New denture wearers are going to need to take things slow at first. Many of your routine behaviors will need to be readjusted as you get used to wearing dentures. Chief among those is the way you eat. You might not be able to eat some of the foods you normally enjoy until you get more comfortable with the denture appliances in your mouth. But over time you will begin to adapt to your new replacement teeth and you should be able to eat everything you enjoy once more.

1. Go Slow

When you are wearing your new dentures your mouth is going to need some time to grow accustomed to your new teeth. Your first instinct might be to chew as if you still had your natural teeth, but you must remain cognizant of the fact that they are not your actual teeth and chewing too hard or vigorously could result in cracking the dentures. So start out by eating softer foods and work your way up to the harder items later on.

2. Bite Cautiously

As you use your dentures be careful about biting down on your food. Start training yourself to bite with your canine or back teeth instead of at the front. This can help you avoid the irritation that can come from your dentures being displaced or coming loose from your gums. Biting carefully will also prevent you from nipping the interior of your cheek by mistake, which can be very painful.

3. Foods to Avoid

Once you get fully accustomed to your new dentures, you will find eating to be much easier. But that doesn’t mean you should no longer be cautious about your eating habits. There are some foods you may want to avoid altogether, such as any foods that have shells or bones as these could break the denture. Sticky foods like caramel or toffee are also dangerous for the dentures. Nuts and seeds can get wedged underneath the appliance, causing soreness to the mouth. Hot and cold temperatures are also not recommended and that includes coffee, which can stain your dentures over time anyway.

4. Cleaning Dentures

When it comes to cleaning, treat your dentures as if they were your real teeth. So brush them daily and thoroughly, take them out each night and place them in a cleaning solution so they don’t dry out. The important thing is to keep harmful bacteria away so that your mouth does not get infected from wearing your dentures.

We all know that high levels of stress can be unhealthy for your mind and body. But while you may often think about the ways it can impact your heart and mind, you might not be aware of all the ways it can also affect your oral health. There are a variety of intense stressors that can prove damaging to one’s well-being and it’s important to recognize when that anxiety is taking a toll and the ways it can be impactful on your teeth and gums. If you are among the millions who are dealing with high stress levels, practicing good dental hygiene is even more important than usual.

1. Bruxism

The clinical term for grinding your teeth, stress is the leading cause of this damaging habit and you may not even realize you’re doing since it often happens while you sleep. But your brain is working overtime trying to process all of the anxiety you’re dealing with and it’s causing you to grind, gnash, and grit your teeth. Too much of it can result in the teeth becoming fractured.

2. Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

Better known as TMJ, stress can also result in your jaw being knocked out of alignment from clenching it too much, either awake or asleep. TMJ can be very painful, interfering with the way you talk and eat. Severe cases can make opening the mouth difficult. You will need to wear a special mouth-guard at night to realign the jaw.

3. Canker Sores

We’ve all had one before, but those who are dealing with a lot of stress may experience them more often. These small ulcers in the mouth can become extremely painful, making it hard to eat or talk. Some sores get so bad that they could take weeks to heal entirely.

4. Hygiene Neglect

Sometimes too much stress can be overwhelming and certain daily routines fall by the wayside. You may not eat regularly or sleep well if you have too much anxiety. Hygiene can also suffer, resulting in you forgetting to brush or floss regularly. Letting your dental hygiene degrade can lead to a build-up of bacteria in the mouth, increasing the potential for gum disease.

5. Gum Disease

When you let too much bacteria build up on your teeth and gums, you may notice they start to bleed when you brush. Severe cases can lead to loose teeth and swollen, painful gums. This is why maintaining proper dental hygiene is so important, especially when you are under a lot of stress.

A missing tooth is a problem that needs to be dealt with quickly. Leaving a gap doesn’t just ruin your smile it could also prove difficult to chew, eat, or even talk. There are a number of ways to replace a lost tooth or teeth but one of the most common procedures is to have a dental implant surgically implanted into the open space. It will allow you to resume normal routines of eating and speaking and they will also look and feel just like the tooth you lost.

But deciding on whether or not to have the procedure relies mainly on you. Most people are good candidates for receiving a dental implant as long as they can meet the following criteria.

Bone Support

Losing a tooth can also compromise the amount of bone available to accommodate the replacement. A dental implant relies on a post that is installed into the jaw and if you have a significant loss of bone mass in the affected area, you may not be able to support a dental implant. That doesn’t necessarily mean you are out of options, some patients will have the jawbone reconstructed so that there is sufficient area in which to anchor the implant.

Potential for Gum Disease

Healthy gums are a vital component to the successful installation of a dental implant. They are necessary for a full recovery from the surgery to ensure that the gum heals around the replacement tooth properly and tightly. If a patient is at risk for gum disease, the surgery may not prove to be successful and the implant could be loose or fall out completely. Infections are another major health risk to having dental implant surgery with gums that are at risk for periodontitis and other forms of gum disease. Your dentist will need to do a full examination of your teeth and gums to determine if you are a good candidate for dental implants.

Age of the Patient

Age can be a factor that might prevent some patients from getting the implant surgery. Some children may be too young to have the procedure as their jawbone is still growing and some seniors may have too much bone loss to properly anchor an implant. But while age can be a factor, maintaining proper dental hygiene is far more important. So a candidate of any age must be committed to routine brushing and flossing and regular follow-ups with your dentist after the procedure.

Tooth loss can happen for any number of reasons. Whether you’ve lost your natural teeth or had them intentionally removed for medical reasons, replacing them will be of paramount importance. Depending on the amount of teeth that are missing there are various options available to you and implants could be the solution. One of the most common questions patients ask when considering their options relates to the practicality of relying on implants to replace large numbers of teeth. While most people are familiar with the concept of having one or two implants surgically installed, many are unaware that all of their teeth can be replaced with implants.

Dentures vs. Implants

Patients who have suffered a significant amount of tooth loss must consult with their dentist to decide if implants are the way to go or if another solution such as dentures is the better option. Dentures are a temporary alternative that can be removed from the mouth daily. Since they are not anchored to the bone, dentures may move around, become dislodged and cause discomfort to the gums. Implants, on the other hand, are designed to be permanent fixtures in the mouth and look, feel, and behave more like normal teeth.

Choosing Implants

Patients who opt to go with implants to replace their teeth must be considered a good candidate for the procedure. In order to determine if the surgery will be a success your dentist will conduct a full examination first. That may include X-rays to assess if you have proper bone mass to support anchoring for the implants and checking the gums to see if they are healthy enough to heal properly after the procedure takes place. Patients at high risk for gum diseases may be denied the surgical procedure, as the implants won’t heal correctly.

Replacing All Teeth

If you opt for implants to replace all of the teeth in your mouth, special implant-supported bridges or dentures will need to be implanted in your mouth. Posts are anchored to the jaw just the same as with singular implants. But unlike the standard versions of those appliances, these versions are rooted to the jaw for permanent placement. This alternative also preserves the bone in your jaw, preventing it from erosion that could result from traditional dentures. Bone erosion can occur at the areas where there is no tooth rooted to the jaw and it may start to resorb in those locations.

Hypodontia is a condition in which a person has missing teeth because these failed to develop at the right time. Also known as tooth agenesis, it includes people who are missing up to five permanent teeth. Third molars are not counted, so only individuals missing other permanent teeth are considered to have hypodontia. If someone is missing six or more permanent teeth, the condition is called oligodontia.

Hypodontia Is Common

One of the most common dental development anomalies in humans, hypodontia comes in a couple of different forms. Syndromic hypodontia is caused by a systemic syndrome or condition, and isolated hypodontia is not related to any syndrome. Diagnosing the condition requires x-rays. Examinations of six-year-olds can determine if they have hypodontia, which may be diagnosed due to delayed teeth eruptions, persistence of primary teeth, and alveolar bone hypotrophy.

Why People Get Hypodontia

The condition can be genetic, so one may be missing teeth if there are anomalies in the genes involved in teeth development. In fact, genetics is the most common cause. Other causes include trauma, infection, chemotherapeutic agents, and radiation therapy. Pregnant women on thalidomide have delivered babies with hypodontia as well.
In the case of missing isolated teeth, the cause isn’t always known. The thinking is this can be related to genetic factors or something in the environment. Reports have also associated the condition with increased maternal age, so older mothers may have a higher risk of delivering babies with hypodontia. It’s also associated with Down syndrome and a condition known as ectodermal dysplasia. Other factors include an embryo being infected with the rubella virus, low birth weight, or if a mother has had multiple births.

Treatments for Hypodontia

Several treatments are available, which include the use of prosthetics such as fixed or removable partial dentures, and over dentures. Retainers, braces, and other fixed appliances are used as part of orthodontic treatment for the condition. Long term management is often the strategy. Dental professionals also recommend good oral hygiene and a healthy diet, but hypodontia treatments are highly recommended to address aesthetics and the potential for psychological impacts in people with it.

A similar condition is hyperdontia, which means there are more teeth in a person’s mouth than there should be. For cases where there is a reduced number of teeth, you may hear terms such as agnesis of teeth, congenital missing teeth, aplasia of teeth, and others that might not seem familiar. Your dentist will explain what it means if you have hypodontia or another related condition.

You suddenly notice something doesn’t feel right in your mouth. A quick check in the mirror and a poke of your finger reveal an adult tooth is loose. You quickly think back to childhood, knowing a loose baby tooth is sure to fall out. That’s not necessarily the case with an adult tooth. There are many things that can be done to secure the tooth and allow it to heal.

Many adults will experience loose teeth at some point in their lives. It can happen at any age. An injury to the mouth, tooth grinding, or gum disease can affect the stability of the tooth and its socket. If you’ve been hit in the jaw and the injury doesn’t seem that severe, you could wait a few days to see if the tooth tightens up. This often happens as the swelling subsides and stretched periodontal ligaments heal.

How Dentists Treat Loose Adult Teeth

A dentist’s first reaction is not going to pull out the loose tooth, because most of the time it can be treated. They’ll diagnose the problem through a physical exam and x-rays. Once the see what is wrong and what’s causing the tooth to be loose, they can choose a treatment that will help you.

One of the most common loose tooth treatments is tooth splinting. A splint is bonded to the loose tooth and other ones that are stable, which keeps it in place until the healing process is complete. That can take a few days to a couple of weeks.

Teeth grinding is another reason adult teeth become loose. The high forces and constant strain while you are sleeping can injure your teeth enough for them to loosen, but a mouth guard can be worn to prevent loose teeth or stabilize those that become loose. Dentists will also look for gum disease, which will require a deep cleaning to get all the bacteria out of the gums and remove plaque build-up from between the teeth. Once the gums are clean, they can become healthier and your loose teeth will tighten up.

Changing the Biting Forces

Excess force is a common cause for loose teeth. If grinding isn’t the cause for the problem, the dentist can reshape the affected tooth and the one that is contacting it. Modifying the forces on the teeth facilitates healing. A loose adult tooth may not be as perilous as you think; your dentist may have simple treatments that will allow it to heal.

There is now a great deal of evidence that links gum disease to a variety of serious health issues. Treatable problems such as gingivitis, or inflammation of the gums, and periodontitis, a more serious condition where the gums pull away from the teeth, can lead to more trouble down the road. Bad breath, mild swelling, or bleeding gums are often ignored. However, these signs should not be ignored as they can lead to systemic chronic infections and serious diseases.

Active Bacterial Infections Spread from the Mouth to the Body

Gum disease is an active bacterial infection. If bacteria leave the confines of the oral cavity, they can colonize other parts of the body and fester. In fact, research has shown the plaque that builds up on teeth consists of the same bacteria found in the arteries of people with heart disease.

Bacteria can easily get into the bloodstream from the mouth. The body’s response to inflammation and bacterial attack is a concern as well. Not only can gum disease lead to tooth loss and destruction of flesh and bone tissue. It can affect the body’s ability to fight off other infections, and cause toxins to enter the blood. There’s also evidence bacteria from the oral cavity can attack and kill white blood cells.

The Effects of Chronic Inflammation

If inflammation becomes chronic, it can eventually lead to an array of diseases. These include but are not limited to heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and cancer. The incidence of these diseases and gum problems has been strongly correlated. Therefore, the risk of developing heart problems, stroke, and even pneumonia is higher if you have an untreated gum disease.
How to Avoid Health Issues Related to Gum Disease

You can potentially avoid heart, lung, and immunological and other problems by maintaining your oral health. Brushing, flossing, and dental cleanings can remove plaque and tartar so bacteria don’t fester. A proper diet rich in minerals can help your body deal with oral bacteria. You should care for your immune system as well, which can be done by properly dealing with stress, avoiding smoking, and getting enough sleep.

It is important to remember your mouth isn’t isolated from the rest of the body. Unchecked problems such as gum disease can lead to serious health issues down the road. Let that be an incentive to tend to oral hygiene on a daily basis.

The term CEREC is becoming mainstream in the field of dentistry. It stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics. Technology is revolutionizing the dental industry and computers are not left out of the equation. CEREC dentistry involves using CAD/CAM systems and 3D technology. Although it has been around since 1987, dental practices are increasingly using this technology to treat broken, weak, or decayed teeth and provide fillings and crowns faster than before.

Why CEREC Is Preferred

Literally hundreds of studies have proven the safety of CEREC tooth restorations and about 30 million of them have been completed. Dentist can now use 3D photography and a CAD/CAM system to design a crown, bridge, or onlay/inlay. No impressions are needed, saving time and contributing to a more comfortable experience for the patient (no gagging). The system also includes a milling unit, so restorations can be produced while the patient is sitting in the chair.

For patients, CEREC is convenient and efficient. The results are long-lasting plus one does not have to wait long or even make a second appointment to complete their dental restoration. Crowns and bridges are made in the dental office. One does not have to deal with a crown, for example, coming back from the lab with an incorrect fit.

In addition, all materials are biocompatible and contain no harmful metals that can lead to health problems later. CEREC also replaces amalgam fillings with composites that are safe. These do not have the toxic compounds known to exist in mercury and other metal fillings.

CEREC Is Making Dentistry More Efficient

The experience for dentists and patients is changing thanks to this advanced revolutionary technology. Restorations can be completed in one appointment, and computer technology is helping to more easily obtain a perfect fit and look. The bonding technology is stronger as well, and includes highly durable ceramics and resins.

CEREC eliminates the need for patients to wear temporary crowns, a traditional inconvenience associated with restorations. There is also no need to wait for an outside dental lab to complete the finished product, nor are there messy molds to deal with. The process is therefore more convenient for the dental professional, as it is simpler and patients are more receptive to the treatment. More dentists are switching to CEREC than ever before, so tooth restorations don’t have to be unpleasant for anyone involved in the process.

Think of your teeth as a great wall. If one or more pieces of the wall are missing, it allows a place for foreign intruders to enter. In this case the intruders could be bacteria, which can lead to other problems and be very uncomfortable. Your local medical or dental professional can assist you through the procedure of dental implants to bring your smile back. Whether you were struck, involved in an accident or altercation, or just have a bad tooth, there are several reasons why you should always make sure your “wall of teeth” are kept in tact.

Shifting Teeth

When a tooth is missing, it can cause the teeth around the missing tooth socket to shift. They will start to grow in more crooked and this can alter your bite and have lasting consequences. Your top jaw and bottom jaw will also fall out of alignment, which can lead to TMJ Syndrome. Your beautiful smile will start to be affected and this is why it’s important to see a dentist about implants right away.

Gum Disease

Your teeth aren’t the only things affected by leaving a tooth missing. Your gums might be affected by the bacteria that can creep into the missing tooth socket. Your other teeth being shifted may also prevent you from being able to brush your gums correctly and this is another way bacteria can build up.

Face Shape Alteration

Eventually, if a missing tooth is not tended to properly, your jawbone may start to deteriorate and this can lead to your bone structure being altered. What was once a preventable predicament involving a simple dental implant has now grown into a larger problem affecting your outward physical appearance.

These are just some of the reasons it is important to maintain regular dental check ups and brush/floss your teeth daily. By getting into the habit of this now, you will be decreasing your chance of having complications due to missing teeth. If you are in an accident or end up having a missing tooth, seek out an implant dentist and they’d be happy to help you through this ordeal. It is much better to seek help sooner rather than later as time passing without a tooth can have tremendous consequences down the line. Keeping your wall of teeth in tact will also leave you with a more approachable and confident smile.

If you have had porcelain veneers put in, you probably know that from time to time they can become dirty. Veneers are tricky and if you have the older, coarse material veneers you may want to think about an update. The porcelain is more durable but they can still get dirty. Unfortunately whitening gels do not work on porcelain veneers, but there are several ways to ensure that your veneers stay as glowing as the day you got them.

Polishing

Make sure that you are going in for a routine polishing every couple of months. The dentists have tools that can dig deep into the veneer and polish it back to its bright and white originality. Sometimes after a while, food or dark drinks like red wine can collect at the top of the veneer. This, combined with the gums natural recession with aging can create a small brown ring around the veneer. This can be taken care of by stopping by your local dentist. They will polish your veneers and get rid of the nasty brown line. This will hopefully bring your smile and veneers back to their original whiter selves.

Trauma

If you’ve experienced any kind of striking or trauma to the face, it can directly affect your veneers. While the veneers themselves can not be whitened. It might be possible to whiten the entire tooth. Your teeth contain dentin, which is the tissue inside a tooth. If you are struck, your dentin can start to brown. This may give the appearance of your veneers starting to brown. Try this…place some whitening gel on the back of the affected tooth. Do this routinely and the whitening gel should slowly seep through and restore the tooth’s dentin. This will then, in turn, restore the appearance of the porcelain veneer and bring your smile back to its original color.

If you have questions about caring for or maintaining your porcelain veneers it is a good idea to schedule a time to talk to your friendly neighborhood dentist. They will be able to offer advice that is specifically geared towards your predicament and they will be able to take you through the steps for proper at home treatment of the veneers. Porcelain veneers can be tricky but you don’t have to lose hope if they start to darken. Usually a simple polish is all they need to keep you smiling confidently!