Take Years Off Your Smile!

Take Years Off Your Smile

Many whitening options exist to help a patient achieve a brighter, whiter smile. Depending on the patient's needs and dental health history, our Coos Bay dentist Dr. Bailey can suggest a procedure in the office or dispense a system that can be used at home. It is important to consult a dentist before starting any tooth whitening procedure. At South Coast Family Dentistry, we offer a variety of products in our office to achieve excellent whitening results. To learn more about how simple tooth whitening can transform your smile, contact us at (541) 982-2175 today or request more information online!

Healthy Mouths, Healthy Kids!

First Visit By Age 1

In August of 2012, the Ad Council joined with The Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives, a coalition of more than 35 leading dental health organizations, to debut Kids’ Healthy Mouths. Dental decay is the most common chronic childhood disease with more than 16 million kids suffering from untreated tooth decay in the U.S., oral disease is estimated to cause kids to miss 51 million school hours and their parents to lose 25 million work hours annually, and disproportionately affects children from low-income families. 

At South Coast Family Dentistry, we recommend children have their first dental visit by age 1 as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and maintain regular 6 month cleaning appointments for exams. Parents and their children can visit 2min2x.org to watch entertaining videos and listen to music, while children are brushing their teeth. Make oral health part of your New Year’s Resolution!

To schedule your child's appointment with Dr. Bailey or Dr. Bacon, call us at (541) 982-2175 or request your appointment online!

Use Your Dental Insurance Before 2013!

Toward the end of the year, our office typically gets an increase in phone calls from patients looking to schedule an end of year cleaning or restorative appointment and use their insurance benefits before they lapse December 31st.

Many patients sometimes don't realize that they can't carry over benefit maximums from year to year (with limited exceptions - check with your plan administrator to see if your plan qualifies for a rollover.) With premiums increasing in cost from year to year, it's important that you use the monies that you've been allotted - otherwise you've just given the insurance company back a chunk of free cash.

We still have appointments available in our Coos Bay, OR dental office, and we'd love to see you! Please call our office today at (541) 982-2175 to schedule your appointment before time runs out. South Coast Family Dentistry also serves patients and the community of North Bend, OR.

Season of Thanksgiving

As we approach Thanksgiving and live in this season of thankfulness, we want to send our thanks and appreciation to our patients and community. Without your patronage and service, we would not exist! Dr. Bacon, Dr. Bailey, and the staff of South Coast Family Dentistry in Coos Bay, OR and North Bend, OR strive for meeting your individual needs; not seeing people in terms of their teeth, but treating the whole person and helping them on a road to longer living in a healthy way.

We also thank the military personnel that have served in the past for our country and those that are serving now, away from family and friends. Dr. Bacon's service in the military gives him a unique perspective in the service that our troops give to their country.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday - to you and yours!

The Staff of South Coast Family Dentistry

Can You Afford to Skimp on Dental Care?



Dr. Bailey and a patient discuss
hygiene needs at a preventive visit
in Coos Bay, OR.
 

We all know life can be busy, and n the current economic crunch, it may be tempting to skimp on dental care. But don’t neglect your oral health. Your dental care is just as important now as it was when you were a kid. Untreated dental disease can lead to serious health problems such as infection, damage to bone or nerve and tooth loss. Brush your teeth twice a day, floss once a day and see your Coos Bay & North Bend, OR dentist regularly.

We want to help you keep more of your money for other essentials and that is why we encourage you to get regular dental checkups. Insurance companies know that prevention is far less costly than cures and that is why most policies cover routine dental checkup and cleanings.

The best way to avoid more expensive dental procedures is to follow a home dental hygiene program and maintain regular checkups to identify issues before they become full-blown problems needing costly intervention.

Fact Check:
Did you know that the average adult between the ages of 20 and 64 has three or more decayed or missing teeth? If you are missing one or more teeth, there are plenty of reasons to correct the problem. Dr. Damion Gilday has many treatments to restore your smile.

The ADA website has many great resources for kids and adults of all ages - and Dr. Gilday recommends that you visit the pages often for great information on keeping mouth healthy all year long!

To learn more, visit MouthHealthy.org.

Ready to Schedule Your Appointment With Dr. Bacon and Dr. Bailey?
We look forward to welcoming new and returning patients! Has it been a few years since we've seen your family? We still consider you our patient and we would love to see you back in the office to check up on your dental health and assist you in getting back on a healthy track. Call our office today!

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month

Since people with diabetes are at a greater risk of developing some oral health problems, this is a good reminder of the importance of staying. Some of the common oral health problems associated with diabetes are: gum disease, fungal infections, infections and delayed healing. Periodontal (gum disease) is no laughing matter; it's also connected to heart disease and other health-related issues.

Our friends at www.perio.org tell us:

Diabetic patients are more likely to develop periodontal disease, which in turn can increase blood sugar and diabetic complications.

People with diabetes are more likely to have periodontal disease than people without diabetes, probably because people with diabetes are more susceptible to contracting infections. In fact, periodontal disease is often considered a complication of diabetes. Those people who don't have their diabetes under control are especially at risk.

Research has suggested that the relationship between periodontal disease and diabetes goes both ways - periodontal disease may make it more difficult for people who have diabetes to control their blood sugar.

Severe periodontal disease can increase blood sugar, contributing to increased periods of time when the body functions with a high blood sugar. This puts people with diabetes at increased risk for diabetic complications

For more information and to watch a video on how diabetes can impact your oral health, visit the MouthHealthy A-Z page on Diabetes.

Ready to learn more and schedule your appointment?
We are accepting new patients, and both of our doctors at South Coast Family Dentistry have experience in treating patients with gum disease. Give us a call today at (541) 982-2175 or visit our website for more information.

FDA Alert from the American Dental Association

FDA warns against using benzocaine products in children under 2

When a baby is teething, mom and dad want to help stop the pain. For this reason, gel and spray products are available that contain benzocaine, a topical anesthetic. However, the Food and Drug Administration has warned that these products should not be used for children under 2, except under the advice and supervision of a health care professional. The reason? Benzocaine has been associated with a rare but serious, and sometimes fatal, condition called methemoglobinemia.

What is methemoglobinemia? In simple terms, it’s a disorder in which the amount of oxygen that the blood can carry is greatly reduced. Although it can occur in older children and adults, children under 2 appear to be particularly at risk. That’s because since 2006, the FDA has received 29 reports of benzocaine gel-related cases of methemoglobinemia, and 15 of these have been in children under 2.

According to the FDA’s consumer update, here are some of the symptoms of methemoglobinemia:

• pale, gray, or blue colored skin, lips and nails
• shortness of breath
• fatigue
• confusion
• headache
• light-headedness
• rapid heart rate

The ADA’s Seal of Acceptance Program currently has two topical benzocaine-containing pain relief products that bear the ADA Seal, neither intended for children under 2. These products are Benzodent Dental Pain Relieving Cream by Chattem, and Professional Strength Kanka Mouth Pain Liquid by Blistex. Both products contain 20 percent benzocaine and contain the following label statements:

• For the temporary relief of pain due to minor irritations of the mouth and gums caused by dentures or orthodontic appliances or minor injury to mouth and gums. Kanka also says that it can be used to help relieve pain from canker sores.
• Children under 2 years of age: consult a dentist or physician.
• Children under 12 years of age should be supervised in the use of this product.
• Keep out of reach of children.

For more information on these and other oral care products that carry the ADA Seal, visit the ADA Seal page on MouthHealthy. Products that bear the ADA Seal have undergone a rigorous, independent, scientific review to ensure that they meet ADA criteria for safety and effectiveness.

Information provided is from mouthhealthy.org - a site developed by the American Dental Association.