Spring has sprung, and summer is almost here! The sun shouldn’t be the only thing shining bright this season. Your smile is a great feature to show off to friends, family, coworkers, social media, a date and everyone else! Need help to show off your smile confidently? Our team can help you achieve the look you desire.

The American Dental Association (ADA) found in a study that 28-29% of the people they surveyed said the appearance of their mouth and teeth affected their abilities to effectively interview for a job. In the same study, one in four adults (and 35% of young adults) said they avoid smiling because they are unhappy with their mouth and teeth, and one in five adults (and 33% of young adults) said they experience anxiety when it comes to showing off their smile.

A few insecurities people typically feel about their teeth include gaps, crookedness, discoloration (yellowing) and chips in the teeth. With modern technology and encouragement from all of us here, you have options to create a smile to be proud of and show off to the world. Some treatment options include the following:

– Teeth Whitening: Do you have yellowing teeth or want your teeth to have a brighter shine? Professional teeth whitening can help you achieve the desired whiteness that will last longer than an over-the-counter option.
– Chip Repair: Dental veneers and dental crowns are both options to repair that chip or crack in your tooth.
– Orthodontic Treatment: Orthodontics not only improve your look by straightening your teeth but can benefit you healthwise. The better alignment of your teeth allows more secure gums and correct jaw alignment as well as better speech and chewing. A popular option is clear aligners for those who don’t want to wear metal braces.
– Dental Implant: Missing tooth? You can fill in the space with an implant, which not only helps your smile aesthetically but also improves your oral health.

Be sure to take care of your smile as well with the following tips:

– Dental Care: Brush twice a day, floss once a day, use mouthwash to get rid of bacteria and avoid smoking or using tobacco.
– Eat Healthy and Drink Lots of Water: By eating right and drinking water, you can help your teeth get the needed nutrients they need to be strong. Drinking water throughout the day helps flush out food particles that lead to unwanted bacteria.
– Visit the Dentist: Be sure to visit your dentist twice a year to get a dental cleaning and exam. We check for cavities and any signs of oral cancer.
– Mouthguards: If you are playing a contact sport or doing something that may cause a fall, be sure to wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth from chips or losing a tooth.

If you’re having trouble being confident with your teeth and mouth, give our office a call. Our team will be happy to help you find the answers to a better smile and the look you want. It’s time to be confident in your healthy smile! Schedule a consultation today, so we can answer any questions you may have about treatments. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Although we are turning back the clock for daylight savings, you can’t turn back time on your teeth. Studies have shown that one in five Americans has untreated cavities, which is decay that has damaged a tooth’s hard, outer enamel layer and created small holes. Cavities can arise in people of all ages, including children and infants. Factors can include how well you take care of your teeth each day, what foods and beverages you regularly consume, and your family’s dental history. These can all play a role in developing cavities.

Dry mouth, or insufficient saliva production, is a common oral condition that places you at higher risk of cavity formation and is often accompanied by bad breath. Tobacco and alcohol users are prone to dry mouth as are those taking certain medications, aging, or undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Cavities form when sugary, starchy foods feed the oral bacteria that thrive in the sticky bacterial film you know as plaque. The bacteria produce acids that wear down the tooth enamel until they reach the softer dentin layer underneath protecting the tooth pulp. Cavities tend to form in the back of the mouth within the grooves of the molars, between the teeth and around the gum line, which are also areas that are harder to clean and get rid of plaque.

Signs You May Have a Cavity:

– Experience tenderness in the gums
– Tooth sensitivity when consuming hot or cold items
– Painful sensitivity in or around your teeth
– Having tooth pain that interferes with your sleep
– Dark stains
– Small holes
– Pain when you bite down
– Soft areas on your teeth

What You Can Do

The good news is, preventing cavities is very simple if you follow some of these basic rules:

– Limit your intake of sweets and sodas
– Brush at least twice a day
– Floss at least once daily
– Rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash
– See your dentist for routine dental cleanings at least twice a year
– If you are cavity-prone, use products with fluoride that protect tooth enamel or consider having dental sealants placed.

Detecting cavities in the earliest stage – when they can be treated easily and less invasively – can save you pain, time and money. For example, cavities found early on can be treated with a simple dental filling. For bigger or deeper cavities, a root canal treatment may be necessary to remove damaged pulp or treat an abscessed tooth. A badly broken tooth may be fixed with a crown at the gum line. If a tooth is lost, a dental crown, bridge or implant may be needed to keep the surrounding teeth from shifting into the gap left behind.

The best way to prevent cavities is to take daily care of your pearly whites and to visit your dentist twice a year to support those daily efforts. To find out if you have any cavities or need to treat an existing one, please give our team a call, and we will be happy to set up an exam with our skilled team. We look forward to helping you keep your smile healthy, beautiful and cavity-free!

Have you been waiting for the right time to get teeth whitening treatment? There’s no better time than the New Year! In 2019, you are setting all kinds of new goals, and one goal you can shoot for is a whiter and brighter smile. Teeth whitening lightens teeth, helping remove discoloration and stains that have taken place over time.

The primary target of a teeth whitening is the tooth enamel, which results from the natural color combined with the color of the dentin underneath. The reflecting light off the dentin gives you the overall color of your smile. Other defining factors are the smoothness and thickness of the enamel, which is usually the result of inherited genes as well as the overall wear of the enamel over time. Some reasons your smile might not be not so bright may include:

– Poor dental care (not brushing and flossing every single day or not attending your biannual dental visits)
– Natural aging (wear and tear; dentin starts to yellow over time)
– Smoking or tobacco stains
– Dark-colored liquids (coffee, tea, soda, wine)
– Dental trauma (if the dentin is damaged, it can create a darker layer underneath the enamel)
– Medications (certain medications or medical care can cause discoloration or dental damage)

If these sound like reasons you have yellowing teeth, then we can help find the solution to give you a whiter smile. The teeth whitening process is simple; whitening products contain a safe tooth bleach that breaks up stains and targets your tooth enamel. There are three common options:

– Stain Removal Toothpastes: These usually contain mild abrasives and polishing agents, which remove stains on the enamel surface.

– At-Home Teeth Whitening: Our team can provide you with trays for at-home teeth whitening with instructions on how to whiten, for how long and how much solution to place in the trays. You can also purchase an over-the-counter bleaching product, but be sure to discuss options with our team.

– In-Office Teeth Whitening: Typically only requiring one to two visits, chairside bleaching is quickly done. A protective gel or rubber shield protects your gums, and then the bleaching treatment is applied to your teeth.

Before you get teeth whitening, there are a few factors to consider:

– If you have sensitive teeth
– White spots
– Tooth decay
– Infected gums
– Dental work (dental bridges, crowns, veneers, etc.)
– Previous tooth injuries
– Current medications

We invite you to speak to our team about whether you’re a good candidate for teeth whitening. We will work with you to figure out your best options. Of course, one of the best and simplest ways to keep your smile white and bright is to maintain excellent dental care. This includes brushing at least twice a day, flossing once a day and seeing your dentist at least twice a year (preferably every 6 months). Also, you should consume healthy, non-staining foods and drinks as much as possible.

To find which teeth whitening option is best for you or to schedule your next dental appointment, please give us a call. We will be happy to schedule a time for you and help you achieve your best smile today!

Your daily brushing and flossing routine is crucial to thwarting dreaded cavities and gum disease from invading your smile, but by itself, it’s still not enough to maintain top-notch oral health. There is a reason we recommend regular dental cleanings and exams!

Seeing our dental team for routine dental checkups and cleanings supports your daily oral hygiene efforts by taking care of those things you can’t at home, like removing tartar (that hardened plaque of sticky film which destroys gum tissue and tooth enamel) as well as detecting problems early when they are the least invasive and costly to treat. Surprisingly, plaque and tartar can build up in a short period of time making your mouth vulnerable to all kinds of dental issues.

When you come in for a routine dental cleaning, our experienced team will scrape the tartar off of the gum line and below it, as well as give your pearly whites a thorough polish and flossing. Polishing removes stains on tooth enamel that builds up from the food and beverages consumed.

You will also receive a thorough examination of your oral tissues, including the gums and the throat along with your teeth. With the help of dental X-rays, we can detect problems that may not be noticeable to you right now, such as cavity formation, gum disease, oral cancer, jawbone issues, bite issues, impacted teeth, abscesses, diabetes and more.

Why You Should Come in Twice Yearly for Dental Cleanings

– Save tooth enamel from the destructive acids in plaque and tartar as well as the effects of bruxism (teeth grinding).

– Keep gum disease from inflaming your oral tissues and preventing tooth and bone loss.

– Make sure your jaw bone is healthy and supportive to prevent tooth and bone loss.

– Keep your teeth whiter and brighter by removing stains and discoloration.

– Keep your breath fresher and prevent halitosis.

– Detect oral cancer in the early and most successfully treated stages.

– Keep your body healthier as your mouth is free of disease, including heart disease and stroke.

– Maintain previous dental restorations such as fillings, crowns, dentures, etc.

If you are at increased risk for dental issues, it is crucial that you don’t skip annual dental cleanings and checkups. High risks include being 55 and older, male, a woman experiencing hormonal changes like menopause or pregnancy, being a regular tobacco user or regularly drinking alcohol. You are also at greater risk if you have diabetes or cancer, take medications that result in dry mouth, have poor oral hygiene, are excessively stressed or have a family history of poor oral health.

In addition to preventing oral issues, seeing our dentist for preventative maintenance can reduce the amount you spend on extensive dental work down the road, including lower dental insurance. Preventative maintenance is a wise investment in your oral health and overall health as well as your bank account. With the holidays in full swing, gift your loved ones and yourself with end-of-year dental cleanings and start your new year off with better dental health!

October is here and fall has officially begun, bringing with it Breast Cancer Awareness Month as well as National Dental Hygiene Month. This is a time to raise awareness for both and help to prevent problems by monitoring your health and being mindful of your lifestyle choices. Whether you are fighting cancer or dental problems, catching problems in their early stages helps stack the success rate in your favor.

When it comes to breast cancer awareness, you can find out about local and national outreach to educate yourself about steps you can take to help prevent and fight this disease. In addition, your overall health can have an impact on your oral health, and vice versa. According to the American Cancer Society, all women should have a breast exam by a physician every three years from the age of 20-39, and after that, yearly at age 40. The ACS also advises conducting breast self-exams every month. When it comes to your day to day habits, eating a balanced diet, limiting alcohol intake and avoiding smoking can help you tip the balance in your favor to prevent this deadly disease.

October is also when we celebrate the work dental hygienists do to protect your oral health and prevent dental problems. It allows us to stress the importance of regularly monitoring your oral health to catch problems in their early stage when they are most easily and least invasively treated. As with breast cancer, avoiding smoking (or tobacco in any form) and limiting alcohol can help you prevent oral cancer. There are also steps you can take to keep oral cancer away:

What You Can Do:

– Avoid smoking and tobacco in all its forms.

– Limit alcohol use or avoid altogether.

– Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, particularly between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Use sunscreen to help protect your skin.

– Shield your lips with a lip balm containing SPF 30 or more when you are outside.

– A daily diet rich in cancer-fighting fruits and vegetables for their phytonutrients and other unique compounds. Vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes and garlic, and fruits like berries, red grapes and citrus.

– Keep up with all routine dental checkups.

When you see our dentist for routine cleanings and exams, we will also be checking for oral cancer. Cancer can show up on the lips, inside your mouth, on the salivary glands, your tonsils, the back of the throat, on your tongue or esophagus. If you are being treated for cancer anywhere in your body using radiation or chemotherapy, your dental health can be impacted so it’s especially important to check for problems.

When it comes to your daily oral hygiene habits, you want to maintain healthy teeth and gums to avoid oral cancer and other dental problems. As part of Dental Hygiene awareness month, we encourage you to follow the advice of the American Dental Association which promotes your best dental health.

Dental Hygiene Tips

– Brush at least twice a day with a toothbrush that fits into your mouth easily. Brush the surfaces of all your teeth – the front, back, and tops – and don’t forget the ones in the back. Also, brush your tongue to reduce bacteria in the mouth and fight halitosis.

– Floss between the teeth and around the gum line at least once a day with a flossing method of your choice. Be sure you clean between your pearly whites daily to avoid harmful build-up or the hardening of plaque.

– Rinse with a non-alcohol microbial mouthwash to remove bacteria and biofilm that can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.

– Chewing sugar-free gum for 20 minutes after meals can stimulate healthy saliva production which neutralizes harmful acids and washes away bacterial debris.

Daily brushing, flossing, eating healthy and checking your mouth monthly for signs of unusual activity can all go a long way in protecting your health for a lifetime of healthy smiles. For October, we encourage you to take stock of your overall health as well as your dental health and do what you can to live your healthiest life. You hold the keys to better health by detecting problems early on when the success rate is highest. We wish you the best of health and are here to support your daily efforts!

When it comes to protecting your teeth, your first line of defense against tooth decay and cavities is tooth enamel, as it is the outermost covering that protects the more vulnerable dentin and tooth pulp below. Your enamel comes equipped for the job as the hardest substance in your body. However, because it doesn’t have living cells it can’t grow back once it is lost.

The number one enemy of tooth enamel is acid. It eats away at the enamel leaving it vulnerable to decay as it weakens. Because tooth enamel protects the lower layers from acids and plaque, protecting it is vital to your oral health. Be sure to limit these harmful items as much as possible, and be sure to clean your teeth at least twice a day. Here are some items to avoid:

– Soda
– Fruit juice
– Flavored water (has citric acid and other additives)
– Sugary snacks like cakes, cookies and candies
– Starchy snacks like chips, crackers, pretzels and bread
– Citrus fruit

Of course, it’s not just about what you leave out of your diet that protects tooth enamel. There are foods that can help strengthen tooth enamel, so let’s take a look at them.

– Probably the number one food choice for healthy teeth is rich in calcium which helps form strong teeth and bones. Cheese, which is high in calcium, also helps balance your oral pH which lowers the acids that attack the enamel. Besides cheese and other low-fat dairy items like yogurt, you can find calcium in fortified rice and soy milk, sardines and salmon in the can, almonds, and dark leafy greens like kale, broccoli and spinach.

– Foods rich in vitamin D help your body absorb calcium. Vitamin D is abundant in milk, salmon, margarine, as well as soy and rice beverages which are fortified.

– Your teeth also need phosphorus which you can find in eggs, meat and fish.

– Vitamin A, found in sweet potatoes, red peppers, mangoes and kale.

– Beta-carotene in fruits and vegetables which are orange.

– Magnesium rich foods like bananas, whole grains, and spinach.

For healthy tooth enamel, you also want to make sure are hydrated throughout the day. Water helps support saliva flow and keeps your mouth debris-free while helping all the bodily tissues.

Healthy eating habits, combined with daily tooth brushing and flossing and regular dental checkups and cleanings can help your teeth and gums stay strong for a lifetime of healthy smiles.

If you would like to have our team provide you with a thorough dental cleaning and exam, we invite you to call and schedule an appointment today. We look forward to providing you with the quality care you deserve.