Dental Care

What Causes Teeth to Wear Out Early: Abfraction

2011-09-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

There are four major ways that our teeth are worn down throughout our lives. The first three are abrasion, attrition, and erosion. But there is one more way that our oral health can be compromised because of wear and tear, and it's much less commonly known. The fourth way of wearing down our oral health is called abfraction, and the cause of it is often debated in the dentistry community.

Abfraction causes small wedged lesions on the gum line usually present on the side of the gums that faces the check. They are often narrow but deep and shaped like a v. many times these lesions will only affect one single tooth and the surrounding teeth will be perfectly fine. Abfraction can even cause the lesions to occur just under the gums in an area that is typically not affected by most forms of wear and tear such as abrasion and erosion.

What causes abfraction is the interesting part however. Many dentists have debated this issue and still have not come to an agreement about the exact cause. Some dentists believe that abfraction is simply caused by certain types of toothpaste which contain too much grit, therefore rubbing against the gums badly and causing lesions. This is similar to what we talked about with abrasion, in which we discussed how toothpaste can oftentimes rub against the teeth and wear out the enamel. Some dentists believe that abfraction is simply due to use harsh and gritty toothpastes, but many other dentists also think that the abfraction lesions are caused by toothpaste just in a different way. There are some dentists who believe that abfraction may be caused by the harsh use of toothpaste, such as using too much toothpaste or brushing too strongly.

And then there are those dentists who believe that abfraction can be caused by stress on the tooth when biting and is not at all caused by toothpaste. These dentists believe that when we bite down it strains our teeth, and often the strain carries itself through the teeth and into the gums, causing lesions. This does make sense, since when we bite down really hard oftentimes we can notice pain in the gums because of it.

This is just one of the four major ways that teeth are eroded. The other three are abrasion, attrition, and erosion. If you are concerned that you may be wearing down your teeth through any of these, you should see your dentist right away. Don't wait to get your teeth checked out because the longer you wait the more severe the damage is likely to be.

Parenting Tips - Teaching Your Child to Brush Their Teeth

2011-09-25T15:19:00.000-07:00

Once the baby teeth make their appearance, you know it's time to get your kids into the routine of brushing them regularly. Especially when your children hit school age, they need to make the time to use their brushes properly at least twice a day - in the morning and before bed, and also preferably after dinner. Some children, however, may find the task burdensome and unappealing. You may send a child into the bathroom to brush, but are they really getting the job done? There are ways, though, to make teeth brushing fun so your children get into the habit of good oral hygiene.

So, if you are frustrated that your children's toothbrushes are dry every time you do a bathroom check, here are a few tips to consider to encourage them to polish their pearly whites.

1) Be mindful of the toothpaste you buy. Yes, there are a number of pastes on the market designed for young teeth, but they are not all the same. Ultimately whether or not your son or daughter brushes willingly is determined by taste. It may take buying one or two brands to get the right flavor your child enjoys. While they definitely won't be eating it, they will have the taste of bubblegum, mint, or other flavors staying with them. Make sure the toothpaste you buy is one they will use.

2) Let your children choose their toothbrush. When kids are brought into a new experience with choices, they may be more inclined to participate. Handing your child a toothbrush is one way to instill the habit, but it may not be the correct way. When you go to the drugstore, have your child select his/her own brush and create a sense of personal pride in owning that brush. This may encourage greater use of it.

3) Reward your children. When you potty trained, you probably used a reward system to get your children to use the toilet. There's no reason why this can't work for teeth brushing. Set up a chart and record when your children follow through on their morning and nighttime routines, placing stickers or stars where applicable. At the end of a perfect week of brushing, you can offer a nice prize.

Getting your children to adopt proper oral care can seem like a challenge, but if you start them early and monitor their progress, you'll soon find they will brush on their own and do it properly.

What Causes Teeth to Wear Out Early?

2011-09-02T15:21:00.000-07:00

There are four major ways that we wear down our teeth, but perhaps the most common cause is because of erosion. With abrasion and attrition, the depletion of enamel occurs through some sort of grinding and the difference between them is marked by what exactly is doing the grinding. Erosion works in an entirely different way. Erosion is caused by acids depleting the enamel, such as the acids in foods and beverages or the acids that plaque can leave behind. There are actually several different ways that acid can erode our teeth.

The first and most common cause of erosion is due to plaque. We have blogged here about plaque a lot before, but to give the basic overview plaque is caused by bacteria. Bacteria that occur naturally in our mouths feed on the foods we eat, mostly the sugars, and leave behind plaque. Plaque then erodes our teeth. The best way to prevent this type of erosion is to be careful about the different foods you eat. Eating less sugary foods is very important, as well as eating only certain kinds of sugar. Processed sugars leave behind more plaque than natural sugars. So eating a piece of candy is going to be worse for your teeth than eating a piece of fruit as far as plaque goes. Another very important step to reducing plaque is to always brush and floss your teeth. After the bacteria have left behind their plaque it is important to remove the plaque as quickly as possible, by brushing and flossing. And of course it is always import to see a dentist on a regular basis to professionally clean your teeth. It is generally recommended that everyone see a dentist at least once a year for a regular cleaning.

The second most common means of erosion also has to do with our choice of food, which is because some foods are more acidic than others. Regardless of the sugar content causing plaque, some foods have their own erosive factors that can cause wearing of enamel in addition to causing plaque. Drinks like sodas are high in acid content as we all know, and can often cause some very problematic erosion. Something that is not often known however is how foods like apples also contain a high acid content and will erode the enamel. Generally we think of apples as a very healthy food to eat, and they are, but you should be careful about eating them because of the high acid content. There are many different types of acids that can erode the teeth and they are found in most of the foods we eat. This doesn't mean that we should avoid acidic foods altogether. Human saliva has a special agent in it that helps our teeth to re-mineralize after consuming acid. But we should always be careful to consume acidic foods in moderation.

The last and least common way that teeth get eroded happens when we get sick. Stomach acid is, of course, acidic. When vomiting, the stomach acid washes over our teeth and causes them to erode. This is usually the least common cause of erosion for people since most of us don't get sick too often. However, patients who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease, or more often known as acid reflux, can easily have this cause of erosion skyrocket to the top spot. Those who suffer from acid reflux will have a very acidic oral environment, and should be careful about maintaining their oral health. When someone is often sick, their mouth becomes very acidic as well. Regular dental appointments with your dentist are the best way to keep the damaging effects of acid reflux on the teeth under control.

Different Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures That Are Possible

2011-08-02T15:25:00.000-07:00

There are a number of cosmetic dental procedures that a cosmetic dentist can perform, and a variety of issues that they can correct. These do not involve issues that are detrimental to the health of the patient such as simple fillings or dealing with abscess teeth. That being said, fillings could certainly qualify as cosmetic dentistry if they are tooth colored fillings. The key is that they are not necessary for the health of the patient, but improves the looks of their teeth and their smile. In this example, the fillings are necessary, but there is no real health need for the fillings to be the same color as the tooth. That part is purely cosmetic.

Another procedure that a cosmetic dentist may offer is porcelain veneers. These can be used to close gaps between straight teeth, hide cracks and chips, and even give misshapen teeth a more natural shape. For example, there is a hereditary trait often referred to as peg teeth. Certain teeth in the mouth are shaped like pegs rather than being the full, natural tooth shape. Veneers or caps can give these teeth a more natural shape drastically improving the smile line in the process.

While braces are not usually provided solely by a cosmetic dentist, there are braces that are completely invisible. These are considered to be a form of cosmetic dentistry as you need braces to straighten your teeth, but you could use the plain, traditional metal ones. The fact that these are clear and therefore less unsightly than traditional braces is what designates them as a cosmetic in nature. Other options that are considered cosmetic are less invasive. For example, whitening is a very popular cosmetic dental procedure. It may involve inserting a tray filled with a bleaching solution over the teeth, sitting under a special light, or a combination of both.

The type of procedure you need will be something you will want to discuss with whatever cosmetic dentist you choose. For example, while some gaps can be taken care of with caps, others will require some form of braces. If you have cracks or chips, veneers may be able to correct it, or you may need a whole new ceramic tooth. Your cosmetic dental professional will be able to help you choose the procedure that will work best for your specific situation, whatever it may be.

In the pursuit of the best cosmetic dentist as well as the perfect smile, you will need to know what you want and keep an open mind. Realize that what you want may or may not be possible, and keep an open mind about how your dental professional sees fit to achieve your goals. What they see that they can do maybe different than what you feel they should do. The thing to remember is that while they are the professional, it is your mouth and the decision in the end is yours. They have the right to refuse business, and you have the right to leave and find a cosmetic dentist you are more comfortable with.

Why Cosmetic Dental Surgery Can Be an Ideal Solution if You Want a Nicer Smile

2011-07-08T15:22:00.000-07:00

Cosmetic surgery is often seen as a last case scenario or a drastic resort to solve a small issue, but with procedures now safer than ever and skills and practises now so much tighter, cosmetic surgery is growing in popularity and can help to transform the lives of people who feel that they really need to do something about their appearance.

If you have teeth that are marked, dull, damaged or unhealthy, then this is something that has probably blighted your life for a long time, making you afraid to smile or to even have a laugh in case people notice your teeth and their condition. Similar to having a birthmark or a facial blemish, unsightly teeth can be a massive burden for people who will try and hideaway instead of facing the world with the confidence that they so desire.

Because our smile is a massive part of our social integration, being afraid to even offer a glimmer of happiness can socially harm us in many ways, because when we smile we make people feel at ease and settled with us, whereas when you do not smile it can have the opposite effect.

By finding a skilled dentist who can carry out leading cosmetic surgery, you can begin to transform your life and take a grip of the situation. Cosmetic surgery is becoming more common than ever before, with thousands of people having cosmetic dental work carried out to transform their smile and their teeth.

By getting rid of chipped, damaged, marked and unhealthy teeth and rejuvenating and making your smile perfect, you will achieve so much more than just being able to show off those pearly whites. Your confidence will grow and your interaction with other people will feel even more natural, because you won't be carrying around the worry that your smile or your teeth will end up putting people off of you.

It is, however, important that you find someone who you trust, who you can ask questions to and more importantly someone who is willing to sit down and listen to your requirements, because cosmetic surgery is often made up of many parts and stages, so you would be in that dentist's care for many months whilst the new look is completed.

As we mentioned, with the improvement of technology and understanding, dental cosmetic surgery has move forward leaps and bounds over the past decade or so, allowing your smile to once again bring happiness to you and also the people around you.

Sarah runs The Angel Dental Implant Centre (ADIC) in Brent in London with her husband and they are ready to provide you the very best in cosmetic dentistry in conjunction with other oral treatments.

Do You Know What a Cosmetic Dentist Is?

2011-07-06T15:23:00.000-07:00

A cosmetic dentist can do everything that a regular dentist can do, and more. This is a dental professional who specializes in dental procedures that are more focused on the smile line rather than dental or oral health. While these issues are still important to them, their specialty is creating smiles that are as near perfect as possible. Perfectly health teeth can still contribute to an atrocious smile if they are crooked, misshapen, chipped, or gapped. They know the special procedures that can help anyone have the smile they have always dreamed of.

A cosmetic dentist will be able to handle issues from visible cavities and broken teeth in a way that a regular dentist may not. While a dentist may be most concerned with fixing the problem such as filling the cavity or fixing the broken tooth, a cosmetic dental professional is going to care just as much about what the final product looks like. They may opt for a tooth colored filling, or a matching cap to provide a natural and beautiful smile. They will also be able to handle issues that are less serious, and achieve amazing results.

This includes a variety of whitening options. Many times a cosmetic dentist will offer in office and take home whitening options. In office options may range from one time deals to procedures that require coming in to build the right color over a certain period of time. This usually involves coming in once a week for several weeks. Super procedures can whiten teeth several shades in one application, and any of them could use some combination of bleaching solution or ultraviolet light either alone or together. Those that offer home whitening solutions typically sell a weaker version of what they offer in office in a kit form.

A cosmetic dentist is specially trained to recognize what will work best with each individual patient's mouth and bone structure. What works for one patient may not work for another based on age, structure, and other dental issues that may be present. This means that they are also typically trained in how to explain to patients what they need for them to achieve their best smile. This may not be a perfect smile, but a dentist of this type knows how to get the best from what he has to work with. While one person may be able to get away with a few caps or a crown, another may really needed braces of some sort achieve his or her ultimate smile.

Each person is unique, as is their dental situation. This is why dental records can be used to identify a body. A cosmetic dentist is an artist of sorts that can look at the canvas of someone's teeth and see the potential. They know how to help each individual mouth reach its full smile potential, and in doing so they create stronger, more confident people in the process. This is a talent, and in some instances it is truly a gift, that should not be taken for granted.