Non-Surgical Cosmetic Dentistry Treatments for Colorado Springs Residents

This article provides a complete overview of the various non-surgical cosmetic treatments that are available for the enhancement of one’s smile aesthetics.

Your smile is one of your most important and alluring physical assets. While a life of good oral hygiene and regularly scheduled dental check-ups and professional cleanings can go a long way in protecting your smile against the marching on of the years, eventually, general wear-and-tear, physical trauma and repeated exposure to staining foods and beverages can deteriorate the appearance of your pearly whites. This can make your smile appear dulled and uneven.

Thankfully, cosmetic dentists offer Colorado Springs residents an arsenal of non-surgical treatments and procedures that are designed to restore the appearance of even the most damaged and worn smile. In this article, we shall be providing a brief explanation of these procedures.

Cosmetic Dentistry Treatments

Teeth Whitening: Teeth whitening is one of the quickest, easiest and simplest of the Colorado Springs cosmetic dentistry services. Patients usually have a custom mouth guard created for them by their dentists and then return home with a whitening kit. The treatment takes place over the course of one or more weeks and consists of wearing the mouth guard (with a special bleaching gel) daily for an hour or two. Teeth whitening can substantially lighten the shade of the dental enamel and remove the appearance of surface stains, making your smile appear much brighter and more naturally beautiful.

Dental Veneers: “Veneers are ultra-thin shells of ceramic material that are custom made to fit over the front surface of a damaged, cracked, uneven or deeply stained tooth. They cover up the appearance of deep staining and/or discoloration that cannot be addressed with a simple tooth whitening cosmetic treatment and can be used to replace missing tooth structure,” explains a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs. “Dental veneers can also be used to fill large gaps between teeth, so they’re quite versatile in their applications!”

Bonding: Bonding involves the application of a special dental cement to the surfaces of a tooth that has sustained some kind of damage. “The cement used in the bonding process is composed of ceramic materials, so that it looks just like natural dental enamel, while still being hard and durable,” says the Colorado Springs cosmetic dentist. “Bonding can be used to address minor flaws in the tooth structure, as well as cavities, cracks, fissures and chips. It can also be applied to the biting surfaces of teeth with deep cusps, effectively helping to prevent decay caused by trapped food.”

Dental Crowns: Crowns are typically recommended for cases where a tooth has become so badly damaged or decayed that a large portion of the natural crown needs to be removed. The tooth is then filed down to support an aesthetic tooth replica, which is carefully fabricated to be virtually indistinguishable from a natural tooth in both function and appearance. “Dental crowns can dramatically improve the appearance of one’s smile, especially if a patient has very damaged, heavily stained and uneven teeth,” explains the Colorado Springs cosmetic dentist.

A Final Note…

Through one of the above-mentioned cosmetic treatments (teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, bonding and dental crowns), you too can have your smile confidence restored. Speak to a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs about which treatment would best cater to your needs.

Colorado Springs Dentists Answer: What Could Be Causing Your Bad Breath? PART 3

This three-part article series provides an overview of the various factors, ailments and conditions that could be causing your breath to turn sour.

Welcome to the final installment of this three-part article series on the various causes of bad breath. In Part 1, we spoke to Colorado Springs dentists who explained that bad oral hygiene, tooth decay and gum disease (gingivitis and periodontitis) were the most common causes of bad breath. In Part 2, we shifted our attention to the less obvious causative factors, which included respiratory tract infections and a condition known as “dry mouth” (linked with alcohol intake, habits such as smoking and certain medications.)

In this article, the final installment of the series, we’ll provide some final possible causes behind chronic bad breath, some of them very surprising indeed…

The Causes of Bad Breath, Continued…

6. Breath Mints

This may sound completely counter-intuitive, but sucking on a breath mint can actually achieve quite the opposite of the desired effect! “Mints contain sugar, which encourages bacteria to thrive,” explains a dentist in Pueblo CO. “While they may freshen your breath as you suck on them, after five or ten minutes, your breath can actually turn sour as oral bacteria multiply and produce more smelly wastes. This applies to anything with sugar in it, which is why we always encourage patients to brush or at least rinse their mouths out after a sugary beverage, snack or treat.”

Even better: get yourself a pack of sugar-free gum. “Getting into the habit of chewing gum when you want a breath freshener is excellent for your teeth because it stimulates the production of saliva, which helps to wash away food debris and kill bacteria,” advise Colorado Springs dentists.

7. General Health Issues

As it was explained in Part 2 of this article series, oral problems aren’t always to blame for bad breath. There are a host of general health problems and diseases that are linked with halitosis, such as diabetes, respiratory tract infection and liver disease. If your dentist in Pueblo CO has told you that your teeth and gums are healthy, and yet you still struggle with bad breath, book yourself an appointment with your GP. Explain your symptoms and get a diagnosis. The health of your mouth is closely linked to the health of your body and it can provide some very important indications of possible problems, so pay attention!

8. Tongue Health and Hygiene

Take a look at your tongue in the mirror… what color is it? It should be a healthy pink color all the way to the back of your mouth. Yet, sometimes it can have a whitish coating, which is typically a result of oral bacteria. “When you brush your teeth, you should also be brushing your tongue until it looks nice and pink,” say Colorado Springs dentists. “Your tongue’s surface, being rough, is full of excellent hiding places for oral bacteria, so your tongue could be causing your breath to go bad.”

If you don’t like brushing your tongue, there are also tongue scrapers on the market, which are effective at removing plaque, bacteria and food debris from the surface of your tongue.

A Final Note on Busting Bad Breath

Remember, good oral health and hygiene are fundamental in the fight against bad breath. Never be too shy to ask a friend or family member for a subjective opinion on the quality of your breath because it can compel you to seek treatment for problems that, if left undiagnosed, may ultimately cause to tooth decay and loss.

The Colorado Springs Dentist Answers: What Could Be Causing Your Bad Breath? PART 2

This three-part article series provides an overview of the various factors, ailments and conditions that could be causing your breath to turn sour.

Welcome to the second installment of this three-part article series on the various causes of halitosis, or bad breath. In Part 1, an experienced Colorado Springs dentist explained that bad oral hygiene, tooth decay and gum disease (gingivitis and periodontitis) were the most common causes of bad breath. “Oral bacteria produce wastes that contain smelly sulfurous compounds… so the more bacteria there are in your mouth; the more likely your breath will be bad. Tooth decay and gum disease are also caused by oral bacteria, which explains why bad breath is one of the key symptoms of these conditions,” explains the dentist.

But, what if you do look after your teeth properly and still suspect that you have bad breath? According to Colorado Springs dentists, bad oral hygiene isn’t always the culprit behind halitosis. There are a number of other ailments that can cause your breath to smell bad, both directly and indirectly through the faster build-up of bacteria.

The Causes of Bad Breath, Continued…

4. Sinus and Respiratory Problems

It can be a terrible nuisance: you give your teeth a thorough scrub and not even 10 minutes later, you suspect that your breath has gone bad. Why else would your colleague be looking at you through rolled up eyes and a wrinkled nose? It’s not that this is a one-time problem either… it’s something you’ve consistently noticed and yet, the dentist tells you that you are in excellent oral health.

“In many cases, the solution to halitosis is not a visit to the oral hygienist,” explains the dentist in Colorado Springs. “Rather, it’s a visit to your doctor! There are a host of general health issues that can cause bad breath and an infection in the respiratory tract (especially the sinuses) is a key candidate. Bacteria in your throat, sinuses, larynx and/or lungs also produce sulfurous wastes and these gases taint your breath as you inhale and then exhale.”

The solution is therefore fairly simple: visit your medical doctor for a diagnosis and then treatment!

5. Dry Mouth

Another key cause of bad breath is a condition known as “dry mouth.” As the name suggests, this condition is characterized by the impeded or slowed production of saliva in the mouth. “The problem with this condition, especially when it’s a chronic problem, is that it renders your teeth and gums more vulnerable to oral bacteria,” explains the dentist in Colorado Springs. “Saliva is a natural anti-bacterial and your body’s first line of defense against the microorganisms that cause cavities and tooth decay.”

What causes dry mouth?

“Alcohol causes dry mouth, as do habits such as smoking and chewing tobacco. There is also a host of medications that can cause dry mouth, including anti-histamines. If you’re on any chronic medications for dry mouth, you should speak to your treating physician about an alternative drug or a different dose so that you can perhaps offset the side effects. If this is not an option for you, you will have to do what you can to mitigate the risks of dry mouth, such as drink more water, brush more frequently and perhaps rinse with an anti-bacterial mouthwash,” advises the Colorado Springs dentist.

Stay Tuned for Part 3

Stay tuned for the final installment of this three-part article series to find out more about the different causes of halitosis, or bad breath.

The Dentist in Colorado Springs Answers: What Could Be Causing Your Bad Breath? PART 1

This three-part article series provides an overview of the various factors, ailments and conditions that could be causing your breath to turn sour.

Let’s face it… there’s nothing quite as unattractive as halitosis. You could be a cover girl for Maxim Magazine or a ramp model for Giorgio Armani, but if your breath pongs, no one’s going to want to hold a conversation with you. One of the better-known causes of bad breath is pungent food such as onions and garlic. But, according to a dentist in Colorado Springs, there are a great variety of factors that can cause one’s breath to sour. In this three-part article series, we shall be providing an overview of these factors.

The Causes of Bad Breath

1. Oral Hygiene (or a Lack Thereof)

In almost every case of halitosis, the cause is related to oral bacteria. These microorganisms use the food debris left behind in your mouth to fuel their growth and proliferation. But just like every living organism that eats, they too produce waste products and these tend to contain stinky sulfurous compounds.

“The patients who brush and floss their teeth regularly and thoroughly should not suffer from halitosis and should, for the most part, have clean and pleasant breath,” explains a Colorado Springs dentist. “Good oral hygiene is integral in the removal of the bacteria and bacterial wastes that lead to plaque accumulation and bad breath.”

2. A Decayed Tooth

“Another cause of halitosis is tooth decay, which also tends to be a result of poor oral hygiene and a diet that consists mainly of sugary and acidic foods and beverages. But decay isn’t always the result of neglecting one’s oral hygiene. It’s not uncommon in children who are making the transition to adulthood to struggle with a particularly tenacious milk tooth. The exposed pulp chamber of the loose tooth offers bacteria an excellent environment in which to multiply, away from the roving bristles of their toothbrush. Consequently, the tooth can begin to decay,” explains the dentist in Colorado Springs.

“We generally recommend to parents that they invest in an anti-bacterial mouthwash (ADA-approved, alcohol-free), which their child can use while one or more of their teeth are loose and coming out. Alternatively, pop down to your Colorado Springs dentist and he or she will be more than happy to whip out the offending tooth – pain-free, of course.”

3. Gingivitis and Periodontitis

“Gingivitis and periodontitis are two stages of gum disease and bad breath is a symptom of both,” explains the dentist in Colorado Springs. “Gum disease begins as gingivitis, which is characterized by red, inflamed and tender gums. If left without treatment, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis, which is an advanced oral bacterial infection of the gums and the supporting structures of the teeth. People with gum disease can experience, amongst other unpleasant symptoms, a persistent bad taste in the mouth and chronic bad breath that comes back soon after brushing.”

“Gum disease destroys healthy teeth and the jawbone tissue and ligaments that support them, causing tooth decay and ultimately tooth loss. By improving your standard of oral hygiene and seeking regular professional attention and cleaning from your Colorado Springs dentist, you can help to protect your mouth against the ravages of this disease.”

Stay Tuned for Part 2

Stay tuned for the second installment of this three-part article series to find out more about the different causes of halitosis, or bad breath.