Avoid Staining to Keep Your Smile Bright

A while smile can turn heads and boost confidence! Are you unhappy with the shine of your smile? Our daily lives can contribute to staining, dullness, or yellowish color. Fortunately, here at Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, we offer professional teeth whitening. In addition, take some of these tips for keeping your pearly whites white!

To keep stains away, you need to make sure you are keeping away plaque. Plaque is that layer of bacteria that forms on your teeth throughout the day. Brush your teeth three times per day to keep away plaque and to brush away stain-causing debris from food and drinks. If you smoke, this can also contribute to major staining over time. There is just one more reason to kick the habit.

Dark foods and drinks like blueberries, coffee, cola, and soy sauce can discolor teeth consumed frequently. When surface stains penetrate the enamel and darken the center of the tooth, the whole tooth can appear darker. Rinsing out your mouth after consuming dark foods and drinks will help keep the stains from sticking. For dark drinks, use a straw to limit the amount of liquid that touches your teeth.

To find out more about our professional whitening procedure, be sure to contact us. To schedule an appointment with Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call us at (716) 877-2275 or visit our website, www.advantagedentistry.com. 

Extraction Site Preservation

When removing a tooth, it is important to consider what will be done with the empty space after that tooth is removed. Wisdom teeth are in the back of the mouth so that site has the ability to heal on its own with no complications. However, if it is necessary for one of our doctors at Advantage Dentistry to remove another tooth, plans must be made and this is where extraction site preservation comes into play.

If a tooth is removed and nothing is done with the extraction site, the jaw bone will degenerate and change shape during healing. This can cause teeth to shift and can create problems in your bite that can affect the ability to speak and chew. Just imagine chewing food with no teeth and how uncomfortable that would feel. Options for filling the space include dental implants and bridges. What you choose to do with your extraction site is your choice, and our doctors are always open to a conversation on what to do with your extraction site before removing a tooth.

If you’ve recently had teeth extracted and have questions about the site preservation process, give us a call. To schedule your appointment with Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call our office at 716-877-2275 or visit our website www.advantagedentistry.com for more information about the services we provide. 

Tooth Extractions

Occasionally, there is a tooth that is giving enough problems to be taken out. This is usually when there is too much damage or infection to save it. At Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, we work hard to save teeth; however, we can perform experienced extractions when necessary.

To extract a tooth, your dentist will use a local anesthetic to numb the area, or a general anesthetic, if the extraction is more complex. Often general anesthesia is used for wisdom teeth extractions. If an incision is needed to be made in the gums to remove the tooth, your dentist will make that incision and remove any bone tissue, if necessary. Using forceps, your doctor will rock the tooth back and forth until it is loose enough to be pulled out. Some cases need the tooth to be broken into pieces, first. Stitches are then applied, if necessary.

While it is always ideal to keep your teeth, there are many reasons a tooth may need to be extracted including damage, decay, infection, overcrowding, and more. Very commonly extracted teeth are the wisdom teeth.

If you are feeling dental pain that will not subside, it is important to have it examined. To schedule an appointment with Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call our office at (716) 877-2275. More information about our practice can be found on our website, www.advantagedentistry.com. 

Treating Sleep Apnea at Home

Sleep apnea can greatly affect your energy levels and increase the risks of conditions like heart disease and stroke. In addition to seeking treatment for sleep apnea, it is also important to help yourself at home. Advantage Dentistry here in Kenmore, NY is able to treat patients for sleep apnea. Read on to learn how to control it at home.

A Healthy Weight. Overweight individuals with extra weight on their neck can actually experience worsened effects from sleep apnea. It is important to keep a healthy weight to minimize the risk and symptoms of sleep apnea. Talk to your doctor about a healthy weight for someone your age and height.

Sleeping Position. Your sleeping position also greatly affects how severe your sleep apnea may be. Sleeping on your back will give you the worst effects. Instead, sleep on your side to allow a more open airway.

Sedatives. Sleep aids and alcohol are depressants that can make sleep apnea worse. Avoid such substances in order to facilitate easier breathing. The combination of sleep apnea and a depressant could result in death in severe cases.

Sleep apnea needs to be treated in order to avoid dangerous health complications. You will also feel refreshed and like you slept well once your sleep apnea is under control. To schedule an appointment with Advantage Dentistry of Kenmore, NY, call us at (716) 877-2275. For more information, visit our website, www.advantagedentistry.com. 

Tooth Sensitivity

Does sipping on a hot or cold beverage send a sharp shooting pain into your tooth’s nerve? If you’ve answered yes, then you’ve likely developed tooth sensitivity. Tooth sensitivity occurs when the enamel that protects our teeth gets thinner, or when gum recession occurs, exposing the underlying surface called the dentin, thus reducing the protection the enamel and gums provide to the tooth and root. At Advantage Dentistry, the treatment for your sensitive teeth will depend on the cause.

If you brush your teeth too hard or use a hard-bristled toothbrush, you may be setting yourself up for disaster. This method of brushing can wear down enamel and expose the dentin, causing you pain. Also, tooth decay, teeth grinding, and gum disease are also culprits of tooth sensitivity. The best way to control the sensitive situation in addition to scheduling regular dental checkups is by practicing and maintaining a proper oral hygiene routine.  

If you are bothered by sensitive teeth, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To schedule your appointment with Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call our office at 716-877-2275 or visit our website www.advantagedentistry.com for more information about the services we provide. 

Anxiolysis Sedation

The purpose of oral sedation is to allow a dentist to work more effectively by helping a patient become as comfortable as possible with the use of sedative medications administered orally and sublingually. Here at Advantage Dentistry, our doctors utilize a safe and effective minimal sedation called anxiolysis – a drug-induced state during which patients respond normally to verbal commands.

The definition of anxiolysis is simply, a reduction in anxiety. Although cognitive function and coordination may be impaired, ventilatory and cardiovascular functions are unaffected. In the spectrum of sedation, anxiolysis is the lightest level of sedation. Anxiolysis involves the use of a single anxiolytic drug in a single dose, prescribed before a patient’s appointment, and administered prior to the beginning of the dental appointment. The anxiolysis technique can be administered in fearful and anxious patients as well as patients with a pronounced gag reflex.

After the procedure, you will even be able to drive yourself home since anxiolysis uses a light sedative. If you have been fretting having dental work done, call us to learn about our anxiety-free options for dentistry. To schedule your appointment with Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call our office at 716-877-2275 or visit our website www.advantagedentistry.com for more information about the services we provide. 

Dangers of Sleep Apnea

Everyone agrees that snoring isn’t a good thing, but when it starts to affect your breathing it becomes an even bigger problem.  When snoring disrupts your nighttime rest, makes you sleepy during the daytime and is the reason for your boosting blood pressure, you may be suffering from sleep apnea without even knowing it.  At Advantage Dentistry, our doctors can provide you with an individualized treatment plan depending on the severity of your sleep apnea case once you are diagnosed.

People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. This means the brain -- and the rest of the body -- may not get enough oxygen. Aside from experiencing high blood pressure, daytime fatigue, or sleep-deprived partners, people with sleep apnea may also complain of memory problems, morning headaches, mood swings or feelings of depression.

If you or your partner suspects that you have sleep apnea, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To schedule your appointment with Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call our office at 716-877-2275 or visit our website www.advantagedentistry.com for more information about the services we provide.