If you had the unfortunate experience of having to go through braces you will know that they can be tricky to take care of. Trust me, I know. I had braces for a total of 6 years growing up. San Antonio orthodontist can help you learn about braces and answer any questions you have. You will want to keep in mind the following tips when looking to take the best care of your braces. First, you want to make sure that you have all of the right equipment. Make sure you have a toothbrush, flosser, and perhaps a waterpick. By having the tools you need you are more apt to remember to use it and make using it a habit. Second, spend at least 2 minutes brushing your teeth morning and night. This is important to get rid of food that might get stuck in between brackets and wires. Two minutes might seem like a long time, but in the grand scheme of things this is really very quick. Third, remember to floss each tooth even in the way back. I found it very useful have flossers to help me easily get in and out of my teeth and under wires effectively. If food gets stuck and stays there for a long period of time bad breath can occur as well as a buildup of plaque. Fourth, I also found it very useful to get a small wire brush and use that to go around each bracket to minimize plaque and buildup. It might seem like a daunting task but this is something that is important to do. Fifth, take advantage of mouthwash. This is a great way to give someone good breath and fluoride into an individual’s mouth to protect their teeth. There’s all sorts of flavors so chances are that you’ll find something your taste buds will like. Another way to take care of your braces and make the most of it, is to ask your orthodontist for fun color rubber bands. Each time you go for a check-up change the color and mix it up for something new and fun. By doing this little thing you can somewhat make this uncomfortable situation not as bad. In addition, to take care of your braces and make them the most effective for you, make sure to wear any and all headgear that your orthodontist gives you. You might hate the look of it, and let’s face it, it might even hurt and be uncomfortable, but it will help your teeth move along as they should. Once you are through with the metal mouth phase you will be loving your new straight teeth. Lastly, one final and important way to take care of your braces is to avoid foods that can harm your braces or perhaps even make them break. Some of these food include carrots which are hard or popcorn that the kernels can break off your brackets. It is absolutely essential to keep good care of your braces so your teeth underneath are protected and don’t decay over time. Braces can be tricky, but if you take care of them they are a great and easy way to make you have beautiful and straight teeth for a killer smile.
Taking Care of Your Braces
Preventative Dental Care
No one wants to be ill. We want to have long and healthy lives. We visit our primary care physician, hoping to keep illness away or to get better in a timelier manner if we have some kind of illness. We do not often view visiting the tooth doctor, the dentist, as being more than a cosmetic endeavor. Certainly, if we have not been careful with our dental hygiene, we may have a cavity or two, but generally we think of a dental cleaning as being a minor procedure and not very urgent.
This attitude about skipping dental care can cost people a lot in the long run. The expense can be monetary, but it can also be at the cost of your ongoing health.
The obvious cost of not seeing a tooth doctor regularly, or as soon as a small problem crops up is that the problem gets worse. Skipping regular cleaning and x-rays allows plaque buildup, and can permit the onset of gum disease. It is much better to go in to the dentist, get regular cleaning and exams and to have the teeth treated with sealant than it is to have to have a root canal. Treat dental problems as urgently as you would treat a problem in the rest of your body. If you have fillings and one comes loose, get it looked at immediately. It may be that the cavity is growing again, and needs to be cleaned and refilled. Delaying regular care can result in severe decay. You then may need a root canal, or you may lose the tooth and need expensive extractions, bridges and crowns to replace the damage to your bite.
A second, less visible cost of poor dental care is a decline in your overall health. A cavity can lead to a systemic infection. Bacteria that are causing decay in your mouth can go to other parts of your body. Poor dental health can actually lead to heart trouble. It will migrate to the inside of any arteries that have problems and cause inflammation there as well as in your mouth. If you happen to have a joint replacement, the bacteria from your mouth will be inclined to settle there and attack that joint. Make your tooth doctor aware of any other health problems you have. It may be that you will need to take antibiotics before any procedure, including cleanings, just to keep infections out of your system.
The dentist is part of your health care team. People who have access to dental care live longer lives and save money as well. Dental problems lead to poor nutrition, but regular preventative dental care helps prevent other health problems as well.
The Advantages of Braces and Invisalign
A person can receive many advantages of braces that will help their overall health. The main advantage is they will receive a smile with straight teeth, and they will correct their dental problems at the same time. Braces are used to align their teeth and to prevent decaying in teeth that are crooked or overlapping.
What Are Some Advantages of Braces?
The people who have their teeth aligned with braces tend to have better teeth health, and this helps their teeth from tearing and wearing in the long term. Teeth that are aligned also prevent gum disease, cavities, and many other health concerns.
If a person has a hard time brushing and flossing their teeth, then they should really consider getting braces. Braces can help people clean their teeth in a more effective manner since the teeth are going to be aligned. When a person’s teeth are so crooked, they can’t floss and brush properly and that makes them prone to disease and various infections.
The advantages of braces include a perfect smile, higher self-esteem, and higher overall health.
Braces also help people take care of their teeth in a more efficient manner and have a more healthy lifestyle.
What is Invisalign?
One of the most popular braces out there is Invisalign. These type of braces are made with aligners that are transparent and overtime they straighten out the teeth. Invisalign braces are really popular among people who want straight teeth without the traditional metal braces. In addition, the aligners are very comfortable to wear, and food can be consumed easily since they can be removed.
Invisalign also prevents many side effects that traditional braces get. Almost all other orthodontic treatments will cause the roots of teeth to shorten and tooth decay occurs up to 50 percent of patients since the traditional braces can’t be removed for cleaning or eating. Patients who use Invisalign receive a new aligner every two weeks, and the aligners give less force and pain that traditional braces.
Aligners should be removed to drink, eat, to clean the teeth, or to have them checked by a dentist. Patients who have Invisalign have no restrictions on the food that they can it since the aligners are removable. The use of computer planning is also used for patients with Invisalign. As with other orthodontic treatments that use computer planning, this allows the patient to review the project smile, compare different plants, learn how long the treatment will take, and make a better decision if they want Invisalign in the first place.
Receiving invisible braces in Baton Rouge or anywhere is an easy task and whoever receives them will be happy with the results.
Creating A Beautiful Smile
What’s the first thing people might notice about another person? Is it that certain clothing style, or beautiful hair, or the perfect shape?
To tell the truth, it’s often the smile. The teeth.
Teeth have a way of biting back, however. They are supposed to grow in even rows, but they frequently refuse. They need strong, white enamel, but they often give up and decay. Sometimes the gums around them give way. Teeth do, indeed, have a way of becoming troublesome.
What’s to be done with difficult teeth? Oral Surgery San Antonio performs surgical procedures for troublesome teeth. Sometimes, oral surgery is required before a person can obtain the beautiful smile and healthy mouth tissue that is optimal.
Here are some of the ways in which an oral surgeon might assist a person to gain a beautiful smile.
1. Extractions
Wisdom teeth are teeth that arrive after all the other permanent teeth are in place. They sometimes create pressure on the other teeth, causing them to crowd and decay. Oral surgery can remove them.
2. Treatment of dental infections
Teeth decay, and if unattended, a dental infection may result. An oral surgeon will extract the infected tooth and clear the mouth of infection.
3. Periodontal surgery
Infected gums cause loss of teeth. Oral surgery is sometimes needed to clear infection from gum tissue.
4. Pre-prosthetic surgery.
If teeth are badly decayed, pre-prosthetic surgery is done to fit dentures in place of the former teeth. Multiple extractions and bone modification may need to be done.
5. Implants
Implants are permanent replacements for lost or extracted teeth. An oral surgeon may be required to seat them or modify surrounding gum tissue to accommodate them.
Preparing for oral surgery involves X-rays of the mouth. These will be reviewed by the surgeon and a medical history will be recorded. The patient will be informed of the risks of oral surgery, including information about the type of anesthetic to be used. When well-administered anesthetic is utilized, oral surgery need not be stressful. If a person is anxious, conscious sedation with medications can be given to calm jumpy nerves.
After oral surgery is performed, a detailed instruction sheet is given to the patient about how to care for post-surgical trauma and what medications to take.
Oral surgery can be the prelude to a beautiful smile. For instance, when the crowding of wisdom teeth is relieved, teeth are easier to floss and clean. When infected gum tissue is cleared up, teeth become firm and healthy.
Dentures look very natural and beautiful today, and the pain and health problems of decayed teeth are gone.
Implants look and feel like beautiful, perfectly natural teeth.
Oral surgery may be the first step to what people will notice first about you, that wonderful smile!
How to Floss Your Teeth
While it is common for most people to brush their teeth at least once a day as part of their oral hygiene regimen, many people fail to realize that flossing their teeth is just as important as brushing. Flossing is the process of using a thin, floss silk thread to remove food particles and plaque from the spaces between one’s teeth. Flossing helps prevent plaque build-up, gum disease and tooth loss. When a person visits the General Dentists in St Louis for a routine dental checkup, they will typically receive a gift bag containing dental floss, along with toothpaste and a new toothbrush.
However, just because a patient receives free dental floss from a General Dentist in St Louis, it does not mean they will ask the dentist for a tutorial on how to use it! In the event, however, a patient suddenly becomes curious about how to use that “wax-covered string” in their complimentary gift bag, they won’t have to wait until their next checkup with the General Dentists in St Louis to learn how; instead, they can implement the following flossing technique as part of their daily oral care routine.
To begin, the patient will pull approximately 18 inches of dental floss from its dispenser, and wind each end of the floss around the middle finger of each hand. There should be two to three inches of clean floss for him to start with. The patient must pinch the two to three inch string between his index finger and thumb, gliding it back and forth between his teeth toward the gum line. Once at the gum line, the patient must curve the floss around the tooth and gently glide it back and forth slightly below the gum line.
Before proceeding to the next set of teeth, the patient must unwind two to three inches of floss from his middle fingers to release a clean piece of floss. Using clean floss in each space prevents bacteria, food particles, and plaque residue from being redeposited into the mouth. The patient will floss all upper and lower teeth working in a clockwise direction, taking care not to rip the floss as this could scratch his gums.
It is best for the patient to floss before brushing to ensure that plaque and food particles have been thoroughly removed from between his teeth and along the gum line. This will ensure that these particles are completely brushed away and rinsed out of the patient’s mouth. As the patient combines flossing with brushing on a daily basis, he can significantly reduce the incidence of periodontal disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss.
These tips were brought to you buy a general dentist St. Louis.
Great Ways To Get Whiter Teeth
A bright, white smile is one of the first things that people notice about each other. When people don’t feel confident about their smiles, they tend to do it less often. An attractive smile portrays confidence and approachability, and can make a huge difference in a person’s social life and even their career.
There are a number of factors that can cause teeth to become discolored, and many of them can be prevented to an extent. Over time, even healthy teeth will become less bright. Exposure to certain foods and beverages can stain teeth, and eventually they will become permanently discolored. Coffee and tea are probably the two biggest and most common culprits, but pretty much anything consumed that is dark in color, such as cola, red wine or grape juice, will stain the teeth over time. Cigarette smoking is another frequent cause of yellowing teeth.
There are daily measures that can be taken to prevent the discoloration of the teeth. Good oral hygiene is the first line of defense. Brushing in the morning, before bed, and after meals may seem rather obvious, but it is one way to prevent staining. Cutting down on beverages that can stain teeth is another tip; sipping those drinks with a straw to minimize contact with the teeth can help as well.
There are a variety of tooth whitening kits and treatments that can be found in local drugstores. These home treatments can provide varying results. It is advisable to consult a dentist before using these due to the fact that some of the ingredients can be harsh and cause tooth pain. Brushing teeth with a whitening toothpaste or plain baking soda can help remove some of the stains and prevent new discoloration, but for severely stained teeth, or more dramatic results, professional tooth whitening is the best option. When searching for tooth whitening in Visalia, for example, there are many options available.
In-office bleaching can be done in one or more office visits and has several advantages over home bleaching kits. The bleach gel that is used by professionals is thicker and less likely to seep into the porous enamel of the teeth, reducing the likelihood of pain and sensitivity. Professional whitening often makes use of intense lights in conjunction with the bleaching gel to intensify its effects.
After the procedure, it may be recommended to use home whitening kits or other whitening methods in addition to excellent oral hygiene to keep the results lasting as long as possible. Professional tooth whitening is not a permanent solution. The staining and discoloration process begins again immediately after tooth whitening is finished, so consistent upkeep of the teeth is necessary to keep the smile its best.
Getting Rid of Yellow Stains on Your Teeth
Yellow teeth can make people self-conscious and keep them from smiling. Many things can cause yellow teeth, including genetics. Most of the time, however, stains are the only thing that stands in the way of a confident smile.
Keeping teeth white is harder than it seems because so many things can discolor them. Some stains respond to home remedies while others require professional whitening. Of the many dental treatments available in Visalia, bleaching teeth Visalia is a common one.
What Causes Yellow Teeth?
Even proper teeth maintenance can leave teeth looking yellow and lackluster. Daily encounters with coffee, tea, wine and other foods make it hard to keep teeth white. Smoking and medications also affect teeth, often turning them a yellow hue.
For smokers, the yellow stains result from a buildup of nicotine, tar and other substances in tobacco smoke. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), tobacco smoke yellows not only the teeth but also the fingernails.
Some foods and beverages can also cause yellow stains on the teeth. Coffee, tea, cola, wine and many different foods contain organic tannins and commercial dyes that discolor the teeth.
Medications such as tetracycline and other antibiotics can cause permanent discoloration. If given to children younger than 8 years of age, they can cause permanent yellow or gray teeth.
For some people, genetics are responsible for yellow teeth. Yellow may be the natural hue of teeth enamel. Genetic disorders can also affect teeth color. Sometimes, yellow teeth are simply the result of poor hygiene.
How Do Yellow Teeth Get White?
The treatment for yellow teeth depends on the cause and severity of discoloration. Mild stains may benefit from baking soda toothpaste or over-the-counter whitening gels or strips. For serious stains, bleaching teeth Visalia is a good way to get yellow teeth white again.
Professional teeth whitening delivers big results in a short amount of time. Under the supervision of a Visalia dentist, in-office teeth whitening usually starts with teeth polishing, which uses pumice to remove plaque. This is followed by a teeth whitening procedure that uses hydrogen peroxide or another liquid solution. Some dentists use a laser to activate the peroxide.
Professinal teeth whitening normally takes between 30 and 60 minutes. After the optimum time has passed, the treated teeth are rinsed with water. Some dentists apply fluoride to minimize the sensitivity associated with teeth whitening.
People who choose bleaching teeth Visalia to get rid of yellow stains must be careful to avoid re-staining their teeth. They are usually advised to avoid highly-pigmented foods and beverages for at least 24 hours after the dental procedure. This enables the teeth enamel pores to close and prevent further staining.
Going To The Dentist Regularly
The condition of a person’s oral health may be an indicator of their overall well-being. With regular dental checkups, the seasoned experts at San Antonio Teeth Cleaning help protect against disorders associated with dental problems, such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, for example.
Lack of oral health may also adversely affect a person’s sense of smell, ability to taste and swallow, along with their smile and other facial expressions. In addition, for pregnant women, diseased gums may cause below normal birth weight for the baby, or possible premature birth.
In ancient times, so the story goes, witch-doctors believed tooth worms caused toothaches. They believed a worm drilled its way into a tooth and pain came when the worm squirmed inside the tooth. For treatment, they would spread honey over the patient’s teeth and wait for the worm to come out of the tooth to eat the honey, and then grab it. Suppose they’re still waiting?
Over the centuries, though, a steady stream of medical knowledge allowed dental care to emerge from fiction to fact. Today, dentists are aware that plaque is the primary cause of cavities and gum disease.
Plaque is a sticky film made up of mucus and bacteria that adheres to teeth. If not removed, the bacterium infects the gums and penetrates the blood vessels. Once it gets into the bloodstream, it’s transported throughout the body. The only way to stop the flow of bacteria is to have the plaque removed from the person’s teeth.
The professionals at San Antonio Teeth Cleaning remove plaque from patient’s teeth, at every regularly scheduled check-up.
Dental care is important for tobacco users. Tobacco accelerates the onset of gum disease that can lead to tooth loss, along with other complications such as oral cancer, which spreads quickly.
Likewise, regular dental checkups help curtail tooth problems that occur with age. A common malady is that gums recede from the teeth, which exposes the roots of teeth to bacteria. Also, seniors tend to produce less saliva and are more susceptible to tooth decay, as saliva helps neutralize the bacterium that causes cavities.
The grounds for regular dental checkups at San Antonio Teeth Cleaning continue: Treatment for tooth decay and gum disease is more effective when discovered early. Along with gums, periodontal disease attacks the bones that support teeth, and early treatment is more productive. Cavities may be a sign of vitamin and mineral deficiency, and sensitive teeth can mean the erosion of enamel. The fluoride treatments dentists give helps prevent decay, which is preventive maintenance.
Dental appointments make some people nervous, so don’t drink coffee or eat sweets beforehand, as they may bring on anxiety.
Helping Your Kids Keep Their Teeth Clean
There are several reasons for children’s dental care. One, it is important to keep one’s teeth healthy and clean from the start. Second, it keeps bad breath and odor down. Third, having a dentist for one’s children helps keep their children healthy. Dental problems that are left unchecked for a long period of time can make a person physically sick and in a lot pain. Using a dentist for one’s children on a regular basis can stop these problems before they get worse. A dentist can also give recommendations on any dental procedures such as braces, retainers, or extracting a tooth to create space that might be needed as a child grows.
Children’s dental health is an important part of being a good parent. Children can get the same dental diseases that adults can get. When children get sick from dental issues it makes them not want to brush their teeth even more. This is the wrong message for children to receive. It is vital to oral and physical health that a person keeps their teeth and mouth clean. Regular brushing, flossing, and rinsing for cavities is not enough for protection. Children need to visit a dentist on a regular basis to make sure that cleaning is working properly.
Parents do not want their children to have bad breath, cavity ridden teeth, or oral gum disease. Problems like these can occur when children do not clean their teeth properly, often enough, or do not see a dentist on a regular basis. Smelly breath or bad mouth odors from cavities and tooth decay can be really embarrassing for children and adults. Keeping kid’s teeth and mouths clean and healthy is a good way to prevent embarrassing episodes from happening in the first place.
Unclean teeth and improperly cleaned teeth can breed bacteria and cause oral mouth disease. These oral mouth diseases, when left untreated, can become physically harmful and even deadly. There are certain bacteria that when left untreated, can move into the blood stream through dental decay and reach other parts of the body. These bacteria can lead to heart problems, breathing issues, stomach ulcers, and blood infections. In a worse case scenario, improper dental care can lead to death.
Children’s dental care is an important part of keeping a child safe and healthy. Teaching them how to properly take care of teeth is as important as seeing a dentist on a regular basis. A dentist can find problems before they get bad and can offer suggestions to help kids clean their teeth better or easier. A regular cleaning by a dental hygienist is important as well. Each cleaning lets the dentist do a good check for cavities and oral health problems.
How To Improve Your Child’s Smile
Those who want to give their children the most in life should ensure that they protect their smiles. Children should start going to a family dental practice early, and they should learn good oral hygiene to get them started on a road to good oral health for their entire lives. Families which have noticed that their children may be developing crooked teeth may need to ask their dentist if they should see an orthodontist. Children may need braces or other corrective care to leave them with great looking teeth for years to come.
As dentists continue to monitor children’s teeth, they may be able to tell whether or not a child will eventually need orthodontic care. Going to a family dental practice can help to ensure that children aren’t eventually frightened by the dentist. They are going to be able to have care from a professional who knows how to explain oral hygiene practices in ways that children will be able to understand. This can make seeing the dentist a fun experience, so that children will want to be able to continue doing this for the rest of their lives.
Other ways to improve a child’s smile is start with their diet. Sugary foods and drinks can be bad for the teeth, and lead to getting more cavities when they go in for their regular visits. The first dental visit should be scheduled before a child turns one year old. It is also important not to share any eating utensil with a child, as bacteria from a parents mouth can spread to a child and contribute to them getting cavities. Using the correct type of toothpaste while the child is a toddler is important as well, as some contain ingredients that children shouldn’t have in their mouths.
Using too much toothpaste is not good as well, as very little toothpaste is needed to brush a child’s teeth. If they are using too much, then the teeth may end up getting stained as well. Getting a timer for brushing the teeth is important as well, so that children know how long they should be spending on this activity. This can lead to good brushing habits throughout the rest of a child’s life, and maybe even keep them from having to undergo uncomfortable dental procedures like having a cavity filled. There are many other things which can help to improve a child’s smile, including things like getting enough exercise which improves digestive health. This can ultimately improve the child’s smile, and set them up for good oral hygiene practices for their entire lives.
