Dental Benefits | Dental Forensics | Dental Hygiene | General Dentistry | Oral Health | Teeth | Teeth Whitening
Dentistry has, at times, been accused of being archaic and draconian. Indeed, it can seem like dental care stays the same as the rest of the world marches on — but that’s simply not the case. The implementation of painless dentistry practices or new teeth-whitening methods and the move from conventional braces to Invisalign are advances worth talking about.
Brushing | Cosmetic Dentistry | Dental Benefits | Dental History | Dental Hygiene | General Dentistry | Oral Health | Wellness
How you look as you age is determined by a number of factors largely out of your control — genetics, environmental exposure to hazards and toxins and underlying health issues, to name a few. Along with maintaining a healthy lifestyle, there are a few things you can do to ensure you age like a fine wine, rather than an organic banana relegated to the bottom drawer of the fridge. One of those things is making sure your teeth and gums are well taken care of.
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Dental History | Dental Hygiene | General Dentistry | Oral Health | Teeth | Wellness
The animal kingdom is full of delightful smiles that put any movie star’s grin to shame. Some animals definitely smile to express emotion — primates like apes, monkeys and chimpanzees come to mind — but the jury is still out on the grins of other animals and whether they’re deliberately intended to convey happiness like ours. Still, these stunning smiles are some of the best in the animal kingdom.
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Children | General Dentistry | Oral Health
Your children are watching you, even when you think they aren’t. And they learn a lot from what they see — both good and bad. While it can seem like you’re wasting your time when you try to instill good habits in your kids through lectures and teaching them, some of it gets through. The best way to ensure your kids pick up good habits, however, is to model them yourself. This is particularly true when it comes to good oral health. By holding yourself to at least the same standard of dental care that you’d like to see from your children, you’re sending the message that this is, truly, something that’s important throughout their lives.
General Dentistry | Oral Health
Knowing your options when it comes to dental treatments is an advantage: you’re not just limited to what your insurance will cover or the newest fad that’s being discussed around the watercooler. While the standard treatments to keep your teeth and gums looking and feeling their best are staples — things like teeth whitening, orthodontic devices to better align your teeth and no-frills but necessary cleanings and cavity fillings — there are other services offered that you may not know a thing about but could dramatically change your life for the better.
Dental Benefits | General Dentistry | Oral Health
Nobody likes dealing with acne. Whether you call them zits, pimples, blackheads or just plain blemishes, these unsightly breakouts cause embarrassment. You may be surprised to find out that your breakouts are caused by more than meets the eye. Although acne can have a number of causes, the one that’s often overlooked is the health of your teeth. Rather than stress about your newest bunch of pimples, check with your dentist to see if there’s anything you can do to relieve a breakout that just won’t seem to end.
What Causes Acne?
Acne can have a number of causes, including but not limited to:
- Hormones
- excess oil production
- dry or dehydrated skin
- bacteria
While your teeth have very little to do with how much oil your skin produces, your hormone levels or whether you’re drinking enough water, they absolutely can contribute to the bacterial load on your face. In fact, the same bacteria that causes breakouts — P. acne –naturally lives in your mouth and gastrointestinal tract.
How Teeth Contribute to Breakouts
Most of the time, your first stop in treating acne is a visit to your general practitioner, a dermatologist or even an esthetician. Unfortunately, some cases of acne baffle these providers. In those cases, it might be worth speaking to your dentist — especially if you’re already being treated for tooth pain or other dental issues.
Acne that is resistant to basic treatment may be caused by an abscess or an infected tooth. A basic dental exam can allow your provider to see if any of your teeth are presently infected. If so, you may find that your acne breakout subsides as you begin treating the tooth. This is because both the infection and the acne respond to the antibiotics commonly used in treatment.
What Can Be Done
Maintaining a blemish-free face and healthy teeth both require a normal self-care routine. You probably already wash and moisturize your face regularly. When it comes to your teeth, it pays to have a similar routine. You brush, floss and rinse according to your dentist’s guidelines. But just like the best skin care routine doesn’t always protect against zits, your normal oral health regimen won’t always protect against bacterial infections — some of which can lead to breakouts.
Setting up a dental appointment is your first step in warding off acne caused by tooth decay. Even during a routine cleaning, your dentist can assess your mouth and its needs and figure out pretty easily if anything is wrong. During a cleaning, your dentist or dental hygienist may notice a tooth that has a cavity or other damage. If so, you’ll likely need to make another appointment to receive treatment for it. You may be prescribed a round of antibiotics to lessen the bacterial load in your body in the meantime, and that may help your acne disappear. Is it gone forever? No, so it’s important to keep any follow-up appointments; however, it is the first step in treating the underlying problem. Pretty soon, your complexion and your mouth will be in the best possible shape.
How We Can Help
If you suspect your treatment-resistant acne is being caused by an abscessed or infected tooth, we can help. While we’re not skin care experts, sorting out your oral health can potentially clear up a breakout if the underlying cause is, in fact, something related to your teeth.
The offices of Drs. Krieger and Hur make cosmetic dentistry easy and convenient, often completing procedures the same day! When your smile needs perfecting, but your time is limited, give us a call at 201-560-0606 or email us here and we’ll get you fast-tracked back to eye-catching confidence.
We heard your selfies could be a lot better, so we wrote a “How to Take a Great Selfie” guide to help you show off our great handywork. It’ll be our little secret! You don’t have to tell anyone that your dentist helped you perfect those iconic social media images.
Just click here, enter your email and download the PDF. Nothing could be easier. While you’re at it, go ahead and sign up for our newsletter for more tips for keeping that smile white and bright.
Dental Benefits | General Dentistry | Oral Health
There’s no doubt that snacking is the number one enemy when you’re trying to maintain your figure: sugary sweets, sour confections and baked goods can send even the most well-intentioned diet careening over a cliff. But these lapses in good judgment could be doing more than setting you back a few pounds on the scales; snacking can actually be ruining your teeth.
Dental Benefits | General Dentistry
Picture it: you’ve taken time out of your busy day to schedule a dental appointment for your stubborn husband or teen. They’re overdue for a cleaning, they haven’t had an exam in far too long, and getting them to go in is, well, like pulling teeth. You inform them of their upcoming appointment and get huffing, puffing, whining and moaning in return. Sound familiar?
Living with a stubborn husband or teen who refuses to go to the dentist is an all too common experience for many women. If simply booking the appointment for them causes grunting and groaning, there are other tactics you can try to get your family member to take their dental health seriously.
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