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We all want our best and brightest smiles, and today there are many options we can explore at home to make those beautiful smiles a reality. Whether it’s healthy habits, a healthy diet, whitening toothpaste, or do-it-yourself home products, we have golden opportunities to achieve whiter teeth.

• Healthy Habits

Proper brushing is the first step in keeping your teeth stain-free. You should devote at least two minutes twice a day to brushing, being careful to cover the areas between and at the base of teeth, where plaque you miss can form visible tartar. Ask us about the most effective brushing techniques. And please, don’t smoke. Smoking is one of the worst offenders when it comes to discoloring teeth. If you are a smoker, quitting at any point in your life will make a big difference in the whiteness of your smile—and your lasting health!

• Healthy Eating

We all know red wine, coffee, and tea cause some of our worst enamel stains. Acidic drinks such as sodas and citrus beverages can cause even more problems by eroding tooth enamel, exposing the yellowish dentin underneath. Moderation and rinsing with water can help prevent damage. But we have some dietary allies as well! Crunchy foods like apples, carrots, and celery provide a mild scrubbing effect. Dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt strengthen enamel. Fruits such as strawberries and pineapples, studies suggest, contain enzymes that are natural stain removers. While no one food takes the place of brushing or cleaning, a healthy diet and a healthy body enhance any smile.

• Brushing with a Whitening Toothpaste

Toothpastes are available which can remove some surface stains, and which can keep teeth their whitest after a professional whitening. They won’t penetrate the enamel surface or change the natural color of your teeth. If these toothpastes are going to work on discolored tooth surfaces, you will usually see results within a few weeks.

• Over-the-counter (OTC) Whitening Kits

These products provide a peroxide-based gel that can be applied in a tray or with strips. If you choose a tray application, make sure trays fit properly so sensitive mouth and gum tissue is not irritated. If you decide on strips, always make sure all of the tooth surface is covered to avoid uneven whitening. These kits have more powerful whiteners than toothpastes, and so you might see better results, but tooth and gum sensitivity can be a problem.

While all these whitening methods can be helpful, there are some circumstances when a professional whitening is best. Professional gel whiteners are more powerful, and can help eliminate darker stains that OTC products can’t remove. We can make sure sensitive gum and mouth tissue is protected from bleaching agents. And, if you are on a deadline, we can provide a much faster result. Some conditions, such as deep stains caused by trauma or medication, or darker-colored caps, veneers, and crowns, require more than whitening, and we are happy to present options for those situations.

If you have any questions or concerns about whitening your teeth, please give our Hellertown, PA office a call. Whether it’s advice on how to brush or how to quit smoking, discussing the effects of foods and drinks on our teeth, suggesting OTC whitening products, or providing a professional whitening, Dr. Jason P. Tosto and our team are happy to help you achieve your best and brightest smile!

Xerostomia, otherwise known as dry mouth, can be a side effect of many common medications. Drugs used for blood pressure, birth control, antidepressants, or cancer treatments may cause the dry mouth problems you’re experiencing. When you have dry mouth, you’re more likely to experience tooth decay and an increased risk of developing periodontal disease. Medication can sometimes be the cause of dry mouth in women, and lead to an increased amount of cavities.

You may not develop a cavity for years, but suddenly find more than one when you’re on medication for several months. This is due to there being less saliva in your mouth, which normally prevents bacteria from flourishing. When there is a lack of saliva flow, your mouth will be more likely to host tooth decay and be more prone to gum disease.

You may not notice it, but birth control can lead to inflammation of the gums and bleeding because of dry mouth. The condition can also emerge if you’ve undergone cancer treatments such as radiation, because your saliva glands may be damaged in the process.

Boosting saliva production is critical for treating xerostomia. Many over-the-counter saliva products are designed to help manage dry mouth. For women with severe cases of dry mouth and decay, we may recommend in-home fluoride treatments that offer extra enamel protection. This can come in the form of fluoride trays, prescription toothpaste, or a special fluoride rinse.

Other ways to relieve dry mouth include chewing sugar-free gum, limiting caffeine intake, avoiding mouthwashes that contain alcohol, sipping water regularly, using a humidifier at night, and stopping all tobacco use.

If you believe you may be experiencing symptoms of dry mouth, contact our Hellertown, PA office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Jason P. Tosto. It’s wise to take medications that have been prescribed by your doctor, but it’s also smart to watch for any side effects. If you think a medication is causing you to have dry mouth, let’s figure out how to manage your symptoms as a team!

“I’d rather have a root canal!”

That’s the common go-to response to anything unpleasant. But, because the second week of May is “Root Canal Awareness Week,” let’s see if we can take some of the sting out of that cliché by examining just how much root canals actually improve lives!

The pulp chamber and root canals inside each tooth hold the tooth’s pulp, which is living tissue made of nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue. Nerves and blood vessels in the chamber travel through the tooth’s roots, emerging from a small opening in each root tip to connect to your nervous and circulatory systems.

When the pulp inside your tooth is inflamed because of trauma or infection, it’s a condition called pulpitis. Swelling and pressure inside the tooth cause pain, which can be quite severe. If the tooth is left untreated, infection can spread and lead to bone, tissue, and tooth loss.

A root canal procedure treats irreversible pulpitis. You might need a root canal because an injury or trauma has damaged the root’s pulp. Or because a deep cavity or crack in the enamel has exposed the pulp tissue to bacterial infection. Or because serious gum disease has spread to the pulp via the tooth’s roots.

While severe tooth pain is often a symptom of pulpitis, you should see Dr. Jason P. Tosto if you experience any symptoms which might indicate pulp trauma or infection:

• Persistent tooth pain, which can be either dull or sharp and severe
• Pain when chewing or when pressure is placed on the tooth
• Prolonged sensitivity to heat or cold
• A cracked, broken, darkened, or discolored tooth
• Gum tissue near the tooth which is sore, red, or swollen
• A pus-filled bump, called an abscess, on the gums which persists or keeps recurring.

If you’ve been postponing a trip to the dentist because you’re anxious about root canal treatment, talk to your dental team at Tosto Family Dentistry in Hellertown, PA about the various sedation options available to provide you with your most comfortable experience.

The root canal procedure itself is safe and straightforward:

• The area around the tooth is numbed.
• The dentist makes a small opening in the crown to allow access to the pulp inside.
• Very small instruments are used to remove infected and dead or dying tissue in the pulp chamber and root canals. The interior of the tooth is cleaned.
• The inside of the tooth and each root is shaped, filled with a biocompatible filling, and sealed.
• A temporary filling or crown is placed on the tooth to prevent food particles and bacteria from entering the site while a permanent crown is created.
• A permanent crown shaped and tinted to match your natural teeth will be placed at a later dental appointment.

The entire process usually takes from one to three visits. Any post-procedure discomfort or sensitivity typically lasts only a few days and is often treated with over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen, warm saltwater rinses, and ice packs. Dr. Jason P. Tosto will give you detailed instructions for your personalized aftercare.

With all this new information in mind, maybe it’s time to reframe the conversation about root canals!

I’d rather have a root canal . . . than suffer pain.

When a tooth is badly infected or damaged, the pain can be excruciating. Root canal procedures remove the cause of that pain, and many patients feel relief immediately after treatment.

I’d rather have a root canal . . . than lose a tooth.

Losing a tooth can affect your bite, your tooth alignment, your ability to eat, your speech, and your self-confidence.

I’d rather have a root canal . . . than damage my overall health.

Untreated tooth and gum infections can spread to other parts of the body, causing jawbone, face and neck, and, potentially, system-wide infection.

Timely dental care is essential for a lifetime of healthy smiles. If your dentist recommends root canal treatment, get all the facts on just how this procedure can protect and improve your dental health.

So, final thoughts on root canal procedures? They relieve our pain. They save our teeth. They can even safeguard our health. Just something to be aware of, this week and year-round!

If you suffer from dental anxiety, a visit to Tosto Family Dentistry might seem like a daunting prospect. Perhaps you had a bad experience in the past, but whatever the reason, please know that at our Hellertown, PA office, there is nothing to be afraid of. We understand you may be anxious about receiving dental treatments, and we’re here to help you have a comfortable, pain-free experience that will put your fears to rest.

You’re not alone!

A 1984 study that appeared in the Journal of the American Dental Association reported that up to 75% of all adults in the United States have some degree of dental anxiety. This includes five to ten percent whose dental anxiety is so severe that they try to avoid a dentist’s office at all costs.

Treatment

If you experience dental anxiety, it is important to let our office know in advance, so we can provide you with the dental care you need with an added touch of TLC. We can assist by explaining behavioral techniques for relaxation, by administering nitrous oxide (laughing gas), or by prescribing a relaxing medication prior to your dental procedure.