by Natalya Whittington, RDH

What are dental sealants?
Dental sealants are thin, plastic coatings painted on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. Getting sealants put on is simple and painless. Painted on as a liquid, they quickly harden to form a shield over the surface of the tooth. The most important reason for getting sealants is to avoid tooth decay and save time and money in the long run by avoiding fillings, crowns and gaps.

Who should get sealants?
Children should get sealants on their permanent molars as the teeth come in, before decay gets an opportunity to attack the teeth.
The first permanent molars (the 6 year molars) come in between the ages of 5 and 7.
The second permanent molars (the 12 year molars) come in when a child is between 11 and 14 years old.
Other teeth with pits and groove also might need to sealed.
Teenagers and young adults who are prone to decay may also need sealants

Should sealants be put on baby teeth?
Baby teeth save space for permanent teeth. It is important to keep baby teeth healthy so they don’t fall out early. Sealants can last up to 10 years but they need to be checked at regular dental check-ups to make sure they are not chipped or worn away. The dentist or dental hygienist can repair sealants by adding more sealant material.

As we fast approach the end of 2009 many of you have unscheduled treatment and still have unused insurance benefits remaining. Please call today and our friendly staff can help coordinate an appointment that is convenient for you. We would be happy in assisting you with your insurance if you should have any questions regarding unused benefits. Here at Tyson’s Dental we go the extra mile to make you smile!

Use it or loose it!
Flexible spending account is running out.
Don’t forget to plan for next year!

FREE veneer consultation. $500 off a full veneer case

Implant Day – October 28th, full day dedicated to patients interested in dental implants. Large discounts will be offered and we will have a a rep from our implant provider to answer any specific questions on the spot.

Zoom Teeth Whitening in Virginia Special $499.00 (in-office procedure)

*please mention you saw these deals on our website

Preventing H1N1 and Influenza

Virginia Department of Health reports that Influenza-related activities continue to be on the upswing with H1N1 infection (swine flu) symptoms similar to seasonal influenza. The H1N1 vaccine is expected to become available by mid-October. Meanwhile, we urge you to consider at least some form of prevention.

1. Frequent hand-washing

2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach

3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water – (Periomed and Listerine can be alternatives) The H1N1 virus takes 2-3 days after infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don’t underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Clean your nostrils or blow your nose once a day – similar to #3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm non-iodized salt water. You may want to use a Netipot, sold at Whole foods and other supermarkets. A very effective way to bring down viral population is blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water.

5. Take Vitamin C – Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc and/or bioflavonoids to boost absorption.
Drinking as much of warm liquids as you can – Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as a gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

A patient sits in the dental chair with severely fractured front teeth. After discussing how they will be restored and what the fee would be, the patient says, ” Before we begin, Doc, I got to know: Will I be able to play the trumpet when you are finished? ”
The dentist replies “Sure you will!”
The patient replies ” Great, I couldn’t play a note before!”

Tyson’s Dental would like to invite you to our first every Implant day on October 28, 2009 from 3:00pm to 7:00pm. Implant Direct and our office are dedicating this day to our patients so they can receive information and re-evaluation on their treatment plan for implants

On this day and this day only we are offering up to $600.00 discounts on implant placements, you will also have an opportunity to meet with an implant company representative that will address any implant biocompatibility and integration questions.

Dr. Alex Osinovsky has placed and restored thousands of implants – with over 300 in the last year alone. You can be sure that our doctors have the experience and talent that you can trust. Feel free to look up our reviews on Google to see our patient’s testimonials.

Please call today to schedule a FREE implant consultation, including x-rays , on October 28th
(703) 848-8906