We want to help you have the best oral health possible. It is our goal to teach our patients everything they need to know about having the healthiest teeth and mouth. If restorative work becomes necessary, we want to also help our patients understand what they need to do to keep all of their dental work in top condition. Just as it is necessary to keep your car running well, there are things you need to do to keep your mouth healthy so you can keep your teeth for a lifetime.

Prevention

The best way to keep from having dental problems is very good homecare and having regular professional cleanings, exams, and x-rays.

Good homecare consists of:

  • Brushing twice a day for at least two minutes
  • Flossing once a day

Proper brushing is done by cleaning all the surfaces of the teeth and making sure you angle your toothbrush at 45° to brush at the gum line on the cheek and tongue sides of the teeth and on the top of the teeth. Using gentle strokes in a small, circular motion, go from the back to the front on each side, covering all teeth surfaces on the top and the bottom. Be sure to brush the back side of the teeth at the back of your mouth. For fresher breath, brush your tongue also. The best toothbrush to use is one with soft bristles.

Flossing should be done by taking an 18 to 24 inch length of floss, and wrapping most of it around the index finger of one hand. Wrap all but about 4 inches around the index finger of the other hand. Gripping the floss between the thumb and bent forefinger, gently work the floss between two teeth with a gentle sawing motion. Be careful not to force the floss. Gently scrape the floss in a C shape around each tooth, going to the gum line each time. Use your fingers to move the floss so that a new portion is used between each tooth. Continue until all spaces between your teeth have been cleaned, including the space behind the back teeth.

For people who just cannot seem to floss, there are products on the market like the Sonicare AirFloss or the Waterpik Water Flosser. Both are reasonable alternatives to flossing but Dr. Bruyere would prefer his patients floss.

Q & A Dry Mouth

Q & A Dry Mouth
Question and Answer: Dry Mouth

This is Q and A Wednesday, and we have a question for Dr. Bruyere.

Q: Dr. Bruyere, what can I do if I have a dry mouth?

A: People can have dry mouths for many reasons, but the most common is because of prescription medications that you’re taking. You need to make sure that you have your teeth checked frequently because dry mouth can cause you to have more cavities than normal, and there’s several products on the market – one of which is the Biotène rinses and toothpaste that work very well to help with the dry mouth.

Thank you very much, Dr. Bruyere.


Fillings

Fillings are used to repair teeth that have a cavity. We use tooth colored, composite fillings to restore teeth that have cavities. The process includes a local anesthetic to put the tooth to sleep, removal of the cavity, and the use of bonding agents and tooth colored composite to restore the diseased area. A special curing light is used to harden the composite material after it has been molded and shaped to the correct anatomy of the tooth.

Q & A Diabetes and Oral Health

Q & A Diabetes and Oral Health explained by best dentist
Question and Answer: Diabetes and Oral Health

This is Q and A Wednesday, and we have a question for Dr. Bruyere.

Q: Dr. Bruyere, I’ve recently been diagnosed with diabetes. Are there any dental problems that are associated with this disease?

A: Yes, there are. People with diabetes have more propensity to develop gum disease than people do that don’t have diabetes. If you have chronic inflammation in your gums, it can actually make your diabetes worse. So, you need to get checked frequently to make sure that you don’t have any inflammation in your gums, and that you’re not developing any gum disease.

Thank you, Dr. Bruyere.


Bite Guards

People who clench and grind their teeth do a severe amount of damage to them. Most people do this at night but some may do it during the day also. The best way to keep teeth from chipping, cracking, or wearing is to have a mouth guard made to wear during the times when the teeth are being clenched or ground. Laboratory processed mouth guards are very comfortable and will protect your teeth from the forces of clenching and grinding.

Q & A Wednesday Teeth Cleaned Twice a Year

Q & A Wednesday Teeth Cleaned Twice a Year
Question and Answer: Teeth Cleaned Twice a Year
This is Q and A Wednesday, and we have a question for Dr. Bruyere.

Q: Dr. Bruyere, why should I have my teeth cleaned twice a year?

A: We recommend having your teeth cleaned twice a year so that we can check, not only for cavities, but for gum disease.

It’s also good to have your teeth X-rayed at least once a year, or maybe every year-and-a-half, depending on whether you’re cavity prone or not.

If we could catch any problems early, it’ll keep things from being more expensive a little more.

Thank you, Dr. Bruyere.


We want to help you maintain a beautiful smile for a lifetime. Please call our office at (903) 708-6116 for an appointment to begin a partnership in keeping a healthy mouth for life.

Dr. Bruyere best Dentist in the area

The Man Behind the Mask:

Dr. Bruyere graduated from Texas A&M whilst finishing at the Baylor College of Dentistry. He possesses a fellowship with the Academy of General Dentistry and 30 years of experience in dentistry.

Dr. Bruyere enjoys keeping up with the latest information on dental products, treatments and techniques whilst providing the best quality dentistry to his patients.