There is one habit that is harmful to your teeth and gums and deadly to your body. This is tobacco use — including cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco. In addition to containing nicotine, which is highly addictive, tobacco can increase your risk of many things.

These oral health risks include:

• Cancer such as oral cancer.
• Gum disease.
• Reduction is healing of dental injuries or dental treatments.
• Not being able to get certain types of dental treatments since smokers can be poor candidates for particular treatments such as implants.
• Stained teeth, tongue and sometimes lips.
• A loss of taste and smell.
• Bad breath.

How can tobacco cause gum disease?
Almost 75 percent of periodontal diseases among adults is caused by tobacco use. Tobacco products make havoc to your gum tissue by affecting the attachment of bone and soft tissue to your teeth. If you are a smoker and witness receding gums, you may be experiencing gum disease.. A receding gum line exposes the tooth roots and increases your risk of developing a sensitivity to hot and cold, or tooth decay in these unprotected areas.

Tobacco products contain a variety of toxins associated with cancer. In fact, at least 28 cancer-causing chemicals have been identified in smokeless tobacco products.

However, gum diseases isn’t the only havoc that is caused by tobacco. Smokeless tobacco is known to cause cancers of the mouth, lip, tongue and pancreas. If you have ever seen someone using a piece on their voice box, they probably smoked or used tobacco products.

Tobacco can cause cavities too.
Because sugar is often added to enhance the flavor of smokeless tobacco, using it can increase the risk for tooth decay. Smokeless tobacco also contains sand and grit, which can wear down your teeth – slowly grinding it.

If you need advice or help restoring your teeth because you are a smoker, contact our dental office at Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa. We will steer you in the right — the healthy — direction.

Tags: Dental Health, dental problems, gum diseases, Periodontitis, teeth

You may look at your grandparents with their dentures and wonder if you will also lose your teeth. But this isn’t necessary the case. Just because your family members loss their teeth don’t mean that you will too – unless you don’t take care of them.

If you travel back in time to your grandparents or great grandparents’ time, most likely most of them were experiencing problems with their teeth. Growing up, you probably even thought that was the way it was supposed to be. It’s not though.

Although genetics play a pretty big role in all health issues, but you can fight genetics – especially when it comes to your teeth. In fact, teeth can be maintained for a lifetime, as long as they are properly cared for – even if genetics plays a role in your dental health.

What is the secret to healthy teeth?

It’s really not a secret. The process can be as simple as following a healthy diet, using proper oral hygiene as well as fluoride-related products and visiting your family dentist and hygienist.

Like medicine, the field of dentistry has changed significantly when dental treatment was comprised of two main choices — “ fill or pull”. The main focus now is prevention and maintenance. You also have the option of improving the look of your teeth, using cosmetic dentistry as a way to make your smile a more glamorous one. In fact, services like cosmetic dentistry, dental implants and periodontal treatment are only a few of the ones I am referring to. Subsequently there are fewer individuals losing teeth to gum disease and therefore less wearing dentures.

Dentures don’t have to be your only option when you age. And, it really doesn’t take high tech treatments either. Maintaining good oral hygiene practices are still the best method of prevention and a healthy smile.

Visit us at Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa. Our dentist and staff’s goals are to make sure you not only have a beautiful smile but also healthy teeth and gums – so you won’t need those dentures! Call or make an appointment with us online.

Tags: Brushing, dental care tips, dental hygiene, oral hygiene, teeth

Image is everything in today’s society. The upkeep of one’s physical appearance is crucial for an individual’s success. Cosmetic surgery has become popular not only among celebrities and the elite but also among middle-class people who wish to improve their overall appearance with the help of medical science. One such procedure that is recently growing in popularity is laser teeth whitening.

What is Laser Teeth Whitening
A cosmetic dental process which promises pearly whites, laser teeth whitening can be performed on a client during a single dental visit, as it merely involves the cleaning of the patient’s teeth. A special whitening gel is applied all around the teeth during the process, which makes it more effective and gives immediate results. The cosmetic dentist also will apply laser light which gives better retention of the whitening.

After Laser Whitening
After the treatment, you will need to keep your teeth clean and healthy. One way to do this is to keep bad habits at bay. You need to make sure to brush your teeth properly every day. You should also watch what you eat – food that causes stains such as wine.

Having a good image is something we all strive for and white teeth is one way to do it. While laser teeth whitening is an option for you to get the highly-coveted shiny white teeth, you need to make sure you work with a cosmetic dentist who knows about teeth whitening. Visit us at Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa. Our office offers Zoom teeth whitening treatments to get your teeth white and bright. Call us or go online to make an appointment.

Tags: Cosmetic Dentistry, dental hygiene, teeth, Tooth whitening, Whitening

Many individuals are going for teeth whitening treatments for their teeth – kits you can do at home. But is this a good idea? Does it work?

Teeth whitening has become in demand – making it a popular cosmetic treatment. There are usually two ways to achieve whiter teeth. First is to purchase teeth whitening products from a store and apply them yourself. The second one is to head to your personal dentist to have professional teeth whitening procedure.

But are they the same?

The answer is no. The professional treatment will give you a better result. Here are more benefits of professional whitening treatments.

• Faster. You will have a faster and more convenient result from the whitening procedure by your dentist. People with hectic schedule can definitely save a lot of time and would see more desirable results.
• Better results. Dentists can offer good professional suggestions on teeth whitening procedure.
• Safety. It is safer working with a dentist. Some over the counter kits can cause teeth sensitivity. Whitening product used by dentists are stronger than the ones you can buy from the drugstore plus professional teeth whitening is also safer because dentists use only ADA-approved compounds.
• Better results. It may whiten teeth unevenly, halt whitening process within minutes because the saliva dissolves the whitening agents and the whitening strips only clean part of your teeth.
• Save money. Although the procedure may cost more than the over-the-counter remedies, you can save more money in the long run when you avail of professional teeth whitening methods.

If you are interested in teeth whitening or cosmetic dentistry, you should consider a good dentist that offers cosmetic whitening, like Zoom teeth whitening. Our office, Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa, offers many options to get your teeth pearly white!

Tags: Cosmetic Dentistry, Smile, teeth whitening, Tooth whitening, Whitening

Parents have too much to worry about when it comes to the health of their children. It doesn’t help their worries when they hear awful teeth grinding sounds coming from their child’s teeth at night.

Experts don’t know for sure what causes teeth grinding, but they point fingers at tension or anxiety, pain from an earache or illness. Sometimes when the teeth don’t line up just right, it can also cause teeth grinding.
Children outgrow teeth grinding even without special treatment, and many adults do not require therapy for their bruxism. But if the problem is severe, there are bruxism treatment options that could help you overcome this medical condition.

Here are some common possible treatments that can be used for people with teeth grinding:

• Dental procedures – If a person has bruxism, the family dentist may suggest using protective dental splint or a mouth guard to keep from grinding at night.
• Alleviate stress - Since stress is the most common reasons of teeth grinding, managing it can help prevent the problem. Exercise or seeking advice from a doctor can help.
• Realigning misaligned teeth – If the cause of your teeth grinding is your misaligned teeth, the best way to treat it is by consulting your dentist about using crowns or overlay to reshape your teeth’s chewing surfaces.
• Looking into behavior therapy – Practicing the proper jaw and mouth position can also help.

If you are experiencing this habit, you should see your dentist. Our office, Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa can help you get the proper treatment, whether it is a mouth guard or another option. We are a Plymouth family dentistry that offers restorative and cosmetic treatments for the entire family.

Tags: Children, dental care in children, dental habits, dental problems, teeth

What you put in your mouth or what comes out of your mouth can affect your oral health. In fact, people with eating disorders can suffer from dental problems because of their behavior. Many of the behaviors associated with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa-such as binge eating, self-induced vomiting, and use of diuretics or laxatives-cause changes in the mouth and cause many issues to the teeth.

What Happens to The Teeth During Bulimia?
Many types, dentists can see signs of these types of food disorders during dental visits. For example, repeated episodes of vomiting, which is common in people with bulimia, releases harmful stomach acids that wear away tooth enamel and lead to gingivitis and tooth decay. Severe erosion can lead to changes in your bite, or the way your upper and lower teeth come together. Your back teeth can be reduced in size and some teeth can even be lost eventually.

Many people with bulimia may be malnourished, which can cause anemia, poor healing and increase the risk of periodontal disease.

How to Take Care of Your Teeth During This Illness
During the treatment of your eating disorder, it may take a while to control the episodes of induced vomiting. To keep problems from occurring with your teeth, rinse your mouth with baking soda mixed in water. You also should rinse with a mouthwash containing .about 5 percent fluoride, which your dentist can prescribe.

As surprising as it may sound, it is important not to brush your teeth right away after vomiting because stomach acid weakens tooth enamel and brushing can cause erosion of the enamel. You should also use fluoride to help strengthen teeth.

The Dentist and Your Doctor Work Together
During your dental visit, your family dentist will give you fluoride treatments and may prescribe a fluoride gel for home use. Visit your dentist regularly so tooth decay can be detected right away.

Also, your dentist most likely consults with your personal doctor, and if your decay seems to worsen due to your condition, then he or she may use an appliance that covers your teeth. These appliances may protect teeth from stomach acids. Later on, may need to have some of your teeth restored. More severe erosion will require tooth extraction. Lost teeth can be replaced with bridges or dentalimplants.

If you have questions about your dental health due to an illness, like Bulimia, contact our office at Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa. We will help you manage the health of your teeth during your treatments.

Tags: dental problems, Dentist, food for dental health, oral hygiene, tooth decay

The screeching of a drill is enough to keep people away from getting their annual dental check-ups. Not only drills, but many have a morbid fear of needles. Dental anxiety has become a growing problem in our society and “visiting the dentist” has become one of the top fears among people.

If you have a fear of the dentist, then you should consider dentist that uses spa-like tactics to soothe you before getting a treatment. And this doesn’t mean during the dental cleanings or treatments.

Dental Offices Use Spa-Like Tactics to Help Soothe the Mind
Family dental offices, such as Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa, know the key to get patients to feel comfortable is to offer them a waiting area and a visit that will take their minds off of the dental procedure. How does listening to music and watching tv sound? Or better yet, visiting the beverage center before your appointment begins? Maybe using a heated neck pillows and a iPods during your treatment may help you?

Dentists, like our office, have become very creative in helping their patients look forward to their visits, knowing that they will be “pampered” and cared for. Techniques like using aromatherapy like using lavender-fragranced pillows and make dental visits almost spa-like.

When dentists know their patient has a fear of being there, their main focus in on helping them overcome their fears. In fact, many times, fears are from a past experience – even when they were a child. Getting over bad experiences from the past is a challenge, and this is why it is important to find a good family dentist early on so dental hygiene becomes a good memory – not one that conjures up stress or anxiety.

Other Ways Dentists Help Make Dental Visits Less Stressful
Aside from finding ways to calm people, some dentist can counsel rather than resorting to sedation in helping people to overcome their phobia. A simple talk about the process and why it is necessary is all it takes. Having your mouth wide open makes people feel they are subjecting themselves to pain, and there is a sense of a loss of control – which turns into anxiety.

Another technique used sometimes in hypnosis, forms of Eastern medicine and some unconventional ways for patients who are afraid of needles. Unconventional ways include using animals to help people relax! Petting a dog while getting your teeth drilled seems silly, but some feel that it lowers their blood pressure and makes them feel less stressed.

Visit a Good Dentist To Prevent Future Dental Anxiety
If you are scared of the dentist, you should start by seeing a dental office that works with its patients to create an environment that is comfortable and inviting like our office. Wayzata is a Plymouth family dentistry that is driven to helping its patients get the best dental care possible and feel happy prior to, during and after any dental treatments – even if it includes the dreaded drill.

Tags: dental care tips, Dental Health, dental problems, Dentist, teeth

Remember when you were a child, and you used to tease others about kissing and getting the cooties? You probably didn’t believe it, but it is actually true. Although not cooties, with just one kiss, a couple can share more than 500 different types of disease-causing germs and viruses through their mouth! Yikes!Your oral health may be in trouble.

And, if you are not familiar with the person you kissed, your fate could be even worse. In fact, kissing multiple strangers can be dangerous to your overall health as having multiple sexual partners.

So don’t start smooching yet. Read about these common diseases and viruses that can be transmitted during that romantic kiss – and see whether it is worth it.

Mouth and Cold Sores

One common medical problem that can be easily passed from one person to another via a kiss is a cold sore — caused by the herpes virus. At first, they are virtually undetectable. They appear as tiny, clear, fluid-filled blisters that form around the mouth and lips. These sores are highly contagious even when they look like they are healing. Avoid kissing and sharing anything for the mouth including lip balms or lipsticks. It may seem a little awkward but take a close look at the person’s lips before kissing them. If you see any signs of a sore, don’t be intimate with anyone.

Common Cold or Flu
Don’t kiss someone if you have a cold because you will give them a cold. Common cold and flu viruses can be transmitted very easily through contact with the saliva or nasal secretions of a sick person. A few seconds of kissing will bring misery to the person who is healthy.

Mononucleosis
Mononucleosis or Mono has been labeled as the “kissing disease.” Mono is easily communicated to others through kissing and sharing anything touched by the mouth such as straws or cups. It isn’t surprising to know that many roommates or teammates get Mono due to a lowered resistance and living and training in close quarters with others.

Good News on Kissing
Kissing is good for the soul and mind! And, it actually can benefit your teeth too. If you are healthy and kissing, you are actually helping to increase saliva production in your mouth which washes away food particles and cavity-causing bacteria. It also protects teeth from decay by neutralizing harmful acids.

Aside from considering some safety warnings before kissing, make sure you take care of your teeth, without good oral hygiene you are likely to have bad breath – which will cause all your kissing partners to run away.

If you have questions about your oral health, contact us at Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa. We are a Minnetonka cosmetic dentistry that provides teeth whitening treatments as well as other types of cosmetic dentistry to help you get the best smile.

Tags: Bad breath, bad dental habits, dental problems, Dentist, oral hygiene

One of the things people worry about when they get dentures is if they will be able to eat the foods they love. With today’s great strides in cosmetic dentistry, especially in the area of dentures, you will be able to enjoy your favorite snacks and dishes.

Food such as steak, corn on the cob, and gooey frozen desserts are some of the food that you may pause before eating. And those worries are understandable. Eating food like steak can be frustrating because biting and chewing feel different than before. But even worse is the fear that your dentures will slip out during a meal, which is enough to keep you away from restaurants altogether.

But have no fear! Don’t turn down dinner invitations to all-you-can-eat-ribs night or avoid eating that red, crunchy apple. Here are some tips.

• Food may not taste the same at first. However, don’t feel upset. Since you are just getting used to your dentures, your mind is receiving strong signals from your mouth about your dentures which overpower the messages from your taste buds. In a while, you will get accustomed to dentures, and your taste will return.
• Chew your food with strategy in mind. When you put food in your mouth, chew half of it on the back-left side of your mouth and the other half on the back-right side. What this strategy does is even out the pressure on your dentures.
• Sensitivity to hot and cold may be a problem. As you adjust to new dentures, you might have trouble sensing hot foods and drinks. Most denture wearers experience this. Be careful around hot food – you don’t want to burn your mouth.
• Your family dentist will tell you that you need to stay on a specific diet after getting your teeth pulled. Start with soft foods such as eggs, fish, chopped meat, cooked vegetables, applesauce and puddings. Within time, you can move on to harder foods.
• Smaller portions is better. Start with smaller bites and smaller portions of food. This will train your mouth for those new teeth.
• Get help from adhesives. Challenging food like apples and corn-on-the-cob require more biting force; consider using a bit of denture adhesive to help your dentures feel more secure. These adhesives can also seal out irritating food particles that can become trapped between your dentures and gums. Ask your dentists about brands he or she recommends.

If you have questions about whether or not dentures are right for you, contact a dentist such as Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa. We can answer all your dental health questions.

Tags: Dental Care, dental problems, dentures, food for dental health

Anyone with braces will tell you that it’s painful. Traditional metal braces can cause pain as well as create some havoc with a person’s oral health. However, there is another way around to getting straighter teeth – by using Invisalign.

Find a person wearing traditional braces, and he or she will tell you that they have some or all of the following: pain, discomfort, mouth sores or injuries caused by the brace wires. But, if you were to have a talk with their family dentist, you will hear some stories about tooth decay (from inadequate brushing and flossing), plaque buildup, tooth discoloration, tooth/bracket breakage, or difficulty eating.

However, if the person is younger – as in a Teen – you will hear complaints about not be able to eat certain, desirable food like popcorn, chips, bagels, hard-crusted bread, pizza crust, pretzel, nuts, certain candies…plus apples, carrots, corn on the cob, and more!

Today, traditional braces aren’t the only option. Invisalign has transformed the world of braces and straight teeth. The comfortable and clear aligners gently and gradually begin to move your teeth into the proper position – without unsightly brackets and wires.

What are the benefits?

Easier Cleaning
Food always gets stuck in brackets and wires. With Invisalign, the aligners are removable, so it’s easy to continue brushing and flossing your teeth the way you normally do. This means less cavities and less plaque.

Overall Health
Tooth decay and gum disease are caused by bacteria. Left untreated, they can cause mouth sores, tender or bleeding gums, bad breath, and possible tooth loss. Other ailments such as heart disease are linked to poor oral hygiene. thus reducing the risk of possible problems.

Also, aligned teeth can also alleviate the issues that can be caused by an improper bite, speech or chewing difficulties, jaw problems, and increased wear on the tooth enamel.

Today, you don’t have to visit the orthodontist to be fitted with Invisalign. You can visit your dentist, who specializes in cosmetic dentistry, to get Invisalign. Our office, Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa, is a Plymouth family dentistry that offers Invisalign as well as cosmetic whitening such as Zoom. Call or visit our website to make an appointment.

Tags: Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Health, dental hygiene, Dentist, Smile