Cosmetic Dentistry Blog

Dental hygiene is directly related to your overall physical health. But how can you be sure you are taking proper care of your teeth, mouth and gums? Generally, your teeth and gums should not hurt or bleed, after brushing; your breath should be fresh for a few hours after brushing and eating breakfast. The easiest way to prevent gum disease is to clean your teeth properly, here are some tips:

1. Use the right mouthwash.

If you use alcohol free mouthwash twice a day, you'll slash your risk of gum disease by 60%. Ideally you should aim to rinse for about 30 seconds with a mouthwash that has microbial protection to fight plaque and gingivitis.

2. Floss before you brush.

You should floss before you brush your teeth, rather than after. That way you'll be able to brush away any food that was stuck between your teeth to prevent bacteria from growing.

3. Use the right toothbrush.

Soft or extra soft bristles are best. Using a medium or hard-bristled toothbrush scratches the tissue of your gums away over time, exposes the root surface underneath and leads to possible bone loss.

4. Brush smart.

To really clean your teeth, aim to brush them for a full two minutes. Also brush your tongue and cheeks as well as your teeth to improve the removal of harmful bacteria. Be sure to replace your toothbrush about every three months.

For more oral health tips, or for routine visits, contact Dream Smile Dental.

Halitosis is the technical name for bad breath. Halitosis is the third-most-frequent reason for going to the dentist, behind tooth decay and periodontal disease. The intensity of bad breath changes during the day, because of eating certain foods, obesity, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Bad breath may be transient or persistent. Transient bad breath disappears after eating, brushing, flossing, or rinsing with mouthwash.

Persistent or chronic bad breath is a more serious condition, affecting 25% of the population in varying degrees. At Dream Smile Dental, we have some tips for you to rid yourself of bad breath.

Tongue scraping- Bacteria collects on the tissue of your tongue and causes a bad odor. To avoid this, brush your tongue while brushing your teeth with your tooth brush or a tongue scraper.

Regular flossing- Bacteria can colonize in the gums between the teeth and if not removed at least once per day, an unpleasant odor can result. The solution: Floss at least once per day!

Regular hygiene visits- The hygienist uses special instruments to remove plaque and calculus leaving your teeth biologically sound. A toothbrush and floss alone, no matter how frequently used, cannot reach areas that the dental hygienist can. It’s important to attend regular hygiene visits to stop periodontal disease from developing.
 
Regular Dental Exams- Tooth decay is also a form of disease. Bacteria cause the tooth to erode which releases a foul odor. To detect any untreated decay it’s important to come in for a dental exam at least twice per year.

Regular use of alcohol-free mouthwash- Mouthwash helps lower the level of bacteria that causes bad breath. We recommend using alcohol-free mouthwash to prevent from dry-mouth.

Chewing sugar-free gum with xylitol- Chewing gum helps loosen soft depositing that may accumulate on your teeth after eating and in between brushing.

The right toothbrush- An electric toothbrush is far superior in removing the bacterial layer than a manual toothbrush. Use an electric toothbrush and make sure to replace the head every 3 months.
 

Kids should be taught all about good dental health, beginning with brushing and flossing, and ending with visits to a pediatric dentist twice a year.  Most children understand that they need to brush morning and night. But getting them to go to the dentist may be an entirely different story.

At Dream Smile Dental, we know how hard it is for parents to convince their child to go to the dentist. Inherently, many kids are afraid of the dentist, most likely because they hear adults worrying about it. If your child does not want to go to the dentist, please don’t put it off. Oral health is very important in children and neglecting oral health can lead to other health problems as well as serious oral problems as an adult. Help your child overcome their fear of the dentist.
 
Firstly, don’t let them hear you complaining about going to the dentist, or overhear your fears of the dentist chair. Talking to them about the importance of dental health can have very positive results. Talk to your kids and tell them why it is important to visit the dentist.

Try to make the visit as fun as possible. In fact, at Dream Smile Dental, we have a WII which your child can play as they wait. This may be encouragement enough! Talk to them about our Cavity Free Club. There are many benefits to joining, not the least of which is great oral health. But even better according to the kids, is getting their picture on our website, along with an initiation certificate. If they become the member of the week, they will even have their picture in the newspaper!

Pediatric Dentistry is very important for good oral health. At Dream Smile Dental we want to help you foster this in your children. Contact us with questions or for an appointment today.
 

Dream Smile Dental was honored with one of the most prestigious Invisalign awards this year. After completing over 800 lifetime cases and over 100 cases in the last 6 months, Dream Smile Dental amongst only 15 other doctors in the world were given this status.

“We are very proud to have reached this point and worked really hard to get here. We are glad that our mission to help our patients has contributed to such a successful result”. –Dr. Ronkin and Dr. Shwartzman.

Properly aligned teeth are easier to brush and floss than crowded or crooked teeth. Properly positioned teeth can help gums “fit” more tightly around them, which may lead to better periodontal health. Properly aligned teeth also reduce the risk of expensive procedures required to repair the effects of abnormal force, such as tooth chipping, breaking, or wear; and can be less stressful on the supporting jaw bone and joints. As you can see, straight teeth aren’t only a cosmetic issue but a health issue as well. With the help of Invisalign in combination with neuromuscular orthodontics, Dr. Ronkin has helped many patients beyond just straightening their teeth.
 
Neuromuscular orthodontics can alleviate TMJ symptoms such as headaches, neck pain, back pain, ringing in the ears, tingling of the fingers and many more.
 
For children, neuromuscular orthodontics lays down the foundation for healthy development and prevention of sleep apnea, respiratory disease, heart disease and other illnesses.