Dental Blog
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Having a Gummy Smile Does Not Lead to Health Issues, Does It? |
Posted on 6/22/2020 by Karl Olson |
| A smile is the first thing we remember about someone after a pleasant encounter. It helps recall the shape of their mouth and their teeth color. Most times we rarely notice the gums until the second or third encounter. However, for people with gummy smiles, their gums are the first thing we notice and remember later. This is because those smiles reveal more than 4mm of their gums. Is This Purely Genetic Or Are There Other Causes? For most of the people with gummy smiles, the cause is normally genetic. But there are those who grow a gummy smile from other causes. One of them is poor mouth hygiene. When you don't brush your teeth and floss regularly, you are at a higher risk of breeding bacteria and build up in your mouth that causes gingivitis thus extra growth of the gums. During pregnancy and puberty, one is always at risk of having hormonal imbalances that could offset gum sensitivity and trigger more growth. Having diseases that affect your blood such as leukemia also puts you at a risk of growing longer gums. The hyperplastic effect which refers to the continued intake of a certain drug can be a causative of growing gums as well. What Are The Health Implications That Come With It? The biggest health implication of having a gummy smile would be to not know what causes it. If it's triggered by some medication you're on or a disease in your blood, then it is paramount that treatment begins immediately. This ensures that growth doesn't continue unmonitored if at all. For cosmetic alterations, we recommend speaking to one of our doctors before proceeding just so that they can advise accordingly in terms of causes. This will offer you better grounding as to whether to focus on your lips, teeth or just gums. Give us a call at our office today and keep smiling.... Read more... |
How to Keep Your Mouthguard from Harming Your Teeth |
Posted on 6/8/2020 by Karl Olson |
| Mouthguards are excellent at preventing damage to the teeth from bruxism (teeth grinding) - but knowing how to care for your mouthguard to ensure it keeps doing its job without harming the teeth it is meant to protect is highly important. We will be going over a couple of general things to follow when it comes to keeping your mouthguard safe for your teeth. Clean After Usage After a night of usage, you can wash a mouthguard with anti-bacterial soap and water. This is highly effective in getting rid of bacteria. You can also use hydrogen peroxide or toothpaste containing minimal abrasive ingredients. However, you choose to clean your mouthguard, it is important to do this every morning. You do not want to put harmful bacteria back into your mouth that will simply be allowed to sit on your tooth and do their thing for 8 hours! This is incredibly counterproductive after brushing and puts you at risk for oral health problems. Wear the Mouthguard Properly Because the mouthguard is designed to protect your teeth from grinding and clenching it is crucial to ensure that the mouthguard is sitting straight on your teeth. Wearing a mouthguard that is not aligned properly will put tremendous strain on your teeth as you unintentionally clench or grind your teeth during sleep for those long hours. It is very possible to speed up any damages by not wearing the mouthguard properly than not wearing one. So, we can't reiterate enough- make sure it is on properly before going to bed! Do You Need Help with Treating Bruxism? If you are currently struggling with bruxism, mouthguards help prevent damage during the night. But if you would like to talk to us about how we can help you, don't hesitate to call our office with your questions. We are here to help everyone with their oral care needs.... Read more... |
How to Inspire Yourself to Adapt to a New Hygiene Routine |
Posted on 5/29/2020 by Karl Olson |
| Adapting to a new dental hygiene program can make a big difference in your life. After all, a person's smile speaks volumes. That is why you want to make sure you keep your teeth and gums in good shape and schedule regular dental exams and cleanings. The following information can be used to inspire you to practice good oral health habits for the rest of your life. Tips that Work in Maintaining a Brighter Smile If you want to make brushing and good oral hygiene a habit, we suggest that you add a reminder on your phone. That way, you can have an easier time of getting into the habit of good dental care. You might also think of creating a smile journal – one where you can add the things that make you smile and what you would like to do to improve your current smile. It also helps to invest in your smile. For example, maybe you would like to straighten your teeth. If so, find out how you can pay for a service, such as Invisalign, and arrange a time for a consultation. Find Dental Aids that Make Brushing Fun If you want to get involved in better dental hygiene, you also have to consider the dental accessories you are using. The best way to do this is to start with your toothpaste. Find a brand and product that tastes good and makes you look forward to using it. You should also consider buying a water flosser. Using this type of system permits you to rinse off the residue that brushing and traditional flossing leaves behind. Also, think about how money you can save by making it a habit to brush and floss daily. You will experience fewer fillings or restorations and can direct that money to a dream vacation or to a similar fun activity. Just don't forget to take your toothbrush. We want you to feel good about taking care of your gums and teeth. That is why we do everything we can to make our dental customers feel comfortable. In fact, some of our patients brush with their partner, or wife or husband, and never develop an excuse not to brush. When you have a brushing buddy at-home, you can make dental care a routine habit for life. Call us today to schedule a check-up and cleaning.... Read more... |
Our Mission WorkThe doctors have participated in multiple missions trips to the Dominican Republic to perform extractions for children in schools who have never seen a dentist.Learn More |
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