Run your tongue along the gumline behind your lower front teeth. Do you feel a ridge? This is probably tartar or dental calculus.

Even if you brush and floss regularly, plaque and tartar can gradually accumulate. If not removed, these bacteria-breeding substances cause the gums to become irritated and swollen. Eventually, the gums become detached from the tooth, creating a ‘pocket’. This creates a new space for plaque and tartar to grow. In advanced stages of periodontal disease, the toxins created by the bacteria literally rot the gum, teeth and bone.

At Boger Dental in Plymouth, we perform the most thorough dental cleanings possible. Gum disease can be reversed in its early stages.

Our goal is to help our Minneapolis dental patients prevent gum disease before any damage occurs. Cleanings include root planing and periodontal scaling. Scaling removes the plaque and calculus above and, especially, below the gumline where your toothbrush cannot reach. Planing smoothes root surfaces so it is more difficult for plaque and tartar to accumulate and grow. It also creates a healthy surface for the gums to reattach to the root if necessary.

To schedule a deep cleaning, call 763-546-7707. We are located at 2720 Annapolis Circle N., in Plymouth MN. In addition to providing comprehensive dental cleanings, we create mega-watt smiles for cosmetic dentistry clients. See http://www.BogerDental.com for more information about our state-of-the-art dental practice.

The Boger Dental Tooth Fairy and team members made visits to preschools and elementary schools throughout the Plymouth, Wayzata, Golden Valley, Chanhassen and St. Louis Park communities spreading the news about the importance of good dental care.

Maintaining healthy teeth is an important concern for our local Minneapolis residents. As your Doctor, it’s our job to help you understand how to care for your teeth and to keep them healthy.

Everyone in the Minneapolis knows that maintaining healthy teeth requires regular daily brushing and flossing. Regular visits to your local Minneapolis dental practice is also necessary to keep watch for cavities and to help you maintain proper dental hygiene. We often forget that maintaining a healthy diet can also be beneficial for the health of your teeth.

A Minneapolis diet that includes foods that help your muscles and bones will also help you develop healthy gums and healthy teeth. Examples of local Minneapolis foods to include in your diet include foods rich in vitamin B such as breads and cereals. Foods rich in vitamin C, usually fruits and vegetables, help improve the health of your gums. Zinc and magnesium are also good for the health of your teeth and are found in foods like lean beef, fish, and poultry.

All foods increase the production of saliva. Saliva is important to healthy teeth because it helps to maintain the pH balance in your mouth. Maintaining this balance helps keep your teeth and gums healthy. Foods high in fiber also encourage saliva production as does the chewing of sugar-free gum. Gum, however, can damage unhealthy teeth or pull out dental fillings, so always use caution when deciding whether to chew gum and which brand to chew.

Just as certain diet choices in the Minneapolis area can be beneficial to the health of your teeth, others can be detrimental. Foods and drinks that are high in sugars are more likely to form the acids that attack your teeth and result in decay. And while table sugar is often associated with the formation of cavities, other sugars such as glucose, fructose, and maltose are also causes, and are often found in juices and sodas. Limiting the consumption of sugars to mealtimes lessens the amount of time your healthy teeth are exposed.

Making good diet choices and limiting between meal sugar consumption can improve the health of your teeth and gums.

If you would like to learn how to better care for your healthy teeth in the Minneapolis area, contact Boger Dental at 763-546-7707. We would love to hear from you.

-Drs Stephen & Chad Boger and Dr. Joseph Madden