NEWSLETTER

Welcome to our newsletter. We hope you and your family may find some helpful dental information. You may already know that regular and consistent dental care is one of the most important routines to preserve your optimum oral health. Of course, if you are searching for a beautiful smile for special occasions or attractive purposes, you can come and visit us for a free consultation. We look forward to seeing you!

Why do teeth get discolored?

Tooth discoloration and staining causes embarrassment and self-consciousness.  Though many causes of tooth discoloration are under your control, some are not.  The following is a brief list of causes and cures:

Drinks: Coffee and tea tend to stain teeth, especially when sipped over a prolonged period.  Periodic professional cleanings and in-office tooth whitening reverse these effects.

Smoking / Tobacco:  Smoking and chewing tobacco have a negative effect on tooth color, gingival health, and breath.  The best treatment is never to start smoking, or try to quit if you currently smoke.   Periodic in-office cleanings and professional tooth whitening minimize the discoloring effects of smoking.

Dental Restorations: Metal restorations tend to breakdown at the edges (margins) and may reduce the transparency of tooth enamel.  Replacing metal fillings with tooth colored composites or porcelains reverses these effects.  Even tooth-colored restorations stain with time and may need replacement.

Age: With aging comes the cumulative effect of tooth staining.  The outer tooth enamel wears down with time, causing teeth to turn more yellow.  Porcelain veneers or dental bonding replace that worn layer, and restore the youthful glow of teeth. 

Chemicals and Medications: During the tooth development of a child, certain antibiotics such as tetracycline or excessive ingestion of fluoride can cause permanent tooth staining.  Though these stains can not be cleaned or whitened, porcelain veneers or composite bonding can give the stained teeth a new face.  In addition to the causes listed above, trauma and genetics play a role in changing tooth color.  Keep your teeth whiter and brighter by regular dental cleanings, and ask us about your cosmetic options to get that perfect smile.

What are the causes of sensitive teeth?

When you have pain from a sensitive tooth, and the tooth does not have any decay or fracture, the tooth can feel sensitive for a number of different reasons, including:

Receding gums: When gums recede (because you’re using a hard toothbrush and brushing too hard, because of gum disease, or even because of simple aging), your tooth roots expose the tiny dental channels leading to the tooth’s nerve center (pulp), causing sensitivity.

A cracked tooth or filling: A crack in the tooth may run from the biting surface to the root. Hot, cold, sweet, and pressure tend to trigger pain or sensitivity at the early stage.

Tooth grinding: You may unknowingly clench or grind your teeth when you’re asleep. The tooth enamel wears away, leading to sensitivity.

Enamel erosion: If you consume acidic foods and soft drinks frequently, they may dissolve the mineral structure of the teeth and damage the tooth enamel overtime, leading to sensitivity.

Tooth whitening: Tooth sensitivity after whitening is common. But it’s also temporary.

If the sensitivity is intense or prolonged, you may want to have the tooth checked to make sure not anything more serious than simply a sensitive tooth.

What to do about the space between two teeth or diastema?

There are couple options to fill the gap between two teeth or diastema including:

Braces: It may take over a year to move your teeth together, depending on your situation

Dental bonding: Dental composite bonding materials can be used as a quick, easy and relatively inexpensive solution to close the diastema. But it may get stained or color changed overtime.

Crowns: Those are “caps” to cover the outside surfaces of the teeth to close the gap.

Porcelain veneers: They are thin shells of porcelain that are bonded onto the front side of the teeth to close the diastema.

If you are looking to close the diastema, we can provide the option that would serve you the best.

What causes tooth abscess and what are its symptoms?

A tooth abscess is caused by a bacterial infection in the root of the tooth or in the surrounding gum tissue. The first indication of an abscess would probably be the feeling of pressure, and an intense, persistent throbbing, due to pus under the surface. The tooth may be sensitive to heat, and the pressure of chewing or biting. As the infection becomes more severe, you may develop a fever, a swelling in your face or cheek, and tender, swollen lymph nodes under your jaw or in your neck. In some cases the abscess will rupture on its own, releasing a rush of foul fluid in your mouth. Even if the abscess does drain on its own, alleviating the pressure and the corresponding pain, you still need to come in for an assessment, and possibly antibiotics or further treatment Dental abscess is serious infections that won’t simply go away without treatment. It may be possible to drain the pus through the tooth itself (a root canal treatment) so the tooth can be saved, or if not, the tooth will need to be extracted to prevent a recurrence. If not treated, the infection from tooth abscess can spread into your bloodstream, leading to severe complications that may need to be admitted to hospital for emergency. If you have a toothache, please call our office for consultation.

Why do some people grind their teeth or bruxism?

Bruxim is a condition in which people unconsciously grind and clench their teeth, usually when asleep. Bruxism may be a cause of unexplained headaches, chronic facial pain, TMJ, increased sensitivity in the teeth, a constantly sore jaw after waking up, or earaches because of severe muscle contractions. The most common factors that lead bruxism are stress, anxiety, anger, and frustration. It can also result from certain antidepressants, ecstasy drugs, cocaine, and alcohol. Abnormal alignment of upper and lower teeth may also be prone to grinding and clenching your teeth. Custom mouth guards can be used to protect your teeth and may alleviate the symptoms.

What causes dry mouth?

Saliva is necessary to lubricate the mouth, wash food away, neutralize the acids produced by plaque and prevent infections, as it controls bacteria and fungi in the mouth. If you lack of saliva, you can experience constant dry mouth which not only causes difficulties in talking, eating, swallowing, and wearing dentures but also accelerates the developing of gum disease, tooth decay, and other infections in the mouth. Medications such as antidepressants, antihistamines, decongestants, high blood pressure drugs, and diseases including diabetics (which affect the salivary glands), Sjogren’s syndromes, or therapies like chemo and radiation in the head and neck area , or even simply aging can cause dry mouth. Biotene mouth wash for dry mouth or other similar products over the counter may help you to lubricate the mouth.

Why are my gums receding?

Gums can recede for number of reasons:

Gum disease: Red, swollen, bleeding, bad breath are signs of gum inflammation that cause gum receding on most of your teeth. If you have a gum disease, it’s important to address it as soon as you can because it can lead to not only loose and missing teeth but also a host of general health problems. If you have uncontrolled diabetics, the high glucose level presence in your mouth will increase the level of bacteria and reduce your infection resistance, thus leading to higher risk of gum disease.

Aggressive brushing: If the gums in your front teeth are receding, you may be brushing either too hard, too vigorously, too frequently or incorrectly.

Oral piercing: A constant contact with gum tissue can also cause gums to recede.

Grinding: Grinding and clenching your teeth or bruxism put extreme pressure around your teeth and gums, initiating gum recession

Misaligned or crooked teeth: If your teeth do not come together properly, excess force on the teeth that do touch may cause trauma to the surrounding bone and gum tissue.

Aging: Simply aging may also lead to gum recession.

What causes bad breath or halitosis?

Bad breath can come from a number of different sources from gum (periodontal) disease, dry mouth, bacterial decomposition of food particles in and around your teeth and on your tongues, and foods that contain sulfur compounds, to a variety of medical conditions. Gum disease treatment, good oral hygiene, and regular dental checkups and cleaning can eliminate most of the causes of the bad breath. If you have medical conditions that cause bad breath, you may want to check with your physicians.