Total Dental Solutions Blog

We want to make dental care simple for adults in Southwest Florida. As you’ll hear our doctor, George A. Hoop, DDS, explain in the video below, we want to be a “one-stop shop” for your dental needs.
Dr. Hoop has a unique background with training in general dentistry and specialty training in periodontics. With locations in Fort Myers and North Naples, FL, we can help with cosmetic, restorative, and preventive care.
If you want to know more about our comprehensive approach to dentistry, call (239) 594-8817 or contact us online.

It’s been a little longer than it should have been since your last dental checkup. That’s OK. We aren’t judging.
But we do want to encourage you to come back. At both offices of George A. Hoop, DDS, in North Naples and Fort Myers, FL, we offer comprehensive dental care for adult patients.
That’s why we want to share three great reasons for you to visit our general dental office. Call (239) 594-8817 today to plan your visit!

#1: Preventing Problems

For anything health related, prevention should always be plan A. That’s especially true for your oral health because it can affect more than just your mouth.
To give you just one example, people with gum disease also are more likely to experience heart disease. And the bacteria that cause periodontal problems also affect your risk of having a stroke.
Preventive dental care is a team effort. On a daily basis, you should be brushing (for two minutes, twice daily) and flossing (also every day). A couple times each year, you should be visiting us for a dental checkup. This includes a cleaning to remove plaque and tartar buildup and reduce your risk of cavities and gum disease.
We also give you a thorough dental exam in an effort to catch problems as soon as possible. This way your treatment is more effective and less invasive.

#2: Mouth Pain

Your teeth and your gums should not hurt. If they are, that means something is wrong.
If you have a toothache, you could have a cavity or you may have an infected tooth. In either situation, we have ways that we can help. Whether you need a filling or a root canal, we can remove the problem and restore the function of your teeth and the appearance of your smile.
If your gums hurt, that’s often a sign of advanced gum disease. In many cases, pain is one of the last symptoms of this condition. Many times, you will notice other symptoms such as bleeding or swelling of the gums before you notice any pain. The sooner you seek help, the less likely it is to cause bigger problems — including tooth loss!
If you have a sore jaw, this could indicate a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problem. We can help in those situations, too. Teeth grinding is a common cause of TMJ disorders, and we can make a special mouthguard to protect your teeth and reduce your pain.

#3: Too Embarrassed to Smile

Lots of people feel the need to hide their smiles, and that makes us sad.
You may be missing a few teeth. You might have broken or cracked teeth. You could have yellow, stained teeth, or maybe you just wish your teeth were straighter.
The good news is you can feel comfortable smiling again! Cosmetic services like veneers, professional whitening, and orthodontic care can give you the smile of your dreams.

We Hope to See You Soon

At either of Dr. Hoop’s offices, you can take advantage of our preventive, restorative, and cosmetic care. Whatever your oral health situation, we would be happy to help you maintain or improve your smile. You just need to call (239) 594-8817 or contact us online if you would like to make an appointment.

Bobbi has been a patient of ours for more than 20 years. As you’ll hear in the video below, she was a little skeptical during her first visit. She wondered if our doctor was the right person to treat her.
Today, she will tell you that he does his work painlessly — and she’s had root canals, fillings, and bridges.
If you are looking for pain-free dentistry in Fort Myers or North Naples, FL, George A. Hoop, DDS, has an office near you. Call (239) 594-8817 or contact us online today to make an appointment. Find out for yourself with Bobbi keeps coming back to see us.

Do you really need to go to the dentist? You brush daily, and you floss … most of the time.
Is your toothache that bad, really?
If you have dental anxiety, you may have had that conversation with yourself more than once. Feeling anxious, nervous, or fearful about dentists or dental treatments can be a real obstacle to maintaining your oral health.
You should also know that millions of Americans have some anxiety about oral care, including many who only go to the dentist when it is absolutely necessary.
At the office of George A. Hoop, DDS, we want to help change your perception of the dentist office. We strive to make our patients feel as comfortable and relaxed as possible. This makes it easier to get the preventive care you need so you can avoid the painful times when dental care is unavoidable.
We have offices in North Naples and Fort Myers, FL. Please call (239) 594-8817 if you have questions about our approach to patient comfort.

We’re Here to Listen

Mentally, you understand that dental professionals like Dr. Hoop and our team want you to have the healthiest mouth that you can. That may not make it any easier to schedule a dental cleaning, however.
We understand that your feelings are not a personal judgment on us, and we are not judging you for how you feel. We want to work with you to find a solution that allows you to get the care that you need.
A bad dental experience can affect you for months, years, even decades. Patients in their 70s, 80s, and 90s have told us how events from their childhood made it hard for them to visit any dentist office. At the same time, we are glad they came to see us when they did.
If you are fearful about sitting in a dentist chair, please let us know. If you have concerns about specific procedures (like root canals) or particular tools (such as drills or needles), we want to know that as well. One of the most important things we do is we listen to our patients. By learning the things that affect your anxiety, we can find ways to work around it.

Sedation Options

Dental sedation has a long history, and in modern dentistry, we have a great understanding of how this can benefit patients of all ages.
We offer both laughing gas (inhaled sedation) and oral sedation (medication) that can prevent you from feeling pain and help you remain calm throughout your visit. These options also can stop you from gagging if that is a concern, and some patients say they have little memory of their treatments using sedation.
At the same time, many patients started coming to us because of our sedation option, but no longer use it because of how relaxed they feel around us.

What Works for You?

We are confident that we can find an answer to that question by working with you. If you’re ready to learn more, call (239) 594-8817 or contact us online to reach either of Dr. Hoop’s offices.

If you have a bucket list, oral surgery is probably not on it.
No one wants to have surgery on their mouth, but sometimes it is needed for your long-term oral health. Tooth extractions are one of the most common types of oral surgery.
Should you or a loved one need a tooth removed, we have two locations in Fort Myers and North Naples, FL that can help.
At the office of George A. Hoop, DDS, our focus is on saving teeth whenever possible. When tooth removal is in your best option, we will let you know. To schedule a consultation, call (239) 594-8817 today.

When You Should Remove a Tooth

Tooth infections don’t usually happen overnight, so there often are opportunities to correct a problem before an extraction is needed.
Nevertheless, tooth decay can develop into a cavity. This can be fixed with a filling or crown, but many people will postpone dental care for a variety of reasons. (This includes dental anxiety, which we’ll be discussing in our next post.)
As the cavity grows, you run the risk of tooth infection. When this happens, we will first see if a root canal could be done to save what’s left of the healthy tooth. Many times this is all that is needed.
If the decay is too great, however, a root canal may not be enough to rescue the tooth. In those instances, your best choice would be to remove the infected tooth and to replace the tooth with an implant and a crown. This prevents the infection from spreading, and it restores the appearance and the function of your tooth.
Decay isn’t the only reason your tooth could become infected, however. An injury could cause a deep break. Biting down on something hard may cause a crack to form in a tooth. Either a break or crack could allow bacteria to get inside your tooth faster than a cavity.
Injuries, accidents, and teeth grinding may also weaken the tooth. This can make it unable to support a dental crown, which could be another reason to remove and replace it.
Crowding also can be a concern, especially for someone preparing for orthodontic treatment. In those situations, it may be better to remove one or more teeth before trying to straighten them. This can make your treatment less complicated and reduce the time needed to complete the treatment.

Protecting Your Smile

You deserve to have a healthy mouth. Dr. Hoop and the rest of our team are dedicated to helping you do this however we can.
Prevention is always the best approach. Daily brushing and flossing and regular professional cleanings remove plaque and tartar buildup, which can lead to the kind of infections mentioned above. Wearing athletic mouthguards during practices and competitions also can reduce your risk of the kinds of severe injuries that could lead to teeth being taken out.
Even so, we are here in Southwest Florida to help if you need a tooth taken out. You can contact us online or call (239) 594-8817 to request an appointment.