No matter our age, it can still be fun to dress up for Halloween!

You can step out of your comfort zone, wear a daring costume, and take on a new persona for an evening.

But what if you could dress up your smile permanently? A sort of costume for your imperfect teeth that you didn’t have to take off at the end of the night?

That’s what cosmetic dentistry in Monroe can do!

Check out this before and after image from our smile gallery to see how we can transform smiles and help patients step out in style any night of the year!

Call Bayou Dental Group today at [phone] to schedule a consultation in Monroe, LA to find out which of our cosmetic dentistry services is right for you.

Scary dark corners belong in haunted houses, not in your smile!

That’s why we’re letting you know about our tooth-colored fillings in Monroe, LA!

If you had a cavity treated years ago with a silver filling, it can easily stand out amongst your surrounding teeth. But cosmetics aren’t the only issue.

Here’s Dr. Finley explaining why it might be a good idea to replace old fillings with a composite material that blends in beautifully with your smile!

Don’t be haunted by old dental work. Call Bayou Dental Group today at [phone] to schedule an appointment in Monroe, LA for restorative treatment.

We’re into the new school year and just days into the official start of fall.

That means your family’s schedule is going to become more and more hectic. From now until the end of the year, in fact, you’ll likely be busy attending your child’s ballgames, fall festivals and costume parties, and then, believe it or not, headed right into the holiday season.

Our team at Bayou Dental Group wants to make your family’s oral health as easy to maintain as possible, so we’re back with another blog to offer suggestions that will help you do that as we welcome the coming of fall.

Protect Your Family’s Teeth With These Dental Tips!

Here are a few dental tips, courtesy of your Monroe family dentist, to help everyone in your household keep their teeth and gums protected against bacteria, decay, cavities, and gum disease!

*Taking Care Of Your Teeth & Gums*

Daily brushing and flossing will always be our first bit of advice for taking the best care of your teeth and gums.

It’s especially important to instill this habit with your kids at an early age, so as they grow up, good oral hygiene is almost second nature.

The American Dental Association recommends brushing twice a day for two minutes each time, so using a fun timer can help your kids get a sense of the proper timing and technique.

Small plastic flossers are also a good way to get them started because it’s easy for them to maintain a good grip and to make flossing between their teeth a daily, lifelong habit.

*Checking Drink Labels For Hidden Sugars*

Sugar is the biggest threat to your family’s teeth.

You know that, but so do the producers of those fun, fruity juice boxes and sports drinks.

That’s why they like to make claims on their labels, promising the beverage is healthy or all-natural.

But the truth is that fruit juices and other flavored drinks are packed with hidden sugars, so be sure to read labels carefully for alternative names for sugar like:

• High fructose corn syrup
• Glucose
• Sucrose
• Cane sugar
• Fruit juice concentrates

You can limit your child’s consumption of these sugary drinks, as well as encourage them to rinse their mouths with water after they drink them to further combat tooth decay and cavities.

*Snacking The Smart Way*

During the school year, families are as busy as ever, running to and from practices and games, rushing to get dinner on the table, and helping with homework.

If you and the kids are always on the go, it’s easy to pack convenience foods that are highly processed and loaded with refined carbs that break down into sugar.

To make life easier, you and your family can snack the smart way by prepping teeth-friendly foods ahead of time. Take time during the weekend to prepare individually-packaged snacks like baby carrots, celery sticks, almonds, cheese squares, and yogurt.

Nutritious foods that build strong teeth and bones will help prevent tooth decay and cavities and keep your family’s smiles healthy.

*Visiting Your Monroe Family Dentist*

Routine visits to your Monroe family dentist are essential to everyone’s oral health.

Not only can we detect dental problems in their earliest stages, but we can also prevent issues from developing with dental sealants, fluoride varnishes, and even custom mouthguards if you have an athlete in the family gearing up for fall sports!

Schedule Your Family’s Next Appointment!

If you weren’t able to see your Monroe family dentist before school started, go ahead and schedule your next appointment for dental cleanings and exams. We’ll check everyone’s teeth and gums and take steps to prevent and treat any dental problems so that you can enjoy the upcoming season with healthy smiles!

Call Bayou Dental Group today at [phone] or fill out our online form to schedule an appointment in Monroe, LA!

Break out the scarves and pumpkin spice lattes because fall is here!

That means it’s time to get your smile ready for the upcoming social season of the year with cosmetic dentistry in Monroe, LA!

If you’ve thought about improving your smile but are still a bit apprehensive about making dramatic changes to your teeth, why not start with something simple?

This before and after image is a great example of the visual impact an easy color change from dingy to bright white teeth could make in how you look and feel during the upcoming holiday season.

Let us help you choose the best cosmetic treatment for you! Call Bayou Dental Group today at [phone] to learn more or to schedule a consultation in Monroe, LA!

If you’re the parent of a teenager, you may have thought about having their wisdom teeth removed at some point. It’s a rather common procedure for kids in their mid-to-late teens, and it’s often performed to prevent overcrowding as part of a comprehensive treatment plan before or after orthodontics.

Your friends at Bayou Dental Group can perform a safe, effective wisdom tooth extraction so your child can have a healthy smile and full function of their mouth in time for the holidays. Since many schools schedule some kind of short break during the fall season, this could be the ideal time to get this procedure out of the way!

It Might Be Time For A Wisdom Teeth Removal

Every step should be taken to save your natural teeth for as long as possible.

But the rules are a little bit different when it comes to wisdom teeth.

These are a third set of molars all the way in the back of your mouth. Once upon a time, they were necessary for chewing, but as we’ve evolved, our diets have changed, and we just don’t need them like we used to.

That doesn’t mean they should always be removed. If there isn’t a problem with their position, how they’re erupting, or there’s plenty of room in your mouth for them, it may be fine to just leave them alone.

But it’s common for wisdom teeth to create much more trouble than they’re actually worth.

We might recommend removing them if:

• Your wisdom teeth are impacted.
• They overcrowd and push other teeth out of position.
• They’re decayed or infected.
• They pose a risk for future oral health complications.

Even if none of those problems exist, it’s still worth thinking about whether to take a proactive step and have your wisdom teeth extracted. That’s because for many people, they’re so far back and hard to reach, that keeping them clean will always be a challenge. It’s not easy to floss those areas in your mouth as easily as all your other teeth, for example.

Talk to us if you’re concerned about your wisdom teeth, and we can evaluate your needs and help you decide if an extraction is the right choice.

Extracting Wisdom Teeth Is Easy For Us!

With years of training and experience, our dentists are highly-skilled, compassionate experts. That’s one of the reasons we’re able to offer patients the convenience of oral surgery services right here in our Monroe office!

We invest in the latest technology, such as digital X-rays and a CT scanner, so we can plan and perform your surgical procedures with cutting-edge precision and optimize successful outcomes.

You can also trust that we will be gentle and accommodating so that even the most fearful patients can feel calm, relaxed, and comfortable. If you’re concerned about oral surgery, talk to us about our dental sedation options!

Schedule Your Procedure

We can determine if your wisdom teeth are posing any risks to your dental health, arrange your procedure if it’s necessary, and ensure a smooth and comfortable experience.

We’re here to make sure you have full, comfortable oral function and a healthy, beautiful smile for the holidays!

Call Bayou Dental Group today at [phone] or contact us online to schedule an appointment in Monroe, LA!

Like any parent, you want the best for your child. When they play a sport, you accept the risks involved, but still, their safety is paramount.

That means making sure they have the right gear to be fully protected against possible injuries.

An athletic mouthguard is an important part of their equipment!

That’s why you should visit Bayou Dental Group now to make sure your child has a completely customized athletic mouthguard for the fall sports season.

Get The Best Mouthguard For Your Athlete!

Today, your Monroe family dentist wants you to know the difference between some of the athletic mouthguards available on the market and how you can ensure the investment you’re making is the right one.

*Stock Mouthguards*

Your cheapest mouthguards are going to be found at the local sporting goods store. Stock guards, however, aren’t saving you much money in the long run.

That’s because they’re sold as a one-size-fits-all device, and consequently, they’re often way too big for younger athletes. That means either your child won’t wear it because it’s uncomfortable, or if they do, it will slip and slide around inside their mouth and fail to adequately protect teeth and gums like they should.

You may save money at first with a stock guard, but the injuries your child could sustain while wearing one may have you spending more money on costly dental treatments later.

*Boil-And-Bite Guards*

With boil-and-bite mouthguards, it’s common for many parents to feel a false sense of security because this type creates the illusion of a better fit, and thus, better protection.

That’s due to the shaping process where the athlete bites down on the guard after it’s been heated, allowing it to mold to the dimensions of their mouth as it cools. But even then, the boil-and-bite guards are still too big, bulky, and uncomfortable for young athletes to get the job done.

*Customized Mouthguards*

The only way to have peace of mind about the safety of your child’s smile during the fall sports season is with a customized mouthguard from your Monroe dentist.

We take detailed measurements of their teeth to create their athletic mouthguard that fits and protects the way it’s supposed to. It will be sleek and comfortable enough that they won’t mind wearing it, yet it will be durable enough to withstand a strong impact should your child collide, fall, or experience any other mishap common during sports activities.

Get A Mouthguard Now!

The fall sports season is already underway, so don’t let another day practice or game go by without giving your favorite athlete the best protection against dental injuries.

Visit your Monroe dentist for a customized mouthguard now!

Call Bayou Dental Group today at [phone] or fill out our online form to schedule an appointment.

The summer heat isn’t letting up any time soon, but that doesn’t change the fact that fall is almost here.

That means sporting events, weddings, reunions, and yes, the upcoming holiday season!

We invite you to answer the questions on today’s quiz to see if you should embrace the changing season with a brand new smile!

With Dr. Finley and our skilled cosmetic team, your fall smile makeover will have you looking and feeling better than ever in time for a long string of social events.

Make it memorable!

Call Bayou Dental Group today at [phone] to set up a smile creation consultation with Dr. Finley in Monroe, LA!

Maintaining good oral health requires a lifetime commitment to routine dental care. That can only happen if you feel comfortable enough at the dentist to make it a normal part of your lifestyle.

And to us, building that confidence needs to start at an early age.

This is something Shawn appreciates about family dentistry in Monroe, LA.

Hear her explain why her kids love visiting Dr. Finley!

This school year, count on us to keep you and your family smiling! Call Bayou Dental Group today at [phone] to schedule an appointment in Monroe, LA.

We certainly benefit from living in the age of the internet. But an undeniable drawback is that we’re bombarded with information, making it really tough to weed through it all and know what’s good for our oral and overall health and what we should stay away from.

Everyone already knows that sugar is bad for teeth, right? But how many people realize that sugar doesn’t destroy your teeth all by itself?

Your friends at Bayou Dental Group are committed to patient education. During your routine dental cleanings and exams, we can talk to you about strategies that can better fortify your teeth and gums from the harmful effects of bacteria, plaque, and acids that attack your smile.

Today, we’re taking some time to dispel the myth that diet soft drinks are a healthy alternative to regular soft drinks. It’s something that could help you prevent tooth decay and cavities because, after all, knowledge is power!

We also want to remind you to visit your Monroe dentist soon for a comprehensive checkup! You can take advantage of our preventive treatments that provide a barrier against harmful bacteria and acids that threaten your healthy, beautiful smile!

Sugar Isn’t The Only Cause Of Tooth Decay!

Keeping your mouth healthy and cavity-free is a little more complicated than limiting your sugar intake, and we’re going to break down the reasons why so you understand that the ‘sugar-free’ label isn’t a guarantee that you’re drinking something that’s better for your dental health.

Diet Soda Can Still Be A Disaster For Your Smile!

Bad bacteria inside your mouth eats the food particles hiding between your teeth and within the deep grooves of your enamel. This generates harmful acids that wear through soft or vulnerable surfaces of your teeth.

This is why it’s not enough to assume that your sugar-free drinks, like diet soda, are good for your teeth!

Flavored beverages, in most cases, will be high in acidity, and that will do a lot of dental damage! Phosphoric acid in soft drinks, for example, interferes with the body’s ability to absorb calcium, which as you already know, is essential to keeping your teeth and bones strong.

Calcium also remineralizes your tooth enamel, so drinking diet soda isn’t really doing you any favors just because it doesn’t contain sugar.

Does this mean you should avoid soft drinks altogether?

Not necessarily. It just means you should practice moderation, and remember that water should be your main beverage of choice!

Keep Your Teeth Protected!

We offer preventive dentistry services that protect teeth from bacteria and prevent tooth decay. Take advantage of fluoride treatment and dental sealants the next time you visit your Monroe dentist and keep your smile bright, healthy, and cavity-free!

To set up your appointment at Bayou Dental Group, call us today at [phone] or fill out our online form.