Cosmetic Dentistry Blog

Your child’s teeth and smile are important for more reasons than just aesthetics. Your child needs to develop good dental habits, and proper care of their teeth and gums begins with you. Caring for your child’s mouth includes brushing and rinsing, routine dental exams, and any necessary dental treatments. This can include fluoride, extractions, fillings, or braces and more.

Your child’s overall good health is affected by healthy teeth and gums. Poorly developed and teeth can result in poor nutrition, painful and dangerous infections, and problems with speech development, not to mention self-image.

Proper care of a Child’s Teeth

• The child's teeth and gums should be brushed at least twice daily and especially before bed.
• Your child should see a dentist every 6 months.
• When your child gets permanent teeth, they should begin flossing every night before bed.
• When your child reaches the age of 6, braces and other orthodontic appliances may be needed to prevent long-term problems.

For a pediatric dental visit, contact Dream Smile Dental or call (781) 330-0900.

Early Detection of Oral Cancer can Improve Treatment Success

You may be surprised to learn that one American dies every hour from oral cancer. This death rate has remained virtually unchanged for over 40 years. In fact, while the incidence and death rates for cancers in general have decreased, the incidence of oral cancer has increased by 5.5% and the death rate has increased by 1.5%

Often, oral cancer is discovered too late in stage development, which is the main reason for the consistently high death rate. Therefore, oral cancer treatment often results in the patients being disfigured which can seriously diminish their quality of life. Early detection and diagnosis is imperative in increasing life expectancy; it is 90% curable when found in the early stages. However, 70% of oral cancers are diagnosed in the late stages.

Did you know that the death rate in the United States for oral cancer is higher than that of cervical cancer, Hodgkin's disease, cancer of the brain, liver, testes, kidney, or ovary? More than 30,000 Americans will receive an oral cancer diagnosis this year. In five years, only 57% will still be alive. Also, 27% of oral cancer victims do not use tobacco or alcohol and have no other lifestyle risk factors.

Early detection is the key to successful treatment and increasing life expectancy. At Dream Smile Dental, our practice has incorporated VELscope, the most powerful tool available for assisting in the discovery of oral abnormalities.

The VELscope's blue-spectrum light causes the soft tissues of the mouth to naturally fluoresce. Healthy tissues fluoresce in distinctive patterns, and these patterns are visibly disrupted by trauma or disease. Using the VELscope, a wide variety of oral abnormalities can be discovered often before they're visible to the unassisted eye.

With the addition of the VELScope, we can become aware of suspicious areas in the mouth, before they even grow into a lesion. Ask us for more information on the VELScope!

Do you have a hard time getting your children to brush their teeth? Is it a battle every time? This task may seem simple enough, until you have to pry open your sweet toddler's mouth on the day he has determined that he no longer wants you to brush his teeth! If you, like most parents, have experienced some difficulty getting your child to cooperate, then try these helpful, affordable dental hints.

Using the child's interests to your advantage works wonders. There are many affordable dental products available that are attractive to children -- you can find an affordable dental toothbrush and affordable dental toothpaste with almost any character that your child loves to watch on TV. If your child has an emotional bond to Minnie Mouse, then buy her an affordable dental toothbrush shaped like Minnie, and when it is time to brush her teeth, let her know that Minnie Mouse wants to help her get her teeth clean!

Try to make your child's brushing experience as fun as possible. If your children like to sing, then create a special song to sing to them for the duration of the brushing. A brushing song also gives them a time frame for how long they should be brushing. Many children want to briskly swipe the toothbrush across their teeth once and call it good -- having a song or chant ready will help them to be a little more thorough.

Letting your kids know that plaque causes cavities that hurt and make it hard to eat might encourage them to be preventive with their dental care for a healthier, more affordable dental future. Contact us today should you need to set up your next dental appointment and be sure to check our out pediatric dental page for more information on children and dental care.

Most people only visit the dentist when there is a problem with their teeth. The mentality is "My teeth don't hurt. Why go to a dentist?" However, visiting a dentist regularly can actually help to prevent tooth pain before it becomes a problem.

The American Dental Association recommends that you visit your dentist every six months. During these regular checkups, your dentist will perform an oral cleaning, X-rays, and a physical examination of your teeth. These measures are taken to prevent tooth decay and catch potential problems early on, before they get out of hand.

You may be saying, "But I take good care of my teeth". This may be true, but despite your efforts to keep your teeth clean by brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash, there are still areas of your teeth that you cannot effectively clean. Visiting a dentist regularly can help to ensure that these areas are cleaned properly preventing tooth decay that often leads to tooth pain.

Tooth pain is an unnecessary situation. The dentists at Dream Smile Dental can ensure that your teeth are healthy and well cared for. However, tooth pain can sometimes be the least of your worries if you continuously skip visits to your dentist. Tooth pain is usually a sign of tooth decay. Although you may not realize it, this can be a very serious situation. Decaying teeth often develop pus-filled pockets called an abscess. An abscess, if addressed early on, can be cured by either antibiotics or by treating the affected tooth. If left untreated, you may risk losing your tooth which can lead to an unhealthy bite as well as digestive problems

Visiting your dentist twice a year can help to prevent problems with your teeth in the future. It also ensures that any existing problems are addressed before they become serious. If you have not seen your dentist recently, consider making an appointment today.

The canal is located beneath the superficial enamel and within the yellow dentin of the tooth. It holds the pulp chamber in the center of each tooth which contains the pulp tissue and the nerve. The nerve is what allows us to feel hot and cold through our teeth and when the pulp becomes it infected it leads to painful discomfort and the procedure aims to alleviate pain and clear the infection.

Why Would I Need Root Canal Therapy?
When the nerve and pulp become infected a root canal procedure may be necessary to save the tooth because if the infection is ignored, the decay will spread and eventually, the tooth will need to be extracted. Additionally, the infection can cause an abscess which if left untreated could result in more severe medical problems. Common symptoms of an infected root include severe tooth pain, discoloration or swelling. Due to the fact the infection can spread its best to try and get it taken care of as soon as possible.

What's the Process for Root Canal Therapy?
First, we will assess yourdental condition with you to determine if a root canal is best for you. A dental x-ray is performed to ensure a smooth procedure. On the day of the procedure, our dentist makes a hole in the crown of the tooth through which they then remove the pulp. They clean the canal thoroughly, then fill the canal with a filling material and seal the crown of the tooth with a temporary filling. Generally, they finish the procedure by placing a crown on the tooth, since most teeth which require root canal therapy are too damaged to support themselves anymore.

Depending on how many teeth are infected and the extent of the damage, the root canal process may be completed in one or two appointments. The results should last indefinitely if you maintain proper oral hygiene habits and schedule regular cleaning appointments with your dentist. Contact us today should you be experiencing any symptoms listed above or if you just need to set up your next cleaning.