HELP! I burned the roof of my mouth eating pizza! What should I do?

If you burned the roof of your mouth eating something hot, like pizza, first try cooling your mouth down with a cold drink or a popsicle. Ice cream or yogurt can also do the trick. It’s best to stop eating the pizza until it cools, to prevent damaging your mouth further.

Once the pain has subsided, you can gargle salt water to clean and disinfect the area. Medical professionals recommend using a mixture of ½ teaspoon of salt and 8 ounces of water.

If you’re in a lot of pain, you can take an ibuprofen or try a topical numbing spray. However, if you think the burn is serious, contact your doctor right away. Most burns are first-degree burns, but second- and third-degree burns can cause long-lasting nerve damage to your palate. Symptoms of these types of burns include severe pain, blistering, swelling, redness, or white patches.

It can take up to a week for the skin in your mouth to heal. While your mouth is healing, avoid food with sharp edges like chips, which can aggravate the roof of your mouth. Spicy foods, citrus, mint, and alcohol can also irritate the burn. Additionally, if your mouth doesn’t heal within a few days to a week, follow up with your doctor.

Missing Tooth

Did you know that approximately 170 million people in the U.S. are missing at least one tooth? Gum disease and tooth decay are the most common causes of tooth loss. We’re happy to provide our patients with dental crowns, bridges or dentures so that they can go on living a healthy life with functioning teeth. If you are missing teeth for an extended period of time, you may notice changes in your diet as a result. These changes can lead to obesity, diabetes and some forms of cancer. To avoid these and other issues, it is important to receive treatment for missing or decayed teeth.

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: This week, we’d like to share with you a few words of wisdom to help you prepare for the removal of your wisdom teeth. 

While wisdom teeth do not always cause obvious pain and discomfort, it is important to remove them in order to avoid these issues (and others) in the future. 

If you were to forgo removing your wisdom teeth, your teeth could become impacted or stuck, which can be damaging to the surrounding teeth. 

We’re happy to provide you with a complete breakdown of the procedure so that you’re comfortable and ready to part with your molars. Have any questions? Feel free to ask!

Ways to Replace Missing Teeth

It’s important to consider all the options for replacing missing teeth. If not properly addressed, patients can have difficulty chewing and speaking comfortably. Neighboring teeth can shift out of alignment and affect the health of your bite as well.

At Alpine Dental Center, we offer a variety of restorative and prosthetic dental options to replace missing teeth. Whether missing one tooth or a full arch, we have a solution for everyone. Here are some ways to replace missing teeth:

Fixed Bridges

This restoration utilizes crowns and a fake tooth (Pontic) to replace one or more missing teeth. Fixed bridges are a traditional method of teeth replacement and depending on the type of material used can be beneficial for both anterior and posterior missing teeth. These restorations can be fabricated from porcelain, ceramic, and metal-based porcelain materials.

Fixed bridges require the alteration of neighboring teeth to support the prosthetics. The teeth are prepared and crowned, and the Pontic is placed between them. With proper oral health care and bi-annual visits to the dentists, fixed bridges can last 10-15 years.

Partials

For patients missing part of a full arch, or have sporadically missing teeth throughout the smile, partials are a solution. Fake teeth are set into a metal-plastic base that attaches to existing teeth to stay in place. The prosthetic looks similar to a traditional metal-based retainer.

Over time, partials affect the structure of the supporting teeth. However, the prosthetic effectively replaces missing teeth and restores function.

Dentures

These prosthetics are offered to patients who have a full arch missing. Whether lost due to old age, trauma, or decay, dentures restore the look and function of their smile.

Made out of sturdy plastic or a flexible base, dentures require additional products to ensure proper it properly adheres to the jaw. Over time, the prosthetic can become loose and may slip when eating or speaking.

Implant-Supported Restorations and Prosthetics

Implant dentistry offers a solution to replacing the entire tooth from root to crown. Made of biocompatible titanium, implant posts are surgically placed into the jaw and can slow the process of resorption that causes the jawbone to shrink. Once placed and integrated, the restorations are affixed to the posts.

Consider the options our Alpine Dental Center has to offer to replace missing teeth. For more information, contact our office today. 

Tips for Optimal Oral Healthcare

Having a healthy smile begins a daily oral care routine and biannual dental visits for necessary checkups. Keeping your smile healthy between dental appointments is essential to maintaining its function and beauty. Here are some tips on maintaining a quality oral healthcare routine:

Brushing and Flossing Daily

Proper oral hygiene involves brushing when you wake up and before you go to sleep. Using a soft bristled brush and dentist-recommended toothpaste protect your dental enamel while effectively removing plaque and debris from eating and drinking. It is essential to brush your teeth for two minutes straight, with at least five seconds on each tooth. This ensures each one is brushed and cleaned.

Gum health is an essential part of your oral health. Floss at least once a day, but it doesn't hurt to floss more when food gets caught in your teeth. This step is vital for removing debris stuck between teeth. If these particles are not removed, they can harden into tartar and cause tooth decay or gum disease.

Massage Your Gums

Aside from flossing to keep your gums healthy, massaging your gums can help promote blood circulation. If you have gum disease, massaging the gums can help the tissue repair itself more efficiently. Do so by gently pressing these spaces with an extra soft toothbrush, press between your tooth and gum. This should be done throughout your smile for two minutes on each side, twice daily.

Combat Bad Breath

Bacteria in the smile cause bad breath. Mouthwash is a great tool to remove bacteria that cause bad breath. Choose a non-alcoholic mouth rinse in your favorite flavor to boost fluoride levels and protect dental enamel from decay. However, bacteria can still accumulate on the surface of the tongue and produce unappealing smells. Brush your tongue, the roof of your mouth, and inside cheeks to ensure your entire mouth is clean.

Need Expert Dental Care? Contact Alpine Dental Center for Family Dentistry

Having a healthy smile begins with caring for it daily at home. Visiting our dental office every six months will ensure you receive a professional cleaning and an assessment of your oral health. For more information about optimal oral health care, contact Alpine Dental Center today!

Five Foods that Help Stop Bad Breath

There are certainly plenty of foods that cause bad breath, but did you know that these five foods can help fight it?

Cheese and yogurt - Cheese can help neutralize acids and unsweetened yogurt can reduce hydrogen sulfide, both of which can cause bad breath.

Sugarless gum and candy - Both increase saliva which helps to reduce odor.

Tea - The polyphenols in green and black teas prevent the growth of bacteria.

Water - A dry mouth can be rather odorous, but as long as you stay hydrated, you won't have to worry about it.

Crunchy foods - Foods such as apples and carrots act as teeth scrubbers, helping to remove any leftover food particles.

Can Veneers Meet your Cosmetic Dental Needs?

Veneers are a highly sought-after cosmetic restoration; dental professionals themselves invest in this treatment to achieve healthy-looking and confident smiles and patients favor the treatment over multiple and extensive procedures to improve their smiles.

If you’re considering veneers, it’s important to know your options and understand how this cosmetic treatment is suited to meet your needs.

Considering Drugstore Alternatives: There is no shortage of products and marketing efforts aimed at helping patients achieve smiles that are seemingly flawless, bright white, and healthy. Specifically, press-on veneers have become a popular over-the-counter item, with inexpensive prosthetics available through large retailers and online companies. Though these products vary in quality, they may not help you meet your goals and can appear bulky or unnatural. If you have decayed or damaged teeth, camouflaging these issues does not prevent continued injury or improve dental function.

Professional Dental Options for Achieving Whiter, Straighter Teeth: The most dependable way to obtain a picture-perfect smile is to visit a dentist. If you still prefer an alternative to veneers, you can discuss your options for teeth whitening, composite bonding to restore chipped teeth, or even orthodontics to straighten misaligned teeth. If only one or two teeth appear damaged, veneers may not be necessary to meet your goals.

The Benefits of Porcelain Dental Veneers: The best part about veneer treatment is its versatility and ability to create a stunning transformation. Whether multiple teeth in your smile are compromised by a difference in size, physical damage, or discoloration, the placement of dental veneers provides a comprehensive solution. Veneers can protect weak or damaged teeth, helping you bite and chew comfortably, while their white porcelain shells make your smile look healthy and sparkling. As veneers are bonded in place, you don’t have to worry about loose or failing prosthetics. And because veneers correct multiple issues at once, there is no need to return for a multitude of dental procedures.

Schedule your Cosmetic Consultation at Alpine Dental Center

If you need help determining the best way to achieve a smile makeover, contact Dr. Gurman and his team. We provide beautiful, custom-designed veneers to help your smile look its best.


 

How to Make Flossing Fun for Your Kids

The best way to become a consistent flosser is to start early. Here are three ways you can make flossing fun for your kids:

Make it a game - Turn flossing into a story or a song and your kids will be excited to do it.

Give them cool tools - Let your kids pick out their own tools, like brightly colored floss sticks, and they'll be more eager to use them.

Show their progress - You can put up a chart in the bathroom that tracks their success and give out prizes or rewards.

Any other ideas to get kids flossing? Let us know!

The Relationship between Sleep Apnea and Dental Health

The health of your smile has an impact on your total body wellness. Medical issues that are present in the body can take a toll on teeth and soft tissue, while severe dental health problems can affect disease diagnosis and blood pressure. This relationship is especially apparent regarding sleep apnea and dentistry.

If you’re wondering how dentistry plays into treatment for sleep apnea, consider the following about your oral health and physical wellbeing:

Teeth Grinding

Soft tissue collapse at the back of the throat causes obstructive sleep apnea, which closes airways and brings patients out of deep sleep several times throughout the night. When this happens, it’s common for many patients to begin grinding their teeth in an attempt to change jaw position and potentially open airways.

While teeth grinding is common and may not seem like a serious dental problem, flattened dental enamel affects patients’ ability to chew. Teeth that have been compromised after a lifetime of grinding will need to be restored or even replaced entirely if damage is significant.

Jaw Alignment

The position of your jaw is important for your comfort and wellbeing. Patients with an overbite, underbite, or cross bite place uneven stress on different parts of their smiles, often requiring orthodontic intervention. But jaw alignment is also important for your ability to breathe easily while you sleep. Patients whose jaw arches are not ideally positioned commonly experience the soft tissue collapse that causes sleep apnea. A severe overbite can increase patients’ risk for sleep breathing issues, as the bottom jaw arch is more likely to move back toward the throat while relaxed.

Dental Solutions to Sleep Apnea

There are many ways Dr. Gurman can alleviate sleep apnea symptoms; they can recommend restorations to change the height of worn-down teeth, thereby creating better bite alignment. In severe cases, and when a specialist diagnoses your case of sleep apnea, Dr. Gurman can provide oral appliances. These devices are made to hold the jaw in proper position, preventing blockages that cause disrupted nighttime breathing.

At Alpine Dental Center, Dr. Gurman and his team provide customized dental treatment for sleep apnea patients. If you have questions about how we can help you breathe easier and enjoy better dental health, contact our office today!



 

What Are the Benefits of Dental Implants?

Replacing lost or extracted teeth is important to your overall well-being and oral health. Dental implants are a complete solution to missing teeth that supports proper jaw function and prevents deterioration of bone. Patients wearing dentures for a long period of time or those who will soon undergo tooth removal can achieve a completely natural-looking smile with this comprehensive procedure.

Some of the life-long benefits dental implants can provide include:

Restoring Natural Appearance - Dental implants are the close in feel and function to your natural teeth. They are made of titanium, a metal with the unique ability to fuse to bone. After several months, the replacement tooth root becomes permanent and feels completely natural.

Rebuilding Jaw Structure - Dental Implants promote a healthy environment for your smile by fusing to the structure of your jaw and stabilizing bone for durable, long-lasting results. No other tooth replacement method can offer this advantage.

Improved Way of Life – Implant-supported prosthetic allow your smile to function normally, resulting in increased comfort and confidence while smiling, eating, and speaking. These implant-supported teeth improve eliminate the need for adhesives or clasps commonly used to hold traditional dentures and partials in place. 

Convenience – Implant prosthetics require brushing and flossing daily, but you do not have to remove them for cleaning, depending on the attachment and prosthetics you choose. With good at-home care that is similar to cleaning your natural teeth, along with routine dental visits, your smile remains healthy and beautiful.

Regular professional cleanings and check-ups are the best way to ensure that your dental implants will last as they are designed to, for a lifetime.

Are Dental Implants Right For Me?

Nearly anyone in good health a viable candidate for implants. Individuals that were born with congenitally missing teeth or have lost teeth due to injury, decay, periodontal disease, or infection can benefit from this comprehensive treatment. Dental implants are an ideal solution for patients who do not want to wear removable dentures.

Contact Dr. Gurman for Customized Dental Implant Treatment

Alpine Dental Center offers dental implant care for those looking to improve the function, appearance, and overall health of their smiles. Dr. Gurman is your experienced dental professional who provides the care you need for comfortable teeth replacement.  

Benefits of Invisalign® Clear Braces

Invisalign trays are popular and innovative alternatives to conventional braces. For many adults and seniors, traditional metal braces are not their desired choice to correct dental misalignment. Invisalign however, is designed to be completely transparent and comfortable. These aligner trays are made of smooth, BPA-free clear plastic and are worn over teeth to gently straighten the smile. Although traditional braces achieve results in severe situations, they consist of metal components making them less discreet and less convenient.  

If you’re interested in cosmetic braces, consider the following advantages of this alternative to bracket-and-write orthodontics:

Correcting Orthodontic Conditions Conveniently 

The freedom to continue everyday routine without changes to your lifestyle makes Invisalign clear braces popular. Patients do not have to make adjustments to their nutrition or daily hygiene since these clear braces are removable before eating or brushing teeth. Care for the aligners is convenient and only requires rinsing before placing them back in the smile.

Individuals who tend to be more self-conscious or who want to maintain a pleasing appearance may choose Invisalign for straightening teeth. These practically invisible aligners make them an ideal solution to help patients feel confident in any situation.

A Clear Course of Treatment

Invisalign is a customized process where virtually invisible trays are fabricated based on each patient’s digital bite impressions. Patients are carefully instructed on the proper wear and care of their trays. These aligners should be worn no less than 22 hours a day and should only be removed when eating, brushing, or flossing. A follow-up visit is scheduled every two months for patients to receive their next set of trays.

Taking the Steps towards Straighter Teeth

As we age, our dental needs may advance, making multiple procedures necessary to achieve desired results. Invisalign braces can be included in extended cosmetic treatment plans to completely improve health and aesthetics, such as teeth whitening, teeth replacement, and restorations with crowns and veneers. Invisalign clear braces reposition teeth into an ideal position to support the results of other aesthetic and functional improvements.

For a personalized consultation on Invisalign clear braces, call Alpine Dental Center today. Dr. Gurman determines if you can benefit this innovative treatment and attain the ideal smile you’re looking for.