Tooth enamel is actually porous. Over time, our teeth can get stained. This happens for a few
reasons, lack of proper dental care and eating habits among them.
What eating habits will lead to tooth discoloration? Here are some foods you might want to
watch out for and what you can do.

The Top Staining Foods

All foods have the potential to contribute to your teeth staining if you aren’t brushing your
teeth. However, there are a few that will cause more staining than others, especially if you’re
not drinking water or brushing afterwards.

These include foods like tomatoes (especially in pasta sauce), berries, and strong spices. Any
berry has the potential to stain your teeth. Particularly potent ones include blueberries,
blackberries, and cranberries. Spices such as curry and turmeric can also cause your teeth to
have a yellow or brownish tinge.

Other foods that could stain include balsamic vinegar and candies that contain food dye.
The Top Beverages That Stain

In addition to eating habits, beverages can stain your teeth just as much if not more than
certain foods do. The biggest culprits are coffee, tea, and red wine. Regular consumption of all
of these beverages can majorly stain your smile over time. Even certain juices can discolor your
teeth—think cranberry or cherry juice.

Although some of these stains will be superficial and can be removed with a toothbrush, others
will go deeper and may need a professional whitening to correct. Your best and safest drink for
your smile is water, so it’s smart to consume all other beverages in moderation!

Getting Your Whitest Smile Possible

You don’t have to totally give up the foods you love to have a smile that you love too. Follow
these tips to get your whitest smile possible:

 Drink water. Drinking water while consuming teeth-staining foods or drinking beverages
that can stain will help. It minimizes the staining damage and rinses your mouth!

 Brush your teeth. It’s a bad idea to brush immediately after eating as it can harm tooth
enamel, so try to wait about a half hour. After this, gently brush your teeth to help
remove surface stains and stop any additional staining from setting in.

 Use a straw. Using a straw for beverages such as coffee and tea can help the drink to
bypass your teeth, therefore helping to cut down on stains.

 Visit your dentist. Your dentist can remove most surface stains through professional
cleanings, especially regular ones! You can also talk with your dentist about getting a
professional whitening to get rid of any deep stains you might have.

It’s easy to have a white smile when you properly care for your teeth!
Tooth staining is embarrassing and can cause people to hide their smiles even if they have
perfectly straight teeth. While there are certain foods and drinks that can cause staining, you
can help protect your smile with the right care. Drinking enough water, brushing your teeth,
and visiting your dentist can help you achieve your brightest smile!

The post What Eating Habits Can Lead to Tooth Discoloration? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Sore Gums

If your gums are tender either to the touch or while you’re brushing, you could be experiencing a symptom of gum infection. If your gums aren’t sore regularly, it might not be anything to worry about. However, if your gums are consistently sore or seem to be getting worse, visit your dentist!

Red or Swollen Gums

This symptom usually goes hand-in- hand with sore gums. If your gums look more red than pink, this could be indicative of a problem. In addition, if your gums look puffy or look as though they’re sticking too far out from your teeth, they’re likely swollen and will need to be evaluated by your oral healthcare professional.

Bleeding Gums

Seeing blood when brushing is a common symptom of either a gum infection or gum disease. Some people think bleeding when brushing is normal—it’s not! Unless you are brushing too aggressively, blood when brushing could be a sign of an infection.

A Bad Taste in Your Mouth

If you have a foul taste in your mouth from time to time, you could have an infection which is causing this. Another sign of a gum infection is bad breath. The bad smell could be coming from the gum infection or gum disease or both. Regardless, persistent bad breath or a terrible taste in your mouth could mean a problem. Your wisdom teeth could also be a source of infection. If you never got your wisdom teeth removed and they haven’t fully erupted, your gum tissue is more prone to infection and may cause this unpleasant taste.

Receding Gums

When there’s an infection in the areas between your gums and your teeth, this could cause your gums to begin to pull back from your teeth. This is also known as gum recession and can actually lead to loose teeth. The infection needs to be treated or it’ll get worse!

Visible Pus

If you visibly see pus in your mouth or have pockets of pus—whether it’s from gum disease or an abscess on your gums, you need to get to a dentist as soon as possible. Letting an infection in your mouth go could lead the infection to get into your bloodstream and could cause serious health problems and even death.

If you have a gum infection, this is not a condition you want to wait to seek help for. It can ruin your smile and even cause you some serious health problems. Seeking treatment sooner rather than later is always ideal. If you suspect you might have an infection in your gums, see your dentist as soon as possible. Your dentist can properly treat the infection and save your smile!

The post Don’t Ignore These Top Signs of Gum Infection appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

After your procedure to place the implant, it’s imperative that you follow your surgeon’s instructions. These care tips usually include avoiding hot or cold drinks in addition to not touching or disturbing the area in any way—this includes brushing. Avoid brushing the site for a few days, but keep the area clean and free of food particles.

The swelling should go away after a few days. Your surgeon may suggest you use ice as needed at first, then mild heat after 24 hours. If you notice any increase in pain and swelling after a few days, you should contact your oral surgeon’s office to evaluate the problem.

Continue to Brush and Floss as Normal

You’ll want to ensure you still brush and floss your teeth after your implant has healed. Always use a toothbrush with soft bristles and floss once a day. Some dentists suggest avoiding any type of abrasive toothpaste during brushing, as this can limit the lifespan of your crown.

An electric or manual toothbrush is fine, as long as you choose soft bristles. To protect the area around your implant, using unwaxed tape floss is recommended. Many people with dental implants find success with water flossers as well. As soon as your site has healed, you can begin to brush gently around the implant until your dentist places the crown. Once your crown is in place, continue to brush and floss gently around the site. Once it’s fully healed, flossing may require a bit more work to get underneath your crown, but flossing in that area can help keep your implant free of plaque and bacteria.

Stay on Top of Care for the Best Results

Continue to visit your dentist for regular checkups and cleanings as recommended. Any buildup of plaque around your gumline could still cause an infection whether or not you have dental implants. Staying on top of your oral care will provide the best results for your beautiful new tooth!

Should you be experiencing any type of problem with your new dental implant, getting in to see your dentist sooner rather than later is always the best idea. Talk to your dentist about how often you should come in for checkups after the placement of your implant.

Dental implants are an excellent replacement when you’ve lost a natural tooth. To take care of your dental implants, get a good start by following your surgeon’s instructions. Continue to brush and floss around the site as normal after healing. Stay on top of care to see the best results and extend the life of your dental crown. Dental implants last for life, so take care of them!

The post How to Best Care for Your New Dental Implants appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Once your actual dental implant is placed, this will need to heal for a period of time before you get your crown attached to the end. During this period of time, your mouth will likely be sore and possibly bruised. It’s best to eat cold foods and drinks as much as possible. It’s also vital that you do not touch your dental implant. You can use ice to help with the swelling if needed.

Your dentist may give you a special mouthwash to use during this time, but you should avoid brushing the dental implant while it’s healing; this may take a few days. Always follow your dentist’s care instructions!

Once Your Implant Has Healed

Once your implant has healed and the crown is attached, gently clean your dental implant with a soft-bristled tooth brush. Avoid aggressive brushing—it’s not necessary. You need to keep your dental implant clean and remove plaque daily through brushing and flossing. Keeping your dental implants clean can extend the lifespan of your crown and keep your implant healthy and strong!

If you smoke, getting dental implants is good motivation to quit. Smoking not only increases your risk for gum disease and oral cancer, but prevents healing in the mouth. While your dental implant is healing, it’s crucial to avoid smoking to reduce the chances of infection so that your implant can heal.

Long-Term Care

Brushing and flossing your dental implants regularly just like your natural teeth can help you maintain great oral health. Gentle brushing is easy enough, but flossing may require a little extra effort around your dental implants. You should use the floss to get trapped food and plaque underneath your dental crown near the top of your implant.

Food or plaque that get trapped in this section can cause problems, so take a few extra seconds to get underneath your dental crown. This can help make sure your dental implants are squeaky clean and healthy! You should also visit your dentist regularly to ensure your dental implants are doing great. Your crown will need to be replaced eventually, so your dentist can examine your implants during your visit and let you know how you’re doing with your oral care.

Dental implants are one of the best choices for effective tooth replacement. Taking care of your dental implants requires brushing and flossing just like your natural teeth. You’ll also need to visit the dentist just like you do for your regular smile. Enjoy your new dental implants with these best care habits!

The post How to Best Take Care of Your New Dental Implants appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

What Is the Difference Between a Dental Implant and a Veneer?

Think of a dental implant as a replacement tooth. A titanium implant is put into the bone as an anchor. A crown that matches the shape and color of the surrounding teeth is affixed to it to fill in the gap.

A veneer is more like a cover for an existing tooth – usually one that has been damaged. The cover works to prevent the tooth from further damage or decay while maintaining an even surface for chewing. A crown will also be matched to the surrounding teeth so as to look as natural as possible. So, do you need an implant or a veneer? Here are the situations where these methods are commonly used.

When to Get an Implant

Replacing a lost or extracted tooth – Sometimes just one or two teeth are lost. An implant can actually help you to maintain your normal bite and the appearance of your smile without damaging the surrounding teeth.

Prevent shifting of teeth – When a tooth is lost, it leaves room for other teeth to move. Even if you don’t mind having a gap where the missing tooth is, you may decide to get an implant to keep the rest of your teeth from shifting out of position.

Aesthetics – An implant can be made to look like a natural tooth. You won’t have to be afraid to smile in front of the camera with an implant.

When to Get a Veneer

A chipped tooth – Covering a chipped tooth with a veneer will hide the damaged tooth and restore a natural look while also protecting the tooth from further damage.

Discolored teeth – While whitening is a much less expensive process, some choose to get veneers on all of their teeth to cover stains and have their entire mouth be a bright white.

Worn teeth – As we age, plaque wears more and more of the enamel away from our teeth. To protect worn teeth from further damage, a veneer can be used.

Which Lasts Longer?

Since the two types of dental work are used for different reasons, it’s not really fair to compare them. However, while implants can last up to 25 years with proper care, veneers usually last closer to 10. Just remember that when a tooth is damaged, veneers allow you to keep your original tooth longer while implants require the real tooth to be extracted.

For more information about which is right for you, contact your dentist to schedule an appointment today! A new smile awaits.

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