Go Back to School With a Healthy Smile

Before you know it school will be back in session. You may have your school supplies and new clothes, but have you had your teeth checked and cleaned? Dr. Frank Tarantino of , newly opened and conveniently located across from Massapequa High School, had the following comment:

“It’s important to bring kids in for a check up after summer because their routine is different. They are up at different hours and not brushing and flossing as often as they are when they are in school. They are also eating more foods that are higher in sugar.”

He recommends that teeth should be professionally cleaned every six months and, for some people, even more often.

One of the most important things you can do to protect your teeth is to floss daily and he recommends flossing at night. “If you leave debris and bacteria on your teeth at night it tends to harden and turns to calculus, and then when you brush in the morning it doesn’t come off.”

In Dr. Tarantino’s beautiful new office, he has state of the art equipment including digital x-rays and Panorex, which means less radiation exposure. The Panorex is an x-ray that captures everything going on in the head, the upper and lower jaws, how they come together, the sinus spaces, and also the arteries in the neck which can check for carotid artery disease.

“By doing the Panorex we have early detection we can save someone’s life. The way kids eat today and with childhood obesity we are finding plaques in kid’s necks. When I was in dental school we found plaques in the carotid arteries of a ten year old.”

Dr. Tarantino also wants to give back to the community. He is offering 50% off on teeth whitening to the students at Massapequa High School. Normal cost is $500, so by mentioning this article he will only charge $250.

Other services offered by Dr. Tarantino include regular exams, root canals, dental sealants, periomaintenance and surgery. He also does dental implants and invisiline braces.

One thing Dr. Tarantino observed is that more adults are fearful of dentists rather than children, part of that fear stems from how dentistry was done years ago.

With sports another problem he sees are teeth getting knocked out so he has this advice if this should happen:

“You want to clean off the tooth with some warm water and then place it back in the socket. You don’t want to touch the root because you can damage the ligaments. The sooner you get it back in the mouth, the higher the success rate.”

He advises getting to a dentist immediately. The tooth is splinted to the other teeth and usually will do well. If you can’t get it in the mouth, preserve the tooth by putting it in milk. If milk is not available place it in your mouth between your cheek and your lower gum. A tooth has the best chance of survival if replaced within 30 minutes. Dr. Tarantino advises whole milk rather than low fat because there is less sugar and no, chocolate milk is not advisable.

Start the school year off right and get your teeth checked.