Although dentures offer numerous benefits to people who have missing teeth, adjusting to them can take a while. As with most adults, you place a lot of importance on your smile because it’s the first thing people recognize when they see you. Perhaps you fear that dentures will standout and look unnatural, defeating the purpose of replacing your missing teeth. But nothing can be further than the truth, as dentures can now look just like your natural teeth.

If you’ve chosen a life with dentures, here’s how to adjust to them.

Remember That You’re Not Alone

If you think dentures are just for elderly people, you’re wrong. In fact, many adults in their 40s and 50s have either a partial or a full denture because of missing teeth. So if you feel embarrassed, you shouldn’t. Although you might initially feel like everyone notices your dentures, this is all in your head. Remember that!

Remain Patient and Persistent

As with any other major change in your life, it takes time to get used to it. When you start wearing your dentures, you might find that you have trouble pronouncing certain words and that your dentures ‘click’ when you speak. To help with pronunciation, practice saying difficult words out loud every day. If you notice the ‘click’ in your dentures, speak slower. With time, you’ll adjust to your new teeth.

Additionally, your dentures might occasionally slip when you smile, laugh or cough. You can fix this by gently biting down and swallowing to re-position your dentures. You could also use a small amount of denture adhesive to help keep them in place.

Adjusting to a life with dentures takes time, but there are many benefits to staying patience and persistent through the process.

For people who have missing teeth, whether because of an accident or aging, dentures can transform their lives. In addition to restoring your bright and beautiful
smile, they can improve how you chew food and speak. If you’ve just been fitted for dentures and are adjusting to them, consider the following three tips.

Denture Cleaning: Use a Soft Toothbrush

When removing your dentures for the day, use a soft toothbrush to gently message your gum tissues and to remove debris that have built up. Afterward, rinse your
mouth with an alcohol-free mouthwash. To clean your dentures, which you should do every night before bed, use a specially designed brush. And remember to always
to keep your dentures moist by adding a small amount of water to the container. 

Denture Adhesive: Apply the Right Amount

Applying too much denture adhesive to make up for improperly fitting dentures is a big mistake. Although you can use a small amount of denture adhesive to help your 
dentures fit more snuggly, especially the lower ones, it’s best to schedule a dental appointment if you find that your dentures aren’t staying secure in your mouth.

Denture Care: Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

Speaking of scheduling a dental appointment, you should be doing so even if you don’t need to refit your dentures. A prosthodonist, or a dentist who specializes in denture care, will examine your gums, jaw, tongue and other tissues to ensure you aren’t at risk for oral cancer. Even without natural teeth, it’s important to schedule these checkups, as dentists diagnose 35,000 Americans with oral cancer each year.

Whether it’s a quick snap or a prized picture, you always want your smile prepared for a photo op when it presents itself. But what if your teeth aren’t up for it?

Considered one of the easiest and cheapest cosmetic dental procedures, bonding is the application of a composite resin to restore a decayed, fractured, chipped or
discolored tooth. Here’s how bonding can help you ‘say cheese’ with ease.

When Should You Consider Bonding?

If you’d like to improve how your teeth look, bonding is a convenient option to consider, since you can complete this cosmetic dental procedure in one visit to the
dentist. And the only time anesthesia is necessary is when you fill a decayed tooth.

Here are some of the more prevalent reasons people choose bonding:

• Dentists can shape and polish bonding to match your surrounding teeth
• Bonding improves tooth discoloration and/or chipping
• Bonding helps close the spaces in between your teeth
• Bonding allows you the flexibility to choose your teeth’s appearance
• Bonding protects your tooth’s exposed root when your gums have receded

In many cases, bonding is also as an alternative to veneers and amalgam fillings.

How is This Cosmetic Dental Procedure Performed?

As has been stated, your dentist can complete a bonding procedure in one visit – and it takes no more than an hour. This all depends on how many teeth you’re bonding.

To start, your dentist will refer to a shade guide to determine the composite resin color that matches your teeth. After abrading your tooth’s surface and coating it with an adhesive conditioning liquid, he or she will apply the resin and shape it. Your dentist will then direct a UV light or laser at your tooth to harden the material. Once the bonding material hardens, he or she will shape and trim it to appearance. Finally, your dentist will polish the bonding until it matches your tooth’s sheen.

Whether it’s during a brief exchange at a grocery store or at a dinner meeting for work, there’s no telling when you might come in contact with it. Worst of all, those who have it are usually unaware. Also known as halitosis, chronic bad breath is an embarrassing condition that’s caused by any one of the following factors.

Your Diet Can Be Deadly for Your Breath

If you refuse to brush your teeth and floss them on a regularly basis, you’ll subject your mouth to rotten food participles that cause foul odors. Additionally, these food particles can result in bacteria growth, tooth decay and gum disease. Unfortunately, foods that are good for your health can also lead to bad breath. Things like garlic, coffee and onions are all known for turning your mouth into a seemingly toxic firing hole. Raw apples and lemon juice help combat garlic breath.

Your Mouth Can Be Too Dry to Say Hi

Another common cause of bad breath is an excessively dry mouth, which is the result of decreased saliva flow. Saliva works to remove odor-causing participles that linger in your mouth. Also known as xerostomia, dry mouth can also be caused by breathing through the mouth, medications or problems with the salivary gland.

Your Habit of Smoking Can Be Why People Are Choking

Second-hand smoke isn’t the only reason people could be coughing and choking around you, if you’re a habitual cigarette smoker. Tobacco products not only stain teeth but they also irritate gum tissue and promote tooth decay. The more you smoke, the more likely it is that people will choke when they talk with you.

Certain medical conditions like chronic bronchitis or diabetes can also lead to bad breath. Contact our office to learn more about how to control this convo killer.

With the number of options available today, there’s no excuse not to be the proud owner of a bright white smile that boosts your confidence and makes you feel alive. When people consider tooth whitening as a way to rid their teeth of yellow stains and discolorations, they must choose between professional teeth whitening and over-the-counter at-home kits. Here’s what you need to know about both.

Professional Teeth Whitening

When opting to visit your local dentist for professional teeth whitening, you can expect the sessions to last anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes. You also usually need one to three appointments to complete the treatment. The biggest advantage of professional teeth whitening is that the dentist’s whitening gel is more powerful. Your dentist also has access to certain types of equipment, like special laser light machines, that help activate whitening agents and help them work better. Although the upfront costs are higher, professional teeth whitening is the number-one choice.

Over-the-Counter At-Home Teeth Whitening

If you’re looking for a cheaper option for teeth whitening, consider one of the many at-home kits you can now purchase over the counter. Here are four common types:

• Whitening rinse. Easy to use, but the results are gradual. Simply swirl it around in your mouth for a minute twice a day. This prevents new stains, too.
• Whitening toothpaste. Contains active ingredients that remove stains on the surface without gentle brushing and might help with gradual brightening. Some people’s teeth are highly sensitive to these specific whitening products.
• Whitening gel strips. Tooth sensitivity is also common with this form of tooth whitening, but the results are usually good. Simply put the strips on your teeth once a day for two hours. There spacing limitations with strips.
• Whitening trays. Dentists also commonly provide these as an alternative to traditional teeth whitening treatments. You also use a gel when using trays.