Stained Teeth - What to Avoid and How to Fight It!

There are a lot of ways to help keep your mouth healthy and happy. It's important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss regularly as part of your dental care routine. But there are also a few extra tips you can follow to improve your oral health, like avoiding or limiting items that can stain your teeth. Access Dental and Dentures is the best dentist in southern Missouri and we have the inside tips on how to help protect your teeth from stains. Read on to learn more! 

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. 

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. 

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.

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 Missouri Dentist

Access Dental and Dentures is the best dentist in the Springfield area. If you are struggling to maintain a healthy, bright smile, contact us to set up an appointment! We can help by checking your oral health and making a plan to help improve it. We also have great, convenient whitening services that you can use at home for complete and safe teeth whitening. We can't wait to work with you!

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

1-877-DENTIST

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Sensitive Teeth? Learn How to Help!

Sensitive teeth may sound like a minor issue if you've never experienced it before, but it can be a truly excruciating condition. It can affect your daily life as you try to avoid foods that are too hot, too cold, too hard. At Access Dental and Dentures, we understand how painful this can be. As the best dentists in the Springfield area, we also know how to help alleviate the pain and help you get to a happier, more comfortable smile. Read on to learn some of our pro tips on how to deal with sensitive teeth!

Why Do Teeth Get Sensitive? 

Things in Contact with Your Teeth 

Teeth can become too sensitive for a number of reasons. Sometimes it could be something that you are using or eating that is hurting your teeth. If your toothbrush is hard-bristled, it could be putting too much pressure on your gums and could even damage your enamel if you brush aggressively. Whitening agents that you buy over the counter and apply on your own could penetrate the enamel on your teeth and reach the dentin, which is very sensitive. If used improperly, it could even damage the nerves. If you regularly consume acidic foods and drinks, it could erode your tooth enamel and cause pain.

Habits

If you never floss your teeth, food particles and bacteria can build-up between your teeth and on your gum line, causing sensitivity. Plaque and tartar build-up can also make your teeth more sensitive. You could also suffer from jaw and tooth pain if you grind your teeth. Whether it's a bad habit from stress during the day or something you do unconsciously while you sleep, this puts a lot of pressure on your teeth and can result in pain and sensitivity.

Oral Health Conditions

If your teeth are experiencing decay, like cavities, then they will cause a lot of pain any time you eat something with extreme temperatures. A good health routine is important to help prevent decay and resulting sensitivity. Gum disease from left-behind food particles and bacteria can also make your teeth more sensitive to temperature and hard foods.

How to Help Sensitive Teeth

If you are suffering from sensitive teeth, it can feel like an emergency. Who wants to be in pain every time they take a sip of a drink or a bite of food? There are a few ways you can help alleviate this pain, so don't despair! 

Buy the Right Toothbrush

Even though a hard-bristled toothbrush may sound like it cleans your teeth better, it can actually be damaging to your teeth. The additional pressure is bad for sensitive teeth and gums. Buy a toothbrush with soft bristles and in a size that fits your mouth well. 

Special Toothpaste

There are some kinds of toothpaste that are speically-formulated for people with sensitive teeth. They still are able to thoroughly clean your teeth, but the ingredients aren't quite as abrasive so the inflammation in your gums can go down and your teeth won't feel as sensitive. 

Regular Routine

Taking care of your teeth and oral health on a regular schedule is important. If you aren't brushing your teeth or flossing as often as you should, then bacteria can build up and cause inflammation, pain, and sensitivity.

Your Oral Health

If you are ever suffering from tremendous oral pain, it is a good idea to see your local dentist. At Access Dental and Dentures, we are experienced in many different kinds of issues that may come up and we know how to help. Schedule an appointment with us to check your oral health and make sure there are no serious concerns that need to be addressed. We care about you and your dental health!

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

1-877-DENTIST

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Top Tips to Improve Bad Breath

Did you about 25% to 30% of the population suffers from bad breath? A foul odor that emanates from the mouth can cause embarrassment and even frustration for many. Here at Access Dental and Dentures, we get asked if there are any solutions for bad breath. If you are one of these people who has noticed frequent bad breath, it's time to take action. Take a look at the points provided below, by the best dentist in southern MO, to learn how you can combat this issue.

1) Brush at Least Twice a Day

It's important for your overall oral health to brush your teeth twice a day. If you notice the appearance of bad breath, you may consider brushing after every meal. This can help remove any food particles and germs that may gather in your mouth, between meals. If twice a day isn't cutting it, consider increasing the frequency of your daily brushing.

2) Replace Your Toothbrush

If you suffer from bad breath, it may help to replace your toothbrush or toothbrush head every few months. While a toothbrush is helpful to clean your tooth surface, it can also fill up with germs and bacteria. To reduce the chance of this bacteria from entering back into your mouth, change your toothbrush on a regular basis.

3) Floss Once a Day

Flossing each day is vital to cleaning hard to reach spaces in your mouth. It can also help to remove food particles and bacteria that hide in your mouth. This bacteria and food can sit in your mouth and react with your saliva, to create a foul odor. To reduce the chance of this, floss at least once a day!

4) Drink Plenty of Water

Along with helping with a number of health conditions, bad breath can be improved by drinking the right amount of water. Swish cool water around in your mouth in order to help freshen morning time bad breath. Keeping your mouth hydrated can help the oral functions to work properly.

5) Add Mouthwash to Your Routine

Mouthwash is a quick and effective way to freshen your breath. While brushing and flossing can clean your tooth surface and in between, mouthwash can help to clean your entire mouth. For a fresh feel to start the day (or anytime throughout), consider adding mouthwash to your daily oral care routine.

6) Scrape Your Tongue

Many times bad breath can be worse in the mornings. Each morning try to scrape your tongue to free any bacteria and other particles from the surface. This can help decrease the bacteria, fungi, and dead cells that cause bad odor in the mouth. Try to scrape off the entire surface of your tongue, for best results.

Now that you've hopefully learned a new technique to reduce the occurrence of bad breath, you're ready to make improvements. If you've tried a number of ways to cure your bad breath, it's time to ask for help. During your next dental visit in southern MO, ask our friendly staff for suggestions. We can help you find the right solution for your bad breath issue. Gain confidence in social situations with fresh breath!

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

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Springfield Office          Rolla Office          Osage Beach Office      Mountain Grove Office
(417) 501-1048              (573) 426-5447        (573) 348-1466                       (417) 926-1160
1701 West Sunshine      416 S. Bishop Ave.  4320 Osage Beach Pkwy       921 N. Main St.

Springfield, MO 65807   Rolla, MO 65401     Osage Beach, MO. 65065       Mountain Grove

Interesting Facts About Those Pearly Whites

Oral care should be a vital part of your daily routine. From brushing twice each day to flossing at least once per day, there are a number of ways to improve your teeth. Once adult teeth come in, this is the only set you will have - our goal is to help them last a lifetime. Whether you're having dental issues or simple want to schedule a routine check up, the best dentist in Springfield, MO is here for you! We want to help you achieve your oral care goals! In the mean time, check out these fun facts about teeth, provided below by Access Dental and Dentures.

1) Humans only have 2 sets of teeth in their lifetime... baby teeth and permanent teeth.

2) 38.5 days is how long the average person spends brushing their teeth over an entire lifetime.

3) Oral health is linked to a number of other diseases, like heart disease.

4) Milk can help a tooth last longer, should it get knocked out

5) 25,000 quarts of saliva is produced in your mouth over a lifetime - two swimming pools can be filled with that amount!

6) Incisors, canine, premolars, and molars are all the types of teeth found in the human mouth. These different kinds help us cut, tear, and grind food.

7) Sets of teeth are like fingerprints, no two people have the same.

8) 1/3 of the tooth surface is underneath your gums - that's why it's especially important to floss below the gum line!

9) Milk teeth or baby teeth will start to form before a child is even born.

10) The enamel coating is the hardest surface in the entire body and helps to protect your pearly whites.

11) 40% of your tooth surface is missed, if you don't floss.

12) If 3+ glasses of soda are consumed each day, an individual will have 62% more tooth decay.

13) Dental plaque  has over 300 types of bacteria.

14) Tree twigs were used as the first toothbrushes. The tips were chewed up to spread out the fibers and used to clean the teeth.

15) A single can of soda can contain about 10-12 teaspoons of sugar!

Hopefully you've learned some fun facts about your pearly whites in today's blog! While oral care is a serious subject, we like to make it FUN too. If you're looking for a great place to help with your oral care needs, Access Dental & Dentures is the place for you! From routine check ups to dental emergency care, our dental office in southern Missouri provides quality care, from quality people!

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

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Springfield Office          Rolla Office          Osage Beach Office      Mountain Grove Office
(417) 501-1048              (573) 426-5447        (573) 348-1466                       (417) 926-1160
1701 West Sunshine      416 S. Bishop Ave.  4320 Osage Beach Pkwy       921 N. Main St.

Springfield, MO 65807   Rolla, MO 65401     Osage Beach, MO. 65065       Mountain Grove