A Detailed Look at Food and Teeth Stains

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detailed look at food and teeth stainsThe fact that food can stain teeth should be no great revelation. After all, given the rich, dark pigments that many of our favorite foods and beverages share, staining seems almost inevitable. Still, that does not make the burden of tooth stains any lighter to bear.

When you understand how foods stain teeth, preventing the blemishes makes more sense and can be accomplished with greater success. Fortunately, if you fail prevent your food from staining your teeth, then you can brighten your smile with a professional teeth-whitening treatment. (more…)

filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Hygiene

Why Worry About Gum Recession?

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why worry about gum recessionYour gums comprise the soft tissue that surrounds and seal the lower parts of your teeth from food debris, bacterial plaque, infection, and decay. Like a gasket in a motor, this seal can lose its grip for a number of reasons, including normal wear and tear.

While gum recession can occur naturally, it still spells trouble for your oral health by exposing your teeth’s roots and making your gum tissue vulnerable to disease. Often, your gums may recede because disease has already set in. Regardless of the cause, gum recession is a problem that must be addressed if you wish to protect your smile from damaging oral health issues. (more…)

filed under: Uncategorized

How to Overcome Bruxism

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stop bruxismNeglecting your oral health by refusing to brush and floss your teeth is a sure-fire way to destroy your smile. Sometimes, though, you can expose your teeth to damage in a much subtler manner, such as through unconscious habits that can destroy your tooth’s structure. One such habit, called bruxism, involves the grinding of one’s teeth, which is a common reaction during times of excessive stress, anger, anxiety, or other negative emotions, but is destructive when indulged continuously.

Bruxism patients typically grind their teeth while sleeping, when they are helpless to stop it, and may not notice their condition until their oral health begins to suffer from it. If you notice tooth damage, or happen to catch yourself grinding your teeth often, try these tips to overcome bruxism and save your teeth. (more…)

filed under: Patient Education, Preventive Dentistry

Should You Choose a Dental Crown?

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should you choose a dental crownDid you know that your teeth are protected by the second-strongest substance on earth? Although only diamonds are stronger than tooth enamel, your teeth are not invincible and can become damaged or severely decayed if not properly cared for. Unfortunately, unlike other tissues in your body, the structure of your tooth contains no living cells, which means once it is damaged, it cannot repair itself.

By choosing a dental crown to cover and protect your tooth, however, you can stop tooth damage from becoming increasingly worse, and eventually needing extraction. (more…)

filed under: Restorative Dentistry

Drawbacks of Metal Amalgam Tooth Fillings

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drawbacks of metal fillingsFor over 150 years, the tooth filling of choice has been metal amalgam—a mixture of liquid mercury, silver, tin, copper, and sometimes other metals. While amalgam has proved an inexpensive and adequate solution to filling cavities, there are many disadvantages to amalgam fillings that are alleviated with the use of newer, composite resin fillings.

Comprised of acrylic and quartz-like particles, composite resin fillings are often called tooth-colored fillings because they can be tinted to match the color of your tooth. However, appearance is only one of the benefits of choosing tooth-colored fillings. (more…)

filed under: Patient Education, Restorative Dentistry

The Danger of Not Treating Cavities

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danger of not treating cavitiesCavities are the most widespread (and among the most uncomfortable) dental diseases that can afflict your smile. The tragedy among the 90% of adults in America who’ve had to deal with tooth decay and cavities is that the disease is highly preventable with proper dental hygiene and regular professional maintenance. Nevertheless, many people don’t seriously consider the health of their teeth until tooth discomfort forces their attention to the fact that they have one or more cavities. (more…)

filed under: Cavities, Dental Health, Patient Education

An Early Start on Your Child’s Good Dental Health

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early start on child's good dental healthGood habits develop early in life. One of the earliest habits kids learn is their oral hygiene routine, which can have a significant impact on their oral health for the rest of their lives. Fortunately, we can help you get an early start on your child’s good dental health with a few tips from your experienced family dentist!

Tips to Teach Your Child Good Hygiene

  • The teething process can be tedious for parents and babies alike. To ease the discomfort, give your baby something to chew. A teether must be big enough not to swallow, and it must not consist of small pieces that can break apart. Frozen teething rings can harm a child’s sensitive gum tissue, but a cold teether can feel quite good. Avoid liquid-filled toys, because they may puncture and leak.
  • Don’t allow your baby to fall asleep with a bottle in his or her mouth. Sugars in milk or juice can contribute to decay and baby bottle syndrome, a painful condition.
  • Wipe your baby’s gums with a clean, soft, damp cloth. This will remove bacteria from the gums and acquaint him or her with the feeling of a clean mouth. You can also rub your baby’s gums with a thoroughly-cleaned finger.
  • When your baby’s first tooth arrives, brush it with a soft, infant-sized toothbrush and water. Fluoridated toothpaste should not be used until the child thoroughly understands the need to spit out toothpaste (usually around 3 years old). Ingesting too much fluoride can lead to white stains on teeth, called fluorosis.
  • Once your child can use toothpaste, apply only a pea-sized amount to the brush. Be careful not to allow your child to swallow the toothpaste.
  • When all of your child’s teeth are in, teach him/her to brush at least twice a day, and to floss gently between all of their teeth. Make brushing fun by singing the alphabet or another song. Singing also provides a timeframe for brushing. The Alphabet Song is about the perfect length!

filed under: Children's Dentistry, Dental Health

When Your Tooth Is Chipped

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when your tooth is chippedA chipped tooth isn’t always a dental emergency. If the damage is superficial, then the only thing immediately affected might be your smile’s appearance. Sometimes, though, the harm done to your tooth can place it at risk, or the damage can grow worse over time and lead to more dental health issues. When your tooth is chipped, it should be fixed as soon as possible, and we offer a number of cosmetic and restorative treatments to meet every patient’s specific needs. (more…)

filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry, Restorative Dentistry

Porcelain Veneers: Essential FAQs

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Blonde Woman has Questions about Porcelain VeneersSurprisingly strong and exceedingly lifelike, porcelain veneers make up a crucial part of many smile makeover treatment plans. While many people assume that “getting veneers” means having these thin sheaths of porcelain placed on all the front teeth, some cosmetic treatment plans only include veneering one or two teeth. Our frequently asked questions are designed to help you learn whether porcelain veneers might be the right cosmetic dental treatment for you. (more…)

filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry, porcelain veneers

FAQs About Teeth Whitening Alternatives

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Smiling Woman Thinking about her Alternatives to Teeth WhiteningNo matter what type of professional teeth whitening system you choose, you can trust that it will reliably remove most types of tooth stains. However, there are certain types of tooth stains that cannot be removed via traditional whitening products. These include the severe brown or grey discolorations caused by some kinds of medications and the chalky white discolorations that characterize excessive fluoride exposure. When the stains come from within the tooth, you will need to discuss a non-chemical treatment option with your cosmetic dentist. Making the right decision regarding the beauty of your smile will be much easier when you learn the answers to these frequently asked questions about alternatives to teeth whitening. (more…)

filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry, teeth whitening