Choosing a Toothpaste That’s Right for You

When stepping foot into the oral hygiene aisle at the drugstore, our staff at Bishop & Bishop Dental understand that the selections of toothpaste can be overwhelming. Should you go for tartar control, fluoride, sensitive or whitening toothpaste? When it comes to choosing the toothpaste that is best for you, it’s important to consider your unique oral health needs. The best way to discover what those are is by scheduling an oral exam with Dr. David Bishop. In the meantime, here are some options to consider while browsing:

• Anti-cavity: This type of toothpaste contains fluoride. Fluoride plays an active role in preventing decay, and it actively strengthens tooth enamel.
• Anti-gingivitis: If you spit blood in the sink, this is an early sign of gingivitis, a mild form of gum disease. Anti-gingivitis toothpaste helps reduce oral bacteria and can be very effective at stopping gingivitis in its tracks.
• Desensitizing: If you’ve ever bit into an ice cream cone and felt a sharp pain in your tooth’s nerve, this type of toothpaste will provide relief by blocking the tooth’s pain signal to the nerve.
• Tartar-control: This toothpaste does exact what it says, however, the best way to remove tartar is by scheduling a professional dental cleaning with one of our doctors.
• Whitening: This toothpaste contains chemicals that are able to help maintain the natural color of your teeth.

If you have any questions about oral hygiene, don’t hesitate to give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.bishopdental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. David Bishop at Bishop & Bishop Dental here in Silver Spring, Maryland, call 301-608-9270.

Handling Common Dental Emergencies

Any dental emergency like an injury to the teeth or gums can be potentially serious and should not be ignored. If left untreated, your risk of permanent damage as well as the need for expensive treatment in the future may increase. When you have a dental emergency it’s important to visit us at Bishop & Bishop Dental as soon as possible. In the meantime, here are some tips for handling common dental emergencies.

• For a knocked-out permanent or adult tooth, keep it moist at all times. If you can, try placing the tooth back in the socket without touching the root. If that’s not possible, place it between your cheek and gums, or use a tooth preservation product that has the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of acceptance.
• For a cracked tooth, immediately rinse the mouth with warm water to clean the area.
• If you bite your tongue or lip, clean the area gently with water and apply a cold compress.
• For toothaches, rinse the mouth with warm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss to remove any food caught between teeth.

If you experience a dental emergency, call us immediately. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.bishopdental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. David Bishop at Bishop & Bishop Dental here in Silver Spring, Maryland, call 301-608-9270.

Facts on Fluoride

Fluoride is a natural mineral found throughout the earth’s crust and widely distributed in nature and is often added to water to help reduce tooth decay. Research has shown that fluoride not only reduces cavities in children and adults, but it also helps repair the early stages of tooth decay, even before the decay is visible. Here at Bishop & Bishop Dental, we can discuss professional fluoride treatments with you to see if you are a prime candidate.

When fluoride reaches your teeth, it is absorbed into the enamel. Fluoride helps to repair the enamel by replenishing the lost calcium and phosphorus to keep your teeth hard through a process called remineralization. When fluoride is present during this process, the minerals deposited into the tooth enamel help strengthen your teeth and prevent dissolution during the next demineralization phase. The results are stronger tooth enamel and a cavity-free grin.

If you have questions about fluoride treatment, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.bishopdental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. David Bishop at Bishop & Bishop Dental here in Silver Spring, Maryland, call 301-608-9270.

Oral Hygiene Techniques

Here at Bishop and Bishop Dental, we believe that proper patient education is a huge aspect of a great dental practice. Preventative care is the best step you can take when it comes to maintaining a healthy smile. Regular brushing and flossing along with regular cleanings are the only way for you to assure that you won’t have any periodontal issues.

Our main goal is to teach our patients how to brush and floss properly. Everyone should be maintaining a regular brushing and flossing routine, regardless of age. We recommend that our patients brush at least twice a day and encourage a regular flossing regimen that will help maintain a healthy smile. With the wide array of dental products available, it’s easy to buy the wrong product. The best thing you can do is just ask us. Dr. David Bishop is happy to recommend a certain type of toothpaste or even what type of bristles you should have on your toothbrush.  

If you’re not going to the dentist because of a dental phobia or because you don’t feel any pain, you could have undiagnosed gingivitis that will eventually lead to periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in the United States. The best treatment for periodontal disease is preventative care. Our approach to preventative dental care includes routine checkups that include X-rays and fluoride treatment, thorough dental cleanings and we also like to provide you with education and advice that can help give you great oral hygiene regimen at home. Our goal is to prevent any type of disease from happening in the first place, that way it won’t become a bigger issue further down the line.  

If you have further questions about oral hygiene give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide, visit www.bishopdental.com for more information. To schedule a consultation with one of our doctors at Bishop & Bishop Dental in Silver Spring, MD, call 301-608-9270. 

Oral Hygiene Techniques

Here at Bishop and Bishop Dental, we believe that proper patient education is a huge aspect of a great dental practice. Preventative care is the best step you can take when it comes to maintaining a healthy smile. Regular brushing and flossing along with regular cleanings are the only way for you to assure that you won’t have any periodontal issues.

Our main goal is to teach our patients how to brush and floss properly. Everyone should be maintaining a regular brushing and flossing routine, regardless of age. We recommend that our patients brush at least twice a day and encourage a regular flossing regimen that will help maintain a healthy smile. With the wide array of dental products available, it’s easy to buy the wrong product. The best thing you can do is just ask us. Dr. David Bishop is happy to recommend a certain type of toothpaste or even what type of bristles you should have on your toothbrush.  

If you’re not going to the dentist because of a dental phobia or because you don’t feel any pain, you could have undiagnosed gingivitis that will eventually lead to periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in the United States. The best treatment for periodontal disease is preventative care. Our approach to preventative dental care includes routine checkups that include X-rays and fluoride treatment, thorough dental cleanings and we also like to provide you with education and advice that can help give you great oral hygiene regimen at home. Our goal is to prevent any type of disease from happening in the first place, that way it won’t become a bigger issue further down the line.  

If you have further questions about oral hygiene give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide, visit www.bishopdental.com for more information. To schedule a consultation with one of our doctors at Bishop & Bishop Dental in Silver Spring, MD, call 301-608-9270. 

Here’s Why You Should Own a Tongue Scraper

Bad breath is a common problem for many people, given the wide variety of substances traveling through our mouths daily. While the regular brushing and flossing addresses the teeth and gums, it’s all too easy to forget about the tongue. Tongue scraping is an oral hygiene practice that removes bacteria, food debris, fungi, toxins, and dead cells from the surface of the tongue. Here at Bishop Dental, we recommend implementing this step to enhance your oral hygiene routine.

When we sleep, our digestive system remains awake, removing toxins from our body by depositing them onto the surface of our tongue. If we don’t scrape away these toxins, they get reabsorbed by the body and can lead to respiratory difficulties, digestive problems, and a compromised immune system. Dental research has concluded that a tongue scraper is more effective at removing toxins and bacteria from the tongue than a toothbrush. Although brushing and flossing will loosen and move debris around, they do not actually remove the bacteria.

Tongue scrapers are inexpensive, and can be found at most health food stores as well as online. To learn more about dental hygiene and the services we offer, visit www.bishopdental.com for more information. To schedule a consultation with Dr. David Bishop, D.D.S. or Dorienne Taylor-Bishop, D.D.S. in Silver Spring, MD, call 301-608-9270.

Periodontal Disease

Caring for your teeth is an essential part of maintaining good oral health, but your gums also play an important role in your health, and proper care is crucial. Gum disease can be a serious detriment to your oral health and overall wellness, and Drs. David Bishop and Dorienne Taylor-Bishop of Bishop & Bishop Dental provides the regular periodontal and checkups you need to maintain peak periodontal health and prevent gum disease.

With periodontal disease responsible for 75 percent of all adult tooth loss cases in the United States, it is critical to check for and treat periodontal issues when they first arise. Periodontal disease is an infection of the gums that starts when a build-up of plaque on your teeth hardens into tartar. As the tartar accumulates, bacteria collect and attack the soft tissue in the surrounding gums. In its early stages, this gum disease is gingivitis, but if it is left untreated, it becomes periodontis. Periodontis can destroy your gum tissue and lead to tooth loss. Periodontis can even result in a loss of bone mass in your jaw bone, and heart disease, diabetes and stroke have also been linked to poor periodontal health.

The state of your gums affects the health of your entire body, so come to our office for periodontal cleanings and treatment. We will make sure your gums are well cared for. Call (301) 608-9270 to schedule an appointment. For more information about our practice, visit www.bishopdental.com.