Hooks Family Dentistry Blog

Dental emergencies can happen at the most unexpected moments—during a meal, while traveling, or even at home on a quiet afternoon. While you can’t always prevent these situations, you can be prepared for them. Creating a dental emergency kit ensures you have the tools you need to manage pain, protect damaged teeth, and stay calm until you can see a professional. Here’s what to pack to keep yourself and your family ready for anything.

For many patients, dental insurance can be one of the most frustrating barriers to visiting the dental office. With low maximums and unclear benefits, it’s not always known what exactly you’re investing in when you buy dental insurance. On the other hand, if you’re uninsured, paying out-of-pocket for dental care can get expensive quickly. Fortunately, there’s a happy medium between the two, and that’s signing up for an in-house membership plan through your dental practice. Here are four reasons you should consider an in-house plan!

Your dentist usually does everything they can to repair any damage to your natural teeth to preserve them. However, if you have a tooth that’s too severely injured to be mended, they might have no choice but to extract and replace it.

Then, you must care for your mouth correctly after your procedure so it can form a blood clot to protect the recently exposed nerves and bone tissues. Otherwise, you might develop a painful complication, dry socket. Many patients wonder if it’s okay to drink alcohol after their treatment, but it’s not usually recommended. Continue reading to learn why!

Ah, coffee. It wakes you up, keeps you warm, and helps you start the day. But wait! Before you indulge in that first sip, if you’ve recently had a tooth extracted, it’s important to temporarily hold off. Here’s how long you should delay that mug of java, and what you can drink instead to protect your smile!

Though it’s very natural to feel nervous about needing a tooth extraction, this procedure is nothing to fear. In fact, an estimated 55,000 teeth are extracted here in the United States each day! If you’re scheduled to have a tooth removed, here’s what you can expect from the treatment, and how to make your recovery as smooth as possible.

With cold and flu season here, it’s a good idea to make a bit of extra effort to stay well this time of year, and one of the best ways to do that is to take care of your oral health. Here’s how maintaining your dental hygiene can help you stay healthy and strong, all winter long!

Christmas presents are great and all, but there’s something about opening up stocking stuffers that really completes the gifting experience. Usually, these goodies include things like hard or sticky candies that aren’t super good for your loved ones’ teeth. If you’d rather give them small, fun surprises that won’t wreck their oral health, try these four creative suggestions on for size!

With record temps predicted and plenty of seasonal fun to be had, things are definitely heating up this summer. But before you cool things down in that ice cold pool, make sure you know how to protect your oral health from accidental damage first!

Summer is here, which for many of us means one important thing: vacation season! But before you head out on a trip or pack your schedule with activities, make room in your calendar for your family’s dental exams!

Sure, this may not seem like an obvious time to be thinking about your oral health, but the truth is, visiting the dentist right now is a smart idea. Here’s why!

It’s quite easy for children to fear dental care. After all, the thought of someone poking around your mouth can be unsettling. Still, you may hesitate to consider sedatives for your child. You needn’t fear, though; sedation dentistry is safe for kids. Many dental sedatives would calm your child for treatment without doing any harm. If you’d like to hear more, let your Altavista dentist explain why sedation dentistry is safe for kiddos.