Proper dental hygiene results in a pearly white smile, fresh breath and healthy gums. Regular preventive care that includes proper brushing and flossing techniques help stop dental problems such as bleeding gums and tooth decay. Apart from the frequent general dentist’s visits, there are some steps to a healthy smile:

1. Proper Brushing

When brushing, ensure both the gum line and tooth surface are in contact with the bristles. Also, clean the tongue surface and the roof of your mouth to avoid bad breath. Brush twice a day and rinse your mouth thoroughly with water or antibacterial mouthwash. This helps reduce the amount of food that serves as a substrate for bacteria. It is important to change your toothbrush every three months.

2. Flossing Daily

Flossing is essential in removing food particles that brushing cannot. Flossing penetrates between the teeth where even mouthwash cannot help clean.

3. Start Children Early

Dental care should begin immediately a child’s first tooth comes out—roughly at six months. The teeth can be rubbed with a clean, wet cloth. At the age of two, you can allow the kids to brush as you supervise.

4. Use Fluoride

Fluoride helps strengthen tooth enamel thereby reducing chances of tooth decay. You can get it from fluoridated water, toothpaste, or mouthwash. Remember to use Fluoride sparingly since too much of it results in white spots on the teeth.

5. Avoid Tobacco

Tobacco does not only stain your teeth but also leads to oral cancer and other periodontal complications. Again, when you smoke a cigarette, you may be forced to use other products such as chewing gums and candy to get rid of the odor. These hurt your teeth even more.

6. Avoid Sugar, Take Calcium

Beverages such as coffee, sodas and alcohol contain additives such as phosphorus and food dye and corn syrup. Phosphorus is healthy for the mouth, but too much of it depletes the body’s calcium. Food dye and corn syrup discolor pearly white teeth leaving you with a “stained” smile. To reduce visits to the general dentist’s office, you need to take milk and other dairy products to give you the necessary minerals such as calcium, and Vitamin D and B.

7. Visit Your Local Dentist Office

Visit your local dentist office at least twice a year. This is helpful as routine dental exams by your dental hygienist will help remove plaque build-up that you can’t otherwise brush or floss away.

Regular dental exams will help you spot early signs of oral cancer and gum diseases. Contact our dentist today to request an appointment.

Pain after a root canal is fairly common among dental patients. It is an extensive procedure that is deeply involved in the jaw, so some pain can be expected. However, our Charlotte NC dentist can explain in more detail why root canal pain occurs. During a root canal, any and all living tissue is removed, but nerve endings still exist in the ligaments that can still experience pain. Preventing root canal tooth pain is not really possible, as most causes of pain result from the surgery itself.

One possible explanation of pain after a root canal is the inflammation of periapical tissue. This could come from the instruments used by the dentist during the surgery. The instruments file off parts of the tooth that can become embedded in the periapical tissue and cause pain to the ligaments of the tooth. This pain usually goes away over time.

Pain after a root canal can also be attributed to a possible infection. As with any surgery, root canals run a risk of infection. These can usually be cured without further surgical treatment, but if the infection is persistent, it may need to be retreated. If the infection is due to a fracture of the tooth that was root canaled, there is not much hope to be had for the infection to go away. Extraction is indicated in the case of tooth fracture.

A less common cause of root canal pain is nerve sensitivity. This is the same sensitivity experienced by people who experience phantom limb pain after amputation. Even when the tooth is gone, the pain continues as before.

Many patients are deeply interested in preventing root canal tooth pain. However, there is not much to be done to prevent these occurrences of pain that arise during the surgery. If your root canal pain persists, contact a local Charlotte NC dentist for advice on pain relief.

It is estimated that there are 76 million baby boomers in the United States who are approaching retirement age. Many of them will be facing health issues, including dental problems. The good news is that many baby boomers will be able to keep their natural teeth thanks to healthy lifestyles, fluoride treatments and education about teeth and health issues. However, Charlotte NC dentists feel there are some dental problems that are more of a concern to the baby boomer generation. The good news is that older adults can keep their teeth healthy for the rest of their lives with the proper dental care in Charlotte NC.

According to the American Dental Association, 43 percent of dentists believe that preventative care and maintaining good dental hygiene will be the top oral health concern facing older adults. Thirty-two percent of dentists believe that periodontal disease will be the top dental concern. However, another survey that was taken shown that baby boomers are more concerned about the look of their teeth. Teeth whitening is the top-requested procedure among adults who are between the ages of 40 and 60. Bonding, veneers and crowns are the second-most requested procedure. Periodontal disease treatment ranked third.

It will greatly benefit the baby boomer generation to focus more on periodontal disease. Gum disease is the second most common disease in America according to the U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services. It is estimated that 50 million people are affected with this disease but only 15 to 20 percent of people get treatment.

Baby boomers would greatly benefit from flossing, brushing and visiting a Charlotte NC dentist regularly. Dental exams and checkups can detect problems before they get serious. This is the same advice that is given to everyone. Dental care in Charlotte NC is extremely important, regardless of one’s age. Taking care of one’s teeth and getting regular dental exams and checkups will help people keep their teeth for a lifetime.

Oral health is highly important, and its equally crucial to have a relationship with a general dentist who will become familiar with your specific needs. Whether you are new in town and seeking a local dentist office to oversee your oral care or just looking for somewhere to receive regular dental exams, you’re taking the steps necessary to maintain the smile you show the world.

How Often Should I Visit?

It’s recommended that you see your general dentist at least once per year for dental exams and cleanings. However, it’s preferable to be seen biannually. For your first visit at a new local dentist office, you can expect:

• A new patient interview
• Initial exam
• Oral cancer screening
• Cleaning
• X-rays
• Discussion of an individualized treatment plan

What’s the Proper Way to Brush My Teeth?

Your dentist will show you in detail the proper way to care for your teeth. The toothbrush, preferably soft-bristled, should be angled along the gum line, and it’s best to use circular motions. Spend ten seconds on each quadrant quadrant for the front, back and bottom of each tooth.

Pain Management

Let’s face it. There is a possibility you, like so many others, have put off seeing a dentist because you are afraid of the visit. After all, the tools used can be loud and intimidating, and they are being used inside your mouth. Fortunately, there have been many advancements made in dentistry anesthesia, and there are numerous options to best meet your needs and provide you the level of comfort you need.

Will Wisdom Teeth Need to Be Removed?

While it’s common for wisdom teeth to be removed to relieve pressure on other teeth, this may not be necessary in your case. Your dentist will be able to analyze your teeth and decide whether this is something that would benefit you.

Local Dentist Office With a Staff That Cares

You deserve the best, and, in order to maximize your potential, its important you feel confident. Our staff specializes in ensuring you’re smile is one that radiates, and we can help you schedule regular dental exams that will ensure proper maintenance year-round. Call our office today, and we can schedule an appointment for you to meet with our general dentist in the near future.

Once a tooth has been extracted, bacteria will still be alive in the mouth, even more so with those who have bad oral hygiene. Infections are very common following extractions. Depending on how bad the tooth was that the dentist removed, he may prescribe you some antibiotics to take that will greatly reduce your risk of getting an infection. In some cases though, even antibiotics can’t prevent an infection.

If you go to the dentist before the extraction experienced swelling of the face, swollen gums, pain in your teeth under light pressure, or bleeding around the extraction site, then you may already have an infection. If you indeed have an infection before you get the tooth treated, the dentist will prescribe you antibiotics to use following treatment. If you have a really bad abscess, you’ll need to use antibiotics to treat the infection before the dentist will remove the tooth.

In some cases, people develop an infection after the extraction, even though they may not have been infected beforehand. The reason for this, is bacteria. Following an extraction, bacteria will be more alive in the mouth than ever before. With the extraction site being exposed, the bacteria will be able to get into the site. This can lead to an infection due to the site being exposed and the fact that you are unable to use mouthwash or brush during the first 24 – 48 hours. Not being able to sterilize your mouth means that you are unable to kills the germs responsible for bacteria.

After extractions, the first sign of infection is renewed bleeding. This normally occurs around 48 hours after the extraction. Even though it normally isn’t severe, you should still call your dentist and make an appointment to be seen. Your dentist will be able to stop the bleeding and give you some antibiotics and other prescriptions that will fix the problem.

Some dentists prefer to give patients antibiotics before they will do any type of extraction. Although you may not have an abscess, most dentists prefer to get rid of the infection before they start doing their work. They do this because they know the local anesthesia won’t work all that good with infections, and it may take them a lot of work and a lot of medicine to numb the area that you have the infection in.

In the event that the tooth has to be removed and the dentist simply cannot wait a few days, it is possible to get you numbed. Although it will take quite a bit of medicine to numb the area, it can be done. Sometimes, dentists will choose to use an IV sedation or laughing gas, in the event that local numbing doesn’t help. An IV sedation will normally put you to sleep or knock you out, so that the dentist can remove the tooth that is causing you so much trouble.

Even though infections can cause a lot of pain and need to be dealt with immediately, you may not have to take antibiotics once the dentist has extracted the tooth. If your mouth is clean and you don’t have a lot of germs, you can normally heal the would by taking care of it. Rinsing your mouth out with salt water for the first few days will keep the extraction site clean. As long as you take care of the extraction site and do what your dentist tells you, you shouldn’t have any further problems with the extraction site or the infection.

Many people in Uptown Charlotte are getting confused about which products are more effective when it comes to whitening their teeth. This because of the number of them already exists.

Advertisements about these products can confuse people all the more. All of them are saying that they are the best whitening solution. Many people are enticed by what they are saying that they end up buying brands that are not suited to them.

Do all these products really work?

Some people can attest to the fact that their teeth were made whiter by the products that they use. On the other hand, there are those that say none works for them. Whatever their individual views are, only one thing is certain; if you have found the whitening product that suits you and is using that regularly for some time, there is a bigger possibility that it will work.

What are the causes of teeth discoloration?

Drinking coffee and tea are known to dull the color of your teeth. This is if you are a constant drinker of these for a period of time.

Additional factors that contribute to teeth discoloration are caffeinated sodas, smoking and tooth injury. The most common and accepted cause is age. No matter how well you clean your teeth, it will eventually become dull as you age.

What are some methods of teeth whitening that people in Uptown Charlotte can use?

1.) Toothpastes with active teeth whitening ingredients.

For removing stains caused by foods you eat, whitening toothpastes are the best option. Toothpastes consist of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. These are the important ingredients for whitening the teeth.

Gradual discoloration of teeth can be prevented if you constantly brush your teeth. Not only that, you will be free from germs and plaque that can also cause other tooth problems.

2.) Teeth bleaching and whitening formulas.

Teeth whitening and bleaching products have the same ingredients that present in toothpastes. The only difference is that the level of hydrogen peroxide is higher. Teeth whitening has 10-16 percent hydrogen peroxide content while bleaching products have 35 percent.

There are a lot of teeth whitening products you can buy from drug stores and groceries. If you want to find out which one is best for you, you can try different products and see which will suit you best. You will find that they are generally cheap.

Teeth bleaching are done by dental professionals. Because of the use of higher amount of hydrogen peroxide, this method should be taken with caution.

It is best to consult with your dentist first if you want to have your teeth bleached. They will be able to give you advice on how best to proceed with this method.

3.) Dental Veneers.

This is one of the best known method whitening teeth permanently. Veneers are made from porcelain. These porcelains are affixed to the tooth.

The process can be very expensive. It normally costs around $900 for every tooth. This is the reason why not all people can afford this method. Those who do are those that are intent on permanently having whiter teeth in the fastest time.

Today, it is not difficult to have super shiny and super white teeth. You only need to choose the best method that you think will suit you and your budget. Then you can start looking for the best teeth whitening method in all of Uptown Charlotte.

Gum disease, also known as gingivitis, is a serious condition that will normally result in tooth loss. With adults, gingivitis and periodontal disease are the most common forms of gum disease. To prevent both types of gum disease, you should always brush your teeth and remove as much plaque as possible. If you allow the plaque to build up, gum disease will normally be the result.

Gingivitis is known as inflammation in the tissues of the gums. If plaque and tartar build up along the gum line, the gums will eventually get swollen and irritated. Over time, the gums will get very tender and start to appear puffy. When you brush your teeth, you’ll notice that your gums have become very sore and they will start to bleed with little to no pressure. If you notice blood when brushing, chances are you have gingivitis. Anytime you brush your teeth or floss, there shouldn’t be any sign of blood.

During this stage of gingivitis, there is no loss of bone structure. You can help to prevent gingivitis though, through flossing and brushing a few times a day. If you have gingivitis and you don’t do something about it, it could lead to periodontal disease. Those who don’t treat gingivitis or those who keep poor oral hygiene habits, will normally end up with periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is a condition in which the bone and surrounding structures are destroyed. Even though this form of mouth disease cannot be reversed, you can put a stop to it’s progression by going to your dentist on a regular basis and brushing your teeth a few times day. Periodontal disease is a serious condition, which is why you should always try to stop the progression or even better – never let your gums and teeth get this bad.

If you don’t do something about the progression of periodontal disease, the condition will continue to get worse. During the early stages of the disease, you’ll notice that your gums appear to be bright red, and very sore. This is due to the plaque building up below the gum line. When left untreated, the plaque and tartar that is below the gums will continue to eat at the teeth.

Keep in mind that plaque doesn’t need to be visible or detected in order for periodontal disease to be diagnosed. To determine if you have periodontal disease, you’ll need to have your dentist examine you on a regular basis. Your dentist can perform tests on your gums and your teeth, to determine if you have it. If you do have periodontal disease, your dentist can tell you how to stop the progression and prevent things from getting any worse than they already are.

Both periodontal disease and gingivitis aren’t normally painful and both tend to progress in a slow fashion. Although you may not be aware that you have either of the two at first, the symptoms and signs will start to show in the later stages. Once the later stages have started to progress, you’ll normally end up losing the tooth.

To be on the safe side and protect your teeth and your gums, you should always go to the dentist for your regular checkups and cleaning. If you catch it in time, your dentist will be able to help you treat the earlier stages of gum disease. You don’t want to wait until it is too late, as the more advanced stages of gum disease can completely destroy your teeth and gums – and there will be little to nothing that you can do about it.

An abscess in the tooth refers to an infection that was caused by a pocket of pus residing in the tissue around the tooth. Abscesses are very serious conditions, and can lead to serious matters if they aren’t treated immediately. When the pulp of a tooth dies due to damage or decay, bacteria will begin to grow from the dead tissue that is left. This bacteria will eventually spread from the root of the dead tooth into the tissue that is below and create a pocket of pus – the abscess.

Gum disease is also a cause for a tooth becoming abscessed. Gum diseases causes the gums to pull back and away from teeth, leaving pockets behind. When one of the pockets becomes blocked, the bacteria can grow and spread, or get backed up. When this happens, an abscess will start to form under the surface of the gums and become apparent will swelling as it gets bigger and spreads.

Once the infection has started to spread, your jawbone may start to dissolve as it makes room for the swelling in the area that has been infected. Once the bone starts to dissolve, the pressure will be greatly reduced, although the infection will still be there. Even though you will get relief, the infection will get worse – and the pain will always come back. Once more of the bone has been dissolved, there will be nothing left to support the tooth, meaning that it will become loose and end up needing to be extracted.

The symptoms of an abscessed tooth are easy to see, as they include severe pain in the affected area, red or swollen gums, a bad taste in your mouth, swelling around the area or the jaw, and possibly a high fever. Pain is excruciating with an abscess, normally affecting the area in a bad way. No matter what you do, the pain seems to intensify.

Abscesses mostly occur with back teeth, although they can happen in the front as well. Once your tooth has become abscessed, your dentist won’t immediately pull it. If a tooth that has abscessed is extracted once the infection is still present, it can quickly spread. Your dentist will instead prescribe you some antibiotics that can help to destroy the bacteria.

The dentist can also perform a root canal, in an attempt to remove dead or decayed tissue. Last but not least, he can also drill a hole in the tooth to give the infection a chance to drain and try to remove any dead pulp. The most common treatment with an abscess is to use antibiotics to kill the infection, then get the tooth removed. You should never let it get that bad – as an abscess is something that can destroy your jawbone.

Cavities can best be described as tooth decay. As we all know, tooth decay is influenced by what we eat, how we take care of our teeth, and the amount of fluoride in our toothpastes. If your family has a history of tooth disease or teeth problems, then you may inherit it that way. This is very common, as many people inherit tooth problems that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Adults who suffer from a dry mouth are more at risk for cavities, as they have a lack of saliva in their mouth. Dry mouth is very common, and is normally the result of medications, illness, and radiation treatment. Tobacco users will also suffer from dry mouth, as the tobacco will use up the saliva in the mouth and leave the user with nothing to keep his or her mouth moist.

Cavities are a very serious situation, and if left untreated, can result in the destruction of the tooth. This can also destroy the nerves as well, resulting in an abscess. An abscess is very serious, as it infects the root tip. If left untreated, an abscess can result in death. Although you may not realize it, cavities are a very serious matter that can quickly spread to something even more serious.

If you visit your dentist on a regular basis, he will check for cavities. Without visiting the dentist, it is impossible to tell whether or not you have a cavity. Most cavities develop below the gums, and you won’t be able to see them. If the cavity exists in the tooth, you will be able to see it, as it will change the color of the affected area. If you notice a color change or a blackened area in your tooth, you should make an appointment with your dentist immediately.

What you eat is a big contributor to cavities. If you eat a lot of sweets or drink a lot of soda, you will be at a higher risk for cavities. Foods that are rich in sugar or starch are eaten by bacteria found in plaque, which will produce acids that eat through teeth. This acid is very harmful to teeth, as it can eat through the dentin and enamel in no time at all. If you don’t do something about it, the acid will continue to eat at the tooth until there is nothing left to say – leaving you no choice but to get the tooth extracted.

Over time, the tooth enamel will start to break down beneath the surface of your tooth, even though the surface will appear to be fine. Once the acid has managed to eat away enough of the enamel below the surface, the surface will collapse, which results in a cavity. After this has happened, if you don’t get it treated, the tooth will continue to be eaten and the cavity will continue to spread until all of the tooth has been eaten, after which the enamel will be gone and your root will be exposed – which can be very painful.

Cavities will more than likely develop in the pits of chewing areas around the back teeth, between your teeth, or near the gum line. No matter where they occur, the easiest way to spot them is to visit your dentist. Your dentist will be able to do x-rays and find out just how bad they are and tell you what options you have. If you visit him in time, he will be able to save the tooth and stop the cavity before it spreads throughout your tooth.

Sometimes, when you have a toothache, the cause is due to the tooth being severely decayed. If the toothache is causing you severe pain, the never on the inside of the tooth may be dying or already dead. If this is the case, you’ll need to either have the tooth extracted or the nerve removed from the tooth, in order to remove the abscess. Removing the nerve will save the tooth, and is known as a root canal.

Root canals are very common within the world of dentistry, as they represent a known way to save the tooth from dying. Although many people end up having their teeth extracted, others turn to the root canal. This dental procedure isn’t preferred by many, as it can take quite a long time, normally around 3 – 4 hours. If the abscess is severe, it will take longer, as the dentist will have to scrape out all of the dying pulp from inside of the tooth.

Now days, dentists are starting to use machines to do a majority of the scraping and probing associated with root canals. In the past, the dentist had to do it all himself which took quite a bit of time. Now, with the use of a machine, the dentist can drill the hole in the tooth then let the machine to do the scraping. This helps to cut down on the amount of time for a root canal, as well as ensure that all of the dead or dying pulp has been removed efficiently.

The cost for a root canal may also be something that people fear worse than the actual procedure itself. Root canals can cost around $800 to over $1,000 dollars, which makes it something that many can’t afford. Instead of paying a high price to have a root canal, most choose to pay a smaller price and simply have the tooth extracted.

The choice you need to make when thinking about a root canal, is whether or not you wish to save the dying tooth. Sometimes, a dentist will recommend the root canal, especially if he thinks it would be in your best interest to save the tooth. Other times, he will let you make the decision, and decide if you want to save it or just go ahead and have it extracted.

Although the root canal is a procedure that many fear, it is also a procedure that can save the life of your tooth. If you have a dying tooth, you should consider this procedure. It isn’t really that painful, as you’ll be numb the entire time. The only thing that’s really frustrating is the time it takes to complete the root canal. Even though it may be time consuming – it is still an efficient way to save the life of your tooth.