Category: Uncategorized

There are two categories that teeth staining are categorized into: intrinsic staining and extrinsic staining. Intrinsic staining is the result of age, genetics, antibiotics, high levels of fluoride, and developmental disorders. Extrinsic staining is due to smoking, pigments in drinks and foods, iron, copper, and antibiotics. Both of these teeth staining types can be dealt with effectively by whitening toothpaste, OTC whitening strips and gels, whitening rinses, tray-based teeth whitening, and in-office whitening. Whitening toothpaste does not contain bleach and is harmless, OTC whitening strips and gels use a thin layer of peroxide gel applied twice a day for thirty minutes and are harmless, whitening rinses contain harmless amounts of hydrogen peroxide and require you to rinse twice a day for a month before you see clear results, tray-based teeth whitening contains carbamide peroxide bleaching gel and requires 2 to 4 hours as instructed. It’s also strong and can whiten your teeth one to two shades. Then lastly you have in-office whitening, which is something I personally experienced. It is quick and harmless, when used correctly by a professional, and it delivers high amounts of peroxide to your teeth.

At the end of the day it is honestly up to the patient whether they want to get their teeth whitened. I can say from personal experience that in-office whitening will be a great investment to your teeth, and you will definitely be pleased with your beautiful smile.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4058574/

Did you know that when you eat candy, the candy can actually break down the enamel of your teeth? Also, worse yet, when you brush your teeth after eating candy, you actually run the risk of more tooth erosion. Most children struggle with the issue of eating too much candy on a regular basis. It has been proven that candy can cause tooth erosion by deteriorating the micro-hardness of the tooth enamel. The sweets that children and teenagers intake can damage the primary and permanent tooth enamel. This tooth erosion occurs most commonly in children and teenagers because they are more prone to eat various types of candy and chocolate.

The solution for this issue is by bringing awareness to the detrimental effects of eating too many sweets and enforcing parental discipline when eating sweets on a regular basis. A recent study has shown that a person should only rinse with water after eating a lot of candy or chocolate because this will help prevent the risk of more tooth erosion, brought about from brushing with toothpaste on the softened tooth enamel. So, I urge you all to eat candy, chocolate, and any other types of sweets in moderation so that you can maintain healthy teeth enamel and reduce the risk of obtaining a cavity.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5774060/

Before I got braces, my teeth were horribly crooked. I had to wear a clear temporary retainer every night in order to keep my teeth aligned. Unfortunately, I broke and had forgotten about wearing my retainer, which caused my bottom teeth to shift. Wow, surprisingly that one mistake cost me a few thousands of dollars to get braces again! Due to my silly mistake, it also cost me $190 to get a new retainer.

I learned that wearing my retainer was imperative to retaining straight teeth. Make sure you follow your orthodontist’s recommendations to ensure that your teeth and your smile will look great forever!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21055599

Aristotle states that “we are what we repeatedly do, excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” Our habits, which are ingrained in our subconscious minds, run our lives. The most critical years to develop these good habits would be during early childhood. It is very important to develop good dental habits in order to ensure the health and longevity of your teeth.  

In a study done on 1,003 children ages 3 to 5, they discovered that dental plaque education and prevention should start at the age of 3 in order to reduce plaque build up. By developing dental habits early on, a child will subconsciously clean their teeth on a regular basis.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21055599

Most kids have heard their parents say, “Eat your fruits and vegetables!” Did you know that eating fruits and vegetables can help you avoid cavities? Maintaining a proper diet is crucial in order to avoid several oral diseases. In order to maintain proper dental and body health, you need to intake fruits and vegetables with vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin K, zinc, and carbohydrates.This includes eating foods like apples, carrots, and celery to help your teeth remain healthy and strong. So eat your carrots.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3272860/

Outside of brushing and flossing, mouthwash is the third most important technique used to maintain proper dental hygiene. Fluoride and antiseptic mouthwashes are extremely effective and highly recommended due to its ability to reduce plaque, kill bacteria in hard to reach areas in the mouth, and clean oral gum lining.

Mouthwash is ultimately used to reduce the risk of any severe oral health issues and to stop any diseases from spreading throughout the body. What makes mouthwash so important is the fact that it’s able to kill most bacteria in the mouth due to its antibacterial substance known as cetylpyridinium chloride. This allows mouthwash to directly kill bacteria and fight against gingivitis within the mouth.  

We all need to highly consider the benefits of using mouthwash on a consistent basis. It is proven to be most reliable and refreshing when it comes to maintaining healthy oral hygiene.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26591619