First Visit
When you arrive for your first visit, please be prepared to complete all insurance and health information forms that will allow us to begin your dental treatment.
Your initial exam will last approximately one hour. Oral hygiene instructions will also be given with suggestions to help you care for your own teeth. We will provide an evaluation that will outline your existing dental problems and proposed treatment.
Prevention
It's Not Just a Cleaning!
- Prevention should serve as a lifestyle pattern for total health, not the least of which is dental health. Prevention in dentistry leads to improved long-term oral health and reduced dental costs. It encourages a bright smile, fresh breath and an overall good feeling of personal security. Prevention is your insurance policy toward a healthier, pain free, debt-free lifestyle.
- Our dental hygienist can provide excellent services to assist in the maintenance program for your overall dental health. Your cooperation with her can serve to increase your knowledge of your present oral condition.
- When your keep your appointment with your hygienist, the following benefits will result:
- Our dental hygienist will customize a personal home and prevention maintenance program for you and inform you of those dental products which are appropriate for your particular needs. You will be instructed in the proper methods of tooth brushing, flossing and adjunctive dental health services.
- Your entire mouth will be thoroughly and carefully examined for gum disease, growths, lesions and any abnormalities that would affect your general health.
- Your teeth will be cleaned and polished to remove plaque and tarter both above and below the gum line, eliminating bacteria that lead to cavities, bad breath and gum disease.
- Fluoride will be applied to the teeth to prevent decay (for children) and root sensitivity/root cavities for adults.
- Sealants can be easily applied to the chewing surfaces of childrens' teeth as a protection against future decay.
- Dental disease is a silent invader, presenting itself in various forms (puffy, bleeding gums, cavities, oral cancer abscesses). Although your mouth may appear to be in good health at this time, stresses, body changes, life changes, medications, illness and age can tax your immune system. Maintaining regular re-care appointments with your dental hygienist and follow-ups with your dentist offers you the assurance that any problems in regard to your oral care will be addressed immediately.
- Taking care of tomorrow's problems today will give you tremendous peace of mind. If you have postponed or missed your last hygiene maintenance appointment, remember: it's not just cleaning, it's an INVESTMENT in your overall health!
back to top
Foods to Avoid
Pop Drinking, Poor Diet Lead to Decay
When you're thirsty, what do you reach for? If you're like a growing majority of Americans, more often than not you reach for a can or bottle of pop.
As members of the Michigan Dental Association, we are concerned that this increase in soda pop consumption is putting you and your children at greater risk for tooth decay. In addition to dental problems, research shows that too much pop can lead to medical problems, including obesity, osteoporosis, heart disease and kidney stones.
Soft drinks make up 27 percent of all the beverages Americans drink. That's an astounding $54 billion spent on 14 billion gallons of "liquid candy."
Teenagers today drink twice as much pop as milk, which means they may not be getting the vitamins, minerals and protein they need. What they are getting is a large dose of sugars and other unhealthy additives that can lead to tooth decay. The sugars in soft drinks combine with the bacteria in the mouth to produce acid that can destroy the teeth.
Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease. It is five times more common than asthma. Over 50 percent of children have cavities by the first grade. Three million school hours are missed each year by children because of oral health problems. And only two percent of 19-year olds in this country meet the recommended standard for a healthy diet.
Some rather interesting research tells us the following:
Calcium deficiency is a serious nutritional problem in this country. Many people are opting for soft drinks and other beverages that don't have the vitamins and minerals that milk provides to help build strong bones.
 Is your child drinking too much pop? A study reveals that as kids grow older, the nutrient content of their diets often declines. By following the eating patterns of children from 3rd to 8th grade, researchers from the University of Minnesota found kids' milk consumption dropped from 2.5 times a day in 3rd grade to less than 1.9 times a day in 8th grade. Soft drink consumption more than tripled between the two grades, most often replacing milk and fruit juice.
Calcium and gum disease. Keeping healthy teeth may be as easy as getting three servings of milk or foods from the milk group. Researchers found females with low calcium intakes had 54 percent greater risk for gum disease, which is a major cause of tooth loss, compared to people with high calcium intakes.
No one's saying you need to eliminate soft drinks from your diet. But use them sparingly - making them the treat they were originally intended to be.
Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Tooth Decay
- Avoid sipping pop throughout the day. Rather, drink pop in a short time with food or as part of a meal.
- Drink pop in moderation. Even diet drinks contain acid that will attack the teeth and result in decay.
- If you can't brush, rinse your mouth with water after drinking a pop.
- Never drink pop or juice before bedtime or put them in a baby's bottle because the liquid pools in the mouth and coats the teeth with sugar and acid that can result in decay.
- Drink water instead of pop since it has no sugar, no acid and no calories.
- Eat foods that are high in sugar or are sticky and more likely to cause tooth decay during meals rather than between meals.
- Brush and floss regularly to remove the plaque that can lead to tooth decay and ask your dentist or hygienist about the use of fluoride products to lessen further decay.
back to top
New Patient Registration Form
Cherry Hill Dental Center offers an interactive PDF form for you to fill in in advance. You may download your forms <here>. You must ask for the password by contacting the office before downloading the file. Once you have filled it in, you may save it for your records, print it or email it back to Cherry Hill at appointments@getthesmile.com.
Emergency Information
Tooth Ache Begin by cleaning around the sore tooth meticulously. Using warm salt water, rinse the mouth to displace any food trapped between teeth. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you use aspirin on the aching tooth or on the gum. In the event of facial swelling, apply a cold compress to the area. For temporary pain relief, acetaminophen is recommended. See a dentist as soon as possible.
Cut or Bitten Tongue, Lip or Cheek Ice can be applied to any bruised areas. For bleeding, apply firm (but gentle) pressure with sterile gauze or a clean cloth. If the bleeding does not stop with pressure or continues after 15 minutes, go to an emergency room.
Broken Braces and Wires Remove a broken appliance only if it comes out easily. If it is lodged or painful to remove, cover any protruding edges with wax, cotton balls, gauze or chewing gum. DO NOT REMOVE any wire caught in the gums, cheek or tongue; see a dentist immediately. Emergency attention is usually not required for loose or broken appliances that cause no discomfort.
Broken Tooth Rinse the area with warm water. Put a cold compress over the facial area of the injury. Recover any broken tooth fragments. Get immediate dental attention.
Knocked Out Permanent Tooth Recover the tooth, making sure to hold it by the crown (top), and not the root end. Rinse, but do not clean or handle the tooth more than necessary. Reinsert the tooth in the socket and hold in place using a clean piece of gauze or cloth. If the tooth cannot be reinserted, carry it in a cup containing milk or water. Because time is essential, see a dentist immediately.
back to top
Other Emergency Conditions:
Possible Broken Jaw In the event of jaw injury, tie the mouth closed with a towel, tie or handkerchief. Go immediately to an emergency room.
Bleeding After a Baby Tooth Falls Out Fold a piece of gauze and place it (tightly) over the bleeding area. Bite down on the gauze for 15 minutes—if bleeding continues, see a dentist.
Cold or Canker Sores Over-the- counter medications will usually provide temporary relief. If sores persist, visit your dentist.
back to top
|