Give Yourself the Gift of a New Smile

For the best holiday smile, you cannot beat cosmetic dentistry, and if you want to treat yourself to a new toothy grin, call and schedule an appointment with your dentist who can help you come up with a plan that may include tooth whitening, dental veneers, tooth colored fillings or dental bonding. Your cosmetic dentist may also recommend inlays, onlays, dental crowns; tooth colored fillings or dental implants. If you have always thought your gums were too large for your smile, your dentist may also recommend gummy smile repair.

A gummy smile can make you feel self-conscious when you smile. Your smile has everything to do with perception and aesthetics and if you are showing too much gum tissue and your gums are more prominent when you smile than your teeth, you may have a gummy smile. If you have a gummy smile, your teeth will appear smaller than they should.

According to your dentist, gummy smiles happen when your teeth and gums are out of proportion with each other. The position of your upper lip also comes into play and can be a combination of several things. These include the amount of gum tissue that you have on display, the shape, and size of your teeth, the degree, and the length of the movement of your upper lip and the vertical positioning of your teeth and upper jaw in relationship to your head or skull.

You may have a gummy smile for a variety of reasons. However, only your dentist can provide you with the critical diagnosis that is needed to repair your gummy smile. According to your dentist, several factors could be causing your gummy smile, but it is imperative that you have the correct diagnosis and treatment as incorrect gummy smile correction procedures could make the problem worse.

If you are unhappy with your smile, call and schedule an appointment with your dentist who can come up with a plan to give you the grin that you deserve. Call or click today. 

Think Before You Eat and Drink

It’s the silly season again and that means lots of parties and lots of food, and even if you are watching your weight, there are some foods that you should avoid or keep to a minimum to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

When you eat foods and drinks that contain sugar, the bacteria that naturally occur in your mouth will feed on sugar creating acids. Those acids will wear down the enamel making it weaker. The weaker your tooth’s enamel, the more susceptible you will be to tooth decay and gum disease.

The holidays are known for lots of goodies including sweet treats, cakes, candies and deliciously sweet dried fruit, however, those dates and dried cherries in the fruitcake could cause problems for your teeth. Dried fruit may be good for your figure, but can also stick to your teeth. If you must enjoy a dried apricot, fig, or date, rinse your mouth with water afterwards.

If you snack on sweets all day or over an extended period, such as a holiday party or holiday event, it can be especially harmful, as damaging acids will form in your mouth every time you consume a snack that is loaded with sugar. Even healthy servings of cranberry sauce can cause those acids to start forming. If that isn’t bad enough the sugary treat will continue affecting your teeth for 20 minutes or more after you have finished.

Snacking on sugary drinks and sweets all day long will increase your risk of gum disease and decay. If you brush and floss after indulging, you will see a reduction in bacteria.

When it comes to keeping cavities at bay, your dentist recommends that you balance out your sugary drinks and sweets with other types of foods. Eating sweets with foods that are rich in carbohydrates will help ease the impact that sugar will have on your teeth.

If you must indulge, choose wisely and consume sweets that dissolve quickly as this will limit the contact with the enamel on your teeth. Instead of caramels and gummy Santa’s, opt for plain dark chocolate, which is said to be good for your teeth.

Make sure that you are prepared and carry floss and a toothbrush with you. If you are eating sweets, it is important to brush if you can. However make sure that you wait about a half an hour if you are consuming foods that are acidic, such as wine or citrus fruits, as brushing can soften the enamel if you do not wait.

This holiday season think before you eat and drink, and remember to schedule an appointment with your dentist for the New Year.