Keep your Teeth White For Summer

When the weather changes I always end up thinking about health.  It may be strange, but I try to see the next season as another chance for me to get better.  I am talking about this lovely warm weather we are starting to have.  For me that means that lots of fun times away and many of them revolve around drinks and food that is very Summer-like.  This issue is that your teeth may end up struggling to cope with all the extra dietary decisions you are putting them through.  This Summer many people will give their dental hygiene a difficult time and will struggle to keep their teeth safe from their own habits of eating and drinking more acidic and sugary foods than normal.  So let's go over something that can keep your mouth safe this Summer and may help keep your teeth healthy and not having any issues later on.

Habits are really key to life.  Doing well and having great brushing habits can save your dental health. The best way to do this is to follow the good old brush twice a day routine.  The ADA is usually right on all things dental and they suggest that you should brush your teeth for a full two minutes twice a day.  The other suggestion is to add fluoride toothpaste to the brushing.  This is to help protect the enamel from being eroded.  This is because the Summer drinks simply cause lots of acids to attack your teeth and the sugar if it is not brushed away will actually erode your teeth.  It is a scary thing to think about that the drinks you love can actually harm your teeth. We all know brushing is not the end all be all, but it surely can help. 

With all the different classic things to do many of us need to add floss and also mouthwash to our daily routine.  Generally, most Americans don't floss and they rarely use mouthwash effectively.  Following the actual instructions on your mouthwash can help get the sugar and acid off your teeth.  Keeping your teeth strong and having fewer holes in your enamel is something these can really help with. 

There are other things you can also do and a great way to prevent Summer drinks from harming you it is wise to help protect your teeth after you binge on that Summer treat.  It is great to keep a bottle of water around to help rinse your teeth off after a Summer snack.  Not only will the water help, but it will keep your body hydrated.  It will actually not only hydrate you but help increase saliva.  Saliva is the body's natural mouthwash and it helps to continue to clean your mouth. I highly suggest drinking water after Summer snacks and keeping a good bottle of water nearby.  

Obviously you are what you eat does have a key phrase.  And your diet has a big part to play in your dental health.  It is important to eat and drink less of the things that can harm your body.  It is not necessary to stop Summer snacks all at once, but it is sure a good thing to slow down on the intake and keep your mouth safe. So take preventative measures and brush enough to protect your teeth.  Just find a good toothpaste and keep at it this new season. 

Start 2021 with the best resolutions for your teeth

It is 2021 and now is the best time to get your dental health on the right track this year with these new routines! Happy New Year!  As we ring in the new year, we all like to draft lists of things we think we’ll be better about doing for the next 12 months. Oftentimes these things are related to personal goals. Perhaps we want to increase our knowledge, so we vow to read more books and attend a few conferences. Or maybe we’re looking to cut out negative things in our life like smoking or drinking, so we say we’re going to cut back on our bad habits each and every month.  More often than not, New Year resolutions are tied to our health. We want to lose weight, get in shape, eat better, gain mass, and ultimately strive for physical (even tangible) results.  But what about the health of our teeth? That’s definitely something we could strive to be better about, and it also produces visible results. Perhaps we want our teeth to be a bit whiter, a bit straighter, and overall just healthier. 

If you want to really kick off your new year right, stop in so we can assess your teeth and get you on the right track. Just click below to visit our site and set up an appointment.  Without further adieu, here are a few things you should put on your list of resolutions to aid the overall health of your teeth.

Make sure you are brushing twice a day.  Let’s start small and ramp up into the harder things. So many of us do not abide by this dental standard. A lot of us may be good about brushing in the morning to mask any bad breath before going into work, but this is the wrong reason to be brushing your teeth. 

THis also means that you need to make sure you’re brushing your teeth thoroughly for the right reason: removing plaque and bits of food that have become lodged between your teeth. Doing this once a day simply isn’t enough, so be sure to crack down on your nightly routine, too. It’ll take a while to build up this habit, but you’ll be able to set a good foundation for yourself if you tackle this early.

We don't like the idea of it but you need to also floss once a day.  We’re building it up. We’re getting there. Once you’ve really got the hang of brushing in the morning and at night (and in the middle of the day if you really feel like going above and beyond), it’s time to incorporate a strict flossing routine. This only needs done once a day, so pairing it with your morning or night routine would be just fine. It only adds another few minutes to your regimen, so why not throw it in with your second brush of the day that you’ve already been practicing?

Take a leap on a procedure you’ve been needing.

Whether this is a teeth whitening, having cavities filled, or even correcting the alignment of your teeth, you should think about pulling the trigger to go in and have it done. It’s now or never, really. By the time you’re a few months in to your new routine, you’ll likely be feeling confident about it all and want to do even more for your dental health. 

Things To Know About Cosmetic Contouring

You may consider going for cosmetic contouring if you are afraid to smile due to cosmetic dental problems. This process is also known as enameloplasty or tooth reshaping. It is a solution to fix misshapen teeth. Here are a few things that you may want to know about this procedure.

Cosmetic contouring procedure

This procedure is quite simple. The dentist will use a laser or other tools to remove a part of the enamel to reshape or adjust the length of your teeth. After the contouring procedure is complete, he will polish the enamel to make it look appealing. You may go home after getting your tooth or teeth polished.

What are the benefits of this procedure?

The most significant benefit of this dental procedure is that it provides instant results. This entire procedure doesn’t take more than an hour, which means that you can get results in a single, short appointment. Because there are no nerves in your tooth enamel, there is going to be no pain. Thus, if you are concerned about the discomfort or pain associated with a dental procedure aimed at improving your smile, you may discuss cosmetic contouring with your dentist. Another quite significant advantage of this procedure is that it is permanent. With no chance of your tooth enamel growing back, your reshaped smile will remain in that fixed shape for the rest of your life.

What are the disadvantages?

As for the disadvantages, the first one is that it is viable only for minor cosmetic issues, such as slightly misshapen teeth or teeth appearing too long. According to a report published by The Journal of Microscopy Research Technique, the average thickness of a permanent tooth is 2.58 millimeters. You are going to need some of the tooth enamel to retain enough tooth strength to chew your foods comfortably. If your teeth are overly misshapen, you may not get satisfactory results from this procedure.

With your tooth enamel becoming thinner after the procedure, you will need to be even more careful about your dental hygiene and preventative dental care. It will become crucial to be mindful of enamel demineralization. Furthermore, it will be necessary for you to avoid using a toothbrush with hard bristles. Using a soft-bristled toothbrush will keep your teeth clean and enamel undamaged.

Is this procedure right for you?

You may wonder if cosmetic contouring is the right procedure to fix your smile issues. The thing is, you will need to speak to your dentist about whether or not you can have this procedure. The dentist will check your smile to determine the extent of cosmetic treatment that you are going to need. If the issue is a minor one, you may get a go-ahead for the procedure. In case your smile cannot be fixed with cosmetic contouring, the dentist will choose more aggressive dental procedures, such as braces.

If you are concerned about the discomfort and difficulty maintaining your dental health with braces, you may discuss with your dentist the perfect solution. Sometimes, a few tips may help you figure out the best way to remain on top of your dental hygiene with braces on your teeth.

Sensitive teeth are the worst

There’s nothing worse than worrying about what you can and can’t eat.  Think about adding in warm and cool drinks into that and now we are talking about a life-changing experience. With such a warm (even sweltering, at points) summer on our hands, we’re likely to visit an ice cream stand or grab some popsicles for the kids all too often to help ward off the heat.

But what if it’s torture to yourself to eat ice-cold foods such as these? What if you have sensitive teeth? You know, the feeling of wincing when you bite into ice cream on the wrong side of the mouth? You end up teaching yourself to use your other teeth that aren’t so sensitive just to enjoy your favorite frozen treat.  Whether your teeth are overly sensitive to hot foods or cold drinks, the cause of your sensitivity may boil down to the erosion of your enamel and a loss in dentin. Stop in to visit us so we can advise you on what your best options are. Just click below to visit our site and set up an appointment.

Thankfully, there are ways to prevent further sensitivity and even help strengthen your teeth. Read on to check out your best options.

If you are having sensitive teeth issues quickly go see your dentist. 

It goes without saying that regular visits to the office can help to prevent further dental problems. But teeth sensitivity is something we can help to alleviate, whether it’s prescribing specific kinds of toothpaste, following up with other dental procedures, or simply cleaning your teeth. The cause to your sensitivity isn’t always clear-cut or easily self-diagnosed. Be sure to see us so we can provide you with a solution.

Work your best to really avoid acidic food and drinks.  We all overindulge in the holiday months and that is no excuse to stop having good habits. 

Anything from soda to energy drinks and candy to specific fruits can wear down the enamel on your teeth. While eliminating these may not be entirely possible, cutting back on your intake of acidic food and drinks can go a long way in preserving the health of your teeth.

It should be obvious but steer clear of whitening products that bleach.  This is an item that can help kill all bacteria in water, but it is not a very safe way to do it.  It can also really harm your teeth directly. 

There are methods out there to whiten your teeth. However, ask us first before you purchase a product off the shelf at your local store. Not all teeth whitening products are healthy for you, especially those that bleach your teeth directly. This can directly erode the enamel, leading to—you guessed it—further sensitivity. 

Get into a good routine and make sure you are maintaining your basic standards of dental care. 

While this seems like a no-brainer, brushing your teeth often, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash daily all help to keep your teeth in good condition. The fluoride found in most kinds of toothpaste helps to strengthen your teeth. So the better you maintain your daily routine, the better your overall dental health, which includes the sensitivity of your teeth. Also remember: brushing too hard can be damaging to your enamel and gums.