Most people know that keeping your mouth clean is the best way to have an attractive and healthy smile. However not so many will be aware of the benefits to general health. Having healthy teeth and gums helps protect your overall health.
What Is Oral Health?
Oral health is concerned with the condition of any of the structures in your mouth, including your teeth, gums, tongue and all your oral tissues.
How Is Oral Health Related to Overall Health?
When your teeth and gums are healthy then it’s much easier to eat a varied and nutritionally sound diet. Choosing foods that are good for your teeth, for example those that are low in sugar, will also benefit your general health. Having a nice smile helps boost self-esteem, and good oral health decreases the risk of bad breath. It’s also much easier to speak clearly when you have all your teeth.
Which Oral and General Health Conditions Are Linked?
Oral health has been connected to a number of different general health issues. Clinical studies have found links between gum disease and diabetes. For example, uncontrolled diabetes can increase the amount of glucose in the saliva, increasing the risk of gum disease. Conversely gum disease causes bleeding gums that allow bacteria in the mouth to enter into the bloodstream where it’s thought they can create new sites of inflammation, making it more difficult to control blood sugar levels. In addition diabetics find it more difficult to heal. Gum disease has also been linked to heart disease, and people with unhealthy gums could be at increased risk of developing heart issues.
How Can I Achieve Good Oral Health?
It’s important to visit your family dentist in Meriden as often as recommended. Book professional tooth cleanings at the same time as this will reduce bacteria in the mouth, helping to keep your gums healthy and strong. People with diabetes or other medical conditions that compromise their immune system may need to visit their Meriden general dentist more frequently.
As with any surgery, there are benefits and risks that come with getting dental implants. This procedure to replace missing teeth is becoming increasingly popular, so here are some things to know if you are considering this type of treatment.
What are the benefits?
- Appearance – implants blend in with your smile and look very natural.
- Comfort – they function and feel like natural teeth.
- Support – implants support your jaw and avoid a “caved in” look to your face, preserving your youthful appearance.
- Sensitivity – many patients have less tooth and gum sensitivity after getting implants.
- Adjacent teeth – neighboring teeth are not affected.
- Durability – implants are usually there for life, not needing surgical replacement. Even if the artificial tooth needs replacing, it can be done without surgery.
- Speech – dental implants allow you to speak clearly, as you would with your real teeth.
- TMJ – replacing missing teeth helps prevent jaw disorders
- Bone loss – titanium posts implanted into your jaw can help prevent bone loss and gum recession.
What are the risks?
- Infection – gums and tissue may become infected without proper oral hygiene. It’s important to follow all recovery and maintenance instructions carefully.
- Failed integration – sometimes implants do not integrate properly with the bone. If the implants do not fuse, they can be uncomfortable or loose. When this happens, implants must be removed and can be redone after the area has healed.
- Sinus problems – your sinuses can be affected when implants are placed in the very back of your jaw, sometimes requiring sinus augmentation surgery.
- Nerve or tissue damage – rarely, implants damage nerves or blood vessels. This can cause pain, tingling, swelling, or numbness. This typically is not a risk when a qualified dentist or oral surgeon performs your implant procedure.
Dental implants dentist in Meriden
An endodontist is a dentist who has undergone additional training specializing in saving teeth through treatments that involve the pulp and root of teeth. If you have been diagnosed by your family dentist with an infected tooth that requires root canal therapy, it would be logical to seek treatment by a dental professional who is specifically trained in root canal procedures. To find a qualified endodontist for your root canal treatment, consider the following:
- Ask for a referral from your family dentist to an accredited diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics. You may also consider asking friends and family members who have undergone root canal therapy for recommendations of endodontists.
- Inquire about the extent of the endodontist’s education and training as well as the number of root canal procedures they have performed. You will want to look for a doctor with an established practice and extensive track record of root canal experience.
- Find out what type of equipment the doctor utilizes to ensure they are up-to-date on the most recent advances in endodontic therapy and dental technology.
- Ask about the sedation and pain-relief options the endodontist provides for root canal patients.
- Evaluate the endodontist and staff to determine if they make you feel comfortable, welcome, and are able and available to answer your questions.
Root canal treatment can be a stress-free and painless experience when performed by the right dental professional. Taking the time and effort to identify a qualified endodontist will help to ensure the ease and success of your procedure, and soon have you back on the road to a healthy smile.
Root canal dentist in Meriden
The changing seasons can prompt many people to want to change their appearance, perhaps through treating themselves to a brand-new smile. Your dentist in Meriden can provide a number of different cosmetic dentistry and restorative treatments to help provide a beautifully healthy and natural looking smile.
Cosmetic and Restorative Options
Modern dentistry techniques are extremely sophisticated and your dentist can do a lot to improve your smile. Possible options include porcelain veneers that cover the front surfaces of your teeth, crowns to restore teeth damaged by tooth decay or trauma, dental bonding that helps improve the shape of the tooth in just one easy visit, and enamel reshaping to correct minor issues such as slightly overlapping teeth. Dental implants can be used to replace missing teeth, transforming a gappy smile into something far more pleasing.
Teeth Whitening
Professional teeth whitening can quickly brighten up your smile, creating a youthful and healthy appearance. Your dentist in Meriden can offer you in-office whitening that will lift the shade of your teeth in just an hour. If you prefer, you can have custom made whitening trays to use at home. Your dentist will provide you with the correct strength of whitening gel to safely bleach your teeth.
Teeth Straightening
It’s never too late to straighten your teeth and adult orthodontics is increasingly popular. Ask your dentist about Invisalign clear braces that will discreetly straighten your smile without really affecting day-to-day activities.
Checkups and Professional Cleanings
Your first step should be to schedule an appointment for a checkup and professional cleaning. Your dentist will need to examine your mouth to make sure your teeth and gums are healthy before carrying out any cosmetic dentistry treatments. They’ll discuss the type of options that might help you, and can compile a treatment plan to improve your smile. A professional cleaning removes tartar buildup and gives your smile an added sparkle. It’s a great treatment for keeping teeth and gums healthy.
We look forward to seeing you in our Meriden dental office
Having a bright, beautiful, white smile is something we all desire. It signals health and prosperity and leaves the best possible first impression a person can make. There are a host of products at the drug store that label themselves “whitening.” Whitening toothpastes, whitening mouth rinses, whitening strips, gels and creams all line the shelves, promising a “new you!” Your dentist, however, offers something labeled as “bleaching.” So what’s the difference? Which should you choose?
Your natural tooth is made up of two specific layers: enamel and dentin. The enamel layer is on the outside of the tooth. It’s the white part we see when someone smiles. It’s hard and heavily mineralized and can appear like porcelain. The dentin is the inner layer. It’s yellow in color and supports the enamel on the outside. Over time, your enamel naturally wears away and the yellow dentin color can begin to show through.
The term “whitening” is applied to any product that helps restore teeth to a natural color by removing debris and stains from a natural tooth’s surface. Any substance that restores the surface of a tooth’s enamel is a whitening product. Many whitening products contain a mild abrasive that removes leftover discoloration and food particles, leaving the enamel of the tooth smooth and white. Teeth whitening products combat stains caused by ageing and the discoloration left by many foods, or by smoking.
The FDA permits the term “bleaching” only for products that can whiten a tooth beyond their initial, natural color. Bleaching products contain active ingredients such as carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide. The peroxide is activated so that it releases oxygen molecules that enter the tooth enamel and break down stains in a way that whitening products cannot. This activation can occur immediately, in the case of some in-office bleaching products, like laser whitening, or it can take several hours, as it can with custom take-home bleaching trays.
If you are considering brightening your smile, talk to Meriden teeth whitening dentist Dr. Hergott to see what product is best suited to your smile needs!
Schedule your appointment at our Meriden dental office
Are your teeth misaligned? Do you have overlapping or crooked teeth? Did you have braces as a child but didn’t keep up with your retainer, and your teeth shifted back? If your smile is less than its best because of crooked teeth, you have several options to correct your issues.
Orthodontia such as braces or Invisalign can be utilized to straighten your teeth completely. Braces can be worn on the outside or the inside of the arch of your teeth. Braces on the inside are hidden from view when you smile or eat. Invisalign clear trays are options for people who want to be able to remove their appliance to eat and to brush their teeth.
Veneers can be made from porcelain, zirconium or resin composite material to reshape your smile. Veneers are thin shells that are permanently placed on top of your existing teeth. They can smooth the appearance of crooked teeth, bridge gaps, and cover chips and cracks. Veneers can also brighten the color of your teeth or can lengthen worn down teeth, leaving you looking more youthful.
A skilled cosmetic dentist may use a combination of these methods to achieve your dream smile. You may begin your straightening journey with braces to align your teeth followed by tooth-colored resin composite to reshape a malformed tooth. Perhaps you thought you wanted a full set of dental veneers, but once you see your teeth after Invisalign, you might choose only whitening instead. Only you and your cosmetic dentist can make the plan to achieve your ideal results.
If you want to pursue your best smile, talk to your cosmetic dentist today to learn what therapies are right for you and your smile goals. You won’t have to wait very long to begin enjoying the benefits of a healthy, straight smile.
We look forward to seeing you in our Meriden dental office
