Tag Archives: Cosmetic Dentistry Orlando
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Teeth Whitening Tips
Most whitening procedures use hydrogen peroxide (the same chemical used to bleach hair), or carbamide peroxide to lighten stains and brighten the natural colouring of your teeth. In general, the quicker the method of bleaching (as little as one hour) the more expensive it is. Less costly methods of tooth whitening can sometimes take weeks to work. After treatment the whiteness can last for years, but this does depend on your lifestyle. Eating and drinking foods that stain tooth enamel will speed up the decline more quickly. However, regularly using whitening toothpaste, which has a very small concentration of peroxide in it, will help keep teeth brighter for longer.
TEETH WHITENING METHODS – IN BRIEF
Laser Bleaching
“I’ll be the first to admit, dental office teeth whitening has come a long way in the past 10 years. Now, the most popular teeth whitening dental office procedure known as Laser Bleaching is a much shorter process. Basically this teeth whitening procedure consists of the application of a concentrated peroxide gel onto your teeth, then for the next hour you sit in a dental chair with your mouth wide open, while a special light (usually argon) is shined onto the teeth whitening paste that in turn chemically reacts with the peroxide to complete the teeth whitening process in as short a time period as possible. This teeth whitening procedure does work. Although, many dentists say that you get a whiter smile by repeated tray applications because the teeth whitening peroxide stays in contact with your teeth for longer periods of time. The downside is that you still get stuck with that fat $500 – $1,000 bill. And you still need to either come back 6 months later for another teeth whitening or you’re given some take home whitening items!”
BriteSmile a leading accelerated technique is $500-$600 for a one-hour treatment. It involves gas-plasma light technology developed by a NASA scientist. A gel with 15% hydrogen peroxide is applied and then activated by light during three 20 minute sessions. A quote from BriteSmile:
“good oral hygiene and regular professional care will help maintain the BriteSmile results for about two years”
Dentist Supervised Treatments
These are generally just as effective as well as being slightly cheaper. They start from $300, but you have to watch out as some dentists will charge up to $650 for these! The dentist takes an impression of your teeth, and subsequently makes a flexible plastic mould which has a thin space for the whitening fluid. You can either wear this overnight, or wear from one to two hours a day for two weeks. Don’t choose the overnight system if you are a light sleeper! The amount of carbamide peroxide in the gel can vary from 5% to 30%. For example, Colgate’s overnight system uses 10% which is a fairly low concentration. High peroxide levels are obviously more effective but can irritate gums and make teeth feel sensitive.
Over the Counter
The Food and Drug Administration prohibits products sold in drugstores from having a concentration higher than 3% for hydrogen peroxide and 10% for carbamide peroxide. I will give you a few examples of the most successful brands available.
Rembrandt Plus Superior Bleaching System, $32.50: two plastic ‘Comfort-Fit Mouthguards’. Wear them for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day and according to the packaging, “expect results within a week”. I would personally advise that like all over the counter methods it may take more time and effort than this due to the imprecise fit of the mouth trays.
Crest Whitestrips, $44: The thin strips are inexpensive and easy to use, but they do require a fair amount of discipline and patience. You peel them off a plastic backing and stick them on your teeth for 30 minutes, twice a day. However, they only have 5% hydrogen peroxide and therefore take 28 days to show results.
Whitening Toothpastes: Let me just start off by saying that these have many drawbacks, particularly as they take a very long time to show any real results. Like many cosmetic products nowadays, many claims made are misleading. For example, the success of whitening toothpaste is directly related to how long and often you brush your teeth for. BUT, over brushing your teeth can cause the loss of tooth enamel and this can’t be replaced. They are a much more effective product once laser treatment or moulds have been used, in order to prevent discolouration.
Want to Help Your Heart? Brush Your Teeth.
Believe it or not, taking good care of your teeth may have a positive impact on your heart health, while poor oral health care can lead heart disease and damage.
Here’s why:
There are always bacteria and microscopic germs residing in your mouth– you’re breathing them in at any given time, inhaling germs and getting ill from it. The relationship between oral health and cardiovascular health is related to the affinity of people with gum disease.
When you have bacteria sitting on your gums and your teeth, the oral bacteria are able filter into your blood stream. This translates into plaque deposits in the arteries near your heart because of the volume and cycling that the heart does. And we know from all the commercials on TV what happens when you have plaque buildup in your arteries.
The plaque from oral bacteria can harm blood vessels, cause blood clots, and eventually cause a heart attack. It can’t be filtered out the same way as the bacteria you swallow. Think of it in terms of how we think of alcohol. One alcoholic drink gets filtered through the body, but when you overwhelm your body with too much alcohol, it can cause a profound impact on your ability to function properly.
The research that has been published so far is all pointing people towards preventive health measures. They’re encouraging people who want to take care of their cardiovascular system to make sure they take proper oral health steps — brushing at least twice a day, flossing, and rinsing.
But don’t let this news frighten you: you won’t get heart disease from the one time that you have gum disease for a week, or the couple of times a year you fall asleep on the couch and forget to brush your teeth before bed.
But remember, over time, your oral health can have a huge impact on the acceleration of heart plaque build-up and clotting, not to mention the long-term quality of your health. It will add up, so take your oral health seriously.
All you have to do is say AH! Get screened today!
Diabetes and Tooth Care: Tips on Managing Diabetes Through Good Dental Hygiene
The time you devote to your teeth and gums benefits your diabetes control. And aspects of taking care of your diabetes, such as healthful eating, being physically active, and managing blood glucose, support your tooth and gum health.
Good oral hygiene has major health benefits.
“Very few people realize the connection between their teeth and health,” says Charles Martin, D.D.S., of Richmond, Virginia, founder of DentistryForDiabetics (dentistryfordiabetics.com). “A person with type 2 diabetes is 2-4 times more likely to have gum disease than those without diabetes. Good oral hygiene can help you control your diabetes.”
Gum disease and tooth problems can cause blood glucose levels to rise. Elevated blood glucose makes your gums more susceptible to bacterial infections and increases your risk for developing gum disease (periodontal disease), cavities, and tooth decay. Plus, it’s more difficult for any mouth problems to heal. “When your blood glucose is high, it’s harder to manage periodontal problems,” says Roger Briggs, D.D.S., of Briggs Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Scottsdale, Arizona. “But if you do manage periodontal problems, you can lower your blood glucose.”
Gum Disease and Diabetes
Gum disease is related to diabetes and vice versa.
Emerging research shows that people who have uncontrolled diabetes are more likely to have periodontal disease. The word “periodontal” means “around the tooth.” Periodontal disease can affect one or more teeth and is usually painless. It starts when the bacteria in plaque (the sticky film that normally builds up on your teeth) stay on too long and cause your gums to be inflamed. Gingivitis, the early form, involves swollen, red gums that bleed easily. It’s reversible with good dental care at home and professional treatment.
Inflammation is the underlying link between diabetes and gum disease.
Inflammation is not always bad. In the short term, it helps your body heal when you have an infection or injury. But long-term inflammation can lead to gum disease, diabetes, and heart disease. In the mouth, bacteria and inflammation can travel to other places in the body. This is called systemic inflammation.
Casey Hein, RDH, a dental hygienist from Evergreen, Colorado, and specialist in oral systemic inflammation at the University of Manitoba in Canada, recommends using toothpaste that has the ingredient triclosan. Triclosan helps keep down the bacteria count on your teeth to prevent gingivitis, plaque, and cavities. She also recommends mouthwash containing essential oils such as eucalyptol, menthol, thymol, and methyl salicylate because these, too, decrease the transfer of bacteria from your mouth to other areas of your body. For effective cleaning, Hein and Briggs recommend using an electronic ultrasonic toothbrush and a water-jet oral irrigator.
How a Dentist Can Help
Dental professionals are crucial members of your health care team.
See your dentist at least twice a year. Be sure to tell your dentist that you have diabetes, especially if your blood glucose levels run higher than your targets.
Martin recommends asking your dentist to check for periodontal disease. Periodontitis is the advanced form in which plaque spreads and grows below the gum line, causing infection. This leads to inflammation, which can then break down the tissues and bone that support the teeth and form pockets that become infected. If you have advanced periodontal disease, you should also see a periodontist. You likely will need to have your teeth professionally cleaned four times a year.
There’s no reason for professional dental care to hurt. If you typically experience pain during a teeth cleaning, take a pain reliever one hour before your visit. And ask your dentist or dental hygienist to use an anesthetic gel on your gums.
Dental Check-Ups and Bad Breath
Planning helps control blood glucose during dental visits.
Anxiety about dental visits and the timing can affect your blood glucose levels. Rhonda Kavee, DMD, of ABC Dentistry in New York and PWD type 1, recommends timing your appointments to fit your medication and eating patterns. “Schedule your visits at times when you won’t have to delay eating,” she says. If you take insulin or other medications that lower blood glucose, talk to your provider about adjusting doses or timing so you don’t have too much blood glucose-lowering medication in your system during the visit. Check your blood glucose before the exam and during, if necessary.
Diabetes need not doom you to stinky breath.
Diabetes itself doesn’t cause bad breath, but bacteria do. Kavee recommends keeping your mouth moist by staying hydrated, which helps lower the bacterial count. “Control your blood sugar,” she says. “When it’s high, your mouth gets dry. That makes your breath smell. Drinking water helps both.” Sugarless gum with xylitol also provides relief.
A distinctive type of bad breath can be one sign of a diabetes emergency: diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA, more common in type 1 diabetes (it’s rare in type 2), involves extremely high blood sugar and lack of insulin. The associated breath is often described as smelling fruity.
Diabetes Dental Care Tips
Take special note of these diabetes-related tips:
If you treat low blood sugars often, clean your mouth afterward. Brush or rinse after swallowing glucose products and food to remove traces from teeth and gums.
Manage medications to prevent dry mouth. Ask your health care provider or pharmacist if any of your medications causes dry mouth. Do not stop taking it, but ask if there is a similar medication that is less drying.
Brush twice a day. Use a fluoride toothpaste accepted by the American Dental Association. Pair brushing and flossing with a task you easily remember, such as taking medications.
Brush consistently. For example, start with your upper right teeth; move to the upper left, then down to the lower left and, finally, the lower right.
Clean between teeth daily. Use floss or an interdental cleaner. Also brush your tongue, gums, and insides of cheeks.
Replace your brush every 3-4 months (or if frayed). Select a soft brush with bristles of varying heights.
Dr. Don M. Preble 