Dental Health: Seeing a Dentist after Years of Neglect

In the United States, most people get plenty of fluoride in their daily lives without even thinking about it. Most tap water has fluoride added to it in order to help keep teeth strong and healthy. However, if you find yourself in a situation where you have to use bottled water for everything, you might be concerned about your teeth. Read on to learn more about what you can do in this situation to ensure that your teeth are getting sufficient fluoride.

If you're less than happy with the appearance of your smile, then you may have considered cosmetic dental procedures in the past. Unfortunately, cosmetic dentistry can be pricey, and very few procedures tend to be covered by insurance. The good news is that in many situations, a relatively inexpensive and simple procedure known as dental bonding can be used to improve the appearance of your teeth and give you the confident smile you've always wanted.

There are many reasons why teeth become discolored, such as from smoking and consuming certain foods and drinks (e.g. coffee). However, the medications you take can also be a source of tooth discoloration. Here are two that can stain your teeth and what you can do to fix the problem. Tetracycline Tetracycline is an antibiotic used to treat a variety of illnesses and conditions, including acne and infections. While it is effective at handling these issues, it can leave its mark on patients in the form of discolored teeth.

If you have recently discovered that your young child has developed a large cavity or has incurred physical damage to a molar, the price-tag associated with its repair can be more than a bit surprising and it's often tempting to ask for the affected tooth to be removed. Since it is commonly assumed that their baby teeth will soon fall out, more than one parent has tried to save money by extracting instead of repairing a molar.

Have you been told by a dentist that you will need to get a crown on one of your teeth? If so, you might be nervous about the procedure especially if you have never had a crown. The following are a few things you should know about crowns and your dental health. Purpose Your dentist has likely recommended a crown for your tooth to protect it from decaying more. Crowns form a protective barrier between decayed or damaged teeth and foods or bacteria that could make the damage or decay worse.

A root canal can be quite expensive, although it's less expensive than the alternative of removing the tooth entirely and placing an implant. However, there is another alternative that can sometimes be a better, less expensive alternative to root canal therapy. It's called pulp capping. Direct Pulp Capping If the pulp of the tooth is exposed, perhaps during the removal of a cavity, the dentist may recommend a root canal if the pulp is very infected.

Do you have teeth that are less than ideal? Do you want better teeth but your budget is already stretched to the limit? Dental care can be a huge expense for many people. Unfortunately, putting off dental care can only make the costs rise as new issues start to compound the existing ones. The best way to keep your dental costs in check is by visiting a local dentist regularly and fixing problems as they appear.

Full dentures replace all of the teeth in your mouth when the natural teeth were lost to trauma, decay, or a combination of factors. Full dentures come in two different styles: implant-retained or gum-supported. The former offers some more pros than traditional gum-supported dentures – but also comes with a con. What are some of the pros and cons of implant-retained dentures you should discuss with your cosmetic dentist or denturist?