Monthly Archives: May 2016

Four Useful Tips For A Whiter and Brighter Smile

Teeth Whitening, , , ,

Chewing GumGetting teeth whitened in the dentist’s office is one way to improve your confidence and make you want to smile a lot more. However, getting treatment is just a start. It’s still important that you continue to look for ways to maintain your smile, or if possible, make it whiter and brighter.

Listed below are four very useful tips for those who want to have a brighter and whiter smile.

  1. Use whitening toothpaste. Visits to the dentist are important not just to get treatment to have your teeth whitened, but also to remove the bacteria and plaque that have built up over time. Also, during dental visits, you may want to ask your dentist to recommend you a specific type of whitening toothpaste to use at home, as well as further instructions on how to use such whitening products.

 

  1. Chew gum and crunchy produce. Saliva is your mouth’s naturally means of cleaning bacteria and plaque. The more saliva you have, the cleaner your mouth will be and chewing gum has been known to increase saliva production. Although make sure that you chew gum that’s sugar-free and with Xylitol so you do not end up damaging your teeth by consuming too much sugar.

 

Speaking of consumption, munching on crunchy produce such as apples, carrots and celery can also help you keep your teeth bright and clean. Although such vegetables and fruits don’t necessarily whiten your teeth, they are naturally abrasive and help remove from your teeth the substances that can cause stains and discoloration.

 

  1. Take better care of your tooth enamel. Your smile may already be white, but it may not be as bright as you want it to be because of weak enamel. Although considered as the hardest substance in the human body, tooth enamel cannot repair itself if it breaks down. This means that if the tooth enamel has been affected by gum disease in the past, there’s no way to restore it. If it’s weak, it’s also much more susceptible to stains. As such, it is important that you take good care of your tooth enamel by providing it with necessary protection, such as by getting fluoride treatment at the dentist’s office and using a fluoride-toothpaste.

 

  1. Drink plenty of milk. Or pretty much any other dairy product you can think of. This is because dairy products are high in calcium, which helps keep your teeth white and bright. Also, aside from giving your teeth the calcium it needs to keep enamel strong, cheese can also help rid your teeth of food particles that can cause stains and discoloration.

Seeking professional treatment to have teeth whitened are certainly the best way to improve the appearance of one’s teeth. However, the effects of such treatment can only last for so long if you don’t take proper care of your teeth.

To help keep your teeth white and bright all the time, make sure that you follow the teeth whitening tips given above, practice good oral hygiene at home and of course, visit the dentist regularly for professional cleanings and checkups.

If you’d like to whiten your smile, contact Dr. George Kirtley at 317-841-1111 to schedule a consultation to help treat the underlying cause, or visit www.smilesbygeorge.com for information about Dr. George Kirtley and his practice.

What Is Tooth Sensitivity?

general dentistry, , ,

girl eating appleIf you’ve ever experienced a sharp and annoying pain in your teeth whenever it comes contact with anything hot or cold, then you’re probably suffering from tooth sensitivity. While not all too severe, tooth sensitivity can cause you to avoid certain foods and beverages, which is why it’s important that you get to the bottom of this annoyance.

What Causes It?

Loss of tooth enamel, which leaves the dentin exposed, is the main reason why tooth sensitivity occurs. This may happen if you’ve been using a hard-bristled toothbrush instead of a soft one, as it may wear away as the abrasion can wear away the tooth enamel. However, it can also be the result of frequent consumption of acidic foods or gum recession.

It is important to take note, however, that the sharp pain when exposed to hot and cold food and beverages is not always caused by tooth sensitivity.

Sometimes, it may be because of the following:

  • A cracked, chipped or fractured tooth
  • Dental caries
  • Constant grinding or clenching of the teeth, or a condition known as bruxism
  • A broken restoration that’s been leaking
  • A side effect of certain teeth whitening procedures, namely tooth bleaching

Why Does Tooth Sensitivity Hurt?

You see, there are microscopic tubular structures in the dentin that help provide the tooth with the necessary blood and nutrients. These tubules are also responsible for connecting with the nerve fibers within the pulp. If the dentin tubules are somehow exposed to an external stimulus, such as heat, cold or a sudden change in pressure, the said stimulus alters the fluid flow in the dentin, causing the nerve fibers to perceive it as pain.

Now, that wouldn’t have happened if you had just enough tooth enamel, which, believe it or not, is considered as the hardest and most mineralized part of the human body.

What You Can Do About It

The first step is to talk to your dentist about your tooth sensitivity. Be sure to describe your symptoms in detail. Try your best to recall when the pain first started. Also, do not be afraid to let your dentist know about anything that you’ve done that has had an effect on the pain, whether it’s positive or negative.

Using your descriptions, the dentist will try to find out the possible cause of your sensitivity, and once finished, the dentist will then treat the underlying cause.

The treatment will usually vary, depending on the case. It may be something as simple as filling up a cavity, or fixing up a worn filling. Your dentist may also apply an in-office fluoride gel to help strengthen the tooth enamel, and make the experience a bit less painful. However, if your case is severe enough that the sharp pain is because your tooth’s root is already exposed, your dentist may refer you to a periodontist to get undergo gum graft surgery.

If you’ve been suffering from painful tooth sensitivity for quite some time and have avoided eating some of your favorite food because of it, be sure to set an appointment with your dentist today – and you could soon be indulging yourself on that ice cream as soon as tomorrow.

If you’re suffering from tooth sensitivity, contact Dr. George Kirtley at 317-841-1111 to schedule a consultation to help treat the underlying cause, or visit www.smilesbygeorge.com for information regarding Dr. George Kirtley and his practice.

What Are My Options For Missing Teeth?

Restorative Dentistry, , , , ,

ThinkstockPhotos-146796980If you don’t feel confident about having a few missing teeth, don’t worry because you’re not alone. In fact, most have had a couple of decayed or missing teeth by the time they’re adults.

Now, it doesn’t matter how you lost your teeth, what matters is that you have them replaced. This is because having missing teeth replaced can go a long way in giving you back a complete set of teeth. This means you’re getting your smile back. Not only that, but the way you chew and speak will all go back to how it once was when you still had a full set of teeth.

Listed below are some of the tooth replacement options that should be available at your dental care professional.

Dental Implants

Because they’re surgically implanted, dental implants offer a long-term and durable solution to those who have a few missing teeth.

The typical process of getting an implant involves three stages that take place over several weeks and even months. The first of the process is where the implant is surgically buried, and the second is where the implant is checked for proper integration and some of the posts are connected. In the last part of the process, the dentist installs the prosthetic tooth and the patient walks out of the clinic with a new, full set of teeth.

The lengthy process is a huge disadvantage. However, many dental health professionals do not see that as much of a problem. This is because dental implants are the most similar to natural teeth among tooth replacement options, and are the ones who can possibly last for as long as the patient lives.

Bridges

Dental bridges are, basically, dental appliances used to bridge the gap left by missing teeth.

Unlike dental implants that are surgically implanted and allowed to fuse with the jawbone, bridges rely on the adjacent teeth for support. Like an anchor of sorts. The effect on the adjacent teeth is something worth taking note of if you plan to get a dental bridge to replace your missing teeth.

Dentures

For those who are missing more than a couple of teeth, dentures may be your only hope.

Dentures are removable appliances with artificial teeth and come in as partial dentures and full dentures. The difference between the former and the latter is that the former, which as the name suggests, replaces only a set number of teeth. Meanwhile, full dentures require all of the remaining teeth to be removed first to, basically, be replaced by a full set of removable artificial teeth.

Now, as you can see, you are not entirely hopeless. More importantly, though, is that it doesn’t matter which of the three treatment options you choose. The important thing here is that you have those missing teeth of yours replaced. Because, if not, you’re going to end up with an incomplete smile and the many other complications that come with it, such as increased risk for gum disease, malocclusions, jaw pain, and so on.

If you’re interested, visit your dental health professional immediately and have yourself checked to see which of the three treatment options will benefit you the most.

If you’re interested in replacing your missing teeth with the dental restorations mentioned above, contact Dr. George Kirtley at 317-841-1111 to schedule a consultation to see which of three treatment options will benefit you most or visit www.smilesbygeorge.com for more information.