Oral Health

At Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati, we strive for excellence in dentistry every day. Providing the best possible dental care goes beyond cleanings and exams. We like patients who ask a lot of questions, because that tells us they are taking a strong interest in their dental health.

Common Questions

One of the questions we’re frequently asked is whether it’s really necessary to have a cleaning and checkup every six months. Our short answer is, yes! But a more nuanced answer includes that time-honored truth that prevention is the best medicine.

Every appointment includes a thorough cleaning by a hygienist. Then the dentist examines your teeth and gums, looking for any new cavities and signs of gum disease. Every checkup also includes a screening for oral cancer.

Sometimes we need to see patients more frequently. Someone with gum disease, or who is undergoing orthodontic treatment, should have appointments more often than twice a year. We determine that on a case-by-case basis.

More Questions

Patients often wonder how long a filling will last. Some people think they’ll last a lifetime, but unfortunately that is not usually the case. Fillings can break down or become loose over time. If that happens, decay can get into the area around it and cause problmes. You can extend the life of any restoration with good oral hygiene at home. If you have any questions about what that means, don’t hesitate to ask.

What kind of toothbrush is best? This is among the most-asked questions for any dentist. Manual and electric toothbrushes, used properly, both do an excellent job. We recommend soft bristles, with mixed bristle heights and angles. They do a better job getting between the teeth.

To really get between the teeth, we also recommend daily flossing. String floss is best, but whether it’s waxed or unwaxed, flavored or not, or wide dental tape is up to you.

And More!

When it comes to toothpaste, we recommend one that has the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance. That means it contains fluoride, which strengthens and protects your teeth.

These are just some of the common questions we get from our patients at Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati. Have we missed anything you’ve wondered about? Never hesitate to bring your questions to your checkup. We offer family and cosmetic dentistry, and also serve patients in the Blue Ash, Loveland, and Montgomery OH areas. Schedule your next appointment today!

Contact Endres Gateway Dentistry:

513-791-8880

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

9380 Montgomery Rd Ste 204
Cincinnati, Ohio
45242

Flossing is a bit of a chore. It takes a little extra time, and it can even be painful if you haven’t flossed in a while. It’s no wonder the team at Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati is constantly reminding patients to ‘brush and floss!’

Flossing isessential, You’ll never hear one of us say ‘don’t worry about the flossing.’ It just isn’t going to happen, and for two critical reasons. Here they are:

1. Bad Breath

Bad breath is something we all worry about. It’s part of our ‘appearance, and we are all aware of how that can influence our relationships.

When we meet new people, speak with others in close quarters, or greet a partner, bad breath is on our mind. We worry about how bad breath affects first impressions.

It makes sense, then, that bad breath would be one of the things you might worry about.

Flossing is a great way to help you avert bad breath.

Flossing helps prevent plaque buildup between your teeth. It also helps flush out pockets of bacteria. Together, plaque and bacteria can create bad breath.

To limit your chances of being caught with bad breath, floss every day.

2. Cavities

When bacteria is allowed to concentrate on your teeth, tooth decay can occur. Plaque buildup is a concentration of bacteria. When plaque is allowed to remain between your teeth it gives bacteria a chance to destroy enamel and damage your teeth. Cavities are damage to your teeth caused by bacteria.

Flossing gets between your teeth where your brush can’t get and cleans away~> plaque buildup. It also loosens pockets of bacteria that can be removed with a quick rinse.

Flossing will help you keep plaque and bacteria from developing between your teeth.

Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati recommends you floss your teeth every time you brush. At the very least, we encourage you to floss every day before you go to bed. Our services include family and cosmetic dentistry.

Contact Endres Gateway Dentistry:

513-791-8880

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

9380 Montgomery Rd Ste 204
Cincinnati, Ohio
45242

It’s easy to become too attached to familiar objects, and that includes the tools you use to clean your teeth. Like a comfortable pair of slippers, that toothbrush you use every night may have an easy, cozy feel you’re not ready to give up just yet. But at Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati, we want you to think twice, because that familiar toothbrush can be a threat to your dental health.

To put it simply, your toothbrush should be replaced from time to time. We recommend a new one every three months or so. You don’t have to circle your calendear, or set up an alert on your phone. But you do need to keep track of how long you’ve used a toothbrush and get a new one when the time comes.

If you keep using an old toothbrush, it is less effective at cleaning plaque off of your teeth and at the gumline. That much is obvious, because it’s easy to see the bristles bending out of shape.

But there are other things to consider. When you finish brushing your teeth, there is always some stuff that remains on your toothbrush. Over time it can breed and multiply. The average toothbrush, in fact, has more than one million bacteria particles. Most of them aren’t bad for you. But some are, and if you keep using that favorite old brush you re-introduce this bacteria into your mouth, over and over. Bacteria and food debris is what you are trying to get out of your mouth in the first place.

As if the preceding paragraph wasn’t enough, here’s one more thing to think about: your toothbrush can grow mold. That’s why we recommend keeping your brush in an open place where it can air dry. Even so, time takes its toll and mold can grow. If you notice any black spots on your toothbrush, replace it right away. It might be mold.

The bottom line? Replace your toothbrush every three months, if not more often. Always use a soft-bristled brush, too; they are easiest on your gums, but rigid enough to get plaque off the surfaces of your teeth. And don’t forget to floss.

At Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati, our services include family and cosmetic dentistry. Our patients also come from Loveland, Blue Ash, and Montgomery OH. Call our office to schedule your next checkup today!

Contact Endres Gateway Dentistry:

513-791-8880

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

9380 Montgomery Rd Ste 204
Cincinnati, Ohio
45242

This message from Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati is about mouthwash.

If you’ve ever visited a grocery store dental aisle, you know that there are many different types of mouthwash. Some tout their germ-killing abilities, others emphasize their fluoride content, and some claim to whiten teeth while freshening the breath. These are all great benefits, but will they help meet your oral care needs?

Many people wonder if daily mouthwash should be part of their dental routine. Brushing and flossing are the two important habits that have the most significant influence on dental health, so if you’re doing these two things, is mouthwash necessary?

As long as you follow the instructions on the bottle, mouthwash may slightly benefit dental health. Rinsing with a mouthwash that contains fluoride can’t hurt your teeth, but allowing a bit of diluted toothpaste to stay on tooth surfaces after brushing probably has the same benefit.

At Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati, we are committed to excellence in dentistry. Services include family and cosmetic dentistry. Schedule an appointment with us today.

Contact Endres Gateway Dentistry:

513-791-8880

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

9380 Montgomery Rd Ste 204
Cincinnati, Ohio
45242

Healthy gums are as important as healthy teeth. Proper oral hygiene helps keep both your teeth and gums in good shape. At Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati, we do our best to ensure good dental health in each of our patients.

When brushing, hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle with the bristle tips aimed at the line where the tooth and gum meet. The bristles of a soft toothbrush can clean the food particles in the pockets in front and in back of the tooth, but you need floss to clean between them. Be careful to (gently) get the floss down into the pocket between the tooth and gum. Scrape food particles up and out of the pocket.

Back to brushing: if the toothbrush is not held at the correct angle, the bristles can’t get in the pockets to clean out the bacteria before it turns into enamel-damaging plaque. If plaque accumulates in the gumline pockets, the gums can start receding.

Eventually, the pockets will become too deep for your toothbrush bristles to reach. Unfortunately, the tooth structure below the gumline is more susceptible to decay than the enamel above the gumline.

There is more than one way to damage your teeth—even if the visible parts of your teeth are cavity-free, gum disease can cause issues with the parts you can’t see.

We work with our patients of all ages to establish essential oral hygiene habits.

At Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati, we provide comprehensive general and cosmetic dentistry. We also serve the Blue Ash, Montgomery, and Loveland areas. Schedule a cleaning and checkup with us today.

Contact Endres Gateway Dentistry:

513-791-8880

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

9380 Montgomery Rd Ste 204
Cincinnati, Ohio
45242

Here’s a question from Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati: how do you maintain your dental health? The first things that come to mind are probably brushing, flossing, and getting regular dental cleanings. You might also think of diet factors such as limiting sugary drinks and getting enough calcium.

When men and women are quizzed about preventative dental care, they rarely mention athletic mouth protection. But it’s a biggie.

Don’t Be a (Grim) Statistic

Did you know that over five million people per year experience tooth injury playing sports? Many of those injuries cause a tooth to be completely knocked out. Ouch!

Not only is it painful and traumatic, but a knocked out tooth is also time-consuming and expensive to restore.

An Indispensable Part of Your Sports Gear

An inexpensive protective mouthpiece can protect teeth during sporting activities. At Endres Gateway Dentistry, we advise our patients to include mouthguards as a key part of their sports equipment. That’s right. Your mouthguard should be in your duffel along with your football cleats and pads.

Mouthguards work:

Starting in 1962, high school and collegiate football players were required to wear face guards and mouth protectors. Since this requirement, the percentage of orofacial injuries in football has dropped from approximately 50% to one-half of 1%, depending on the study cited.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry counsels parents have children use mouthguards for all organized sports. That means gymnastics, skiing, and lacrosse—not just basketball, football, and wrestling.

Kids who complain about wearing mouthguards are more likely to wear one if it is comfortable and custom-fitted. If you or your child participates in sports, speak with us about custom athletic mouthguards. It may be the most critical dental decision you make this year.

At Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati, we offer family and cosmetic dentistry, and serve patients in Blue Ash, Loveland, Montgomery OH and the surrounding area. Schedule an appointment with us today.

Contact Endres Gateway Dentistry:

513-791-8880

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

9380 Montgomery Rd Ste 204
Cincinnati, Ohio
45242

It happens to everyone from time to time. Your teeth become sensitive to cold drinks. A tooth develops a dull ache. A sore on the gums doesn’t heal up. An injured tooth darkens. A pain develops in your lower sinus area. At Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati, we see these issues all the time.

They are definitely not situations where the “ignore it and it will go away” mentality is wise. If the pain is the result of a harmful infection, there are grave consequences of postponing treatment. Oral bacterial infections can destroy teeth, gums and jawbone and even lead to life-threatening sepsis. In fact, prior to the 19th century, tooth decay-related infection was a leading cause of death.

An oral infection doesn’t always cause pain. Bad breath, fever, swelling in the gums, glands or jaw, or a strange taste in the mouth can indicate the presence of an infection.

If an infection is caught and treated early, there may be no additional problems. However, usually the infection is the result of a dental trouble that needs to be treated. If the infection is caused by tooth decay, the decay will have to be removed and the tooth filled. If the decay has penetrated to the pulp of the tooth, a root canal may be necessary.

The infection may be the result of a pocket of undrained pus called an abscess. Pus is a by-product of the immune system’s efforts to fight infection and consists of dead white blood cells.

Mouth sores have various causes including an infection or virus. White patches in the mouth can indicate thrush (an oral yeast infection). All of these conditions can be treated – but you need to see your dentist.

If you have any signs of oral infection, or haven’t had a dental exam in the past year, please give us a call at Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati. We offer family and cosmetic dentistry, and serve the Blue Ash, Montgomery, and surroundings areas.

Contact Endres Gateway Dentistry:

513-791-8880

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

9380 Montgomery Rd Ste 204
Cincinnati, Ohio
45242

Here’s a question for you, from the team at Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati: What comes to mind when you hear the term “healthy living?” A dinner plate with a grilled chicken breast and steamed vegetables? The sound of your feet rhythmically hitting the ground on your favorite jogging trail? A cholesterol test indicating that your arteries are in great shape?

If you pictured a white, healthy smile or a dental X-ray showing no dental caries, we salute you. We want everyone with a smile (that includes you!) to include dental health in your definition of “healthy living.”

When done properly and consistently, brushing and flossing are an essential component of everyday dental hygiene. Brushing should be done at least twice a day. We recommend a soft-bristled toothbrush to guard your gums. Brush your teeth in small, circular motions for 2-3 minutes and be certain you reach all the surfaces.

Flossing should be done once a day and is required for reaching the areas where a toothbrush cannot. A wide variety of floss can be found at Cincinnati stores, so experiment until find one you like.

At Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati, the dental health of each and every patient is our top priority. Services include family and cosmetic dentistry. We also serve the Loveland and Blue Ash areas. Schedule your next appointment today.

Contact Endres Gateway Dentistry:

513-791-8880

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

9380 Montgomery Rd Ste 204
Cincinnati, Ohio
45242

At Endres Gateway Dentistry in Cincinnati, we urge people to come in twice a year for a dental checkup and cleaning.  If you skip twice-yearly dental checkups because you don’t believe you have any cavities, perhaps getting an oral cancer screening is a more persuasive reason to see your dentist regularly.

In the last few decades, lung and breast cancer have had a lot of public attention. There is relatively less awareness of oral cancer, even though it claims almost 10,000 lives every year in the United States. If you smoke or have tested positive for HPV, you have a higher risk for developing oral cancer.

At Endres Gateway Dentistry, we work to increase awareness of oral cancer and the importance of early diagnosis. Courtesy of the CDC, Oral Cancer Foundation, and Johns Hopkins Medicine, here are 5 important things to know about oral (mouth) and oropharyngeal (back of mouth and throat) cancers.

1. About 80% of people with oral cancer use some type of tobacco (cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipes).
2. 40% of people who receive late-stage diagnosis of oral cancer pass away within five years. The survival rate for early stage diagnosis is 90%.
3. In many cases, it is extremely difficult for the individual to detect oral and oropharyngeal cancers because they can produce indistinct symptoms or no symptoms at all. Any abnormality in the mouth or throat, even if small and painless, should be examined by a dentist or doctor.
4. HPV (the most frequent sexually transmitted disease in the US) is the most common cause of oropharyngeal cancer. Of the various strains of HPV, HPV16 is the one most regularly linked to oropharyngeal cancer.
5. Black males have a higher risk of dying from oral cancer than whites.

At Endres Gateway Dentistry, serving Cincinnati, Loveland, and the surrounding area, oral cancer screenings are part of our family dentistry. Other services include cosmetic dentistry. Schedule your next appointment with us today.

Sources:
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/oral_health/oral_cancer_and_tobacco_85,P00900/

HPV / Oral Cancer Facts

https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/conditions/index.html

Contact Endres Gateway Dentistry:

513-791-8880

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

9380 Montgomery Rd Ste 204
Cincinnati, Ohio
45242