteria so your gums can heal better than with scaling and root planing alone.

If you have questions about Arestin treatment, give us a call. To learn more about Snap-On Smile, give us a call or visit www.hoptowndental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental in Hopkinsville, KY, call 270-886-8585. 

Protect Against Cavities with Dental Sealants

Dental sealants are plastic coatings that are usually placed on the chewing (occlusal) surface of the permanent back teeth – the molars and premolars – to help protect them from decay. As long as the sealant remains intact, small food particles and bacteria that cause cavities cannot penetrate through or around a sealant. At Top Choice Dental, we offer sealants to our pediatric patients, because it’s best to have a sealant placed when the molars first come in to ensure they are protected early.

Children, because they have newly erupted, permanent teeth, receive the greatest benefit from sealants. The chewing surfaces of a child’s teeth are most susceptible to cavities. Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental can apply sealants easily, and it only takes a few minutes to seal each tooth. Sealant treatment is painless and takes anywhere from five to 45 minutes to apply. As long as the sealant remains intact, the tooth surface will be protected from decay.

If you have questions about dental sealants for your child, give us a call. To learn more about Snap-On Smile, give us a call or visit www.hoptowndental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental in Hopkinsville, KY, call 270-886-8585. 

Transform Your Smile with Snap-On Smile

Snap-On Smile is a great product for those looking to makeover their smile without undergoing extensive and invasive dental procedures. Snap-On Smile is not only an excellent provisional, but it also provides patients with exceptional esthetics. If you are hesitant to commit to more involved restoration for your teeth, ask Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental about Snap-On Smile the next time you come in for a visit.

Snap-On Smile is a patented, easy and painless way to obtain a beautiful smile. It’s unique, proprietary formula of hi-tech dental resin make it very thin yet extremely strong. It fits right over your own teeth to give you a beautiful, natural looking smile – even if you have stains, chips, gaps or missing teeth. Snap-On Smile is an affordable and life-changing solution for people of all ages. Getting a Snap-On Smile requires two, short, painless visits with no drilling, no shots and no change in tooth structure.

If you have missing teeth, give us a call to discuss your options. To learn more about Snap-On Smile, give us a call or visit www.hoptowndental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental in Hopkinsville, KY, call 270-886-8585. 

Benefits of Digital X-rays

There’s a newer dental X-ray technique that is utilized here at Top Choice Dental and that is called Digital Imaging. Instead of developing film in a dark room like most dental X-rays, these ones are sent directly to a computer and can be viewed on screen, stored, or printed out. There are several benefits to using this technology and we will discuss them here.

Within this imaging program there are a number of tools that will allow Dr. Greg Fort to take a very close look at the teeth and surrounding structures with amazing accuracy. The image taken, of a tooth for example, can be enhanced and enlarged many times its actual size on the computer screen, making it easier for Dr. Greg Fort to show you where and what the problem is. In addition, the technique also uses less radiation than the typical X-ray (about 80% less) and there is no wait time for the X-rays to develop – the images are available on screen a few seconds after being taken.

To learn more about digital X-rays, give us a call or visit www.hoptowndental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental in Hopkinsville, KY, call 270-886-8585. 

How to Prevent Gum Disease

Gums protect your pearly whites and the tissue that holds them to the bone. When your gums aren’t healthy, you risk losing those teeth – and damaging your overall health. At Top Choice Dental, Dr. Greg Fort wants you to have the healthiest smile achievably possible, which is why he wants you to know how to identify, treat and manage gum disease.

Gum disease is usually caused by plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on teeth. If plaque is not removed with thorough daily brushing and cleaning between teeth, gums become irritated and inflamed. If left untreated, this inflammation can cause the gums to deteriorate. This can lead to gum recession or even tooth loss.

While regular dental exams are necessary to remove tartar and detect early signs of gum disease, oral health begins by properly caring for your teeth and gums at home. Adding these habits to your daily routine can help.

• Brush your teeth after meals because it helps remove food debris and plaque trapped between your teeth and gums.


• Flossing at least once a day helps remove food particles and plaque between teeth and along the gum line that your toothbrush can’t reach.


• Using mouthwash can help reduce plaque and can remove remaining food particles that brushing and flossing have missed.

To learn more about root canal therapy and the procedure itself, give us a call or visit www.hoptowndental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental in Hopkinsville, KY, call 270-886-8585.

Root Canal Treatment at Top Choice Dental

At Top Choice Dental, Dr. Greg Fort utilizes root canal treatment to repair and save a tooth that is badly decayed or becomes infected. During a root canal procedure, the nerve and pulp are removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed. Without treatment, the tissue surrounding the tooth will become infected and abscesses may form.

There is a space inside the tooth called the pulp chamber and this houses the root canal system and pulp – the living tissue that keeps the tooth alive. The pulp includes blood vessels, nerves and connective tissues, and during childhood, creates the surrounding hard tissues of the tooth. Root canal treatment is needed when the pulp becomes inflamed or infected. The causes could be deep tooth decay due to poor oral hygiene, repeated dental procedures on one tooth, or traumatic damage such as a crack, chip, or even a root fracture.

If you have a tooth that is causing you pain, give us a call to discuss your options. To learn more about root canal therapy and the procedure itself, give us a call or visit www.hoptowndental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental in Hopkinsville, KY, call 270-886-8585.

Oral Cancer Screening

 

Oral cancer screening is an examination performed by Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental to look for signs of cancer or precancerous lesions in your mouth. The goal of oral cancer screening is to detect mouth cancer or precancerous lesions that may lead to mouth cancer at an early stage – when cancer or lesions are easiest to remove and most likely to be cured.

During your dental visit Dr. Greg Fort can talk to you about your oral health history and examine your oral cavity for signs of mouth/throat cancer. The oral cavity includes your lips, cheek lining, gums, front part of your tongue, floor of the mouth beneath the tongue and the hard palate that makes up the root of your mouth. The screening itself will consist of a visual inspection of the mouth and palpation of the jaw and neck. Regular visits to Top Choice Dental can improve the chances that any suspicious changes in your oral health will be caught early, at a time where cancer can be treated more easily. 

Ask us today whether oral cancer screening is appropriate for you. To learn more about oral cancer screenings, give us a call or visit www.hoptowndental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental in Hopkinsville, KY, call 270-886-8585.

Oral cancer screening is an examination performed by Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental to look for signs of cancer or precancerous lesions in your mouth. The goal of oral cancer screening is to detect mouth cancer or precancerous lesions that may lead to mouth cancer at an early stage – when cancer or lesions are easiest to remove and most likely to be cured.

During your dental visit Dr. Greg Fort can talk to you about your oral health history and examine your oral cavity for signs of mouth/throat cancer. The oral cavity includes your lips, cheek lining, gums, front part of your tongue, floor of the mouth beneath the tongue and the hard palate that makes up the root of your mouth. The screening itself will consist of a visual inspection of the mouth and palpation of the jaw and neck. Regular visits to Top Choice Dental can improve the chances that any suspicious changes in your oral health will be caught early, at a time where cancer can be treated more easily.

Ask us today whether oral cancer screening is appropriate for you. To learn more about oral cancer screening, give us a call or visit www.hoptowndental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental in Hopkinsville, KY, call 270-886-8585.

 

Anxiolysis Sedation

The purpose of oral sedation is to allow a dentist to work more effectively by helping a patient become as comfortable as possible with the use of sedative medications administered orally and sublingually. Here at Top Choice Dental, Dr. Greg Fort utilizes a safe and effective minimal sedation called anxiolysis – a drug-induced state during which patients respond normally to verbal commands.

The definition of anxiolysis is simply, a reduction in anxiety. Although cognitive function and coordination may be impaired, ventilatory and cardiovascular functions are unaffected. In the spectrum of sedation, anxiolysis is the lightest level of sedation. Anxiolysis involves the use of a single anxiolytic drug in a single dose, prescribed before a patient’s appointment, and administered prior to the beginning of the dental appointment. The anxiolysis technique can be administered on fearful and anxious patients as well as patients with a pronounced gag reflex.

After the procedure you will even be able to drive yourself home since anxiolysis uses a light sedative. If you have been fretting having dental work done, call us to learn about our anxiety free options for dentistry. To learn more about anxiolysis sedation, give us a call or visit www.hoptowndental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Greg Fort at Top Choice Dental in Hopkinsville, KY, call 270-886-8585.

Tooth Extractions at Top Choice Dental

If a tooth has been broken or damaged by decay, one of our doctors at Top Choice Dental will first try to fix it with a filling, crown or other dental treatment. However, when there’s too much damage for the tooth to be repaired, the tooth may need to be removed from its socket in the bone. Here at Top Choice Dental we offer tooth extractions to eliminate your oral discomfort.

A simple extraction is performed on a tooth that can be seen in the mouth. In a simple extraction, the dentist at Top Choice Dental loosens the tooth with an instrument called an elevator. Then, the dentist uses forceps to remove the tooth. A surgical extraction is a more complex procedure. It is used if a tooth may have broken off at the gum line or has not come into the mouth yet, such as wisdom teeth. During a surgical extraction, the doctor will make a small incision into your gum. Sometimes it’s necessary to remove some of the bone around the tooth or to cut the tooth in half in order to extract it.

If you have a tooth that is causing you pain, give us a call or visit www.hoptowndental.com for more information. To schedule a consultation with Top Choice Dental here in Hopkinsville, KY, call us at 270-886-8585.

Teeth Whitening at Top Choice Dental

Everyone wants a bright, confident smile and sometimes that isn’t an easy to achieve. Teeth-whitening is an excellent way to restore the natural color of your teeth or even make them whiter than your natural color if you would like. Here at Top Choice Dental we make it easy for you to revitalize your grin by utilizing a tray system that can be completed in two simple steps.

As you might imagine, intensely colored foods and beverages tend to be the biggest offenders of tooth discoloration. The color in these foods and beverages come from chromogens, intensely pigmented molecules with a reputation of latching on to dental enamel. To accomplish the whitening of your teeth, we at Top Choice Dental will first take an impression of your teeth. With this impression, we’ll craft you custom whitening trays that you can use over and over again. Finally, you will take the whitening gel home with you and use the trays for a period of a few days. This often results in a whiter smile of 4-8 shades!

If you wish to inquire about teeth whitening, give us a call or visit www.hoptowndental.com for more information. To schedule a consultation with Top Choice Dental here in Hopkinsville, KY, call us at 270-886-8585.

What is Scaling and Root Planing?

If you suffer from gum disease, root planing and scaling is one of the most effective ways to treat it before the case becomes severe. Root planing and scaling is done when gums have either started to pull away from the teeth or the roots of the teeth have hard mineral deposits (tartar) on them. Here at Top Choice Dental, offer scaling and root planing services that cleans between the gums and the teeth down to the roots.

As a non-surgical procedure, scaling and planing is performed without any anesthesia, (depending on the patient) in the dentist’s office. Dental scaling occurs with manual hand instruments, ultrasonic instruments or both. One of our dentists will start the procedure with a thorough examination of your mouth. Next, an ultrasonic scaling device will be used to eliminate the plaque bacteria with sonic vibrations. The ultrasonic scaling device removes tartar, plaque, and biofilm from the tooth surface and underneath the gum line.

If you wish to inquire about the comfort level of the scaling and root planing procedure, give us a call or visit www.hoptowndental.com for more information. To schedule a consultation with Top Choice Dental here in Hopkinsville, KY, call us at 270-886-8585.

Lumineers for a Fresh, New Smile

Are you dreaming of a perfect, gleaming smile? Imperfections can get in the way of the smile you desire, but with Lumineers, a brand-new smile is yours almost instantly. Top Choice Dental of Hopkinsville, KY offers Lumineers to create a fresh, healthy looking smile with no major dental procedures.

Lumineers are a very thin version of veneers. They are so thin that there is no preparation required for the tooth, so they are completely reversible if desired. Lumineers can improve the look of misshapen teeth, crooked teeth, gaps, chips, discolored teeth, and more. The ceramic shells are attached right to the front of your existing teeth.

Your dentist will take impressions of your upper and lower teeth to be sent to a Lumineers laboratory. These impressions, along with photos and information about your teeth will help create a set of Lumineers that are perfectly customized to you. When the Lumineers are ready, your dentist will lightly etch your teeth to aid a strong bond. The Lumineers are placed with precision that will allow normal biting and chewing function.

Lumineers are durable and able to last for over twenty years. A good oral hygiene routine will keep them in good shape and looking great. You can even continue to eat crunchy and sticky foods as much as you like.

Lumineers are a great option for a perfect smile without major dental work like surgery or braces. To schedule a consultation with Top Choice Dental here in Hopkinsville, KY, call us at (270) 886-8585 or visit our website, www.hoptowndental.com. 

Crown Lengthening

When cavities decay a tooth to the point where dental work is needed below the gum line, a procedure called crown lengthening is required. The experienced dentists here at Top Choice Dental in Hopkinsville, KY are skilled at performing crown lengthening in order to make the proper repairs on our patients’ teeth.

Crown lengthening is performed across multiple teeth even if only one tooth needs to be worked on. This is so that the gums heal in an even and natural line. Your dentist will make incisions to the gums that will allow the gum tissue to be removed. If any bone tissue needs to be removed in order to reach the tooth, the bone tissue will also be removed at this time. The gums will be stitched into place to begin healing. The gums should be allowed three months to heal before a filling or a crown is placed on the tooth. As gum tissue heals, it can shrink, so placing the crown or filling too soon could render it misplaced in the future.

Crown lengthening makes it possible to restore a tooth to a healthy state. To learn more about crown lengthening, contact Top Choice Dental of Hopkinsville, KY. You can call us at (270) 886-8585 or visit our website, www.hoptowndental.com. 

Full and Partial Dentures

For patients who want a removable tooth replacement option, dentures are a great choice. Top Choice Dental in Hopkinsville, KY offers full and partial dentures to our patients who are missing some or all of their teeth. Dentures will restore one’s ability to speak normally and allow one to enjoy eating again.

When teeth are missing they can cause complications with biting, chewing, and speaking. Differences in bites and chewing can also begin to alter the structure of the jaw. When all of the teeth are missing, or a significant amount is missing in one section of the mouth, this too can alter the structure of the jaw and lead to an altered facial structure. Often, this makes the facial muscles sag, making someone appear older than they are.

Here at Top Choice Dental, we offer full and partial dentures. Partial dentures work similarly to a dental bridge, using other teeth to stabilize the denture. However, unlike dental bridges, dentures are removable. Full dentures are a brand new set of teeth. Dentures can be made for the upper jaw and the lower jaw. They are made to look natural and be the best fit for your mouth. Full dentures can be placed conventionally, or immediately for our patients’ convenience.

If you are missing all or some of your teeth, dentures may be what allow you to smile again. To schedule a consultation with Top Choice Dental of Hopkinsville, KY, call us at (270) 886-8585 or visit our website, www.hoptowndental.com. 

Dental Bonding to Repair Smiles

Repairing cracks, gaps, chips, or discolored teeth is easy and affordable with dental bonding. Many dental improvements can be made here at Top Choice Dental in Hopkinsville, KY utilizing dental bonding. It is the often one-appointment procedure that restores the health of teeth and the aesthetic look of smiles.

Dental bonding is the process of using a composite resin to repair fractured teeth, close gaps, fix chips, and whiten a smile, among other improvements. The composite resin is matched to the color of your tooth so that it appears natural. The resin can also be chosen a few shades whiter for whitening purposes.

Your dentist will smooth the resin over the imperfection and shape it to a natural tooth shape. For whitening, the resin is smoothed over the entire tooth. The resin will be hardened using an ultraviolet light. The resin will then be polished so that it shines like a normal tooth.

Taking care of dental bonding is like taking care of your teeth normally. Brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing once per day, plus regular visits to your dentist will keep the bonding in good shape. Bonding can last for over ten years with good care. That means a long-lasting white smile!

An improvement to your smile does not have to be a major procedure. To learn more about dental bonding, do not hesitate to contact Top Choice Dental. To schedule an appointment with us in our Hopkinsville, KY dental practice, call us at (270) 886-8585 or visit our website, www.hoptowndental.com.