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Westchester NY Dentist on Keeping Your Smile Strong

Many people often and unknowingly associate old age with a poor set of teeth and oral health. However, this does not have to be the case! Chester Hill Dentistry treats many geriatric patients who have a full, natural smile still and asked them about some of their secrets. Today your Westchester NY Dentist has provided some of their tips, as well as some of our own to help our patients of all ages in growing older with their teeth.

One of the main factors that can lead to dental issues as you age is bone and tissue loss or weakening, which can be naturally occurring. These issues are most prevalent in women with menopause or with other medical conditions. To ensure strength everywhere from your teeth to your arms and more, make sure to include plenty of calcium in your diet. Even if taken in a tablet, it will increase and sustain strength- making issues like tooth loss or fracture less likely.

Medications taken for some of the above conditions and others, such as diabetes or hypertension, can also cause dental issues. Dry mouth is a most common side effect amongst these medications and can prevent saliva from doing its job. Saliva acts as a natural mouthwash for us, adding protective agents to the teeth and washing away any lingering food or beverage particles from causing harm.

No matter your age, it is important to always keep a steady at-home oral health regimen. Brush twice and floss once daily to remove any plaque that may have built up. Always make sure that your diet includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, as they will provide you with whole-body healthy vitamins and minerals needed to keep you healthy. If you have a dental appliance, such as dentures, make sure they are cleaned and taken care of daily as well. Lastly, make sure to maintain regular appointments with your Westchester NY dentist for cleanings and exams to keep on top of any looming dental issues.

Make sure you enjoy the matured, best years of your life in top-shape. Just because you have a few years under your belt does NOT mean you have to be a few teeth short.

Call your Westchester NY dentist today to schedule an appointment or to learn more about dental care as you age. We can be reached at (914) 939-2132.

Dentist Greenwich CT Talks about Tooth Discoloration

Everybody says that the foods and drinks that are the worst for you are the ones that taste the best. Sadly, this may be true for many people. These items are certain delicious, whether they’re paired with something or you’re simply enjoying it by itself, but they can cause unfortunate staining on your teeth. People can be terribly self-conscious about their smile because of the color of their teeth and your dentist Greenwich CT location wants you to know what foods to pass up on so the staining doesn’t happen to you.

Popsicles

Since it’s summertime and the heat may be unbearable, nothing sounds better than a nice, cool ice pop! But these flavor-filled treats are filled with dyes that can stain your teeth, tongue, and lips. They’re also filled with sugars that attack your teeth and can trigger sharp, sensitive pains in your teeth from the cold temperature. You’re better off just skipping out on these pops altogether.

Tomato Sauce

Paired with your favorite noodles, tomato sauce can pack a lot of delicious flavors, combined with the right herbs and spices. But the sauce is filled with highly acidic tomatoes, which can cause some tough stains. If this one meal you can’t live without, then use a light amount of the sauce and be sure to drink a lot of water to substitute the wine you may be pairing your meal with it (the wine just adds to the acidity).

Hard Candies

Many children love to eat candies like lollipops simply because it changes their tongue a different color, but the same thing happens to their teeth, as well. Just like popsicles, candies are filled with dyes that will stick around much longer than you want them to. Hard candies are also dangerous for your teeth because people are likely to bite down on them, which can crack or even break their teeth!

There are plenty of other foods and drinks that should be avoided because of the damage that it does to your teeth. A great tip for most of these is to carry around sugar free gum and drink a lot of water after each meal so the high amount of acidity is diminished as much as it can be before you’re able to brush your teeth.

Contact your dentist Greenwich CT location by calling (914) 939-2132 to schedule a consultation and save your teeth from any harmful staining foods!

Rye Brook NY Dentist on Sunnier Choices

Your Rye Brook NY dentist most likely enjoys summer just as much as you do. What we may know more about and have to treat the effects of more often though, is how a summer diet can impact the teeth. There is no doubt that we eat slightly different in summer than we do in the other months of the year, so today we will be examining how some of those choices can be detrimental, and what you can do to prevent any complications.

While the occasional BBQ can definitely be a staple of summer, we find most patients go for a lighter fare overall. Whether that is due to the amount of time in a bathing suit, or that the winter months are tending to be more “heavy hibernation food,” that is up for debate.

With that said, fun and light options such as salads, ciders, frozen coffees, sangrias, and wines are easy to prepare, easy to share and delightful to eat outside on your porch with friends. The problem with a majority of these foods and drinks is their low pH level, which can lead to the acidic erosion of the teeth, and high sugar levels. The combination of these two factors can lead to dental decay, disease, and worse over time if the proper maintenance steps are not in place.

To help battle the summer time dietary effects, there are a few things you can try. Alternate glasses of wine or other acidic/sugary beverages with glasses of water. If possible, try drinking them with a straw- so that you bypass the teeth for the most part. Also, brushing and flossing should never be neglected- but maybe wait about 45 minutes after these meals before you choose to do so. By brushing prematurely, you can be rubbing the acids into the teeth and not be allowing saliva to do its neutralizing process first.

Last, but not least, don’t forget to come see your Rye Brook NY dentist for a twice yearly cleaning and exam to keep your teeth in tip-top summer shape!

You can call our office today at (914) 939-2132 to schedule an appointment.

Westchester NY Teeth Whitening Location Wants to Improve Your Smile

Some people struggle with remembering small, but important routines without having a reminder of some kind, especially in the summer. Since children are out of school that means there’s more to do during the day when it feels like there’s not one free moment. If you choose to skip out on brushing your teeth, either in the morning or night, then you’re sacrificing your oral health, which can put you at risk for dental problems down the road. Dr. Fu at your Westchester NY Teeth Whitening location, Chester Hill Dentistry, wants you to know how to keep your smile white.

Brushing is the number one way! Skipping even one brush in the morning or night allows the bacteria from the last thing you ate or drink to linger even longer in your mouth. These bacteria are slowly breaking down your enamel and the minerals that are supposed to be protecting your teeth. Taking two minutes when you wake up and before you go to bed isn’t sacrificing a lot when you’re doing more damage by ignoring your toothbrush.

Flossing is just as important as brushing your teeth, even though it’s not taken as seriously. When you floss, you’re getting in between in the creases that your toothbrush is unable to do by itself. If you ignore flossing, then you’re allowing bacteria to stay stuck in between your teeth, which can cause cavities and further dental problem.

Watching what you eat is next. When you pick something to eat, you’re making a conscious decision for that certain food to coat the inside of your mouth. While you can make any choice you want, it’s important to remember what certain foods do to your oral hygiene. If you’re eating or drinking something acidic or sugary, it’s immediately attacking your enamel, teeth, gums, and tongue. If you want to improve this, eating crunchy fruits and vegetables like cut up apples, carrots, celery, and other snacks act as stain removers for your teeth. Some of these snacks are naturally filled with water, so they won’t dry out your mouth and cause trouble for you to produce saliva.

If you’re still not satisfied with your smile, then you can always contact Dr. Fu and consider in-office teeth whitening. You can either schedule a procedure to get it done within an hour, or you can purchase a take-home kit from the office. For more information about keeping your smile bright, contact Dr. Fu’s Westchester NY Teeth Whitening location, Chester Hill Dentistry, by calling this number (914) 939-2132.