Common Causes of Stains, and How to Treat!

Stained teeth can be unsightly and embarrassing! If you are struggling with teeth stains, then Access Dental and Dentures is here for you. We have the best dental services in Southern Missouri and we would love to help you fight stains and gain confidence with a bright, happy smile. Keep reading to learn how to avoid stains and how we can help!

How to Prevent Stains

Other than avoiding these items completely, which can be difficult, Access Dental has some great tips to help keep your teeth brighter and healthier! If you do eat or drink something acidic or stain-causing, drink a full glass of water afterward. This can help rinse away the stain causing materials and fortify your teeth with fluoride from the water. Using a straw is another great way to help limit stains, as it keeps the stain-causing beverage away from your teeth.

Your Daily Coffee

Coffee is a fairly acidic drink and can cause dark stains. Most of us have had a little mishap with coffee and had to face the stained consequences. Imagine what drinking coffee every day could do to your teeth over time. If you drink your coffee with milk, it could lessen the resulting stains somewhat because milk is more basic and can help reduce the acidic content of the beverage. Milk also has a high calcium content which can help strengthen teeth. Just make sure you aren't using a creamer with high sugar content. This will actually weaken your teeth, making them more susceptible to stains.

Red & White Wines

Red wine contains tannins that can stain teeth. We know that red wine is a powerful stain-causing agent to clothes and tablecloths, so it makes sense that it can also cause dark stains on our teeth. White wine is not necessarily safe, however. While it isn't darkly pigmented, it does have a high acidic content that can damage teeth and lead to discoloration. 

Sodas

It's not just darkly-colored sodas that can stain teeth. Soda, in general, contains a huge amount of sugar and acid that erode enamel. Without this protective covering, your teeth are much more susceptible to stains setting in at a deep level.

Acidic Foods

Not all acidic food cause stains, but the high acid content in them can wear away your enamel, making teeth weaker and more susceptible to stains. Foods that are high in acid content and also stain causing are particularly harmful. One example would be tomato sauce. Tomatoes contain a lot of acid and also can cause significant stains due to their pigmentation. 

Hard Candies

Candies that contain a lot of artificial dyes can be harmful. If it stains your tongue, it can also stain your teeth. Chew-able candy still isn't healthy for your teeth, but hard candies are typically held in your mouth for longer periods of time. This extended contact with your teeth gives the sugars and dye more time to cause damage.

Dark Berries

Berries are full of flavor and can help give the rest of your body an immune boost. However, it can also cause lasting stains on your teeth due to the dark pigments that they contain. If pieces are stuck or left behind, they can continue to cause even darker stains as they sit there.

Visit the Dentist Regularly

If your teeth are looking yellow or dull and you want to have a more confident, white smile, contact Access Dental and Dentures! We are the the best dentist in the Springfield area, and we would love to help you. Whether you need to get on a regular cleaning schedule or want to talk about custom, professional whitening services, Access Dental can help! Give us a call to get started. 

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile! 

1-877-DENTIST

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Common Teeth Issues to Watch For!

Dental health can be complicated to understand at times. There is a lot that could go wrong in addition to just cavities. There are also a lot of things that lead up to a full-blown cavity that can be important to catch early. Access Dental and Dentures is the best dentist in Southern Missouri and we have all the information and tips you need to keep your mouth as healthy as possible. Keep reading to learn more! 

Tooth Sensitivity

This could be one of the first signs that something is going wrong with your dental health. Sensitivity often means that something in your routine or lifestyle is eroding the enamel on your teeth and making them more sensitive to extreme temperatures. Some things that could cause sensitivity could include:

• Too-Hard Toothbrush
• Harsh Teeth Whitening Products
• Not Flossing Enough
• Acidic Foods & Drinks
• Grinding Teeth

Weak Spots

As bacteria and other harmful substances sit on the surface of your teeth, the protective layer of enamel on your teeth starts to erode. This creates a weak spot on the tooth that can quickly become a cavity without proper care. Using toothpaste that contains fluoride can help strengthen these areas and help prevent further issues from developing. The best way to avoid weak spots is by practicing active prevention. Try to avoid sugary drinks, overly acidic foods, and sweets. If you do indulge, make sure to brush your teeth thoroughly to prevent the sugar and acid from sitting on your teeth and causing damage.

Plaque

This is one of the first issues that can arise when your teeth aren't properly and regularly cleaned. Plaque is a colorless, sticky bacterial substance that grows on nearly every surface of the teeth. If plaque is allowed to build up, then the acidic biofilm can start to cause tooth decay and gum sensitivity. Thankfully, plaque is fairly manageable with flossing and twice-a-day brushing.

Tartar

Tartar occurs in the mouth when plaque is not regularly removed and it starts to calcify. It becomes a hardened, yellow substance on the teeth and can be damaging to oral health. Additional plaque can build up on the tartar, making the calcifications grow larger over time. Tartar buildup can cause bad breath, receding gums, and inflammation. It's important to regularly brush your teeth to remove plaque and prevent tartar buildup. If tartar does start to accumulate on your teeth, schedule an appointment with your local dentist to have it professionally removed.

Cavities

Cavities occur when tooth decay becomes so advanced that it has eaten through multiple layers of the tooth's structure. Once the enamel layer has eroded and bacteria reach the inner areas of the tooth, a deep cleaning and dental filling is likely. In more advanced cases, a root canal or tooth extraction may be necessary.

Visit the Dentist

Keep your teeth and the rest of your mouth as healthy as possible by regularly visiting the dentist office and making sure to follow a good dental hygiene routine on a daily basis. Watch out for sensitivity, plaque build-up, tartar, and weak spots that could become cavities. Access Dental and Dentures is here for you no matter the dental issue that comes up. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile! 

1-877-DENTIST

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There's a Wrong Way to Brush Teeth?

Did you know that there is a wrong way to brush your teeth? In fact, bad tooth-brushing habits could be very damaging to your teeth and oral health in general. Access Dental and Dentures is the best dentist in Southern Missouri. We are here for you, and we have all the tips you need to develop and strengthen your oral health habits. Keep reading to learn more!

Length of Brushing Time

Some people brush their teeth without really thinking about it while performing other morning chores and don’t know how long they typically spend brushing. They may even get distracted and need both hands for a task and pause their tooth brushing. What seems like enough time could be too short.

Two minutes is the ideal amount of time to brush your teeth. This comes to about 30 seconds for each side (top right, top left, bottom right, and bottom left). To help keep yourself on track, try to avoid performing other parts of your morning routine while brushing your teeth. Get a fun hourglass timer for your bathroom or choose a two-minute song to start your morning off on the right foot. 

Brushing Technique

Did you know that there are several different tooth brushing techniques? Side-to-side, up-to-down, and circular are some of the more common styles. Side-to-side can feel the most natural and easy, but it’s not always the most effective method. Brushing up-to-down or in a circular motion can help remove plaque and foreign materials rather than simply pushing them around. It's also better for your gums. 

Toothpaste Amount

Many people don’t realize how little toothpaste you need. Too much toothpaste can cause extra abrasion to your teeth’s enamel, damaging your teeth. It can also leave white spots on the surface of your teeth from too much fluoride – a condition called fluorosis.

The recommended amount of toothpaste to use is merely a pea-sized drop. This amount helps clean off bacteria and buildup without being too aggressive to the surface of your teeth. For kids with developing teeth, the suggested amount is even smaller. Use just a smear or rice-sized amount for small children.

Complete Coverage

It can be easy to get into a routine of brushing just the front of your teeth and missing important places. Some people commonly miss the inner sides of their teeth. Plaque can build up on the back of your front incisors as a result of incomplete tooth brushing habits. Remember that every surface of your teeth exposed to food and drink needs regular cleaning – not just the surfaces you see when you smile.

Visit the Dentist

Brushing your teeth correctly is very important in maintaining your overall oral health. Following these techniques will help you elevate your healthy routine, but it's also important to regularly visit the dentist. Schedule a cleaning at one of our many convenient Access Dental and Dentures locations for the best dental care in Southern Missouri! 

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile! 

1-877-DENTIST

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Charcoal Toothpaste - Good or Bad? 🤔 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙊𝙪𝙩!

If you are looking for ways to keep your teeth bright and shiny and your mouth as clean as possible, then you may have stumbled across the trend of charcoal toothpaste. If you are wondering whether or not it's a good idea to use charcoal-based products, then you've come to the right place! Access Dental and Dentures has the best dentists in southern Missouri, and we are here to help you stay healthy and make the best choices for your dental health.

What is Charcoal Toothpaste?

Charcoal toothpaste is composed of activated charcoal - not the charcoal you use for grilling your brats and burgers. Activated charcoal is produced by applying extreme heat or a chemical activation process to substances like wood, coconut shells, and other natural materials. This process oxidizes the materials, turning them into a fine carbon powder and changing their internal structure to be more porous.

Before making its way into the beauty and food industries, activated charcoal was (and still is) used on ambulances. Because of its adsorptive properties, it is used on patients who have ingested poison. These same adsorptive properties are the reason the charcoal craze made its way into toothpaste.

Potential Concerns about Charcoal Toothpaste

While charcoal toothpaste is helpful in removing surface stains, it cannot remove internal stains from your teeth like a professional whitening service.

• Abrasive - The fine grains of carbon in charcoal toothpaste can be highly abrasive to your teeth. This can start to erode your enamel and threaten the health of your teeth. As your enamel erodes, the deeper dentin is exposed and can cause tooth sensitivity and decay.
  
• No Fluoride - Charcoal toothpaste typically does not contain the recommended amount of fluoride, so it cannot help strengthen your teeth as well as traditional toothpaste.
  
• Inflammation - Lastly, the charcoal toothpaste may settle in between your teeth and aggravate your gums, causing inflammation.

Charcoal Toothpaste’s Possible Benefits

We’ve talked about the “adsorptive properties” of charcoal toothpaste. You may be wondering, “What does that mean? Don’t you mean absorbing?” The more common word “absorb” is used to describe a substance being dissolved. However, “adsorb” describes what is happening when one material causes another to adhere to its surface. This is what happens with activated charcoal.

• Binds to Plaque - Charcoal toothpaste binds to loose organic materials on your teeth – like plaque and surface stains. Then when it is rinsed away, those materials are washed away along with the toothpaste.
  
• Balances Acidity - It can also bind to and remove acidic compounds that could be harming your teeth and causing bad breath.

Consult the Professionals at Access Dental

Charcoal products are very popular right now, and even though charcoal toothpaste may help remove plaque and surface stains, there may be safer and more effective options. Set up an appointment with Access Dental – the best dentists in the Springfield area! – for a personal consultation on how to best care for your individual oral health needs.

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile! 

1-877-DENTIST

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