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You can help boost your self-image by maintaining a beautiful, healthy smile. To help you with that goal, the dentists of Belmont Dental Group offer cosmetic treatments such as porcelain veneers and dental implants, along with teeth whitening. Schedule an appointment with our Belmont practice today by calling (617) 209-4058. In the meantime, learn more about your oral health with the following links.
Last updated 1 month ago
Your dental habits have a direct impact on your smile and your overall health. If it’s been a long time since you last saw a dentist, schedule an appointment right away. Be sure to talk to your dentist about protecting your oral health and treating any potential tooth problems.
The Importance of Professional Tooth Cleaning
Most people need to see their dentist twice a year for cleanings and check-ups. If you have a history of oral problems, you’ll probably need to schedule appointments more frequently than this. Professional check-ups are critical for the early detection of problems such as gum disease and cavities. Treating these problems as early as possible could mean less invasive treatment. Professional cleanings are also important because your dental hygienist can clean below the gum line and in areas that might be hard for you to reach.
How Oral Hygiene Affects Your Health
Most people already know that brushing at least twice a day and flossing at least once a day will help prevent cavities and gum disease. But good oral hygiene habits do more than just keep your smile beautiful: There is a possible association between poor oral hygiene and heart disease. It is believed that bacteria from your mouth can enter your bloodstream, triggering an inflammatory response. By cleaning your teeth well and seeing your dentist regularly, you are also protecting your overall health.
What Bad Breath Could Mean
Occasional bad breath is nothing to be alarmed about, and it is most likely caused by the foods you have eaten. However, persistent bad breath could indicate an underlying dental problem. Talk to your dentist about your symptoms. He or she will determine a suitable treatment plan for your needs.
When to Replace Your Toothbrush
Three months is the maximum amount of time to use the same toothbrush. Remember to rinse it well with hot water after brushing. Additionally, you should replace your toothbrush more often if you’ve been sick. If you have gum disease, get a new toothbrush every four to six weeks.
For more information on keeping your smile healthy, call the experienced dentists at Belmont Dental Group. Our Belmont dentistry practice offers preventative care and cosmetic treatments. Set up an appointment with a dentist today by calling (617) 209-4058.
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The covering of your teeth, the enamel, is made out of Hydroxyapatite. It is also called Hydroxylapatite. Dentists call it HA.
Most of your body is made up of Carbon containing chemicals called organic chemicals. Enamel however is not organic. HA is a pretty complicated chemical, comprised of two units of Ca5(PO4)3(OH). See that (OH) at the end? You can replace it with Fluoride and get much stronger enamel. That’s why the kids have some many less cavities than their 45 year old relatives.
HA is not hard to make. The chemicals are nothing rare. No one is allergic to it. You can do some great tricks with it. You can paint it, spray it, crush it up into toothpaste, mix it with other chemicals, inject it, and implant it anywhere you need bone or bone like materials.
HA can be used to fill in small cavities before they get out of hand. Renamel, a toothpaste from Sangi Company has been in use for 30 plus years. It may also be useful when gastric reflux disease (GIRD) causes tooth erosion. NASA funded some of the research because Astronauts lose some enamel in the weightless condition.
HA is helpful as a tooth whitener. Mogd and Aoki, working at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering of Tokyo Denki University, combined HA with hydrogen peroxide. What they got was a paste that would fill in the porosities of damaged enamel with HA, making a smoother, whiter, lustrous surface. Whiter, nicer, stronger teeth.
HA is often derived from coral. Those reefs build upon themselves year after year. Someone got the great idea of painting HA onto the titanium surfaces of dental implants. These artificial roots, coated with HA, fuse to your own jawbone very well. Over time, however, the HA would chip off the titanium and some implants would get loose. The research goes on.
In Orthopedic Medicine, HA can be used for repairing bones.
In the Osaka Dental University laboratory of Hontsu and Kazushi they are doing some elegant engineering with HA. They have used vacuums, lasers, heated beds of salt, and heavy pressure to produce thin sheets of HA. How thin? - .0004mm thin, and that is thin indeed! HA sheets are clear and flexible. With minute holes to allow air and water to escape, these HA sheets can be molded to press onto a tooth. In a day’s time, the teeth are ‘plastic coated’, perhaps impervious to decay. Once the oldest of materials, this high tech HA might offer protection from bacterial acids.
I am skeptical of this claim. Why wouldn’t bacteria form plaques on the HA coating, make acids, and dissolve them by the same process your teeth decay? Perhaps flexible HA could hold HA containing dentifrices close to cavities and heal them.
Flexible HA, can also be made white. This may offer hope for people with stained teeth where bleaching has not worked enough.
We see a lot of patients with teeth that are sensitive due to gum recession. Perhaps flexible HA could be used to cover those exposed roots. Again, I have my doubts. Is this flexible material thick enough to insulate? HA may be the ingredient of tooth enamel, but the root surface is half composed of organic materials. If you coat a root with HA, you would not be able to get gum tissue to adhere to the root- a much better answer.
It’s amazing how much research goes on. We deal with health, comfort, attractiveness, economics of public health, and even put a little bite into space exploration. It’s an interesting job that I have.
Dr. Jim Nager is a practicing dentist and resident of Belmont, and a Clinical Instructor at Harvard. Call Belmont Dental Group today at (617) 209-4058 to arrange an appointment for any of our general dentistry services. Questions of a general nature that may be addressed in this space can be sent to drjamesnager@gmail.com
Last updated 1 month ago
Dental implants offer a permanent solution to tooth loss. After your dentist places them, you’ll need to follow certain care instructions. Immediately after this dental procedure, there are a few measures you can take to encourage healing. Your dentist will also remind you to clean your implants just as you would your natural teeth.
Alleviate Discomfort
It’s normal to experience a little swelling after the dental implant procedure. Your dentist will probably advise you to apply ice wrapped in a clean cloth to the area to reduce the swelling. A warm towel may be applied to the area after the first 48 hours. You can also reduce swelling by sleeping with your head elevated.
Encourage Healing
To prevent an infection, your dentist may prescribe antibiotics. Be sure to finish the full course of the prescribed medication. Your dentist may also recommend a mouthwash or saltwater solution; spit these out gently to avoid irritating the gums. If you smoke, it’s best to quit or at least temporarily stop smoking while you heal. Tobacco use inhibits the proper healing of the gums and can raise the risk of implant failure.
Monitor Food Intake
Follow your dentist’s recommendations for dietary modifications following the implant procedure. Consume plenty of liquids, but avoid hot beverages. Avoid drinking from a straw because doing so can dislodge blood clots on the gums. When you start eating solid food again, temporarily eat only soft foods such as yogurt. Avoid alcohol entirely, especially if your dentist prescribes a pain reliever.
Maintain Oral Hygiene
Your dental implants need to be cleaned regularly, just like your natural teeth. Brush your teeth least twice daily and floss at least once daily. However, while your gums are still healing, your dentist will advise you to avoid irritating the surgical site. Schedule cleanings and check-ups with your dentist at least every six months.
Dental implants allow you to restore your beautiful, healthy smile. Call the dentists of Belmont Dental Group today at (617) 209-4058 to schedule your appointment. Our Belmont and Cambridge locations offer sedation dentistry services.
Last updated 1 month ago
Oral hygiene reaches farther than just brushing and flossing at home, it is also important to see your dentist regularly. If you think you are overdue for a dental appointment, call Belmont Dental Group at (617) 209-4058 or visit us on the web. In the meantime check out these great resources from the web.
