Cosmetic Dentist in Mt. Kisco, NY Discusses The 20 Things That Can Ruin Your Smile - Part 2

Cosmetic Dentist, Mt. Kisco NY Discusses The 20 Things That Can Ruin Your Smile Part 2

Here are the final 10 things that can ruin your smile. While reading, you can learn tips and tricks on how to make sure your teeth stay sparkling white!


Hot Drinks

Your hot-drink habit may be one reason
your teeth look a little dingy. Black tea and coffee contain stain-promoting tannins that lodge into the pits and grooves of the tooth enamel, producing a rough, stained surface, which is sticky and can retain decay-producing bacteria.
Consume such beverages in moderation, drink more water every day, and add milk to your coffee or tea to help neutralize the acids.




Aging

As you age, you’re more susceptible to decay near old fillings or root surfaces unprotected by receding gums. But there’s no reason you can’t keep your teeth. Oral disease—not aging per se—is the danger. Increasing your fluoride protection is key. And if you have arthritis, there are dental products that can make brushing and flossing less painful. Seniors who brush regularly with fluoride toothpaste or use fluoride rinses or gels regularly have fewer cavities.


Birth Control Pills

Because oral contraceptives mimic pregnancy, they can also lead to gum inflammation and infections, including gingivitis.
Additionally, some studies have shown that women who use birth control pills may have more trouble healing after tooth extractions and are twice as likely to develop painful dry sockets where the tooth used to be.
If you use birth control pills, it’s not a bad idea to discuss their effect with your dentist before major procedures.




Not Flossing

Although many of us are much more diligent about brushing than flossing, they are equally important.
Flossing every day is one of the best things you can do to take care of your teeth. It’s the single most important factor in preventing periodontal disease, which affects more than 50% of adults.

Flossing helps remove plaque and debris that sticks to teeth and gums, and gives you a brighter smile by polishing the tooth’s surface; it even helps control bad breath.



Brushing At The Wrong Time
Although we’ve been taught to brush after every meal, depending on what you eat or drink, that’s not always the best advice.


After consuming high-acid food or drinks, like wine, coffee, citrus fruits, and soft drinks, rinse with water to neutralize the acids, but wait an hour before reaching for the toothpaste.
Brushing teeth immediately after drinking carbonated drinks and acidic foods can cause erosion.

Overzealous Whitening

It is not clear whether bleaching erodes tooth enamel, but it can increase sensitivity, especially when done too often. Even at-home whitening treatments should be used in moderation, and always under a dentist's supervision, as some whitening toothpastes and gels contain abrasive ingredients that can increase tooth sensitivity, and possibly harm the enamel.



Soft Drinks and Carbonated Beverages


Soft drinks are chock-full of sugar, which puts you at a risk for cavities, root decay, and gum infections. Dark colas can also stain your teeth, leaving you with a lackluster smile. We recommend drinking soda through a straw and rinsing with water or chewing sugar-free gum after consumption to neutralize the acids.
We also recommend waiting at least an hour before brushing.


Citrus and Acidic Food
Although lemons, grapefruits, and citrus juices don’t directly cause cavities, like soft drinks, they contain acids, which cause erosion of the tooth enamel, weakening the tooth and making it prone to decay.

Waiting to brush, rinsing your mouth with water, or chewing sugar-free gum can help. In particular, consider xylitol, a natural sweetener found in plants and fruits that was FDA approved as a food additive in 1986. Found in sugar-free gum, mints, and toothpastes, xylitol can inhibit the cavity-causing oral bacteria. Dentists will often recommend patients chew at least two pieces per day if they are at high risk for developing cavities.

Tobacco

Smoking turns your teeth yellow and brown, but it can be much more damaging than that. It can cause throat, lung, and mouth cancer, and even death. Additionally, the tar from tobacco forms a sticky film on teeth, which harbors bacteria that promote acid production and create irritating toxins, both of which cause gum inflammation, tooth decay, and loss.



Teeth Grinding and Clenching

Teeth grinding, or bruxism, can affect your jaw, cause pain, and even change the appearance of your face. People who have otherwise healthy teeth and gums can clench so often and so hard that over time, they wear away their tooth’s enamel, causing chipping and sensitivity.




Stress and anger can increase nighttime teeth grinding. Finding ways to alleviate these feelings can help, but it’s also important to see your dentist, who can recommend solutions like a custom night guard.

To improve YOUR smile we offer FREE teeth whitening to all new patients after their first dental hygiene appointment. ($600 Value) Call Amy for details at: (914) 241-2242 We can help you have that pretty smile you’ve always wanted.

www.WestchesterTopDentist.com

Mount Kisco NY Dentist Uses State of The Art Technology to Find Oral Cancer Early!

All adults should have an annual VELscope or Trimira exam, because a quarter of all oral cancer victims are non-smokers, don’t drink, and have no lifestyle factors to heighten their oral cancer risk!

Here at Westchester Dental Care, we believe in investing in the technology to keep you healthy! That is why we offer the VELscope and Trimira exams when you see our dental hygienists. These two state of the art tools are weapons in our arsenal to keep you safe and healthy! The screening involves use of a special light to illuminate abnormal cells so that they appear distinctly different from the surrounding normal tissue. This allows us to see them long before we could see them with the naked eye.

We don’t hear much about oral cancer, but 34,000 patients will be diagnosed in 2010. Only half of patients diagnosed with oral cancer will survive longer than five years. Because it is often detected in the later stages, oral cancer’s mortality rate is higher than that of cervical cancer, Hodgkin’s disease, brain, liver, kidney, or ovarian cancer. Treatment for oral cancer often causes disfiguration and lessens the patient’s quality of life. When found and treated in the early stages the condition has an 80 to 90-percent cure rate, so call and schedule an appointment for your screening today at (914) 241-2242. It takes five minutes and it is absolutely painless. You owe it to yourself. The life you save may be your own!

We are dedicated to your overall health.

Sincerely,

Dr. Abel, Dr. Turturro, and the entire Westchester Dental Care Team

http://www.westchestertopdentist.com/

Cosmetic Dentist in Mount Kisco, NY discusses The 20 Things That Can Ruin Your Smile....

Part 1

Your smile is one of your best assets, so, of course, you want to keep it healthy and sparkling. But even if you brush, use white strips, and visit your dentist twice a year, it may not be enough. Here are a few things that can wreak havoc on your teeth and gums, and put a serious damper on your smile.

Sports Drinks

In the last decade, sports beverages have become increasingly popular, but they aren’t great for your teeth. Scientific research has found that the pH levels in many sports drinks could lead to tooth erosion due to their high concentration of acidic components. This could eventually wear away at the tooth’s enamel.


Additionally, these drinks are often high in sugars that act as “food” for acid-producing bacteria, which then sneak into the cracks and crevices in your teeth, causing cavities and tooth decay.

Bottled Water

Tap water often contains fluoride—about 60% of people in the U.S. have fluoride in their water supply. However, most bottled waters contain less fluoride than recommended for good oral health (it will be listed as an ingredient on the label if it is an additive).

Fluoride makes the entire tooth structure more resistant to decay and promotes remineralization. This process aids in repairing early decay before damage is even visible. Studies have confirmed that the most effective source of fluoride is water fluoridation. You should also use a fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash, and have regular professional fluoride treatments by your dentist when you have your dental hygiene visits. All of these things greatly contribute to the remineralization process.


Diabetes

Diabetes reduces the body’s resistance to infection, so you’re at a risk for gum disease. Brushing, flossing, and monitoring your blood sugar can help. Diabetes is directly related to periodontal disease. People with periodontal disease may not be able to regulate blood sugar properly, so seeing the dentist and having your triglycerides and cholesterol levels checked on a regular basis is also crucial.

Research has shown that diabetics can reduce the amount of insulin they need to take by maintaining good gum health.








Wine

Wine drinkers beware: Regular wine consumption can harm tooth enamel. Wine’s acidity can dissolve the tooth structure, and both red and white wine can increase staining of the teeth as well. Still, you don’t have to give up your regular glass of wine to save your smile.



Enamel erosion develops when wine drinkers swish the wine, keeping it in constant contact with the enamel, so instead, take small sips and rinse your mouth with plenty of water when you’re done drinking.

Pregnancy

It’s especially important to take care of your teeth and gums when you’re expecting, since studies show a link between untreated gum disease and pre-term and low-birth-weight babies.


Changes in hormone levels during pregnancy, particularly surges in estrogen and progesterone, can cause inflammation of the gums, which can lead to gingivitis (red, swollen, tender gums that are more likely to bleed) and put you at risk for infection. If you have morning sickness, rinse your mouth with water to neutralize the acid caused by vomiting, since it can lead to tooth decay.

Diet pills

Even though they may seem like a quick way to trim your waist, diet pills can also be a fast track to gum disease and tooth decay. Like many over-the-counter and prescription medications, diet pills decrease salivary flow, which causes dry mouth and puts you at risk for gum disease, tooth decay, cavities, and discomfort.


Bottom line: A balanced diet and exercise are the safest way to lose weight and protect your smile.

Candy

Contrary to what mom said, sugar won’t directly rot your teeth—but the acid produced when you eat sugar and carbohydrates can.

Naturally occurring bacteria in the mouth devour sugar, creating acids that attack tooth enamel, which can lead to decay and a host of other problems, including gingivitis and cavities. When ever you eat sugar or carbohydrates, the plaque is converted to an acid for 20 minutes. This is called an acid attack. Each one of these little attacks breaks down the tooth enamel until you have a cavity.



The worst thing you can do is leave sugar lingering on your teeth and gums. Eating any amount of candy and brushing and flossing immediately is actually less damaging than not brushing after eating one piece before bedtime. If you can’t brush after a snack attack, eat cheese or yogurt, or chew sugarless gum to boost saliva flow and neutralize acids. Rinsing thoroughly with water will help too, but try to brush after sugary snacks.

Puberty




The hormonal surge that occurs during puberty can cause more than acne—it can also result in swollen gums that are more sensitive to plaque. This can lead to gum infections, gingivitis, and mouth sores. Typically the gums only respond this way if hygiene care is poor. Make sure your teen brushes and flosses daily, uses a fluoride mouthwash at bedtime, and sees a dentist regularly.

Dry mouth

A dry mouth isn’t just unpleasant, it’s bad for your teeth. Saliva washes away cavity-causing bacteria and neutralizes harmful acids. Without saliva, you would be at a much higher risk for tooth decay and tooth loss. Saliva helps prevent tooth decay and a whole host of other oral health problems.




A good solution would be to drink lots of water, chew sugarless gum, use a fluoride toothpaste or rinse, and consider over-the-counter artificial saliva substitutes. See your doctor if dry mouth is a frequent problem. Many medications on the market today, both prescription and over the counter can cause dry mouth.

Dieting

Restrictive diets and poor eating habits can deprive you of the vitamins and nutrients necessary for a beautiful smile. It’s especially important to get enough folate, B vitamins, protein, calcium, and vitamin C—all of which are considered essential for healthy teeth and gums.

Poor nutrition can affect your entire immune system, increasing your susceptibility to many disorders and infections, including periodontal disease.

Stay tuned for the 20 Things That Can Ruin Your Smile Part 2

To improve YOUR smile we offer FREE teeth whitening to all new patients after their first dental hygiene appointment.

Call Amy for details at:

(914) 241-2242

We can help you have that pretty smile you’ve always wanted.

http://www.westchestertopdentist.com/