Oral Health FAQs in Camp Springs, MD

Brush for two minutes, twice a day, with a soft brush and fluoride toothpaste. Angle the bristles toward your gumline and use short, gentle strokes. Cover every surface, including the backs of your molars, where plaque builds up fastest.

Yes, clean between your teeth once a day, because your toothbrush can’t reach those surfaces. Slide the floss gently against each tooth in a C shape and move it up and down. If floss is hard for you, interdental brushes or a water flosser also clean between teeth.

Use any toothpaste with fluoride, because fluoride strengthens enamel and helps prevent cavities. Pick a flavor you like so you’ll actually brush for the full two minutes. Ask Dr. Hosch at your next visit if you want a recommendation for sensitive teeth.

Most patients come in for a cleaning and exam about every six months. Dr. Hosch may recommend more frequent visits based on your gum health, cavity risk, past dental work, and oral hygiene. At your cleaning and exam, he’ll set a schedule based on what your mouth needs.

A new patient can start with the $99 New Patient Special, which includes full-mouth X-rays, intraoral 3D scanning, a comprehensive exam, and a regular professional cleaning.

We accept 14 insurance plans, including Delta Dental PPO and Premier, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Cigna, Aetna, MetLife, Guardian, and CareFirst. Financing comes through Tua, Cherry, and CareCredit, and we offer in-house membership plans. See the new patient information for details.

Book Online

Call (301) 301-6595 and ask for a same-day appointment. Hosch Dental Clinic offers same-day emergency appointments for severe toothaches, broken or chipped teeth, knocked-out teeth, and abscesses. Read more about same-day emergency appointments.

Come in anyway. There’s no need to explain why you waited. Dr. Hosch will check your teeth and gums, explain what he finds, and tell you whether a regular cleaning fits or your gums need a different type of care.

Start with a cleaning and exam. You don’t need to know what treatment you need before you book. Dr. Hosch reviews your X-rays and 3D scan with you, answers your questions, and tells you whether anything else needs attention.

Sugary drinks and sticky snacks do the most harm, and sipping or snacking all day makes it worse. Each time you eat or drink something sugary, the bacteria in plaque make acid that attacks your enamel for about 20 minutes. Water, cheese, and crunchy vegetables are easier on your teeth.

Yes, how often you eat sugar matters as much as how much. Three sweets with a meal cost your teeth less than one sweet drink you sip for an hour. Rinse with water after sugary foods, and brush with fluoride toothpaste twice a day.

Tooth pain, sensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet foods, and visible spots or holes are the most common signs of tooth decay. Early decay often doesn’t hurt at all, which is why a regular exam matters. A small cavity needs a simple dental filling, and a large one needs more.

Bleeding gums when you brush or floss are the most common sign of gum disease. Other signs include red, swollen, or tender gums, bad breath or a bad taste that doesn’t go away, receding gums, and loose or shifting teeth. Dr. Hosch treats gum disease with gum and bone disease treatment, which includes scaling and root planing and bone grafts.

Early gum disease usually doesn’t hurt, so bleeding is often the only warning. Don’t wait for pain to book. A cleaning and exam lets Dr. Hosch check your gums for inflammation before it advances.

Bring your child to a dentist by their first birthday, or within six months of their first tooth. The first visit is short and mostly about checking growth and answering your questions. Hosch Dental Clinic cares for the whole family, so you can book your visits with Dr. Hosch and our team.

Use a smear of fluoride toothpaste, about the size of a grain of rice, for children under 3. For ages 3 to 6, use a pea-sized amount. Help your child brush twice a day until they can do it well on their own.