Questions About Family or Cosmetic Dentistry?
After you’ve visited our office for your routine dental cleaning and exams, your dental care doesn’t stop here! When you go home with your brand new toothbrush, it’s time to examine your daily routine to see what ways to improve your smile. See what our Belleville dentist has to share so you can keep a healthy and beautiful smile at all times.
How has your New Year been treating you? We hope that you’re continuously working towards your resolutions and accomplishing each and every one of them! Between dieting, exercising, and other lifestyle changes, you may not notice how one change can affect other aspects of your health. Below, your Belleville dentist delves into the ways that exercise can negatively affect your smile if you’re not aware of the potential problems you could run into.
Cavities and Tooth Decay
While everyone is at risk for cavities and tooth decay, athletes have a higher intake of sports drinks, energy bars, and other sugar-filled items that could be overwhelming for their teeth and gums. While not every athlete will be negatively affected this way, it’s always important to keep up with your daily dental routine of brushing and flossing twice a day, every day.
Dental Grinding/Bruxism
Clenching and grinding your teeth typically happens out of habit or due to your anxiety, but athletic activities like weightlifting can cause people to grit their teeth and brace themselves during this strenuous activity. Be careful! The more you clench your teeth, the more likely you are to suffer from severe jaw pain, which can potentially lead to TMJ. Don’t be afraid to ask us about utilizing a mouth guard to protect your smile.
Lack of Saliva
You don’t typically think about your saliva when you’re exercising, but as you’re sweating and panting, you may not be producing enough to protect your mouth, which is one of saliva’s most important jobs. Your mouth can become drier when you’re working out due to the lack of saliva being produced, which can negatively affect the strength of your teeth and cause them to become weaker.
Exercising is one of the best things you can do for your body, so we greatly encourage it, but your Belleville dentist wants to be sure your smile doesn’t miss out on the best care in 2019, either! Call our office at (973) 751-6600 to schedule your appointment today.
See how Your Belleville Dentist Shares Awareness about Men’s Oral Health
When you’re getting ready for a vacation, you have countless things on your mind – the places you’ll go, the people you’ll see, the food you’ll eat – that you don’t always remember the important items to pack like your trusty toothbrush, your favorite toothpaste, and a container of floss. Maintaining proper oral and dental hygiene when you’re traveling and on vacation can be tough to remember in between the fun activities and adventures, but your 07109 dentist wants to give you the best tips to remember that your oral hygiene isn’t on vacation, even if you are!
Integrate These Foods Suggested by Your 07109 Dentist for a Healthier Smile
Help Your Children Share their Strong and Healthy Smile with the Right Snack Choices
We’re all familiar with tasty sweets, chocolates, and candies that we love to indulge in. It’s no surprise that children are big fans of those treats, too. Unfortunately, too much of something as delicious as candy can be detrimental to your smile, especially against baby teeth. That’s why we believe it’s extremely important to establish good, healthy habits to help children avoid cavities, decay, early tooth loss, and other oral health problems.
There are numerous ways that candy is intertwined in a child’s life. Sometimes, it’s reflexive, like giving them candy or chocolate to stop them from being upset. Other times, it’s a reward for doing well in class or in a public situation. This can be used as a default tactic, but we highly encourage patients to not use this method. Instead, we want children to know how candy can hurt their teeth and why they shouldn’t have such a large amount in one sitting and so frequently.
What are the best snacks and drinks for my child to have?
Some of the best snacks for children to play are, of course, fruits and vegetables. While they’re not always the ideal snack for kids, their teeth will be thankful. Some of the most convenient and tasty are bananas, tangerines, carrot and celery sticks. Rice cakes and plain popcorn are also great alternatives.
Because of their convenience, parents are likely to buy dried fruits since they don’t expire nearly as fast as fresh fruits do. Unfortunately, dried fruits can be extremely high in sugar and are quite sticky. They can get in hard-to-reach places in your teeth and can cause bacterial build-up. Try to avoid enjoying these as often as fresh fruits, but note that they can be a better alternative than other candies and snacks.
Instead of sodas and sugary fruit juices, try to switch their daily beverage to water. Another great drink for children to have is plain milk. Don’t be afraid to ask us which kind of milk, whether it’s whole milk or skimmed milk, that is best for your children’s teeth.
Protect your family’s smile by avoiding too many sweets and treats
No matter how old you are, candy is still dangerous to your oral and dental health. We want to share this information with our patients because children’s teeth are extremely sensitive and aren’t as strong as adult teeth. It’s important to take care of their baby teeth to make sure this area is healthy enough for their adult ones to grow in. If children suffer from cavities and decay when they have their baby teeth, their adult teeth are also at risk.
If you’re interested in learning about more tips to protect your child’s smile, whether it’s about food, drinks, or bad habits, please feel free to call your Belleville dentist at 973-751-6600 today.
Stay Healthy with these Brushing Tips and the Help of your Belleville Dentist
To ensure the best oral health, we believe that you should brush your teeth twice daily, once in the morning and once at night, to ensure the best oral health possible. Don’t worry, we understand – you lead a busy schedule that may cause you to skip or forget your daily dental routine, but we don’t want bacterial build-up to get the best of you and harm your teeth. Below, we’ll discuss a few mistakes that may occur while brushing your teeth and what you can do to correct them.
Before you start, you have to make sure that the toothbrush you have is the best one for you. There are tons of various kinds of toothbrushes available, but we highly recommend using a soft bristle brush that has a head size you’re comfortable with. If you have a toothbrush with the head that’s too big for your mouth, you could be missing some areas that you’re supposed to brush. This is where the bacteria can build up and cause cavities, decay, and more. Electric toothbrushes are also a viable option, but make sure you’re still performing the right technique.
Speaking of technique, you’re probably wondering – what is the best technique to brushing your teeth? There are several notes that you have to remember during your morning and nightly routine, including brushing for at least two minutes, making sure you’re cleaning every area of your mouth (yes, this includes the very back), and holding your brush at the right angle to reach all of those tough spots.
Something you may not have known is that brushing your teeth for too long is harmful! Your teeth, while strong and durable, can also become sensitive if it’s exposed to the ingredients in toothpaste for too long and too often. You’ll weaken your enamel, which will cause sensitivity when enjoy hot or cold foods and drinks.
Another note to take down is knowing when to get rid of a toothbrush. It’s recommended that you replace your toothbrush every three months, or after you’ve been sick with something contagious like a cold or flu. When you see your bristles starting to fray, that’s when you know it’s time to go! Even if you don’t see them fray, the bristles aren’t cleaning at their full potential and we want you to have the best brush each and every day.
By correcting some of these common mistakes while brushing your teeth, you can be working towards the best, healthiest smile for you. Couple these practices with your routine, bi-annual visits with us by calling us today at our Belleville location at (973) 751-6600 or our Parsippany location at (973) 882-5005 to schedule your appointment.
Why Teeth are Removed?
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Checklist for Brushing Properly
You may think you have been brushing your teeth correctly, but there are many facets that entail maintaining proper oral health. There are many different factors that go into optimizing your dental hygiene. Below are some suggestions from your Belleville NJ dentist, Belleville Dental Center, on how to make the most of each time you brush your teeth.
1. Time Spent Brushing
The time spent brushing your teeth is the top priority when it comes to brushing. Many people do not adhere the recommended two minutes, the average brushing length of an American being just fort-five seconds! Ideally, the best length of time is three minutes, encompassing one and a half minutes on both the upper and lower teeth. Listening to your favorite song to get those optimum three minutes in is the best way to do it. Feel free to dance while you brush!
2. Clean Every Part of the Mouth
Complete dental health includes more than just focusing on brushing your teeth. Tartar and plaque buildup occurs near the gums and requires just as much attention as your teeth. The tongue is also a place where build up can occur, causing bad breath. Using a tongue scrapper can assist in reducing the amount of buildup on the tongue and flossing can help remove plaque on the sides of the teeth and reduces gum inflammation.
3. Perfect Your Technique
Brushing up and down does not cover the entire surface area of each tooth. Make sure you clean your teeth completely, by brushing in a circular motion on each tooth. Start by brushing the front of your teeth in a circular motion, and then proceed to the inner portion of your teeth, making sure to clean the top and bottom of your molars in the process.
4. Think Beyond the Brush
It takes more than just a toothbrush to meet all of a patient’s dental hygienic needs. Flossing regularly and properly helps reduce plaque buildup. Using a water pick can help remove plaque and tartar in those hard to reach places. A water pick is especially helpful for those with braces. A mouthwash at the end of brushing and choosing a toothpaste that is effective will help solidify your stellar oral care routine! Consult our office about choosing the appropriate toothpaste and mouthwash for your specific needs.
Keeping up with dental health keeps your mouth healthy, your breath fresh and your teeth white. Call our office today to schedule your regular cleaning or to ask us any questions regarding your oral care health.
Know the Importance of visiting your family dentist in Belleville, NJ
How You Can Help Educate about Family Dentistry
Take Your First Step Today – Schedule an Appointment with Your Family Dentistry
Get Rid of Dental Myths and Fears with the Help of Your Dentist in Belleville NJ
Dentistry is one of the most important and beneficial practices that people of all ages can benefit from. Your smile is something that you want to last for a lifetime, but if you don’t take care of it, then there will be more consequences than you think. Unfortunately, there are countless dental myths and widespread rumors that stop people from visiting the dental, whether it triggers their phobia or tricks them into believing something that simply isn’t true.
While some myths seem inconsequential, there are others that can negatively affect your smile in the long run. Below, your Dentist in Belleville NJ discusses some popular myths within dentistry and debunks them for the safety and enhancement of your oral health.
MYTH: Baby Teeth aren’t Important – They’ll Just Fall Out, Anyway
There are countless news stories and articles that continue to stress the importance of pediatric dental care and monitoring baby teeth. While the baby teeth will eventually fall out, you want to make sure that their mouth and gums are still in top shape for their permanent teeth that are soon to come. If the roots of the baby teeth are rotten and decayed, the surrounding gums will also rot and their adult teeth coming in will be affected by this, as well.
MYTH: I’m Too Old to Get Braces Since My Teeth Won’t Change
Orthodontic treatment is for everyone, not just for teenagers and young adults! There are several ways braces and aligners can improve your smile and it doesn’t matter how old you are. The numbers of adults in their 30s and 40s that are receiving orthodontic treatment is growing and we want to keep it that way. Dental misalignment can be extremely harmful for your oral and dental health if not properly corrected, regardless of your age.
MYTH: I Don’t Eat Candy, So My Teeth are Perfectly Healthy
While limiting the amount of candy and sweets you’re enjoy is certainly beneficial for your smile, there are numerous foods and drinks that contain much more sugar than one may think. Sodas, fruit juices, and snacks contain harmful ingredients that damage the surface of your teeth, your gums, and more if you aren’t monitoring the things you eat and drink.
There are countless myths that harm your smile if they aren’t debunked and corrected and that’s why we’re here! If there are some myths or fears that you’re concerned about regarding your oral and dental health, don’t hesitate to contact your Dentist in Belleville NJ to schedule an appointment or consultation. Call us today at (973) 751-6600 or (973) 882-5005 and start improving your health in more ways than one!
Learn the causes of loose teeth from your Belleville NJ Dentist
People of all ages often suffer from tooth loss, which can often leave negative effects on a person’s confidence and self-esteem. It can result in a lacking smile, one that leaves patients unsatisfied and embarrassed. Tooth loss often starts when your tooth starts to detach itself from the jaw bone. So, what are the causes of loose tooth?
Causes of Loose Teeth
· Gum Disease
One cause of tooth loss is untreated gingivitis. During the early stages of gum disease, patients would often experience inflamed and bleeding gums. Although this is usually painless, the more you prolong this problem, it can cause periodontitis. Periodontitis is a more serious gum disease that causes severe irritation and inflammation in your gum area. As this disease progresses, your gum tissue slowly deteriorates and eventually loosens your tooth, thus leads to tooth loss.
· Osteoporosis
Another reason would be osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a health condition wherein the bones in your body slowly weakens and becomes less dense. Loose tooth often occurs when bone density around the jaw lessens. People with osteoporosis are more at risk of loose tooth compared to others.
· Tooth Trauma
Tooth trauma can also cause your tooth to loosen. For minor mouth trauma, it often takes a day or two for the tooth to loosen out. But for harder mouth trauma caused by accidents, it would cause an immediate effect. The damage is inflicted in the supportive ligaments that connect the tooth to the jaw bone. It can lead to a medical condition called bruxism. Bruxism can cause the tooth to loosen because of the constant grinding and clenching.
· Pregnancy Hormones
Pregnant women often experience loose teeth because of the high levels of estrogen and progesterone in their body. These hormones cause the tooth to loosen and move from side to side. Usually, this event is temporary and doesn’t lead to tooth loss.
There are many reasons why your tooth would loosen. If you feel this is happening and disregard this issue, you may not only lose the one tooth, but those surrounding it, as well! Visit your Belleville NJ Dentist if you’re experiencing any issues with your teeth like the ones mentioned above.