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When it comes to good oral hygiene, following the basics is really all you need to do. There’s no need to follow gimmicks or new fads. Practicing the essential oral hygiene habits truly are all you need to do to enjoy good oral health for your entire life.

Below are what we believe to be the quintessential – and easy – oral hygiene habits everyone should follow:

1.      Brush twice a day, floss at least once a day. Repeat. Every day.

You know the drill: brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice a day and flossing your teeth once a day are the bedrock of good oral hygiene.  Doing so removes bacteria and plaque that could eventually erode your teeth, causing cavities, and/or lead to gum disease, possibly resulting in tooth loss. Your dentist is always telling you to brush and floss for one simple reason: they work!

Use a soft-bristle toothbrush and make sure you brush all surfaces of all your teeth, both on the outside and inside sides of the teeth.

2.   Get a professional checkup with your dentist at least twice a year.

Flossing and brushing get most, but not all, of the bacteria and plaque buildup from your teeth. Your dentist will get rid of the rest. If you tend to excrete more plaque than other people, your dentist may recommend that you have a professional checkup more than twice a year. If so, heed his advice if at all possible. The 70-year-old you will thank you.

3.  If you want whiter teeth, use some hydrogen peroxide.

Don’t use a lot and don’t let it get on your gums. Just pour a bit of the liquid into its bottle cap and dip your toothbrush in it. Brush your teeth (being careful regarding your gums) and then rinse the toothbrush and brush your teeth again with fluoride toothpaste.

4.   Get a tongue scraper and use it on your tongue.

Plaque and bacteria also build up on your tongue and a scraper will help get it off. Scrapers are pretty easy to find and aren’t that expensive. But if you can’t find one, brush your tongue with your toothbrush every time you brush your teeth.

5.   Brushing is best, but in a pinch, rinse your mouth after eating.

Not everyone can always brush their teeth after eating. But most of us can certainly rinse our teeth. Doing so will help remove sugars, food bits, plaque, and bacteria from our teeth. Follow up with brushing/flossing in the morning and evening.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Everyone wants whiter teeth. When asked what the number one thing you would change about your smile, it almost always includes whiter teeth. People who whiten their teeth are often inspired to take better care of their teeth to maintain their new smile. Studies have even shown that whitening your teeth makes people more confident in themselves and to the people around them. To top it off, whitening your teeth can make you look 5-10 years younger because yellowing teeth is a sign of aging.

The first step in getting a brand new, whiter smile is to start with a professional cleaning! Brushing and flossing everyday has it's obvious benefits, but even still, calculus (hard deposits) builds up on your teeth in those hard-to-reach places that your hygienist can get off during a cleaning. At that appointment your dentist will usually check for any cavities and want to fill them and do any other work before moving on to the whitening process.

Why Do Teeth Get Darker Anyway?

To understand how whitening your teeth works, knowing why they get stained is a good place to start. Teeth have layers; the hard, outer layer being enamel. This layer of our teeth is porous allowing for staining agents to get down into the teeth and build up over time causing the teeth to appear darker. Hydrogen peroxide (or carbamide peroxide which breaks down into hydrogen peroxide) breaks up those particles by oxidation and makes the teeth appear whiter again. Whitening is completely harmless to the teeth, though it may make them a little hot/cold sensitive for a couple days.

Choosing Your Whitening System

• Take Home Bleach (bleach trays): After any work has been completed on your teeth, impressions can be taken of your teeth and custom trays are made.
• Tubes of bleach are available to buy for your trays and range in their potency.
• The higher the percentage of hydrogen or carbamide peroxide, the faster it will work, but may also cause more sensitivity
• With this system, you can whiten your teeth as much or as little as you want until you get to your desired shade. The process may take a little time, so be patient. Take a before picture so you can compare. Because it can be a gradual change each time, it's hard to tell how much you really HAVE whitened over time.

In-Office Whitening

• This type of whitening uses a higher percentage of hydrogen peroxide and lasts about 30-60 minutes
• Depending on the amount of stain you have, you may need multiple sessions still, but stain is removed at a much faster pace
• Patients stay in the dental office for this procedure

The Bottom Line

Everyone's teeth can be whitened, but everyone will whiten at a different pace. Both bleach trays and in-office whitening have pros and cons, but both will give you the same results. Bleach trays allow for you to do touch-ups down the road for years to come, but take longer at first to get white. In-office whitening is much faster, but is a one-time thing and is often more expensive than trays.

Decide what works better for you and you can be on your way to your new, pearly whites!

Every time you go to the dentist you probably hear the same question: have you been flossing? If your answer is that you don't or that you only do sometimes then your dentist will stress the importance of regularly flossing your teeth. Your dentist will also probably give you complimentary floss. Still, though, many people don't floss their teeth at all, or they don't floss regularly. You probably know you should be flossing, but you don't realize how serious the repercussions can be. Dental care professionals don't say this because they own stock in a floss company!

What Exactly Is Floss?

Floss is a soft thread. It's either going to be made of a multi-filament nylon or mono-filament Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Nylon floss can be waxed or unwaxed and comes in assorted flavors to make the process more pleasant. Sometimes this type of floss will break or tear. PTFE is less likely to shred and break, but both varieties are effective when used correctly.

What Is Flossing?

Flossing, when done properly, reaches parts of your teeth that you toothbrush can't, like between your teeth and under your gum line. To floss, you should start with about 18 inches of your floss thread. Wind it around your middle fingers until you've got about 2 inches to work with. Hold the floss between your forefinger and your thumb, make sure that it's pulled tight and then just work it up and down between your teeth. Be sure to get the floss under your gum line gently, never forcing it. Your gums are very delicate, and if you floss too hard, you can actually cut them. Continue making your way around your mouth using clean sections of floss as you go. That's all there is to flossing.

Why Is Flossing So Important?

Your toothbrush only cleans the surface areas of your teeth. No matter how often you brush or what type of brush you use, it simply won't reach every part of every tooth. There's a tight space between each of your teeth and there's actually a small gap between your teeth and gums too. The tiny particles of food and tiny bacteria that contribute to the formation of plaque have no problem getting into these spaces. Mouthwash can help to kill the bacteria, but it won't help to remove the bits of food that get stuck there, and it doesn't get rid of plaque that has already formed.

Plaque, if left unattended, will eventually turn into tartar. Plaque is a sticky substance that brushing and flossing removes with little effort, but tartar is hard and crusty. Only special tools used by dental professionals and a process known as scaling can remove it. Tartar also makes it more difficult for your regular, at-home techniques to remove new plaque that builds up.

Fighting plaque is a lifelong battle, and it's the main goal of pretty much all dental care. Plaque starts to form between 4 and 12 hours after each brushing, which is why both brushing and flossing are both extremely important. Each time you brush you should also be taking a few moments to floss. The two go hand-in-hand, and they are two tools that work together to complete the job that is cleaning your teeth. When your plaque turns to tartar and you can't remove new plaque, then that new plaque is more likely to turn into even more tartar. This is a dangerous cycle.

Dental health not only keeps your smile looking its best, but it also prevents bad breath, gum disease, and periodontal disease. Tartar creates a home for even more bacteria leading to gingivitis, a gum infection. Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease. The final and most severe stage of gum disease is periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is painful and all around unpleasant. It can even lead to the loss of teeth that have become too infected to save or that have become loosened by the condition eating away at your gums and roots.

Brushing keeps your teeth clean and looking great on the surface, but it's the places you can't see where plaque and tartar can really do the most damage. If your teeth look fine when you smile, but you have bacteria eating away at your gums and teeth below your gum line, then your mouth still isn't healthy. It's only a matter of time before you start experiencing the negative consequences. Simply flossing can save you a lot of trouble and money down the road.

I dedicate this article to those who have been traumatized by dentists and still struggle withdental issues.

The problem is deeper than your broken, painful teeth. It is about how your previous dentists treated you and how they hurt your feelings.

Many people struggle with dental anxiety and stay away from dental procedures at all costs.

I also struggled with my teeth and got cheated and treated badly by dentists in the past. I got to the point where I started to analyze why it happened to me, and what's wrong with them.

In my opinion, dentists who behave nastily to their patients show greediness, pretend that they are on the top in their field, and leave their patients with pain because of their own inner fear of not being good enough specialists. They simply don't have the right personality and skills to work with people.

Dentistry is not only fixing teeth. It is something more: it is understanding and compassion of dental issues. It is also the ability to communicate and create positive, trustworthy, healthy relationships with their patients.

If your smile looks good and you have no pain, you are perceived differently, like a normal person. You feel normal and you are healthy, so you can keep going with life.

But the situation changes when you lose your teeth or the last remaining ones hurt.

Lots of people are ashamed about what happened to them, or they just feel ridiculed and not understood by the dentist.

Teeth are one of the most fragile, intimate parts of the body. When a person (here, the dentist) violates that important place and makes the condition of oral health worse, the emotional trauma begins.

From my own personal experience, I suffered from many dental problems and finding the right diagnosis took me two years of dental procedures.

During that time I met many specialists, many of whom didn't treat my teeth or me well.

Afterwards, during my own personal healing journey, I used a special process to remove toxic emotions. I felt emotionally devastated, but it was only temporary.

Toxic memories, fear, guilt, shame, stress, and low self-esteem are some of the many emotions related to dental PTSD, which drains your essential life-force energy.

People say, "It is OK, don't worry." But it is not OK! Emotions and your heart are great indicators of your inner truth.

Those people are afraid of questioning dentists' work. Dentists might be nice and treat you somehow OK, but only when you agree with what they say.

The situation changes if you start asking questions and looking for the truth.

Yes, the unbearable truth hurts.

Questioning a dentist's work may reveal their inadequacy, their own insecurities and their lack of important dental education.

Many people have been hurt by dentists and still suffer. But now, it is possible to remove all toxicity and bring your dignity and emotional resilience back to your life.

Cosmetic dental implants replace damaged, broken and badly decayed teeth. They are not always necessary and that is why they are a cosmetic treatment. However, missing, broken or decayed pearly whites can greatly affect your appearance and equally your self-esteem and how people perceive you. Missing pearly whites also makes your jaws and cheeks collapse making your face look hollow and much older than your actual age. They are a great way to improve your appearance, make your face look fuller and younger, all while making your smile appear as natural as ever.

The procedure

The complete procedure is a three-stage process with periods of healing in between. First, the cosmetic dentist has to evaluate the pearly whites and determine the entire procedure. The dentist will take you through what to expect, how to prepare and the results you want to achieve with the procedure. The three-stage process involves:

#1: The Implant Dentist places the implant underneath the gum and allows it to heal. It replaces the old root of the tooth. 
#2: This involves reviewing the implant for successful healing. The dentist will next take an impression in order to fabricate the tooth. Sometimes stage one and two can be performed on the same day. 
#3: In the final stage, the crown is delivered and it will look and feel like your own teeth!

How to prepare

Just like any other surgery, you need to prepare in advance. The following are some of the things you can do to make sure the procedure go smoothly:

A comprehensive dental exam: You should get a comprehensive exam so the dentist can discuss the best options for replacing your teeth. The exam includes X-rays and making models of the teeth and mouth.

A treatment plan: The treatment plan should be elaborate before beginning the series of surgeries. You should be ready financially and mentally. Make sure you prepare to take some time off from work allowing for healing between the procedures, although many times patients return to work the next day. You should avoid getting implants too close to big events like weddings.

Prepare for surgery: You should avoid eating or drinking for at least 8 hours before the surgery to reduce post-surgical nausea. However, if you opt to go for a local anesthesia, there are usually no restrictions.

Oral hygiene: It is crucial to maintain excellent oral hygiene before and during the treatment in order to avoid the risk of getting infections. Your doctor may have you on a regiment prior to and during the treatment.

Millions of people wear dentures. Many of these people say that they are happy they got new, good-looking teeth.

But what about those people who cannot accept their new reality? They used to have natural teeth, probably for many years, but during that time many dental problems appeared so in time their teeth deteriorated more than they expected.

Teeth are fully integrated to our bodies; they are part of ourselves. They are like our eyes, legs or arms. If you don't have any pain or any medical problems with them, you don't think about a potential loss.

You keep believing that your teeth will be with you forever. During that time, you might experience some issues with them from time to time, but I am sure that most people don't even think about losing them.

When problems start arising and chronic pain starts to show that something is wrong, glimpse the failure that might be coming arise.

You even might hear from the dentist that your teeth have to go due to overall infection in your mouth.

Many people who live with chronic pain do whatever it takes to be free from that.

I mean, you may be so overwhelmed and desperate to get rid of the pain that you decide to extract some or all your teeth, fast.

Dentists come from the medical field, and so they don't know so much about the human mind and the emotions coming from it.

Many of them don't understand why their patients are depressed. Some of them take on their patients' depression and suffer with them together because of their business failure.

What about you, then?

It's after your procedure, you come back home and you look to the mirror: no teeth!

Of course, you are in great shock. You feel like crying, and you are scared because your life won't look the same anymore.

Shame, guilt, fear, and feelings of hurt are getting you down. In a matter of time, you feel like you are dying inside; you feel like an outcast. This scenario is slowly putting you into the grave.

This is the grieving process, related to a great deal of sadness. Your feelings of great loss cause confusion because you don't know how and when you'll be finished with the emotional pain.

Many people, including the dentist, might say, "Just forget about it and keep living!

Life is so beautiful."

But such a traumatic incident as the loss of your teeth is also very traumatic to your mind.

Memories and, related to that, toxic beliefs about what you think about yourself and the shock you are holding inside can stay forever in a deeper subconscious mind.

It is still creating mental, toxic inner havoc, and you'll never know when a new life situation will trigger this pain again.

Today, there is solution to that situation. You can feel well again and accept what has happened to you before

In any one’s life, the most attractive thing is SMILE, it will be more attractive when our teeth is shining and white in color. Our Teeth is an attractive asset and provide us self-confidence and we can move freely whenever we talk or give speeches in a crowd. But, to have an attractive teeth we should maintain clean and hygienic. Although we take many precautions, we can be effected to many toothache problems due to Age, less gum in teeth etc.

Toothache can be caused to any one, it doesn’t depend on any particular age. Tooth pain is caused mostly when kids eat more chocolates, ice-creams etc. But, elders also will be affected for toothache problems, which are Dental infection, gum disease, plaque, injury, cracked teeth, poorly placed fillings or loss of tooth.

Causes of general toothache

1.Dental Infection:The general symptoms of toothache are throbbing toothache,Sensitive tooth with hot and cold temperatures,While chewing eatable items,Will get selling when tooth is infected.

2.Gum Infection:Gum infections are mainly caused due to less bone around the tooth and causes, less pain. It mainly effects at major stages in this type of categories.

3.Cracked Tooth:Sometimes while teeth is growing in early stage some are with minimal length or some may grow only half part, some get crack during any root canals, all these are causes for toothache due to the crack formed in a particular teeth.

4.Poorly placed fillings: Whenever your tooth is filled due to the problems caused by eating chocolates then your tooth will be effected by cavities, to avoid such cavities tooth filling process is implemented.

While doing this process, there should be taken proper care as tooth may be sensitive to bare pressure, and force. To avoid such complications, dentists should take proper care, and this process doesn’t make you feel so pain and very easy process. But, if the filling is not done properly then it may cause an increase in toothache.

Prevention:

Toothache problems can be caused to anybody, but we can prevent them to a particular stage and can take remedies, whenever pain occurs. The major steps for preventing toothache attack are:

To keep tooth hygienic and brush daily two times per day,Wash your teeth whenever, you consume chocolates, ice-creams, sweets or cold-drinks,For sensitive tooth, we should use such type of pastes which are available easily, now-a-days in market,Should avoid smoking and pan which spoil your tooth in appearance as well as they are unhygienic.

Remedies:                  

When such symptoms are occurred in any major situations, then we can follow immediate remedies for particular span of time, such as:

We can take Cinnamon piece under the tooth which is affected, by doing this pain will reduce within span of time.Drink salt water which is little warm.Use Olive oil in the affected area.All the above are the major causes for toothache problems and also preventive methods for toothache problems in our daily life.

Many children dislike going to the dentist. As in, really dislike going to the dentist! They are worried about getting a shot and feeling pain. Having to sit in the dentist’s chair with their mouth open for several a minutes a time isn’t all that easy, either. What’s more, the dentist is poking and prodding in their mouth with tools that make some pretty loud noises.

While some children are very afraid of going to the dentist, most just don’t like it and feel uncomfortable going. Still, most kids are troopers and go the dentist relatively willingly.

But what if you could make a visit to the dentist fun? It is possible. Take a look below for four ideas on how to do so.

1. Don’t wait; start young.

Your child should visit the dentist at least 10 times before starting kindergarten. This is to ensure that her milk (baby) teeth come in well and allows your dentist to treat any issues as they come up.

In fact, it’s best if you bring your child to the dentist as soon as that first milk tooth erupts, and definitely by the time your child reaches her first birthday.

Starting young not only ensures that your child’s teeth receive the care they need, it also helps your child look at the going to the dentist as a routine part of her life.

2. Visit the office before the official visit.

Let the office staff give your child a tour of the facilities. Look at teeth x-rays, play with the tooth models, sit in the dentist chair, talk to the dentist and his staff. Doing this can go a long way toward helping your child look forward to seeing his new friends.

3. Be positive, but don’t lie.

Don’t provide too many details about the dental visit, particularly if it’s your child’s first time seeing a dentist or if your child will be getting a cavity filled.

Talk about how the dentist will help keep your child’s teeth white and shiny and that he’ll be wearing a coat like her friendly pediatrician.

Keep a positive attitude but do not say everything will be fine or that nothing will hurt because your child could lose trust in you and your dentist if it turns out that she does need some type of treatment. Still, you shouldn’t use words such as pain, shot or hurt, as this can cause undue anxiety in the child as she anticipates these sensations.

4. Try to schedule the visit before a special and fun activity.

Remind your child that you will be taking her there right after her visit with the dentist and how much fun all of you will have.

Scheduling all dental visits before a special, fun activity can help your child associate going to the dentist with the activity. Going to the dentist will be just a speed bump on the road to entertainment.

Image courtesy of artzsamui/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When it comes to straightening teeth, Invisalign is the new way to do it. At least, two million people think so. Although it’s only been available since 1997, Invisalign has taken the orthodontic world by storm. Adults really love it, because it means they can go to a professional event or do that big presentation without showing a row of metal when they open their mouth. If you’re considering Invisalign for your treatment, but you’re still wondering if it will correct your teeth, here are some bite problems that Invisalign can correct.  More recently, Invisalign introduced Precision Cuts, which are elastic bands that can now be attached to your aligners to correct advanced cases. However, severe cases will still need to be treated with traditional braces.

1.Overcrowding

This occurs when your mouth is just too small to fit all of your teeth! Ideally, our jaw needs to be able to accommodate 32 teeth. When teeth do not have enough space, they can grow on top of each other, grow in crooked, or become impacted. Overcrowding can lead to an overbite, underbite, or crossbite. Additionally, it can cause tooth decay, plaque problems, and a greater risk of gum disease. Sometimes, treatment involves tooth extractions.

2.Overbite

An overbite is any situation where the upper teeth bite over the lower teeth. Orthodontists call this an overjet. An extreme example is buck teeth. Nearly 70 percent of bite problems in children are from overbite. Overbites are usually hereditary, but they can also be caused by tongue thrusting, prolonged pacifier use, thumb-sucking, or nail biting. Sometimes, the problem is in the way the teeth grew; sometimes, it’s because of a jaw problem.

3.Underbite

An underbite is where the lower teeth bite over the upper teeth. This is often caused when the lower jaw grows more than the upper one or the upper one doesn’t grow enough. Sometimes, both situations occur. An underbite can cause tooth wear and painful jaw and joint problems. Sometimes, surgery will be needed.

4.Crossbite

A crossbite results when both the upper jaw and the lower jaw are misaligned. This then causes some upper teeth to bite inside the lower teeth on one side of the mouth. This misalignment can create problems bone loss, tooth wear, and gum disease. Surgery may be necessary to correct a jaw misalignment of this sort.

5.Open Bite

This is a situation where the upper and lower teeth don’t meet in the center. This also tends to stem from genetics, excessive thumb-sucking, or the tongue’s resting position. Sometimes, an open bite can be treated with elastics or habit appliances, but if the issue is caused by jaw misalignment, surgery may be necessary.

6.Gapped Teeth

Sometimes, jaws continue growing abnormally and cause gaps between teeth. Gaps like this can leave individual teeth unprotected and cause a greater risk for periodontal pockets and gum disease.

These are six of the most common malocclusions (misalignments of the teeth) that Invisalign is capable of resolving if the situation is not too severe. Fortunately, many orthodontists offer both Invisalign and braces and can recommend the best solution for you needs.

No matter if you've visited the dentist a thousand (though we certainly hope not!) times or only a handful, there are certain things you need to remember when visiting a dentist. Though these may not be directly connected with your mouth, these things are the characteristics that set a good dentist apart from the rest. These things can make or break a deal with a client and can help put him at ease as well. Here's a list of the four things that every good dentist does that can help a client tell them apart from the rest of the sea:

1) They're Interested in What You Want To Say:

A good dentist will always be interested in what you're feeling. They might have their hand in your mouth but they know that you know how that feels so they will always be interested in how you would like your teeth and how you're feeling about them.

2) They Will Put You At Ease:

Going to the dentist is a scary ordeal and often one associated with pain. A dentist will make sure that you don't have to suffer unnecessarily. They will guide you through the procedure and explain exactly what they will be doing. A dentist will also listen to your suggestion and discuss it with you because at the end of the day, you're the one who will go home with your mouth.

3) They're up-to-date With The Latest Technology:

Perhaps no field of medicine is progressing as quickly as that of orthodontics. This is why a dentist keeps up to date with the latest changes so they can treat you more efficiently than ever, meaning that you will heal quickly, more efficiently and with less time taken.

4) They're Passionate About What They Do and How They Do It:

A good dentist is not only passionate about dentistry; they're good at what they do. Their passion not only shows in their work or their testimonials but also in their office's environment. A dentist will employ friendly staff who will be glad to help you. Additionally, a dentist will keep care that his surroundings, his person and especially his tools and the equipment he will be using are clean and sterile at all time. Remember that though the office or your dentist might not be too glamorous, they might be clean and well-maintained and that is what matters the most.

Have you ever had the phobia of visiting a dentist, whether during your youthful years or even up to the time you were older? Perhaps, you still have that fear. If so, you would be glad to know that modern dentists are committed to eliminating such irrational fear in dental patients. This is particularly so for dental practitioners dealing with young children.

Ingraining in your child the habit of having regular dental visits from an early age is something that will set him/ her up for a future of good oral health. This is something that is so important that the Australian government set up the Child Dental Benefits Schedule in early 2014, to ensure proper dental care for all children between the ages of 2 to 17 years.

However, the only thing that could mess up this noble pursuit is if your child develops a fear of dental visits from the onset. Therefore, you must try as much as possible to prevent any incidence that would occasion such a fear in your child. Thankfully, your children's doctor can help you achieve this goal.

How To Handle Your Kid's Dental Visit

It's never a wise thing to rudely surprise your child with a sudden dental visit, which he/ she was never expecting. Even you wouldn't be too happy if someone gave you such a rude surprise.

The best way to go about it is to prepare your child psychologically for what is going to happen at the "strange" doctor's office. If your child has some fears or misgivings about it, you need to explain - in a manner the he/ she understands - that there is really nothing to fear. You can even try to get him/ her used to the idea of going to the "strange" doctor's facility, by organizing a prior tip to the area in which the facility is located, so as to create a bit of familiarity with the place.

Even after you manage to get your child into the dental facility without any protests, you should continue trying to make the whole experience an enjoyable one by offering rewards for good behaviour. Of course, an expert dental practitioner would always have a child-friendly facility. This is much more than just having an interesting and captivating layout of the health facility, but also having staff that know exactly how to treat children and put them at ease.

Paediatric dentists are well-skilled in handling young children, even those who don't have the capacity to respond to the simplest of instructions. Even if your child cannot comply with a simple instruction to "open up", such a health practitioner would have a few tricks to get your child to do just that. Such strategies involve aspects as playful distractions that can easily entice the kid or soothing conversations to put the little guy at ease.

Understandably, there are quite a number of things inside a dental office that would startle a young child. This could be something as simple as the doctor's strange white coat or the light which such a doctor intends to shine onto your child's open mouth. Moreover, kids are normally restless and playful; hence, they need lots of distractions to keep them occupied. A competent medical practitionerunderstands all these, and he/ she knows just how to deal with all these aspects.

Cosmetic dentists are specially trained to fix your smile. He or she is focused more on the appearance of your teeth and the enhancement of your smile than retaining function or curing an oral disease. The practice is part science and part art, and the result is mostly about aesthetics and restoring your self-confidence.

What To Expect During Your Visit

A good cosmetic dentist will ask you to describe in full detail what you like and do not like about your smile. If you have been in an accident, or your smile has fallen into disarray over time, providing the practice with a photo of how you previously looked can help. You may also bring a picture from a magazine or of a celebrity to give the cosmetic dentist an idea of what you wish to look like after treatment.

After assessing your damage and discussing what you would like done, the cosmetic dentist will explain each of your treatment options to you. This is when he or she will discuss prices and the length of treatment with you, and you can decide if the procedures are right for your needs. Afterwards, he or she will conduct a brief oral exam since many cosmetic issues like missing or yellowing teeth can be a consequence of other health problems. Once that is squared away, he or she will begin the process of restoring your smile.

Types Of Procedures

There are many different procedures that these highly trained professionals can perform to improve your smile, but here is a brief list of some of the most common ones:

Bonding - Composite resin is attached to teeth to improve appearance.

Veneers - Hard shells are made to mimic tooth enamel and mask dental imperfections.

Crowns - Porcelain caps are made to cover heavily damaged teeth.

Whitening - Your teeth, along with a cleaning solution, is placed in a custom mouthpiece for hour-long visits.

Braces - Brackets made of metal, ceramic, or plastic are bonded to teeth and wired together to guide misaligned teeth to their correct positions.

Implants - A surgeon implants synthetic teeth surgically into the jawbone to replace those that are missing.

Bridges - False teeth that replace those missing by using those that are nearby as anchors.

Choosing An Office That You Can Trust

The best way to find a cosmetic dentist that you can trust is to contact the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry(AACD) for information. They are the leading national organization for the profession. Many times they will be able to verify the credentials of the office that you are considering, and can give you broad details about the dentist's schooling, advanced training, and certifications.

One of the most common reasons people get toothaches is because they eat or drink things that cause discomfort or pain. Hot and cold beverages are known triggers, as are hard snacks like peanuts. But what most patients do not know is why these edibles cause pain. More often than not, the explanation their family dentist provides leaves them scratching their collective heads about tooth sensitivity.

What Is It?

As hard as they may be, your teeth have nerves that are extremely sensitive. And when exposed to certain stimuli like hot and cold drinks, they can bring the strongest man to his knees. The sensation is often a shocking one that sends pulses of pain throughout the entire jawline. Although it may only last for a moment or two, most consider it a serious disorder that must be dealt with.

Causes

The most common cause of tooth sensitivity is gum disease that results in recession. When this happens, the gums pull away from the teeth, exposing their nerves. In extreme cases, a patient must avoid any food or liquid that may reach these areas. Other cause of sensitivity include:

- Age-related wear and tear. Acidic foods, tooth grinding, even excessive brushing can break down the enamel of your teeth over time. When this happens, the nerves inside them will be vulnerable to certain stimuli.

- Cavities near the gum line that expose nerves.

- Gum diseases. Periodontal disorders like gingivitis may cause the gums to recede and expose the roots of the teeth.

- Bruxism. A fancy term for grinding your grin, bruxism can wear down dental enamel in no time, exposing sensitive areas.

- Whitening products. Although generally safe, whitening products can cause gum irritation and inflammation that may cause gum recession.

- Age. No matter how healthy they may be, our pearly whites are more sensitive between the ages of 25 and 30.

- Plaque and tartar deposits. The presence of plaque on or near the root of a tooth can cause increased sensitivity.

- Excessive mouthwash use. Your family dentist may dissuade you from using certain mouthwashes because they contain acids that may irritate inflamed areas.

- Acidic foods. Because it wears down the enamel that protects vulnerable nerves, acidic food intake should be restricted.

Treatment Options

In most cases, mild sensitivity can be addressed without a specific dental procedure. Here are a few of the things you can do to help control the problem:

- Switch to a soft-bristled toothbrush 
- Use a type of toothpaste that's made for people with sensitive teeth 
- Use a mouth guard to prevent bruxism 
- Visit your family dentist every six months 
- Limit acidic food intake

If, after making those changes, your pearly whites are still bothering you, talk to your dental professional. He or she may recommend a procedure that corrects the problem once and for all. Bonding, fluoride varnishes, and dentin sealers are the most popular options for folks with extremely sensitive teeth.

Dentophobia may be a fairly uncommon word, but the condition it describes is not. Millions of American adults freely admit that they're afraid to go to the dentist. This fear may range from mild jitters to outright terror at the thought of sitting down in a dentist's chair. According to a recent survey, about one in four people experience apprehension as their appointment draws near. It is no wonder dental professionals have unusually high cancelation rates.

The Dangers

This wouldn't be much of an issue were it not for the fact that human beings cannot take care of their teeth on their own. No matter how often some folks brush, floss, and gargle mouthwash, they can still get cavities. Tooth decay is a degenerative disease, meaning it tends to worsen over time, no matter what you do at home. It takes the skilled hand of a dental professional to repair this damage and improve overall oral health. In other words, you must visit your dentist on a regular basis!

The Solution

Also known as sleep dentistry, sedation dentistry uses medications to help patients relax during office visits. Although usually conscious, most patients do not remember much about the procedure they went in for. Because some folks have severe fear, sedatives can be used for tooth cleanings and other non-invasive procedures. Most of the time, however, sedation is required when painful procedures, such as root canals, force a patient to experience extreme apprehension and fear.

Who Needs It?

Because all medications carry with them certain risks, dentists must determine if sedation dentistry is appropriate in each individual case. A dental professional may administer medications to patients who have

- An extremely low threshold for pain 
- Problems sitting still in the dentist's chair 
- Unusually sensitive teeth and/or gums 
- A sensitive gag reflex 
- A need for extensive dental work

Who Performs It?

Most dentists are trained to administer minimal sedation, such as pills or nitrous oxide. But only a relatively small number have experience with moderate or deep sedation dentistry. These are levels of sedation that may require the administration of intravenous (IV) drugs or general anesthesia. Because these medications can be dangerous, dental professionals should complete the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) program in general anesthesia and deep sedation before administering them to patients.

How Safe Is It?

As we mentioned, all drugs have possible side effects. This is particularly true with anesthesia, which can be somewhat risky for certain people. Those who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea or are obese, for example, should consult their doctors before scheduling sleep dentistry. It is also extremely important to make certain your dentist has the training and experience needed to administer the medication you require for your procedure.

Sleep dentistry can help patients who suffer from dental phobia get the treatment they desperately need.

Straight teeth are not only desirable for good looks - the benefits extend far beyond vanity. Whole-body health is improved when you correct a severely misaligned bite. The following are additional reasons to invest in straight teeth and revitalize your overall wellness.

Efficient Digestion

Teeth play a crucial role in the first step of the digestive process. When the mouth suffers from extreme misalignment, it can take significant additional energy to properly chew food before swallowing. When food is inefficiently broken down, the body must work harder to process waste and absorb nutrients, potentially leading to gastrointestinal issues and general indigestion.

Easier to Clean

Properly aligned teeth are simply easier to keep clean. Straight teeth will have less debris stuck in between them, and without the awkward angles involved in brushing and flossing with a crooked smile, you can quickly and efficiently rid your teeth of plaque and bacteria each morning and night. Plaque that is not removed within 24 hours starts to turn into tartar, which must then be removed at a dentists' office. Removing plaque immediately can prevent gum inflammation, serious periodontal disease, tooth decay and tooth loss.

The occurrence of periodontal disease has been linked to an increased risk of other, more serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke and high cholesterol. One of the fastest and most rewarding immediate paybacks from undergoing orthodontic work is a cleaner bill of tooth and gum health after a regular dental checkup.

Reduced Risk of Abnormal Wear

Accelerated tooth wear is common among people with teeth out of alignment. Teeth that scrape or jut against others may experience premature enamel degradation. This leaves the tooth at a higher risk of developing decay. Also, a misaligned bite can create stress points in the jaw. This can lead to the development of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, which results in jaw, neck and shoulder pain.

Mental and Emotional Confidence

Whether or not you are consciously affected by misaligned teeth, a straight smile encourages confidence in your physical appearance, releasing mental stress and stabilizing emotions surrounding your impression on others. Straight teeth can also help cure speech impediments that may have been worsened by a tight jaw or teeth out of position. The ability to clearly communicate while showcasing your newly straightened smile can transform your personal and professional life.

Pain Relief

A severely misaligned tooth or jawbone could result in frequent injury to the tissues in the mouth. People who continually bite their tongue, inside of their cheek or lips due to misaligned teeth may find orthodontic work to straighten their bite worth the pain relief it provides. In addition, a smile that is out of alignment can cause you to unconsciously clench your jaw, directing stress to the neck and shoulders and contributing to chronic headaches. Those who elect to relieve the anxiety and the pain they feel through tooth position correction will gradually see an improvement when orthodontic services are complete.

The health benefits of straight teeth can facilitate digestion, improve psychological outlook, reduce or eliminate pain, prevent future dental disease and assist you in properly caring for your teeth on a daily basis.

When considering dentistry for children, there's much more at stake than just the child's dental health. Dentists, parents and all other interested parties must also consider the attitude ingrained in children concerning dental health care. The reason is that such an attitude will have a crucial impact on the compliance of such a child to dental care later in life.

You shouldn't be worried that you might not have any control on the type of attitude your child develops concerning dental health care. It's actually possible to develop a positive dental attitude in your child through specific behaviour guidance techniques. Such behaviour guidance techniques, according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), involve pharmacological as well as non-pharmacological methods.

One pharmacological-related method of developing a positive dental attitude in your child is pain management.

How Pain Management Can Help Your Child Develop A Positive Dental Attitude

Anything that you may not like as an adult also would often not be liked by kids. However, you might not fully comprehend how extensively a painful experience can affect your child. Being an adult, you might have developed a good number of coping strategies to manage pain, but a young child would have a very hard time coping with similar pain.

Indeed, a 2008 report by the "Pain" journal actually affirmed this common sense understanding that pain can have far-reaching adverse effects. The report identified pain in past dental visits as possibly contributing to patients' fear or behaviour problems. Hence, pain management is critical in preventing your child from developing a negative attitude towards dental health care.

Once the aspect of pain has been effectively handled, it's so much easier for a dental practitioner to build trust with the child. This will make the child more willing to comply with the necessary dental health care requirements. Definitely, any parent would love to see his/ her child being excited about a forthcoming dental visit, rather than protesting.

Regarding this aspect of pain, parents as well as dentists must guard against the all-so-convenient habit of comparing one child with another. Just because one child isn't protesting loudly like all the rest, doesn't mean that he/ she are feeling less pain than the rest. Of course, every mother would know that each child is uniquely special and the way children react to pain is completely different. Having a better understanding of a child's personality would give a clearer insight into what the child is actually experiencing, which would be far better than simply comparing one child's reaction with that of another.

Even as the evidence of pain between on child and another differs based on their personalities, it would also differ based on age difference. The 4-year-old age-group, in particular, would have a much lower capacity to communicate their sensitivity to pain, yet they actually have greater sensitivity to painful stimuli. This is something that a specialized paediatric dentist would understand and know how well to detect the reception of painful stimuli in children of different ages.

Just as it's said that "the customer is always right" in business, so also would it be said that "the patient is always right" when dealing with pain in health care. An expert medical professional would know better than to make assumptions of the extent of pain felt by a patient, since it's only the patient who knows how much it hurts.

With the back-to-school rush upon us, many of our patients are preparing for preseason sports practices and an exciting fall sports season. While many students in our community are focusing on grabbing the latest trends in sportswear and equipment, I have been fielding a lot of questions from parents (OK, and the occasional conscientious student) about mouthguards. As I frequently tell parents, because all the research points to the protective benefits that a mouthguard can provide, any student athlete playing contact sports should wear a mouthguard during practices and games.

Benefits of a Mouthguard

The mouth and face of a child or young adult can be easily injured if the proper precautions are not taken while participating in sports or recreational activities. The stats are staggering... Student athletes have a 10% chance of suffering a facial or dental injury while on the playing field and almost one-third of all dental injuries are sports-related. The good news is that many of these injuries are preventable... According to the Acadeny of General Dentistry, an athlete is 70 times more likely to sustain damage to the teeth when not wearing a mouthguard.

Wearing a mouthguard provides cushion during an impact and can reduce trauma to the teeth, lips, tongue, face and jaws. Most frequently, a mouthguard prevents broken and chipped teeth, reduces the likelihood of teeth being knocked out and lowers instances of jaw fractures.

Mouthguards are Especially Important When an Athlete is in Braces

Wearing a mouthguard is especially important for student athletes in braces. In fact, sports injuries can be exacerbated by braces when there is contact between the soft tissue in the mouth and the braces. A mouthguard can act as a barrier between the braces and the cheeks or lips, which reduces the risk of soft tissue lacerations (like cuts that can cause bleeding) or more significant injuries. For this reason, orthodontists generally recommend special mouthguards that are designed to fit over braces, so a student athlete can continue on the road to a beautiful smile without giving up the activities he or she loves.

Younger Athletes may also Benefit from the Protection of a Mouthguard

According to the American Dental Association, "more than half of the 7 million sports and recreation-related injuries that occur each year are sustained by children as young as 5 years old... The National Youth Sports Safety Foundation (NYSSF) forecasted that more than 3 million teeth would be knocked out in youth sporting events" on an annual basis. We recommend that our patients begin to wear a mouthguard during contact sports as soon as their permanent teeth begin to erupt in the mouth, typically around 6-7 years of age (around the age most kids first visit an orthodontist). Depending on the type of activity, mouthguards may be advisable even earlier, so parents should consult their children's pediatric dentist or orthodontist.

Think of a Mouthguard as an Important Piece of Sports Equipment

While snagging a good football helmet, hockey stick or soccer cleats may be your student athlete's focus, a mouthguard is one most important (and inexpensive) pieces of sports equipment available. If you want your student athlete to smile like an All Star, it is strongly recommended that you add a mouthguard to your back-to-school list.