Setting your young child up for a lifetime of regular preventive dental care will likely be the equivalent of them holding onto their healthy, natural teeth for all of their years. Kids need to feel comfortable about going to the dentist, so it’s important that you seek out a practice that dedicates itself to meeting the dental needs of children. Conroe dentist, Dr. John M. Richards, can provide comprehensive dentistry to your entire family, young and old.
How Can Dental Implants Improve your Life?
If you are missing teeth, you may find yourself perusing a pro and con list to decide between traditional bridges and dentures, or the more innovative dental implant technology. The process of discerning the features and benefits versus the financial commitment can be overwhelming. Conroe dentist, Dr. John M. Richards would like to explain to you the details of what a dental implant procedure can offer you.
Dental Implants
Guard yourself from Grinding your Teeth
Stress plays a big part in our lives. Good stress comes in the form of anticipating positive things. Someone might be planning a wedding and feel stressed to the max from all of the details of arranging the ultimate happy occasion. Another person may have a horrible work situation with a boss who seems determined to make their lives miserable. Money, family, relationshiop – there are so many reasons to carry around stress. When you have an overwhelming amount of tension, your nervous system is out of balance and creates physical responses. Conroe dentist, Dr. John M. Richards will speak more on a major dental health issue often caused by stress: bruxism, better known as teeth grinding. (more…)
What are your Gums Made of?
Have you ever given thought to the purpose of your gums? Aesthetically, they frame your smile. Functionally, they protect your teeth from bacteria. Because gum disease is such a prevalent dental health issue, learning about the purpose of your gums might give you an added boost in your desire to care for them properly. Conroe dentist, Dr. John M. Richards, will offer you a lesson on the anatomy of your gum tissue.
Gingival Tissues
Gums line parts of your jawbone to create a seal so that the roots of your teeth will not be exposed. (more…)
Modern Advances Make for Better Cosmetic Dental Options
Do you look forward to going to the dentist, or do you dread it? If you have been to see Conroe dentist, Dr. John M. Richards, you have probably discovered the great news – a dental visit can be a most pleasant experience in the modern age. If you are seeking smile improvement through cosmetic dentistry options, it all starts with a consultation. Once you are cleared of gum disease, cavities, and other dental issues, you can consider which cosmetic procedures will help you achieve the smile of your dreams.
Teeth Whitening
Do Dentures cause Pneumonia?
Dentures are common with the elderly as oral hygiene becomes more difficult, and the years take their toll on teeth. If someone in their twilight years has lived without teeth for a long time, their jawbone density may not allow for dental implants. They may not have the budget on a fixed income. Or perhaps health problems and advanced age make surgery out of the question from a safety perspective. In these cases, dentures are a great way to allow form and function when all teeth are missing. If someone sleeps in their dentures, they may feel like it’s no big deal. However, a recent research study from Nihon University School of Dentistry, Japan has discovered that among other hazards of wearing dentures around the clock, pneumonia risks are heightened in the elderly.
Japanese Denture Study
Toshimitsu Iinuma led a team of Japanese researchers to conduct research on a group of people over the age of 85. The study was published by the International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR in the OnlineFirst portion of the Journal of Dental Research (JDR). Titled “Denture Wearing During Sleep Doubles the Risk of Pneumonia in Very Elderly,” the group of senior citizens who were studied was large. A total of 296 women and 228 men were questioned on oral hygiene habits, oral health, and overall health. Blood panels were run and the participants were followed over a three year period.
Denture Danger?
Out of the group, 48 study volunteers were confirmed to have contracted pneumonia. Statistics showed that wearing dentures at night was a common factor amongst these people. Overnight denture wearing causes difficulty swallowing during sleep. Furthermore, people who did not take their dentures out and clean them overnight had more tongue and denture plaque. Because plaque is bacteria based, this means that not only is pneumonia a higher risk for overnight denture wearers, but other overall health problems, as well. Oral bacteria has been implicated in dementia, Alzheimer’s, strokes, and heart disease, so sleeping with dentures puts patients at higher risk for a wide variety of life-altering health conditions beyond pneuomonia.
Schedule a Consultation Today
At the Dental Centre of Conroe, we believe in providing the latest amenities and advanced technology to ensure every patient enjoys a comfortable experience. Whether you require cosmetic dentistry for an improved smile or dental prosthetics to replace lost teeth, we can help you and your family achieve beautiful, healthy smiles that last a lifetime. To schedule an appointment, call (936) 441-4600. We proudly service residents of Conroe, Willis, Montgomery, The Woodlands, Huntsville, and surrounding communities in the greater Houston area.
Dental Protection for Athletes of Every Level
You don’t have to give up your athletic lifestyle in order to preserve your beautiful teeth. Unfortunately, many athletes who enjoy participating in sports for recreation or the hopes of a future career consider their teeth to be a low priority. You deserve to have teeth unhampered by chips, cracks, or complete loss when you’re accepting that trophy and smiling for the local paper. There’s a simple solution which will allow you to keep living your life as athletically as ever while still protecting that gorgeous grin.
Dangerous Contact Sports
Athletic mouthguards are recommended by dentists for anyone of any age who plays a contact sport. Mouthguards definitely offer extra benefits to someone undergoing orthodontic treatment or who has just invested time and money in cosmetic dental work. If you are on a team playing a contact sport like football or hockey, you should always wear a mouthguard. This will keep your gums and other mouth tissues from getting cut by the brackets and wires if you wear braces, and will keep teeth firmly in place.
Athletic Injuries
It isn’t only football and hockey that can lead to impacts which jeopardize your perfect smile. Basketball players get elbowed in the mouth. Soccer players can take a ball or cleat directly in the teeth. A tennis ball can be damaging when it hits you in just the right spot. Even solitary sports such as running can result in tripping and falling in just the right way where a dental injury could occur. Not everyone is going to wear an athletic mouthguard at all times, but the added protection is never a bad idea.
Schedule a Consultation Today
At the Dental Centre of Conroe, we believe in providing the latest amenities and advanced technology to ensure every patient enjoys a comfortable experience. Whether you require cosmetic dentistry for an improved smile or dental prosthetics to replace lost teeth, we can help you and your family achieve beautiful, healthy smiles that last a lifetime. To schedule an appointment, call (936) 441-4600. We proudly service residents of Conroe, Willis, Montgomery, The Woodlands, Huntsville, and surrounding communities in the greater Houston area.
Chew on this Quiz Regarding Xylitol in Chewing Gum
If you’re in the habit of chewing sugarless gum after meals, you may actually be offering yourself a dental health boost. If you’re concerned with artificial sweetening agents in sugar free products, may we introduce you to xylitol? This amazing compound is derived from natural substances. Not only is xylitol safe for sweetening gum without added calories, but it may actually offer a boost to your teeth when staving off decay and gum disease.
Questions
Q1. True or false – Aspartame is an artificial sweetener known to incite cravings for fatty foods.
Q2. True or false – Xylitol is a compound which is derived from fruits and vegetables.
Q3. True or false – Xylitol repairs tooth enamel demineralization.
Q4. True or false – The use of xylitol as a substitute for sugar is fairly new.
Q5. True or false – Xylitol helps neutralize acid in your mouth.
Answers
A1. TRUE – Many people enjoy their diet soda, but they are probably not giving themselves a leg up on weight management. On the other hand, xylitol has approximately 75% less carbohydrates and 40% fewer calories than sugar without causing cravings for calorie dense fats.
A2. TRUE – Xylitol is a naturally occurring carbohydrate. Food scientists are able to extract xylitol from fibrous vegetables and fruits. Xylitol is also produced in small amounts by the human body.
A3. TRUE – Xylitol is definitely better for your teeth and gums than sugar. Xylitol provides a similar sweet taste without being attractive to germs. In fact, the compound suffocates the bacteria that wreak havoc in your mouth.
A4. FALSE – Xylitol has actually been used as a sugar substitute for about half a century
A5. TRUE – Xylitol neutralizes your oral pH balance which reduces the production of acid in your mouth. This also neutralizes existing acid, thereby lowering the production of destructive plaque.
Schedule a Consultation Today
At the Dental Centre of Conroe, we believe in providing the latest amenities and advanced technology to ensure every patient enjoys a comfortable experience. Whether you require cosmetic dentistry for an improved smile or dental prosthetics to replace lost teeth, we can help you and your family achieve beautiful, healthy smiles that last a lifetime. To schedule an appointment, call (936) 441-4600. We proudly service residents of Conroe, Willis, Montgomery, The Woodlands, Huntsville, and surrounding communities in the greater Houston area.
Are you Aware of you Dental Crown Options?
A crown may signify leadership in cultures which still govern by monarchy. There are other uses for the word “crown” – particularly in dentistry. Not only is a crown the term used to describe the visible part of your tooth, above the gumline, but dental crowns are the caps which can restore and preserve a severely damaged tooth. If a cavity is particularly large or infection spreads into the root, you need more than a filling to keep your mouth functional and healthy. This is where dental crowns come in, and thankfully, they can be fashioned in modern times out of tooth-colored, non-metal materials.
Crowns of the Past
Crowns were initially only made out of metal – gold, silver, or an amalgam of metals. Naturally no one is crazy about having a mouth with permanent metal in it; especially if the tooth being repaired is near the front. The development of metal linings covered with porcelain became popular for a while. Known as porcelain-fused-to-metal (or PFM) these dental crowns boasted the advantage of strength and aesthetics. Unfortunately, the appearance of this type of crown ends up not remaining as natural as it should. Light doesn’t readily pass through metal, so the tooth looks a bit flat. Furthermore, PFM crowns often show a grey or dark area right by the gumline. This dark line is more common when gum recession exists, but it makes the crown look very obvious.
Porcelain Crowns
Processes of layering and pressing porcelain have made the durable but delicate material a very suitable dental restoration and cosmetic dental material. Crowns fabricated entirely of porcelain are considered the optimal choice for front teeth in your smile. Dark lines and a dull flat look are not a concern. Porcelain can be dyed to match the shade of surrounding teeth, and the material has a natural translucence which reflects light almost exactly the same as tooth enamel. On your back teeth, porcelain may be too delicate to withstand chewing, but ask our dental team about various options to answer to all of your needs.
Schedule a Consultation Today
At the Dental Centre of Conroe, we believe in providing the latest amenities and advanced technology to ensure every patient enjoys a comfortable experience. Whether you require cosmetic dentistry for an improved smile or dental prosthetics to replace lost teeth, we can help you and your family achieve beautiful, healthy smiles that last a lifetime. To schedule an appointment, call (936) 441-4600. We proudly service residents of Conroe, Willis, Montgomery, The Woodlands, Huntsville, and surrounding communities in the greater Houston area.
Get to Know your Toothpaste Better
What is the most essential item of your oral hygiene kit? The truth is, not one single product would be as effective without the others. Floss gets the trapped debris from between your teeth which your toothbrush can’t reach. Toothbrushes scrub and scour germs, particles, and plaque from all you’re your teeth’s surfaces. And then, there’s that old reliable tube of toothpaste. Toothpaste recipes have evolved over the years. Mass marketing has made it possible for anyone with a dollar or two in their pocket to pick up a tube of the flavored, breath freshening goo whenever needed. How clear are you on your toothpaste facts?
Fact #1: Toothpaste Expires
The American Dental Association (ADA) requires expiration dates on toothpaste. It’s not so much that toothpaste “goes bad” as it is that certain compounds are rendered less effective over time. There are many different recipes for toothpaste, but most are infused with some amount of fluoride. If you want fluoride to remain potent in your pastes and gels, simply follow those dates which are usually about two years after manufacturing took place.
Fact #2: There May be Detergent in your Toothpaste
Ideally, you aren’t swallowing your toothpaste, so should it matter that the brand you choose could contain the same compound used to make soaps bubble up and foam? Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is the reason that your toothpaste foams as it mixes with your saliva and is agitated around by your toothbrush. SLS can also alter the way certain foods and beverages taste for a half hour or so after you brush your teeth.
Fact #3: Some Whitening Toothpastes are too Abrasive if you have Cosmetic Dental Work
Dental bonding, porcelain veneers, white crowns, and dental implants are all great because they can be treated just like natural teeth. In fact, they should be treated that way, including brushing and flossing twice a day. However, you may want to avoid highly abrasive toothpastes. These are often the brands that boast whitening power or baking soda as an additive. Porcelain can scratch over time, and it’s best to keep the environment in your mouth a bit gentler if you want your cosmetic dental work to last.
Schedule a Consultation Today
At the Dental Centre of Conroe, we believe in providing the latest amenities and advanced technology to ensure every patient enjoys a comfortable experience. Whether you require cosmetic dentistry for an improved smile or dental prosthetics to replace lost teeth, we can help you and your family achieve beautiful, healthy smiles that last a lifetime. To schedule an appointment, call (936) 441-4600. We proudly service residents of Conroe, Willis, Montgomery, The Woodlands, Huntsville, and surrounding communities in the greater Houston area.
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