What Causes Cavities

The last thing you want to hear when you go to the dentist is that you have a cavity. So what causes cavities? Here’s a quick rundown on the different types of cavities, what causes them and how you can help to avoid them.

Prevention and Treatment of Periodontal Disease

Despite the common belief that if we brush our teeth they can last a lifetime, there are some diseases that can affect even the most cautious cleaners. Unlike tooth decay that is primarily caused due to poor dental hygiene, gum diseases such as periodontal disease can happen to people with perfect health, albeit less frequently. Since the disease is caused due to a build-up of bacteria-filled plaque in between the gums and teeth, there is a different procedure for both preventive measures and the treatment of the diseased gum line than traditional dental care, which primarily focuses on preventing tooth decay.

Like any ailment, prevention is more effective than even the best form of treatment for periodontal disease, which with the proper knowledge can only take out about 5 minutes of your day on cleaning your teeth. While it may seem obvious, one of the easiest ways to prevent the spread of bacteria that can cause or worsen periodontal disease is to regularly brush the lower parts of the teeth that connect to the gums. Along with proper brushing with a fluoride paste, you should floss around the roots of teeth to prevent the plaque buildup that can loosen the gums and cause further complications.

It is important to be aware of the fact that some conditions that can make a predisposed individual more susceptible to developing periodontal disease. Family history of the disease can greatly increase your predisposition to being affected by it and it is a good idea to alert your dentist if it runs in your family. People who partake in tobacco use in the form of cigarettes or chew also greatly increase their odds of getting infections in their gums.

Periodontal disease is usually treatable when caught early by a dentist with knowledge of the symptoms. Bleeding or receding gums and loose feeling teeth, accompanied by a lingering bad taste, may be warning signs that you are developing periodontal disease and it is urgent that you seek treatment. If you are concerned that you may have the beginning symptoms of the disease, call your local dentist and schedule an appointment so they can begin taking steps to hinder the development and prevent further infections. Untreated periodontal disease has even been linked to developing heart disease.

The standard procedure for treating periodontal disease often involves a thorough cleaning of the area of the gums that connects to the roots of the teeth, followed up with smoothing the roots to prevent further infections. However, for more severe cases that result in tooth loss, implants and crowns may be necessary to protect the remaining teeth from further damage. If you have already been diagnosed with periodontal disease or believe you have the symptoms, your dentist will give you an individualized treatment plan. Closely following this treatment plan can make a significant difference in your health.

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How to Choose the Right Cosmetic Dental Procedure for You

Cosmetic dentistry is one of the fastest growing dental trends because more and more people are getting concerned about the physical appearance of their teeth. In fact, the majority of patients seeking cosmetic dentistry do it to improve the physical attractiveness of their teeth to gain more self-esteem and confidence.

If you've considered getting some cosmetic dental work done, you might be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of options available to you. Depending on the results you want, you may have to take some time deciding between different procedures, especially if this is your first time getting cosmetic dental work done.

Identify Your Needs First

After you've decided that you want to improve the look of your teeth, you'll need to decide exactly what that means to you. Do you want your teeth to be whiter? Maybe you want them to be straighter. You might want to finally fix that one tooth that's always looked "off." Consider what your needs are first because your cosmetic dentist will want to know what you want to achieve from the procedure.

If possible, try and find examples of what you want online. Many cosmetic dentists post before and after pictures on their websites, which you can easily find with a quick Google search. The cosmetic dentist you hire will also likely have a book of before and after pictures for you.

Get a Consultation

After you've got a good idea of the end results, set up a consultation appointment with the cosmetic dentist of your choice. These consultations are incredibly helpful as they allow you to first determine whether the dentist you chose is right for you or not. If they are, you can continue to discuss treatment plans that will work best for your situation.

If there are any facts about cosmetic dentistry you don't know, a consultation appointment is the perfect time to ask questions. In fact, most cosmetic dentists recommend you ask as many questions as you want. If you're comfortable with the procedure, their job is much easier in the long run.

Treatment and Recovery

During the initial consultation, after a specific procedure has been identified, ask about the treatment process and recovery time. Some cosmetic treatments don't require any recovery time at all, while others require several months of recovery. The amount of time you need to spend recovering may be an essential factor in your decision process.

Your dentist should explain every step of the process you choose during the consultation and subsequent appointments. This way, you know as much as you can before actually going in for the treatment itself.

Making the Decision

After attending your consultation appointment, you may want some time to go home and think about things before making your final decision. It's important you take this time to weigh all your options, if multiple are available, so you can make a decision that's best for you. If you have any additional questions during this time, don't be afraid to reach out to your cosmetic dentist.

Cosmetic dentistry can vastly improve the physical appearance of your smile, but it's also a very personal decision. Take your time making a decision. The more comfortable you feel about it, the easier the entire process will be, both for you and your dentist.

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Crest Pro-Health with the ADA Seal of Acceptance

Crest Pro-Health now has the ADA Seal of Acceptance for preventing and reducing enamel erosion from dietary acids.

How to Handle a Dental Emergency

Sports injuries, falls, and accidents can all lead to a lost filling, cap, or other dental emergencies. Here are some temporary first aid measures to hold you until you get professional treatment.

Can You Reverse a Cavity?

Read more about what remineralization is and how to reverse cavities: http://askthedentist.com/nutrition-prevent-cavities/

How Many Teeth Should Adults Have? | Tooth Care

Healthy Teeth: How many teeth should adults have?

By age two, we should have approximately 20 primary teeth. As we get older, these teeth shed and an adult human should have 32 teeth. Most people, however, have their wisdom teeth extracted and as a result end up with 28 teeth. Sometime teeth are also removed for orthodontic purposes or for braces. If you have too many teeth, this can cause problems with esthetics or crowding. If you have too few teeth, the spacing can cause teeth to drift or tilt and that can also cause problems with your bite. In that case you have to talk to your dentist about filling those spaces with implants, partial dentures or bridges.

Dental Floss - Where You Need It, Why You Need It

Flossing your teeth is more important to your well-being than even brushing and the most effective method of reducing the need for a dentist and preventing disease. So what has the effect? Why do some individuals floss, while others battle? Why do some individuals get the significance while others raise each reason on the planet to maintain a strategic distance from it?

Possibly individuals don't have the foggiest idea about the significance of flossing. They think, "I brush my teeth twice per day, my breath feels new, how awful would it be able to be?" Individuals typically don't understand that their breath stinks, and a great deal of times their friends and family are excessively decent, making it impossible to let them know reality.

Here is my best contention for flossing. These focuses are what I used to persuade my patients to floss at my practice; half of the time it works! Ideally, you'll change over (or be significantly more determined) subsequent to perusing the accompanying:

• The main aim of flossing isn't to remove food from the teeth. It's to get rid of brass. Busting out the floss regularly prevents gum disease and tooth loss. Everybody gets brass, and it can only be removed by flossing or a deep cleaning from your dentist

• In case you're going to pick in the middle of brushing and flossing, FLOSS!!! Yes, I said it... FLOSS! I know it sounds opposing yet the microorganisms in the middle of your teeth can thoroughfare more harm than the plaque and microscopic organisms on the front and back of your teeth. Your spit, tongue and different sustenance's deal with expelling the greater part of that. Be that as it may, in the middle of teeth, sustenance, microbes, and plaque just fall off with flossing

• A lot of times individuals will tell me they don't floss because it causes their gums to bleed. What they don't know is that healthy gums don't have enough of a blood supply to bleed, no matter how hard you brush or floss.

• "Flossing should not be a painful experience, but stopping flossing because of bleeding [or pain] is just the opposite of what you should be doing," says Mark S. Wolff, DDS, PhD, chairman of cardiology and comprehensive care at the NYU College of Dentistry.

• If you brush and floss daily, the bleeding and pain should stop in less than 2 weeks. If it doesn't, see your dentist.

• It may be hard to floss if you're tired or nauseated. But it's important to keep up with your brushing and flossing routine. Pregnancy can cause a wide range of dental issues, from gum disease to enamel wear.

• Ideally, you should floss at night, but as long as you floss once every 24 hours, in most cases, your gums and teeth will be protected. There's always a perfect time to floss - most of us are stuck in traffic during the day, or on hold on a phone at some point. Sure, it's not sexy, but who's watching? And it's way sexier to have a clean, non-smelly mouth!

• Utilize these points to floss effectively:

1. Form a C to follow the shape of the tooth, when the floss reaches the gum line.

2. Grasp the string tightly between your thumb and forefinger, and use a rubbing motion to guide it between teeth.

3. Use fresh sections of floss as you go.

4. Hold the strand firmly against the tooth, and move it gently up and down.

5. Always try to use 18 inches of floss. Wrap the vast majority of it around the center finger of one hand, the rest around your other center finger.

6. Repeat with the other tooth, and then repeat the entire process with the rest of your teeth.

A grown up body of proof suggests that correct tending together with regular flossing will do over keep your smile pretty and healthy. A healthy mouth may also facilitate stop far more serious diseases, a number of which might be life threatening.

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5 Incredible Benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry That You Need to Know

The first thing that people tend to notice about others is their smile. However, people who are not happy with the way their smile appears will always be smiling less. This may affect their self-confidence and how they enjoy their lives. However, this can be corrected using cosmetic dentistry. There is a wide variety of dental procedures that can be carried out to help you look and feel beautiful whenever you smile.

Whiter teeth

Cosmetic dental procedures involve teeth whitening, which is meant to get rid of any discoloration. Whitening involves the use of bleaching gel on the teeth, which is activated using a curing light, a process that takes approximately one hour. Permanent stains on the teeth can also be removed by applying a layer of shell on the outer part of the teeth.

Enhance smiles

Chipped teeth tend to have a bad appearance that can ruin your smile. However, cosmetic dentistry can correct this problem. A thin layer of resin is usually applied on the tooth to cover up the structure that is lost. Dental crowns can also be placed on fractures, broken and decayed teeth.

Replace missing teeth

Most people who lose a tooth may have problems chewing food and some end up feeling self-conscious. Artificial teeth are manufactured from porcelain and appear natural. This will enable you to smile again because you will not have noticeable gaps on your gums. Most of these porcelain teeth can last for over ten years. Therefore, you would not have to worry about anything for several years to come.

Restores confidence

Most people who have broken teeth or discolored teeth are never happy about their smile. This means that they smile less often so as to hide the issues with the teeth. However, one can boost their self confidence and enhance the quality of their lives through cosmetic treatments. This way, you will not be afraid of people seeing your crooked, chipped, missing or stained teeth.

Boosts health

Cosmetic dentistry is not just about enhancing your appearance. It can also help you maintain healthy gums and teeth. Reshaping, whitening and straightening of crooked teeth can motivate individuals to put more effort on their dental hygiene. This is because individuals tend to alter their drinking and eating habits to evade staining or darkening of teeth. Overall health is improved because people avoid sugary drinks, excess coffee, junk foods and cigarettes.

Cosmetic dentistry has evolved over the years to be painless, successful, effective and faster procedures. Continuing studies and research in this field ensure that individuals get their desired look in an effective and safe manner. Most procedures can even be done in one session, for example, teeth whitening. Therefore, you do not have to hesitate to get that beautiful smile that you always dream about.

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What Is Preventative Dentistry And Why Is It Important?

Caring for your teeth is important. Starting good practices now can save you a lot of pain and money in the future. Preventative dentistry aims to protect the health of your teeth in both the short and long term.

What Am I Trying To Prevent?

Preventative dentistry protects you from a number of dental problems, including cavities and tooth decay. Cavities can lead to more serious problems such as abscesses. Other potentially severe issues could include gingivitis and gum disease. Poor dental health has also been linked to ailments such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

How Often Should I Visit My Dentist?

Unless you are dealing with a more serious dental problem, you should visit your dentist once or twice a year. While you're at these regular visits, you should receive both a cleaning and a checkup. If your dentist spots a cavity early, she can usually prevent further damage by placing a filling in the tooth.

What Can I Do At Home?

Preventative dentistry starts in the home. Make sure you practice good dental care every day. If you have children, start teaching them early about the importance of taking care of their teeth. These lessons will last a lifetime.

You should brush at least twice daily with fluoride toothpaste. If you can, you should also brush about an hour after each meal, which gives your mouth time to restore its natural mineral balance. Don't forget to brush your tongue as well, as this helps remove bacteria from your mouth. And you should remember to replace your toothbrush several times a year. When you notice the bristles starting to fray, throw it out and get a new one.

Finally, you should always floss daily. This will help get food out from between your teeth where regular brushing might not reach. A good way to get kids to do this is by using floss picks, so they don't have to struggle with holding the thread between their small fingers.

Are There Any Foods I Should Avoid?

Foods and drinks that are highly acidic or that contain a lot of sugars may be harmful to your teeth. This can include sodas, sugary juices, fruits, and desserts. If you do choose to have one of these foods, you should try to rinse with mouthwash as soon as possible to remove the acids and sugars from your mouth. However, you shouldn't immediately brush after you eat or drink because your teeth become softer and are therefore more susceptible to damage. Drinking acidic or sugary drinks through a straw can also reduce contact with your teeth and may help prevent acid erosion.

What Else Can I Do?

Maintaining your overall physical health can have a significant impact on the health of your mouth. Drinking plenty of water can help protect your teeth by keeping your body healthy and hydrated. You can also take a multivitamin to make sure your body is getting the nutrients you need to keep your smile strong. You should also avoid smoking cigarettes or excessive alcohol consumption, as these can cause mouth cancer.

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