2nd Annual Boo in the Run

On October 25th, the Avalon Dental Team participated in the Missouri City Parks and Recreation's 2nd annual Boo in the Run event at Buffalo Run Park.



The event created a safe and community-oriented opportunity for children in our community to enjoy the Halloween festivities a week before Halloween. The event brought together families, local businesses, and the Parks and Recreations department of Missouri City at the lovely Buffalo Run Park in Missouri City.

The Avalon Dental Team, which included my wife, passed out toothbrushes and reinforced the importance of good brushing to the kids in our community, especially after enjoying their Halloween candy. The kids and parents enjoyed the participation of the Avalon Tooth Fairies and of course our Fairies enjoyed the festivities, the parents' appreciation, and the opportunity to give back to our community.



A special thanks goes out to the Missouri City Parks and Recreations Department for their invitation, especially Jennifer Milam, and all the welcoming parents and kids of the community.

If your school or business would like a visit from the Avalon Dental Team to help with oral hygiene instruction or some Q&A with the Dentist, please feel free to contact us at 281-240-5559. Our whole team takes special enjoyment from meeting and making new friends in our community.

Austin Parkway Elementary

One of our guiding principles here at Avalon Dental is to "Prevent Disease Through Education." My team and I take this very seriously because we truly believe most dental problems can be prevented by good home care at an early age.

Recently, we had the opportunity to visit some of the younger members of our community here in Sugar Land at Austin Parkway Elementary.



Our Hygienist, Nguyet gave careful instruction to the kindergartners, first and second graders on how to correctly brush and floss their teeth, with the help of our Assistants Jenny and Michelle. The kids at Austin Parkway Elementary learned the importance of good nutrition and home care in maintaining a happy, healthy smile.



Our thanks go to Principal, Donna Whisonant and Kindergarten teacher, Joelyn Zamarron for their kind invitation and warm welcome.

If you are interested in having us over at your school or workplace for either dental education or some useful Q & A, please feel free to call us at 281-240-5559. Here at Avalon Dental Group, we strive to keep our community's smile happy and healthy!

How is Gingivitis Treated?

As I explained in an earlier post, gingivitis is the inflammation of your gums due to bacteria in plaque and tartar. Remember tartar is the hardened material caused by the mineralization of plaque left on your teeth for too long.

Treating gingivitis takes two approaches. The first is a professional dental cleaning completed by your dentist or dental hygienist. The second is your home care.

A professional dental cleaning's goal is to remove the hardened tartar above your gums and irrigate the bacteria off your teeth. Usually, the tartar can be removed with either special hand instruments or an ultrasonic cleaner that uses sound and water to shake the tartar off your teeth with little or no sensitivity. The water irrigates the pieces of tartar and bacteria off your teeth and underneath the gums. With the plaque and tartar removed from your teeth, you are now able to completely clean the teeth surfaces with good home care, ie. flossing and brushing.

Remember, a professional cleaning is also important to serve as a periodic check by a dental professional to make sure your home care is sufficient and that there are no other health issues developing. Did you know that many patients first discover they need to see a physician for diseases such as diabetes and hypertension after their visit to the dentist? Many diseases manifest symptoms in your mouth and a trained dental professional can recommend a physician's referral based on these findings.

The second and equally important treatment for gingivitis is good home care. During your cleaning visit, our team at Avalon Dental will spend as much time as needed to instruct you on how to maintain your home care. Usually, it is recommended to brush twice a day and floss once a day, but your dental professional will instruct you on not only frequency but certain problem areas you may have and need to pay special attention to. With proper home care, you will notice the symptoms of gingivitis (bleeding upon flossing and red swollen gums) gradually improve.

It is important to make sure see your dentist regularly to help make sure you have good oral health, but it is equally important to take proper care of your teeth and gums at home. For treatment of periodontitis, the process and treatment by your dental professional is different. We'll tackle that issue next.