Healthy Foods that Are Not So Healthy for Teeth

Those healthy foods that are getting your body back in shape for summer may be awesome for your diet, but unfortunately, not so much for your teeth. According to Gentle Touch Family Dentistry, some healthy foods that you enjoy may not be the best for your teeth and gums.

Are those healthy carbs really healthy?

You may have cut out white flour, white bread, potatoes and white rice, but the wheat and whole grain alternatives are just as bad when it comes to your teeth. Because you metabolize carbs into sugar through your saliva, you are still producing acids that will wear away the enamel on your teeth. Whole grains are just as damaging as they can become stuck between your teeth.

Dark Foods and Liquids

You may have eliminated tea, coffee, and red wine from your diet because of staining, but that curry sauce that is helping you lose weight could be just as bad. Blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, and even barbecue sauce can cause stains on your teeth.

Citrus

Grapefruits, Kiwi, oranges, limes, lemons, tomatoes and apples, yes apples, are loaded with natural sugars. However, it is the nature of the fruit itself that can cause the majority of the damage. Eat citrus fruits with other foods and rinse after enjoying.

Dried Fruit

Great for the waistline, but bad for your teeth, dried apricots, papaya, figs, dates, and dried mango's can cause serious damage to your teeth. Just like gummy bears, sticky fruits will stay lodged between your teeth and can be just as bad as that saltwater taffy you gave up to lose weight.

Sports and Energy Drinks

Energy drinks and those sports drinks that you like to consume after a workout may be your favorite treat after pumping iron, but the truth is, they are packed with tooth eroding acids and sugar. Drink water after your aerobics class and leave the energy and sports drinks on the shelf.

If you would like more information regarding healthy food for your body and your teeth, call or click and schedule an appointment with Gentle Touch Family Dentistry today.

Is Fluoride That Important?

Although fluoride has been raising concerns as of late, you cannot argue with the research. In fact, studies have shown that fluoride not only helps reduce dental caries in both children and adults, but can also help repair and prevent tooth decay in its earliest stages, even before the tooth decay is visible to the naked eye. According to your Farmington Hills Dentist, fluoride is one of nature’s best cavity fighters and can help keep your entire family’s teeth strong and resilient to tooth decay.

When a small township in Michigan added fluoride to its municipal water supply more than 40 years ago, it became the first in the United States to do so, with others falling suit, it because the most effective and single public health measure, according to the ADA, to help prevent tooth decay.

Therefore, why the big uproar now, well, it seems that some people are beginning to doubt the safety of fluoride and how effective it actually is. However, the American Dental Association stands by its support of fluoride in community water supplies based on extensive scientific research. The FDA discredits claims of its safety and recommends that communities keep fluoride it their water supplies. The optimum level is 1.4 to 3.4 mg of fluoride per day for a single adult. It is possible to check the levels of your own community’s water supply by contacting your water supplier. If you have a well, you need to have a professional come out and test it for you. If it contains less than 1ppm of fluoride, talk to your dentist who will discuss other options.

With people opting for bottled water instead of tap water, the recommended amount of fluoride is not being met as brands of bottled water do not contain fluoride. If you only drink bottled water, you are not getting any of the vital mineral for your teeth. If you insist on drinking bottled water without fluoride make sure that you use a fluoridated toothpaste and mouthwash or ask Gentle Touch Family Dentistry about fluoride supplements.

If you are more susceptible to cavities, talk to your Gentle Touch Family Dentistry about fluoride treatments that will help prevent tooth decay.

For more information regarding fluoride and in-office fluoride treatments, schedule an appointment with Gentle Touch Family Dentistry today. 

Schedule a Smile Makeover Consultation

Your smile says a lot about who you are, but if you don’t like your smile, you may want to call or click and schedule an appointment with your dentist for a smile makeover. A smile makeover consultation with your cosmetic dentist can give you the confidence you need giving you the courage to share your pearly whites with the world.

Below are a few reasons that you may want to schedule an appointment for a smile makeover.

A little really does go a long way, especially when it comes to the most popular cosmetic dental procedure, tooth whitening. There are hundreds of over the counter tooth whitening products available that can give you a brighter smile, however, your dentist uses more powerful tooth whitening products, and can even whiten your smile chairside.
 
If you have older silver amalgam fillings, root canals that are stained or metal crowns that you don’t like, talk to your dentist about tooth colored fillings and tooth colored crowns. Thanks to modern 21^st century dental procedures, you can have your old fillings and crowns replaced giving you a beautiful new smile.
 
Cosmetic dentistry is much more affordable than you might think. Talk to your dentist about a smile makeover and make sure you make him or her aware of your budget. The prices may pleasantly surprise you.
 
If you have dental anxiety, speak to your dentist as most cosmetic dental procedures are not painful. Your dentist can help you relax and can offer oral sedation, so that you will not feel a thing, whether you are receiving dental implants, porcelain veneers, tooth colored fillings or an entire smile makeover.
 
When you schedule a smile makeover with your dentist, you will be amazed at the results and the transformation as cosmetic dentistry not only makes you look younger, but makes you feel younger as well.

Regardless of your dental issues, your dentist can help. Thanks to today’s dental procedures and tools you don’t have to live with cracked, missing, crooked, chipped, or stained teeth.

Stop hiding your teeth when you smile and schedule an appointment for a smile makeover consultation today. 

Don’t Ignore an Abscessed Tooth

If you have been ignoring that toothache, you could be asking for trouble. Your dentist explains that a toothache could become infected causing a dangerous abscess. 

Colgate explains that an abscessed tooth is usually a very painful infection, however occasionally you may have an abscessed tooth and not even be aware of it, especially if the pulp, which is the nerves, blood vessels and tissue inside of the tooth, has died.

An abscessed tooth is commonly caused by tooth decay, tooth trauma or if the tooth has been broken or is chipped. Gingivitis and periodontal disease could also be to blame for an abscessed tooth.

You may have an abscessed tooth if you are experiencing throbbing, shooting, or sharp pain in a particular tooth or surrounding teeth. Other signs and symptoms of an abscessed tooth include: 

• Pain when you chew
• Fever
• Tooth sensitivity to hot and cold
• A bitter taste in your mouth
• Swollen glands in your neck
• General discomfort
• Chronic bad breath
• Upper or lower jaw swelling
• An open or draining sore on your gums 

As mentioned above if the pulp in the root of your tooth dies because of the infection your toothache may suddenly stop, however, that does not mean you that it has magically healed as the infection is still active and will continue to spread.

If you have been diagnosed with a tooth abscess, your dentist will come up with a strategy to help save the tooth and prevent additional complications.

To eliminate further infection, your dentist may drain the abscess with root canal therapy. Root surgery may also be needed to remove the root tissue that is infected. After the surgery or root canal therapy, your dentist will place a dental crown to help protect the tooth.

If the infection has severely damaged the tissue, your dentist may have to extract your tooth to allow for socket drainage. Your dentist may decide on an incision in the gum tissue to allow for drainage. This type of treatment also allows you to keep your tooth. Antibiotics will be prescribed as well to help fight off the infection.

The best way to avoid a nasty infection is to practice good oral hygiene that includes brushing twice and flossing once each day. Make sure that you eat a healthy diet and see your dentist twice a year.

If you would like more information regarding dental abscesses, or have a toothache that just won’t go away, call or click and speak to your dentist today. 

That Toothache Could Kill You

It’s a New Year, and if you have been putting off a trip to the dentist, you may want to reconsider. That throbbing toothache that you have been dealing with since before Thanksgiving could cause serious problems if you do not take care of it as quickly as possible. Left alone, that toothache could lead to death. Even if the pain is mild, you still need to schedule an appointment with your dentist as quickly as possible.

Your toothache can turn serious, especially if an infection occurs. Called an abscess, the infection can happen inside your tooth or in-between your tooth and gums. One way to tell if you have a pus-filled abscess is throbbing or shooting sharp pain.

WebMD explains that over 40 percent of Americans have been rushed to the E.R. because of a periapical abscess. Although there is no exact explanation as to why this is occurring, but some believe it has to do with rising insurance costs and the fact that Medicare doesn’t cover routine dental visits.

Other signs to look for when it comes to an abscess are swollen glands or a swollen face, a fever, chronic halitosis and neck and jaw pain.

Your dentist explains that an abscess will not disappear of its own accord. What’s worse is that the infection can easily spread in as little as a few hours or a few years. If the infection moves to the heart or brain, it can cause death.

During your dental appointment, your dentist will tap on the suspected tooth. If you wince, it is most likely the abscessed tooth. X-rays will also be taken to confirm that you do indeed have an abscess.

There are three treatments that your dentist may use to treat the infected area, incision and draining, root canal therapy or extraction.

If the abscess is located between your gum and your tooth, your dentist will make a small cut before draining and cleaning the area. The pain will begin to subside almost immediately.

The most widely used tooth abscess treatment is root canal therapy. During this procedure, your dentist drills into the area that is infected before scraping away the dental pulp that contains blood vessels and nerves. Once the roots of your teeth have been filed and cleaned, your dentist will fill them with a sealant before placing a crown over the area.

An extraction is a permanent treatment that is normally used for a very deep abscess. Once removed, the abscess is gone.

If you suspect that you may be suffering from a dental abscess it is imperative that you call or click and schedule an appointment with your dentist today. It literally could mean life or death. Call or click now.

Dental Checkup in the New Year

The New Year has arrived and if you have been avoiding a trip to the dentist for that toothache that you’ve had since August, now is the time to make the call.

The American Dental Association will tell you that avoiding trips to the dentist for any problem, even if you don’t think it is serious, is vital. Cracked teeth, leaky fillings or a chipped tooth could lead to other problems that may not have occurred had you scheduled your appointment when the issue first occurred.

If you have toothache caused by a cavity, you are risking infection and the possibility of an abscess. An abscessed tooth means that the pulp inside it has become infected and could possibly be dead. If that is the case, your dentist will recommend root canal therapy to clean out the dead material, clean it up and seal it before placing a dental crown. If the abscess is located in between your tooth and your gums your dentist may choose to drain the area, which will relieve the pain almost instantly.

The best way to avoid unnecessary emergency trips to the dentist is to schedule regular comprehensive dental exams. During your comprehensive dental exam your dentist will check your teeth and gums looking for anything unusual. Your dentist or dental hygienist will also clean your teeth. The dental exam will also include pictures and x-rays of your teeth and gums and an oral cancer screening. After your dental appointment, you may also want to discuss any restorative or cosmetic dental procedures that you might be considering with your dentist.

A healthy mouth means a healthy body, and if your gums are red, swollen or bleeding, you could be opening yourself up to all kinds of disease. Recent research has indicated that periodontal disease, the most serious form of gum disease, could lead to more serious health issues including diabetes, congestive heart failure, and stroke.

Start 2016 off on the right foot and schedule an appointment with your dentist today.  

What You Should Avoid at the Holiday Table

As you get ready to throw your diet to the wind during the holidays, you may want to consider your choices at the holiday party table. Some of the foods you munch on could cause some serious damage to your teeth and gums, and let’s face it; the last thing you want to deal with in January is never ending trips to the dentist’s office.

Although you may be tempted to tuck into the Christmas caramels, your dentist advises against it. Caramels are one of the worst things that you can do to your teeth and are right up there with candy canes and gummy bears. Caramels and other sticky sweets will get caught between your teeth and the fissures and crevices on your molars. Once that happens, the sugar will quickly convert to acid, eroding the enamel on your teeth. If you must enjoy make sure that you brush and floss as quickly as you can, or rinse with water.

You may think you are doing yourself a favor by drinking white wine instead of red, but you would be wrong. According to the American Dental Association, white wine has large amounts of acid and sugar. Coupled together, that glass of wine could cause problems for the enamel on your teeth. Although red wine can stain, it is a much better choice than a glass of white wine. Make sure that you brush afterwards or try one of those new wine wipe ups that are available online or at your local pharmacy.

Dried fruit may seem like a great choice when it comes to the holiday buffet, but be careful. Those dried apricots, figs, dates, mangos, and pineapples are a diabetic’s nightmare and full of sugar. If that isn’t bad enough dried fruit, just like caramel, will stick to your teeth.

Not everything is bad for your teeth when it comes to the holiday buffet table. Instead of sweets or starchy goodies, which could cause more damage, sample cheese as it is loaded with calcium. Veggies are another great choice as carrots and broccoli can help give your saliva a boost while celery is known as nature’s dental floss.

This Christmas remember to watch what you eat, and don’t forget to schedule your annual checkup with your dentist before the New Year.

A Painless Alternative to Porcelain Veneers

If you have been considering porcelain veneers, but have been a bit reluctant because traditional porcelain veneers require some removal of your tooth’s enamel, talk to your dentist about Lumineers. Traditional porcelain veneers are permanent and cannot be removed. However, Lumineers are completely reversible.

Lumineers are thin pieces of porcelain that your dentist places on top of your teeth for a naturally beautiful smile. Lumineers are as thin as a contact lens and require no shaving or grinding of the natural tooth. In fact, Lumineers are so thin that your dentist can place them over your bridges and crowns without having to replace your old restorations.

When you schedule an appointment with your dentist for Lumineers, a thorough examination will be conducted to find out if you are a good fit. If you are free from gum disease and tooth decay, and your teeth are sound enough for Lumineers, your dentist will take x-rays and pictures before making an impression of both your lower and upper teeth. Once the impression has been made, your dentist will send it off to the Lumineers lab along with your dental records, photos, and x-rays to ensure the best possible fit. Unlike traditional porcelain veneers, there will be no shots, extensive drilling, or unsightly and uncomfortable temporary acrylic veneers.  

When your new Lumineers are ready, your dentist will make sure that each Lumineers fits perfectly before etching and bonding into place. Once placed, your dentist will make sure that your bite is balanced to avoid chipping.

Because traditional porcelain veneers are much thicker, your dentist must take a more aggressive approach when it comes to application. That aggressive approach means more removal of the natural structure of your tooth, which will require anesthetic and shots to minimize the pain and sensitivity. Because Lumineers are so thin, you will not have to deal with such aggressive steps for a beautiful new smile.

Gentle Touch Family Dentistry is a certified Lumineers provider who can give you the smile you have been dreaming about in as little as two appointments.

Call your Farmington Hills Dentist and schedule a no obligation Lumineers consultation today. A beautiful smile really is just a couple of dental appointments away. Call or click now. 

Nip Your Fear of the Dentist in the Bud with Sedation Dentistry

Often referred to as, “Sleep Dentistry,” Sedation Dentistry doesn’t actually put you to sleep unless you are having an invasive oral surgery such as a dental implant or an extraction.

Sedation Dentistry is used to help people overcome their fear of the dentist putting them in a relaxed state while still able to listen and adhere to the dentists commands.

Web MD explains that Sedation Dentistry is used to help people who experience anxiety when it comes to the dentist’s chair.

Some people are so phobic about dental checkups that they prefer to avoid treatment all together. Unfortunately, avoiding dental treatments can make problems worse. If you had taken care of that nagging toothache in the beginning, you might not need a Root Canal.

Sedation Dentistry is perfect for people who avoid the dentist as it can help relax you and ease the anxiety. Sedation Dentistry can be used for more invasive procedures such as an extraction or filling or for something as simple as a professional tooth cleaning.

If you opt for Sedation Dentistry, your dentist will use medication to help you relax. As mentioned above, unless you are being put under with general anesthesia, you will be awake during your dental procedure.

Four levels of Sedation Dentistry are used dependent on your fear level.

Minimal sedation, where you breathe nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is used with oxygen that you breathe through a mask that your dentist places over your nose. The gas is used to help you relax. Your dentist has the ability to control how much nitrous oxide you receive. After the procedure, the gas wears off quickly allowing you to drive yourself home after the dental treatment.

Moderate sedation, also called conscious or oral sedation requires you to be driven home after your dental therapy treatment. Depending on how much is administered, this type of sedation can range from minimal to moderate. The night before the procedure or on the day, you will be given a pill to take, which may make you drowsy or put you to sleep.

IV moderate sedation is administered through a vein and goes to work quite quickly. This type of sedation allows your dentist to adjust the levels of sedation throughout the procedure.

During deep sedation or general anesthesia, your dentist will give you medication that will make you nearly unconscious, or unconscious. This type of sedation is normally used for oral surgery procedures.

If you have been avoiding the dentist out of fear, schedule an appointment with your dentist for Sedation Dentistry. Leaving your bleeding gums or toothache to its own devices will only make things worse.