Harmful Dental Habits to Avoid

Maintaining good dental habits is the best way to ensure you will have strong, healthy teeth throughout your life. This includes everyday care as well as periodic visits to the dentist. By taking good care of your teeth, you also help set a foundation for your overall health.

Everyday Dental Care

Everyday dental care encompasses brushing, flossing and avoiding habits and actions that can damage your teeth. You should brush and floss every day, using an appropriate toothbrush, not only to keep your teeth clean, but to stimulate your gums to keep them healthy. If the teeth are not cleaned regularly, food accumulates on them, leading to tooth decay. Without flossing, food particles linger between the teeth and the gums are not properly stimulated, which can lead to gingivitis or periodontal disease.

Some everyday habits can also threaten the health of your teeth. These are often things you don’t …

How Do I Care For My Invisalign Aligners?

Invisalign aligner trays are used to provide orthodontic treatment and are an alternative to traditional braces. The trays are custom-made of plastic, and require some special care to ensure the final results of your treatment meet your expectations.

Keeping Your Aligners Clean

Because you wear your aligners for at least twenty-two hours of every twenty-four hour period, you must be sure they are kept as clean as possible. If the aligners are not kept clean, food, bacteria and other unwanted substances can build up within them, leading to problems such as decay, bad breath or gum inflammation. 

Removing the aligners while you eat is important to keep them clear of food debris. In addition, the only beverage you should drink while you have your aligners in is water. Other beverages could cause sugar to build up on the aligners and can also discolor them. If you drink coffee, tea …

Consequences of a Single Tooth Loss

Many people feel the loss of a single tooth is no big deal. After all, that is a small space and shouldn’t cause any problems. However, that is generally not the case, and your implant dentist can explain how that single tooth loss can impact your entire mouth.

The space created due to tooth loss can result in the shifting of the remaining teeth. This can lead to a malocclusion, or a misalignment of your teeth which can create chewing difficulties and discomfort. 

Speech patterns can be altered by a missing tooth. We form words using the tongue as it moves against teeth. An empty space can make a difference in how we speak.

Our ability to chew is impacted by a missing tooth. This can lead to a malnourished diet as healthy fruits and vegetables are difficult to consume. Chewy foods like meat and bread might be sacrificed due …

Causes and Treatment of Bruxism

People who suffer from bruxism can point to many possible causes. Narrowing down one specific reason for the grinding and clenching of teeth is not always that easy. A visit with our dentist can help you with solutions to ease the discomfort associated with bruxism and repair any damage that has been done.

Quite often grinding or clenching teeth is done during sleep. It is usually done subconsciously and can even become a habit during the day as well. It is also a very misunderstood problem with suspected causes ranging from depression, anxiety, fear, and frustration or to more serious physical diseases.

The symptoms are not definitive either. For some people, they don’t realize they are grinding or clenching their teeth but they suffer from:

• Headache
• Neck pain
• Earache
• Sore jaws
• Toothache
• Fatigue

Of course, not all of these symptoms need to be present. And having these symptoms does not …

Metal-Free Fillings: What are the advantages?

For many years we relied on metals such as amalgam and gold in the repair of dental decay. Thankfully today we no longer must resort to the unattractive, and possibly hazardous, products used years ago. Your cosmetic dentist has the tools and talent to repair your dental decay so that it is virtually undetectable.

The aesthetic value alone of the composite resin material now used for many dental fillings makes it worthwhile. But in addition, the use of composite resin no longer exposes the patient to the mercury that is contained in dental amalgam. And although the amount of mercury used in dental amalgam is very small, any exposure that is unnecessary is best.

The use of composite resin in the repair of dental decay provides additional benefits:

• Because composite resin is a flexible material, this allows your cosmetic dentist to mold the repair to duplicate the shape of the

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Good Dental Health Starts Early

Your child’s primary teeth are very important to the health and growth of permanent teeth. Seeing your family dentist when those baby teeth erupt is a great start, but there are so many things you can do to promote good dental health for your child.

Children learn by example. Helping your child to learn to brush their teeth with age appropriate tooth paste or gel is not only important but offers an opportunity to spend valuable teaching time with your child. Make sure you are using a tooth paste or gel with fluoride to help protect the enamel of those baby teeth.

Allow your child to watch you as you brush and floss your teeth. This will help them to learn the proper technique as well as the importance of this daily ritual.

Discourage allowing your child to take a baby bottle to bed. The only beverage that is appropriate …

Harmful Effects of Soda On Teeth

Soft drinks have long been considered to have a negative impact on your teeth, not to mention your overall health. Schools across the nation have removed soda machines in an effort to curb consumption at the urging of dentists and healthcare providers alike.

Television, the internet, radio, magazines and social media all promote the consumption of soda. We see our top athletes, actors, musicians and personalities advertise sugary beverages making it seem that drinking them is not only OK, but drinking them will somehow enhance your life.

Sodas, even the sugar-free variety, contain acids that can weaken your teeth’s enamel. Once the enamel is weakened, your teeth become more susceptible to cavities.

In addition, the sugars in soft drinks will cling to the bacteria normally found on your teeth. A build-up of bacteria can result in the formation of dental plaque. Dental plaque acts like a sticky substance that adheres …

Aesthetic Dental Transformations

If you have ever wondered if you could change your appearance at the hands of your dentist, you are certainly on the right track. One visit to our cosmetic dentist can give you a modest lift or a much more intensive change – your dreams can be realized with the smile makeover you’ve always imagined.

From a more conservative change such as teeth whitening to a more dramatic lift with dental veneers, your cosmetic dentist has a plan to fit your budget and desires.

If your teeth have become drab and dull, teeth whitening may be your answer. Over time the enamel on teeth can lose some of its brilliance due to natural wear and tear, medications, diet or lifestyle habits. Teeth whitening can offer a dramatic change by allowing your smile to go from drab to “wow” in approximately one hour.

For teeth that are misshapen or uneven, stained, …

How Successful Is a Root Canal Treatment?

Root canal treatments have a bad reputation among dental procedures. However, the root canal as it is performed today is not terribly uncomfortable, and can be compared to a standard dental filling or crown procedure. Also, when a root canal is necessary, it can mean the difference between keeping and losing the affected tooth. If you are in need of a root canal in San Antonio 78229 or the surrounding area, our dental offices can help.

When Is a Root Canal Necessary?

Root canals are typically performed when the tooth is severely damaged or is suffering from severe infection. In these cases, the tooth is so damaged that it cannot function without the root canal treatment, or the discomfort from the injury or infection has become severe enough that you are unable to use the tooth comfortably. Having a root canal treatment can enable you to keep your tooth, but …

Is Invisalign a Treatment Alternative for Malocclusions?

Invisalign treatment has become a popular alternative to traditional braces for correction of crooked or slightly misaligned teeth. Recent evidence indicates that Invisalign can also be effective in correcting minor malocclusions, or a misaligned bite. Our dental office offers Invisalign in the San Antonio area, and we can help you determine if your malocclusion can be effectively treated in this manner.

Invisalign vs. Traditional Braces

Traditional orthodontics to correct crooked teeth or misalignment uses metal braces affixed to the teeth. The braces are connected with rubber bands that create pressure on the braces to move the teeth into the appropriate place. For major malocclusion or extremely crooked teeth, braces are still often the most effective option. However, for less severe alignment problems, Invisalign can be a preferred option.

Invisalign uses clear plastic trays, custom made for the individual patient, to gradually move the teeth into the proper position. …