The blog of Thomas W. Watkins, DDS http://www.drwatkins.com/blog Dr. Thomas Watkins' blog - Dentist serving Bloomington, Indiana (IN) Mon, 14 May 2012 18:45:22 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 When Was Your Last Dental Cleaning? http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/05/when-was-your-last-dental-cleaning/ http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/05/when-was-your-last-dental-cleaning/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 18:45:22 +0000 googlelogin0543@sesamecommunications.com http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/?p=129 You water the garden three times a week, you change your car’s oil every three months, and you replace the batteries in your smoke detectors once a year. Your teeth need to see your dentist on a regular schedule, too.

While daily oral hygiene habits are essential to good oral health, professional dental cleanings at our office ensure your teeth are treated to a deeper level of cleaning. We recommend for most of our patients to have a checkup at least every six months. In addition to a thorough cleaning and polishing of your teeth, these regular visits help us detect and prevent the onset of tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease. During your visit, we’ll check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks, and tongue. We’ll also check old fillings and restorations, as these can wear away over time from constant chewing, grinding, or clenching.

If you are predisposed to oral diseases, you may need to visit our office more often than every six months. Factors at play in these diseases include age, pregnancy, tobacco use, medical conditions (such as diabetes, dry mouth, or HIV infection), along with how well you take care of your teeth on a daily basis.

Make sure your teeth get the professional attention they deserve – If you’re overdue for your next cleaning, check with our office to schedule an appointment!

]]> http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/05/when-was-your-last-dental-cleaning/feed/ 0 Patient question: “What should I expect during my first visit?” http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/05/patient-question-%e2%80%9cwhat-should-i-expect-during-my-first-visit%e2%80%9d/ http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/05/patient-question-%e2%80%9cwhat-should-i-expect-during-my-first-visit%e2%80%9d/#comments Mon, 07 May 2012 18:24:18 +0000 googlelogin0543@sesamecommunications.com http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/?p=126

Thanks for the question. Your first visit typically includes an x-ray that allows us to view the structure of the jaw, the position of any teeth that have not yet erupted, malformed roots, and tooth decay.

The initial visit also involves getting your medical history. When you share your medical history with us, be sure to provide complete, up-to-date information on your health. Please let us know if you have experienced recent hospitalization or surgery, or if you have recently been ill. Also tell us the names, doses, and frequency of any medications you are taking — whether prescription or over-the-counter products — and the name of your physician. Please also let us know about any changes in your health or medications. This information will us select the most safe and effective method of treatment path for you.

Have any more questions about your first visit? Please give us a call!

]]> http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/05/patient-question-%e2%80%9cwhat-should-i-expect-during-my-first-visit%e2%80%9d/feed/ 0 May is National Teen Self-Esteem Month! http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/05/may-is-national-teen-self-esteem-month/ http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/05/may-is-national-teen-self-esteem-month/#comments Tue, 01 May 2012 20:06:56 +0000 googlelogin0543@sesamecommunications.com http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/?p=120 At Thomas W. Watkins, DDS , we know image is everything. May happens to be National Teen Self-Esteem Month, and during this time, parents are encouraged to act as positive role models, help stop negative self-images, and improve confidence and security among teenagers.
We know one of the great ways to improve your confidence is to improve your smile. And that begins with a visit to our office. Has your child visited Dr. Watkins in the past six months for his or her regular check-up? We invite you to give us a call to book your appointment!
See you soon!

]]> http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/05/may-is-national-teen-self-esteem-month/feed/ 0 How “green” is our office? http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/04/how-green-is-our-office/ http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/04/how-green-is-our-office/#comments Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:00:44 +0000 googlelogin0543@sesamecommunications.com http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/?p=118 Dr. Watkins and our team know we are living in an age with a renewed commitment to conservation, and are frequently reminded to recycle, reduce and reuse. Sunday marked Earth Day, so today Dr. Watkins and our staff thought we would discuss some of the things we do to conserve our natural resources and the environment.

Our office is digitalized, which means we can operate without the use of large amounts of paper and printing materials. The information in our office can be sent and processed digitally, which is also more efficient. We take all of the steps possible to be a ‘green’ office, making us better for the planet and more convenient for our patients.

We would love to hear how you minimize your impact on the environment. Leave us a comment below or post on our Facebook page!

]]> http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/04/how-green-is-our-office/feed/ 0 “What should I do if my child has a toothache?” http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/04/what-should-i-do-if-my-child-has-a-toothache/ http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/04/what-should-i-do-if-my-child-has-a-toothache/#comments Fri, 20 Apr 2012 03:56:47 +0000 googlelogin0543@sesamecommunications.com http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/?p=115 Toothaches occur when the nerve root of a tooth is irritated and can be caused by an infection, gum disease, decay (cavities), or injury. If your child complains of a toothache, rinse his or her mouth with warm water and inspect the teeth to be sure there is nothing caught between them. If pain continues, use a cold compress to ease the pain. Do not apply heat or any kind of aspirin or topical pain reliever directly to the affected area, as this can cause damage to the gums. Children’s pain relievers may be taken orally.

If the toothache persists, it is important to give us a call to determine the cause of the pain and provide relief. Immediate contact should be pursued if your child experiences:

· Pain that is not be relieved by over-the-counter drugs
· Severe pain after a tooth is pulled which may be dry socket syndrome
· Pain associated with swelling of the gums or face, or discharge around a tooth, especially if accompanied by a fever
· Broken or knocked-out teeth from an accident or injury

We hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions below or by giving us a call!

]]> http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/04/what-should-i-do-if-my-child-has-a-toothache/feed/ 0 Like us on Facebook, and we will donate to a great cause! http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/04/like-us-on-facebook-and-we-will-donate-to-a-great-cause/ http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/04/like-us-on-facebook-and-we-will-donate-to-a-great-cause/#comments Mon, 09 Apr 2012 09:00:07 +0000 googlelogin0543@sesamecommunications.com http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/?p=111
Dr. Watkins and team encourage you to Like us on Facebook! For every new Facebook fan we get by May 1st, we will donate $1 to the Henryville Indiana Tornado Relief. Please tell your friends and family! Thank you everyone. Have a great week.

]]> http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/04/like-us-on-facebook-and-we-will-donate-to-a-great-cause/feed/ 0 Like us on Facebook! http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/04/like-us-on-facebook/ http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/04/like-us-on-facebook/#comments Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:52:00 +0000 googlelogin0543@sesamecommunications.com http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/?p=105
At Dr. Watkins’ office, we value the relationships we have developed with our patients over the years. Even if you only see us for your appointment every six months, did you know that you can now connect with us on Facebook?

We invite you to “like” us on Facebook, where we share office news, announcements and updates!

By Liking our page, you will also receive updates from our office automatically in your news feed! In fact, for every new Facebook fan we get by May 1st, we will donate $1 to the Henryville Indiana Tornado Relief.

We encourage everyone to share our Facebook page with friends, family and coworkers! Please help us make a difference in our community.

See you on Facebook!

Dr. Watkins and team

]]> http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/04/like-us-on-facebook/feed/ 0 The Scoop on Dental X-rays http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/03/the-scoop-on-dental-x-rays/ http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/03/the-scoop-on-dental-x-rays/#comments Mon, 26 Mar 2012 22:10:31 +0000 googlelogin0543@sesamecommunications.com http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/?p=101 Dental X-rays are an essential and invaluable tool to help assist us in evaluating your oral health. With X-rays, we can see what’s happening beneath the surface of your teeth and gums and identify oral health issues otherwise hidden during a visual exam, including:
• small areas of decay between the teeth or below existing restorations (fillings)
• infections in the bone
• periodontal (gum) disease
• abscesses or cysts
• developmental abnormalities
• types of tumors
If left untreated, these problems can lead to expensive, time-consuming, and painful conditions, so it’s important to find and treat them early.
Dental X-rays are extremely safe, and our team is certified in the proper use of our digital X-ray equipment. The amount of radiation that you are exposed to from dental X-rays is very small compared to your daily exposure from things like atmospheric radiation and naturally-occurring radioactive elements, as well as medical X-rays you may have gotten at your doctor’s office or hospital. In fact our digital system dramatically decreases the already minimal amount of exposure even further. We try to be as conservative as possible when prescribing x-rays but do need them to see what is going on where our eyes can’t see.

]]> http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/03/the-scoop-on-dental-x-rays/feed/ 0 Love your new smile? Tell the world about it! http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/03/love-your-new-smile-tell-the-world-about-it/ http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/03/love-your-new-smile-tell-the-world-about-it/#comments Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:00:59 +0000 googlelogin0543@sesamecommunications.com http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/?p=99 Whether you have visited our office for a week or for years, we’d love to hear your feedback about your experience with Dr. Watkins and team! Now with the Internet, it’s even easier to write your thoughts and share them with the world. We’d want to encourage you to write a review of us on our Google page. It only takes a moment!

You may write a short review here. Thank you in advance – your generous reviews help us build more beautiful smiles!

]]> http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/03/love-your-new-smile-tell-the-world-about-it/feed/ 0 Connect with us on Facebook! http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/03/connect-with-us-on-facebook/ http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/2012/03/connect-with-us-on-facebook/#comments Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:09:52 +0000 googlelogin0543@sesamecommunications.com http://www.drwatkins.com/blog/?p=96 We will be rolling out our new Facebook Timeline page soon and would love for you to check it out! You’ll find all the useful information that was there before, but now in a fun, new layout. When you Like us on Facebook, you’ll be able to check out photos of our office, find out about new events and contests, or you can even leave a note about how much you enjoyed your visit at our office. We love hearing your feedback to make our practice serve you and your family even better. To make life even easier, if you “Like” us on Facebook, you’ll automatically receive updates from our office right on your own news feed!

See you on Facebook!

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