Are your young child's teeth turning dark or chalky looking? He or she may be experiencing signs of tooth decay. Very young children can get decay from being put to bed with a bottle of milk or juice. This is called "baby bottle mouth" Even children as young as 6 months to a year old can develop cavities this way. To prevent this, use a bottle with plain water only at bedtime. if you notice signs of decay, take your child to the dentist -- it's never too early to start practicing prevention and the ADA now recommends that children have a Dental Home by the age of 1 1/2 years.
Have you noticed that your teeth are getting smoother or are chipping? Maybe your spouse has told you that you were grinding grinding your teeth at night, or your jaw is tired in the morning like you've been chewing gum for 8 hours. You may very well be grinding or "bruxing" your teeth. This habit can not only cause excessive wear on your teeth, but can damage your TMJ joint and cause chewing pain and headaches. If you suspect this, mention it to your dentist and it may be recommended that you be fitted with a "bruxing splint" or nighttime mouthguard. This will protect your teeth and oftentimes help to relax your chewing muscles and break the habit. The bruxing may also be a sign of a more serious problem, so don't igonre the signs -- have it checked out.
Are you brushing your young child's teeth daily? It may seem like a silly question to some, but many parents don't think to brush their infant's teeth on a daily basis. Problems can begin early and prevention is the best medicine. A child's diet also should have very limited amounts of sugar to help prevent cavities. Restoring cavities in a young child is difficult for the child and dentist alike, and can be very costly if sedation is required. So take the time and see to it that your child's teeth are clean, and get them used to good oral hygiene habits at an early age.
Do you realize that the average 16 oz. bottle of soda pop may have as much as 13 teaspoons of sugar in it? Far and away the biggest cause of tooth decay and tooth loss today is associated with overuse of soda pop product. Even sport and energy drinks have very high sugar and citric acid contents and can easily cause severe cavities to start. Diet sodas, while they don't have sugar, still have a high acid content and can cause cavities as well if over used.Carefully read the and try to substitue sugar free products as much as possible.
Do you have a space between your front teeth, or one or two overlapping teeth that are keeping you from having the smile of your dreams? Today, it's easy to reallign minor spacing and crowding by using bracketless and wireless braces. By wearing a series of clear "retainers" or alligners, you can move your teeth in as few as 3 months without using unsightly braces. Sciascia Dental utilizes two systems "Red, White, and Blue" and "Simpli 5" alligners to create beautiful smiles.
Nothing can take the place of a healthy set of teeth, but when disease or accident ends in tooth loss, it's good to know that there are options for restoring your smile without having to wear removable partials or dentures. Today there is a better alternative -- dental implants. Dental implants replace the natural root of the tooth so that the replacement tooth is not connected to or dependent on the adjacent teeth. They are a permanent solution, natural looking and feeling Talk to the staff at Sciascia Dental to see if you are a good candidate.
Do you wear dentures that are loose, causing embarassing moments at lunch with your friends? Do you have to use adhesive to keep them in? If so, you may only need a simple reline to readapt your denture to the changes that your mouth has undergone since the dentures were made. Your mouth changes very gradually after you lose your teeth and can cause your dentures to slip and become loose and your face to actually change shape. You will appear older than you really are and chewing may become more difficult which can put a strain on your chewing muscles and TMJ joint. If the denture is very old, then maybe it's time to treat yourself to a new set of teeth.
An alternative to loose dentures are Implant Supported dentures in which a dentist places Dental Implants into your jaw to use as anchors to support your denture. The denture snaps into place giving you a better fit and restoring your confidence. Dr. Sciascia and his staff would be happy to examine you and see if Dental Implants could be a solution to your denture problems. The whole process is much easier than you would imagine and virtually pain free.
Do your gums bleed? If so, that may be a sign that you have gum or "periodontal disease". Periodontal disease starts with bleeding gums, sometimes associated with bad breath and soreness, but often not. The disease can progess until it causes the bone which supports the teeth to deteriorate resulting in the loosening of teeth. Periodontal disease is preventable and it can be treated, but early detection is your best chance of saving your teeth from this disease. Dr. Sciascia and his skilled hygienists make the prevention and treatment of periodontal disease a priority in our office. See them for a consultation if you notice bleeding when you brush your teeth.
Do you have the brilliant smile that you really want? Are you self-conscious because your teeth are discolored, chipped or a little out of alignment? Or do you have nice straight perfectly shaped teeth that just need to be brightened up a little. If so, perhaps you are a candidate for Dental Veneers to cover-up some malformities in your teeth or maybe they just need to be whitened by Tooth Bleaching. Dr. Sciascia has been helping patients achieve the smile of their dreams for over 27 years and can suggest what it will take to let you smile with confidence again.
Are sensitive teeth keeping you from enjoying the pleasures of an ice cream cone or your favorite beverage on a hot summer's day? There may be an easy solution. Sometimes tooth sensitivity is the result of cracked or leaky fillings or exposed roots due to gum recession. Sometimes teeth are just sensitive for no apparent reason. Whatever the case there may be a simple solution. Your teeth should be examined to be sure that there are no underlying problems like cavities or cracked fillings, and if so, then they may be able to be easily restored. Otherwise, if the teeth are apparently healthy, then there are several products that Dr. Sciascia could apply to your teeth or recommend that you purchase over the counter that could make life more enjoyable for you again.
