Everyone knows that a diet made of candy and sugary soda is bad for your overall wellbeing and your dental health. Most people don’t realize that other eating choices also impact your teeth. For example, even certain “good” foods can cause problems in your mouth. Also, eating at certain times of the day is better than at other times.
The problems with food revolve around plaque, a colorless, sticky substance that continually forms on our teeth. Combined with the bacteria in your mouth, plaque produces acid, attacking the teeth and gums. These acids break down the enamel in your teeth, a process known as demineralization.
When you eat carbohydrates, these foods convert to the sugars that help our bodies survive. Although this process usually happens in digestion, fermentable carbohydrates like cookies, cakes, and other sweets start breaking down right away. Even healthy choices like breads, cereals, and bananas fall into the category of fermentable carbohydrates.
Another problem that contributes to tooth decay is continual snacking. Sipping on a can of soda all day does more harm than drinking a can with your regular meal. Your body naturally produces saliva, which helps neutralize the acid and restore balance. If you want to snack, it helps to select options like cheese, nuts, and apples. These options encourage saliva production and promote remineralization.
Other tips for eating well and maintaining good oral health include:
- Brushing after meals
- Chewing sugar-free gum
- Drinking lots of water
- Flossing regularly
Dr. Yolanda Cruz dentistry for the whole family – Toronto Canada Dentist
From a young age, we are told to take good care of our teeth. We learn the importance of frequent brushing, regular, flowing, dental checkups. Most people do these things out of habit. If you don’t think basic dental care is important or you haven’t stopped to think about its value, consider these points about basic dental care:
• It prevents oral health problems. When you follow your dentist’s advice and invest time in good oral care habits, your teeth and mouth stay in the best shape possible, limiting your chances of developing cavities or gum disease.
• It saves time and money. Visiting the dentist doesn’t rank at the top of most people’s lists, so you probably want to minimize your time in the dental chair. Brushing and flossing like you should prevents cavities and problems periodontal disease from wreaking havoc on your mouth, which keeps your cost and time investment down.
• It promotes overall wellness. Current research has linked gum disease to more serious health issues such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes complications, and osteoporosis. Taking care of your mouth can keep your whole body healthy.
• It improves your appearance. If you have a gorgeous, white smile, people take notice. While you can certainly enhance the brightness of your teeth with professional whitening, proper home care goes a long way to ensuring that your pearly whites looking their best.
• It protects the life expectancy of your smile. Each of us only gets one set of teeth. If you don’t take care of them, you risk losing them. Missing teeth can create a host of problems, such as speaking problems, bone loss, and bite issues.
We care about your dental health at Dr. Yolanda Cruz Dentistry – Toronto Canada Dentist.
Would you love to update your smile and repair problem areas, but the anxiety you feel keeps you from scheduling a much-needed appointment? Through sedation dentistry, you can get the care you need and the vibrant smile you deserve.
With oral conscious sedation, you take a dose of anti-anxiety medication about an hour before your appointment. A responsible adult will need to drive you to and from the visit because the effects of the sedation can linger for up to 12 hours. During the procedure, the dentist and team will monitor your vital signs. Oral conscious sedation allows patients to enter a state of deep relaxation.
If you feel nervous about visiting the dentist, consider these points as you make your decision:
• Oral conscious sedation can safely and effectively relieve the anxiety many people feel about dental treatment.
• For people who are scared of needles or dislike the sights and smells in a dental office, oral conscious sedation can relieve these issues.
• Your dentist can perform several extensive procedures in one visit with oral conscious sedation.
• Patients who have trouble getting numb generally respond well to oral conscious sedation.
• If you have a hectic schedule, oral sedation allows you to limit the number of appointments needed to complete treatment.
• With oral conscious sedation, you can have a calm, peaceful dental experience.
Relax – you’re in good hands at Dr. Yolanda Cruz Dentistry – Sedation Dentistry
If you love the clean feeling and bright smile you possess right after a visit to the dentist, consider buying an electric toothbrush. Although they cost more than their manual counterparts, electric toothbrushes provide benefits to your oral health and appearance. With the wide selection available to consumers, you can find an electric toothbrush that fits your needs and budget. Make sure to think about the handle design, head size, and other features before you make a purchase.
Reasons to Buy an Electric Toothbrush:
Superior cleaning and stain removal. After a checkup and cleaning at the dentist’s office, your teeth usually look and feel amazing. Electric toothbrushes allow you to practically duplicate that experience at home. As well, these brushes remove the surface discolorations caused by tobacco use and coffee drinking, which gives you a more brilliant smile.
Keeps breath fresh. One of the main causes of halitosis, or bad breath, is the bacteria produced in your mouth. Often, these bacteria get in crevices and between teeth, areas that a manual toothbrush can’t effectively reach. Electric toothbrushes can remove more germs and food particles, resulting in fresher breath.
Promotes healthy gums. Almost 80 percent of adults have some level of gum disease, which develops when tartar builds up and causes pockets of infection between gums and teeth. With an electric toothbrush, you can easily remove plaque without damaging your gums by brushing too hard.
Ease of use. For people with arthritis or other disabilities that make using a toothbrush difficult, electric brushes can make daily oral care much easier.
Your oral health is our priority at Dr. Yolanda Cruz Dentistry – Toronto Canada Dentist.
As people welcome in 2011, they often pledge to make changes and start the New Year off right. Losing weight, giving up a bad habit, and getting finances in order are popular resolutions. A great way to boost your confidence and reinvent yourself for 2011 is with a smile makeover. Less invasive than plastic surgery and less expensive than a new car, getting a smile makeover can give you a brand new image.
Imagine that in just a few short visits, your smile can go from dull to dynamite. Customized to fit your needs and desires, a smile makeover usually combines several cosmetic procedures to correct flaws and update your appearance. When considering a smile makeover it helps to ask yourself certain questions, such as:
• What do I like about my smile?
• What elements do I want to change?
• What do I want to convey with my new look?
• What is my budget?
After spending time discussing your ideas and reviewing possible options, your dentist will perform a complete evaluation of your entire mouth. Based on the findings, the doctor may suggest:
• All-white fillings or crowns to replace old dental work
• Cosmetic bonding to close small spaces between teeth
• Gum recontouring to lengthen the appearance of your teeth
• Porcelain veneers to cover permanent imperfections
• Invisalign clear braces to create straight teeth
• Sapphire Teeth whitening to brighten your smile
Because a smile makeover is a considerable investment, you will want to take good care of your teeth and gums following the dental work. Make sure to brush teeth at least twice daily and floss often. Regular checkups will allow your dentist to keep tabs on your oral health and smile enhancements as well.
Give us a call and let us show you what we can do for your smile – Dr. Yolanda Cruz Dentistry – Toronto Canada Dentist.
Did you know that when you lose a tooth, up to 20 percent of adjacent teeth will be lost in the next 4 to 8 years if you don’t replace that tooth? Missing teeth not only impact your appearance, but also your dental health. Remaining teeth can shift, which may create alignment issues. Bone degeneration may also occur.
Dental implants can rejuvenate the health and beauty of your smile. Constructed from biodegradable titanium, the implants are surgically positioned into your jaw bone, creating an artificial root. After your mouth heals and the bone fuses with the implants, usually in three to six months, your dentist will place a permanent crown on each implant. With implants, you can say good bye to the messy adhesives and embarrassing slippage associated with dentures.
Before beginning the implant process, your dentist will perform a complete evaluation of your mouth to make sure you are a good candidate for dental implants. For successful implant therapy, you need to be in decent overall health, have good oral care habits, and have sufficient bone structure to support the implants. In some cases, your dentist or oral surgeon may recommend bone or tissue grafts to prepare for implant placement.
Benefits of dental implants:
• Create permanent replacements
• Function like original tooth
• Provide long-term stability
• Restore speaking and chewing ability
Enhancing one smile at a time at Dr. Yolanda Cruz Dentistry – Dental Implants – Family and Cosmetic Dentistry
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