At Four States Dental Care, patients at ease

We always try to make our patients feel comfortable here in our offices in Pineville and Neosho. We have a education program running in the waiting room and you can sit and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee while waiting to be seen. We offer hours before and after work, and have a visual patient education program running in our office. This program offers videos and pictures, with audio, to further explain, in great detail, treatment and services we provide.

At Four States Dental Care, Dr. Dale Kunkel has continued his education to become a type of "one-stop-shop" for dentistry. Meaning, Dr. Kunkel performs many procedures that most general dentists would have to refer out for. He is always looking for ways to continue his education, so his patients don't have to be referred out of the office for further treatment. Even though there are some instances where a specialist is needed, we always make sure our patients are taken care of in the process of being referred!

Have you been in for an appointment in the last six months? If not, we encourage you to give us a call!

When should you call Four States Dental?

If you or your child face a dental emergency this summer, Drs. Kunkel and Matousek-Ronck want you to please give us a call immediately or let us know on our Facebook page. If you need urgent treatment after hours, you can call our emergency number (please ask us for the number if you haven't already done so). We are always here to assist when your child's dental health is at risk. Below are tips on dealing with urgent dental situations; you may want to display this list on your refrigerator or store it near your emergency phone numbers for easy reference.

Bitten Lip or Tongue
If your child has bitten his lip or tongue severely enough to cause bleeding, clean the bite gently with water and use a cold compress (a cold, wet towel or washcloth pressed firmly against the area) to reduce or avoid swelling. Give us a call to help determine how serious the bite is.

Object Caught In Teeth
If your child has something caught between his teeth, use dental floss to gently remove it. Never use a metal, plastic, or sharp tool to remove a stuck object. If you are unable to remove the item with dental floss, give us a call.

Broken, Chipped, or Fractured Tooth
If your child has chipped or broken a piece off of his tooth, have him rinse his mouth with warm water, then use a cold compress to reduce swelling. Try to locate and save the tooth fragment that broke off. Call us immediately.

Knocked Out Tooth
If your child's tooth has been knocked out of his mouth, find the tooth and rinse it with water (no soap), taking care to only touch the crown of the tooth (the part you can see when it's in place). If you can, place the tooth back in its socket and hold it in place with a clean towel or cloth. If you can't return the tooth to its socket, place it in a clean container with milk. In either case, call us immediately and/or head to the hospital. If you act quickly it's possible to save the tooth.

Loose Tooth
If your child has a very loose tooth, it should be removed to avoid being swallowed or inhaled.

Toothache
If your child complains of a toothache, rinse his mouth with warm water and inspect his teeth to be sure there is nothing caught between them. If pain continues, use a cold compress to ease the pain. Do not apply heat or any kind of aspirin or topical pain reliever directly to the affected area, as this can cause damage to the gums. Children's pain relievers may be taken orally. Schedule an appointment immediately.

Broken Jaw
If you know or suspect your child has sustained a broken jaw, use a cold compress to reduce swelling. Call our emergency number and/or head to the hospital immediately. In many cases a broken jaw is the result of a blow to the head. Severe blows to the head can be dangerous and even life-threatening.

The truth is, you can help your child avoid dental emergencies. Child-proof your house to avoid falls. Don't let your child chew on ice, popcorn kernels, or other hard foods. Always use car seats for young children and require seat belts for older children. And if your child plays contact sports, have him wear a mouthguard. Ask us about creating a custom-fitted mouthguard for your child. Finally, prevent toothaches with regular brushing, flossing and visits to our office.

Has your child been in for a visit recently? If not, we invite you to call us and set up an appointment. We hope you're having a GREAT weekend!!

Drs. Kunkel & Matousek-Ronck have a few tips to help prevent bad breath!

The team at Four States Dental Care know bad breath can be a real downer! However, bad breath can be easily prevented!

Bad breath, or as we call it “halitosis,” is caused by odor-producing bacteria that grow in your mouth. This bacteria gathers on bits of food in your mouth and between your teeth and release sulfur compounds making your breath smell, say Drs. Kunkel & Matousek-Ronck.

A few months ago, Dr. Andrew Weil wrote an article titled, "3 Ways to Prevent Bad Breath," in which he recommended the following ways to help prevent bad breath:

1. Brush your tongue. "The tongue, and especially the back of the tongue, is a warm harbor for bacteria," he writes, and recommends spending some time on your tongue during teeth brushing, "moving slowly toward the back so as not to activate your gag reflex."

2. Keep your mouth. hydrated Because a dry mouth typically leads to bad breath, eating oranges or celery, or drinking water, may help.

3. Freshen your mouth. Herbal palate cleansers (parsley, peppermint tea and cardamom seeds may do the trick). If bad breath returns, give us a call! Kunkel & Matousek-Ronck may diagnose any condition or concerns of the oral cavity that may be causing the problems, such as gum disease.

Enjoy your Sunday night, and we'll see you soon!

Four States Dental present: Patriotic fun facts!

On Sunday, our staff at Four States Dental Care - including Drs. Kunkel and Matousek-Ronck - will be busy celebrating America's 234th birthday. And because we know our patients love fun facts, we thought we'd provide you with some fun facts about Independence Day!

- Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776.

- An estimated 2.5 million people lived in America in July 1776. Today, an estimated 309 million people reside in the United States.

- The major objection to being ruled by Britain was taxation without representation, which meant that people didn't want to be taxed by a government that did not represent them.

- In 1941, Congress declared 4th of July a federal legal holiday. It is one of the few federal holidays that have not been moved to the nearest Friday or Monday.

- The stars on the original American flag were arranged in a circle to ensure that all colonies were equal.

- America's mascot, the bald eagle, can achieve speeds of up to 200 miles per hour when making a predatory dive. During a normal flight, bald eagles can travel up to 30 miles per hour.

- The American flag patch is backwards on U.S. Army uniforms. The reason? The blue field on the flag (the part with the stars) faces forward to symbolize carrying the American flag into battle.

- Someone who specializes in the history of flags is called a vexillologist.

- The word ‘patriotism’ comes from the Latin patria, which means ‘homeland’ or ‘fatherland.’

- According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans consume over 150 million hot dogs during their Independence Day festivities.

- Speaking of food, there's a 1-in-6 chance the beef on your backyard this Independence Day weekend grill came from Texas. The Lone Star State is America's leader in the production of cattle and calves.

Have a great Fourth of July weekend everyone, and we'll see you next week!!