Westover Family Dentistry Blog

How Flossing Can Improve Your Oral Health

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Dr. Austin Westover

When it comes to keeping our teeth healthy, most people think that brushing is the most important step. However, there’s another crucial part of your daily dental care routine that shouldn’t be overlooked: flossing. Flossing helps clean between your teeth, where your toothbrush might not be able to reach. At Westover Family Dentistry in Winchester VA, Dr. Austin Westover and Dr. Bryant Ash stresses the importance of flossing to improve both your oral health and overall wellness.

Why Flossing Matters

Flossing might seem like an extra step in your oral care routine, but it’s actually a simple and highly effective way to protect both your teeth and gums. While brushing your teeth is essential for removing food particles and plaque from the visible surfaces of your teeth, flossing works in the areas that are harder to reach—the spaces between your teeth. These tight spaces can easily trap food and bacteria, and a toothbrush alone can’t effectively clean them. If food particles and harmful bacteria are left in these areas, they can build up and contribute to issues like cavities, gum disease, and bad breath. By flossing daily, you’re taking an important step in preventing these problems and maintaining your overall oral health.

5 Dental-Friendly Foods for a Stronger, Brighter Smile

Posted on December 17, 2024 by Dr. Austin Westover

Dr. Austin Westover and Dr. Bryant Ash and the dedicated team at Westover Family Dentistry in Winchester, VA understand that maintaining a healthy smile involves more than just regular brushing and flossing. It also means making thoughtful choices when it comes to your diet. We are firm believers in the power of preventive care. In this blog post, we will introduce you to five dental-friendly foods that can play a crucial role in preventing and even reversing damage to your teeth, ultimately leading to a stronger and brighter smile.Read More

Statistics about Smiling and Happiness

Posted on December 8, 2024 by Dr. Austin Westover

Smiling is an important part of your health and happiness! Your dentist’s office (and your orthodontist’s) are committed to keeping your smile healthy and happy for years to come. While smiling can seem very superficial initially, a beautiful smile can actually have a positive impact on your overall well-being in addition to making you feel great. There has actually been a proven link between the act of smiling and feeling happy! Keep reading for some advice from Dr. Austin Westover and Dr. Bryant Ash at Westover Family Dentistry about why smiling is important.

Reasons Not to Fear the Dentist

Posted on November 17, 2024 by Dr. Austin Westover

If you fear going to the dentist, don’t worry, you’re not alone! It is estimated that nearly seventy five percent of adults in the United States experience some amount of fear with regards to visiting a dentist. About five to ten percent of those people have a strong enough fear to be considered sufferers of dentophobia. Fortunately, there are many ways to cope with this fear and ease your dental experience! Keep reading for some advice about coping with dentophobia from Dr. Austin Westover and Dr. Bryant Ash at Westover Family Dentistry.

Don’t Be Afraid to Speak Up – There is Nothing to Fear Here!

First, it is important to note that your dentist is not trying to be scary. They have no intentions to cause you any pain or discomfort. Their goal is to keep you and your teeth happy and healthy! Dentists also have to go through many years of schooling before they are allowed to practice dentistry. Thus, they are extremely qualified experts in their field. Additionally, your dentist doesn’t want your visit to be a traumatic or anxiety-inducing experience. If you simply communicate your feelings to them, they will do whatever they can to help make your visit better.

Your Next Dentist Appointment

Posted on November 8, 2024 by Dr. Austin Westover

Just like you have a well visit from your general practitioner each year to make sure your body is healthy; you need to have a dental check at least once every six months to make sure your teeth and mouth are healthy. Most dental checkups are quick, but they make sure to do a comprehensive checkup on your teeth and gums and then perform a dental cleaning. Read more from Dr. Austin Westover and Dr. Bryant Ash at Westover Family Dentistry to find out what happens at a dental check-up and cleaning, and why these are so important.

What Happens at a Check-up?

During the dental check-up portion, your dentist will check for cavities. X-rays may be taken to detect cavities between your teeth. Next, they check for plaque and tartar. Plaque is a clear, sticky layer of bacteria. Plaque will inevitably develop, but it can be kept at bay with regular brushing and flossing. However, if plaque is not removed it can harden and become tartar. The buildup of tartar can lead to gingivitis, gum infection, and decay.

Next, your gums will be checked. Your dental professional will use a special tool to measure the depth of the spaces between your teeth and gums. With healthy gums, the spaces are shallow. They will also examine your tongue, throat, face, and neck. This will be to look for signs of redness, swelling, or possible signs of cancer.

Cute Ideas to make the Tooth Fairy Amazing

Posted on October 17, 2024 by Dr. Austin Westover

Losing teeth is an exciting time in any young child’s life. Not only does this mean they are growing up, but it also means they are due for a visit from the Tooth Fairy! There are so many creative things that go beyond just putting money under a pillow that can create wonderful memories that will last your child a lifetime. Keep reading for some ways to make your child’s visit from the Tooth Fairy a lot more exciting from Dr. Austin Westover and Dr. Bryant Ash at Westover Family Dentistry.