Blog

Tooth Discoloration

• Jan 24, 2019

What Is tooth discoloration? Your teeth can become discolored by stains on the surface or by changes in the tooth material. Dentists divide discoloration into three main categories: Extrinsic discoloration : This occurs when the outer layer of the tooth (the enamel) is stained by coffee, wine, cola or other drinks or foods. Smoking also causes extrinsic stains. Intrinsic discoloration : This is when the inner structure of the tooth (the dentin) darkens or gets a yellow tint. Causes in...

New Year's Resolutions For A Healthy Smile

• Jan 16, 2019

You might have already started about your New Year's resolutions for a healthy smile. Maybe it's to save more money, get a better job or lose some weight. Many people set new goals about having a healthy lifestyle in 2019. Whatever your goals might be, it is important to take small steps to achieve them. Consistency is key with any resolution that you make. Your dental health is an important part of your overall wellness, and the New Year is a great time to create resolutions for improving your ...

Use It or Lose It!

• Oct 16, 2018

Your dental benefits reset each year. After December 31, you will lose any unused dental benefits. It means that this is a perfect time of year to take advantage of everything your dental insurance provides especially if you have outstanding treatment. Here are some of the services you may want to receive before December 31st. Dental Checkup Most dental insurance companies provide coverage for at least two dental checkups a year. If you haven't received a dental cleaning in the last six mo...

Periodontal Disease: Causes and Prevention

• Oct 16, 2018

What Is It? Periodontitis is a term used to describe a group of conditions that involves inflammation of the gums and other structures that support the teeth. Periodontitis is caused by bacteria found in dental plaque and often, but not always, starts as gingivitis. In trying to eliminate the bacterial infection, your body produces substances that destroy the structures that hold the teeth in the jaw, including the periodontal ligament and underlying bone. As this process continues, the teeth...

What Are The Stages Of Gum Disease?

• May 16, 2018

What is Gum Disease? Gum disease is an inflammation of the gums that can progress to affect the bone that surrounds and supports your teeth. It is caused by the bacteria in plaque, a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth. If not removed through daily brushing and flossing, plaque can build up and the bacteria infect not only your gums and teeth, but eventually the gum tissue and bone that support the teeth. This can cause them to become loose, fall out or have to be removed ...

Toothbrush Care and Replacement

• Feb 23, 2018

How can I take care of my toothbrush? To keep your toothbrush and yourself healthy, make sure you let it dry out between uses. Toothbrushes can be breeding grounds for germs, fungus and bacteria, which after a while can build up to significant levels. After using your toothbrush, shake it vigorously under tap water and store it in an upright position so that it can air out. To prevent cold and flu viruses from being passed between brushes, try to keep your toothbrush from touching others when i...

Caring For Your Dental Implants

• Nov 29, 2017

Dental implants have been used successfully for many years. Your implant should last for a very long time if you take the following points to heart. Smoking This is one of the greatest risks for implant-related complications. You should therefore try to quit smoking. Oral Hygiene Thoroughly cleaning and caring for the implant during all steps of the treatment is extremely important. Careful attention to your oral hygiene every day is important for the survival of your implant. Maintenance Visiting y...

Should you have your wisdom teeth removed?

• Nov 13, 2017

Jennifer Flach was a college junior when her wisdom teeth started making themselves known. "My other teeth started moving around," she remembers. "The wisdom teeth were pushing out and undoing some of the orthodontic work I had done in high school." At the same time, her brother — who's two years younger and was also in college — had no symptoms. But the family dentist suggested his wisdom teeth should come out too. Jen and her brother had back-to-back wisdom tooth extractions and recovered t...

Taking Care of Your Teeth

• Sep 28, 2017

Teeth for a Lifetime Thanks to better at-home care and in-office dental treatments, more people than ever before are keeping their teeth throughout their lives. Although some diseases and conditions can make dental disease and tooth loss more likely, most of us have a good deal of control over whether we keep our teeth into old age. The most important thing you can do to maintain good oral health is to brush and floss your teeth regularly. Most mouth woes are caused by plaque, that sticky laye...

Severe Tooth Pain? Here's What You Can Do

• Sep 05, 2017

Any injury to the gums or teeth can be very painful. In some cases, however, the cause of severe dental pain is not obvious. For example, pain that comes on suddenly may be caused by particles of food that got lodged in a cavity and have started to irritate the nerve inside the tooth. If you lose a filling or a crown, the nerve inside the tooth may be exposed, and you may feel severe pain when air or hot or cold substances touch the uncovered part of the tooth. Pain that bec...