Brushing and Flossing with Braces

Brushing and flossing are something you (hopefully) do several times per day. When you have braces on, however, that normal routine needs to change a bit in order to keep good dental health. Ressler, Hirschl, & Lelchuk, DDS, PA of Miami Beach, FL and N. Miami Beach, FL want to ensure their patients know how to brush with braces on.

While wearing braces, the brackets create extra hiding spots for plaque, which means more opportunity for cavities and staining. For this reason, there are techniques and tools that can help you do a good job.

When brushing, make sure to include the brackets into your routine. After brushing the chewing surfaces, angle the toothbrush and brush along the tops of all the brackets. Do the same for the bottom of the brackets. To hit the sides of them, use an interdental toothbrush. These are very small brushes that can get underneath the wires, unlike your regular toothbrush. You want to be sure you can see the edges of the brackets, afterward.

In order to floss with braces, it will be helpful to own Superfloss or floss threaders. These make it easy to get the floss underneath the wires of the braces. Floss normally, going underneath the gums and paying extra attention to the molars.

Be extra-careful when taking care of your smile with braces. A good dental routine will help keep your orthodontic treatment on the right tracks. It will also ensure you have a beautiful, stain-free smile when your braces come off. To schedule an appointment with Ressler, Hirschl, & Lelchuk, DDS, PA, call our Miami Beach, FL office at (305) 532-1444 or our North Miami Beach, FL office at (305) 949-2630. Appointments may also be requested through our website, www.miami-dental.com.

Kids' Dental Fears

Dental fear often starts out in childhood. While we understand there are kids who fear dental appointments, we also know there are ways to make them feel better. At Ressler, Hirschl, & Lelchuk, DDS, PA in Miami Beach and N. Miami Beach, FL, we want all of our patients to feel comfortable in our dental chairs. Read on for tips on how to make kids feel more at ease for their dental appointments.

Kids feel more comfortable when they are familiar with something. This means the earlier you start bringing your child to the dentist, the more familiar they will be with the process. Kids should start seeing the dentist when their first tooth starts growing in, or by the age of one if that hasn’t happened yet.  If your schedule permits, bring them with you when you are having a cleaning. That way they will have seen the office and met some of the staff before their first appointment.

For young kids who have never been to the dentist before or who do not remember going, you can play “pretend dentist” with them at home. Have them lean back in a recliner chair or a couch. Have them open wide and “examine” their teeth by counting each one. You can even take a dry toothbrush and “clean” each one of their teeth. Showing them what will happen at the dental office will help them feel more at ease.

In addition to familiarity, kids do better when they know reasoning. Explain to them why they need to see the dentist. Educational videos and tools may help with this.
Kids’ teeth are just as important as adult teeth. To schedule your family’s next appointment with Ressler, Hirschl, & Lelchuk, DDS, PA, call our Miami Beach, FL office at (305) 532-1444 or our N. Miami Beach, FL office at (305) 949-2630. Appointments may also be requested through our website, www.miami-dental.com.

Tips for Keeping Fresh Breath

Bad breath is not pleasant; especially for the person you are talking with or sharing a car with. At Ressler, Hirschl, & Lelchuk, DDS, PA in Miami Beach and North Miami Beach, FL, we strive to help our patients achieve optimal dental health. Take some of our tips for keeping fresh breath.

Bad breath is usually caused by bacteria in the mouth. In order to fight the odor, you need to fight the bacteria. This is one of the reasons why it is so important to brush and floss. In addition, while brushing your teeth, brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth. Brush two to three times per day and floss at least once per day.

Keeping your mouth hydrated is another important step. Bacteria thrive in dry mouth conditions. Therefore, drink your daily recommended amount of water to stay hydrated. Avoid alcoholic drinks and caffeinated drinks, as these dry out your mouth. The properties of green tea actually fight odor-causing bacteria, so sip on that to keep hydrated and fresh.
If you have bad breath after eating a particularly smelly food, it may help to chew mint leaves, parsley, or lemon rinds. These neutralize odors and stimulate saliva.

Keeping fresh breath will not only ensure there are no awkward moments caused by bad breath, it will also ensure you are keeping bacteria levels to a minimum! To learn more about dental hygiene, visit our website, www.miami-dental.com. Appointments at Ressler, Hirschl, & Lelchuk, DDS, PA can be made by calling our Miami Beach office at (305) 532-1444 or calling our North Miami Beach office at (305) 949-2630.

Dental Implant Failure

Dental implants are designed to provide a foundation for replacement teeth that look, feel, and function like natural teeth. In fact, they are one of the most reliable long-term methods of tooth replacement. However, as with any other surgical procedure, there are a variety of internal and external factors that cause complications or even total failure of treatment. If this ever were to happen to you, Ressler, Hirschl, & Lelchuk, DDS, PA are here to assess the situation.

Osseointegration describes the formation of a direct functional and structural connection between a person’s bone and an artificial implant. There are two primary reasons for “later” implant failure after the osseointegration process has been successful. These include over-stressing implants with too much biting force or inflammatory disease of the gum tissues and/or bone around the implant. Prevention plays a tremendous role in avoiding implant failure. Once the implants are placed, it’s crucial to maintain a good oral hygiene routine. Make sure you schedule regular dental cleanings to help keep the tissues around your implants healthy.

If you have questions about dental implants, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at the practice, visit www.miami-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors or hygienists, give us a call at our Miami Beach office: 305-532-1444 or our North Miami Beach office: 305-949-2630.

Don’t Suffer From Dental Anxiety

Some people don’t look forward to dental appointments any more than they look forward to paying bills. In fact, 20% of patients experience enough anxiety that they will only go to the dentist when absolutely necessary. Fortunately, Ressler, Hirschl, & Lelchuk, DDS, PA, are a team of health-centered professionals that are dedicated to making you feel most comfortable in the dentist’s chair.

People develop dental anxieties for many different reasons. Pain, feelings of helplessness and loss of control, embarrassment, and negative past experiences only name a few. Everyone has fears and concerns and copes with them in different ways. However, the prospect of dental work doesn’t need to fill you with fright. At the dental practice of Ressler, Hirschl, & Lelchuk, DDS, PA, we want to help you greatly reduce your anxiety and provide you with dental treatment in a way that feels calm and safe. After all, in order to counteract past bad experiences, you need to have new positive experiences which lead to the development of improved feelings and attitudes.

If you have a case of dental anxiety, please inform us when scheduling your appointment. To learn about services we provide at the practice, visit www.miami-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors or hygienists, give us a call at our Miami Beach office: 305-532-1444 or our North Miami Beach office: 305-949-2630.

Baby Tooth Care Tips

Baby teeth may be small, but they’re important. To help prevent the buildup of plaque bacteria that can lead to decay, Ressler, Hirschl, & Lelchuk, DDS, PA, recommend regularly cleaning your newborn’s gums with a damp washcloth following feedings. It’s important to start cleaning your child’s teeth before they come in to jumpstart a healthy smile.

Wipe the gums off after each feeding with a warm, wet washcloth or a dampened piece of gauze wrapped around your finger. In addition, take measures to prevent baby bottle tooth decay, a disease that causes severe, swift decay of baby teeth. To help prevent it, do not put your baby to bed with a bottle of formula or a sugary drink, such as juice. The possibility of tooth decay is directly related to the number of times that sugar comes in contact with the teeth. Your child’s baby teeth act as placeholders for adult teeth. Without a healthy set of baby teeth, your child risks having trouble chewing and speaking clearly as they get older.

If you have questions about your child’s oral care, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at the practice, visit www.miami-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors or hygienists, give us a call at our Miami Beach office: 305-532-1444 or our North Miami Beach office: 305-949-2630.

Thank You For Your Testimonials!

Here at Ressler, Hirschl & Lelchuk, DDS, PA, of Miami Beach, FL and North Miami Beach, FL, our staff appreciates feedback from our patients because it teaches us how to improve as a team. Our staff would not only like to thank Lisa for this five-star review, but we would like to thank her for being an excellent patient. If you recently experienced exceptional service from our office, please let us know!  

“As Dr. Hirschl's patient for over 30 years, I can truly say he is wonderful, patient, thoughtful, caring, professional and a bit entertaining. I joke that I intentionally damage my teeth just so I can visit him and his fantastic staff. We first met when I was 10. Since I have the worst / softest teeth (for a kid who grew up with Fluoride In the drinking water) according to the chief of oral surgery who took out my wisdom teeth, I have been privileged to spend many days in Dr. Hirschl's chair. Back in the days when novocaine lasted all day, I would chew up my tongue. So with the patience of a saint, Dr. Hirschl would fill my cavities as I would breathe through the pain. Finally, after years, he begged me to try a shorter acting novocaine and since then our relationship has been less painful. 

I highly recommend Dr. Hirschl's office. The staff is sweet and kind. The hygienist does her best to make you feel comfortable. Over the years, I had done a few emergency weekends and office visits with Dr. Lelchuk, who is always kind, professional and gentle.
As much as I do not like going to the dentist, I'm there quite often and they make a not fun experience as comfortable, friendly and entertaining as possible (Dr. H is very funny and he always has great recommendations for travel, TV shows, and other subjects).”

If you would like to leave a testimonial or are interested in learning more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.miami-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors or hygienists, give us a call at our Miami Beach office: 305-532-1444 or our North Miami Beach office: 305-949-2630.