A recent picture of Lindsay Lohan reminded me of what happens when someone is not taking care of their porcelain dental veneers. It is important to be careful what and how you eat. You do not want to bite into anything hard directly on the veneers. They won't break instantly but it is better long term if you chew things to the side. Also, beware of grinding your teeth at night. This breaks down the cement more readily and will ruin your porcelain veneer. Here in San Diego, their are a lot of great smiles that are porcelain veneers so take care of your veneers and your veneers will take care of you!! For great pictures of porcelain veneers click on this link:http://eshomdds.com/services/porcelain_v.php
A recent picture of Lindsay Lohan reminded me of what happens when someone is not taking care of their porcelain dental veneers. It is important to be careful what and how you eat. You do not want to bite into anything hard directly on the veneers. They won't break instantly but it is better long term if you chew things to the side. Also, beware of grinding your teeth at night. This breaks down the cement more readily and will ruin your porcelain veneer. Here in San Diego, their are a lot of great smiles that are porcelain veneers so take care of your veneers and your veneers will take care of you!! For great pictures of porcelain veneers click on this link:http://eshomdds.com/services/porcelain_v.php
Most people associate braces and straightening your teeth as something to be accomplished during your adolescent years, but with more awareness and emphasis being placed on the benefits of regular dental visits and healthy teeth the question of how old is too old for straight teeth has surfaced. So, let’s say this now, you are never too old for straight teeth and this article will address 5 reasons why straight teeth contribute to a healthy, happier you.
Reason #1:
Straight teeth help us correctly bite and chew. Is it surprising to hear that when our teeth are properly aligned we can bite and chew our food more effectively? Our teeth are just like a pair of pinking shears, or scissors that cut in a zigzag pattern. Using this analogy imagine using a pair of saw tooth scissors that don’t perfectly align when you cut a piece of cloth. You will notice that it is increasingly difficult for the scissors to effectively do their job. The same is the case with our teeth. Straight teeth perfectly fit in their natural grooves, and the sharp edges of our teeth more effectively bite and chew food.
Reason #2:
Straight teeth promote healthy gums and teeth. We all know that brushing and flossing twice a day along with regular cleanings is the best regimen for good oral hygiene, but people with crooked teeth have an even harder time keeping their teeth clean. Overlapping teeth create plenty of hard to clean pockets where plaque-building bacteria multiply. Extra diligence is required to make sure these areas are thoroughly cleaned which takes time and sometimes expert maneuvering with a toothbrush and floss. Straight teeth, however, eliminate these hard to reach bacterial havens giving you clear access to every part of your mouth.
Reason #3:
Straight teeth can help prevent jaw and muscle strain. Some alignment issues can lead to more physical manifestations such as pain in the jaw or muscles of the mouth from the effort your teeth have to make during daily movements. Straightening your teeth reduces the amount of strain on your jaw and muscles because they are now sitting in their proper position and your mouth doesn’t have to work as hard to accomplish the same movements.
Reason #4:
Straight teeth are attractive. Depending on where you are from, straight teeth are seen as physically attractive. Yes, some of this is due to social and cultural standards, but in the light of the first three reasons, straightening your teeth for good looks is the least of our concerns and rather an extra benefit.
Reason #5:
Looking and feeling good, promotes confidence. Whether it is eating a balanced diet for life long health, skipping out on that burger and fries to lower your cholesterol, or maintaining good oral hygiene these interventions go a long way to improving how we feel about ourselves and the world around us. If you feel good about yourself, it will show with every smile.
Confused about which dental products to buy? You’re not alone! With so many dental products on the market today, it’s hard to choose which toothbrush, mouthwash, or toothpaste to buy. Dental companies are constantly competing with one another, updating their products with the latest technology. But don’t worry, we’re here to help you with what is truthfully needed when it comes to your oral health.
Toothbrushes
Most dentists will recommend you buy a soft-bristled toothbrush. Although it may feel as if the harder bristles will clean the plaque off your teeth better, the truth is that they may brush away your enamel (your tooth’s protective coating that is hard to gain back). By properly applying the correct brushing techniques with a soft-bristled toothbrush, you will attain perfectly clean teeth. Just make sure to place your brush where your teeth and gum meet and brush in circular motions, remembering to reach your back teeth.
As for the size of the toothbrush, it doesn’t matter too much, just as long as the brush fits your mouth. But a medium-sized brush will work for most people. A good measurement for the toothbrush size is whether you can fit the toothbrush head easily in the back of your mouth to brush your back teeth.
Although some toothbrushes are now equipped with a color indicator to remind you of its replacement, all you need to do is check the bristles. If they are bent, it’s time to buy a toothbrush. Typically, it’s good to generally replace toothbrushes every 3 months.
How about those fancy electronic toothbrushes? It all depends on your needs! If the timer will help you remember to brush longer, most dentists are all for it!
Toothpaste
Before picking up the toothpaste with the shiniest box, check if it’s fluoridated!! Exposing your teeth to fluoride even for just a short amount of time will strengthen your teeth.
If you’re all about the whitening toothpaste, just know that the amount of peroxide is too small to bleach your teeth significantly, but it can remove some surface stains. To do deep bleaching, it’s best to use a whitener (in-office or over the counter).
Floss
Since floss is often neglected, dentists will be happy knowing you use any type of floss! However, dentists do usually recommend buying lightly-waxed or non-waxed floss. When you floss, try to listen for the “squeaky clean” noise!
Mouthwash
Contrary to common belief, mouthwash will not kill all plaque-causing bacteria and does not replace brushing or flossing. But using a rinse with essential oils after brushing for the indicated amount of time on the label does help slow the formation of plaque throughout the day. Since a new crop of germ develops every 24 hours, every little bit of mouthwash does help. Don’t overuse it though because the rinse can start to produce sloughy, stinky tissue!
Happy Thanksgiving and don’t forget to floss!
Peace, love, and dental floss,
B
Dr. David Eshom DDS
8899 University Center Lane, Suite 245
San Diego, CA 92122
858.455.9151
8899 University Center Lane, Suite 245
San Diego, CA 92122
858.455.9151
Lately at the office, Ali Fedotowky’s smile has caught our attention in a number of magazines…
Who is she?
Ali was one of the many contestants on The Bachelor’s 14th season. After leaving The Bachelor due to a work-related conflict, she later went on to star in her very own show: The Bachelorette. According to the season finale, she has found her true love and now is engaged to Roberto Martinez.
Her smile…
She is such an adorable girl, but unfortunately her smile is not up to par with her beautiful face. If you carefully examine the pictures above, there are a number of things we would treat if she came into our office.
1.) Tooth size and narrow smile
Initially, we noticed that her lower lip covers the tips of her teeth; masking the size of her teeth and making her teeth look even smaller. However, if you look at the next picture, her teeth are in fact, too small for her face and are actually a little worn. Your tooth size is a very important factor to the “fullness” of your smile. Too small and your smile is too narrow, and too big can you look cartoony and unrealistic. Also, there are spaces in the corners of her smile where teeth should be. This could have happened if Ali had braces when she was younger and perhaps could have had some teeth extracted to create more room for her other teeth. If you remember the last celebrity blog with Carrie Underwood and Halle Berry, their smiles had no gaps in the corners, just showed all teeth.
2.) Too Gummy
Many people (including myself, too!) have this issue. What we mean by a “gummy” smile is that there is too much gum showing when a person smiles (the tooth to gum ratio is not proportional). This could happen for a number of reasons: overgrowth of gum tissue, too short teeth, or a bad bite. In Ali’s case, it looks like her short teeth is a major contributor to her gummy smile.
The Solution?
To fix the narrowness of her smile, Dr. Eshom would place molar veneers to fill out her smile more. Veneers wouldn’t necessarily be needed on her front teeth, unless she really wanted to change the shape and size. Since Dr. Eshom practices minimally invasive dentistry, her first option would be to re-contour her gums to create larger-looking teeth and a less gummy smile.
So what do you think about Ali’s smile? I wish nothing but the best for her and her future husband! Have a great week everyone and don’t forget to floss!
Peace, love, and dental floss,
B
via nydailynews.comHere's a great comprehensive article about understanding your teeth as they age. Our society is so obsessed about keeping our bodies looking young, but what about our teeth? Other than whitening them, we tend to forget that our teeth can carry age as well. Click here to keep your chompers in tip-top condition--no matter what your real age is!
Peace, love, and dental floss,
-B
Dr. David Eshom, DDS
8899 University Center Lane, Suite 245
San Diego, CA 92122
858.455.9151
http://www.eshomdds.com/
Happy Friday to everyone!
We'd like to invite you to become a fan of the new and improved Facebook page of David Eshom, DDS: Dental Health and Beauty! This new page features key information about Dr Eshom's office including directions, a biography, awards/accreditations, and weekly updates of our dental blog.
By becoming a new fan, you will be automatically entered to win a $50 American Express gift card! You can also gain extra entries by referring your friends to also become a fan of our new page. Just have your friend leave a comment on our wall or send us a message stating: "Referred by: ______" and we'll give you an entry for every friend you referred.
Act fast because we will be closing our current Facebook page very soon and our contest ends on October 31, 2010! Official rules are stated below.
We look forward to seeing you all on Facebook! Good luck, everyone!!
Thanks,
The office of Dr. David Eshom
Official Rules:
It's easy to enter, here's how:
- Become a fan of our new Facebook page: David Eshom, DDS: Dental Health and Beauty.
- You can refer as MANY friends to gain extra entries into our raffle by asking them to become a fan. After they become a fan, just have him/her leave me a comment or a message with your name and I'll give you an entry for every friend you referred. (Ex: Referred by: Jane Doe)
- Contest starts August 24, 2010 and ends October 31, 2010.
- Winners will be chosen by random draw.
- Thanks and good luck!
By working at a dental office, creating beautiful smiles is our passion. So naturally, when each of us looks through a magazine we can’t help but notice when we see a gorgeous smile. After careful consideration,
Although beauty is in the “eye of the beholder” and varies according to cultural influences, studies show that proportion and symmetry subconsciously influence who/what we think is attractive. When designing and restoring smiles, many orthodontists and cosmetic dentists keep in mind the “Golden Ratio.” I don’t want to get too technical, but this is a concept which basically explains that objects that are naturally appealing tend to follow the golden ratio’s proportions. As you can see in each picture above, there is a distinct line of symmetry to their face and smile. In addition to their white smile, their four upper teeth are symmetrical and their smile lines follow the shape of her lower lip (a convex shape going downwards). Their smiles are also very full, showing mostly teeth when they smile and they both have little gum display.
These are some things we notice when we look at smiles, but how about you? Who are some celebrity smiles you admire? I’d love to hear your feedback! Have a good weekend and don’t forget to floss!
Peace, love, and dental floss,
-B
Dr. David Eshom DDS
8899 University Center Lane, Suite 245
San Diego, CA 92122
858.455.9151
http://www.eshomdds.com/services/home.php
