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How to Maintain the Results of Professional Teeth Whitening

A professional teeth whitening treatment is a quick and effective way to achieve a renewed, radiant smile. Stunning white teeth can help boost your self-esteem and give you the confidence to share your smile. Unfortunately, whitened teeth can lose their appeal if not properly cared for. Diet, age, and certain daily habits can contribute to surface stains or discoloration. To maintain the results of your professional teeth whitening treatment, here are some helpful tips. Avoid Highly Pigmented...

What Causes Sensitive Teeth?

Teeth sensitivity is a rather frustrating oral health issue that can prevent you from enjoying hot or cold foods and beverages. It can also keep you from chewing and, in some cases, even talking comfortably. Overly sensitive teeth can be caused by numerous oral health, dental hygiene, and medical complications. Understanding the various causes is key to managing and preventing tooth sensitivity. While numerous factors can contribute to teeth sensitivity, the top causes include: 1. Acidic Foods...

Recognizing the Symptoms of TMD

The TMJ or the temporomandibular joint is a sliding-hinge-like joint that connects the jawbone to your skull. If you frequently suffer from severe jaw pain, have noticed ringing in your ears, or experience unusual headaches, you could be exhibiting symptoms of TMJ disorders. Temporomandibular disorders or TMDs affect the nerves, muscles, and joints around the jaw. TMD result in jaw muscle dysfunction, which controls jaw movement and often causes chronic facial pain. Causes of TMD and Risk Fact...

Motor Vehicle Accidents and Sleep Apnea

While motor vehicle accidents are unexpected events, several factors can increase the likelihood that one will occur, including a driver who has consumed alcohol, is speeding or driving recklessly, or has been driving for a long time without a break. Certain health conditions like obstructive sleep apnea can also impair your ability to drive safely. If you’ve been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, it’s important to understand how the condition can raise your likelihood of being invo...

How Good Oral Health Promotes Your Overall Wellbeing

One of the biggest mistakes people make regarding their health and wellbeing is overlooking the importance of oral hygiene. While most of us know that we risk cavities, tooth decay, and loss of teeth if we don’t take care of our oral health, few of us fully grasp how interdependent our oral and general health are.  The Connection Between Oral Health and General Wellness The human mouth is home to various kinds of bacteria, but they are harmless for the most part. Things start to become...

Your Guide to Implant-Supported Dentures

Implant-supported dentures offer the durability and reliability of dental implants and restore your full smile like traditional dentures. However, unlike regular dentures that rest on your gums, implant-supported dentures are surgically attached to your jaws using dental implants. If you need to replace four or more teeth in a row, implant-support dentures could be the right option for you. How Do Implant-Supported Dentures Work? Dental implants are artificial tooth roots made of titanium allo...

Frequently Asked Questions About Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy is a procedure to save a tooth that has become unhealthy, damaged, or badly decayed. During this procedure, the infected pulp or tissue filling the tooth’s chamber is cleaned out to prevent further damage to the tooth. Why is a Root Canal Carried Out? The root canal is the narrow passage where the nerve is situated. When this area becomes infected, it can be painful and cause serious health problems if it is not addressed. In most cases, the unhealthy area will, over time,...

Infant Oral Health: Caring for Your Baby’s First Teeth

Some parents wonder why they should take care of their baby’s temporary teeth when they are replaced with permanent ones in a short period of time. However, from the very first tooth, your child will benefit immensely from proper dental care. If decayed milk teeth fall out, they do not provide a proper place for permanent teeth to emerge and can cause future teeth to come in crowded or crooked. Decayed teeth also affect speech development and can interfere with good nutrition due to bit...

Tips to Make Wearing Braces More Comfortable

When you first get braces or have them adjusted, they might feel uncomfortable for a few days. This adjustment period is perfectly normal, but there are ways to help make your braces more comfortable. The following tips can help make your braces more comfortable: Talk to Your Dentist or Orthodontist If your braces are uncomfortable, don’t suffer in silence. The first week can take some getting used to, but if they’re quite uncomfortable after this period, talk to your dentist or orthodonti...

Gingivitis vs. Periodontitis

Gingivitis—a word most of us know from common television commercials that bodes ill for any mouth. While it may sound alarming, gingivitis is actually a treatable and minor form of gum disease. On its own, there is little to fear with proper dental care. If left untreated, however, gingivitis can lead to more serious dental complications such as periodontitis. Skip those fear-driven commercials and learn the straightforward facts about both gingivitis and periodontitis. Keep reading to explo...

Understanding the 4 Types of Dental Bridges

Your options for replacing missing teeth, whether they have been extracted or fallen out due to severe structural damage or decay, include four types of dental bridges. A dental bridge consists of a false tooth or teeth (known as a pontic) anchored by abutment teeth topped with crowns. By closing gaps, dental bridges help improve bite strength, make it easier to talk, prevent your teeth from shifting into open spots, and restore your smile. Typically, the pontic has a natural appear...

6 Ways to Straighten Your Teeth Without Braces

Having misaligned teeth can take a toll on your confidence, but modern dentistry makes it possible to overcome this challenge. There are several teeth straightening options that your dentist may recommend to either straighten your smile or reduce the appearance of misaligned teeth. Braces can straighten your teeth and make your smile appear more even. However, they come with several downsides, such as being uncomfortable, being difficult to clean, and requiring some dietary adjustments. The be...

What Your Tongue Can Tell You About Your Oral Health

You probably don’t give a lot of thought to your tongue, but like your teeth and gums, it’s a vital part of your oral health. If you develop a problem with your tongue, it could indicate a problem with your oral health that needs treatment. The following covers what you need to know about your tongue and how it reflects your oral health: What Should Your Tongue Look Like? A healthy tongue often looks pink, but it can also look lighter or darker. Tiny bumps called papillae cover it,...

Surprising Signs You May Have Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder characterized by partial or complete obstruction of your airway while you sleep. It occurs when the tongue is sucked up against the back of the throat. The most obvious signs of sleep apnea are snoring, daytime sleepiness, or waking up gasping from sleep. However, there are other signs that many people don’t initially recognize as related to sleep apnea. Here are six surprising signs you may have sleep apnea. Frequently Urinating at Night If you find yourse...

What Happens When Wisdom Teeth Are Impacted?

Wisdom teeth are the last set of adult teeth to grow in, usually between the ages of 17 and 25. They emerge at the back of the mouth as your third molars, and most people have two wisdom teeth on both the top and bottom rows of teeth. When wisdom teeth don’t emerge or develop normally due to overcrowding in the back of the mouth, they can become impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth are notorious for causing pain, damage to other teeth, and other dental complications. Impacted wisdom teeth can als...

7 Benefits of Dental Implants

Dental implants are a long-lasting, highly durable tooth replacement option. Because dental implant restorations replace the entirety of your tooth from root to crown, they offer a wide range of improvements to your oral health, dental aesthetics, and overall quality of life. Below are some of the top benefits of dental implants. Natural Look and Feel With the help of modern materials and technology, dental implant restorations are designed to look, feel, and function like your natural teeth. ...

Osseointegration and Dental Implant Treatment

A dental implant is an artificial titanium fixture surgically placed in your jaw to act as a replacement tooth root. While you heal, your implant fuses with the surrounding bone, becoming a permanent and stable part of your jaw. Osseointegration is a vital step in dental implant treatment, as it firmly anchors the plant post so that it can support an abutment and restoration. Read on to learn a bit more about the dental implant process and how osseointegration supports long-lasting dental impl...

How to Help Kids Feel Comfortable at the Dentist

If you’ve ever felt nervous before a dental appointment, you’re not alone. Going to the dentist can be intimidating for many adults, so it’s no surprise that the experience is often anxiety-inducing for kids. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed in an unfamiliar environment, especially when you don’t know what to expect. If your child is worried about going to the dentist, you might be tempted to postpone their appointment until their fears subside. However, it’s...

What Is Bruxism?

Bruxism – or teeth grinding – is common and often occurs while you’re sleeping. Although medical professionals do not fully understand what causes it, bruxism is often linked to stress, certain lifestyle habits, and sleep disorders. Bruxism is sometimes difficult to detect, particularly if you’re grinding your teeth while sleeping. However, it is important to diagnose and treat this condition as early as possible, as continuous teeth grinding can have serious repercussions for ...

5 Tips for Taking Care of Your Dentures

Dentures are an effective, reliable way to restore the function and aesthetics of your smile after losing multiple teeth. Whether you are missing teeth due to an injury, advanced dental decay, or gum disease, dentures can help you continue speaking, chewing, and smiling with confidence. Although dentures can be a permanent solution to missing teeth, you must take good care of them to ensure they last as long as possible. Here are a few tips to help to take care of your dentures. 1. Clean You D...

The Link Between Heart Health and Gum Disease

Recently, researchers have sharpened their focus on investigating the link between gum disease and cardiovascular health. While not everyone with gum diseases will develop heart problems, the two health conditions share a number of shared risk factors, including an unhealthy diet and smoking. Moreover, there is growing suspicion that gum disease can be an independent risk factor for developing heart disease. The connection between gum disease, heart health, and overall wellness underscores the...

What Causes Yellow Teeth?

Discolored teeth can cost you the confidence to talk or even smile in front of your friends and peers. Tooth discoloration is caused by several factors, ranging from poor oral hygiene and lifestyle to genetics and underlying health conditions. With the right cosmetic treatments, your dentist may be able to help you correct tooth discoloration and renew the whiteness of your smile. However, the effectiveness of these treatments will depend on whether the stains are extrinsic or intrinsic. Read ...

Questions to Ask During Your Next Dental Checkup

Whether you are monitoring an existing condition or just keeping up with routine dental cleanings and exams, regular checkups are crucial in maintaining your overall oral health. Each appointment is also an excellent opportunity to ask questions and get expert guidance from an experienced dental professional. The next time you sit in that dental chair, speak up! Make the most of the opportunity by speaking openly with your dental team about your oral health, including any questions or concerns...

Avoid These Habits to Protect Your Oral Health

We live in a chaotic and busy world, and as a result, we all fall victim to numerous undesirable habits. Some of the bad habits you may think are harmless can significantly affect your dental health. If your teeth are broken or damaged, the resulting pain can be excruciating. Therefore, you must constantly ensure that we maintain good oral hygiene and avoid all the undesirable habits that can harm your dental health. Here are some harmful habits that may affect your dental health: Biting Your ...

What You Should Know About Getting Braces as an Adult

While straight teeth can help you feel more confident in your appearance, a well-aligned smile is important for more than just dental aesthetics. Having straight teeth can also make it easier to take care of your oral health and help you avoid dental issues in the future. Although many teens wear braces to address dental misalignment, getting braces as an adult can be just as effective as wearing them earlier in life. It’s normal to have reservations about orthodontic treatment at any age; h...

How to Prepare for Oral Surgery

Oral surgery may seem like a scary proposition, especially if you have never undergone a similar procedure. However, most oral surgeries are completed within a few hours and in an outpatient setting. This means that patients can return home to begin recovering within a few hours after surgery. A little preparation is necessary before surgical procedures such as dental implant placement, bone grafting, or impacted wisdom tooth extraction. While it’s always best to consult with your dentist or...

6 Cosmetics Solutions for Uneven Teeth

Uneven teeth are a common dental issue that affects people of all ages. There are many reasons you may have crooked teeth, including genetics, bad oral hygiene, thumb sucking during childhood, or damage to your teeth after an accident. While various factors can cause crooked teeth, there are also several methods available to straighten your smile. Correcting misaligned teeth can not only have a significant impact on your self-confidence but can also prevent serious oral health issues from deve...

Everything You Should Know About Dental Sealants

With proper oral care and regular dental visits, your adult teeth can last a lifetime. However, you may need dental treatments along the way to protect your oral health and ensure your teeth function for as long as possible. Dental sealants are a common preventive treatment often applied when tooth decay appears likely in childhood. What Are Dental Sealants? A dental sealant comprises a thin coating of plastic applied to the chewing surfaces of your teeth, primarily back molars and premolars. ...

How a Bone Graft Can Help Restore Oral Health

Bone grafting is a procedure that helps improve dental stability and functionality while preserving your facial shape and aesthetics. By renewing the density and strength of your jawbone, bone grafting can help improve your overall oral health or prepare you for certain restorative treatments, such as dental implants. There are many reasons why your dentist may recommend a bone graft. Read on to learn more about how bone grafts can support effective restorative dentistry. Why Bone Grafting Is ...

How Do I Know if My Gums Are Healthy?

When you think about your oral health, it can be easy to focus on your teeth. However, your gums are also an integral part of not only your oral health, but also your overall well-being. Studies have shown correlations between unhealthy gums and a number of general health concerns, including a heightened risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This is because bacteria from damaged or infected gums can find their way into your bloodstream, putting your whole body at risk. So, how can you k...

What Causes a Gummy Smile, and How Can You Fix It?

If you’re concerned about the amount of gum tissue that shows when your smile, you’re not alone. Some dental experts estimate that as many as 10 percent of adults have gummy smiles, and the condition is more common among women. While a gummy smile is usually considered a cosmetic issue rather than a functional one, it can still impact your day-to-day life. You may feel self-conscious about your appearance and may even avoid laughing or smiling in social situations. Fortunately, the...

Smoking and Your Oral Health

Its common knowledge that smoking is bad for your health. It can cause numerous different medical problems and life-threatening diseases, from heart disease, lung disease, and cancer to an increased risk of certain eye conditions and immune system problems. However, you might not realize that smoking also affects your oral health. This habit can have a significant negative impact on your teeth, gums, and jaws. Read on to learn more about why it’s best to avoid smoking for your oral healt...

Fun Ways to Personalize Your Braces

Braces are an effective solution to help straighten your smile and correct dental misalignment. However, many kids and teens aren’t thrilled at the idea of wearing metal brackets and wires on their teeth. However, braces don’t have to be boring or unattractive! There are a variety of design and customization options that can make braces more fun to wear. Instead of choosing generic braces, you can sport unique shapes and colors and stand out from the crowd. Here are a few examples ...

What Can I Eat After Having a Tooth Extracted?

“Will I be able to eat after the procedure?” This is one of the most common questions patients have about tooth extractions. Like many restorative dental treatments, extractions may leave you with some oral discomfort and will require a brief recovery period before you can return to your normal routine. However, there are many foods you can continue to enjoy while recovering from a tooth extraction. What To Eat After Tooth Extraction For the first 24 hours after your tooth extracti...

Answering the Most Common Questions About Veneers

If your teeth have severe staining or discoloration that can’t be corrected with whitening treatments, you might have wondered about the possibility of dental veneers. Dental veneers can correct a wide range of cosmetic dental issues and are an increasingly popular option for people looking to whiten, straighten, or otherwise enhance their smiles. That’s why we’ve compiled the most frequently asked questions about dental veneers, along with their answers. What Are Dental Veneers? Dental ...

How to Reduce Sugar Cravings for Better Oral Health

Your mouth contains both good and bad bacteria. When you eat a lot of sugary foods, harmful bacteria produce acids that remove some of the minerals from your tooth enamel. Although your saliva consistently restores the mineral content of your enamel, the process becomes harder if you consume more sugar. Over time, your enamel will slowly weaken, leading to cavities, tooth decay, and a myriad of other oral health issues. While you can still indulge in your favorite sweet treats occasionally, it...

Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Restore Damaged Teeth

Injuries, tooth decay, and gum disease can ruin your smile and impact your overall oral health in a myriad of ways. Unfortunately, many people with damaged teeth often ignore the numerous restorative treatment options available to them. A damaged tooth can prevent you from chewing food properly and cause difficulties when speaking. Also, if the damaged tooth results in a gap within your smile, it can cause your surrounding teeth to move and become crooked. Fortunately, simple dental procedures...

Answering the Most Common Questions About Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth often cause problems and need to be removed. It’s common to wonder why we have these teeth in the first place and whether it’s necessary to have them removed. The following are answers to some of the most common questions about wisdom teeth: What are wisdom teeth? Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars and are the last adult teeth to appear in the mouth. Not everyone has wisdom teeth, and some people may have fewer than four. For those who have a full set of four wi...

How to Clean Your Teeth With Braces

Cleaning your teeth when you have braces can seem tedious at first, but don’t let this discourage you from looking after your oral health. While braces are an excellent solution to correct misaligned teeth and enhance your smile, they can easily trap food particles and bacteria, which often leads to plaque buildup. It is crucial to clean your teeth properly while wearing braces to protect the health of your gums and teeth. Here are a few tips to help you maintain your oral hygiene with ...

Plaque vs. Tartar: Differences and Prevention

Your teeth are covered by enamel, which makes them hard, durable, and able to handle wear and tear for many years. However, by allowing plaque to build up and harden on your tooth enamel, you increase the risk of developing tartar and associated oral health issues. Often, tartar can compromise your dental health and increase your likelihood of developing gum disease. So, it’s important to understand the difference between plaque and tartar, their signs and symptoms, and how to prevent both ...

4 Tips to Protect Your Tooth Enamel

Tooth enamel is the hard outer layer of your teeth that helps to protect the soft inner tissue, called the pulp, against tooth decay and infection. Even though it is stronger than bone, enamel can wear down over time and leave your teeth vulnerable to damage. You cannot rebuild tooth enamel once it is gone, so protecting it is an essential part of your overall dental health. The following four tips will help you protect your tooth enamel and avoid symptoms such as pain, sensitivity, and disco...

How Lasers Are Transforming Restorative Dentistry

Lasers were first used commercially in clinical dental practices in 1989. Since then, laser dentistry has become a popular treatment solution for several dental procedures involving hard and soft tissues, offering an alternative to drills and other traditional tools. Are you thinking about getting dental laser treatment? Here’s what you need to know about how lasers are transforming restorative dentistry. What Is Laser Dentistry? LASER is short for Light Amplification by the Stimulated ...

What Is Leukoplakia?

It’s easy to feel confused or alarmed when you notice a sudden change in your oral health. If you’ve observed unusual white patches in your mouth, chances are, you’re experiencing leukoplakia. Leukoplakia is a condition in which white or gray patches appear in areas of your mouth due to excessive cell growth. It usually affects the tongue and inner cheeks, although you may also observe the patches on your gums, lips, and bottom or roof of your mouth. Leukoplakia is mostl...

Can Baking Soda Improve Your Oral Health?

Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, has many uses in cleaning and cooking. However, its usefulness doesn’t end there, as it also has applications in oral health. When looking for new ways to improve and protect your smile, it is crucial to ensure that any products you use are both safe and effective. Here are some of the ways baking soda can benefit your oral health. 1. Reduces Acidity and Plaque If the acidity in your mouth is too high, it can lead to eroded enamel and increase your ri...

After Oral Surgery: 4 Tips for a Comfortable Recovery

As with any surgical procedure, aftercare is crucial to promote healing and prevent complications following oral surgery. Whether you’ve had a tooth extraction or you’re getting a bone graft to prepare for dental implants, it’s essential to take proper measures to ensure a successful recovery. Below are a few tips to help you experience a comfortable recovery after oral surgery. 1. Get Plenty of Rest One of the most critical actions to take after oral surgery is resting. Ta...