A healthy gum line is consistent along an entire arch of teeth, without a lot of variation in the height of the gum line from one tooth to another. With receding gums, the gums often look red or darker pink and inflamed and the gum line looks lower or higher around some teeth than their neighbors.

Consequences of gum recession include:

• Increased sensitivity – Receding gums can expose the root of your tooth, which is more sensitive than the crown of the tooth. You may become more sensitive to hot, cold, and sweets.
• Risk of decay – A recession can increase the risk of decay by exposing more vulnerable parts of your tooth.

Receding gums can have multiple causes, the most serious of which is gum disease, called periodontal disease by dentists. In a patient with healthy gums, the gums are snugly attached to teeth. In patients with gum disease, infection occurs in pockets between the gums and tooth, making it hard for the two to stick together, even after the infection is removed. This can lead to gum recession.

Other causes of gum disease include:

• Old age – Your gums naturally recede very gradually as you age.
• Poor oral hygiene – Bad brushing, flossing and eating habits can lead to both gum recession and gum disease. Ask us for tips if you have trouble caring for your mouth consistently at home.
• Medical conditions – Chronic illnesses or conditions such as diabetes can contribute to gum recession.
• Aggressive brushing – If you brush too hard or use a hard or medium bristle toothbrush, you can cause gum recession by force. We can help you reassess your brushing habits if you notice recession.
• Teeth grinding – The excessive force caused by grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw has been linked to gum recession. We can treat and diagnose this condition to help mitigate problems.

The most important thing to know about gum recession is that it can’t be reversed. Extreme cases can be fixed surgically using tissue grafts, but we’d prefer that none of our patients ever reach that advanced stage. Like most dental conditions, prevention is the best approach. Keeping good oral hygiene habits, a healthy diet, and visiting us regularly for checkups are key to keeping your gums from receding.

The post WHAT CAUSES GUM RECESSION first appeared on Heritage Lane Dental.

Molars – The Millstone of the Mouth

Molars are large teeth that are at the back of your mouth, on both the top and bottom jaws. They are wide and flat compared to front teeth, with a bumpy surface that looks like little mountains and valleys. The function of molars is to mash up food so it’s easier to swallow. Therefore, it makes sense that the word molar comes from the Latin word mole, which means millstone. For those who don’t happen to be millers or farmers, a millstones are large textured stones that are used to process cereal crops, such as wheat or barley. Just as a mill grinds grains into meal, your molars grind food into smaller pieces that your digestive system can handle.

Canines – Relic of a Wild Past

Canines are front teeth that are slightly larger, more pointed, and longer than the other front teeth that they flank. Canines are also known as fangs or eye teeth. Humans have canines on both their top and bottom jaws, but the top ones tend to be more prominent. We share canines with many other mammals, particularly dogs. The word canine comes from the Latin word canis, which means dog. The purpose of canines is to hold food and rip it apart. As humans and their food sources have evolved, there is less need for ripping food (tearing meat off bone, for example), so our canines are much smaller than other mammals who lived in the wild more recently. By the way, the term eye teeth comes from the fact that the teeth align under the eyes on most people.

Bicuspids – A Double Purpose

Bicuspids, which are often called premolars (especially by the dentist), are located between your canines and your molars in your upper and lower jaws. The word cusp is another word for point, and the prefix bi- means two. Therefore, bicuspid means “two points”. Each of your bicuspids (you have 8) indeed has two points. The function of bicuspids is also twofold. With half as many points as molars and twice as many as canines, your bicuspids can do a little bit of the job that these other teeth do. Bicuspids can be used to grind food, but also to clench and rip it.

Whenever you visit us, whether for a cleaning or a crown, never be too shy to ask questions about the words we use. We love it when patients ask questions and show an interest in how their smiles function. We believe the more a patient knows, the better their oral health will be!

The post HOW YOUR TEETH GOT THEIR NAMES first appeared on Heritage Lane Dental.

Teeth get stains and change color for various reasons. Bad habits like smoking and eating and drinking staining foods like tea, coffee and wine can all lead to surface stains. Though they look smooth, teeth actually have microscopic “pores” that can hold onto the staining compounds in these foods, causing them to brown or yellow over time. Some of these stains can be deeper and more stubborn than others.

All toothpaste work by using a mild abrasive. The most common abrasive in toothpaste is baking soda or something similar. The abrasives in toothpaste are intended to help remove plaque and debris. Whitening toothpaste goes one step further by using a stronger abrasive to remove microscopic layers of tooth enamel, thereby removing the stains on the enamel.

If this sounds like it can be rough on your tooth enamel, you’re right. When used regularly, whitening toothpaste can remove surface stains. However, because they’re tougher than normal toothpaste, they aren’t recommended for people who already have weak enamel or sensitive teeth. If you start to experience tooth sensitivity to hot or cold after using a whitening toothpaste, we advise that you stop using it and switch to a regular toothpaste that isn’t labelled “whitening” or ask us about using a toothpaste intended for sensitive teeth or weak enamel.

In contrast to a whitening toothpaste that removes enamel, teeth whitening products such as over-the-counter strips or custom kits that we provide, work entirely differently. Rather than remove tooth structure, these products use chemicals like hydrogen peroxide to penetrate those “pores” in your tooth enamel and dissolve tooth stain compounds. While teeth bleaching can cause sensitivity in some people just like whitening toothpaste, it is much more effective at whitening teeth.

With whitening toothpaste, you can only expect to whiten your teeth by one shade at most. With professional teeth whitening and whitening kits, you can expect three or more shades of lightening, depending on how discolored your teeth are, to begin with. If you’re interested in whitening your teeth, please ask us for a recommendation on the best products for you.

The post HOW EFFECTIVE IS WHITENING TOOTHPASTE? first appeared on Heritage Lane Dental.

Traditional braces consist of brackets that are fixed on each tooth using special dental cement, a curved wire that snaps into channels in those brackets, and bands that go around the brackets to keep the wire secure. Together, the wires and brackets put constant gentle pressure on the teeth that slowly move them into the desired position.

As the braces start to shift your teeth into their new positions two processes begin. On the side of your tooth that’s toward the direction, it is moving, your bone cells start to dissolve bone. On the opposite side, in the gap left where the tooth used to be, the bone cells start rebuilding bone. The dissolving of bone takes just a few days to complete but the rebuilding can take months, which is one of the reasons treatment times are counted in months, not days or weeks.

Braces are typically worn for a minimum of six months or a maximum of several years. The treatment process takes so long because the braces are essentially moving your teeth through your jawbone very, very slowly. Throughout treatment, the dentist will re-shape wires or replace them with wires of a new, stiffer material to fine-tune tooth positioning. Other orthodontic appliances such as rubber bands, springs, or headgear might be added depending on your treatment needs.

Once treatment is finished and the braces are removed, your new smile isn’t set in stone (or bone). You will need to wear a retainer every day at first, and at night for several years, to discourage your teeth from going back to their old positions.

If you’re curious about braces for either cosmetic or oral health reasons, please contact us.

The post HOW BRACES WORK first appeared on Heritage Lane Dental.

Old Fillings and Crowns

If you’ve had teeth repaired with fillings or crowns in the past, you should be aware that tooth decay can undermine these repairs to the point that they need replacement. Without diligent dental hygiene habits and regular checkups, cavities can form near fillings and crowns, causing them to loosen or fit poorly, which in turn makes them more vulnerable to further decay. If you have crowns or fillings that are many years old, talk to the dentist about whether they might need to be replaced to ensure the teeth they’re on stay safe and strong.

Yellowing teeth

Teeth naturally get more yellow as you age. The soft dentin layer on the inside of your teeth yellows with time, which wouldn’t be a problem except that the semi-translucent outer layer of enamel also thins, revealing this yellow color. Pair this with a lifetime of enjoying tea, coffee, cola or wine, and you have a recipe for a duller smile. Luckily, professional teeth whitening treatments and store-bought teeth whitening products can help with this discoloration, they just won’t be as effective as when you were younger. Everyone’s teeth are different, so be sure to ask us which method would be the best teeth whitening choice for you

Missing Teeth

Tooth loss, whether due to gum disease or other dental problems, is a common challenge for older adults. Dentures (or false teeth) used to be the go-to solution for replacing teeth, but luckily dental technology has advanced to allow better options. Dental implants are the best solution for replacing teeth because unlike dentures that rest on top of the gums, implants have an artificial titanium root that is fused with the jawbone. This makes replacement teeth more secure, easier to bite with, and can prevent the bone loss that is inevitable with dentures. They are also hybrid treatments that use several implants to secure a denture, making it more comfortable and more affordable than a complete set of implant-secured crowns. If having missing teeth is impacting your ability to smile, eat, or talk, please talk to us about the many custom solutions available with today’s dentistry.

The post TOP DENTAL CONCERNS FOR SENIORS first appeared on Heritage Lane Dental.

Ready for a quick dental vocabulary lesson? The two types of dental stains are called extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic stains affect the outside layer of your tooth, i.e. the external part of the tooth. Intrinsic stains affect the inside layers of your tooth, i.e. the internal part of the tooth.

Extrinsic stains are caused by the food you eat and the beverages you drink. Some of the major culprits are coffee, tea, berries, wine and dark-colored sodas, such as cola. Unfortunately, many of us are in the habit of consuming at least one of these things on a daily basis, which is one of the reasons tooth whitening is such a popular treatment!

Extrinsic stains can be removed using both drugstore teeth whitening products and professional teeth whitening from the dentist. Both work by bleaching stains on the tooth enamel and the big difference in effectiveness is how quickly you get results. Which option you choose depends on your budget, timing and how severe the staining is.

Intrinsic stains occur as your teeth are developing. If a woman takes tetracycline antibiotics in the second half of her pregnancy her baby may end up having discolored teeth. The same is true of children who take tetracycline before age 8. Excessive exposure to fluoride as a child can also cause stains. Certain congenital conditions can also affect the color of teeth.

Because we can’t expose the insides of teeth and change their color, intrinsic stains cannot be removed with traditional teeth whitening. The best solution for white teeth for intrinsic stains is to cover the teeth with either veneers or cosmetic bonding. The added benefit of both treatments is that they allow you to also change the shape and size of your teeth if you wish.

If you’re interested in teeth whitening, let us know so we can determine which type of staining your teeth have and recommend the best treatment for the results you want.

The post THE 2 TYPES OF TOOTH STAINS & HOW WE DEAL WITH THEM first appeared on Heritage Lane Dental.

Pamper Your Gums by Flossing

When you go get a massage, you can expect a lot of benefits other than just feeling pampered. Getting a massage increases blood flow to your tissues, which means more nutrients coming in and more waste being taken away. How about adding a massage session for your gums to your routine? In addition to physically removing debris and plaque, flossing can increase circulation in your gums, much like a massage. If you have trouble motivating yourself to floss, try thinking of it as a massage session for your gums. We bet you’ll have a new appreciation for that tingly just-flossed feeling in your gums afterward.

Make Oral Hygiene a Sensory Experience

If you’ve ever used scented candles, essential oils, or herbal tea to stimulate your senses, you should consider applying the same sensory experience to your oral hygiene routine. There is no rule that says that your toothpaste has to be mint-flavored, it just happens to be a flavor that most people associate with freshness, which makes it popular. You can make brushing your teeth more of an adventure for your senses by using an alternative toothpaste flavor, such as citrus, cinnamon, or fennel. There are even novelty flavors out there like bacon and cupcake. Whatever sensory experience you choose, just be sure the toothpaste contains fluoride.

Pretend Your Cleaning Appointment Is a Spa Visit

We know this one may sound like a bit of a stretch at first, but going to your regular dental checkup and teeth cleaning and going to the spa really aren’t that different. Instead of a cushioned massage table, you get a comfy recliner chair. You have a team of specialists giving you one-on-one attention and looking after your wellbeing. You can even think of your teeth cleaning and polishing as a facial for your smile. After all, both involve cleansing to remove potentially harmful debris and improved aesthetics. Feel free to bring along your favorite soothing music (and a set of headphones) to enjoy during your appointment. Or, if you can manage it, imagine the sound of the tooth polisher is the rush of a mountain waterfall or the crashing surf at the coast.

Think of Your Oral Health Holistically

While you go to a physician to look after your body and a dentist to look after your mouth, the truth is that these two elements of your health are inextricably linked. Your mouth is the gateway to your body and what happens there affects your overall health. Paying proper attention to your oral health can mean improvements in other aspects of your health. A little attention and prevention go a long way!

The post HOW TO MAKE ORAL HEALTH PART OF YOUR SELF-CARE ROUTINE first appeared on Heritage Lane Dental.

Body tension is one of the most common symptoms of stress and poses a threat to your pearly whites. You may find yourself grinding or clenching your teeth during stressful moments. Teeth grinding puts you at risk of cracking, breaking or even losing your teeth. If it is consistent and severe, you may notice that the tips of your teeth are flattened and that your tooth enamel has worn away in some areas, leaving your teeth sensitive and vulnerable to damage.

There’s also a chance you grind your teeth and don’t even know it! Many patients wake up with headaches and sore jaws—two telltale signs of sleep-time teeth grinding. Your dentist may need to prescribe an oral appliance called a nightguard to wear while you sleep. Like other kinds of mouthguards, a night guard acts as a barrier between your teeth. It is an effective way to prevent damage from grinding, but it won’t stop the grinding or its root cause.

Stress can also cause trouble for your jaw. High body tension and teeth grinding/clenching can strain the joints that connect your jaw to your skull. This can lead to temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). Signs of TMD include difficulty opening your mouth, clicking or popping noises when moving your jaw, pain while chewing and headaches. In most cases, TMD is a short-term problem that goes away with time, but it is important to see your dentist for the right solution. If the cause is stress, you can deal with your TMD symptoms at home.

Relaxation techniques are the key to giving your teeth a break. Two simple (and free!) activities to ease body tension are breathing exercises and meditation. Daily exercise will also help regulate anxiety. You should avoid caffeine because it can cause teeth grinding/clenching and can also raise your stress levels. Counselling can also help you find new stress management strategies.

If stress is affecting your teeth, you should make de-stressing part of your daily dental hygiene. Take some you-time! We can help you maintain the best possible level of dental care, but it is up to you to take care of your oral and emotional health needs between visits to the dentist. Don’t worry—we’re always rooting for you!

Both your health and your comfort are important to us as caregivers, and we know they often affect each other. That is why we do everything we can to provide personalized care in a relaxing environment. We encourage you to treat yourself and your dental health with the same level of respect that we do.

The post STRESS CAN WREAK HAVOC ON YOUR TEETH first appeared on Heritage Lane Dental.

While your at-home dental hygiene routine may change a little while you have braces (we’ll do a separate post with tips about that), your in-office dental routine should not. What we mean is, just because you have braces doesn’t mean you don’t have to come in for your cleaning.

This is a surprisingly common misconception. Many patients (or their parents) think that because they are going in for orthodontic checkups on a regular basis that they don’t have to see the dentist or hygienist for a cleaning. If anything goes wrong, the orthodontist will take care of it, right?

Well, certainly the orthodontist will tell you if they see something that isn’t right, but rather than take this reactive approach, it’s much better to be proactive about your oral hygiene when you have braces.

During orthodontic treatment there is a lot of hardware in your mouth, and all those brackets and wires create new nooks and crannies and corners for plaque and tartar to build up. Certain kinds of dental gunk are too stubborn for your toothbrush and floss to handle: you’ll need a professional cleaning at the dentist to get rid of these deposits. If they are not cleaned off properly, you could end up with staining and discoloration, not to mention cavities, that will ruin the perfect smile you’ve waited so long for.

So while you may be getting a lot of attention from the dentist during your orthodontic appointments, you still need regular checkups in order to keep your teeth clean and healthy. You should maintain your usual interval of teeth cleaning visits. The dentist may ask that you come in more often than usual while you have braces. In the end, a few extra visits to the dentist will be well worth it when you see your new smile!

The post TEETH CLEANINGS WITH BRACES first appeared on Heritage Lane Dental.

First, the basics. A nightguard is a mouthguard that is worn at night while sleeping by patients who clench and grind their teeth, a condition called bruxism. Repeated stresses of bruxism can eventually cause cracked and damaged teeth. Wearing a nightguard prevents this damage. A sports guard is a mouthguard that is worn during sports to protect the mouth and face from injuries from impacts or accidents. By the way, mouthguards aren’t just for contact sports. We recommend them to athletes of all ages, from gymnasts to mountain bikers.

Store-bought, over-the-counter mouthguards are attractive because they are more affordable and quick to get. However, this convenience and affordability do come with some downsides. Stock mouthguards that are pre-formed into an arch shape come in limited sizes, so it can be tricky to get a good fit. Boil-and-bite mouthguards that can be heat-molded to your teeth are more comfortable, but they are also thinner and less durable. They wear down faster and will need to be replaced fairly soon.

By contrast, custom mouthguards from the dentist are more precise and therefore more comfortable. To create a mouthguard, we’ll first take an impression of your mouth and make a mold of it. From the mold we make a ceramic model of your teeth that a mouthguard is formed over, using high-tech durable plastic. The exact material depends on whether it is a sports guard or a mouthguard. Sports guards can usually be made in custom colors so you can pick your favorite or show your team spirit.

Because they are so precisely fitted, custom mouthguards from the dentist are much more comfortable. We find that patients who have a comfortable mouthguard are much more likely to wear it! And wearing a mouthguard is key to avoiding an emergency dentist visit!

The post YES, CUSTOM MOUTHGUARDS REALLY ARE BETTER first appeared on Heritage Lane Dental.