Request Request Appointment Patient Portal Patient Portal Contact Offices

Foods and Drink That Can Damage Your Smile

April 30, 2014

The foods and drinks we put in our mouths play a much larger role in our overall oral health than what people may think. Certain foods and drinks can really cause an immeasurable amount of harm to your smile. Though some people may know what foods and drinks to avoid, others may be in the dark, continuously indulging in the foods and drinks that will, over time, ruin their smile. Being informed as to what to avoid is half the battle, and the people at Michel Dental want to keep you up to date as much as possible in order to protect your smile.

Some of the most harmful things people can consume is carbonated beverages and sports drinks. These types of beverages can contain high amounts of sugar which eats away at your tooth’s enamel. Sodas and other carbonated beverages have tooth-eroding acids, like phosphoric and citric acids, all leading to the demise of your smile. Also, excessive alcohol consumption is bad for your smile, as it causes dehydration in your body. Because you body will not produce the acceptable amount of saliva, your teeth and gums are more at risk of decay and disease.

Some harmful foods you should avoid are dry fruits and candy. Some examples of dry fruit include raisins, dates, and prunes, all of which have high amounts of sugar and loiter in your mouth for a long time, even after you have eaten it. Also, things like potato chips, ice creams, and other splurges can all be harmful to your overall oral care. Should you wish to partake in these sweet, salty, and bubbly treats, enjoy in moderation and always remember to brush your teeth afterward.

At Michel Dental, we offer quality dental care for a distinctive smile. Our Topeka dental office serves patients from Emporia, Lawrence, Manhattan, and surrounding areas. Call us today to schedule your appointment.

Are You Ready for Your Dental Checkup?

March 24, 2014

Just like your lawn needs mowing  and your car’s oil has to be changed, regular checkups and maintenance are keys to making sure that everything and anything operates smoothly. The same thing goes for your smile! It is important to have your regular dental checkups to make sure everything regarding your teeth, gums, and beyond work cohesively. If you are due for a dental checkup, Dr. Michael Michel is able to make sure your mouth is in great oral health!

The American Dental Association recommends you visit your dentist twice in a year to make sure everything with regard to your smile is healthy. During your checkup, Dr. Michel will be able to inspect every single tooth in your mouth, making sure there are no signs of decay or any other ailments. If we do happen to find a cavity or another form of decay, we will be able to fix them with tooth-colored fillings, making the repair as seamless as possible. Our talented and experienced hygienists will be able to remove tartar and plaque from your teeth, eliminating any sort of harmful bacteria there may be that will prevent you from having a flawless smile. At the end of your checkup, your mouth feels beautifully clean and your oral health is back on track!

If you are due for your dental checkup and would like Dr. Michel’s help, contact us today and make an appointment!

At Michel Dental, we offer quality dental care for a distinctive smile. Our Topeka dental office serves patients from Emporia, Lawrence, Manhattan, and surrounding areas. Call us today to schedule your appointment.

How to Choose the Right Mouthwash for Your Needs

September 12, 2012

Filed under: General Dentistry — Tags: , , , , , , — tntadmin @ 7:00 am

When it comes to home care, brushing and flossing are what you hear about the most, while the topic of mouthwash rarely gets mentioned. As a result, you may think rinsing with mouthwash isn’t all that important. Or, just as possible, maybe you know it’s important but you just don’t know what kind is right for you.

Today, we’d like to address both of these positions and offer some advice on what to look for the next time you’re in the oral hygiene aisle of your local grocery story or pharmacy.

First, is using a mouthwash important?

The answer to that question will vary with every person, but broadly speaking, the answer is yes. An antibacterial mouthwash can give your smile extra protection from bacteria, plaque, and gingivitis. That doesn’t mean rinsing with a mouthwash should ever a substitute for brushing and flossing, but it does mean that patient who brush and floss daily can enjoy extra protection for their smile with a mouthwash.

Second, what kind is right for you?

As we just mentioned, an antibacterial mouthwash supports daily brushing and flossing. But not every mouthwash on the market was designed to meet the same need. Some are made only to hide bad breath, while others use fluoride to strengthen teeth. Still others are meant to combat dry mouth symptoms, sensitivity, or teeth stains. So the key to choosing the right mouthwash is knowing what your needs are and keeping your eyes wide open as you shop.

And don’t be afraid to ask Dr. Michel or another member of our Michel Dental team for a recommendation. We would be happy to help you find the right mouthwash. Call us today with your questions or to reserve an appointment with us. We serve patients from Topeka, Emporia, Lawrence, Manhattan, and surrounding areas.

A New School Year Means It’s Time for a Back-to-School Checkup

August 29, 2012

In many parts of the country, school has already started or is just around the corner. That makes now a busy time for children and their parents, especially when it comes to buying new clothes for the fall or stocking up on school supplies. But as busy as this time is, if you’re a parent, now is still a great time for you to schedule a back-to-school checkup for your child with Michel Dental.

Why Is Now a Good Time for a Back-to-School Checkup?

Despite how busy life is now, the next few months are likely to get busier. With homework and school projects competing against extracurricular activities like sports or theater, finding a free moment to bring your child in to Michel Dental can be almost impossible.

But right now, with the school year just starting, time is not as scarce as it might soon be.

What Happens During a Back-to-School Checkup?

A back-to-school checkup at Michel Dental is just like any other regular checkup. Besides including a comprehensive oral exam, Dr. Michel and his Topeka team will also give your child’s smile a professional cleaning. And if we need to, we can recommend a follow-up service to treat things like cavities, gum disease, or any other common oral health condition.

Schedule Your Child’s Appointment Today

Don’t wait any longer to schedule your child’s back-to-school checkup. Call Michel Dental today. Dr. Michel proudly serves patients from Topeka, Emporia, Lawrence, Manhattan, and surrounding areas.

Treat Gum Disease with Advanced Periodontal Therapies Like Arestin

June 25, 2012

At Michel Dental, we want all our Topeka-area patients to have beautiful, healthy smiles. But for some patients, achieving that goal is more difficult than it is for others. That’s why Dr. Michael Michel has made it a priority to offer advanced periodontal care. Through effective, non-surgical gum disease treatment, we can help you reclaim your oral health and support overall health.

Advanced, Non-Surgical Care to Meet Your Needs

To meet the needs of our patients, Dr. Michel uses three effective means of treating gum disease:

Each of these lets us target an aspect of gum disease, resulting improved health for you. Arestin in particular is an effective tool in the fight against periodontal disease.

Arestin is a concentrated antibiotic that Dr. Michel places directly where you need it. It uses microscopic, medicine-filled spheres to deliver treatment over a series of days, making it more effective than just a basic in-office treatment with scaling and root planing.

Are you interested in learning more about periodontal therapy from Michel Dental? Dr. Michel would be happy to answer your questions during a consultation visit. Call us today if you’d like to set up an appointment. Our office serves patients from Topeka, Emporia, Lawrence, Manhattan, and surrounding areas.

 

How Does Dr. Michel Diagnose TMJ Disorder?

May 15, 2012

When you see your doctor for a diagnosis, one of the first things you want to know is how he or she is going to make that diagnosis. What kinds of tests will be needed? Will be they invasive or uncomfortable? And just as important, will they be trustworthy?

At Michel Dental in Topeka, Dr. Michael Michel uses joint vibration analysis to diagnose cases of TMJ disorder. Of all the way that TMJ disorder can be diagnosed, joint vibration analysis is one of the most comfortable and trustworthy, in addition to be non-invasive.

Here’s how joint vibration analysis works.

When you come to our Topeka office, Dr. Michel will slip something that looks like a pair of headphones over your head. They’re not headphones, of course—they’re actually sensors, and we’ll use them to measure how well your temporomadibular joints are functioning.

How?

By listening for friction between the bones and cartilage of your joints. As you open and close your mouth, these sensors will be listening for anything out of the ordinary that might indicate a problem. Once we’ve collected all the data we need, Dr. Michel can scrutinize it more closely and continue to screen you if necessary.

In all, joint vibration analysis takes only a few seconds to complete and has proven to be an effective means of screening and diagnosing patients. If you’re concerned that you might have a TMJ disorder, call Michel Dental today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Michel. We serve patients from Topeka, Emporia, Lawrence, Manhattan, and surrounding areas.

Which Kind of Toothpaste Should I Use?

May 4, 2012

In the past, you didn’t have much to choose from if you were looking for toothpaste. But that’s not the case anymore. Now, each one seems to have a special purpose, whether it’s whitening, tartar control, or sensitivity. With so many options staring you in the face, you may not be sure which one to pick.

What’s a patient to do?

Well, the truth is that it may not matter all that much. What’s more important is how you brush, and that you’re brushing with a toothpaste that contains fluoride.

Why Is Fluoride So Important?

Because it attracts minerals that are important for building strong enamel, and that’s what you need to defend your smile from decay and cavities. Outside of that, what you need from your toothpaste will be different from what others need. If you have trouble with sensitive teeth, a toothpaste that treats sensitivity may be able to help. The same goes for patients who want a whiter smile. Whitening toothpastes aren’t guaranteed to deliver professional results, but they may give your smile just the boost you’ve been looking for.

But what’s more important than anything else is that you’re brushing regularly and with a fluoride toothpaste. It’s really as simple as that!

Still Have Questions?

If you still have questions about what kind of toothpaste is most right for you, Dr. Michel’s Topeka dental office would love to help. Call us today with your questions or to schedule an appointment with us. We serve patients from Topeka, Emporia, Lawrence, Manhattan, and beyond.

Crowns, Inlays, and Onlays—Conservative Options for a Healthier Smile

April 27, 2012

We have mentioned that tooth-colored fillings are a great restorative and cosmetic solution for patients to take advantage of. But they aren’t the only cosmetic-restorative combination available at Dr. Michael Michel’s office. With tooth-colored crowns, inlays, and onlays, we can provide our Topeka-area patients with even more advanced care without compromising their smile’s natural appearance.

Tooth-Colored Crowns

Dr. Michel’s Topeka dental office uses all-porcelain crowns to help patients maintain a fully white smile while still delivering quality restorative care. Using our precise color-matching system, we can find just the right color of porcelain to blend with your natural tooth color. What’s more, porcelain crowns are durable and can provide long-lasting protecting to smiles with a cracked, broken, decay, or worn tooth.

Inlays and Onlays

If you’ve never heard of them before, inlays and onlays are what dentists use when a patient needs more than a filling but less than a crown. Like crowns, they’re created in a lab, and often from porcelain. Because they’re a conservative option, they let patients retain more of their own natural tooth structure, which benefits your smile in the long run. Dr. Michel will have to be the one to determine which material is most right for you, but in most cases we’re able to give patients a tooth-colored restoration.

Curious about crowns, inlay, onlays, or any of Dr. Michel’s other cosmetic and restorative options? We’d be happy to schedule a consultation visit with you. We’re committed to helping patients from Topeka, Emporia, Lawrence, Manhattan, and surrounding areas have strong, confident smiles that will last.

Save Your Smile with Tooth-Colored Fillings from Michel Dental

April 20, 2012

If you’ve been told you need a filling, you may be worried about marring your smile with dark-colored amalgam fillings. At Michel Dental, we don’t want our patients to worry. That’s why we offer tooth-colored fillings. Also called composites, tooth-colored fillings are a cosmetic twist on restorative dentistry.

Why are tooth-colored fillings superior to their amalgam counterparts? For a couple of reasons.

First, because tooth-colored fillings are made of a combination of plastics, they can be shaded to exactly match your natural smile. That way, only you and Dr. Michel will ever have to know about your fillings.

Second, tooth-colored filling supports your remaining tooth structure. Amalgam fillings, by contrast, merely cover the tooth without supporting it. Amalgams are also temperature sensitive and can crack or change shape over time, possibly allowing for bacterial reinvasion later on.

Tooth-colored fillings, on the other hand, won’t change shape. Instead, they’ll provide long-lasting, conservative protection that helps you get the most out of your natural teeth and your natural smile.

Have you recently been told you need fillings and want to learn more about how tooth-colored fillings work? Michel Dental in Topeka would be happy to answer your questions. Give us a call today to set up an appointment. Dr. Michel and our entire time want to give you the strong, confident smile you deserve.

April Is Oral Cancer Awareness Month

April 6, 2012

Spring may have started in March, but April is the first full month of the new season. All around the country, the weather is warming up, flowers are blooming, and people are enjoying the outdoors. But for dentists, April is notable for another reason besides just a change in the weather.

It’s also Oral Cancer Awareness Month.

That means that all during April, Dr. Michael Michel and our Topeka team will be placing a priority on oral cancer screenings. Oral cancer screenings are already a part of every regular exam we complete, but we’ll also be happy answer any questions you might have about the disease and provide extra education.

Why are oral cancer screenings so important?

Because every year, oral cancer claims the lives of more than 7,500 people. That’s more than Hodgkin’s disease, or brain, liver, kidney, ovarian, or cervical cancer. What’s more, a quarter of all cases of oral cancer involve patients with none of the common risk factors, like tobacco use or excessive drinking. In fact, a rising number of cases in both women and men have been linked to HPV. All of which means a regular visit could very well save your life.

Want to know more about oral cancer or Oral Cancer Awareness Month? Visit the Oral Cancer Foundation’s website and give Michel Dental a call to schedule your next regular visit. Dr. Michel serves patients from Topeka, Emporia, Lawrence, Manhattan, and surrounding areas.

« Newer PostsOlder Posts »