Blog - Dalseth Family & Cosmetic Dentistry

Valuable advice, from Dr. Dalseth

February 8, 2012 by Dalseth Family Dentistry

Becoming a dentist has resulted in a rewarding profession, much of it due to the interaction and relationships I have been able to form with patients, staff and other dental colleagues. I have been fortunate to have a great mentor, my father, Dr. Dalseth. He has instilled in me the importance of treating people fairly, honestly, and the way that you would want to be treated. I think it is important to see things through patients eyes. If they are anxious, we determine how can we help them cope. If it is a new procedure, how can I best explain it to them? What I have found over the years is the best thing we can do is listen. Not only listen to what a patient is saying, but also how they are saying it.

Dentistry is a wonderful career and, for me, I cannot image doing anything else. We are always trying to improve and bring new ideas to the forefront and hopefully we can make a splash!

– Dr. Pascal Dalseth

February is National Dental Health Month!

January 31, 2012 by Dalseth Family Dentistry

February is National Dental Health Month, and all of us at Dalseth Family & Cosmetic Dentistry love to celebrate this time of year and share our knowledge with our patients and people in the community. During the month of February, we visit a number of the local schools to give presentations. At these presentations we discuss the importance of a healthy diet and the difference between good and bad snacks, and how to make the right choices. We also review oral hygiene techniques such as brushing, flossing and the use of a fluoride rinse. I also love to read a book in the classroom that is dental related, such as, Dr. Desoto. We love that the kids are engaged and ask great questions.

In the office will promote Dental Health Month as a way to focus our attention on good oral hygiene and its importance to overall systemic health. Our oral health is important, and there is a strong link between oral health and low birth weight in babies, heart disease, diabetes, and potentially strokes. To make it fun we will have drawings for prizes, such as custom bleach trays, movie tickets, electric toothbrushes, and much more!

I would encourage anyone who has not been to the dentist lately to call us and schedule a check-up. It is a great way to get caught up on your oral health and potentially win some great prizes! We look forward to seeing you soon!

Ask Dalseth Family & Cosmetic Dentistry: If I have braces, do I still need a dental checkup every 6 months?

January 26, 2012 by Dalseth Family Dentistry

Thanks for the question! Yes! In fact, it’s even more important that patients receiving orthodontic treatment visit our office regularly. When you’re wearing braces, food may be caught in places that your toothbrush normally can’t reach. This causes bacteria to build up and can lead to cavities, gingivitis and even gum disease. Believe it or not, an estimated 80 percent of American adults currently have some form of gum disease. Studies have shown a correlation between gum disease and heart disease, underscoring the importance of good oral health care. Our staff at Dalseth Family & Cosmetic Dentistry will work closely with your orthodontist to make sure that your teeth stay clean and healthy while you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment.

If it has been more than six months since your last visit to our Apple Valley office, please give us a call! We look forward to your next visit!

Have a question? Just ask!

January 16, 2012 by Dalseth Family Dentistry

Drs. Stephen Dalseth, Pascal Dalseth, Todd Weber, and Sara Michel and their team are always available to answer patient questions about teeth and oral health. We strive to provide our patients with quality care and a warm, family-friendly environment.

We also recognize that the most important questions are our responsibility to answer. Some of the questions that we hear in the office include:

From the front desk:
— Do you take my insurance?
— Why are we out of network?

From the clinical staff:
— What age should I bring my child for their first visit?
— What is the difference between a regular clean and a periodontal cleaning?
— Will this hurt?
— Do I have to do this?

We also encourage you to ask us:

— How are my teeth affecting my overall health?
— Why do I get cavities?
— What can I do to prevent this from happening in the future?
— How beneficial is preventative care?

Most important questions to ask your dentist?
— Can you explain the problem to me, how can I resolve it, and how can I prevent it from happening again?

Answers to these and other questions often vary from patient to patient. We encourage to ask us the next time to you have an appointment at Dalseth Family and Cosmetic Dentistry. We want your dental experience to be informative and comfortable.

Five ways you can avoid plaque

January 11, 2012 by Dalseth Family Dentistry

At Dalseth Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, we know nobody likes getting plaque on their teeth. Here are five other ways you can avoid that dreaded enemy of the teeth, courtesy of WebMD.

Let’s start with brushing regularly. Brushing your teeth twice a day with a fluoride-containing toothpaste is vital to a healthy mouth. Make sure you softly brush all the surfaces of your teeth.

Next on the list is flossing daily: a simple daily flossing between teeth clears away plaque before it can cause damage and can also clean plaque at the gum line. Plaque is known to reach the spaces between teeth.

Also, evading a trip to visit to the dnetist is probably not a great idea. Let’s say you brush and floss daily. You’re still at risk for plaque. With time, the plaque hardens and turns into tartar. Consider visiting Dalseth Family and Cosmetic Dentistry at least twice a year or as recommended, and you have a lower chance of getting cavities or losing your natural teeth.

You’ll also want to stop avoiding those fruits and veggies. Believe it or not, there are foods out there that play a key role in keeping plaque off our teeth. They include apples, carrots, cucumbers and other raw fruits and vegetables. You can still eat these types of fruits and veggies if you’re wearing braces, but be sure to cut them up into bite sized pieces to avoid breaking off brackets.

Finally, before you pick up that candy bar, remember to not give in to your sweet tooth. Consuming sugary drinks or eating candy or other junk food allows sugar to stick to our teeth. The bacteria, then, becomes plaque, which turns into acid and damages our teeth. Avoiding these five bad habits keeps your plaque in check and your mouth as healthy as can be. If you have any questions, give us a call or ask us on Facebook!

Have you had a check-up lately?

January 5, 2012 by Dalseth Family Dentistry

Even if you brush and floss daily, it is still important to see us at Dalseth Family & Cosmetic Dentistry every 6 months, or as recommended.

Why?

• We can detect and treat tooth and gum problems that you may have never felt or noticed.
• Even thorough daily oral care may not be enough to prevent cavities and oral decay.
• Frequent visits can allow us to treat a problem early to prevent future complications.

If you are overdue for an appointment with us, please give us a call today!

— Drs Stephen Dalseth, Pascal Dalseth, Todd Weber, and Sara Michel

Make 2012 the year to improve your oral health

December 26, 2011 by Dalseth Family Dentistry

Many folks consider the beginning of a new year a time to not only reflect on the year that was, but also to set personal goals for the upcoming year. How are you planning to improve your health and happiness in 2012? Dr. Pascal Dalseth and our team recommend that you make a New Year’s resolution to benefit your oral health!

It is important that New Year’s resolutions are reasonable and attainable, and that they improve your overall quality of life—for example, did you know that flossing every day is the very best way to prevent periodontal, or gum, disease? Using a straw when drinking sugary beverages can also help prevent cavities. There are many small steps that you can take to prevent cavities, oral infections and bad breath.

Be sure to give us a call if you need a few suggestions on ways to improve your oral health, or visit this helpful article from our friends at the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). After all, we know your oral health is about more than just a beautiful smile.

Happy New Year!

Beware of those Christmas goodies!

December 19, 2011 by Dalseth Family Dentistry

Maintaining a healthy diet over the holiday season can prove a difficult task. After all, who can resist the tasty treats of Christmas? With grandma and everybody else offering you candy, chocolate logs or Christmas pudding, you just can’t say “I’ll pass” each time. But trouble lurks: every time you chow down on that chocolate or candy, the bacteria in your mouth have a feast on the sugar—at your expense. The sugar turns into acid, and the acid eats away at the enamel on your teeth. Then, you start getting cavities.

Instead, our friends at the American Dental Association recommend nuts or dried fruit, which are a nice alternative to sugars and have a greater nutritional value—and can satisfy your sweet tooth! Both nuts and fruit are a great source of fiber and act as an appetite suppressant. In addition, nuts are a great source of Vitamin E, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B9, nutrients that contribute to a healthy immune system. Nuts are also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked with reducing heart disease and lower blood pressure.

If you must indulge in chocolaty goodness this Christmas or holiday season, remember to brush your teeth after eating sugary treats. Hope this helps! Give us a call if you have any questions!

– Dr. Pascal Dalseth and team

Dental implants are a top treatment at Dalseth Family and Cosmetic Dentistry

December 14, 2011 by Dalseth Family Dentistry

The advancements in dentistry are incredible. The standard of dental care has changed significantly for people who are missing one tooth or all their teeth. Dalseth Family & Cosmetic Dentistry is proud to offer our patients dental implants to replace missing teeth. Dental implants are a predicatible way to create a natural feeling prosthesis that can restore your esthetic and functional needs.

Dental implants can be life changing for a person. They can actually prevent the loss of bone. In fact, there is no need for an adhesive like you would use to hold a denture from floating around in your mouth. A dental implant is secure and does not move while you eat or talk. People with dental implants can become more healthy because of a better diet, improved self-esteem, and confidence.

To learn more about dental implants at our office, give us a call or ask us on Facebook!