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What Kind of Toothpaste Should I Use?

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With the plethora of choices that we are posed with everyday, it can be difficult to determine what type of toothpaste is right for you. First, there are several brands to choose from as well as for different purposes. Are you looking for something to whiten your teeth, help your enamel, and prevent cavities or another reason? Another huge factor that goes into choosing the right toothpaste is the flavor. Do you like spearmint, regular mint, or possibly cinnamon?

Well, with all of these options, where do you even begin?

American Dental Association

Next time you are on the lookout for new toothpaste, keep your eye out for the ADA’s seal of acceptance logo. This means that this toothpaste is marked as safe and effective by the ADA and that the claims on the packaging are found true.

Cavities

We are all at risk of getting cavities from our diets and our dental care. If you are looking for toothpaste to help with cavity prevention, make sure your choice contains fluoride. If you choose toothpaste with the ADA seal of acceptance, it will contain fluoride. (Flossing will also help eliminate the risk of getting cavities.)

Enamel strengthening

When you eat a highly acidic diet, your dental enamel could be at risk. This softens the outer most layer of the tooth, putting it at risk of further damage. By utilizing a remineralization toothpaste, you can strengthen your enamel over time.

Sensitive teeth

There are special toothpastes made especially for tooth sensitivity. This would be useful for root canals or patients with periodontal disease. These products contain ingredients to reduce the pain associated with these conditions.

Flavor

This one is up for personal preference. Some form of mint is most popular, giving your breath a fresh scent.

With all of the options out there, we hope that you can determine which option is best for you. Perhaps you have several uses you’d like to include in your toothpaste, sometimes you can find a brand with several benefits.

Overall, it might be more beneficial to consult your dentist for a specific recommendation, from brand all the way to use.

If you’d like to meet with us in regards to your toothpaste choice, let us know.

If you have other questions or concerns surrounding your dental health, we would love to work with you and find a solution for your specific case.

National Orthodontist Month

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October is the month for us all to appreciate orthodontists. Not only do they create beautiful smiles, they create functional smiles! Orthodontists use external appliances to help guide teeth to a straight shape.

Usually, these treatments are used on kids and teenagers, as this is optimal for best results, but that’s not to say that adults cannot benefit from orthodontia.

There are many options for orthodontia, as technologies are advancing. There are traditional methods such as braces, and there are also more subtle methods like Invisilign.

We know orthodontic treatments can be unattractive to many adults but the benefits are very promising.

Benefits

Straight teeth make for less nooks and crannies that plaque can get caught in. This leads to healthier overall oral health as well as healthier overall body health. A poor bite can cause abnormal wear on the teeth and jaw issues if not corrected.

Depending on your specific case of crooked teeth or misaligned jaw, your orthodontist may recommend special treatment.

For more of an aesthetic problem, Invisilign is normally used to help. You wear the retainer for 24 hours a day and swap out the retainer every couple of weeks, working your way up to the straightest one.

In more complex cases, traditional braces will be used. This method gives the orthodontist much more freedom to correct your teeth and jaw bite with one appliance and some accessories.

It is important to remember that while you may want one version of orthodontia over another, it is best to listen to your orthodontists’ advice based on your specific dental issue.

Another use for orthodontics is TMJ. A simple mouth guard could possibly help your TMJ case.

No matter what your age, you could benefit from orthodontic treatment!

As always, each case is different and everyone will be treated differently according to his or her dental condition. If you have an orthodontic related issue that you would be interested in learning more about treatment options, contact you dentist or orthodontist.

Please join us by celebrating National Orthodontics Month by expressing appreciation for your orthodontist or exploring orthodontic treatment options for your dental condition. A straight smile is a healthy smile!

If you would like to set up an appointment with one of our dentists or orthodontists or if you’d like to learn more about your options, please give us a call. We would love to chat!

Acidic Foods and Your Enamel

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Enamel is a very strong substance used to protect your teeth from damage. It does a great job preserving your teeth from normal wear and tear while eating except for when it comes to acidic foods. While other issues can cause enamel to deteriorate, such as grinding or other abrasions, acidic foods can eat right through your most protective layer of your teeth, exposing the vulnerable layers to harsh substances and other factors. Deteriorating enamel can lead to countless other dental issues, so we want to go over how certain foods you eat can damage your teeth and what you can do about it.

So what exactly causes the erosion of enamel?

We’re sure, at this point, that you are aware of the effects that acidic foods have on your teeth. Basically, foods with a low pH level, less than 7, may cause erosion of your enamel. While candies and sodas are sugary and oftentimes harmful to you teeth, they also contain acidic qualities. Many candies contain seriously low pH levels as well as most sodas.

What foods should I avoid?

Surprisingly, foods across all spectrums can be very acidic. Many fruits and vegetables contain low pH levels, while they are healthy, they can also damage your enamel. As listed above, candies and sodas are not good for your overall health. They are also harmful to your tooth enamel.

So what kind of diet should I try to maintain?

This is a better question for your dentist, as they can take a look at your current condition and give you professional suggestions based on your case specifically. However, a general rule is to maintain a diet of a higher pH level or more alkaline.

Specific things you can do to help keep your enamel healthy:

  • Drink water throughout the day to rinse the mouth of dangerous acids.
  • Use a straw to drink acidic drinks.
  • Use a fluoride toothpaste.
  • Chew sugar-free gum to create more saliva to rinse the mouth of dangerous acids.

We hope you take it upon yourself to look at your diet and make changes accordingly to ensure that your enamel stays healthy to protect your oral health. Talk to your dentist and schedule a check-up at least twice a year. They will be able to give you a more personalized plan, should your enamel need extra care.

If you have any questions or if you’d like to make an appointment with us, give us a call.

What Are the Effects of Teeth Grinding?

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Many people around the world suffer from teeth grinding and are usually unaware of their habit. While there are symptoms that you can look out for as signs of teeth grinding, there are usually other factors involved causing you to grind your teeth. As with other dental issues, dental health and overall health are very connected with one dependent on the other and vice versa. So we want to take a look at what causes teeth grinding in the first place and what can we do to control it or ease the symptoms?

Causes of teeth grinding

Grinding your teeth is usually accompanied by increased stress or anxiety. This happens to people of all ages. If you have a lot of stress or anxiety in your life, you could be grinding your teeth and not even realize it. While most of us do grind our teeth occasionally, it really becomes an issue if it is a constant habit, causing oral health problems.

Symptoms of teeth grinding

Since most harmful teeth grinding occurs during sleep, it can be hard to tell if you have an issue. The most common symptoms to keep and eye out for are headaches, sore jaw muscles, tooth sensitivity and others.

Effects on dental health:

Teeth grinding can cause serious dental issues and it can do damage to previous dental care. Grinding can cause wear on tooth surfaces, chips or cracks in the teeth, increased tooth sensitivity, tooth loss, gum recession, dental decay, and more.

So how can we treat it?

Some home remedies can be to reduce your stress and anxiety. Try to calm down and relax. Learn to give your jaw a break. You can massage the jaw muscles to release tension or use a warm wash rag to hold on your jaw to help relax the muscles. In addition to these, it is highly recommended that you see your dentist right away if you are experiencing teeth grinding. It is best to catch the issue early and do the least amount of damage possible.

If you or someone you know is experiencing teeth grinding, take a closer look at the issue and try to prevent any further damage. If you have and concerns or if you would like to schedule an appointment with us for your teeth grinding, give us a call. We look forward to helping you get back on track and get your teeth looking as healthy as can be.

Wisdom Tooth Removal

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Usually beginning in your early adult years, the four or less furthest back teeth in your mouth, your wisdom teeth, may begin to give you problems. It is very common for people to have these teeth removed to prevent any overcrowding or decay. Some people have enough room in their mouths to keep their wisdom teeth without experiencing any complications or problems. So at what point is it recommended that you remove your wisdom teeth?

Impacted teeth

Impacted wisdom teeth means that the wisdom tooth is disturbing other teeth or is growing in at an odd angle, getting trapped partially under gums. This can result in pain, food particles getting stuck and tooth decay. Leaving an impacted tooth can alter the way that your teeth sit in your mouth, causing your teeth to go crooked. If you have ever had orthodontic work, this is a bad idea. Having impacted teeth is the most common reason for wisdom tooth removal.

The procedure

If it is deemed necessary that your wisdom teeth must be removed, at your scheduled appointment for your wisdom teeth extraction you will be given anesthesia to put you to sleep during the duration of the surgery. Your dentist may need to remove some gums or bone that may be covering your tooth, if necessary. Then they will be able to properly remove the tooth and sew the wound with stitches.

Recovery

Your dentist will prescribe pain medication to take during your recovery time, which usually only lasts a couple of days or so. You will want to relax during this time and eat foods that you don’t have to chew. You will want to avoid touching the wound in anyway for the first couple of days to ensure that it will heal properly. Keep and ice pack to reduce the swelling and inflammation.

Wisdom teeth removal can be a bit scary to people, but it is a very common and necessary procedure to preventative dental health. By removing your wisdom teeth, if needed, you protect yourself from future complications and infections. So do yourself a favor and check with your dentist about your wisdom teeth, just because they aren’t causing a problem now doesn’t mean they won’t in the future.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with us to determine your wisdom teeth needs, give us a call. Don’t hesitate to come to us with any additional concerns or questions.

The Purpose and Process of Dental Sealants

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You can feel and see that our teeth, especially our molars, have several groves and dents. The way that our teeth are shaped presents a risk for food particles and plaque to get caught in, causing decay. By sealing our teeth with a thin coating, we provide an extra barrier of protection for our teeth, keeping them healthier, longer. Sure we can brush and floss our teeth, as we should, but sometimes bacteria can get caught in the crevasses of our teeth and cause cavities.

Sealants are made of different types of materials and the specifics vary from dentist to dentist. The basic principles are the same. Your dentist will prepare your tooth by cleaning it thoroughly; adjust the tooth’s surface to ensure a secure and solid bond, and apply the sealant to the tooth while ensuring that it dries quickly and properly.

Sealants are recommended for almost anyone that would like to maximize the protection of their teeth. However, most often, sealants are performed on children and adolescents that are developing their adult teeth. By sealing the teeth at this cavity prone age, you and help protect your child’s teeth from cavities for about 10 years post-sealant!

Upkeep for sealants is simple, have your dentist check for chips in the sealant and monitor the wear to best project when you may need to get your teeth resealed.

To keep your sealants in tip top shape, avoid eating especially hard or gummy foods such as jawbreakers, licorice, caramels, etc. as these foods could cause your sealant to pop out of place.

Sealants are a major factor in preventative dental care. Protecting your teeth from harmful decay and cavities will save you a lot of time, money, and hassle in the future.

Most dental insurance providers cover dental sealants, however, it is always a good idea to check beforehand, just in case. We recommend contacting your insurance provider directly before making an appointment for dental sealants.

Once you’re ready, make an appointment with your dentist! Getting dental sealants is a fairly simple dental procedure and will really benefit your overall dental health in the long run. You already brush and floss your teeth, now is the time to take your preventative dental care to the next level.

To schedule an appointment with us to discuss dental sealants or to seal your teeth, give us a call!

How to Avoid Dental Injuries

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As we see summer come to an end, we can expect school to be right around the corner. In no time, football games, swimming and diving competitions along with so many other contact sports will be in full swing. With all of these physical activities comes some concern for dental injuries. So how can you protect your children’s smiles while encouraging them to participate in extracurricular activities?

The most common solution to preventing dental injuries from sports is the use of a mouth guard.

With almost any major sport that children participate in, mouth guards are recommended or required. These typically cover the upper teeth to protect broken or chipped teeth as well as damaged lips. For those of you with some other form of orthodontia, talk to your dentist for recommended solutions.

So how do mouth guards work exactly?

There are several different types of mouth guards to choose from, however, it is necessary that whichever moth guard you chose does not restrict your breathing and fits properly or it could not work as well as it should.

Custom mouth guards are designed by your dentist to fit your teeth as comfortably as possible and provide you the best protection against dental damage.

Boil and Bite mouth guards are made in a pre-formed shape that is designed to be altered after boiling in hot water and biting down on the plastic for a recommended amount of time, offering a decent fit and comfort. Be sure to follow directions closely to ensure the best fit and protection.

Stock mouth guards are ready to wear when you buy them, however they provide the least protection and worst fit, but it is better than no protection!

Whichever style of mouth guard you decide to choose for your needs, make sure you change it out every so often as it can get quite nasty with all of the bacteria present in your mouth. To reduce the amount of times you will need to change it out, take extra precaution to keep it clean.

When it comes time for you or your children to shop for a mouth guard for sports related uses, talk to your dentist for recommendations and help deciding which option will be best for you.

If you have any additional questions about dental safety and sports or if you would like to ask us specific questions related to your dental needs, give us a call.

Health Benefits of Having Straight Teeth

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We all know how important it is to care for our teeth and overall oral health. Brushing is a must and don’t forget to floss! We want to keep our teeth in tiptop shape, avoiding harmful foods that can destroy our enamel and cause us cavities. But one area of oral health that we often overlook is straight teeth! Orthodontics is mainly thought of as a cosmetic dentistry treatment. So how can having straight teeth help benefit your oral health?

Here are some of the benefits to having a straight smile:

Healthier gums –

Having straight teeth allows for your gums to fit properly around your teeth, reducing the risks of periodontal disease. When teeth are too crowded, it can be difficult to clean in between teeth, which will ultimately cause gum issues.

Cleanliness –

To piggyback off of the prior benefit, having an orderly set of pearly whites makes space for easier brushing and flossing. There will be fewer crevasses and spaces open for food or plaque build up. Build up of food particles and plaque will eventually lead to tooth decay.

Less tooth wear and abnormal bite –

With straight teeth, they sit in each other, for less wear on enamel. When teeth are crooked they can rub on each other, wearing them down over time. Along with the rubbing, crooked teeth can cause an abnormal bite, whether it be an overbite or under bite. Having a serious bite issues can cause difficulty chewing.

Reduces headaches –

Crooked teeth can cause stress on the gums and jaw, oftentimes resulting in misalignment of the jaw. When the jaw is out of place with tension and stress placed on it, you may experience headaches.

Overall health –

It has been proven that when you improve your oral health, you will in turn improve your overall health. You will reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, gum disease and many other health concerns.

If you are interested in straightening your teeth and improving your smile as well as your health, we have several options you can choose from. You are welcome to give us a call or set up an appointment to discuss which option may be best for you.

We want you to look and feel the best that you can. Let us know how we can help you and we will do our best to accommodate you and improve your oral health.

Cavities and Your Kids

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We often forget that children can develop cavities at any age. From before their first tooth comes in, it is important to care for your child’s oral health. Cavities and tooth decay are almost always preventable with a healthy diet, great dental hygiene habits and regular dental cleanings and check ups. However, despite it’s preventability, tooth decay remains one of the most common childhood health issues. The rate of cavities in children and toddlers is becoming a serious issue and it is growing. We are seeing tooth decay and cavities form on baby teeth as well as permanent teeth, which can have negative effects on a child’s overall health.

Below, we will give you some tips on how you can help prevent cavities and tooth decay in your child’s teeth.

Dental Visits: When and how often?

This varies from patient to patient, but to be safe, we recommend making an appointment with your family dentist as soon as your child has their first tooth. This allows us to show you proper techniques to caring for such little teeth and preventing cavities. We will also let you know when you should bring your child back in for their next check up.

Care for your own dental health.

Sharing things like utensils, straws, or anything else that can transmit saliva can bring harm to your kid’s teeth. There are specific cavity germs that are easily transmittable through saliva, so be sure you are keeping your dental hygiene in check too!

Limit the sugar intake.

For the younger kids, it is very important to limit the sugar you allow in their diet. This not only helps their dental health but it also helps their overall health. Avoid putting your baby to bed with a bottle, but if you feel you have to try to stick to water.

At each stage in life, there are different guidelines to caring for your child’s teeth. This is why it is so important to visit the dentist regularly and follow their guidelines for at home care. Also take into consideration your own dental health and the eating habits of your children and your family.

We know how important it is to develop healthy dental habits from a young age.

If you’d like to meet with us about cavities in children, or if you have any other questions or would like to schedule an appointment, give us a call!

Denture Care

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There are a couple different types of dentures ranging from a complete set of teeth to a partial set of teeth. This type of dental service is useful in cosmetic situations as well as functional situations, when it comes to eating or talking. The most important part about dentures is that they help you while remaining a comfortable piece of dental wear. As all dentures are custom fit for you, it is really important that you keep your dentures in good condition.

We have some tips to help you keep your dentures in tip-top shape!

Brush and Rinse:

Just like natural teeth, dentures need to be brushed and rinsed everyday. Do not use a toothbrush or tooth paste made for real teeth, instead, use products created specifically for dentures, as this will reduce the risk of any scratches or other damages.

Use a Denture Cleaner:

After brushing all of the plaque and food debris from your dentures, use a denture cleaner. Ask your dentist about which dental cleaner you should use and specifics on how to use it properly. Usually, you will submerge the dentures in the solution for a given amount of time, letting them soak to get them extra clean!

Avoid:

Steer clear of abrasive materials like rough bristles. Do not use whitening products or bleach. Hot water is also not recommended. Avoid using these things as they can cause issues to your dentures.

Visit Your Dentist Regularly:

As with any dental service, it is important to know that everything is going well. This will ensure that you are maintaining a good dental health and that your dentures fit and work properly. If you are having any issues with your dentures, your dentist will be able to work with you to fix the issue.

Keep these tips in mind while caring for your dentures. Take care of them as if they were your natural teeth and always keep your dentist in the loop. They are there to recommend specifics to all of the tips listed above.

If you have been considering dentures and are not sure if they are the right option for you, give us a call or make an appointment with us and we can discuss your situation and what options you have. We know dental care can be a tricky area to navigate, but we are here to help you through the process.