Enamel Stripping & Teeth Discoloration

Latest Dental News: Enamel Stripping

Some amount of dulling and darkening of your teeth is just a natural part of aging. What we eat and drink and how we care for our teeth will affect how much staining and discoloration occurs on the outside of our teeth. Other factors, some beyond our control, can cause teeth to stain on the inside. Most staining can be corrected with tooth whitening. Stubborn, resistant discoloration can be covered with other procedures, giving you beautiful, white teeth again.

Aging:
As we age, the enamel of our teeth thins. When the enamel thins the dentin shows through. Dentin is yellow and as it becomes more visible your teeth lose their bright whiteness. Brushing and good oral hygiene cannot stop the dulling of your teeth caused by aging. Tooth whitening can reach and lighten the dentin.

Darkening on the outside of your teeth:
Staining on the outside of your teeth is called extrinsic staining. This is the type of darkening that you have the most control over. Your personal habits play a large role in extrinsic staining, but are not the only factor.

Proper brushing and flossing will minimize this type of staining. However, that doesn’t mean you should go crazy with aggressive brushing and using abrasive products. If you damage your tooth enamel your teeth will stain more easily.

Obviously, what you put in your mouth can stain your teeth. Staining foods and beverages include dark berries, coffee, tea, sodas, and red wine. Smoking and smokeless tobacco use will also stain your teeth.

Dental damage such as chipped teeth and tooth erosion leave areas unprotected by tooth enamel and they can darken quickly. Tooth erosion can be caused by many things including drinking sodas. It is common in swimmers due to excessive exposure to chlorine.

Metal (silver amalgam) fillings can become tarnished and stain your teeth. They can be replaced with beautiful, tooth-colored fillings.

Darkening on the inside of your teeth:
When your teeth become dark on the inside it is called intrinsic staining. This typically starts in childhood and is beyond your control. The most common cause of intrinsic staining is tetracycline use while your teeth were developing. Tetracycline is a very common antibiotic.

Intrinsic staining:
Staining inside of your teeth is called intrinsic staining. Intrinsic staining is very resistant to whitening. Your cosmetic dentist can determine if your teeth will respond to tooth whitening, and if not, he can recommend alternatives. Even if you have dark intrinsic staining, you can still have a beautiful, white smile.

If you were exposed to excessive fluoride while your teeth were forming you may have white fleck and/or brown stains in your teeth due to dental fluorosis. Public water supplies often have added fluoride. You can help protect your children from dental fluorosis and the health risks of excessive fluoride by giving them bottled water or installing a high quality water filter in your home and having use fluoride-free toothpaste until they are at least three years old.

An injury to a tooth can cause it to darken. This can happen very slowly after the trauma occurs.

Some intrinsic stains respond to whitening, but in most cases you will need to cover the stained teeth with porcelain veneers or tooth bonding. Even the toughest stains can be covered giving you beautiful, white teeth again.

Source: Why Do Teeth Darken?

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Tooth Ache & Anti-Snoring Treatment

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Anyone who has ever suffered from a toothache knows how painful it can be. Does it seem that for some reason, toothaches most often strike on a weekend or late at night when you can’t get in touch with your dentist? What can be done to ease this pain when your dentist isn’t available?

Most often, tooth decay, abscesses, impacted teeth, gum problems, or sometimes something as simple as a piece of food being lodged between the teeth can cause toothaches. Some diseases not associated with the mouth can also cause toothaches, such as heart disease, sinuses, and ear infections. Sometimes toothaches can simply be due to temporary sensitivity. Toothache pain can range from mild to severe. It is always a good idea to rinse your mouth with water and gently floss, in case a food particle is the culprit. In the event that this does not work, there are some other remedies to try to relieve your ache until you can consult a professional.

Over-the-counter pain medication such as aspirin or Tylenol is available for short-term pain relief, as are antiseptics and gels. These things will numb the area. Your pharmacist can recommend different brands and explain what they do.

Through the years, home remedies for toothaches have sprung up. These remedies can be either medicinal or herbal in nature. One of the most popular toothache remedies is clove oil. You can either use the liquid form or the actual clove. Rubbing clove oil on the tooth is believed to relieve the pain from a toothache. Clove oil contains eugenol, which is a natural pain killer and an antibacterial substance.

Another remedy for toothaches is to mix lime juice and asafoetida powder. Asafoetida is a spice used in Indian cooking. Soak a cotton ball in this mixture and rub it on your tooth and gum. This will help to ease your pain. You can also try adding 1 tbsp of salt to ½ cup of boiling water. Put this combination in your mouth, as hot as you can bear it. Then swish it around the problem area. You can also gargle with Listerine Antiseptic, as this has been known to bring relief as well.

Another home remedy is to pour a few drops of vanilla extract on the tooth, as this has been known to ease the pain. You can even crush a clove of fresh garlic and mix it with peanut butter and apply this to the tooth. Does this sound disgusting? Maybe – but it has been known to help. Chewing on ice on the side of the mouth in pain will help as well.

If the above remedies work only temporarily, a sure fire remedy is to visit your dentist. In the line of prevention, the dental community recommends brushing twice daily, flossing at least once a day, and making an appointment for a dental cleaning every six months.

Source: Toothache Remedy - A Pain In The Mouth

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Root Canal & Endodontics Treatment

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The term “root canal” strikes fear into the hearts of most people. The preconceived notion of a root canal involves severe pain, multiple dental visits, and eventual loss of the tooth in spite of everything.

However, this isn’t representative of root canal procedures at all. Advances in technology and general dentistry have made the root canal a much simpler procedure that most people describe as not being much more uncomfortable than a simple filling.

Conditions for a Root Canal:
A root canal can become necessary when the interior nerve tissue and pulp of the tooth become severely damaged and/or infected. In these cases, this tissue must be removed. Some conditions that can cause a need for a root canal include:

• Severe decay
• Severe infection inside the tooth
• Trauma to the tooth

Root Canal Procedure:
A tooth that requires a root canal can become extremely painful. The root canal procedure removes the nerve tissue from the tooth, thus eliminating the pain. It also removes any infected tissue, which will keep the infection from spreading to other teeth, gums, or facial bones. Left unchecked, this kind of infection can become very serious, and sometimes even fatal.

Once the nerve, pulp, and infection are removed, the empty space inside the tooth is filled with a sealing agent. Often the dentist will place a permanent metal or porcelain crown over the tooth.

In many cases, a root canal procedure can maintain a natural tooth relatively intact, saving the tooth from extraction. With the natural tooth and its root preserved, your jawbone has a better chance of maintaining long-term health. While a root canal might seem intimidating, it’s also often the best choice.

Having a root canal doesn’t mean the tooth will eventually have to be pulled, either. Often, teeth that have undergone this procedure will remain otherwise healthy for many years, even permanently. With one procedure, you can eliminate your pain and also save your tooth.

Source: Advantages of a Root Canal

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Oral Cancer & Smoking

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Typically, oral cancer has been associated with tobacco and alcohol use; however, people who don’t smoke or drink excessively are also susceptible. Men are twice as likely as women to get oral cancer; in fact, an estimated 19,000 men are diagnosed with oral cancer each year. Adding to this, research suggests that men who have been diagnosed with the human papillomavirus (HPV) are at a higher risk for getting oral cancer. Oral cancer is a serious illness, and its treatment and diagnosis deserve serious attention.

Because there is currently no cure for HPV, many in the medical community are now promoting the vaccine Gardasil to prevent the acquisition of the sexually transmitted disease (and, by extension, oral cancer) in men and boys. Although Gardasil may help address the problem, it is critical that men receive proper dental care to help screen for oral cancer.

Oral Screenings:
As with other types of cancer, early detection is critical in beating oral cancer. Fortunately, breakthroughs in technology allow for faster and more accurate detection of suspicious tissue than ever before.

Good oral screenings includes the following:

• Regular check-ups – During a routine examination, your dentist will inspect your mouth for lesions, discolorations, or other abnormalities.
• Adjunctive screening – Today, many dentists use technology such as ViziLite Plus to better detect soft tissue abnormalities. During an adjunctive screening, your dentist will dim the lights and use a special light to inspect the inside of your mouth. These screenings are completely painless, and they can alert your dentist to abnormalities that might not be readily visible to the naked eye.

What to Watch For:
During your appointment, you might learn what warning signs to look for at home; by empowering patients to self-examine, dentists help ensure that oral cancer is caught early.

If you notice any of the following, call a dentist right away:

• White, red, or otherwise discolored spots in the mouth
• Sores in or around the mouth that do not heal
• Excessive and repeated bleeding in the mouth
• Pain or numbness in the mouth area

The key to successfully fighting oral cancer is early diagnosis. All adults - especially those in high-risk groups - should be sure to visit the dentist regularly and be aware of potential warning signs.

Source: Oral Cancer and HPV in Men: A Connection?

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Natural Home Teeth Whitening Procedures

Latest Dental News: Home Tray Teeth Whitening

There was a time when if you wanted whiter teeth, it seemed that the only option was to go to the dentist and have the teeth bleached. Now there are numerous tooth whitening products on the market that you can use at home. But both of these options involve using potentially dangerous chemicals, and they can even make teeth very sensitive, replacing one problem with another more serious one.

But there is good news. There are many ways in which we can brighten our teeth naturally. By using some preventive measures and making treatments out of herbs and things we can find around the house or at the grocery store, we can make our pearly whites whiter.

Here are the tips:

• As always, brushing and flossing regularly is the most important thing we can do for our teeth. It helps prevent cavities and fight plaque and tartar, and it also reduces staining. Brush after every meal if possible. If you don't have a toothbrush handy, rinsing your mouth well is better than nothing.
• Avoid using too much fluoride. Although fluoride is included in toothpastes and water supplies, too much of it can discolor your teeth.
• Avoid tobacco use, and go easy on the coffee and tea. These are three of the most common culprits of tooth staining.
• Cola, wine, and even certain fruits and vegetables can also stain teeth. That doesn't mean we have to stop eating fruits and vegetables, just that we should take special care to brush well after eating some of them.
• Some fruits are excellent tooth whiteners. Strawberries, for example, can be rubbed directly on teeth or mashed up and brushed on. The inside of an orange peel is also great for whitening. You can rub it directly on your teeth, or make a paste of dried orange peel and ground bay leaves to brush on. A mixture of lemon juice and salt also works well.
• Use baking soda. Many of the toothpastes on the market include baking soda in their ingredients because it is so effective. But you don't have to buy special toothpaste. You can mix baking soda with a dash of salt and add a little vinegar to make a homemade tooth whitener.
• Take care when choosing a mouthwash. Most have alcohol in them, and some even have ingredients such as chlorhexidine that can discolor teeth. Herbal antibacterial mouthwashes are available that kill germs and freshen breath without harmful chemicals.
• Whitening your teeth does not have to be expensive, and you don't have to use harsh chemicals. By using preventive measures and natural remedies, you can make your smile brighter without harming your teeth in other ways.

Source: 7 Tips for Whitening Teeth Naturally

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Teeth Whitening: Treatment Procedures & Basic Precautions

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Professional Teeth whitening is one of the most convenient and effective ways to shred years of your appearance. We all want radiant smiles but often stained or discoursed teeth can prevent us from having that perfect, youthful smile. Professional tooth whitening unlike other teeth whitening product kits is a dental procedure that whitens your teeth using laser advanced technology, capable of removing enamel stain. Popular whitening treatments such as zoom teeth whitening will whiten your teeth dramatically, giving you a beautiful new smile.

Most teeth whitening procedures use a high grade tooth whitening gel that is activated by a high power light laser to achieve the perfect shade. As a procedure laser tooth whitening is quick, painless, safe and most of all effective. Tooth whitening is controllable, allowing a dentist to adjust the level of whitening to meet your needs. Laser teeth whitening will improve your facial appearance by whitening your stained and discoloured teeth up to 10 shades lighter.

Tooth discoloration occurs through both extrinsic staining and intrinsic staining. Extrinsic stains are those that show on the surface of the teeth as a result of exposure to foods, tobacco dark-coloured beverages and routine wear and tear. Intrinsic stains are those that form on the interior of teeth, this is a result of trauma, aging and exposure to minerals. Teeth whitening can remove both extrinsic stains and intrinsic stains.

Teeth whitening can dramatically change the colour of your teeth, this will enhance your entire profile giving you a radiant and confidant smile. If you are looking for a quick way to dramatically enhance your smile, professional teeth whitening may be right chose for you.

Source: Take Years Off Your Appearance With Teeth Whitening Treatments

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