Your smile is your best asset. And we think keeping those pearly whites in healthy condition is a fact that deserves celebration. Throughout October, as we celebrate National Dental Hygiene Month, we recognize the valuable work of dental hygienists in providing preventative oral care. And with all those hard candies getting handed out for Halloween, it’s the perfect time to promote the positive benefits of good oral hygiene. 

What Is Good Dental Hygiene?

Dental hygiene is all the practices that clean your mouth and keep it free of disease. That includes daily at-home actions such as flossing and brushing daily, alongside more advanced care from your dentist or dental hygienist. Any activities that maintain healthy teeth fall are all part of good dental hygiene. 

Oral hygiene is crucial because it limits several mouth health problems. Tooth decay, gum disease, cavities, and halitosis are all linked to improper dental care. Oral infections such as gingivitis and periodontitis can also contribute to other conditions such as cardiovascular disease and endocarditis. Taking care of your teeth is necessary for your overall well-being. 

Stay Healthy With Preventative Care

While you can take care of your flossing and rinsing with mouthwash, a registered dental hygienist performs several additional services that help you keep your teeth healthy: 

• Routine cleanings: Have an expert give a deep clean to your teeth, removing plaque buildup and tartar.
  
• Examinations: A dental hygienist will use their trained eye and expertise to examine your teeth, helping catch possible issues before they become a significant problem. 
• Sealants: If you have pits in your teeth that can lead to cavities, a hygienist applies sealants to cover and protect the crevices. 
• Fluoride treatments: Fluoride is a concentrated foam or rinse that supports the strength of your tooth enamel, improving the outer protective layer of your teeth. 
• Periodontal care: Dental hygienists monitor the quality of your teeth and the natural set of the gums, looking for signs of periodontitis. Advanced tools such as dental lasers can help remove bacteria related to gum diseases. 
• X-rays: Receive accurate diagnosis with x-ray screening services that inspect bone loss, cysts, and other abscesses. 
• Oral cancer screenings: A dental hygienist will perform a series of tests to check for possible oral cancer and other abnormalities you might not notice. 

How You Can Observe National Dental Hygiene Month

The best way to celebrate is to take care of your teeth. Enjoy the clean feeling after a fresh floss and brush! And if you haven’t scheduled an annual visit with a dentist, set up an appointment at Cakmes Dental Studios. We would happily look after your oral health during National Dental Hygiene Month.

Take the proper steps to protect your dental health; schedule an appointment with Cakmes Dental Studio today! 

The best time to start new habits? The beginning of a new year! It’s easy to lose focus at the end of the year, whether that’s with your diet, fitness goals, or even flossing. So, with the new year before us, use this time to set your resolutions and find the motivation to stick with them. We suggest adding better dental hygiene to your list.

There are many ways to benefit your mind, body, and soul, and proper dental hygiene plays a role in most of them. Poor dental hygiene can cause cavities or gum disease, but it can also cause heart disease and diabetes. So what does proper dental hygiene involve, exactly? Let’s take a look.

Brushing. We all know that you should brush your teeth in the morning and the evening. When you wake up in the morning, brushing your teeth removes microbes from your teeth and gums, which contributes to that icky morning breath. Brushing at night helps remove the plaque, bacteria, and food particles you’ve ingested throughout the day. If you brush your teeth more than twice daily, ensure that you use a soft-bristled toothbrush to avoid damaging your teeth, enamel, or gums. 

Flossing. Floss reaches areas that your toothbrush can’t. This helps remove plaque and bacteria, leading to cavities and gum disease. You should floss (at least) once a day; if you floss only once, you should do so at the end of the day, after dinner (and dessert), to ensure you get the most out of it. If you prefer to floss after each meal, make sure that you use a gentle technique and are extremely careful to avoid irritating your gums. 

Mouthwash. Much like floss, mouthwash can reach places that your toothbrush can’t. The ingredients in mouthwash work together to kill lingering bacteria in your mouth, strengthen teeth, and prevent gum disease. The great taste is just an added benefit. 

Visit your dentist. At Cakmes Dental Studio, we have the best patients! We’d love to see you all of the time, but we hope to see you twice a year for preventative maintenance. This includes x-rays (once each year), plaque removal, a thorough cleaning, and extra attention to anywhere that needs it or that you have questions about. When you routinely visit the dentist, we can help you take care of your teeth and gums and stop any problems before they become too serious. 

Watch what you eat. Sugary foods and drinks increase the risk of cavities and bacteria and can even cause your enamel to erode. Caffeine and alcohol can cause dry mouth, leading to bacteria and even oral cancer. Try to limit these whenever possible to help keep your mouth as healthy as possible. 

We have some of the best patients, and we know you do everything in your power to keep your teeth, gums, and mouth healthy. So here is your annual reminder to brush, floss, and use mouthwash. Then, give us a call and schedule your next appointment. We hope this year is your best yet! 

It’s hard to believe, but there are just a few weeks of the year left! With that comes last-minute gift shopping, spending time with family, and making sure that you’ve used your medical, dental, and vision benefits.

Most people know, but many forget that you pay for your dental insurance whether you use it or not – so you might as well use it! Dental health is a big factor in overall health, and it can even play a role in your mental health and social life. 

Depending on your insurance, you’ll see varying levels of coverage, but most plans will allow for at least two cleanings and one x-ray exam each year. If you need or want work beyond that, many dental insurance benefits cover a large majority of the cost of preventative dental care treatments, if not the entire cost. 

Preventative care treatments typically include:

• Routine cleanings
• Examinations
• Sealants
• Fluoride treatments
• Periodontal care
• X-rays
• Oral cancer screenings
• Mouthguards
• Patient education

When it comes to general dental care, insurance typically covers around 50 to 80% of the cost of treatment. 

General dental care treatments typically include: 

• Tooth-colored fillings
• Porcelain inlays onlays
• Porcelain crowns and bridges 
• Dental implants 
• Removable partials
• Dentures
• Root canals 
• Minor tooth extractions
• Cerec restoration 

Regardless of the type of treatment you need, it is important to remember that although you pay for dental insurance that does not mean that your insurance benefits roll over from year to year. If you don’t use your benefits before the year ends, you will likely miss out on the services your insurance can help cover. 

At Cakmes Dental Studio we provide all of the services listed above and more, and would love nothing more than to help you take care of your dental needs and help you end every year feeling confident in your smile! 

The end of one year and the beginning of a new one are always the perfect time to evaluate your progress; whether that be your progress at work, your physical health, your mental health, or even the relationships you’ve built, evaluating what you have done in the past year and what you hope to achieve in the future are healthy ways to establish goals and keep yourself accountable. 

Take care of yourself, focus on your goals, and take advantage of your dental benefits before the year ends! Book an appointment at Cakmes Dental Studio by calling us at (865) 584-6163 or by filling out this form! There’s still time to end the year on the right note, with a healthy and beautiful smile at the center of it all. 

Do you find yourself constantly reaching for mints or gum throughout the day? As a dental studio, we are well versed in how embarrassing, uncomfortable, and difficult bad breath can be. Luckily, at Cakmes Dental Studio, we also know the cures for it. 

Good Oral Hygiene

Pretty much everything comes back to having good oral hygiene, so much so that we’ve detailed it in previous blogs! As a refresher, you should brush your teeth at least twice a day (don’t forget your tongue!) and floss at least once for the healthiest mouth. If you’re finding that this isn’t enough to fight off that halitosis, try brushing your teeth after every meal or strong drink, such as coffee; try to limit the amount of coffee, alcohol, and soft drinks you consume.

Also, ensure that you drink plenty of water throughout the day, as this can help prevent bacteria build-up. Water is the number one stimulator of saliva, which also helps to fight off bacteria. You may notice that your breath smells and tastes worse when your mouth is dry, and these are the reasons why! 

Home Remedies

If these daily routines still aren’t cutting it, there are more things that you can do at home to help reduce your halitosis. The first is to get a new (and possibly better) toothbrush. In 2021, we recommend using an electric toothbrush and tossing the manual brush to the side. The electric toothbrush helps reach more places than a manual toothbrush; it can remove more plaque buildup from your teeth and gums and ensures that you brush for a full two minutes each time. 

Ensure that you replace your toothbrush head every three to four months; new brushes remove more plaque than a heavily used one and firm bristles are more effective against preventing bacterial growth. Using an older toothbrush or toothbrush head could easily contribute to your bad breath, as you are essentially brushing your teeth with extra bacteria and fungal particles. 

Visit Your Dentist

You should schedule routine cleanings twice a year to ensure that your teeth and gums are in the best health possible. If all of the above remedies don’t work, let your dentist know! Our tools can provide a deeper cleaning and more plaque and bacterial removal. In addition, we know other tricks of the trade for fighting bad breath, such as discontinuing the use of specific medicines (as mentioned in a recent Ted Lasso episode!).

No one wants bad breath, and luckily, there are many ways to fight against it. If you or someone you know is suffering from halitosis, give these at-home remedies a shot! If you’re still not happy, head to our Knoxville, TN studio for a deeper look and a more personalized diagnosis. We’re here to help your oral hygiene be the best it can be, and minty fresh breath goes right along with that. Give us a call to schedule your next appointment or ask any questions you may have about fighting halitosis or any other ailments your mouth may present to you.

Each October, dentists, dental hygienists, and orthodontists observe National Dental Hygiene Month. As dental professionals, we promote the importance of good oral hygiene every single day of the year, but this month gives us an excuse to focus on it even more.

Why is dental hygiene so important?

You may be thinking, “they’re just teeth – what do they have to do with my overall health?” The truth is, there is a very strong link between your oral health and your overall health. Not only can poor dental health provide clues to a larger issue going on in your body, but it can also be the root cause of many conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and pneumonia. 

To put it simply, the mouth is full of mostly harmless bacteria; however, if you fail to practice proper dental hygiene, this bacteria can lead to infections like tooth decay and gum disease.

What issues are linked to poor oral health?

Aside from obvious issues like gum disease, poor dental health has been linked to heart issues like endocarditis and cardiovascular disease. This is because oral bacteria can enter your bloodstream and make its way to your heart, resulting in infection and inflammation.

Poor dental hygiene is also linked with complications in pregnancy and birth. Periodontitis (a severe gum infection) in expectant mothers can cause premature birth and a low birth rate.

People with diabetes, HIV/AIDS, osteoporosis, or Alzheimer’s disease are generally more susceptible to oral health issues, so it’s even more crucial to practice exemplary dental hygiene.

How can I practice better dental hygiene?

There are several small habits you can adopt in your everyday routine to improve your oral health. First, you need to brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes each time with a fluoride toothpaste. 

For all the coffee drinkers out there, make sure to brush your teeth in the morning before you have your first cup. The acidity in coffee can make your teeth weaker, and brushing them while they are in a weaker state can lead to damage to your enamel.

Yes, you know this one is coming: you need to be flossing daily! It’s a small but very impactful habit to start. If you really think about it, flossing only takes about a minute of your day. If you make an effort to start working it into your nighttime routine, it’ll become a habit that you won’t think twice about.

Take your morning or night routine a step further with mouthwash! Mouthwash helps to remove particles that stick around after brushing and flossing. Plus, it takes less than a minute!

Celebrate National Dental Hygiene Month with us!

In addition to being more intentional about practicing good dental hygiene daily, we want to see you in our studio every six months! If it’s been a while since you’ve been in our chair, or if you’re looking for a new dentist in Knoxville, TN, take this as your sign to schedule an appointment. Investing in your dental health is an investment in your overall health and the future. 

Good oral hygiene starts with keeping your teeth and gums healthy by practicing good dental habits. Taking a little time each day to follow some of these healthy habits is key in preventing problems down the line, such as gum disease, cavities, and more. Maintaining good oral hygiene is also the first step in ensuring that you’re in good health overall. Following these healthy dental habit tips daily and having regular checkups with your dentist are two of the best practices to keep your smile healthy and happy.

Brush Twice a Day

For most people, it’s a given that brushing your teeth is the key to good dental health. However, there are many factors involved when it comes to proper brushing techniques. First, be sure to have the correct toothbrush. Always choose toothbrushes that have been certified by the American Dental Association (ADA) and try to replace your toothbrush every 3 to 4 months. When brushing, do so twice a day for at least two minutes each time. Use circular motions and remember to brush all sides of your teeth, as well as your tongue and inside of your mouth.

Floss Each Time You Brush

Flossing should be done every time you brush your teeth. It helps to remove any plaque or bacteria, especially in areas where your toothbrush may not reach. Flossing also reduces inflammation at the gum line and can help prevent gum disease. 

Drink Plenty of Water and Follow a Healthy Diet

What you eat and drink has a big impact on your oral and dental health. Limit the number of sugary foods and drinks you consume, as these can lead to cavities and are harmful to the enamel of your teeth. Drinking plenty of water can help rinse some of the acids from these sugary foods and drinks out of your mouth as well. 

Check-In with Your Dentist Regularly

Regular dental checkups and cleanings are necessary even for those who take the best care of their teeth. Dentists can perform thorough cleanings of your teeth to remove all possible plaque. They’ll also be able to check for any potential problems such as cavities or gum disease. Most insurance companies cover two dental checkups per year, so be sure to take advantage of this and schedule your dental appointment accordingly. 

At Cakmes Dental Studio, our number one goal is keeping patients feeling confident by ensuring that they are maintaining the best oral health possible. If you have any concerns about your teeth or gums, give our office a call to set up an appointment. In between dental checkups, be sure to follow these daily habits to promote a lifetime of good dental health!

Maintaining proper dental hygiene is essential for keeping your teeth, gums, and mouth in great condition and free from disease. Oftentimes, we may underestimate how much of a role our oral health plays in contributing to our body’s overall health. One of the best ways to promote good dental hygiene is through daily brushing and flossing. These two relatively quick tasks can make a lifetime of difference in keeping your oral health in the best possible shape.

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that all adults brush their teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each time. The first step to correct brushing is using the right toothbrush and being sure to replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months or when the bristles become frayed. Brushing your teeth removes plaque from your teeth which, if not removed, can quickly lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Proper brushing also prevents any cavities from forming which can cause significant damage if ignored. From a more social perspective, failing to brush your teeth will lead to bad breath in no time, making you less confident interacting and talking with others.

While flossing plays just as important of a role in maintaining proper dental hygiene as brushing, the ADA estimates that only 32% of adults floss every day. Working the floss in between each of your teeth allows you to reach areas where food is more likely to get stuck and areas where your toothbrush cannot reach. Flossing helps prevent bacteria growth, especially at the gum line where there is a greater possibility for infection and irritation. 

Preventative dental hygiene is the best way to keep your teeth, gums, and mouth healthy. Not to mention, it also saves time, money, and any pain that you may experience as a result of putting off those key daily healthy oral habits, like brushing and flossing. 

In conjunction with daily brushing and flossing, routine dental checkups help keep your oral health on the right track. Cakmes Dental Studio is here for all of your dental needs and can catch any potential issues before they become too serious. Call our office today to schedule an appointment or visit our website to learn more about the services we offer!

Every October, dentists, dental hygienists, and orthodontists come together to celebrate Dental Hygiene Month. This month is dedicated to promoting healthy mouths and celebrating all those devoted to keeping your teeth clean and sparkling. Here’s some history of dental hygiene in the United States and beyond.

In 1913, Fones School of Dental Hygiene opened as the first dental hygiene school in the country. A few decades later, in 1948, China was the first to bring bristle toothbrushes to the market and change society and dental hygiene forever. In 2009, National Dental Hygiene Month was born thanks to the American Dental Hygienists Association (ADHA) and Wrigley. One of the most famous dentists in American history is Doc Holliday, most famous for his gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Although he isn’t remembered for his dental practices, ultimately his day job was that of a dentist, and it is worth noting during National Dental Hygiene Month.

This month is a great time to really commit yourself to some dental habits you may not have started yet. A great habit is to floss every day. Flossing is immensely important because it cleans places your ordinary toothbrush can’t get to. It is vital for gum health as well as good hygiene, in general. 

Another important habit is to make sure you brush your teeth at least twice a day for a full two minutes. Not only does brushing your teeth twice a day help you eliminate morning breath, but it also helps prevent gum disease. A great way to make sure you get a full two minutes in is to purchase an electric toothbrush that times your brushing for you. 

One more habit that you should start this month is gargling mouthwash. Many people think mouthwash is optional, but dental hygienists are here to tell you it’s not! The antimicrobial rinse will keep your mouth clean, prevent cavities and gum disease, as well as make your breath minty fresh.

At Cakmes Dental Studio, we are so excited to celebrate National Dental Hygiene Month with all of our incredible patients. Make sure to drop in this month for that teeth cleaning you’ve been putting off. Visit our website for more information!