Health

4 Important Factors To Consider When Searching for a Dentist

Posted by Cindy Barera on in Health

Whether you recently moved to a new area, experienced a change in insurance, or ran into issues with your current dentist, there are many reasons why you may be searching for a new dentist. Choosing from the list of providers in your area can be stressful if you’re not sure what you’re looking for. Here are four factors you should always consider when making your decision.

1. Location

Unless you don’t mind driving a long distance every time you need to see the dentist, you will want to find a dentist that is located close to your home or place of work. Narrowing down your search results to dentists in the area is as easy as searching “Chamblee dentist near me.”

2. Insurance

Many dental insurance plans will have a list of in-network providers that will limit which dentists you will receive coverage for. A good place to start when looking for a dentist is searching through offices accepted by your insurance plan to help keep your costs low.

3. Expertise

Of course, you want to see a dentist who is competent and able to address your particular needs. It is also important to consider what technology is available as the office for treating various dental problems. While it may be difficult to judge the office’s level of expertise by a simple search online, online reviews, recommendations from friends and family, and in-person consultations are all great ways to learn more about the dentist, their staff, and available technology.

4. Friendliness

The atmosphere and level of friendliness at the office can have a big impact on your experience each time you visit the dentist. It is important to evaluate how you are treated when calling and making your first appointment. During the actual appointment, you will want to take note of any times the staff members or dentist are curt, rude, or unenthusiastic in their interactions with you.

You Can Face the Dentist With Confidence

Posted by Cindy Barera on in Health

You may as well face the truth: the thought of going to the dentist fills you with dread. Whether your fear is from a bad childhood experience, the sound made by those whirring Dental Parts, or a general aversion to someone poking around in your mouth, you are not alone. The next time you have to go for a cleaning, try these three techniques to face the dentist chair with confidence. 

Understand Your Fear

If you know why the dentist is such a terrifying experience for you, it will be easier to overcome that fear. If you had a bad experience with a dentist, finding one that is drastically different may be helpful. If the sound of the drill makes you cringe, noise-canceling headphones may be all you need. 

Manage the Pain

There are many options to manage pain while having dental work done. Some dentists use sedation to calm patients, and may even offer general anesthesia for major procedures. New technology like lasers and surface blasting can remove tooth decay without the pain (and sound) of a traditional dental drill. 

Practice Relaxation

The American Dental Association recommends practicing distraction and mindfulness techniques to help you overcome the fear of the dentist. Distraction can be listening to a book on tape or occupying your hands with a simple tool such as a stress ball. Mindfulness techniques include a wide range of practices that can help you breeze through even the most stressful situation. Deep, rhythmic breathing can help focus your mind and relieve stress. It may even help to lower your blood pressure. Practicing a simple meditation technique can be helpful, especially if you make it a regular part of every day.

Work Through Dental Anxiety

Take each trip to the dentist as it comes. Perhaps most importantly, take care of your teeth by brushing and flossing regularly to keep them healthy and avoid invasive procedures down the road. 

What You Need To Know About Periodontal Disease

Posted by Cindy Barera on in Health

Maintaining a healthy mouth involves more than just taking care of your teeth. According to proteith.com, it also involves taking care of your gums. Gum disease is also known as periodontal disease, a term derived from Latin and referring to the gums’ function of surrounding your teeth and holding them in place. Many people may take their gums for granted, but if your gums are not healthy, your teeth may fall out. Here are some important facts you should know about periodontal disease.

Types of Periodontal Disease

There are essentially two types of gum disease. The more serious type is called periodontitis, while the less severe type is called gingivitis. Periodontitis usually arises from a case of gingivitis that becomes more advanced. However, if you have gingivitis, it is not a foregone conclusion that you will develop periodontitis, especially if you begin treating the gingivitis promptly.

Symptoms of Periodontal Disease

The symptoms of gum disease are not always overt, meaning that it may be possible for the disease to progress without your notice. However, some signs are more overt than others. In the early stages, you may observe swelling, redness, or bleeding of the gums, a bad taste in the mouth or persistently foul breath. As the disease progresses, your gums may recede or your teeth may become loose.

Causes of Periodontal Disease

Some causes of gum disease relate to your habitual behaviors. You can reduce your risk by making the effort to brush and floss every day and avoid smoking. However, some risk factors may be beyond your control, such as a family history of dental disease, certain illnesses, or hormonal changes in your body. Taking certain medications may also increase your risk by decreasing your saliva flow. You can ask your prescribing physician if you can have the dosage adjusted or do anything else to decrease your risk while taking the medication.

Medical Technology Innovations for 2019

Posted by Cindy Barera on in Health

The field of medicine continues to evolve and advance throughout the years. Many of these innovations involve the use of technology and demonstrate how medical professionals use tech to improve patient treatments and several healthcare aspects. While 2019 is halfway finished, there are still relevant trends in medical technology that merit attention and appreciation.

Animated Treatment Timelines

The information behind treatments and medication intakes can sometimes become too complex for patients and other parties to understand. This data is particularly useful to inform patients or participants of a trial. However, medical professionals, attorneys and others can now input vital information, such as medications and cost, into a medical timeline template. This tool creates an animated presentation that simplifies complex data, making this crucial material accessible to those that need it.

Telemedicine and Telehealth

Patients living in small towns or rural communities continue to benefit from remote access to medical services. Telemedicine provides these patients with clinical consultations and interaction with physicians and providers through the internet or the phone. Meanwhile, telehealth covers all other medical services people receive in the city, such as health education and miscellaneous meetings. While this resource is not new, it continues to evolve and provide results. According to a CHEST Journal study, intensive care unit patients with telehealth access received faster transfers and had no difference in mortality rate compared to those who did not.

Virtual Reality Training

Improved training methods for medical students will also result in better procedures and treatments. These students use virtual reality (VR) tools that give them simulated hands-on experience with numerous surgeries, in addition to interactive human anatomy lessons. The unique visual and auditory features of these VR devices aim to enhance medical education, creating more experienced professionals in the process.

The medical field will continue to use technological devices and applications to enrich the overall health of the patients. Attentive professionals keep up with these developments to continue helping people effectively.

Beauty Trends Fall 2019

Posted by Cindy Barera on in Health

Beauty trends are always evolving as new fads fade and old favorites are ever coming back into style. As summer starts to fade, take a look at some of these trends that are going strong heading into fall. Whether thinking about lash extension or lip injections Norfolk VA has something for everyone.

Time Machine

For the past year or so, trends have started gravitating back towards the ’90s, and this is becoming especially true for makeup trends. Strong smoky eyes are making a comeback, as are matte foundations, sparkly accents, and statement hair clips. Tiny sunglasses have been all the rage, especially in Los Angeles, and this fun accessory seems to be sticking around for a while longer. Fashion-forward stars like the Hadid sisters and Jenner-Kardashian clan are gravitating back to the ’90s in earnest.

Minimalism

Going simple in style seems to be a popular direction, too. Cool concepts like one-line nail art and monochromatic outfits are becoming more and more visible. With the popularity of the simple denim skirt still going strong, the boldest dressers are stacking denim on denim. The return of minimalism could be partially credited to the explosion of Marie Kondo’s personal brand and Netflix popularity. If street style blogs are any indicator, a trouser and crisp shirt won’t be going out of style any time soon.

Cozy Comfort

Large, bulky sweaters in the form of statement jackets and capes topped the runways at New York Fashion Week. Layers and feathers adorn some of the bolder prints, but for everyday use, just know that curling up in a cozy sweater is very much in this fall’s future. Coats and jackets with wide belts are making statements on the runways and on the street, too. Some of the asymmetrical trends could end up landing in the cozy sweater world, so keep an eye out for some power statements across the board.