Many dentists believe that Invisilign is the best alternative for dental braces. Invisilign is popular amongst teens and adults because it is transparent and not noticeable to their peers when they are wearing them, nor does it have the potential to snag on their gums and make them bleed like the tradtional metal braces do. In fact, Invisilign has been known to progress the movement of teeth faster than the metal braces at about the same cost.

However, Invisilign is not recommended for children who still have their baby teeth, and therefore is only used on older children, teens, and most adults. Parents are advised to monitor their child’s usage of Invisalign as there is a 22 hour wear committment, and children are prone to forgetting to put the device back in once they’ve finished eating.

Your dentist will be able to determine if Invisalign is the correct method to use when it comes to straightening you or your family’s teeth. Contact your dentist today for a consultation to discuss all the options and to learn more about Invisalign.

You’ve learned about what you can do when you forget your toothbrush, but what about if you forget your toothpaste? Of course, you can always buy a new tube, but what about if you’re camping or the stores have all closed for the day? Here are some creative and helpful tips to help you out if you’ve forgotten your toothpaste at home.

Ask The Front Desk: Like with toothbrushes, toothpaste isn’t readily available to everyone who checks in at a hotel, but if you ask the right person, they can maybe direct you to where you can find some, or give you a complimentary tube if they have some on hand.

Use Mouthwash: Mouthwash can be great on its own for killing bacteria and freshing the mouth, but it can also be used as a substitute toothpaste. Not daily, of course, but in the case of forgotten toothpaste, it’ll do the trick. Dip your toothbrush into the mouthwash and brush as normal. Be sure to rinse your mouth thoroughly afterwards.

Use Baking Soda: This method is particularly handy for getting food particles and plaque out from between the teeth. This is because baking soda is an abrasive material, making it a perfect substitute toothpaste. To do so, mix with a few drops of water until you have a gritty paste before applying to the teeth and scrubbing. It might not taste as great as your minty toothpaste back home, but it will get the job done and leave your mouth feeling clean.

Just Use a Wet Toothbrush: If all else fails, using a wet toothbrush is better than not brushing at all. The moist bristles, combined with proper brushing techniques will remove food and plaque from the teeth. Your mouth won’t feel as fresh by skipping on the toothpaste, but it’s nothing that a piece of chewing gum can’t remedy.

Sugar is a very hard ingredient to avoid as it’s found in nearly everything from chocolate to cereal. Een naturally occurring sugar found in fruits and vegetables can cause harm to your teeth, but what kind of effects does sugar exactly have on them?

Loss of Enamel

First off is enamel. Enamel can be shaved away by bacteria, and this bacteria in particular feeds on sugar and can cause problems such as tooth decay, leading to tooth loss. In the case of tooth loss, there are implants and bridges available to restore your smile, but it’s much easier and less expensive to just limit sugar in your diet and to brush your teeth soon after having a food that contains it.

Frequent Toothaches

When sugar eats away at the teeth, nerves can become steadily exposed, making your teeth especially sensitive to hot and cold foods. Even the slightest touch may cause your jaw to begin throbbing.

Cavities

Much like with how sugar works with bacteria to eat away at enamel, that same bacteria is also capable of making holes in the teeth. This leads to cavities and an immediate trip to the dentist to get them filled. Cavities that fail to get filled can grow larger until the tooth can no longer be saved and will need to be extracted by a dentist.

Gum Disease

Sugar creates a paradise for bacteria, allowing it to thrive and to grow. Although your teeth can be attacked by this bacteria, your gums can also be a target. When bacteria eats away at your gums, it can cause gum disease, and also contributes to conditions such as periodontitis and gingivitis.

The takeaway message should be to limit your sugar consumption, and if you do eat a sugary food, be sure to brush your teeth as soon as possible to avoid the creation of bacteria.

While regular dental cleanings have been postponed until further notice, Newbury Smiles remains open for those who are experiencing dental emergencies. However, what you think may be an emergency many not be an emergency at all, so to help you determine whether or not you need to come in for an emergency dental appointment, here are a few things to consider.

• Do you have severe pain that doesn’t go away with painkillers and other pain relieving methods?

• Have you had an accident that has caused an entire tooth to be knocked out, or has caused it to become loose?

• Is there an infection present? Signs will include: swelling, bleeding, and knots on the gum.

• Do you have uncontrollable bleeding from the mouth?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have a dental emergency on your hands. Give us a call at 310-746-5202, and we’ll do our best to make sure that your emergency is taken care as quickly as possible.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and maintain your oral hygiene routine until we can see each other again.

With the rise of COVID-19 and the closing of businesses across the globe, getting to the dentist isn’t always an option. So, until you can visit your dentist, what can you do when an unexpected toothache hits? Turns out, you can help ease your pain with items you can find in your house already. Here are a few of them.

1. Hydrogen Peroxide: Swishing a hydrogen peroxide rince around in your mouth can relieve pain and inflammation. Hydrogen peroxide is also helpful in healing bleeding gums and can even reduce plaque and kill harmful bacteria. Do not swallow.
2. Salt water: This is often the first one that people go to for a quick fix as salt water is a natural disinfectant. Like hydrogen peroxide, it’s also helpful in reducing inflammation and wounds. Do not swallow.
3. Peppermint Tea Bags: You can use these when they’re either cooled down or when they’re removed from the fridge. Either method can be used to soothe gums and numb any pain you may be having.
4. Cold Compress: Especially if there has been trauma to the mouth that is causing the toothache, a cold compress can be especially helpful. Wrap a bag of ice in a towel and apply it to the outside of the affected area for no more than 20 minutes. This will reduce inflammation and pain by making the blood vessels in the area constrict.
5. Clove Oil: Once again used to treat pain and inflammation. Apply a very small amount of clove oil to a cotton ball or pad and apply it to the tooth. You can also add a single drop of clove oil to a glass of water and use it as a mouthwash. Again, do not swallow the mixture.
6. Thyme: Similar to the clove oil, thyme essential oil can be diluted with water, applied to a cotton ball and pressed on the affected area to effectively treat a toothache. Thyme has been known to have antibacterial properties and is also a powerful antioxidant.
7. Garlic: To use garlic as a pain reliever, crush a garlic clove and make it into a paste before applying it to the tooth. If you like the taste of garlic, you can also chew on the clove directly.

All of these can be found at your local pharmacy and grocery store if you do not already have them in your pantry. For dental emergencies, contact your dentist as soon as possible.