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Best Christmas Gifts for Healthy Teeth!

December 1st, 2016

Best Christmas Gifts for Health TeethForget the gingerbread men, the fruitcakes, the candy canes and the champagne. This year, give your loved ones the gifts that will undo the effects of unhealthy holiday eating and drinking! Fancy toothbrushes and whitening treatments can be pricey so if you’re feeling generous this holiday season, give someone a gift that will keep giving: the gift of healthy teeth and gums!

Sonicare Electric Toothbrush

There are many players in the electric toothbrush game, but Sonicare remains the top name in the field. We always recommend the Sonicare Electric Toothbrush to our patients. Sonicare, created by Phillips, has at least ten different brushes for every budget and everyone in the family.

The DiamondClean electric toothbrush is top of the line with multiple brush heads and power modes, wireless charging, a travel case, and a variety of color options. Kids can begin to build healthy dental hygiene habits with Sonicare for Kids, featuring a Coaching App and stickers. Sonicare is the electric toothbrush most recommended by dentists, including us! With regular use, the brand boasts you’ll have healthier gums in just two weeks.

Zoom Teeth Whitening Treatment

Phillips continues to dominate the oral health market with its Zoom Whitening Treatments. Zoom treatments are professional whitening treatments administered by a dental professional or prepared by the dentist for home use. The treatments are effective, and results are instant – up to 8 shades whiter in just 45 minutes! Take a look at our patients’ before and after photos here!

There are different treatment options based on each individual’s needs and budget. If your loved one wants to whiten their teeth, giving them the gift of perfectly white teeth is a great option for this holiday season! Contact us to learn more!

Oral Probiotics

Probiotics have seen an increase in popularity in recent years. But they’re not just good for a healthy gut. Oral probiotics can help increase the health of oral biofilm for a healthier mouth. Unlike the probiotics for healthy digestion and immunity that can be found in certain foods, oral probiotics from healthy live strains can only be found in specific supplements.

These supplements work best in children to set up a healthy oral environment early on and in people who already follow good overall oral hygiene practices. They usually come in the form of lozenges that are dissolved in the mouth and are distributed by dental offices. They could be a great addition to another in-office gift like a whitening treatment! Learn more by giving us a call!

Travel Dental Hygiene Kit

A travel dental hygiene kit can make a fantastic gift. If you know someone who’s traveling over the holidays, gift it in advance to keep their teeth shiny and strong throughout their travels. Travel dental kits usually include travel size toothbrushes and toothpaste, mouthwash, and dental floss. They come in all price points and are available at nearly any drugstore or general retailer.

Many travel dental kits come in plastic zip pouches to prevent spills or leakage into luggage. Travel dental hygiene kits contain everyday essentials for everyone, and at Christmas time, many come in festive colors and prints. They can make a great gift or a stocking stuffer!

Travel Toiletry Bag

Travel-size foldable toothbrushes and tiny toothpaste can be perfect for some travelers. But for those who like to bring their regular, full-size equipment, a travel toiletry bag with different compartments makes a great gift.

Toiletry Bags or Dopp kits come in different fabrics, sizes, and with different features. Some are large enough to accommodate an entire travel dental kit, while others feature compartments for toothbrushes and oral care items. They can be found in a variety of styles and price points – just be sure there’s a separate section specifically for dental items so they stay clean and sanitary during travel.

We wish you a very merry Christmas and holiday season! If you have any questions about your dental health during the winter, don’t hesitate to contact Water Tower Dental Care!

White Discoloration On Teeth: What It Means & How to Fix

February 18th, 2016

White Discoloration On Teeth: What It Means & How to FixEveryone hates teeth discoloration, which is why whitening strips are so popular. But what do you do when the discoloration appears in the form of white spots on your teeth? Although these spots are primarily a cosmetic concern, they can affect oral health and should be treated.

Causes

White discoloration on teeth, more common yet less discussed, are due to the demineralization and loss of enamel on the tooth. Common causes of demineralization include poor brushing habits and poor diet choices. White spots (or hypoplasia) can form in children if there is disruption in enamel formation, or if you use too much fluoride toothpaste.
When these unsightly white spots appear in adults, they are often the sign of tooth decay and plaque formation. When plaque builds up, bacteria forms that leads to demineralization, the first step in tooth decay. This can be common when braces are taken off, as plaque often builds in hard-to-reach places underneath braces (white spots are often more common in orthodontic patients).

Preventing White Discoloration

While treatments for these white spots are available (we’ll discuss these later), prevention is also possible. Here are a few easy steps you can take to prevent white spots from appearing on your teeth!

  1. Brushing well! Nothing prevents demineralization and plaque buildup better than brushing thoroughly two times a day.
  2. Flossing every night. Flossing can also help drastically reduce plaque buildup and therefore reduce those unappealing white spots!
  3. Less soda, more water.  Soda causes acidic buildup, which demineralizes your teeth faster. Drink more water to help prevent this.
  4. Eat healthy, snack less. Choosing foods that contain less sugar (and therefore less demineralizing bacteria) that break down calcium in the teeth will help prevent decalcification and the formation of white spots. Consider mineral and calcium rich foods, such as milk and cheese. Also, try to eat foods high in magnesium, as this mineral helps your body absorb and retain calcium.

Treating White Spots

Especially in orthodontic cases, white spots that form may need to be treated, despite preventive measures that were taken. Here are some of the best treatments for white spots on your teeth.

  1. Before and After Remineralization Treatment for White Discoloration on Teeth at Water Tower Dental CareBleaching your teeth. Dentists can professionally assess the damage and bleach your teeth to make these spots less visible, as well as seal enamel in order to strengthen your teeth again. At Water Tower Dental Care, we use Zoom! Teeth Whitening to bleach teeth in under an hour!
  2. Composite bonding. In this procedure, resin is molded onto your teeth, helping to conceal white spots and giving you a straighter, whiter smile.
  3. Air or microabrasion.  Consider techniques in which your dentist can remove spots by scuffing the area with abrasive material. These techniques should only be used for small to medium white spots, as too much abrasion can further damage your teeth.
  4. Topical Remineralization Therapy. These prescription toothpaste and gel treatments help remineralize your teeth faster by treating the microscopic holes causing the white spots. The photo above and to the right shows a patient of ours before and after enamel remineralization therapy.

In all, white spots are undesirable to most. While prevention is ideal, treatment is often necessary. Luckily, Water Tower Dental Care can help with this white discoloration treatment to get your teeth sparkling white again!

Getting Brighter, Whiter Teeth

August 14th, 2013

Are you tired of at-home teeth-whitening remedies that promise big results but fail to deliver? Do you want guaranteed brighter, whiter teeth? It may be time to stop trying methods that don't work and start talking to Water Tower Dental Care for a teeth-whitening experience that will bring noticeable changes.

What Causes Discolored Teeth?

teeth whitening before afterThere are two ways your teeth can become discolored.
1. When eating and drinking, your teeth attract small amounts of the food, minerals, and microorganisms onto your teeth. This sticky build up is known as plaque. The more you eat and drink, the more plaque builds up. If plaque isn't taken care of within 24 hours (by brushing and flossing), a much harder layer forms known as tartar. While plaque can be removed with a simple cleaning, tartar is much harder to handle. This is when teeth start to discolor.
Tartar is a perfect medium for further plaque build up, discoloration, and tooth decay.

2. The second way that teeth become discolored is by loss of enamel, the protective layer on your teeth that give them their shiny, white look.
Enamel is like a “force field” for your teeth, it protects from food particles and the destructive impact of chewing and grinding. However, over time enamel can wear and crack, which allows for food particles to stain and further break down the enamel.
If proper dental care and cleaning is avoided, this enamel can break down to the point that the underlying layer, a yellowish material known as dentin is seen. If your teeth are stained from exposed dentin, you have much worse problems than a yellow mouth and will need special attention to repair and clean your teeth.

How To Treat Discolored Teeth

Some tartar build up cannot be removed by just brushing your teeth; a dental appointment is necessary. First you will want to schedule a regular cleaning to help break up and remove the top layers of tartar on your teeth. The more that can be removed, the whiter your teeth will look.
Next, because even a dental cleaning can't remove all of the staining caused by tartar and diet, you will want to schedule a teeth-whitening treatment.
Tower Dental Care uses the Zoom! treatment to brighten teeth up to 8 shades. The process is quite simple: first a special pH-balanced hydrogen peroxide solution is applied to the teeth. Then we use a low-heat light to activate the solution. The light will stimulate the gel and allow it to penetrate inside the tooth's surface. This process is repeated 3 times with 15 minute intervals.

zoom teeth whitening

Of course, if you aren't comfortable with sitting in the dentist's chair too long, Water Tower Dental Care offers a take-home teeth-whitening kit using custom bleaching trays and professional strength whitening gel. Similar to the Zoom! treatment, the teeth whitening gel breaks down the toughest layers of tartar to remove any discoloration on your teeth.
As mentioned before, if the teeth are discolored from the wear down of enamel, you may have bigger problems to deal with. Enamel is essential in protecting your teeth and preventing decay. If you have lost a considerable amount of enamel on any of your teeth, your dentist may recommend porcelain or resin to protect your teeth from further damages.
Whatever shape your teeth are in, if they're discolored and you want a whiter, brighter smile, Water Tower Dental Care can help. Don't hesitate to call us and set up an appointment for a cleaning. That's the best time for us to determine the next steps to making your smile memorable.

Are At-Home Teeth Whitening Kits Worth It?

July 10th, 2013

zoom teeth whiteningFor every great, reliable method for tooth care, there are dozens of imitators and "fast-acting" methods that try to cash in on new trends. The process of teeth whitening is one of the biggest victims of this pattern. While at-home whitening techniques can work, it's hard to sift through the many different products to find the ones guaranteed to do a good job. Many products can promise whiter teeth, but don't help fix the underlying problem. Others can take so long to show a difference that you forget what your teeth first looked like to even determine a change in color.
While you may continue to ask if at-home teeth whitening is worth it while trying dozens of new products, we believe it's our duty to help you choose the best teeth whitening kits, and to tell you which don't work.

First, what doesn't work?

Toothpastes: Though there are a lot of toothpastes claiming to whiten teeth, for the most part, they don't have much effect. Though some do offer a slight change in color, this is mostly from a chemical used in the toothpaste called blue covarine which, rather that scrubbing off stains to reach the white tooth, it stains the teeth white. In a way, this is counter-active. It would be like painting over the stains on your living room walls, though they might disappear for a little bit; the stain is still there and will slowly resurface with time.
Mouthwashes: Though a lot of guarantees are given with mouthwashes that whiten teeth, again, for the most part, they're not very effective. The reason being that the hydrogen peroxide present in mouth whitening mouthwashes is not strong enough to make a lasting impression. The chemical can remove surface stains from the teeth, but not much further. Unfortunately, surface stains are the ones that come back rather quickly (through drinking coffee, red wine, smoking, etc.).
Gels: Very similar to both mouthwashes and toothpastes, gels can show results, but many of those results won't appear for over six weeks. Though they do often garner better results than both mouthwashes and toothpastes, they still are mediocre at best. The chemical combinations are not custom to your teeth as well as usually not very strong.

What does work?

Over-the-Counter Kits: The best at-home teeth whitening remedy is obtained by visiting a dentist and allowing them to prepare a take home kit for you. These are similar to gels where you use them at home for a stretch of time to garner results. The difference is that the Dentist will make you a customized mouth tray and can guide you through the steps of proper whitening.
The chemical solutions are stronger than products you can purchase at a local pharmacy and only take about two weeks to show lasting results. On average, the trays are used for one hour a day for a total of two weeks. Follow-up appointments are necessary to advise future treatments.
Water Tower Dental Care provides a great at-home whitening surface that's guaranteed to make your smile brighter. Make an appointment today for more information.

Or, Get Out of the House

Though At-Home remedies can brighten your smile, if you really want lasting results, consider making an appointment with Water Tower Dental for a team of trained professionals to take your stained teeth and make them look brand new. Using the leading whitening system, Zoom!, Water Tower Dental Care can change your teeth's color eight shades in an hour. A specific pH balanced hydrogen peroxide is applied to your teeth while a low heat light activates the solution to penetrate down to the whitest layers of your teeth. Call today to talk to one of our dental care professionals to learn more about whitening your teeth.

Is Coffee Bad For Your Teeth?

May 21st, 2013

is coffee bad for your teethLike a majority of Americans waking up early and setting off to work every morning, we enjoy a good cup of coffee to help wake us up. That shot of caffeine helps us get moving at the beginning of our day and keeps us on our toes through the afternoon. With almost daily consumption of coffee though, many of our patients ask if it's bad for their teeth. This is a hard question to answer, mostly because we enjoy drinking coffee just as much as the next person, so telling our patients that it's bad for them would make us feel just as guilty for drinking it! However, joking aside, coffee isn't the best drink for your teeth, however it's not the worst. Let's explain.

What Coffee Does To Your Teeth

Hot liquids, no matter what kind, are likely to open the pores on your teeth. When this happens, your teeth are more susceptible to damage, especially when drinking something very acidic. And guess what, coffee's level of acidity is quite high. Acidic drinks are much better at breaking down tooth enamel than base drinks like water or milk. The more your hard outer coating of enamel thins, the more the underneath layer, dentin, with its yellowish hue will be revealed.
As well, when your mouth becomes more acidic, it can breed bacteria faster. If there's one thing bacteria loves, it's acidity. Worse, the more bacteria that re-produces, the more acidic waste it produces, which then breeds more bacteria. It's a domino effect that's worth preventing. Large amounts of bacteria in your mouth can cause a range of problems from bad breath to gum disease.
Not only does coffee breed bacteria, but it can also stain your teeth very easily. Have you ever spilled coffee on your shirt or your carpet? Those stains don't come out too easily, do they? Well, the same goes for your teeth. Coffee is one of the leading causes of stained teeth (tobacco being the leading cause). When you drink coffee, the caffeine interferes with the natural saliva production process, which means it's harder to wash out the coffee in your mouth, leading to some pretty nasty stains.

How To Prevent Coffee Teeth Stains

All of this information is probably not what you want to hear. Believe us, we don't like hearing it either. However, there are solutions to helping prevent any long-term damage when drinking coffee. Follow these tips:
1. Limit Your Time With Coffee
Although it may be fun to sip your coffee all day, the longer you drink it, the more time you're giving bacteria to grow. Drink your coffee in a reasonable amount of time. Your teeth will thank you.
2. Use a Straw
If you're drinking iced coffee, or just don't mind looking a little silly, use a straw. This will allow the drink to bypass your teeth. You can still taste the coffee-goodness but miss some of the acidic and teeth-staining attributes.
3. Brush Brush Brush
After you drink your coffee, it's a good idea to brush your teeth to remove any stains and bacteria. However, obviously we don't all bring a toothbrush to the cafe, so at the very least, rinse with water.
If you're worried that your coffee habit has already stained your teeth to an unmanageable level, there's still a solution. Water Tower Dental Care offers teeth whitening that is guaranteed to eliminate those yellow and brown stains. Extremely simple and fast, we offer Zoom! Whitening which can brighten your smile up to eight shades in about an hour. It's a very easy process, first the doctor applies a special pH-balanced hydrogen peroxide solution to the surface of your teeth. Next, a special low-heat light activates the solution and brightens the teeth. It's that simple.

zoom teeth whitening

For more questions about our dental work, visit our homepage and find the dental solutions for you. We'll be happy to help.