Maintaining healthy dental habits is the best way to ensure that your teeth remain strong and healthy throughout your life. At our dental office in Denver, we help our patients follow a consistent, thorough and effective dental care plan to keep their smiles bright and perfect.

Taking Care of Your Teeth at Home

At-home care is vital for maintaining excellent oral hygiene and dental health. Brushing every day as well as daily flossing are the most effective ways to prevent decay and gum disease that can lead to tooth loss in the long term. Your dentist can help you determine what type of brush and floss are best for you. If you have mobility issues or particularly sensitive teeth, for example, different tools might work better to ensure you keep your teeth thoroughly clean and maintain the health of your gums.

It is also important to take measures to prevent injury. For example, if you play contact sports of any kind, you should wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth and jaws from injury. You should also always be prepared in case of a dental emergency, so that your teeth can be treated immediately for the best results and most thorough recovery.

Regular Care at Your Dentist’s Office

In addition to thorough, everyday care at home, you should visit your dental office at least twice a year. Your dentist will thoroughly evaluate your teeth, gums, and other oral tissues. He or she will also provide an oral cancer screening, and take X-rays to find structural problems or decay that is not immediately visible on the surfaces of the teeth.

Though it might be tempting to skip the occasional dentist appointment, it’s very important to keep your visits regular and up-to-date. Regular visits help the dentist keep track of any existing problems and determine if they are worsening so treatment can be recommend immediately.

Combining diligent at-home care with regular office visits will help you make sure your teeth and gums stay healthy for many years to come. If you are due for a dental check-up, please contact Governor’s Park Dental Group at 303-832-7789 right away for an appointment.

Xerostomia, also known as dry mouth, is an uncomfortable condition in which the mouth does not produce sufficient saliva. It can lead to a number of problems, from bad breath to increased tooth decay. Our dentist serving Downtown Denver CO treats dry mouth, and can help reduce the discomfort and other side effects associated with xerostomia.

What Causes Dry Mouth?

Dry mouth usually occurs as a symptom of another underlying problem. The most common cause of dry mouth, however, is as a side effect to certain medications. If you are experiencing dry mouth, you should consult with your dentist to determine the underlying cause.

Some systemic issues that can lead to dry mouth include:

• Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disorder
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Diabetes
• Cerebral palsy
• Thyroid problems
• Radiation therapy

If you suspect any of these issues, you should speak to a doctor and/or your dentist right away. Prompt treatment of the underlying condition will reduce the symptoms of dry mouth, as well as ensuring that any problems associated with the condition that causes the dry mouth are dealt with promptly and effectively.

Treatment for Dry Mouth

Since the most common cause of dry mouth is medication, the most common treatment is an alteration of the medication leading to the reduction in saliva production. When you visit the dental office, be sure to let the dentist know what kinds of medication you are taking. Without this knowledge, it will be difficult to determine the cause of your dry mouth symptoms.

If the dry mouth does not abate with changes in medication, or if the underlying condition will take some time to correct, other methods of treatment can help alleviate the symptoms. Saliva substitutes can be used to help moisten and lubricate the mouth, making it easier to eat and reducing the likelihood of infections or increased dental decay. Other treatments include medications to stimulate saliva production. There are also special toothpastes available that are formulated specifically to help people suffering from dry mouth.

For more information about dry mouth, its causes, and possible treatments, please contact Governor’s Park Dental Group in Downtown Denver to schedule your consultation.

When a tooth has been lost or extracted, many patients are primarily concerned with the effects on the smile’s appearance. More importantly, however, tooth loss can have a negative impact on a patient’s oral health.

Choosing dental implants in Vancouver is the best way for patients to protect their oral health against the detrimental outcomes of tooth loss.

People lose their permanent teeth for various reasons. A traumatic injury can dislodge a tooth or damage it so severely that the tooth cannot be saved. The inflammation associated with advanced periodontal disease can also attack bone and connective tissue, resulting in lost teeth. Advanced decay can also lead to a tooth’s extraction.

Regardless of the cause, tooth loss has wide-reaching effects. When a tooth is lost, the jawbone in the vicinity will eventually atrophy as well. This process can lead to further damage and the loss of additional teeth. An implant dentist can help to mitigate these issues.

Unlike alternatives like bridges and dentures, dental implants are the only tooth replacement method that mimics the entire structure of the tooth, including its root. The implant itself, a titanium screw, is able to integrate with the bone, essentially replicating the biological tooth’s root and preventing jawbone erosion.

Beyond its effects on the stability of the jawbone, tooth loss can influence other aspects of a patient’s well-being. A dental implant allows patients to maintain a normal diet. There’s no need to give up healthy foods like apples, baby carrots or celery sticks.

Although aesthetic concern is not the most important reason to replace a missing tooth with a dental implant, having a beautiful full smile does boost the self-esteem. In this way, dental implants benefit patients’ mental health, too.

If you have already lost one tooth – or more – to gum disease or decay, take steps to protect your remaining teeth even if you choose a dental implant for tooth replacement. Be sure to brush your teeth twice each day and floss daily. Good oral hygiene can prevent further tooth loss.

A dental crown is a cap, or cover, for a natural tooth in order to provide strength and stability for chewing and biting. These permanent restorations are generally made from strong noble metals with durable porcelain coatings. According to your particular needs, the crown may also be completely fabricated from porcelain or precious metals.

Crowns are typically useful in restoring teeth that are compromised due to large fillings, root canal treatments, traumatic fractures, or decay. If you believe that you could benefit from dental crowns in Denver CO, it is important to understand just how your dentist will prepare your tooth for the procedure.

Your dentist will first determine if the natural tooth is strong enough to support the crown. If a large portion of the tooth structure is missing, it can be reinforced with a permanent filling material known as a buildup or core. Your dentist will also ensure that there is enough surface area for your new crown to adhere securely.

Once your dentist has determined that the foundation for the crown is adequate, your tooth will be recontoured and reshaped. The tooth will be reduced in size on the sides and across the biting surface. At the gum line, a margin is created to allow a smooth transition from the crown to the tooth. This process of reduction will enable the natural tooth to fit completely inside the crown while also aligning with the neighboring teeth.

Following this precise preparation, an impression of the reduced tooth is obtained, and forwarded to the dental lab. In accordance with your dentist’s instructions, your new crown is designed and milled, then ready to be seated onto the designated tooth. Minor adjustments are sometimes necessary to provide a customized fit and feel.

Crowns are ideal restorations when strength and stability have been lost. Each tooth in the mouth is subjected to excessive biting forces. When the teeth can no longer support these forces, crowns can help to rebuild and reinforce. Call 303-832-7789 and schedule your appointment for dental crowns today and save your smile.