This three-part article series takes an in-depth exploration of the short and long term effects of tobacco addiction upon your oral health.

We have so far, in this three-part article series, (1) discussed the impact of smoking on your oral health and (2) provided some recommendations for proper oral health and hygiene care for smokers. In this, the final installment of the series, the dentist in Arlington TX will be answering some of the questions frequently asked about oral health and smoking.

Question: What kind of oral problems does smoking cause?

The Dentist in Arlington TX Answers: Smoking has significant short and long term consequences for oral health and hygiene. These include:

• Bad breath, or halitosis

• Tooth staining and discoloration

• Inflammation of the soft tissues in the mouth, says the dentist in Arlington TX

• Xerostomia, or ‘dry mouth’

• Accelerated accumulation of plaque and tartar

• Increased risk of oral and throat cancer

• Increased risk of oral bacterial infection and periodontal (gum) disease

• Tooth loss

• Bone loss in the jaw, warns the dentist in Arlington TX

• Delayed post-operative healing and a compromised immune system

• Lower success of tooth replacement procedures (dental implants)

Question: How does smoking cause gum disease?

The Dentist in Arlington TX Answers: Smoking increases your risk of developing acute and chronic bacterial infections of the gums in many different ways. First of all, it retards the production of saliva in the mouth, which is your body’s natural defense against bacteria. Smoking also impedes healthy blood circulation to the gums, explains the dentist in Arlington TX, which slows healing while increasing the risk of infection. In general, this habit interferes with the normal functioning of soft tissue cells. Combined with an increase in oral bacterial infection, smokers are left at a much greater risk of periodontal (gum) disease.

Question: What about cigar and pipe-smoking? Are they as bad for your teeth and gums as cigarettes?

The Dentist in Arlington TX Answers: Any kind of tobacco-smoking or chewing is a danger to your oral health. The Journal of the American Dental Association published the results of a 23-year long study, which indicated that cigar smokers experience the same rate of alveolar bone loss and tooth loss as cigarette-smokers. In addition to this, says the dentist in Arlington TX, smokers of pipes, cigars and cigarettes alike are all at the same risk of pharyngeal and oral cancers, as well as tooth discoloration, halitosis and periodontal (gum) disease. And this applies even if you don’t inhale the smoke as is frequently the case with cigar-tokers.

Question: Aren’t smokeless tobacco products safer for you?

The Dentist in Arlington TX Answers: Just like cigarettes and cigars, smokeless tobacco products like chewing tobacco and snuff, contain a whole lot of chemicals that have been shown to cause cancer of the mouth, throat and esophagus. In fact, says the dentist in Arlington TX, many chewing tobacco products contain greater amounts of nicotine than cigarettes! This not only makes it more dangerous for people to enjoy, but also more addictive. One tin of snuff delivers more nicotine than three standard packets of cigarettes!

Other reasons to stay away from snuff and chewing tobacco include:

• They irritate the gum tissue, says the dentist in Arlington TX, causing it to become inflamed and to recede abnormally from the crowns of the teeth. This exposes the vulnerable roots underneath, which not only contributes to an unaesthetic smile, but is also very dangerous for the health of the tooth as a whole.

• Exposed roots provide opportunities for bacteria to migrate deep down into the gums, increasing the risk of infection and disease.

• Exposed roots are also more sensitive to temperature extremes, explains the dentist in Arlington TX.

• Chewing tobacco contains quite a bit of sugar, which causes tooth decay. The American Dental Association found that people who chewed tobacco were four times more susceptible to decay than those that didn’t.

• Smokeless tobacco contains grit and sand, says the dentist in Arlington TX, which contributes to the erosion of your dental enamel.

Question: How can I quit using tobacco?

The Dentist in Arlington TX Answers: Tobacco-use is not only a physical addiction; it’s a psychological one too. As such, different people will experience greater success using different methods to kick the habit. Here are some tips from the dentist in Arlington TX. Singularly, they may not prove to be effective, but used together will certainly help you cope with the various stages of physical and psychological withdrawal. At the end of the day, says the dentist in Arlington TX, you must quit for you and for your health.

• Set a date to quit and stick to it. Try to co-ordinate this date with a period of low stress.

• Tell your co-workers, family members and friends about your initiative to quit smoking, advise the dentist in Arlington TX; even if you are afraid that you may fail. Their help and support will prove crucial.

• Ask the doctor or dentist in Arlington TX about any nicotine replacement products that may help with the initial withdrawal symptoms. There are even certain medications designed to help people quit, but don’t use these without your doctor’s advice.

• Remove all evidence of your past addiction from your car, office and home. These include lighters, ashtrays, cigarette boxes and, of course, tobacco!

• Develop new routines that take you away from the places you use to go and smoke, says the dentist in Arlington TX. For example, go to a different coffee shop during lunch break, avoid the pub while you’re in the throes of breaking away from the addiction and start getting out more. Get away from your old life for a bit, advises the dentist in Arlington TX. Gym more often, go on walks, go to the movies and stay away from smoke-friendly environments. Exercise! It’ll make you feel alive!

• When those craving come crashing in, practice the four D’s:

i. Delay: cravings usually pass in five to ten minutes.

ii. Drink water: this can actually satiate your cravings. It’s also very good for you!

iii. Do something else: distract yourself and keep yourself busy.

iv. Deep breathing: relax and center yourself. Oxygenate your body.

This two part article series discusses the four pillars of good dental health care: (1) preventative, (2) restorative, (3) periodontal health and (4) cosmetic dentistry.

Welcome back to our two-part series on Arlington family dentistry and understanding the four fundamental spheres of modern dental health care. In our previous article post, the dentist in Arlington provided a brief overview of the preventative measures and the various restorative and corrective procedures and treatments that are generally offered. In this article post, we shall move on to discussing the importance of good periodontal care and then the incredible solutions provided by modern cosmetic procedures.

The Dentist in Arlington: Periodontal Health Care

When you brush your teeth (hopefully at least twice a day and for two minutes at a time), the focus is primarily on scrubbing those pearly whites. Few people think of brushing their teeth as looking after their gums… and yet, the gums are just as important a part of your home oral hygiene routine as your teeth are! “Periodontal healthcare is fundamental to the preservation of long term oral health and smile aesthetics,” says the dentist in Arlington.

According to Arlington family dentistry statistics, as many as 80% of all people present with some form or stage of periodontal infection or disease. “The problem is that oral bacterial infections of the gums (peri – ‘around’; dontal – the ‘teeth’) in the initial stages tend to present with symptoms that can quite easily be ignored,” says the dentist in Arlington. These symptoms might include one or more of the following:

• Gum inflammation and swelling
• Bleeding gums when brushing or eating hard and crunchy foods
• Chronic bad breath
• Visible deposits of plaque and tartar on the teeth and around the gum margins
• Tooth discoloration
• Loose teeth

It’s only when oral lesions and tooth loss become a problem that patients decide to finally seek the attention of the dentist in Arlington. Periodontal healthcare is concerned with the treatment of bacterial infection of the gums surrounding the teeth; a condition that is generally a result of smoking, poor oral hygiene, certain medications and/or one’s genetic heritage. By keeping the gums and the gingival sulci clear of infection, the dentist in Arlington will not only help you improve markedly upon the longevity of a your beautiful smile, but your general health too!

Arlington Family Dentistry: Cosmetic Procedures for Great Smile Aesthetics

While it is the priority of the dentist in Arlington to maintain an exceptional standard of oral health and hygiene, they also offer a variety of procedures and treatments designed to exclusively improve upon the natural beauty of one’s smile! You may have a perfectly healthy set of teeth, but, due to genetics or a lifelong love of coffee, your pearly whites may be a more undesirable shade of yellow. A dulled smile can quite easily be treated by the dentist in Arlington with tooth whitening or bleaching treatment, while porcelain veneers or bonding can be used to address more severe cases of tooth discoloration and unevenness. Dental crowns are also used in Arlington family dentistry to reshape teeth that have become very worn down and/or broken, giving patients a dazzlingly healthy smile worthy of the red carpet.

A Final Note from the Dentist in Arlington

No matter what your oral problem, ailment or complaint, establishing and maintaining a lifelong relationship with the dentist in Arlington will ensure that you keep your smile healthy and looking beautiful for life!

This four-part article series answers the questions frequently asked by patients interested in cosmetically improving the symmetry, color or shape of their teeth.

Back to find out more about what the cosmetic dentist in Arlington can do for your smile? In this article, the second installment of our four-part series, we shall continue answering more of the questions frequently asked by patients who feel that their teeth and/or gums could benefit from the procedures or treatments offered by the cosmetic dentist in Arlington.

FAQ: My teeth are healthy, but they aren’t shaped nicely. Their edges are and always have been somewhat jagged, making my smile unattractive. What would the cosmetic dentist in Arlington recommend?

Answer:Not everyone is born with perfectly straight and even teeth. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that your teeth are unhealthy, or unhealthier than someone who does have beautiful teeth, it can affect the quality of your smile. If the crowns of your teeth are jagged and uneven, as opposed to smooth and straight, you could be considered a candidate for dental veneers, says the cosmetic dentist in Arlington. A veneer is a wafer-thin shell of ceramic material that is custom made to fit the shape of your teeth; jagged edges, chips, cracks and all! During its fabrication, the veneer is made to fill out these imperfections in the tooth structure. Once the cosmetic dentist in Arlington has bonded the veneer to the front of the tooth or teeth requiring restoration (using very hard cement), the result will be a perfectly even and straight tooth! Catherine Zeta-Jones’ smile is a great example of the wonders porcelain veneers are capable of.

The cosmetic dentist in Arlington also uses porcelain veneers to:

• Make short stubby teeth appear longer,

• Camouflage heavy discoloration and staining of the dental enamel,

• Fill in chips and cracks in the tooth structure, and

• Fill in large spaces between teeth.

FAQ: One of my teeth was quite badly damaged in a car accident. I’m scared that the cosmetic dentist in Arlington will want to pull the tooth. Are there any other treatment options?

Answer:It is always the priority of the cosmetic dentist in Arlington to preserve your natural teeth rather than just pull them and replace them with a bridge or a dental implant. No amount of fancy or sophisticated technology can rival the durability and resilience of your own pearly whites! The only circumstance under which the cosmetic dentist in Arlington will recommend the extraction of the tooth is if he or she simply cannot save it. There are, thankfully, many things the dentist can do to rescue a heavily damaged tooth.

First of all, X-rays will be taken to help cosmetic dentist in Arlington diagnose the extent of the damage done to the tooth. If the pulp chamber has become infected, he or she will need to extract the nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue that make up the insides of your tooth before sterilizing and filling it with cement. This is essentially a root canal procedure and will be performed under a local anesthetic. The cosmetic dentist in Arlington will then remove the affected and/or decayed portion of the hard tooth structure, file the remaining tooth down to a nub and use molds of your teeth to have a ceramic tooth crown made for you (see image below).

FAQ: My teeth have become quite badly discolored. What procedures are offered by professionals in cosmetic dentistry in Arlington?

Answer:If a standard teeth whitening or deep bleaching treatments are insufficient to remove staining and discoloration, you could have porcelain veneers placed on your teeth. These, explains the cosmetic dentist in Arlington, are wonderful restorations for hiding the damage done to the dental enamel as a result of years’ worth of heavy smoking, coffee-drinking and other deleterious habits.

Cosmetic Dentist in Arlington: Stay Tuned

To read more FAQs from the cosmetic dentist in Arlington, stay tuned for the third installment of this four-part article series!

This article takes a closer look at tooth extractions, what necessitates them and why patients shouldn’t be terrified.

There are, understandably, few prospects more terrifying than being told by the dentist in Arlington Texas that you need to have a tooth pulled. This just about epitomizes everything we find scary about our bi-annual dental appointments and before we can talk ourselves out of our panic, images from Hollywood movies involving pliers and maniacal dentists begin flashing before our eyes. The fear and anxiety caused by requiring a tooth extraction is, of course, totally disproportionate to the nature of the procedure, explains the dentist in Arlington Texas. Long gone are the days when teeth were pulled using bulky and aggressive-looking equipment with only a lick of strong brandy to dull the pain (or at least the patient’s perspective of pain.) Nowadays, local anesthesia and post-procedural pain-killers remove the one element that patients most fear: pain. So, let’s take a look at tooth extractions; perhaps the most misunderstood of all the procedures offered by the dentist Arlington Texas.

Ask the Dentist in Arlington Texas: Why are Tooth Extractions Necessary?

The dentist in Arlington Texas will do everything in his/her power to save a tooth that has become damaged or decayed. And this is because no amount of sophisticated modern tooth replacement technology can rival the strength, durability and resilience of your own natural teeth. Not even dental implants. But there are certain circumstances in which a tooth extraction becomes unavoidable, says the dentist in Arlington Texas:

• The tooth has sustained too much physical trauma (perhaps from a car accident) to be restored using a dental crown.

• Too great a portion of the tooth structure has become decayed for it to be restored.

• A root canal procedure has failed to prevent bacteria from re-infecting the insides of the tooth.

• Emerging wisdom teeth that have become impacted or infected.

• Overcrowding of the dental arch, requiring one or more teeth to be pulled to make more space.

• Loose milk teeth that have become decayed.

For all these reasons, the dentist in Arlington Texas may decide it to be in the best interests of your oral health and comfort to extract the tooth and have it replaced with a dental implant or bridge. In the case of wisdom teeth and overcrowding, replacements aren’t necessary.

Ask the Dentist in Arlington Texas: Will it Hurt?

Naturally, a patient’s most immediate concern is pain. But fear not, the dentist in Arlington Texas won’t pull a tooth unless the area has been completely numbed first. For more complex cases of wisdom tooth extraction, you may undergo general anesthesia to allow the dentist in Arlington Texas to surgically remove the tooth structure from the jaw. Analgesics, or pain-killers, will be prescribed to deal effectively with any post-procedural pain or discomfort, but this is very rarely a problem with most straight-forward tooth extractions. If you suffer from acute dental anxiety, ask the dentist in Arlington Texas about his or her recommendations for oral sedation. By popping an anti-anxiety pill (usually of the Benzodiazepine variety) an hour or so before your appointment, you can enjoy a much more tolerable experience in the dentist’s chair! Just make sure that you arrange a lift to and from your appointment!

The Dentist in Arlington Texas: A Final Note on Tooth Extractions

Tooth extractions are one of the most straight-forward and least traumatic of all the procedures offered by the dentist in Arlington Texas. It is the overall goal of this simple and quick procedure to protect your oral health and with the availability of anesthesia, there really is nothing to fear.