Options for Diastemas

Diastemas doesn’t usually cause health problems with our teeth or gums, but some people find them to be displeasing cosmetically.

• One way that dentists fix this problem is with braces. Braces will help straighten and align the each tooth together. Many people find this to be ideal as their smiles look consistent throughout their teeth. Occasionally diastemas may be a product of a bigger problem and if this is the case most dentists will recommend braces. Either way, your teeth will be straighter will less gaps.
• Another option for closing the gaps between our teeth, or diastemas, is veneers. Veneers are small porcelain pieces that are placed on and around the tooth to help fill out the spaces. These are much like small caps on the tooth. Veneers are very popular because they look very natural and you don’t need to go through the lengthy process of wearing braces. They are strong, natural looking, and come in various shades to match your existing tooth color.

If you have diastemas and are displeased with them considering braces or veneers to correct them and let your smile match your oral health.

]]> http://www.wagnerdentist.com/the-facts-about-diastemas/feed/ 0 http://www.wagnerdentist.com/dental-braces-how-to-care-for-them/ http://www.wagnerdentist.com/dental-braces-how-to-care-for-them/#comments Mon, 07 May 2012 17:16:55 +0000 Wagner Dental http://www.wagnerdentist.com/?p=914 Seeing a dentist is one of the most essential things to do when wanting to take good care of your teeth and mouth. For many of us, a dentist visit is easy and we require nothing more than just a routine cleaning of our teeth. Other times our dentist informs us that we need some correction to our teeth and bite; this is typically done with dental braces.

Metal Braces

Braces come in a few different forms these days, but the most common and popular are metal braces. These are safe brackets and wires that are placed on your teeth to help correct them. While the upside to these is that they are very effective for correcting problems with our bite and teeth the downside is that they require extra care.

Cleaning Your Dental Braces

If you have braces you must make sure to clean them at least twice a day very thoroughly. Food particles become caught in them and so attention to brushing is very important. In addition, flossing is very essential. Because food particles adhere much easier to teeth with braces, you must floss between the wires regularly and use a mouth wash that your dentist approves.

Do You Have Discomfort?

Some people have some discomfort with braces. It isn’t uncommon for them to cause occasional oral pain, but this is typically very easy to alleviate. Rinse your mouth out with cold water or eat some cold foods to help relieve the discomfort that braces can cause. Taking an over the counter pain medication such as an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) can also help reduce the discomfort. They tend to be uncomfortable when you first get them, but overtime your mouth will adjust and the discomfort will subside. If pain or discomfort persists speak with your dentist to ensure there isn’t a problem with your braces.

Why Brushing Your Tongue is Important

Brushing your tongue is very important and most people don’t even know it. While your tongue may appear flat to the naked eye it actually has many bumps and ridges. In these microscopic valleys things like bacteria and debris from food can become stuck or lodged. By brushing your tongue you can remove these.

Removing the bacteria and debris from your tongue not only helps with bad breath, but it helps prevent oral disease and tooth decay the same way brushing does. A large amount of the bacteria in your mouth doesn’t actually reside on your teeth but on the areas surrounding it like your gums and tongue. By brushing your tongue and flossing you are attacking the highest concentrations of what you are trying to get rid of. Tongue scrapers are available at most drug stores. Pick one up today and help improve your oral health!

It is but a common practice to brush your teeth twice a day, or to be more precise after every meal, as has been ingrained in us right from the time we learn to walk. Dental sciences today take a step further and feel that flossing is equally important or probably more important to help maintain a good dental health.

What is Flossing?

Flossing is cleaning teeth with special dental material that helps to reach into the otherwise difficult areas and clean out the unwanted substance from deep down. These unwanted food particles can cause havoc by eventually hardening up as plaque and being the major cause for dental decay and gum infections. Often the bristles of a toothbrush cannot reach into the crevices and the in between places between the teeth. Flossing is the only way out and can remove and clean them to perfection.

Types of Floss

According to the dental practitioners there are different types of flossing that can be done. Typically dental floss comes as unwaxed or waxed, flavored or unflavored, and ones that are in the form of tapes.

• Waxed dental floss has a waxed coating that slides easily in between the teeth. It is gentle and does not cause any form of damage to the gums or the sensitive areas. It is a preferred form of flossing in comparison to the unwaxed ones.
• Flavored flossing is good for all ages as they leave a fresh minty taste and leaves your mouth feeling fresh and clean. Typically floss comes in a thread like form.
• Tape floss works great for people with wider gaps and missing teeth. It effectively cleans out the teeth and takes considerably less time.

With millions of dollars being pumped into dental research every day, companies today are promoting newer and advanced materials that make flossing a pleasure as well as cleanse the mouth to a point where there is little or no plaque formation. The floss so derived is stronger than the usual ones and is anti-tear and anti-allergic. It is safe and adds to your dental well-being. Nowadays flosses are also being mechanized so that vibrations helps to clean out the teeth completely and also help to break free the particles that are tiny, stubborn and almost invisible to the naked eyes and are stuck to the teeth enamel.

Undoubtedly flossing benefits you in more ways than one. The bottom line is whatever floss you choose should work for your teeth and gums, and ensure that you oral health promises a brilliant smile and a set of sparkling white teeth.

]]> http://www.wagnerdentist.com/flossing-a-route-to-good-dental-health/feed/ 0 http://www.wagnerdentist.com/sensitive-teeth-solutions/ http://www.wagnerdentist.com/sensitive-teeth-solutions/#comments Mon, 26 Mar 2012 18:22:36 +0000 Wagner Dental http://www.wagnerdentist.com/?p=868 Many people take care of their teeth with a daily regimen. This typically includes brushing and flossing regularly and seeing a dentist a few times a year. However, despite how much we take care of our teeth they can develop problems. These problems tend to lead to discomfort in our mouths that is expressed by sensitivity in our teeth. If you have sensitive teeth you likely have mild to even extreme pain when you drink hot or cold beverages or eat. There are many causes to this and most can be prevented, cured, or otherwise improved upon.

Causes of Sensitive Teeth

One of the main causes to sensitive teeth is diet. Certain foods that are high in sugar or acids can cause the discomfort. Foods high in sugars are considered “highly fermentable” and the bacteria in your mouth consume them and produce an acid. Foods high in acid, or the acid produced by the bacteria in your mouth, wear down the enamel and expose particular areas of your tooth. When these areas come into contact with pressure, or hot or cold substances they trigger a response to the nerve which you perceive as pain or discomfort. This pain is what dentists consider to be the definition of sensitive teeth. Excessive brushing after exposure to these acids can add to the wear on your teeth.

Remedies for Sensitive Teeth

There are many solutions to reducing the discomfort that results from sensitive teeth. The easiest way to start is by noting what is in your diet and changing it if it is high in sugar or acids. Foods high in sugars and acids are things like soda or juice. Changing your tooth paste can also help when used in conjunction with a change in brushing habits. Brushing your teeth a few hours after, as opposed to right after, consuming foods high in sugar and acid with help reduce the damage done to your enamel.

Seeing your dentist about your sensitive teeth is always advised. A dentist can examine and diagnose any problems you may have that are causing you to have sensitive teeth. Some dentist offer treatments for sensitive teeth that may include re-mineralization of your teeth or placing gels upon particular areas to seal them from irritating elements. If you suffer from this discomfort the best way to relieve it is by first consulting with your dentist. The sooner you do so the faster you can prevent, reduce, and eliminate the discomfort you feel in your mouth.

Process of Filling a Tooth

When you go to the dentist for cavity fillings, your dentist will first thoroughly clean the tooth and the space in the tooth. Then your dentist will numb the tooth and the gums around the tooth that will be getting a filling and cut away the decayed part of the tooth with a dental tool designed to work in small spaces. If the cavity is deep enough that the nerves below the tooth are exposed, there may be pain involved and your dentist wants the process to be as painless as possible for you.

Your dentist will then fill the cavity with the material selected for your filling. A liner material may be used first if the cavity is close to the tooth’s root. This adds protection to the root and nerves below the tooth. Common materials for fillings are porcelain, silver amalgam, gold, and resin composites. This process will vary, depending on the type of material used, but basically the cavity is filled by adding layers of the material and each layer of the material is given time to harden.

Do Fillings Need to Be Replaced?

Yes, sometimes fillings do need to be replaced. Some dental filling materials have a longer lifespan than others and will last longer than others while other materials will need to be replaced sooner.

Then there is the general wear on your fillings to consider. Some teeth get more use simply because of their position in the mouth and which side of your mouth you chew on and their fillings wear out more quickly. In some cases it is possible that the filling can be repaired instead of being completely replaced.

There are other factors that can lead to needing to have a tooth replaced or repaired:

• Fall out – Fillings can come out, either from use over time or because some tiny particles lodged beneath the filling and caused it to come loose.
• Cracked or Leaking – Fillings can be cracked, possibly after biting down on something hard.
• Leaking – Fillings that are leaking happens when they don’t fit tightly enough against the tooth and bits of debris, liquids, and salvia can leak down inside it.
• Stains – Stains to composite materials are common.

Even though fillings may need to be replaced or repaired sometime in your future, they are a safe and effective way to help your teeth work better for you.

What is Fluoride?

Fluoride is a natural substance that is found in certain consumable food and liquids. Companies specializing in dental products have also spent millions of dollars and have added fluoride to various products that are used for everyday purposes for cleansing as well as for improving the health of the teeth. They have been added to toothpastes or oral ointments and have benefited people all over the world.

Why is Fluoride so Essential?

Fluoride in the long run helps to protect adults and children equally. From the time toddlers can brush; it is good to use toothpastes with fluoride content in them as a protection against cavities or other teeth problems and decay. Dental research has shown that using fluoride based products has helped to protect the teeth for longer periods as well as helped in creating an acid-resistant layer that can prevent the formation of cavities. It has been seen that early usage of fluoride has helped prevent tooth decay by almost 60%, which certainly is a big number. Given the success rates in preventing tooth decay, it is always advisable to start as early as you can. It helps to consult with your dentist and understand the benefits of fluoride usage, proper application of fluoride products and sealants for the teeth. This definitely supplements the daily brushing and flossing and helps make teeth stronger and more resilient against any form of problems or decay. It helps to start as young as you can, so by the time you grow older, your teeth are certainly protected and stronger to withstand the pressure due to bad diets or health conditions. With fluoride use, they get stronger with each passing day and you are assured of stronger and better teeth.

How do Dentists Use Fluoride?

Dentists use various fluoride based treatments on young and old likewise to treat problems that arise out of dental sensitivity, gum problems or even for root related problems. Fluoride helps to prevent diseases and eradicate them right from its root and as early as it can. For those who have been through dental implants, fluoride helps to protect the implants and prevents the formation of plaque, therefore helping the body to accept the artificial implant.

Given the benefits of fluoride, dentists have started using it for their treatments for the young and the old alike. Good dental health is important irrespective of your age. So why not gift ourselves the beauty of that perfect smile that makes our life worth living!

Cold Sores
Cold sores typically form outside the mouth and happen as the name depicts due to cold and related virus.

Canker Sores
As opposed to cold sores, canker sores occur inside the mouth. They are small and occur as an ulcer and can be extremely painful. While the causes of formation of these cankerous sores are not known, it is believed that excessive consumption of acidic food often cause the sores to occur and multiply. Sometimes sudden injury to the tissues in the gums could also lead to their occurrence.

Unlike cold sores, canker sores are not easy to deal with. There are two types of canker sores – simple and those that can be not so simple. Simple canker sores are the most common type of canker sores and can be treated rather easily. On the other hand, the serious canker sores typically happen to those who have had it before. The ongoing or recurrence of the canker sores is a manifestation of a bigger problem at hand, which one often tends to ignore. Often dentists or doctors attribute the occurrence and reappearance of canker sores to deficiency of major vitamins in the body like vitamin B-12, zinc, folic acid, iron. It can also be the cause of nutrition deficiency or various gastrointestinal tract diseases.

Whatever the causes of these sores, they are extremely painful to bear. These fleshy and watery growths in the insides of the cheek, tongue or on the palate can make life unbearable. Often the pain and discomfort results in fever and temperature as well.

How can one treat canker sores? If you feel that the pain and discomfort is getting unbearable, it may help to visit your dentist. If the problem isn’t as serious, one may look at over-the-counter medications and oral rinses that might temporarily relieve you of the pain as well as kill the infection, if the cause is superficial. However, if the sores are due to other serious problem, continued use of these rinses or medications may not do much in terms of relief; rather prolonged use could often enhance the irritation and make the situation worse.

If even after over the counter medications there isn’t much in terms of relief, it perhaps is a sign that there may be more that what meets the eye. In such a scenario, do not waste time and consult your dentist to get appropriate treatment.

What to look for in a toothbrush:

• The first thing to note is that a toothbrush should be replaced roughly every 1-3 months. Doing this will ensure the quality of the bristles and their effectiveness of removing plaque from your teeth.
• Most people have varying sized teeth. This is something to consider when buying a toothbrush; how big your teeth are. If your teeth are small and your brush head is large then you will likely rub your gums with the bristles causing irritation or even bleeding. If this is the case switch to a smaller brush head. A smaller brush head will also make it easier to get into the smaller spaces between teeth for deeper cleaning.
• Another thing to consider is the firmness or stiffness of the bristles. Some people may prefer or require firmer bristles but generally speaking many dentists agree that softer bristles work better for removing plaque in a gentle manner that won’t damage the enamel of the tooth.
• The handle of the tooth brush is also important. Choosing a handle that feel comfortable in your hand will actual improve your ability to clean your teeth. If you hold your toothbrush and it feels uncomfortable you will likely brush improperly and less often.
• Electric tooth brushes are great alternatives to standard toothbrushes. There are countless brands and styles to choose from. When it comes to using an electric toothbrush a consultation with your dentist will help narrow down the choices. You may have specific needs that not every toothbrush can provide for you and knowing about these needs is essential to taking care of your teeth.

What is dry socket?

The hole in the bone that a tooth sits in is known as a socket. When a tooth is pulled the socket becomes open.vThe natural response of the body is to create a blood clot so that tissue can eventually grow over and protect that area that once housed the tooth. However, on some occasions the clot does not form or dislodges. This exposes the underlying nerves, tissue, and bone to the environment of your mouth (air, food, water, etc.) and can cause intense pain and even infection.

Dry socket can be identified by its appearance (a dry socket instead of a healthy blood clot where the tooth was pulled from) and its characteristic pain which can at times radiate into the ear. Sometime this happens by chance but dry socket occurs more frequently in individuals who smoke, have poor oral health, use birth control, or have a tooth pulled because it is wisdom tooth. Naturally, one way of reducing your likelihood of getting dry socket is by refraining from smoking and taking better care of your mouth.

What you can do if you get dry socket

If you have dry socket there are few ways you can treat it.

• The most common way is over the counter NSAIDs such as aspirin and just wait it out.
• Another thing that is advisable is to see your dentist. This will ensure there isn’t an infection and if there is they can give you antibiotics, clean the socket, and place medicine in the socket to promote healing and keep it clean.

Dry socket isn’t considered very common, but is by no means rare and does occur. If you have a tooth pulled and pain begins a few days after the procedure examine your mouth and consult a dentist.