There are plenty of DIY solutions for gum health complaints out there. Trying all-natural remedies usually doesn’t hurt anything. But if you use incorrect materials or the wrong technique, then you could actually cause even more damage to your teeth or gums than there was to begin with.
Additionally, trying out DIY treatment suggestions you found on an online forum could waste enough time for your gum condition to worsen and become harder to fix.
Here are four common gum health issues that mean it’s time to stop chewing herbs and swishing with oil…and instead, head for the dentist’s office.
Gum recession can be caused by a variety of factors. You might need a dentist’s help in figuring out what’s causing yours. It’s urgent to identify the source as soon as possible to prevent more recession, since gum tissue doesn’t grow back.
Gums only bleed when they are inflamed or infected due to dental plaque. Good oral hygiene can reverse minor bleeding and inflammation. If your gums don’t get better despite your best efforts, then your dentist can help you find out why.
Losing teeth isn’t a normal sign of aging; it’s a sign of infected gums. Your gums won’t heal on their own and your teeth won’t tighten up on their own without medical attention.
Pus is a sign of a serious infection. You may even need antibiotic treatment. See a dentist right away if you notice pus on your gums before the infection gets worse.
Gum health issues can be a sign of periodontal disease, commonly called gum disease. Left untreated, periodontal disease can cause serious issues with your tteh and gums. See your dentist to learn more safe and effective ways to keep your gums healthy.
Posted on behalf of:
Springfield Lorton Dental Group
5419-C Backlick Rd
Springfield, VA 22151
(703) 256-8554
There’s no exact rate for cosmetic dentistry. How much you’ll end up paying for cosmetic dental treatment depends on a variety of factors.
The answers to the following questions will affect the total price.
Where Are You Looking for Cosmetic Dentistry?
Cosmetic dental treatments may be expensive in areas where there isn’t much demand for them. A dentist in a low-demand area may have to charge more to order special materials he or she doesn’t keep in stock.
Conversely, a cosmetic dental office situated in a wealthy urban area may charge high prices to keep up with the local economy.
Contact a cosmetic dentist to find out what the going rate is in the area.
Are You Seeing a General or Cosmetic Dentist?
While almost all dentists strive to make their restorative work as aesthetic as possible, cosmetic dentists view their work as an art form. You might pay more for seeing a dentist who specializes in crafting beautiful smiles since they’ll put more time and effort into the process.
What Does Your Dental Insurance Cover?
Most dental insurance plans don’t provide great coverage for elective or cosmetic procedures. But yours just might cover restorations that have inherent aesthetic value. Dental crowns, for example, can be placed for both restorative and cosmetic purposes.
What Kind of Cosmetic Dental Procedures Are You Interested In?
Cosmetic dentistry includes everything from quick dental bonding to implant designs that cost thousands of dollars. How much you’ll pay for your cosmetic treatment depends on the kind of changes you want to make to your smile.
Contact a cosmetic dentist near you to schedule a smile makeover consultation and get a treatment estimate.
Posted on behalf of:
Pure Smiles Dentistry
2655 Dallas Highway Suite 510
Marietta, GA 30064
770.422.8776
Dentists have long debated back and forth about whether it’s better to brush or floss first.
Is it best to brush before flossing or floss before brushing your teeth? The answer may surprise you.
Study Confirms That Flossing First Wins
One recent study suggested that flossing before you brush may be the most effective way to clean your teeth. The study participants had less plaque left between their teeth when they flossed before brushing when compared with brushing before flossing.
Benefits of Flossing First
It’s quite possible that flossing before brushing gets your teeth the cleanest they can be. Removing more debris lowers the risk of tooth decay and gum disease, and a cleaner tooth surface has better access to fluoride from the toothpaste used in brushing.
Perhaps the biggest benefit is that having a habit of flossing first makes it harder to skip this chore. It’s easy to conveniently forget to floss! If you brush first, your teeth will feel clean and your mouth will taste minty-fresh leading you to conclude that your job is all done. But get that flossing out of the way, and the hard part is over.
Brushing or Flossing First—When it Doesn’t Matter
The difference between brushing and flossing first is small and may not have a major impact on your oral health. The most important thing is to get your flossing in at least once a day. Do it whenever you have the time and whenever you want to do it, whether it’s before or after you brush. Find a routine you can stick with to get the greatest benefit out of flossing.
Visit a local dentist for more dental hygiene tips.
Posted on behalf of:
Pure Dental Health
2285 Peachtree Rd #203
Atlanta, GA 30309
(678) 666-3642
Getting a dental crown is a pretty drastic experience for a tooth. After all, it’s losing its protective insulation and trimmed down before being capped with a foreign material. That’s quite a shock to a nerve-filled little tooth!
It’s normal to feel some discomfort after getting a crown. But how long is this supposed to last?
What You’ll Feel After Getting a Crown
You won’t feel much for an hour or more after your crown appointment. This is because it can take some time for the anesthetic to wear off. Until it does, your crowned tooth will feel numb.
After a few hours have gone by, however, you’ll likely notice a little discomfort in your tooth. Fortunately, this is easy to manage with an over-the-counter painkiller recommended by your dentist.
Dental Crown Sensitivity: Normal or Not?
Most cases of dental crown sensitivity are typical. It’s normal for your newly-capped tooth to feel sensitive around hot or cold temperatures or to ache a bit when you bite down on it. You may have to deal with this discomfort for a week or two after the procedure.
However, pain and sensitivity that lasts for more than two weeks is something you should call your dentist about.
Long-lasting pain after getting a dental crown could mean a few things, like:
Some teeth take longer to adapt to their new caps than others. If your crowned tooth hasn’t settled down after a couple weeks, however, call your dentist to have it checked.
Posted on behalf of :
Prime Dental Care
417 Wall St
Princeton, NJ 08540
(609) 651-8618
Pay attention to the signs and head to a dentist if you suspect that you have a cavity. Here are eight signs of decay to watch for.
Pain is the most obvious sign that something is wrong. But you don’t have to wait until you’re hurting to see a dentist; you might notice one of the other following signs before you develop a throbbing toothache.
Teeth that are suddenly very sensitive to temperature changes may be affected by decay.
If there’s already a hole in your tooth enamel from a cavity, then the spot may sting when it comes in contact with sugar.
Teeth shouldn’t hurt when you chew. A tooth with a cavity may hurt when it’s put under pressure.
This is a sign that will let you know you have a pretty advanced cavity in between two teeth.
Rotting tooth material does give off a foul odor. You may notice this as a rotten taste in your mouth or someone may comment that your breath smells bad.
If you can see actual pits or holes in your teeth, then those could very well be cavities.
Stain doesn’t always mean a cavity, but it can sometimes hide the beginnings of a new cavity.
Getting a filling isn’t much fun. The sooner you fill a cavity, though, the more likely you are to save your tooth. Visit your dentist as soon as possible.
Posted on behalf of:
Precision Digital Dentistry
674 US-202/206
Suite 7
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
(908) 955-6999
You’ll be rocking that denture with confidence in no time at all thanks to these five tips.
No one becomes a denture-wearing expert overnight! Patience, positivity, and a sense of humor are key to getting used to a new prosthesis.
You’ll want to wear your dentures as much as possible to help you get used to it, but you still need to allow yourself sometime without it in to let your gums rest. Following your dentist’s directions will help you stay comfortable and healthy.
Who needs an audience while you’re trying to chew your food with a set of teeth? Practice chewing tough foods while you’re at home getting used to your denture. You’ll figure out the best ways to chew and cut up foods for stress-free dining.
Speaking with a denture is a potentially embarrassing experience. You dread making strange noises or drooling or even–worst of all–accidentally spitting out your dentures during a conversation.
Practicing from the privacy of your own home is the best way to build your confidence and ‘relearn’ how to speak with them in. Reading aloud and singing along to your favorite songs are excellent ways to develop new speech habits.
Dental adhesives are no substitute for a good-fitting denture, but they can give you added comfort and confidence while you’re just starting out.
Contact your dentist with any questions or concerns you have about getting used to your new denture.
Posted on behalf of:
Mundo Dentistry
3463 US-21 #101
Fort Mill, SC 29715
(704) 825-2018
Concern over needless radiation exposure is still a big issue. It’s bigger still where kids are concerned. As a parent, you don’t want your child exposed to x-rays any more often than is absolutely necessary.
The occasional dental x-ray may not look like a necessary radiation exposure, but regular x-rays are an important part of your child’s dental health. Here’s why.
Dental X-Rays Track Tooth Development
One of the most important reasons for taking x-rays of children’s teeth is to see how they’re coming in. Dental x-rays can show whether any adult teeth are stuck, impacted, congenitally missing, or just to confirm that everything is proceeding according to schedule.
Dental X-Rays Reveal Decay in Areas the Dentist Can’t See
Dentists have keen eyes trained to identify even tiny patches of softened enamel that are starting to decay. But they can’t pick up on cavities that develop on the sides of two teeth that touch. Only x-rays can confirm the health of teeth in those spots that no one can see.
X-rays are also essential for diagnosing other kinds of potentially dangerous growths and infections such as tumors, cysts, and abscesses.
Dental X-Rays Help the Dentist Plan Safe and Effective Treatment
If your child ever does need dental treatment, then you want the peace of mind that comes with knowing the dentist is prepared to do a careful job. Well, without taking x-rays before treatment, the dentist may as well be working blindfolded. X-rays provide a picture of the tooth that help the dentist determine how far down they need to reach within the tooth.
Communicate with your child’s dentist about the necessity of dental x-rays in your child’s unique case.
Posted on behalf of:
Park South Dentistry
30 Central Park S #13C
New York, NY 10019
(212) 355-2000
If you’re sick of having front teeth that are dull, chipped, or unevenly spaced, then you might need dental veneers. Veneers are the secret to getting that gorgeous celebrity-caliber smile you’ve always dreamed of!
Just make sure that you have all the facts about dental veneers before you start planning your smile makeover.
Dental Veneers Permanently Alter Your Teeth
There is a kind of ultra-thin veneer that can fit over your existing tooth enamel. But traditional veneers do require removing a layer of your enamel in order to avoid a bulky sensation.
Once your teeth are prepared for veneers, there’s no going back. That enamel will never grow back on its own. You’ll have to wear veneers on your teeth on a permanent basis to avoid tooth sensitivity and decay.
Dental Veneers Are Not Permanent
Despite the fact that getting veneers will permanently alter your teeth, the veneers themselves are not permanent.
If a veneer chips off or fractures, you’ll have to buy a new one since your teeth can no longer go without veneers. You have to be very careful with your veneers if you want them to last you a long time.
Dental Veneers Can’t Substitute for Fillings or Crowns
Do you have large cracks or spots of decay in your front teeth? Veneers could be insufficient to fix those problems. Dental veneers only offer superficial cosmetic value; they can’t restore damaged tooth material.
Depending on your dental health needs, you may have to get a filling or some crowns instead of those veneers you’d like.
Meet with a cosmetic dentist in your area to find out whether or not veneers are right for you.
Posted on behalf of:
Montevallo Family Dentistry
711 Wadsworth St
Montevallo, AL 35115
(205) 665-2224
While it’s not fun to imagine, getting a tooth knocked out is a grisly possibility in many accidents. Be prepared in advance by knowing what to do in that situation.
Locate and Clean Your Tooth
Find the tooth that’s been knocked out and carefully pick it up. Handle it only by the crown (chewing surface) as much as you can. Avoid touching the root since this will have living fibers still connected to it. If you touch the root surface too much, you can destroy these fibers and reduce the chances of the tooth reattaching.
Clean the tooth in a bowl of clean water. You don’t need any soap. Don’t disturb the root fibers by cleaning them under running water.
Gently Rinse Your Mouth
Swish a little warm water around your mouth gently to get rid of blood and debris. Avoid vigorous swishing since that can make the bleeding worse. Adding salt to the water can help bring down some swelling.
Try to Replace Your Tooth
If you can reorient your tooth correctly, try to put it back in the socket. If you succeed, hold it in place by lightly biting it down onto a piece of gauze.
Securely Store Your Tooth
What if you can’t put your tooth in yourself? Store it in a small clean container of either milk or saliva. If you’re en route to the dentist, you can even hold the tooth in the side of your mouth between your cheek and other teeth.
See a Dentist ASAP
Call a dentist right away. If it’s outside of office hours or you can’t get an appointment with your regular dentist, call an emergency dentist or head to an emergency room.
Visit your dentist to get more tips on preparing for dental emergencies.
Posted on behalf of:
Mitzi Morris, DMD, PC
1295 Hembree Rd B202
Roswell, GA 30076
(770) 475-6767
The way you brush your teeth matters and your gums may reveal just how well you brush.
The Correct Way to Brush Your Teeth
To brush your teeth properly, aim your toothbrush bristles towards the gum line at about a 45-degree angle. Then, jiggle the bristles back and forth in short strokes. This will loosen plaque and food debris that get lodged right at the gum line.
Use very light pressure; your gums shouldn’t turn white from pressing on them too hard. Spend a full two minutes on your brushing: about one minute on the upper teeth and one minute on the lower teeth.
Signs in Your Gums That You Aren’t Brushing Properly
Your dentist can likely tell just by looking at your gums whether or not you brush your teeth correctly.
For example, puffy swollen gums indicate that there is plaque left on your teeth near the gum line. This plaque triggers gum swelling and bleeding. So, a puffed gum line indicates that you’re either:
Receding gums is another tell-tale sign of bad brushing. Scrubbing your teeth with too much pressure irritates delicate gum tissue and makes it shrink away from tooth roots. If you have lots of gum recession, that may mean that you need to use a lighter hand when brushing.
Regular tooth brushing with the right technique is essential for healthy teeth and gums.
Visit a family dentist near you to see what else you can learn from your gum tissues.
Posted on behalf of:
Manhattan Dental Design
315 W 57th St Suite 206
New York, NY 10019
(646) 504-4377
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