Nitrous Oxide Sedation

Commonly called “laughing gas,” nitrous oxide is a sedation technique that we utilize at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry to help our patients feel more relaxed in the dentist’s chair. Nitrous oxide is a safe and effective sedative agent that is mixed with oxygen and inhaled through a small mask that fits over your nose to help you feel calm during a dental procedure. If you suffer from dental anxiety, you as well may benefit from nitrous oxide. The next time you schedule a dental exam, talk to Dr. Jason Pellegrino about whether nitrous oxide would be a good option for you.

Nitrous oxide is not intended to put you to sleep. After it’s administered, you will be able to hear and respond to any requests or directs that Dr. Pellegrino may have. He will ask you to breathe normally through your nose, and within a few short minutes, you should start to feel the effects. The effects of nitrous oxide wear off once the mask is removed, so you will be able to drive yourself home after the procedure is complete.

If you have questions about our sedation options, please give us a call. To learn more about Nitrous Oxide as well as services we provide at the practice, visit www.allentowndentist.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jason Pellegrino at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry in Allentown, PA, call 610-530-7901.

What is a Fluoride Treatment?

Without practicing proper oral hygiene habits and scheduling regular dental visits, teeth become more vulnerable to cavities. Cavities are caused by acid-producing bacteria that collect around the teeth and gums or plaque, as we like to call it. Brushing twice a day and cleaning between teeth with floss helps remove this plaque. However, another key to excellent oral hygiene is fluoride, a mineral that helps prevent cavities and can repair teeth in the very early, microscopic stages of the disease. Here at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry, we can discuss professional fluoride treatments with you to see if you are a prime candidate.

Depending on your oral health status, fluoride treatments may be recommended every three, six, or twelve months. The fluoride preparation used in the dental office is a much stronger concentration than that in toothpaste or fluoride mouth rinses that you may find in the store. The fluoride may be in the form of a solution, gel, foam, or varnish and is typically applied with a cotton swab or a brush. It can also be used as a rinse or placed in a tray that is held in the mouth for several minutes. After the treatment, you may be asked not to rinse, eat, or drink for at least 30 minutes to allow the teeth to absorb the fluoride to start the tooth repair process.

If you have further questions about fluoride treatments, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.allentowndentist.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jason Pellegrino at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry in Allentown, PA, call 610-530-7901.

Habits That Wreck Your Teeth

If you bite your nails, or use your teeth to rip of clothing tags, our staff at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry urges you to stop. You may not realize it, but habits such as these can damage your smile and although we love to see you in our office, we don’t want you to chip a tooth! Lifestyle habits such as smoking, drinking wine or eating foods that are high in carbohydrates can cause tooth discoloration (which can be reversed), but a few of the following habits can cause a little more damage than that.

• Having mouth jewelry – Tongue piercings especially are highly discouraged by dentists. Tongue piercings can cause teeth to chip or break, requiring dental work. They can also rub against the gums and cause permanent gum recession, which can lead to sensitivity and even tooth loss.


• Grinding teeth – Grinding or clenching teeth also known as "bruxism" puts pressure on teeth, jaw muscles, and the jaw joint causing pain. This habit can lead to temporomandibular joint or TMJ disorder which you may need a custom-made mouth guard to treat.


• Chewing on ice – Chewing ice may seem harmless, but this unconscious habit can cause permanent damage to our teeth with small cracks. These cracks can grow larger over time and ultimately cause a tooth to fracture.

If any of these habits is causing you to damage your teeth, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.allentowndentist.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jason Pellegrino at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry in Allentown, PA, call 610-530-7901.

The Correct Way to Floss

 

If you want to keep your permanent teeth for a lifetime and avoid invasive dental procedures in the future, brushing your teeth isn’t the only thing you need to do. Flossing is essential for maintaining a healthy smile because not only does it remove food particles from your teeth, flossing at least once a day can prevent your teeth from getting cavities that can eventually lead to tooth decay. Our staff at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry is pretty confident that you just pull the floss through your teeth and think you’re done. However, there is a proper flossing technique so allow us to tell you about it. 

• Wind 18 inches of floss around middle fingers of each hand. Pinch floss between thumbs and index fingers, leaving a one-to-two-inch length in between. Use thumbs to direct floss between upper teeth.

• Keep a one-to-two-inch length of floss controlled between fingers. Use index fingers to glide floss between contacts of the lower teeth.

• Gently guide floss between the teeth by using a zig-zag motion and be sure to contour floss around the side of the tooth.

If you have questions regarding your oral hygiene routine, please give us a call. To learn more about dental health or the services we provide at the practice, visit www.allentowndentist.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jason Pellegrino at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry in Allentown, PA, call 610-530-7901.

If you want to keep your permanent teeth for a lifetime and avoid invasive dental procedures in the future, brushing your teeth isn’t the only thing you need to do. Flossing is essential for maintaining a healthy smile because not only does it remove food particles from your teeth, flossing at least once a day can prevent your teeth from getting cavities that can eventually lead to tooth decay. Our staff at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry is pretty confident that you just pull the floss through your teeth and think you’re done. However, there is a proper flossing technique so allow us to tell you about it.

• Wind 18 inches of floss around middle fingers of each hand. Pinch floss between thumbs and index fingers, leaving a one-to-two-inch length in between. Use thumbs to direct floss between upper teeth.


• Keep a one-to-two-inch length of floss controlled between fingers. Use index fingers to glide floss between contacts of the lower teeth.


• Gently guide floss between the teeth by using a zig-zag motion and be sure to contour floss around the side of the tooth.

If you have questions regarding your oral hygiene routine, please give us a call. To learn more about dental health or the services we provide at the practice, visit www.allentowndentist.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jason Pellegrino at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry in Allentown, PA, call 610-530-7901.

 

The Correct Way to Floss

 

If you want to keep your permanent teeth for a lifetime and avoid invasive dental procedures in the future, brushing your teeth isn’t the only thing you need to do. Flossing is essential for maintaining a healthy smile because not only does it remove food particles from your teeth, flossing at least once a day can prevent your teeth from getting cavities that can eventually lead to tooth decay. Our staff at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry is pretty confident that you just pull the floss through your teeth and think you’re done. However, there is a proper flossing technique so allow us to tell you about it. 

• Wind 18 inches of floss around middle fingers of each hand. Pinch floss between thumbs and index fingers, leaving a one-to-two-inch length in between. Use thumbs to direct floss between upper teeth.

• Keep a one-to-two-inch length of floss controlled between fingers. Use index fingers to glide floss between contacts of the lower teeth.

• Gently guide floss between the teeth by using a zig-zag motion and be sure to contour floss around the side of the tooth.

If you have questions regarding your oral hygiene routine, please give us a call. To learn more about dental health or the services we provide at the practice, visit www.allentowndentist.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jason Pellegrino at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry in Allentown, PA, call 610-530-7901.

If you want to keep your permanent teeth for a lifetime and avoid invasive dental procedures in the future, brushing your teeth isn’t the only thing you need to do. Flossing is essential for maintaining a healthy smile because not only does it remove food particles from your teeth, flossing at least once a day can prevent your teeth from getting cavities that can eventually lead to tooth decay. Our staff at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry is pretty confident that you just pull the floss through your teeth and think you’re done. However, there is a proper flossing technique so allow us to tell you about it.

• Wind 18 inches of floss around middle fingers of each hand. Pinch floss between thumbs and index fingers, leaving a one-to-two-inch length in between. Use thumbs to direct floss between upper teeth.


• Keep a one-to-two-inch length of floss controlled between fingers. Use index fingers to glide floss between contacts of the lower teeth.


• Gently guide floss between the teeth by using a zig-zag motion and be sure to contour floss around the side of the tooth.

If you have questions regarding your oral hygiene routine, please give us a call. To learn more about dental health or the services we provide at the practice, visit www.allentowndentist.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jason Pellegrino at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry in Allentown, PA, call 610-530-7901.

 

Brush to Keep Your Teeth

You probably wonder why you need to brush your teeth every day. The reason is, when you brush your teeth, you help remove food and plaque – a sticky film that forms on your teeth and contains bacteria. These bacteria can lead to embarrassing bad breath and more importantly, when this bacterium is left to harvest on your teeth, it can cause a more serious condition, such as gum disease. Many of you may not realize that there is a proper way to brush your teeth. Luckily, our staff at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry is here to share it with you.

• Place the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums.


• Move the brush back-and-forth gently in short strokes.


• Brush the outer surfaces, the inside surfaces and the chewing surfaces of all teeth.


• To clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and make several up-and-down strokes.


• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and keep your breath fresh and don’t forget to floss!

If you have questions regarding your oral hygiene routine, please give us a call. To learn more about dental health or the services we provide at the practice, visit www.allentowndentist.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jason Pellegrino at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry in Allentown, PA, call 610-530-7901.

What is a Dental Implant?

Dr. Jason Pellegrino at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry offers dental implants which are a popular and effective way to replace missing teeth and are designed to blend in with your other teeth. They are also an excellent long-term option for restoring your smile, but what are they exactly?

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is surgically anchored into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge in place. Implant material is made from different types of metallic and bone-like ceramic materials that are compatible with body tissue. In most cases, anyone healthy enough to undergo a routine dental extraction or oral surgery can be considered for a dental implant. The benefit of using implants is that they don’t rely on neighboring teeth for support and they are permanent and stable. Dental implants are a good solution to tooth loss because they look and feel like natural teeth.

If you are missing teeth, give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn more about dental implants and other services provided at the practice, give us a call or visit www.allentowndentist.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jason Pellegrino at Pellegrino Cosmetic and Family Dentistry in Allentown, PA, call 610-530-7901.