Dr. Stefan Speck and his team provide general dentistry solutions to patients in Oxford, PA, and the surrounding areas. General dental care offers preventative treatment to patients to address current dental issues while preventing future oral health problems. For example, removing severely infected teeth prevents the spread of decay and further loss of adjacent natural teeth.
Wearing a custom-made sports mouthguard during contact sports protects teeth and prevents patients from needing cosmetic or restorative dental care.
General Dentistry in Oxford, PA
Me offer a variety of unique dental treatments that can reinforce good oral hygiene habits and stop developing oral health issues:
Custom Sports Mouthguards
Patients who play contact sports need custom sports mouthguards to protect their teeth from injury or loss. Dr. Speck can provide sports mouthguards that are made to fit your smile. Mouthguards are important because they prevent dental injuries, including tooth chips, cracks, and fractures. Patients with braces can also protect their oral appliances by wearing a sports mouthguard.
Emergency Dentistry
In the event of a dental emergency, call Oxford Family Dentistry. Dr. Speck and his dental team can provide immediate treatment for various emergencies. Common dental emergencies include knocked-out permanent teeth, broken dental restorations, and severe tooth pain. Contact our dental office, and we can help address your emergency immediately.
Family Dentistry
As a family dentist, Dr. Speck offers treatment for patients of all ages. He works with families to ensure everyone receives dental care under one roof. Dr. Speck also provides age-specific treatments, such as sealants for younger patients and restorative or cosmetic care for adults.
Tooth Extraction
Dental extractions are needed to address infected, impacted, or overcrowded teeth. Removing a problematic tooth or teeth can improve the health of the smile. Dr. Speck also provides dental implants and implant-secured restorations for patients who need to replace an extracted tooth. Dental implants look like natural teeth and provide strength and stability.
The Importance of Preventative Care
Preventative care provides the basis for your oral health. It’s also at the core of our dental practice. Patients can practice preventative care both at home and in regular visits to the dentist office.
Brushing and flossing your teeth every day at home is very important. These habits help remove food and bacteria so they don’t stay on your teeth. If they do, they can turn into a sticky layer called plaque. Plaque can collect even more food and germs, and if it’s not cleaned off, it hardens into something called tartar. Tartar can lead to cavities, gum disease, and other dental problems.
But even if you brush and floss really well, it’s still not enough to keep your mouth completely clean. That’s because there are some parts of your mouth, like between teeth and near the gums, that are hard to reach with a regular toothbrush. General dentistry services in our Oxford, PA, dental office are part of preventative care.
At the dentist’s office, we use special tools that can clean those tricky spots and remove buildup you can’t get at home. We don’t just clean your teeth when you visit the office. Our team has training in identifying dental problems in the earliest stages.
Issues like gum disease and oral cancer have early warning signs that can be hard to detect on your own. Many adults in the USA have gum disease but don’t realize it because the signs aren’t painful. Not only do we have specialized training, but we have modern diagnostic technology to detect things as soon as possible. This makes treatment more affordable and less invasive.
Diet and Oral Health
Your diet plays a big part in your oral health. Certain nutrients are necessary for oral health, while certain foods should be avoided if you want your smile in peak condition.
Needed Nutrients
Calcium and Vitamin D are the most important things for healthy teeth. Calcium builds tooth enamel and ensures your teeth stay strong against tooth decay. It replenishes minerals that can be destroyed by acid. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium better. Dairy is one of the best sources of calcium, and fortified dairy products often contain Vitamin D, too, to ensure the best absorption rates.
Phosphorus and Vitamin C are important for your gums. They keep the gum tissue and structures that connect teeth to bone healthy. Vitamin C plays a big part in collagen production to help tissue integrity. Antioxidants reduce inflammation, which is one of the main components of gum disease. Vitamin C fights infection and makes you less likely to develop infections and other conditions.
Fibrous fruits and vegetables act like natural toothbrushes when you’re eating them. They can get down in between teeth, disrupting food debris stuck there. They require a lot of chewing to break down, increasing saliva production. Saliva is extremely important for your oral health. It neutralizes acids and washes away food particles. Dry mouth increases the chances of oral health problems.
Things to Avoid
Sugar is one of the worst things for your teeth. When you eat sugary foods or drinks, the sugar sticks to your teeth. Harmful bacteria in your mouth love sugar—they feed on it and grow. While they feed, they make an acid that attacks the outer layer of your teeth, called enamel. Over time, this acid can wear down your enamel and cause cavities.
The more sugar you eat, the more acid the bacteria make. It’s even worse if you snack on sugary things all day because your teeth are always under attack from the acid. That’s why it’s important to limit how much sugar you eat and to brush your teeth regularly to protect your smile.
Acid is another thing to avoid. It increases the rate at which the enamel wears away. Though we normally recommend that you brush after eating harmful foods, you shouldn’t brush for 30 minutes after you eat something acidic. It increases the rate at which your enamel wears away.
General Dental FAQs
Read answers to common questions that many patients ask about general dentistry treatments in our Oxford, PA office:
Do tooth extractions hurt?
Before your tooth extraction, Dr. Speck uses a local anesthetic to numb the treated area. Anesthetics help provide pain-free dental care, so patients feel relaxed and comfortable during tooth extraction.
What do I do if I have dental anxiety?
You’re not alone if you feel nervous or scared about going to the dentist. Many people have dental anxiety. The good news is that we’re here to help make your experience as easy and comfortable as possible.
If you or a loved one has dental anxiety, please let us know. You can call our dental office before your appointment to talk about your concerns. Our caring team understands how you feel and will take extra steps to make sure you’re relaxed and at ease.
We can work with you to create a plan that helps you feel more in control. Our team can explain each step before we do anything, give you breaks during treatment, or use calming techniques to help you stay comfortable. We can also offer sedation options to help you stay relaxed.
How do store-bought mouthguards compare to custom mouthguards?
Over-the-counter sports mouthguards are often bulky and can fall out during a game because they aren’t customized to you. Sports mouthguards have a comfortable, precise fit. We create custom and professionally-made sports mouthguards from dental impressions. Store-bought mouthguards are not as effective as custom sports mouthguards.
How often should I get a dental X-ray?
The frequency of dental X-rays depends on your oral health. Some patients may need X-rays as often as every six months. Patients with no recent dental or gum disease may only need X-rays every 12 to 24 months.
Children or adults who are at higher risk for cavities may need X-rays more often. We’ll also recommend new X-rays if you are a new patient or if its been some time since your last visit.
Who needs dental sealants?
Dentists usually recommend dental sealants for children and teenagers when their permanent molars and premolars come in. But adults without fillings or tooth decay can also benefit from sealants. It’s a preventative measure to protect against tooth decay.
How long can you delay wisdom tooth extraction?
Most dentists recommend removing wisdom teeth when they emerge in your late teens or early twenties. Wisdom teeth can cause tooth impaction, infection, and crowding of other teeth. Delaying this procedure could lead to more complex and painful problems down the road. These problems include infections, cysts, or damage to neighboring teeth.
Schedule a Dental Appointment
Are you looking for a new dentist in the West Grove or Oxford, PA area? Call Oxford Family Dentistry today at 610.981.1320 or request a dental consultation with Dr. Speck online.
Let Dr. Speck or a member of his dental team know if you have any remaining questions. We look forward to meeting you on your next visit to our office.