Wow, your teeth are so ......WHITE!

"How do I whiten my teeth?" This is probably the single most common question I get in any given day at work. Regardless of age (in fact the older people get), everyone wants a whiter smile.

Whitening products are widely available and come in the form of mouthrinses, toothpastes and whitening gels. The active ingredient in all of the products is a form of hydrogen peroxide (carbomide peroxide) which breaks down to water and oxygen.  It is the oxygenating activity that whitens the teeth.  Mouthrinses and toothpastes have a low concentration of whitening agents and will help whiten the teeth gradually over time.  Gels and strips are stronger products designed to whiten within a few days to a week depending on the concentration.

Please note that if you have dentures, white composite fillings or porcelain crowns/veneers, whitening products will not change the color of the teeth.  Whitening treatments are effective on enamel only. More information on whitening available at: http://www.dentistry.net/cosmetic-dentistry/cosmetic-teeth-whitening-basics/

Oral Piercings

WHATEVER!  

How popular are oral piercings?  Tongue piercings come in second right after ear piercing.

I urge anyone who is considering or already has an oral piercing to do your research (The Association of Professional Piercers, www.safepiercing.org) and be hypervigilant about care and safety.  Don't forget the mouth is highly vascularized ....that means a huge blood supply so a piercing will bleed easily and cause swelling (especially the tongue).

Tongue jewelry that is placed right after a piercing has a long shaft because of the swelling.  Once the tongue returns to a normal size, this jewelry should be changed to something with a shorter shaft so that the movements of the tongue don't cause the jewlery to smash into and crack your teeth. Plastic barbells are especially easier on teeth, but are more porous than metal and under a microscopic and have been shown to harbour more bacteria.

Oral piercings can cause tooth and gum damage and can become infected.  The mouth is full of bacteria that can enter the bloodstream and since oral piercings may bleed a fair bit it is important to monitor the tissue around the puncture point - look for swelling, redness, pain, burning, discoloration,bleeding, or oozing. Oral infection from piercings can lead to serious health problems if not treated.

If you are a Dental Health professional I recommend Betsy Reynold's presentation on The Pierced Patient.  Besty is on a lecture circuit for a variety of subjects and she a wonderful, humorous and entertaining speaker - look for her at dental conventions or dental CE events in your area. You can read her article on The Pierced Patient here:    http://digital.turn-page.com/i/50155/26


More information on oral piercings can be found here: www.mouthhealthy.org

The Social Six

C'mon .... flash me! With your "social six" that is .....

When someone flashes you their social six, that is their six front teeth, what do you notice? Color?  The position of the teeth? Or the health of the teeth and gums?

Chime in with your comments and I will keep track of your responses ..... then we can look at each characteristic and discuss what has the most impact on your smile!

Do You Need Antibiotics Before Dental Treatment?

If you have a history of heart problems or have had a joint replacement, you may need to be premedicated with antibiotics before dental procedures.  It is recommended that you check with your family physician or surgeon to confirm if this is necessary.

The American Heart Association has recently updated the Guidelines for Premedication and can be viewed at:

 http://www.dimensionsofdentalhygiene.com/ddhright.aspx?id=1124#.URnJY2ddCjY

Who Can Resist a Beautiful Smile?

Almost everyone is attracted to a beautiful smile, but that starts with a healthy mouth.  We know that a healthy mouth contributes to the overall health and well-being of the whole body. 

Good oral hygiene helps you feel good about yourself; you feel confident to open your mouth and laugh and smile. Laughter is good for the soul!


The presence of oral infection (cavities, gum disease) can greatly affect your immune system and is linked to heart disease and other inflammatory diseases.  Pain, infection, and bad breath are nothing to smile about so .........take care of your teeth! 

Much to my chaGRIN .....

This is my first post and as with anything new, it will take some time to tweak this site. For now, let's all "grin and bear it ...."

Best,

Loni