In order to achieve a sparkling smile, you’ll need to treat your teeth to more than just regular brushing. Healthy teeth start with healthy habits — from your brushing routine to the foods you should and shouldn’t eat.

"Your mouth is your body’s initial point of contact with the nutrients you consume," says Kimberly A. Harms, DDS, a spokesperson for the American Dental Association (ADA). "So naturally, what you put in your mouth impacts not only the health of your teeth and gums, but also your overall health." That includes beverages, the type and frequency of snacks, and even the gum you chew.

It’s important to go beyond brushing and change your daily habits to get the bright, healthy smile you want. Here's how:

• Avoid enamel damage. The layer of protective enamel on your teeth is your first defense against cavities, but certain foods and drinks strip it away, putting your smile at risk. Opting for sugar-filled sodas, sticky sweets (such as taffy), sweetened fruit drinks, and sugary snacks promotes tooth decay, Dr. Harms says. "When you eat sugary foods or sip sugary drinks for long periods of time, plaque bacteria use that sugar to produce acids that attack your enamel." Be sure to read food labels and choose foods that are lower in sugar.
• Eat nutrient-rich foods. Your teeth need nutrients to stay strong, white, and cavity-free. "For good dental health, it’s important to eat a variety of foods from each of the five major food groups," Harms says. This ensures that your teeth get the essential nutrients they need. Calcium, found in dairy products and leafy greens, is especially important for your teeth. Phosphorous, which can be found in proteins such as eggs, fish, poultry, meat, and dairy, is also essential. Both of these nutrients help protect and restore the enamel on your teeth, according to the ADA.
• Limit snacks. Too much snacking isn't only bad for your waistline; it's bad for your smile, too. "Foods eaten as part of a meal cause less harm to teeth than eating lots of snacks throughout the day do because more saliva is released during a meal," Harms says. "Saliva helps wash foods from the mouth and lessens the effects of acids, which can harm teeth and cause cavities." Some snacking is inevitable, so make sure to opt for something healthy such as cheese, veggies, nuts, or fruit, the ADA recommends.
• Don’t smoke or use tobacco. Smoking and using any kind of tobacco stains your teeth, but it also affects your whole mouth, the ADA says. It causes gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss as well as oral cancer. If you have oral surgery or a tooth extraction, smoking can slow your healing time. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, find a plan that works for you to quit. Ask your doctor or dentist for help or look for local or online quit programs.
• Limit teeth-staining culprits. Your favorite beverages might be dulling your smile. Coffee, tea, and red wine are some of the biggest culprits, Harms says. "They have intense color pigments called chromogens that attach to the enamel, which is the white, outer part of your tooth." For whiter teeth, cut back on these teeth-staining beverages. To help counteract existing stains, consider using fluoride toothpaste that also whitens teeth, or ask your dentist about whitening treatments to help reverse any damage.
• Drink plenty of water. It's healthy, it's free, it's widely available, and it's great for your oral health — so try to carry a water bottle with you everywhere and sip all day long. "Drinking water is also one of the best things you can do for your teeth, especially if it’s fluoridated," Harms says. Fluoride is considered "nature's cavity fighter," according to the ADA. It helps strengthen your teeth and ward off tooth decay. Water also helps keep your mouth moist and clean and washes away food particles that bacteria feed on.
• Chew sugar-free gum. It's always beneficial to brush between meals, but if you can't get to a sink, chew sugar-free gum. "Chewing sugarless gum increases the flow of saliva, which washes away food and other debris, neutralizes acids produced by bacteria in the mouth, and provides disease-fighting substances throughout the mouth," Harms says. "Increased saliva flow also carries with it more calcium and phosphate to help strengthen tooth enamel." Opt for gum with a seal from the ADA on the package to be sure it's sugar-free.
• See your dentist regularly. Be sure to get regular cleanings and checkups in order to spot dental problems before they get out of hand. Early diagnosis and treatment of dental issues is often simpler and more affordable, Harms says, and regular dental visits can help prevent many problems from developing. "Visiting your dentist is also important because some diseases or medical conditions have symptoms that can appear in the mouth," she says. Schedule regular checkups with your dentist so your smile is bright, white, and healthy, and to know you're doing all you can for your teeth.

If you are overdue for a dental cleaning, please contact our Renton Dentist today.

It is estimated that 35.7 million Americans are living with a bacterial infection of the gums known as periodontal disease. This infection attacks the tissue that keeps your teeth attached to your gums.

On average, more than 500 species of bacteria live in your mouth.2 Some of these bacteria are beneficial, while others under the right conditions can cause disease. Living a healthy lifestyle helps you keep the harmful bacteria under control. Not taking care of your overall health and your teeth and gums can cause an overgrowth of harmful bacteria, which may lead to serious health problems beyond the mouth, in addition to the threat of losing your teeth.

35.7 million Americans are living with a bacterial infection of the gums known as periodontal disease

Factors that predispose people to gum disease include bad oral hygiene and genetics. In fact, research has proved that up to 30% of the population may be genetically predisposed to gum disease.3

Periodontitis, a severe form of periodontal disease, is caused by plaque that develops just below the gum line, in the area called the sulcus or periodontal pocket, where it causes the attachment of the tooth and its supporting tissues to break down. The mildest form of periodontal disease is known as gingivitis and is triggered by bacterial plaque that forms at the gum line.

What Is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissue that supports your teeth. It attacks just below the gum line, where it causes the attachment of the tooth and its supporting tissues to break down.


WARNING SIGNS

• Pain in the mouth
• Gums bleed when brushing
• Spaces develop between teeth
• Swollen and tender gums
• Receding gums (exposing the bottom of your teeth)
• Persistent bad breath
• Pus between teeth and gums
• Sores develop

RISK FACTORS

• Tobacco use
• Systemic diseases
• Use of certain types of medicine
• Bridges that no longer fit
• Crooked teeth
• Fillings that have become defective
• Pregnancy
• Oral cancer

If you're showing warning signs, see your Renton dentist. Mild gum disease may be controlled by routine professional teeth cleanings and more diligent home care. Gingivitis and early periodontitis can be kept under control by your dental team.

Scaling and root planing also may be a step your dentist or hygienist takes to control early to moderate periodontitis. Scaling removes hard and soft deposits of calculus from the crown of the tooth. Root planing smooths away calculus deposits that collect on the root surfaces beneath the gums.1

Local, needle-free methods are available to keep you comfortable during this process. Your dental professional may also choose to perform this treatment one area of your mouth at a time over a series of office visits.

For advanced gum diseases, surgical treatments using local anesthetics may be performed. To reduce the size of gingival pockets, a periodontist folds back the gum tissue and removes the disease causing bacteria. He or she may also reshape the bone and gum, add bone grafts if necessary, and then stitch the tissue back into place.

What is a Diastema and How do I Treat It?

A diastema is an area of extra space between two or more teeth. The two front teeth of the upper jaw area is where diastema is most frequently seen. Many children experience diastema as primary teeth fall out, though in most cases these spaces close when the permanent teeth erupt.

Diastemas may also be caused by a tooth size discrepancy, missing teeth or an oversized labial frenum, the tissue that extends from the inside of the lip to the gum tissue where the upper two front teeth are located. Secondary reasons involve oral alignment issues such as an overjet or protrusion of the teeth.1

What are My Treatment Options?

Once your dentist or dental specialist has determined the reason for your diastema, a treatment plan will be discussed. Options may include:

• Keep the diastema.
  
  
• Orthodontic treatment to move the teeth and close the diastema.
  
  
• Use porcelain veneers, very thin pieces of porcelain bonded to the outside of the teeth.
  
  
• Crown and bridge work or replacement of teeth with implants (adults only).
  
  

If you have an oversized labial frenum, you may be referred to a periodontist for an oral consultation and surgical procedure called a frenectomy. This procedure involves cutting the frenum and then repositioning to allow for more flexibility. If the frenectomy is conducted on a child, the space may close by itself. If it is a teenager or adult, the space may need to be closed with braces. A consultation with your dentist is essential to determine which option is the right option to treatment for you.

If you're having diastemas and looking for a treatment option, please contact Dr. Stephen Cho today!