Preventive Care and Oral Hygiene

If you don’t take care of your teeth and properly maintain your oral health, you may find yourself spending thousands of dollars in restorative dental care down the line. Although we love to see you here at the dental practice of Dr. Keith Rudolph, DDS in Fairfield, CT, we want to save you money and help you keep your teeth for life. When the dental team and the patient work together, this can help to prevent the need for treatment.

Preventive dentistry emphasizes the importance of ongoing hygiene procedures and daily practices to prevent tooth decay and other dental diseases and conditions. Effective preventive dentistry combines at-home oral care by patients with chairside treatments and counseling by dental professionals. The American Dental Association recommends a minimum of two dental checkups each year for professional cleaning and management of any developing conditions. Obeying this recommendation can help our dentists stop a dental disease in the earliest stages, protecting your smile and your wallet.

Considering that oral health is linked to overall health, preventive dentistry is important for the sake of your overall wellbeing. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.drkeithrudolph.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Keith Rudolph, DDS in Fairfield, CT, call 203-254-9533. 

What Type of Mouthwash Should You Use?

Mouthwash or rinses are used for a variety of reasons: to freshen breath, to help prevent or control tooth decay, to reduce plaque, to prevent or reduce gingivitis, to reduce the speed that tartar forms on the teeth, or to produce a combination of these effects. Active ingredients vary depending on the type of mouth rinse but are normally placed into four general groups. While shopping for mouthwash at your local drugstore, it is important when searching for the rinse that’s right for you to look for the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of approval. Mouthwash has many beneficial qualities and Dr. Keith Rudolph DDS would like to explain a few.

• Antimicrobial agents act directly on oral bacteria to help reduce plaque, decrease the severity of gingivitis and control bad breath.


• Fluoride helps reduce tiny lesions (tooth decay) on tooth enamel and make teeth more resistant to decay.


• Astringent salts can serve as temporary deodorizers that mask bad breath.


• Odor neutralizers act by chemically inactivating odor causing compounds.

If you have questions regarding oral hygiene, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.drkeithrudolph.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Keith Rudolph, DDS in Fairfield, CT, call 203-254-9533. 

Shopping for Toothpaste

Dr. Keith Rudolph, DDS understands while walking through the dental health aisle at the drugstore, that the selections of toothpaste can be overwhelming. Should you go for tartar control, fluoride, sensitive, or whitening toothpaste? How do you decide? When it comes to choosing the toothpaste that is best for you, it’s important to consider your unique oral health needs. The best way to discover what those are is by scheduling an oral exam with Dr. Keith Rudolph, DDS here in Fairfield, CT. In the meantime, here are some options to consider while browsing:

• Anti-cavity: This type of toothpaste contains fluoride. Fluoride plays an active role in preventing decay, and it actively strengthens tooth enamel.


• Anti-gingivitis: If you spit blood in the sink, this is an early sign of gingivitis, a mild form of gum disease. Anti-gingivitis toothpaste helps reduce oral bacteria and can be very effective at stopping gingivitis in its tracks.


•  Desensitizing: If you’ve ever bit into an ice cream cone and felt a sharp pain in your tooth’s nerve, this type of toothpaste will provide relief by blocking the tooth’s pain signal to the nerve.


• Tartar-control: This toothpaste does exact what it says, however, the best way to remove tartar is by scheduling a professional dental cleaning with one of our doctors.


• Whitening: This toothpaste contains chemicals that are able to help maintain the natural color of your teeth.

If you have questions regarding oral hygiene, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.drkeithrudolph.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Keith Rudolph, DDS in Fairfield, CT, call 203-254-9533. 

Don't Forget to Clean Your Tongue

When you brush your teeth, do you clean your tongue? Keeping reading to find out why you should! Dr. Keith Rudolph, DDS wants his patients to know how to take great care of their oral health at home.

Cleaning your tongue should be a part of your oral care routine. You should clean your tongue each time you brush your teeth. You can purchase a tongue scraper or just use your toothbrush, so it is very easy to do since you probably already own a toothbrush! It is important to remove the layer of bacteria that builds up on your tongue. Not only does it add to plaque build-up, but it also creates bad breath. The tongue’s taste buds are tiny and hair-like so they collect bacteria like a sponge.

To scrap your tongue, take the tongue scraper or toothbrush and place it on the back of your tongue. Press firmly as you move down to the tip of your tongue. Do not press so hard that you will hurt your tongue. Rinse off the scraper or toothbrush after each stroke. Continue scraping the tongue until it looks clean.

A clean tongue is just one more step to take for a healthy mouth. To schedule your next cleaning and examination with Dr. Keith Rudolph, DDS in Fairfield, CT, call our office at (203) 254-9533 or visit our website, www.drkeithrudolph.com. 

Tooth Sensitivity Causes and Treatment

Tooth sensitivity is one of the most common complaints among dental patients. It is caused by the movement of fluid within tiny tubes located in the dentin (the layer of tissue found beneath the hard enamel that contains the inner pulp), which results in nerve irritation. When you have sensitive teeth, certain activities such as brushing, flossing, or eating and drinking, can cause sharp, temporary pain in your teeth. If you’re concerned about sensitive teeth, start by visiting Dr. Keith Rudolph, DDS. He can identify or rule out any underlying causes of your tooth pain.

Sensitive teeth are typically the result of worn tooth enamel or exposed tooth roots. Sometimes, however, tooth sensitivity is caused by other factors, such as a cavity, a cracked or chipped tooth, a recently placed filling or a side effect of other dental procedures, such as whitening or bleaching. To prevent sensitive teeth from recurring, Dr. Keith Rudolph can offer suggestions to help you maintain your oral health. Maintaining a proper oral hygiene is the key prevention to tooth sensitivity.

If you have sensitive teeth and would like to discuss your treatment options, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.drkeithrudolph.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Keith Rudolph, DDS in Fairfield, CT, call 203-254-9533.

The Proper Flossing Technique

Each time you visit the dental practice of Dr. Keith Rudolph, DDS our staff gifts you with a goody bag after each professional cleaning, but how many of you actually go home and use it? We’ve heard every excuse in the book as to why our patients aren’t flossing enough. One of them being, “I don’t know how to.” Fortunately, after you follow this proper flossing technique, you won’t need to use that excuse anymore.

• Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the opposite hand. This finger will take up the floss as it becomes dirty.


• Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers.


• Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums.


• When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a “C” shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth.


• Hold the floss tightly against the tooth. Gently rub the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum with up-and-down motions. Repeat this method on the rest of your teeth and don’t forget the back ones!

If you have questions regarding your oral hygiene routine, please give us a call. To learn more about dental health as well as the services we provide at the office, visit www.drkeithrudolph.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Keith Rudolph, DDS in Fairfield, CT, call 203-254-9533.

Dentistry for the Entire Family

At the dental practice of Dr. Keith Rudolph, DDS, we offer a full range of procedures to restore and maintain the oral health of children, adults, and seniors. After stepping foot into the office, our staff provides each of our patients with a friendly greeting, in addition to a thorough exam and evaluation to create a unique treatment plan suitable to your personal needs.

In addition to general dental care, we offer dental implants, orthodontic care using Invisalign, endodontic treatment, restorative dentistry, cosmetic dentistry and much more. In fact, we take pride in ensuring that plaque buildup around the teeth is kept to a minimum, that tooth decay is eliminated, that cavities are filled, and that gums remain healthy. Visiting us for a preventive dental checkup can help with the detection of oral health problems long before the onset of symptoms, so schedule yours today!

If you or a relative are due for a dental checkup, give us a call. To learn more about our practice as well as services we provide here at the office, visit www.drkeithrudolph.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Keith Rudolph, DDS in Fairfield, CT, call 203-254-9533.

Importance of Periodontal Health

Paying attention to your dental hygiene and health – especially your gums – may pay you back with more than a gleaming, healthy smile and manageable dental bills. It may keep your heart healthy too. Dr. Keith Rudolph is here to help you maintain healthy gums with routine cleanings because healthy gums aren’t just important for your oral health, they are important to your overall health as well.

When you have healthy gums, your teeth are well supported by the tissue in your gums and your chances for long-term oral health are significantly increased. Because periodontal disease is linked to an increased susceptibility to systemic disease (bacterial pneumonia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease), it is important to prevent it as well as control it. Brushing and flossing your teeth regularly is important and helps remove the thin film of bacteria that builds up on your teeth each day and contributes to tooth decay. If you have trouble maintaining a daily oral hygiene routine, give Dr. Keith Rudolph a call today.

To learn more about the dental services that Dr. Keith Rudolph provides at the office, visit www.drkeithrudolph.com for more information. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Keith Rudolph in Fairfield, CT, call 203-254-9533.

Pediatric Dentistry from Dr. Keith Rudolph

If you want your child to form lifelong habits that will help them maintain good oral health and beautiful smiles, you must begin developing good habits in their infancy. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends children see a dentist by the age of 1, and it is important for their first dental experiences to be positive ones. At our office in Fairfield, CT, children can receive the care they need to ensure a lifetime of healthy teeth, healthy gums and a beautiful smile.

The first step to setting your child on the right path toward lifelong oral health is a fearless introduction to the dentist. Our dentist Dr. Keith Rudolph strives to establish a personal bond with every family and child to create a pleasant experience for all parties. You can help him provide an anxiety-free appointment to your child by only using positive language about the dentist and avoiding negative language. Phrases like “the dentist isn’t going to hurt you” or “you won’t feel pain” end up being counterproductive since it probably never occurred to the child to be scared of the dentist in the first place.

You should also establish a dental routine that will keep your child’s teeth healthy and white between dental appointments. Before your child turns two, you can clean their teeth and gums by wiping them with a clean, soft washcloth. When they are older and have grown most of their baby teeth, you can begin brushing with a toothbrush. As your child becomes used to regular brushing, you can let them do the brushing, but it is important for you to check that their teeth are getting cleaned. Supervise their brushing until they are five years old, and make sure they do not swallow their toothpaste.

To schedule an appointment, call 203-930-1214. For more information, visit www.drkeithrudolph.com.

Tips for a Healthier Smile

Regular exams and cleanings with Dr. Keith Rudolph are only a small part of a good oral hygiene routine. Everyday oral care habits also play a vital role in a healthy smile, and if you want to improve your oral health, here are some simple changes you can make.

1.            Brush better. Good technique and proper duration are essential for effective brushing. To maximize your brushing, hold your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle and make sweeping circular motions away from the gums. You should brush for at least two minutes or for the length of a song.

2.            Floss. Dr. Rudolph has probably already told you how important this is. This is because flossing can actually do a better job of removing harmful plaque than brushing, and it only needs to be done once a day. So why aren’t you doing it already? It’s the key to healthier teeth and fresher breath.

3.            Chew sugarless gum. Sugarless gum is a great way to keep your smile fresh after a meal. Not only will it improve your breath, but chewing gum increases saliva production to help wash away the acids released by the bacteria in plaque. If the gum has xylitol, it even helps reduce decay-causing bacteria.

4.            Replace your toothbrush. How long have you been brushing with your toothbrush? As your toothbrush ages, the bristles will fray and lose their cleaning ability. Extremely frayed bristles can even hurt your gums. Bacteria can also build up in the bristles of toothbrushes, so make sure you are replacing yours ever three to four months.

5.            Switch to tap water. Tap water is treated with fluoride, which is a safe and effective technique for lowering tooth decay across the nation. Plus, it’s basically free.

For more ways to keep your smile healthy, turn to Dr. Rudolph in Fairfield, CT. To schedule an appointment, call 203-930-1214. For more information, please visit www.drkeithrudolph.com.

Dr. Keith Rudolph and Gum Disease

While many people realize that taking care of their teeth is necessary for a good oral hygiene routine, they can often forget or neglect their gums, which are an essential part of maintaining your oral health. To stay in peak condition, your gums require periodontal cleanings and early treatment if disease does develop, and with Dr. Keith Rudolph, patients in Fairfield, CT can be sure that both their gums and teeth will be well cared for.

Since periodontal disease is responsible for 75 percent of all adult tooth loss cases in the United States, it is vital to check for and treat periodontal issues when they first arise. Periodontal disease develops due to plaque build-up. As it accumulates on teeth, bacteria is able to thrive, collecting around the tooth and attacking the soft tissue. In its early stages, this disease is called gingivitis, and it can cause swollen or tender gums that bleed after regular brushing and flossing. If left untreated, gingivitis can become periodontis, a much more severe gum infection that causes inflammation and damages the soft tissue and bone supporting the tooth. If periodontis is not treated, it can cause tooth loss and even a loss of bone mass in your jaw.

It is important to prevent periodontal health or catch it in its early stages, and Dr. Rudolph is extremely knowledgeable and experienced with helping patients maintain healthy smiles. He will work closely with you to ensure that you maintain optimal oral health

The state of your gums affects the health of your entire body, and our office works hard to make sure you receive the dental care you need. Call 203-930-1214 to schedule an appointment. For more information, please visit www.drkeithrudolph.com.