Friendly Dental Tips and Guidance

At Pickett Family Dental in Keller, TX, we believe that establishing good dental habits in children is essential for lifelong oral health. In this blog, we share helpful tips for taking care of your little one's teeth, ensuring they have a strong foundation for a healthy smile as they grow. Establishing a Dental Care Routine Starting a dental care routine early in your child's life is crucial for instilling good habits that will last a lifetime. Follow these steps to create an effective routine for your little one: Begin before teeth emerge: Even before your baby's first tooth appears, use a soft, damp washcloth to gently clean their gums after feedings to remove bacteria and prevent plaque [...]

Known more officially as periodontal disease (periodontitis), gum disease is an oral infection caused by bacteria. From commercials from dentists to toothpaste and toothbrush brands, you’ve probably heard an extremely common term: plaque. Plaque is the primary culprit when it comes to gum disease. Gum disease can be difficult to detect for people not going to their local dentist office for regular cleanings. This is mostly because, for the most part, gum disease is often referred to as a “silent disease”. It generally doesn’t cause much pain, if any, or discomfort. This makes it easy for people to neglect or put off because they’re lacking a physical reminder. Causes Of Gum DiseaseYour mouth is essentially [...]

Pericoronitis is the inflammation, swelling and infection of the gum tissue surrounding the wisdom teeth, which are located as the third and final set of molars that usually appear in your late teens or early 20s. It is most commonly found around the lower wisdom teeth. What causes pericoronitis? The primary cause for pericoronitis is accumulation of bacteria in and surrounding the gum tissue. Usually, the tooth is only partially exposed (soft tissue impaction) and has excess gum tissue that overlaps the tooth. Bacteria and food debris get trapped in the space between the tooth and the overlapping gingiva. What Does Pericoronitis Look Like? If you have inflamed, red, or swollen gums surrounding your [...]

Gum Disease is a bacterial infection in, you guessed it, the gums. Without practicing proper dental care, it can affect anyone regardless of how healthy they are. You may think it’s just a simple infection of the tissues that support teeth, and that it’ll go away eventually. The reality is that gum disease won’t go away without any treatment or preventative measures, and will even get worse. Numerous studies have shown that untreated gum disease is linked to a variety of other health issues. Gum disease has been proved to increase the risks of many other health conditions, particularly cardiovascular issues. Considering that almost 50% of the American population has some stage of gum disease, and if you’re 65 [...]

Some of the best ways to improve your smile are through teeth whitening, dental crowns, veneers, implants, and regular tooth brushing/flossing, while keeping up with regular dental appointments. Having a straight white-toothed smile that you can show comfortably is priceless. If you want a smile that you enjoy seeing in the mirror and gives you confidence to smile on the camera then here's a list of things you can do to improve your smile at the dentist or at home. Whitening When it comes to getting a whiter and brighter smile, there are a variety of teeth-whitening products you can try. Your main options are in-office or at-home bleaching. Before starting any whitening treatment, [...]

You're familiar with hearing from the dentist that dentists clean off plaque and tartar from your teeth and gums that builds up over time. But, what are they exactly? How are plaque and tartar different? And, of course, how can you prevent them from developing on your teeth and gums? What is Plaque? Dental plaque is a pale yellow biofilm that is soft and sticky that develops on your teeth when food, fluids, and saliva combine with bacteria on your teeth that produce acids and feed off of sugar in your diet. These acids attack your tooth enamel which is the outer layer of your teeth made of a mineral composition that protects the teeth. Plaque buildup [...]

At Pickett Family Dental, we have patients come in to see us for everything from teeth cleanings to complete full-mouth restorations. Whether you're a current patient or you just found our dental practice in Keller, TX we're here to provide that absolute best possible care with the relaxing and comfortable atmosphere where you can know you're in good hands. Dr. Pickett and his team at Pickett Family Dental are always working to improve and better their practice in both the dental care aspect and the personal experience that is provided to every patient that walks through the door. Because there are so many reasons to come in, we try to ensure that our patients have a better understanding of [...]