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August 2021

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Three Things You Need to Know About Gingivitis

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Three Things You Need to Know About Gingivitis

Three Things You Need to Know About Gingivitis

If you want good health, you need to learn everything that you can about your own body. Since your body is inherently complex, more than one area of your health needs consideration. So stated, you need to pay close attention to both your medical and oral health.

With this in mind, here are some things that you need to know about Gingivitis, its causes, symptoms, complications, and preventative measures.

1. What is Gingivitis?

Though the ‘term’ Gingivitis sounds like a terrible dental problem, it’s a ubiquitous and milder form of gum disease for anyone receiving this diagnosis. If left untreated, however, it can quickly graduate to a more severe problem like periodontitis. Because periodontitis leads to tooth loss, you want to stop its progression as soon as possible.

Fortunately, there are very effective treatments that can completely reverse these complications. However, one essential solution involves scheduling regular dental appointments and following reasonably good oral hygiene practices.

Here is a list of symptoms that you need to pay close attention to:

  • Swollen gums
  • Dark red and puffy gums
  • Tender or receding gums
  • Foul breath
  • Does brushing or flossing cause the gum to bleed easily?

2. What are the underlying causes of Gingivitis?

If you see any of the signs listed above, it is time to contact your dentist. Your dentist can assist you in many different ways, including providing the necessary information to identify any dental issues, including Gingivitis.

Your dentist will discuss the following with you:

  • Brush your teeth regularly to keep sugar and starches from forming plaque on your teeth’s surface enamels, which causes Gingivitis.
  • They will recommend removing any plaque before it becomes tartar. Tartar is the hardened substance formed from plaque and remains on the gumline of your teeth and needs removing before it sets.
  • Tartar and plaque can irritate the gums.
  • If these problems go untreated, you may begin to experience issues with inflammation, tooth loss, and periodontitis.

3. Prevention Measures and Dental Care

Now that you are familiar with what causes Gingivitis, here are some preventative measures.

  • Daily brushing and flossing are the most effective prevention measure against Gingivitis.
  • Schedule regular dental hygiene visits.

During your dental hygiene visit, your dentist will advise you on your particular dental condition. Then, they will schedule routine appointments to ensure your good dental health. And if your dentist happens to see any developments with your oral health, they will recommend a course of action.

Do not delay. Call Apple Tree Dental today and schedule a Dental Hygiene appointment.

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Three Things You Need to Know About Gingivitis
Three Things You Need to Know About Gingivitis
comparison between before and after teeth whitening

Four things You Need to Know About Teeth Whitening

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Four things You Need to Know About Teeth Whitening

Four things You Need to Know About Teeth Whitening

If you are considering whitening your smile, here are some things that you need to know.

Are all teeth pearly white?

Your teeth are not white, and they have a yellowish hue. They darken as you get older and they become stained by the things you eat and drink.

1. What’s Involved in Tooth Whitening Procedures?

First, you need to know that there are two whitening procedures that many dentists recommend. However, to achieve the best results, a combination of both is highly recommended. Here is a brief description of each.

In-Chair Whitening

  • Your dentist administers this whitening procedure. The dental whitening product that your dentist uses contains active ingredients like carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide. The advantage of this procedure is that it is administered by a professional and usually comes with a follow-up.

At-home Whitening

  • The dental whitening product used in the at-home product also contains active ingredients like carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide. The advantage of this whitening procedure is the at-home nature of its delivery.

Both products make the teeth’ enamel colour much lighter without the removal of any tooth structure.

2. How long should this procedure take?

The timing of each procedure (i.e., in-chair versus at-home) usually differs. For example, for the in-chair procedure, the first appointment with your dentist will create an impression of your teeth. Then, after fabricating a custom whitening tray, the second appointment will start by applying the whetning getl and using the blue light, which usually takes 1.5 hours in the office.

For in-home whitening, you will need to follow all of the instructions for the whitening product. To get satisfactory results will depend on how often you can do the in-home procedure.

Will you be happy with the results?

  • Treatment results vary on the original shade of your teeth.
  • Results will last about one to two years.
  • Tooth sensitivity dissipates after a few days. And your dentist can provide gels which reduce this quickly.

3. Is there a Possibility that a Whitening Procedure Might Not Work

Whitening procedures will not work in some instances. Therefore, you need to know the possible limitations of teeth whitening.

  • Whitening only lightens your existing tooth color.
  • Veneering is a viable option.
  • Whitening false teeth is not possible. (i.e., veneers, crowns, and dentures).
  • Whitening internal stains are also not possible.

4. Advanced Technologies Whitening, Like Blue LED Technologies

As technologies advance, teeth whitening procedures have also developed. So, talk to your dentist about advanced treatments like Phillips Zoom – Blue Light LED Technology.

There are several reasons for recommending Blue LED technology, by Phillips, for teeth whitening. Here are some of the most commonly known.

  • It emits 100% more light intensification than its competitors.
  • It only requires a few steps to get the best results
  • Little to no sensitivity in this type of treatment. So, you do not have to be concerned about feeling teeth or gum pain.
  • The treatment time for this advanced whitening technology ranges from 1.5 hours.
  • Extensive training to get the best client results.
  • Proven results!

Conclusion:

Call Apple Tree Dental today if you are looking to get your teeth whitened – whether in-chair (dental) or at home (kit) or Zoom Whitening.

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Four things You Need to Know About Teeth Whitening
Four things You Need to Know About Teeth Whitening
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Cavities and Tooth Decay – Your Oral Health

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Cavities and Tooth Decay – Your Oral Health

Your Oral Health

The 4 Things You Need to Know About Tooth Decay / Cavities

And ways to keep your teeth healthy!

One of the world’s most leading dental health problems today is tooth decay. Whenever you visit your dentist, you may hear the dentist refer to tiny jagged openings in your teeth as cavities. However, you should also know that these problems appear in older adults, teenagers, small children, and infants. Therefore, everyone must learn as much as possible about how to spot the causes, symptoms, and complications of tooth decay. The following information is to help you develop a plan of prevention.

That said, here are four essential things you need to know about cavities/tooth decay.

1. Causes of Tooth Decay / Cavities

For the most part, your dentist is responsible for the condition of your teeth. Though this may be true, you cannot neglect your role in maintaining good oral health. Here are some tips you can take to reduce the chance of tooth decay:

  • Eliminate sugary drinks
  • Reduce snacks
  • Regular brushing
  • Schedule semi-annual dental cleaning and inspections
  • Floss your teeth

2. What are the Symptoms of Tooth Decay and Cavities?

The signs and symptoms of tooth decay vary from person to person. Thus, the symptoms that you experience are dependent upon the location of the dental decay. However, here is a short list of signs of tooth decay that need attention:

  • If you experience sharp pain when you bite down is an indicator of possible tooth decay.
  • Hot/Cold tooth sensitivity.
  • Visible tooth decay.
  • Some tooth decay can appear as staining on the surface of your teeth (i.e., black, white, or brown colorings).
  • Tooth pain that becomes evident without an apparent cause.

3. How these Complications can Grow in Severity

Since children and adults alike are subject to tooth decay and cavities, here is a list of dental health complications that may arise if a cavity is left unattended:

  • Abscessed tooth.
  • Pus-filled and swollen gums around the teeth
  • Problems with chewing.
  • Broken or damaged teeth.
  • Teeth shifting after the loss of the decayed tooth
  • Nutritional deficiency
  • Appearance affected by missing front and back teeth
  • Life-threatening bacteria due to lack of good oral health practices

4. Take Action, and Follow a Plan to Prevent Tooth Decay / Cavities

Here are six helpful tips that you can follow to promote oral health.

  1. To clean all of your teeth properly. Typically, your daily plan should include brushing your teeth after every meal or at least two times a day and rinse your mouth with products that contain fluoride.
  2. Visit your dentist on a regularly scheduled basis. Then, your dentist can monitor and discover oral health problems early before they become painful and an expensive dental procedure.
  3. You may want to consider dental sealants. Based on information published by the CDC, dental sealants tend to be ideal for children who are school age. The primary function of dental sealants is to keep food particles from getting stuck between the teeth.
  4. Many people enjoy the convenience of bottled water. However, through this convenience, you can miss certain benefits of drinking tap water. For example, tap water is better for your dental health because it contains fluoride.
  5. You should pay close attention to the foods that you eat and the liquids that you drink. Since some foods and beverages can cause havoc to your teeth, you need to know which options are best. For instance, if you want to have pretty white strong teeth for life, you may want to consider ridding sugary foods from your diet.
  6. Reduce the plaque and bacteria you have inside your mouth by using an antibacterial mouth wash daily.

Apple Tree Dental is here to help you with your oral care. So give us a call today to book a cleaning and examination.

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Cavities and Tooth Decay – Your Oral Health
Cavities and Tooth Decay – Your Oral Health