Four Foods That Can Damage Your Teeth
Last month, we looked at foods and drinks that can stain your teeth, but whiteness isn’t the only measure of healthy teeth. There are lots of foods that can chip your teeth or damage dental work in your mouth when you eat them. What are some of these problem foods? Your [LOCATION] dentist can warn you about some of the biggest culprits when it comes to chipped teeth, loose fillings, and broken crowns. Ice On a hot summer day, it’s great to fill a tall glass with ice and pour in some soda, lemonade, or tea to help cool down. You’re right if you assume that sugary drinks are bad for your teeth (they are!), but they’re bad in an over-the-long-term kind of way. In fact, lemonade and soda are also quite acidic, which isn’t good for your tooth enamel, either. However, it’s the ice that can actually chip your teeth if you chew it. Other hard foods can damage your teeth, too, so be careful when you’re eating things like baguettes, hard pretzels, and biscotti. Popcorn Lots of people enjoy buttered popcorn while sitting in a cool, air-conditioned movie theater, but unpopped kernels can definitely ruin the fun. They’re hard enough to chip a tooth if you crunch down on one of them by accident or on purpose. However, popcorn actually poses a double threat. The thin shell that covers the kernel can actually get stuck between your teeth or between your tooth and gum, giving bacteria a source of food and promoting tooth decay. Fruits with pits What do olives, cherries, dates, and peaches all have in common? They all have pits, of course, and those pits can damage teeth. If you accidentally bite into a pit, you can definitely crack or loosen a crown—or damage regular tooth enamel. Candy Pretty much every type of candy can damage your teeth. Hard candies can chip teeth if you bite on them or chew them up; if you suck on them and let them dissolve slowly, you’re basically giving your teeth (and the bacteria in your mouth) a sugar bath. Chewy candies, like caramels or taffy, can stick to your teeth, increasing the risk of cavities, or stick to fillings and crowns, loosening them. But sour candies are probably the most damaging of all because they combine three dangers to your teeth all in one. They’re loaded with sugar and they stick to your teeth, but the sour flavor actually comes from acids, which eat away at tooth enamel. You’re probably noticing a theme by now. Hard foods can damage your teeth. We’re not trying to you away from enjoying the sorts of treats you love. However, if you’re eating something that could chip your teeth, pay attention while you’re eating it. If you’re eating something that could damage your teeth in another way, remember to drink some water to rinse out sugars and acids. And always brush your teeth and floss after you’ve eaten any of the foods on this list. If you’ve damaged a tooth or lost a filling because of something you ate, give your Palmdale dentist a call at 661.202.3542 to make an emergency appointment. Come on in, and we can get your damaged tooth fixed right away!
Dental Product Series: Teeth Whitening
We all have our vices. Things like a couple of glasses of red wine with dinner, that cup of joe (or three) to start your day, and smoking all take a toll on the color of your teeth. Whether you are getting ready for your wedding day, aren’t ready to give up on the things you enjoy partaking in, or would just like boost in your smile, there are many reasons to have your teeth whitened. With so many options available today, how do you know which is best for you? The types of product you need will depend on your budget and how much whitening you are looking to do. Read on to see how you can get your pearly whites back to being pearly… and white. Basic Teeth Whitening Products There are many dental products out there that claim to be able to whiten teeth. These include gum, toothpaste, and mouthwash. While these products promote themselves as whitening teeth, they’re typically not very effective. The American Dental Association states that there two kinds of stains whitening products target. For surface, or extrinsic, stains, these products may be able to help. For deeper, or intrinsic, stains, these products don’t have enough whitening agent, and your teeth aren’t exposed to the agents long enough, to remove deeper stains. These products may not be able to whiten your teeth to where you want them, but they can be useful in maintaining a bright smile after using something a little stronger. Whitening Strips Whitening strips are an over-the-counter product that works better at whitening your teeth. They typically come with two strips in a container, one each for your top and bottom teeth. With these strips, you’ll normally leave them on for 20-30 minutes per session, allowing the whitening agent more time to do its work. Whitening strips can be used multiple days in a row, but also can cause tooth sensitivity. While this sensitivity isn’t a long-term problem, you should take a few days off of using the strips if your teeth become too sensitive. Take Home Kits Take-home whitening kits are a treatment you need to see your dentist for. Your dentist will make an impression of your teeth to create a tray to put the bleaching agent into. Once you have the trays (usually within one to two weeks of having impressions taken), your dentist will give you instructions on how to use your kit. In-Office Treatment This treatment is by far the most effective way to get your teeth whiter. Compared to the other teeth whitening products, chairside bleaching has the most potent bleaching agent, usually requiring a one-time dental visit for one to two hours. Your dentist will make sure you are a candidate for in-office bleaching and will take the proper precautions to ensure that the bleaching agent will avoid your gums, as it can irritate the tissue. Typically, the more effective a whitening product is, the more expensive its price. Depending on your situation, one treatment may be ideal for you, even if it’s not ideal for another patient. Often, in-office whitening treatment may be initially expensive, but in the long run, you get the color you were aiming for, and potentially save money by not trying several cheaper products that don’t deliver results. If you are unsure what option is best for you, give us a call at 661.202.3542 for more insight.
Tips for Teaching Your Kids to Floss
Even though baby’s first teeth are temporary, getting an early start on excellent dental hygiene practices, including both brushing and flossing, is essential to a lifetime of good oral health. Dental decay is one of the most common childhood diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 42% of children ages 2 to 11 have had cavities in baby teeth, and 21% of those ages 6 to 11 have had cavities in permanent teeth. Tooth decay not only poses a threat to tiny teeth, it can negatively affect a child’s whole health, as well as how they feel about themselves. One of the longest-lasting benefits of a healthy smile during childhood is the foundation for a healthy self-image. Start Early Brushing You should begin cleaning a baby’s gums after each feeding with gauze or a soft cloth starting immediately after birth. As soon as the baby teeth begin to erupt, you can use a soft-bristled child’s toothbrush to clean your toddler’s teeth. Continue brushing for them until they have the dexterity to take over (approximately around 6 years old). Flossing Flossing is difficult for small, untrained hands. Your child doesn’t have to begin brushing right away, but once their tooth surfaces are almost touching, plaque and food begin to settle in between teeth, which can lead to gum disease and tooth decay. At this point, they should begin learning to floss and doing so at least once a day. Teaching your child to floss can be tricky. The following steps will help you get them off to an easy start. Choose soft, flavored floss that’s gentle on your child’s gums and tastes good. Measure out a length of floss that runs from your fingers to your elbow. Wrap the floss around your child’s fingers as you would your own when flossing, but make sure it isn’t so tight that it cuts off circulation or causes any discomfort. Gently guide your children’s fingers, and show them how to glide the floss between the teeth. Show them how to make the floss into a C shape and curve it carefully beneath the gum line. Make sure they shift the floss to the next finger between each tooth so that they use fresh floss in each space. At first flossing may be difficult and even frustrating for your little one. They may not like wrapping the string around their fingers, or they may just find changing the wrap of the floss too difficult. Fortunately, there are a wide variety of child-friendly floss sticks available in different colors and flavors. They come in packs of 50 to 100, giving your little one room for error. Make sure they dispose of each floss stick after use. If your child is having an extra difficult time learning to floss, or if they have braces, consider trying the Waterpik Water Flosser for Kids. It’s made with a simple design that makes flossing easy for children over the age of 6. It is child safe and designed for small hands, so that your child’s frustration will be alleviated and their teeth will get cleaned properly. As your children develop, they will be able to execute flossing with ease and can decide whether to continue using their flossing stick or a Waterpik, or whether to take the more traditional route. For more information and help educating your child on the importance of their oral hygiene practices, call us today. We prepare you with information and instructions on how to clean your child’s teeth, as well as how to teach your child to clean their own teeth — or we can teach them with you.
Live Happier, Healthier & Longer: Why Your Smile Is Our Priority
Have you ever wondered why a Palmdale Dentist and other dental and oral health professionals spend so much time talking about your smile? Shouldn’t they focus more on your teeth? As dental health professionals, we know that your oral health affects a whole lot more than just your teeth. You may think your smile is just another way to communicate your happiness, but we know it does so much more than that. Smiling regularly can improve your mood and even your health. But when you hide your smile because you are embarrassed of crooked, chipped, or cracked teeth, you not only miss out on all of the benefits of smiling, but your self-esteem and confidence plummet as well. Benefits of Smiling Smiling — even when you may not feel like it — provides some surprising benefits. The following are just a few. Healthier Heart. According to a study published in Psychological Science, smiling helps you recover from stress and upset. Researchers found that participants who smiled during a stressful situation had a lower heart rate when recovering. Smiling is also credited for lowering blood pressure. The more you smile, the less likely you are to develop heart disease. Makes You Happy. The act of smiling releases endorphins. If you’ve ever gone running or worked out, then you’ve probably experienced the elation brought on by endorphins (also known as a runner’s high). When your body releases endorphins, your mood is naturally elevated. Reduces Stress. Those endorphins that make you feel happy also reduce stress. Between the endorphins and the lower heart rate, you could feel downright calm and cool, even when life’s intensity starts to heat up. Improves Relationships. Study after study has shown that people are more likely to trust someone with a genuine smile. Feeling connected to others is key to enjoying an enriched life. The more you smile, the more likely you are to form close, lasting relationships with others. Minimizes Pain. Those endorphins that smiling and laughing release have been shown to reduce pain significantly, in some cases up to 40%. Smiling Is Contagious. When you smile, approximately 50% of the time people smile back. There is an area in your brain that is responsible for your facial expressions, and as it turns out, the act of mimicking someone else’s smile is an unconscious automatic response. In fact, one Swedish study found it takes effort to frown when you see someone else smiling. So when you smile, you are spreading all of the benefits that come along with smiling to everyone who smiles back. Way to pay it forward! How We Can Help You Smile As your Palmdale Dentist and oral health provider, your overall health and happiness is our primary concern. We understand that if you aren’t smiling, then you aren’t receiving all of the benefits from our services that are available to you. If your teeth are keeping you from smiling, we have a suite of services that can fix a wide variety of conditions. Dental Implants. Implants offer a permanent solution for missing teeth. Not only do they look and feel like natural teeth, they also maintain your facial structure and integrity. Crowns. Porcelain crowns are the perfect restoration for cracked, chipped, or broken teeth. These natural-looking covers make imperfections in teeth entirely unnoticeable. Teeth Whitening. We offer both at-home and in-office treatment options using the most effective teeth-whitening systems available today. All treatment options are simple and noninvasive. Porcelain Veneers. These ultrathin, tooth-colored coverings are custom made and are fit to the front surface of your teeth, changing the appearance to the size and shape you desire. Veneers are perfect for fixing discolored and chipped teeth. Straightening. Straightening your smile no longer requires years of wearing metal wires on your teeth. There are a variety of “invisible” straightening options, such as Six Month Smiles® and Invisalign®, which allow you to have a straighter, more aesthetically pleasing smile in a matter of months. We are also here to help you with your routine oral hygiene so that your mouth feels as good as it looks. ChatGPT said: If you find yourself holding back from smiling and laughing because of how you feel about your teeth, call our Palmdale Dentist today to find out more about how we can help you feel better, live healthier, and smile more. 1. Kraft TL, Pressman SD. Grin and bear it: the influence of manipulated facial expression on the stress response. Psychological Science 2012;23:1372–1378. 2. Sonnby–Borgström, M. Automatic mimicry reactions as related to differences in emotional empathy. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 2002;43:433–443.