Lip Care in Cold Weather

The health of the inside of our mouths depends a lot on the health of the outside. When people’s lips are chapped, they may also develop dry mouth or do more damage by biting down on irritated tissue. We don’t want our patients at Fresh Meadows Dental Care to be in that kind of distress this winter, so we wanted to provide some tips on lip care in cold weather.

Our lips get chapped because cold air cannot hold very much moisture. Nonetheless, efforts to wet our lips will be counterproductive because the moisture will evaporate, leaving them dryer than before. Unfortunately, people often temporarily soothe their skin by liking their lips or taking long showers. Children often fold their lips under their teeth, which could contribute to an open bite or cause their lips to become further bruised or cut.

Lip balm can seal in moisture, providing better protection. But some people are sensitive to fragrances and menthol, so when trying a new product, people have to be wary of whether their inflammation gets worse. If so, they should immediately stop using it. Another good strategy is to use humidifiers in the bed room and anywhere else one spends a lot of time in, such as an office. This will prevent the mouth from drying out, ensuring it remains at a pH level that is inhospitable to bacteria and can easily dispose of food debris.

Farid Hakimzadeh, DDS, operates Fresh Meadows Dental Care at 58-47 Francis Lewis Blvd., Suite 100, Flushing, New York, 11364. To schedule an appointment, call 718-224-7272 or visit Fresh Meadows Dental and fill out a contact form.

 

Retained Baby Teeth

Fresh Meadows Dental Care’s Dr. Farid Hakimzadeh is experienced dealing with all kinds of dental issues, including extractions and collaboration with orthodontists. For most people, this describes their childhood dental experience, but adults may need preparation for orthodontics, too, particularly if some of their baby teeth never fell out.

“Retained deciduous teeth” is the scientific way of describing stubborn baby teeth. In ordinary development, the incoming permanent tooth dissolves the baby tooth’s root, causing it to fall out shortly before the permanent tooth comes in. But in a small percentage of the population, some permanent teeth never develop. Most often, these are the lateral incisors in the upper jaw. There are also cases in which the permanent tooth comes in at the wrong angle and doesn’t cause its juvenile equivalent to fall out. This would result in a person having two sets of the same teeth, often jumbled together. The central incisors in the lower jaw are the ones this most often happens to.

Besides being aesthetically unpleasing, retained baby teeth can be difficult to clean if they’re jumbled and can cause bite problems. If the baby tooth roots aren’t fused to the jaw bone, we should be able to easily extract them. After that, we might refer a patient for orthodontic care to correct overcrowding or provide them with a partial denture to fill in the missing teeth.

Farid Hakimzadeh, DDS, operates Fresh Meadows Dental Care at 58-47 Francis Lewis Blvd., Suite 100, Flushing, New York, 11364. To schedule an appointment, call 718-224-7272 or visit Fresh Meadows Dental and fill out a contact form.

 

Have You Had A Cleaning This Year?

Dr. Farid Hakimzadeh and the staff of Fresh Meadows Dental Care encourage all our patients to maintain a great oral health routine at home, but it is still important to come into the office for regular professional cleanings.  During the holidays, we want everyone looking forward to the New Year and maintaining great oral hygiene!  However much you brush and floss, some harmful bacteria grow in your mouth that cause gum disease and can only be removed by a dental professional. 

It’s important to see a professional regularly not just to clean your teeth, but also to locate and monitor areas in the mouth that may need special attention, and a dentist can tell you if you may be missing a spot or skipping an important step in your regular oral care routine.  During a teeth cleaning, a hygienist thoroughly clean the area above and below the gum line with scaling tools to rid them of plaque and tartar. After the surfaces of the teeth are cleaned, the hygienist flosses between every one of your teeth and may apply fluoride if recommended by the dentist. Come see us for a cleaning to make a great impression during the holidays, and start the year off with your best smile!

To learn more about dental health and all the services provided at the practice, visit www.freshmeadowsdental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Farid Hakimzadeh of Fresh Meadows Dental Care in Oakland Gardens, NY, call 718-224-7272.