Monthly Archives: April 2012

Whiter Smiles for Your Wedding: 4 Ways to Get The Look!

26 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by in Adult Dentistry, cosmetic dentistry

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With wedding season in full swing, we know brides want pearly white teeth to match that beautiful white dress.

Photos via StyleMePretty, Photography by Chad Morgan Photography

Photo via StyleMePretty, Photography by Chad Morgan Photography 

You can give the appearance of a whiter smile by wearing brighter shades of lipstick, like red, which really makes your smile pop!

Clinique created an entire line of 12 lipsticks in varying shades aimed at making your smile appear brighter.  Clinique claims, “On application, Clinique’s specially designed lipstick colours create a contrast that brightens your smile.”  These great lip shades might be a less expensive alternative to professional whitening treatments.

Clinique lipsticks brighten up smiles!

If you want long-lasting whiteness, we suggest you ask your dentist if these procedures below will work for you to enhance your smile.

You can always go with Zoom! Whitening, a professional in-office whitening treatment done under the supervision of a dental professional.  This laser whitening procedure claims to brighten your smile by up to 8 shades, which is nearly enough to match a wedding gown!  The average cost is about $500; however, www.DentistUSA.com Dentists often post deals for Zoom! Whitening and other in-office whitening procedures.   The best part about this method:  the busy bride will certainly be able to spare 45 minutes it takes to complete this procedure.  Find a Cosmetic Dentist here.

Another great program that many of our DentistUSA dentists participate in is Free Whitening for Life.  With Free Whitening for Life, dentists are able to offer free, take-home, customizable whitening trays upon completion of dental treatments.  These bleaching trays require 7-10 days of application and can brighten teeth by up to 6 shades.

White strips & whitening polishes are also an effective alternative to many professional whitening systems.  Brides might opt for these, as they’re an inexpensive alternative to the above two methods, and they’re available in most drugstores.  These take home strips and polishes can take anywhere from 7 to 30 days to work and usually brighten your teeth by a few shades.

A brighter, whiter smile that brides can show off

All these are fantastic ways to achieve a brighter, whiter smile on your wedding day.  They range from choosing a brightening lip color to visiting a dentist to find the best medical program for you.

Have you inquired about teeth whitening procedures for your wedding?  Find a Cosmetic Dentist online here!

We always recommend consulting a dental professional before starting any cosmetic or dental treatment.  Please contact a dentist to find out which of the above is right for you, and do your research beyond this before making a decision.  This blog post in no way is to replace medical advice.

How to Select a Mouth Guard for Sports

19 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by in General Dentistry, oral hygeine

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Spring is here which means children will start their basketball, lacrosse, softball or baseball practices.  With the excitement of spring sports also comes the long list of new equipment they are likely to need!  While you’re picking up new running shorts and shoes, remember to make an appointment to get your child’s mouth guard to protect their smiles!

Did you know that 3 million students are expected to lose their teeth due to sports related injuries this year alone?  This means that there are three million avoidable cases that will total up to millions of dollars in medical fees.

The American Dental Association recommends a custom-fitted mouth guard to be used in any sport that could result in a blow to the face or mouth.  Though stock mouth protectors or mouth guards may be less expensive, they tend to be bulky and ill fitting.  Your dentist can mold a mouth guard to fit your mouth that makes it easy for you to breathe and protect your pearly whites.  With so many options, which do you choose?

Pro Baseball Player Manny Ramirez seen wearing a a mouth guard, image via Google

According to the ADA, there are three different styles of mouth guard:

  1. Stock
    Stock mouth protectors are inexpensive and come pre-formed, ready to wear. Unfortunately, the one size fits all usually doesn’t provide a secure fit for sports.  These stock mouth guards can be bulky and can make breathing and talking difficult.
  2. Boil and bite
    Boil and bite mouth protectors can also be bought at many sporting goods stores and may offer a better fit than stock mouth protectors. They should be softened in water, then inserted and allowed to adapt to the shape of your mouth. If you don’t follow the directions carefully you can wind up with a ill-fitting mouth protector.
  3. Custom-fitted
    Custom-fitted mouth protectors are made by your dentist for you personally. While these tend to be a bit more expensive, they are customized so they generally offer better protection than other mouth guards.

Does your child wear a mouth guard when they play sports?  If not, schedule a dentist appointment to have one custom-fitted for their smiles so they will not be one of the three million children who will lose teeth this year due to sports-related injuries.

Oral Cancer Awareness: Symptoms and Risk Factors

12 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by in Adult Dentistry, General Dentistry

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April is Oral Cancer awareness month, so DentistUSA.com would like to take the time educate our readers about Oral Cancer.  There are many factors that affect the development of oral cancer.  According to WebMD, they include:

  • “Smoking: Cigarette, cigar, or pipe smokers are six times more likely than nonsmokers to develop oral cancers.
  • Smokeless tobacco users. Users of dip, snuff, or chewing tobacco products are 50 times more likely to develop cancers of the cheek, gums, and lining of the lips.
  • Excessive consumption of alcohol. Oral cancers are about six times more common in drinkers than in nondrinkers.
  • Family history of cancer.
  • Excessive sun exposure, especially at a young age.”

Though the majority of oral cancer cases are in individuals who smoke or drink, 27% of the people who get oral cancer have no risk factors at all.  More than 30,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed each year. 

Dentists will usually conduct an oral cancer screening exam at your visit.  They will feel for lumps or irregular tissue changes in your neck, head, face and oral cavity.  Some dentists even offer an advanced screening exam called vizilite screening at your checkup to look for symptoms of oral cancer.  Below, you can find a video explaining this screening process:

We highly recommend making twice yearly visits to your dentist as the earlier it is caught, the better chances you have of treating the cancer.