Dental X-rays are a useful diagnostic tool when helping your dentist detect damage and disease not visible during a regular dental exam. How often X-rays should be taken depends on your present oral health, your age, your risk for disease, and any signs and symptoms of oral disease. Your dentist will review your history, examine your mouth and then decide whether or not you need X-rays.
If you are a new patient, the dentist will prescribe X-rays to determine the present status of your oral health and have a baseline to help identify changes that may occur later. A new set of X-rays may be needed to help your dentist detect any new cavities, determine the status of your gum health or evaluate the growth and development of your teeth. If a previous dentist has any radiographs of you, your new dentist may ask you for copies of them. Ask both dentists to help you with forwarding your X-rays.
If you, your family or friends need dental care, we would be honored to provide you with state-of-the-art dental care in our modern dental practice. Refer someone you love to someone you trust!
Presented as a service to the community by Doctors Hoover and Yanda,
39 Milford Drive, Hudson, Ohio 44236. 330-650-0360. www.drshooverandyanda.com
. Cleaning your toothbrush is easy: Rinse it with tap water to remove any remaining toothpaste and debris. Store it upright and allow it to air dry. If you store your toothbrush with other toothbrushes, make sure they are separated to prevent cross-contamination. And do not routinely cover toothbrushes or store them in closed containers. A moist environment such as a closed container is more conducive to the growth of unwanted bacteria than the open air.
We know and love our toothbrushes as the tools that kick plaque to the curb, help keep cavities at bay (with the help of fluoride toothpaste, of course) and freshen our breath. But what else can we learn about them? Read on for some toothbrush facts.
The Food and Drug Administration recommends that parents and caregivers not use benzocaine products for children younger than age 2. Benzocaine is an over-the-counter anesthetic, which the FDA notes is marketed under the product names Anbesol, Hurricaine, Orajel, Baby Orajel and Orabase. Benzocaine has been associated with a rare but serious—and sometimes fatal—condition called methemoglobinemia, a disorder in which the amount of oxygen carried through the bloodstream is greatly reduced.
While we certainly have many patients who have traditional dental insurance plans, there is a new method of paying for dental services that is becoming a very popular. A Concierge Plan is an in-office plan that helps patients afford their needed dentistry. It is not traditional dental insurance, but rather a “membership plan,” very similar to plans like Costco, Amazon Prime, Sam’s Club, etc. For one very affordable annual fee, a patient in our office receives a comprehensive exam for new patients, two professional cleanings and two periodic exams per year, an emergency exam if needed, a full-mouth series of x-rays every five years, one set of bitewing x-rays per year, two fluoride treatments per year if needed and 15% off of any other dental treatment they have done within that year. There is no limit on how much dentistry can be received. We have other plans too for families and for periodontal patients who need more frequent cleanings. 
Teeth grinding, also called bruxism, can be caused not just by stress and anxiety but by sleep disorders, an abnormal bite or teeth that are missing or crooked. People who drink alcohol and smokers are approximately twice as likely to grind their teeth. The symptoms of teeth grinding include dull headaches, jaw soreness, teeth that are painful or loose, and fractured teeth.
Regular dental visits are important because they can help spot dental health problems early on when treatment is likely to be simpler and more affordable. They also help prevent many problems from developing in the first place. Visiting your dentist regularly is also important because some diseases or medical conditions have symptoms that can appear in the mouth. 
Sparkling water is far better for your teeth than sugary drinks. In addition, be sure to drink plenty of regular, fluoridated water, too—it’s the best beverage for your teeth. Water with fluoride naturally helps fight cavities, washes away the leftover food cavity-causing bacteria feast on and keeps your mouth from becoming dry (which can put you at a higher risk for cavities). 
Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the opposite hand. This finger will take up the floss as it becomes dirty.