Most oral health issues are preventable, but over 3.5 billion people are still affected by them worldwide. This problem is common in even developed countries. People have high access to sugar and tobacco products but comparatively lower comprehensive dental coverage.

The best way to save time and money on dental health is to stop cavities before they even begin. What causes cavities? How can you prevent them from forming?

This article goes over the answers to these questions and more. Read on to learn about the links between plaque, tooth decay, and cavities.

What Is Plaque Bacteria?

Plaque bacteria is a soft and sticky film that develops on your teeth. It can also accumulate around or under your gums.

This film may be transparent or yellowish and difficult to spot with your eyes. A tell-tale sign of plaque is running your tongue over teeth and feeling the “fuzzy” film.

Plaque develops when mouth bacteria break down sugars and carbohydrates. This process also produces acids.

Your teeth are very strong, but these acids are even stronger. Once plaque starts forming into tartar, your teeth will need professional dental care. 

What Is Tartar?

Tartar is plaque that has been left on your teeth for too long. If it isn’t removed by brushing or dental cleaning, the plaque film hardens and darkens into a layer of tartar. 

This layer is more difficult to remove than regular plaque. You can usually see it more clearly than plaque. It will look like a white, yellow, or brown buildup along your gum line and teeth that doesn’t go away when you brush them.  

Plaque and tartar bacteria can cause bad breath, inflammation, and bleeding gums. The acids they produce can also cause tooth decay.

What Is Tooth Decay?

Tooth decay is damage to your tooth’s enamel. Your teeth may seem like a solid chunk of bone, but it’s actually made up of tissue layers and nerves.

Tooth enamel is the very hard but thin layer that protects these soft and sensitive tissues. Once tooth enamel is damaged, it cannot grow back.

Tooth decay causes your enamel to become soft and worn down. It’s not always visible to your eyes, especially if it forms between your teeth.

It’s critical for your oral health to guard against tooth decay. Tooth decay causes painful teeth sensitivity issues. Untreated tooth decay will eventually develop into cavities.

What Are Cavities?

Cavities are permanent openings in your tooth enamel that expose the layers underneath. These holes can be very small or very large. They do not heal on their own and will grow bigger if left untreated.

Symptoms of cavities include:

• Persistent toothaches
• Sharp tooth pain
• Increased tooth sensitivity
• Persistent bad breath

Cavities expose your soft inner tooth to harmful bacteria that become painful as it penetrates deeper. The pain becomes very severe when it exposes your tooth’s nerve endings and roots.

It can also cause a tooth abscess. This is a pus pocket formed around an infected cavity. Large and infected cavities must be treated with root canal surgeries. 

Symptoms of a tooth abscess include:

• Intense tooth pain 
• Headaches and fever
• Pain spreading into your jaw, ear, and neck
• Redness and swelling in gums
• Redness and swelling in the face

Before more advanced medical and dental care, tooth infections were actually a leading cause of death. An untreated abscess creates a prime opportunity for infections to work their way into your bloodstream and cause sepsis.

Even though the risk of tooth-related sepsis is relatively low nowadays, preventing cavities still helps you avoid severe pain, inflammation, and infection. It also costs much less money to prevent cavities than to end up with a costly and invasive surgery to fix them.

The best way to prevent cavities is by lowering their chances to gnaw away at your enamel. This means preventing the common causes of cavities. 

What Causes Cavities?

Cavities are ultimately caused by plaque bacteria. Plaque leads to tartar buildup and/or tooth decay, which becomes cavities once it destroys the tooth enamel.

Preventing cavities is as simple as managing plaque bacteria. There are two main ways to prevent plaque bacteria from taking hold of your teeth:

• Food and drink habits
• Oral hygiene habits

Your dental health depends on both these factors. They’re also important to related health issues and your total body health.

What Food Causes Cavities?

You can help fight plaque bacteria by avoiding the foods that give them a boost. You can also add nutrients to your diet that strengthen your teeth.

Food and drinks that are bad for your teeth include:

• Soft drinks
• High-sugar drinks (can include juice, sports drinks, sweetened tea, etc.)
• Desserts like cakes and cookies
• Candy, especially sticky and chewy candy
• Starchy chips and bread

Foods good for your teeth include calcium-rich foods, like low-sugar dairy products and leafy vegetables. These foods re-deposit healthy minerals back onto your teeth and strengthen your enamel.

Alcohol and tobacco products are also bad for your teeth. Alcohol is acidic and helps ear tooth enamel down. Tobacco products weaken your teeth and can cause:

• Bad breath
• Inflammation
• Gum disease
• Tooth loss
• Oral cancer

Eating right and avoiding sugar, carbs, and alcohol/tobacco will not just help out your teeth. It will also lower your risk of other health-related issues such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and certain cancers.

Oral Hygiene: Best Habits

It’s not enough to have a proper tooth-healthy diet. You also need good oral hygiene and regular dental care. This includes regular:

• Teeth brushing
• Flossing
• Added fluoride
• Dental checkups
• Dental cleanings
• X-rays (as needed)

It’s not enough to just swipe at your teeth with some toothpaste. It’s important to brush and floss properly as well.

You may be tempted to scrub plaque off your teeth, but this damages your tooth enamel too. Use soft toothbrushes and your dentist-recommended toothpaste.

No matter how well you brush and floss, you still need professional dental care too. Dental checkups and cleanings find the hard-to-spot and hard-to-reach places where sneaky bacteria like to hide. 

The Bright and Dazzling Smile You Deserve At Prices You Can Afford

Plaque bacteria is what causes cavities to form on your teeth. Healthy eating and habits and good oral hygiene can stop this plaque from damaging your tooth enamel, preventing cavities before they can form. 

Are you looking for top-notch dental care that’s gentle and effective? Your comfort is our highest priority!  Contact us to learn more about our services.

Did you know that more than one-third of people in the United States are unhappy with their teeth? People may be unhappy with their teeth for many reasons such as malocclusion (crooked teeth), yellow teeth, and misshapen teeth. When it comes to these different dental problems, discolored teeth are certainly the easiest to fix. 

But how does teeth whitening work exactly and how can you be sure that it’s the right treatment option for your teeth? Keep reading and learn more about what teeth whitening treatment is really like.

Why Is Teeth Whitening Necessary?

These days, white teeth are all the rage. Cosmetic dentistry is filled with procedures that make teeth whiter than ever before. But how do your teeth get so discolored in the first place?

It has a lot to do with what you eat as well as your dental hygiene practices. Brushing your teeth is very important when it comes to keeping your teeth white and healthy. The bristles on your toothbrush have the ability to remove the little particles of food that are stuck to your teeth and that might otherwise stain your tooth enamel. 

There are certain substances that are more likely to stain your teeth than others. For example, coffee is one of the most common substances that results in yellow teeth. Coffee, especially black coffee, may seem smooth but it still contains little particles of coffee grains. 

These grains are able to stick to the surface of your teeth. If you don’t brush your teeth soon after drinking coffee, the coffee grains will soon impart their dark pigment onto your teeth. If you drink coffee every day, all day, you’ll inevitably end up with discolored teeth. 

This also goes for other substances that contain strong pigments such as black tea, red wine, and even certain fruit juices.

What You Need to Know

Once your teeth become stained, it can be hard to undo those stains. Many people tend to try DIY teeth whitening methods such as brushing with baking soda, but these methods can be quite harmful to your teeth. 

For example, brushing your teeth with baking soda may help to remove the stains on the surface of your teeth, but it can also remove much more than that. In particular, because baking soda is made up of such abrasive particles, it also has the ability to remove your tooth enamel. If you brush your teeth with baking soda quite often, you will find that your teeth will start to become quite sensitive and weak, especially when exposed to hot or cold substances.

This is because your tooth enamel will no longer be thick or strong enough to protect the sensitive tissues inside your teeth. Fortunately, you don’t have to damage your teeth in order to make them white again as long as you go to a professional. But what should you expect from the professional teeth whitening process?

How Does Teeth Whitening Work Exactly?

The first thing you should know about professional teeth whitening is that it is much more effective than any of the types of teeth whitening methods you might try at home. To start, you will need to go to your local dental office for this procedure. Dentists tend to use hydrogen peroxide for this process, but you should keep in mind that the kind they use isn’t any old type of hydrogen peroxide.

Instead, the hydrogen peroxide that dentists use for teeth whitening is very strong. Many types of whitening toothpaste contain hydrogen peroxide but in much smaller concentrations. While whitening toothpaste can only do so much for the appearance of your teeth, the highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide at the dentist’s office will make quite a noticeable difference.

To start, your dentist will clean your teeth so that nothing will get in the way of the whitening process. Then, the dentist will apply a gel made out of concentrated hydrogen peroxide to your teeth using a syringe. To keep the gel from harming your gums, your dentist will use a barrier.

Once the dentist applies the gel, the gel will need to sit on your teeth for a certain amount of time. Usually, this will only last around 15 to 20 minutes. This process should not hurt.

The Details

To speed along the whitening process, your dentist may use a special light such as a UV light on the hydrogen peroxide gel. In some cases, your teeth may need an additional coat of gel to achieve the desired effect. After enough time has passed, your dentist will rinse off the gel. 

To make sure that your teeth aren’t too sensitive after the procedure, your dentist will make sure to use fluoride on your teeth to strengthen the enamel. After that, you will be able to admire the finished results of the teeth whitening treatment. 

At that point, you can discuss with your dentist if you like the shade of your teeth or if you want to try going whiter. Your dentist will also give you some advice on how to keep your teeth clean. For example, you should avoid food and drinks that contain strong pigments. 

What You Need to Know About Teeth Whitening

How does teeth whitening work, you might ask? The process is quite simple and it has everything to do with hydrogen peroxide. Your dentist will apply hydrogen peroxide gel to your teeth where it will sit for a certain amount of time. 

After that, your teeth will be several shades whiter. You can keep them white by avoiding certain foods. To learn more, request an appointment today.

Sleeping people can clench their teeth with up to 250 pounds of force. Bruxism, also known as teeth grinding or clenching affects millions of people and can lead to serious damage to your teeth.

One way that you can prevent teeth grinding and jaw clenching are by using nightguards while you sleep.

Do you want to learn more about the benefits of using a nightguard for your oral health? Keep reading these reasons why you should start sleeping with a nightguard.

Lessens Damage to Teeth

The primary benefit of using a nightguard while you sleep is that it prevents a lot of damage to your teeth. As you grind your teeth at night, the constant pressure will slowly wear down your teeth.

In more serious cases, chronic teeth grinding can lead to fractured, loose, or lost teeth.

Tooth damage is one of the long-term side effects of clenching or grinding your teeth that may require serious oral health treatments to repair.

By simply wearing a nightguard while you sleep, you can lessen the wear and tear that happens to your teeth while you sleep. Your nightguard will act as a barrier to prevent your teeth from getting chipped or worn down over time.

Prevent Headaches

Jaw clenching and teeth grinding can also lead to chronic headaches. When you clench your jaw muscles, it tightens the muscles that lead from your cheeks and under your chin.

The more you clench, the tighter these muscles become. This means that tension from your clenched jaw can spread up through your head and neck, resulting in tight muscles and tension headaches.

If you have chronic headaches and have been unable to identify the source, it may be due to bruxism or jaw clenching. By wearing nightguards, you lessen the pressure on your teeth and you may see improvements in your chronic headaches.

Treats Jaw Disorders and Tooth Pain

Not only does a nightguard help prevent damage to your teeth, but it can also treat jaw disorders and tooth pain.

When you clench your teeth in your sleep, the pressure may be why you wake up with tooth pain. Simply by wearing a nightguard while you sleep, you can reduce this pain.

Using a nightguard is also a simple solution to treat jaw disorders like TMJ. TMJ can be caused by jaw clenching and severe teeth grinding, which can lead to jaw pain and can make it difficult to open your mouth.

A nightguard can treat this problem and prevent your teeth clenching or grinding from worsening your jaw disorder and your tooth pain.

Eases Oral Discomfort

Another huge benefit of using nightguards for your oral health is that they will reduce your oral discomfort. As was mentioned before, constant teeth clenching can lead to chronic soreness in your teeth and jaw.

If you wake up with headaches, jaw pain, or any other type of facial discomfort, a nightguard can ease this discomfort.

Because grinding wears down your teeth, it leads to exposed nerves and teeth that are more sensitive to hot or cold foods. By wearing a nightguard, you will not have as much pressure on your teeth and you can avoid these types of oral discomfort.

Nightguards Are a Custom Fit

Next, when you get your nightguard from your dentist, it will be a custom fit for your mouth. This means that it will be comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, like when you are asleep.

To get a perfect fit for your nightguard, your dentist will start by taking impressions of your teeth which will then be used to make a perfectly fitting nightguard that is customized for each patient.

While you can buy nightguards at most grocery stores, they are typically bulky alternatives that are uncomfortable to wear. To find a nightguard that fits perfectly, you can visit your dental office to get impressions taken of your teeth.

With these impressions of your teeth, your dentist will create a perfect-fitting nightguard that will be comfortable to wear.

Prevents Tooth Decay & Sensitivities

Lastly, wearing a nightguard can improve your oral health by preventing unnecessary tooth decay and other tooth sensitivities.

As was mentioned before, grinding your teeth will quickly wear down the surface of your teeth and can damage your enamel. Tooth enamel is a hard barrier that protects your teeth from damage.

In fact, your tooth enamel is the hardest substance in your body. Without enamel, your teeth are more susceptible to tooth decay. If you do not take proper care of your teeth, teeth grinding can eventually lead to tooth loss.

When you wear your nightguard while you sleep, you can prevent your tooth enamel from getting worn down. This will save you a lot of money in the long run by protecting your teeth from decay, sensitivities, and more.

Improve Your Oral Health with Custom Nightguards Today

Bruxism or teeth clenching is a serious problem that can lead to oral health problems in the future.

Your local dentist can help you get a custom-fit nightguard to help treat your bruxism. This will lessen damage to your teeth and will prevent headaches and other tooth pain.

If you are looking for a nightguard in Urbana, OH, Champaign Dental Group can help! We provide gentle, pain-free dental care and can help you improve your oral health.

Contact our team today to learn more about our services and to schedule an appointment!

Tooth loss is far from uncommon in the United States. Around 36 million Americans are missing all of their teeth, and a further 120 million adults are missing at least one tooth. The loss of an entire arch of teeth requires a full denture to restore speech and chewing function.

Removable dentures are often wobbly and uncomfortable. Many of our patients at Champaign Dental Group have questions about dental implant options, which offer a more stable platform for replacing lost teeth. In this article, we’ll explain how dental implants can permanently replace teeth.

What Are Dental Implants?

In short, dental implants are advanced replacements for lost tooth roots. While the technology may seem new, modern dental implants have been safely placed for a few decades. Implants have a long track record of being safe and effective.

Sometimes called subperiosteal implants, the medical implants loosely resemble a metal post or screw. Once put in the jaw, the implants fuse with surrounding bone tissue through a process known as osseointegration. The implant can then support an artificial tooth or an implant-retained denture.

How Are Dental Implants Placed?

The process of surgically placing dental implants is gentle and pain-free. Our office offers two forms of sedation dentistry: oral sedation and nitrous oxide.

Both forms of sedation help patients relax throughout the straightforward surgical placement of one or more dental implants. Under the effects of sedation, patients feel like they are in a dream-like state. Time seems to go by quickly, and any symptoms of anxiety melt away.

One of our doctors will use local anesthesia to completely numb the surgical site. Once you are completely comfortable, one of our doctors will make a small incision in your gums. Once our doctor has reached the underlying bone, he or she will place an implant in the bone.

Your doctor will then use sutures to close the incision. Dental implant placement is a straightforward outpatient procedure. Soon after the procedure is over, one of our team members will release you to return home to rest and recover.

Over the course of the next months, your jaw will heal. After you have recovered, you can be fitted with a custom prosthetic that replaces your missing teeth.

What Are My Dental Implant Options?

Endosteal implants can support three basic types of prosthetics: dental crowns, bridges, and dentures. The doctors of Champaign Dental Group can provide you with any of these tooth loss solutions.

Dental Crowns

If you have lost one tooth, you may be a great candidate for an implant-supported crown. A crown is a false tooth that matches the shape, color, and luster of your natural teeth. Once your implant has healed, one of our doctors will attach a custom crown to your implant.

Bridges

An implant-retained bridge can replace two, three, or several adjacent teeth. Our office offers Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramic technology. This allows our patients to cut down on wait-time for prosthetics.

To have an implant-retained bridge, you will likely need to have multiple dental implants placed. Our implant-supported bridges can drastically improve your ability to speak and chew with ease.

Dentures

If you have lost every tooth along one arch, you may require a full denture. Patients who have a few natural teeth remaining may be candidates for a partial denture. Both options can be supported by dental implants.

If you are tired of dealing with poorly fitting removable dentures, ask one of our dentists if you are a candidate for implant-supported dentures.

Custom Solutions for Tooth Loss

Dental implants allow our doctors to customize restorative treatment plans. Depending on your needs, you can be fitted with any combination of dental implant-supported prosthetics. Some patients may require implanted-supported crowns for one arch and a full denture for the other, for example.

Benefits of Dental Implants

Before the advent of dental implant technology, an artificial tooth had to attach to a nearby structure. Some dentures rely on suction to stay in place.

Dental implants work differently. Any artificial tooth that is supported by a dental implant attaches directly to the jawbone — just like a natural tooth!

Supports Jawbone Health

Did you know that dental implants keep your jawbone tissue healthy? Following tooth loss, the bone that supported the tooth begins to be slowly reabsorbed. Over time, this can lead to the appearance of “sunken-in” cheeks.

To avoid this unpleasant oral health problem, patients should have one or more dental implants placed soon after tooth loss. In some cases, a dental implant can even be placed immediately following a tooth extraction. Since jawbone tissue will not typically regrow once lost, it is best to protect and preserve your natural bone tissue.

Lasts for a Lifetime

Dental implants are designed to last for a lifetime. Once the implant fuses with your jaw, it functionally becomes part of your body.

You may need to replace the supported prosthetic, but your implant will likely never need to be replaced.

Comfortable Surgical Placement

With sedation dentistry and local anesthesia, you won’t have to worry about discomfort. Our doctors take great care to ensure that all of our procedures are pain-free.

Restore Natural Oral Function Using Implants

With so many dental implant options, there is a custom treatment option that can address your oral health needs. Tooth loss can impede your ability to eat and speak with comfort and confidence. Only dental implants can restore natural oral function following the loss of one or more teeth.

Since 1997, the team of Champaign Dental Group has served our community with friendly, comfortable care. We welcome the opportunity to help you enjoy the many benefits of dental implants. Please contact our office today.

80% of Americans want a brighter smile. This is linked to self-confidence, dental health, and more.

Tooth discoloration can cause lots of discomfort. People may find themselves refusing to eat in public, covering their mouth when laughing, or refusing to smile in photos.

That’s why investigating different types of tooth whitening is so important. It can help you feel more comfortable in your skin, improve oral health, and increase self-confidence.

We’ve assembled a guide to the different types of tooth whitening procedures. That way, you can pick the one that works best for you!

It Starts At Home

Tooth whitening starts at home. Your dentist can whiten your teeth with a gentle, pain-free procedure that’s safe for everyone. But your dentist’s efforts will be more effective if you take care of your teeth at home, too.

This may mean altering your habits or lifestyle. Do you drink a lot of red wine, smoke, or use tobacco? These habits stain your teeth easily.

Drinking soda, eating red sauces, or dark fruits also stain your teeth. Of course, dentists don’t recommend that you remove dark fruits from your diet. Instead, make sure to brush your teeth well as soon as you’re done eating.

Make sure to brush your teeth at least twice a day. Use dental floss, rinse with mouthwash, and follow any other directives your dentist has provided. This will help with the brightness of your smile, as well as prevent gingivitis, plaque buildup, and more.

Good Hygiene

To achieve tooth whitening, don’t rely on your dentist. Of course, their procedures can remove tooth discoloration, improve your oral health, and improve your smile. But since you’re responsible for daily maintenance and upkeep, what does your current routine look like?

If you brush and floss religiously, consider upgrading to a whitening toothbrush. With special condensed bristles, these brushes help achieve a shiny polish without damage through excessive abrasion.

You should also use mouthwash regularly too. If it includes hydrogen peroxide as an ingredient, it will help whiten your smile. Using this type of mouthwash is especially important after eating dark fruits, drinking coffee/soda, or smoking.

Keep whitening toothpaste on hand, too. Regular use of whitening products can make a big difference after only a few days.

Gum and dental strips are little-known tools in your arsenal, too. Don’t go for sugary gum options. Instead, look for sugar-free whitening gum.

If you don’t have immediate access to a sink and toothbrush after eating, try popping a stick of sugar-free whitening gum. This will stimulate saliva production, which helps remove food residue and keep your mouth healthy.

The whitening agents in this type of gum provide a temporary coat over the teeth. This helps prevent stains from settling onto the teeth.

Use Whitening Strips

It’s important that you follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer or your dentist when using these.

Typically, these strips are easy to use and are quite effective. These plastic strips have a gel-peroxide side that is applied to your teeth. After thirty minutes, you remove the strips and enjoy your new smile!

You may need to use these strips consecutively for a few days to see the effect.

Use Tray-Based Whiteners

This is a great option to ask your dentist about. You can find them over-the-counter, or you can get a custom one from your dentist.

These kits provide a mouthguard-style solution to teeth whitening—these ‘mouthguards’ pair gel solutions with peroxide-based agents for a maximum whitening effect.

If you go to your dentist, they’ll provide a custom kit for you. This involves taking a mold of your teeth so that it fits perfectly. To make it safe for at-home use, the peroxide levels in this solution are less than you’ll get from a whitening session at the dentist’s office.

This solution is usually cheaper than typical whitening appointments at the dentist. And, it can mostly be done from the comfort of your own home, which is a definite perk during COVID and flu season.

You can use tray-based whiteners for up to two weeks. Usually, you’ll apply once a day for up to an hour.

Professional Treatments

Of course, the most effective form of tooth whitening is professional treatment. In under an hour, you can achieve what takes multiple sessions over weeks at home.

Here’s how it works. Your dental professional will apply a protective coating to your lips and gum tissue to protect you from any damage. Then, the whitening gel will be applied to your teeth.

To activate the whitening agents in the gel solution, an ultraviolet lamp will shine on your teeth. Since it’s an in-office treatment, it’s safe for them to use gel with a higher concentration of whitening agents.

This means after the hour-long appointment; results will be immediately visible. Of course, it’s important to know that these results won’t last forever. If you spend money on a whitening treatment and don’t take care of your teeth afterward, you’ll soon be right back where you started.

Proper oral care is so much more than a white smile. It’s staying pain-free, being able to use your teeth as they were intended, good breath, and so much more. If you’re taking care of your teeth properly, tooth discoloration will often take care of itself.

Types of Tooth Whitening

Combining all types of tooth whitening, from proper hygiene to professional treatments, is the best way to achieve the smile of your dreams.

However, it’s important to note that our approach to all procedures, including tooth whitening, is gentle and pain-free. There’s no reason to be worried about coming in for an appointment here!

As common as dental anxiety is, there’s no pain associated with this process. We make sure to thoroughly explain everything and ease your anxieties before we even start!

If you’re interested in a brighter smile, contact us today. We’re happy to help.

Around 7 in 10 people feel self-conscious about their smiles and teeth. This results in people covering their mouths when they laugh or trying to smile with their mouths closed.

If you’re one of those seven people, you know how upsetting it is to not be satisfied with your teeth or smile. However, there are some dental procedures that can provide you with much-needed relief.

It can be difficult to determine which dental procedure would be best for you: veneers vs. crowns. Both procedures work well to restore your teeth and enhance your smile.

This guide will go over everything you need to know about veneers and dental crowns so you can make an informed decision for yourself.

What Are Veneers?

Veneers are thin layers of porcelain that get placed on the surface of your teeth. They help change the shape and shade of your teeth.

They can fix issues, such as:

• Tooth discoloration
• Excessive spacing
• Uneven teeth
• Worn-down teeth

If you want to make a dramatic smile makeover, then veneers are a great option. They’re only bonded to your front teeth, altering your smile and boosting your self-confidence.

The preparation for veneers is very minimal. A dentist will typically only have to take half to one millimeter off the surface of your tooth. You’ll just need to have an adequate amount of tooth enamel structure for the veneer to bond to your teeth.

The price of veneers depends upon your dentist and how many veneers you need. Veneers have a variety of long-term benefits, including:

• Offering a white smile than other types of teeth whitening
• Are stain-resistant
• Have a 10-year lifespan

Your dentist can give you a more accurate quote based on your individual needs.

What Are Crowns?

Crowns cover the entirety of your tooth’s surface and are a thicker restoration option. They’re more focused on protecting your tooth rather than being a cosmetic enhancement.

If you’re suffering from tooth decay, your dentist will take out the decayed part before creating a crown. Any affected teeth might have to be built up with something like a filling so the crown can be supported.

Crowns can be made from the following materials:

• Metal
• Porcelain
• Material made from porcelain fused with metal

The type of material used depends upon your budget and the location of the affected teeth. Porcelain crowns tend to be more natural-looking than the metal alternative.

Crowns are great for patients who have:

• Failed fillings
• Worn-down teeth
• Teeth treated by root canals
• Fractured or chipped teeth
• Teeth that are irregularly shaped
• Tooth decay below the gum line
• Tooth discoloration

Crowns are a great alternative when you need advanced tooth restoration. They require more preparation than veneers do.

Veneers vs. Crowns — Which is Better?

Veneers and dental crowns are both restoration procedures that work to improve the function and look for your teeth. The main difference between the two is that veneers require less tooth preparation than crowns do.

Since they only cover the front surface of the tooth, there’s far less shaping and drilling required. They’re a wonderful option if you want to quickly improve the shape, position, and color of your teeth. Crowns require more shaping and drilling of your entire tooth, not just the surface.

Your dentist might recommend a crown to you if they believe your tooth will fracture. They might also suggest it if you have a severe cavity or chip. They can also mask some discolorations that veneers can’t cover-up.

Both veneers and crowns get matched to blend in with the color of your surrounding teeth. If you’re getting a full set of veneers and crowns in your entire mouth, you can choose whatever color you’d like.

Which procedure you go with depends on the health of your teeth and your goals.

When Should I Get a Crown?

If you need to restore one or multiple teeth for additional support, a crown is a great option. If your tooth is worn down, a dental crown can restore the aesthetics and function of your tooth.

When Should I Get Veneers?

For correcting minor aesthetic problems with intact teeth, you should explore veneers. The main reason you would want to opt for a crown over a veneer is if your teeth are in poor health.

Pros and Cons of Veneers

Since less trimming is required with veneers, they can be more cosmetically pleasing and natural-looking over crowns. You can also improve your teeth’ position without getting braces by getting veneers instead.

Veneers are considered a cosmetic enhancement. Because of this, they’re typically not covered by your dental insurance. They’re also not reversible once they’re placed.

Pros and Cons of Crowns

If you have decay or another type of injury to your tooth, it’ll be protected with a dental crown. Additionally, your dental insurance could cover some or all of the cost of a crown.

Unfortunately, more of the tooth’s structure has to be removed when you get a crown. The procedure is also not reversible.

You also might experience some minor tooth sensitivity after getting a crown. This is due to the fact that some of the tooth’s structure is removed.

If you have any questions about veneers or crowns, make an appointment with a qualified dentist. They’ll listen to what your concerns and smile goals are and make a recommendation. Boost your confidence as you start down the path to restoring your beautiful smile.

Trust in Champaign Dental Group for Your Cosmetic Dentistry Needs

If you’re trying to determine whether veneers vs. crowns are suitable for you, make an appointment with Champaign Dental Group. We’ll evaluate your smile and create a customized treatment plan with your goals in mind. All of our dental procedures are gentle and pain-free.

Request an appointment with us today.

Before you head to a normal dentist appointment, you might brush and floss your teeth, pop in a breath mint, and call it good. Getting ready for a root canal surgery, though, takes a bit more planning and preparation. While brushing and flossing are still necessities, it’s not all you have to think about it.

But don’t let it overwhelm you.

We’ve put together this guide to show you the best way to prepare for a root canal procedure. Make sure you keep reading below for some helpful tips!

1. Calm Your Dental Anxiety

If you’re one of the many people who struggle with dental anxiety, the last thing you want to do is ignore it and hope it goes away. Surprise—if you don’t handle it, the anxiety won’t go anywhere. Instead, you should take action to make sure you feel as calm as possible during operation day.

Here are a few things you can try.

Ask the Dentist What to Expect

Having your dentist walk you through what will happen during your root canal surgery will take the fear of the unknown. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, even if they seem small or silly. Your dentist should be willing to take the time to explain everything to you in as much detail as you need.

For example, at its most basic, a root canal procedure tends to look something like this:

• Apply a local anesthesia to the area
• Drill into the affected tooth and remove the dental pulp from inside
• Clean the inside of the tooth and fill it with a biocompatible material
• Secure a temporary crown on top of the tooth (until the permanent crown is ready)

However, every person is different, so there might be a few differences during your surgery. Because of this, it’s a good idea to talk to your dentist about the specifics of your surgery so you know what will happen when you are in the chair.

Discuss Your Anesthetic Options

For most root canal surgeries, patients receive a local anesthetic to numb the area around the problem tooth. You won’t feel any pain with this type of anesthetic, but you will be awake during the entire procedure.

If you suffer from extreme dental fear, though, this may not be possible.

Take a few minutes to talk about anesthetic options with your dentist before the surgery date. You may be able to come up with a different plan that fits your needs better. In some cases, the dentist may be able to put you fully to sleep before the procedure so you don’t have to experience any of the potential discomforts.

Even if this isn’t possible for you, it’s important to let your dentist know anytime you feel uncomfortable before and during the surgery. They may be able to adjust their methods to make you feel more at ease.

Watch What You Eat and Drink

Avoid eating or drinking anything that will make you feel jittery during the appointment, such as coffee. You may also want to avoid eating too much food to prevent a queasy stomach while you’re sitting in the dental chair. Eat something light if you’re worried about feeling nervous and getting sick to your stomach later.

Don’t Go to Your Appointment on Your Own

Having someone with you while you wait in the dentist’s office can help keep your anxiety from getting out of control. Besides, you may not be able to drive after the surgery depending on what type of anesthetic you use. Pick someone who helps you feel calm and secure and ask them to come along with you.

2. Don’t Drink Alcohol or Smoke Tobacco the Day Before the Surgery

Smoking tobacco can reverse the effects of your anesthetic in the middle of your surgery. This can be quite painful for you, and it can disrupt the entire procedure, which will make it take much longer than planned. Drinking alcohol can also make the surgery more difficult as it can lead to dry mouth.

To prevent these negative impacts, make sure you avoid drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco at least 24 hours before your surgery.

3. Pick up Your Pain Medication in Advance

Your dentist will likely prescribe you antibiotics to aid in the recovery process after your surgery. Plan ahead and pick up these antibiotics before your procedure so you have them on hand when you need them. Otherwise, you’ll have to make a stop at the pharmacy on your way home, which can be difficult when you’re already feeling uncomfortable from your surgery.

In some cases, your dentist might ask you to start taking the antibiotics the day before your root canal. This can help reduce swelling during and after the procedure, and it will minimize the discomfort you feel as well. If they don’t, you may be able to take some over-the-counter pain meds instead.

However, always ask your dentist before you take anything.

4. Eat a Filling Meal

You won’t be able to eat for a few hours after your root canal, so you should eat plenty of food and drink plenty of water before the surgery to hold you over until you can get more food down later. But make sure you talk to your dentist first. In some cases, you might have to stop eating or drinking anything several hours before your procedure.

5. Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Your body will recover faster if it’s well-rested. Do your best to get a full eight to nine hours before the morning of your root canal. This will also give you more energy to face the procedure if you’re feeling nervous.

Schedule Your Root Canal Surgery Today

Now that you know how to prepare for your root canal surgery, you’re ready for the procedure. If you don’t already have a date booked in the calendar, don’t wait any longer. Make sure you get in touch with our team at Campaign Dental Group to schedule your root canal today!

Did you know that your daily brushing can prevent a heart attack? It’s true. Studies have shown that those who brushed their teeth regularly were three times less likely to die of a heart attack or stroke.

You see, good dental hygiene is so crucial that your life depends on it. This is because your oral health is interconnected with all of the other systems in your body.

That means that if you want to live a long and healthy life, you must learn how to take good care of your teeth. So continue reading to learn more about how you can achieve excellent oral health.

Why Is Dental Hygiene Important?

Oral health plays a massive role in both your body and mind’s health.

One such example is the relationship between your mouth and your digestion system. Your mouth is digestion’s first stop. If it isn’t up to the task, your nutrition will suffer.

For example, if you have a problem area that you avoid when you eat, you probably aren’t chewing your food very well as a result.

Then, as you digest your partially chewed meal, you may experience heartburn or an upset stomach. This happens because your digestion system is only equipped for well-chewed food. Long term, this can cause ulcers and other digestive issues.

Other documented connections are between your heart and your mouth. Doctors believe that excess buildup of plaque due to poor oral hygiene can cause infections and inflammation in your heart.

1. Make Oral Health Apart of Your Self-Care Routine

A complete dental hygiene routine is a sure way to keep cavities and infected gums away.

You may already practice regular brushing, but you may be brushing incorrectly. The best way to brush is to angle your brush towards your gums and to use gentle circular motions to brush away the tartar from your teeth and gum line. The ideal toothbrush should be soft or medium so that you don’t brush away your gums and cause recession.

Brushing is not enough; your routine isn’t complete without flossing your teeth at least once daily. Flossing helps get all of the tartar that your toothbrush will leave behind. If you have gum disease, your doctor may also recommend a prescription mouthwash to rinse with to help keep your gums healthy.

2. Nix Bad Habits

There are a few common habits that have negative impacts on your dental health. One of the most harmful things you can do to your mouth, not to mention the rest of your body, is smoking.

With smoking, the worst-case scenario is oral cancer. Treatment for this cancer may include radiation therapy and surgery. In addition, some patients lose their tongue or part of their jaw and need a custom-made prosthesis to live a full life.

However, there are a lot of oral health consequences from smoking besides cancer. For example, cigarette smoke causes gum recession and eventually periodontal disease. This causes your teeth to loosen, finally falling out.

If you are interested in quitting, there is no better time to start than now. There are many smoking cessation programs, and one may work for you.

Another common habit is drinking a lot of sugary beverages. If you’re the type of person who likes their coffee light and sweet, you might be causing future preventable cavities. When you sip your sweet coffee over several hours, you bathe your teeth in a warm concoction of cavity juice.

Luckily, you don’t have to give up your coffee. Instead, try cutting down the sugar with the goal of eliminating it, and remember to rinse thoroughly after every cup.

Watch Out for These Other Harmful Habits

Bruxism, or grinding, is caused by anxiety and stress. If you aren’t sure if you’re a grinder, waking up with pain and tenderness around your jaw is one tell-tale sign. Another sign is if you experience headaches or symptoms that mirror TMJ.

Grinding your teeth wears their enamel down, and in the most severe cases, teeth can be worn down to the gum line.

Alleviating your stress is the best way to tackle the problem at the source. In the meantime, you can try to catch yourself while doing it, or your dentist can create a protective custom nightguard to use while you sleep.

3. Visit Your Dentist Regularly

Even expert brushers and flossers need professional attention. That’s because your dentist does a lot more than clean your teeth.

During your visit, your doctor may start by taking a set of x-rays. This is how your doctor will spot any decay invisible to the naked eye. Next, they examine your teeth, gums, and other soft tissues to ensure that everything is healthy.

Many dental offices will also offer life-saving oral cancer screenings. Seeing your doctor regularly ensures that your teeth and gums stay healthy for many years to come. Don’t worry if it’s been a few years since your last appointment; your dental office is a judgment-free zone.

Break Down Barriers to Oral Health

For a healthy body, dental hygiene should be a top priority. So if dental anxiety has prevented you from seeking the care you need, then you should visit a dental office that specializes in treating phobic patients.

At Champaign Dental Group in Urbana, OH, we designed our office with your comfort in mind. We offer a stress-free, pain-free experience for all of our patients. For those with anxiety, we offer sedation dentistry so that it’s possible to treat years of neglect in one or two visits.

When you’re ready, request an appointment and learn how we can work together to achieve your oral health goals.