Top 10 Reasons to Visit Your Dentist Today

There are loads of reasons to visit your dentist. However, if seeing the staff’s smiling happy faces and getting a free toothbrush just aren’t enough for you, we’ve got ten more of the biggest reasons you should schedule your appointment today.

1. You need to remove biofilm. The plaque that builds up on your teeth is a biofilm, and it’s loaded with bacteria. This is a problem in and of itself, but if it remains on your teeth it hardens into tartar, which is sometimes called calculus. Tartar becomes so hard and firmly attached to teeth that it can’t be removed at home.

2. You can catch small problems before they become big problems. Because your dentist performs an exam, you’ll know if you’re having trouble long before it starts to hurt, and also before it becomes expensive to correct.

3. You’ll be screened for oral cancer and other health issues. Have you ever wondered why the dentist asks you to stick out your tongue when he’s supposed to be looking at your teeth? He’s looking for signs of cancer and other diseases. Your dentist can catch a myriad of health concerns that manifest in the mouth, neck, or jaw.

4. You can prevent or combat gum disease. The biofilm and tartar mentioned earlier cause gum disease when they’re left on teeth. It starts off as bleeding gums (gingivitis) and eventually grows into full-blown periodontal disease.

5. You can keep your natural teeth longer.  If your gum disease progresses, your teeth can become mobile, and you will literally lose them. Even if you don’t develop gum disease, having fewer cavities means your teeth stay healthier, and you’ll retain them longer.

6. You’ll protect your overall health. Gum disease has been linked to diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, respiratory disease, cancer, and numerous other conditions. On top of that, tooth loss has also been linked to depression. Your oral health has a huge impact on your overall health and wellbeing, so it’s important to protect it.

7. Your teeth will stay whiter. Biofilm has a natural nasty yellow tinge to it, and it also traps stains. Your hygienist will remove biofilm, plaque, and unpleasant stains, so your teeth look naturally whiter.

8. You may improve your confidence. Your regular checkups help keep your teeth and gums looking their best, which improves aesthetics and self-esteem. On top of healthy, gleaming teeth, you also fight bad breath with every check-up and professional cleaning, so you can feel confident in social situations.

9. You’ll teach your children good habits. Your kids are witching what you do and the values you instill now will follow them through life. When they see you take good care of your teeth they learn it’s something they need to do as well.

10. You can save money. Most of the time, dental insurance covers the cost of your preventative visits. As a benefit, catching problems when they’re small saves money. Keep in mind that the amount you save is amplified when your spouse and children are all on routine checkup schedules, too.

The many physical and medical benefits of Dentists, make seeing your Doctor of Oral Health a part of your personal wellness program. They offer an affordable, effective advice to help you stay healthy. To learn more about our dental practice can provide an improved quality of life, contact Dr. Rose Wang in Nashua today!

Dentists: Why Don't We See Doctors of Oral Health as Part of Our Personal Wellness Program

According to the United States Census Bureau, Americans are far more likely to see their personal physician than their dentist. When the agency conducted its most-recent survey, only 59% of respondents said that they’d seen a dentist within the past 12 months, whereas 73% had seen a physician. If nearly three-quarters of the population cares enough about their health to visit a medical provider, why aren’t people seeing their dentists more, too?

Preventative Dentistry is Relatively New

In the grand scheme of things, preventative dentistry is new. The first hygienist wasn’t certified until 1917, and the first synthetic toothbrush didn’t exist until 1938, per ADA records. Fluoride wasn’t even used until 1945. Prior to this, dentistry was more about fixing problems, rather than understanding what caused them and preventing them. In other words, Americans have only been concerned with preventative dental techniques for about three generations.

Advances in Science Have Led to New Concepts

Comprehension of the body’s systems has been rapidly developing with scientific breakthroughs. Although we’ve understood since the 17^th century that our mouths have bacteria, we didn’t start seriously examining it until the late 1990s and early 2000s. It wasn’t until the late 1990s that multiple studies began linking heart disease to oral bacteria, and several years later, the news broke that there was a link to diabetes as well. Strong research about an osteoporosis link didn’t appear until roughly five years ago. It was throughout this 15 year time-period that we learned cancer, osteoporosis, and respiratory disease have associations with oral bacteria as well. It’s really only been the most-recent generation that has known about bacterial associations, and how what happens in the mouth affects the whole body.

There is Change with Every Generation

There was a time when people expected to lose all their teeth at some point in their lives. In fact, most of our grandparents had this mentality. They truly believed that tooth loss was an inevitable part of the aging process. When dentists began to promote preventative measures, oral health increased. As recently as 2004, a little over 30% of those ages 75 or older had no teeth. At the same time, those who were 65 to 74, and who also grew up with improved prevention, only had about a 24% rate of total tooth-loss. In other words, every generation takes care of themselves just a bit better than those who came before it.

We Can’t Undo Damage, But We Can Reduce the Impact Lack of Previous Care Has on Us

Even though most of us grew up in an era where preventative dentistry was just starting to grow in popularity, and we came before science discovered links between oral health and general health, we can still benefit from incorporating routine visits to the dentist into our personal wellness programs. Certainly, our children, grandchildren, and all other future generations will have better overall health due to these advancements in dentistry, but today’s adults will pave the way for that, and will also be healthier because of it.

The many physical and medical benefits of Dentists, make seeing your Doctor of Oral Health a part of your personal wellness program. They offer an affordable, effective advice to help you stay healthy. To learn more about our dental practice can provide an improved quality of life, contact Dr. Rose Wang in Nashua today.

Top 5 Benefits of Implant Supported Dentures

Have you been researching options to replace your missing teeth? If so, you’re among company. Around 5% of the population has no teeth at all, and, according to the CDC, this number jumps up to 25% for those aged 60 or older.

There are a lot of different routes you can take to restore your smile. At Rose Wang Dental and Associates, one of the services we offer to replace missing teeth is implant dentures. It’s a straightforward procedure that has become very popular throughout the United States. Although there are a lot of reasons why implant supported dentures are a great choice, these five rise above the rest.

1. The Stability of Your Dentures Will Improve

If you already have dentures, you’re probably familiar with their shortcomings. Sometimes they wiggle, don’t fit right, and require adhesives. With implant supported dentures, the implants literally anchor the denture in place permanently, so there’s no movement, and no need for adhesives.

2. They Feel Better

Some people avoid wearing a removable prosthesis entirely if it causes discomfort. Because implant dentures fit better, they feel superior to traditional ones, too. There’s no rocking back and forth, and there aren’t any sore spots from rubbing or uneven pressure.

3. You’ll Be Able to Eat the Foods You Love Again

A lot of people have to give up the foods they love as the result of an ill-fitting apparatus, or because it’s difficult to eat most foods with missing teeth. Sometimes, it’s just plain uncomfortable to eat certain foods.Other times, there’s fear that the false teeth might fall out or shift and cause embarrassment. With implant dentures, the appliance stays firmly in place, so you can eat comfortably and confidently. This can also have a huge impact on your overall health if you’ve been avoiding wholesome foods, like fruits and vegetables, because they’re too tough to eat.

4. You Can Maintain a Youthful Appearance

Have you ever noticed how older people sometimes have a mouth that puckers inward? That’s not a normal part of aging. When a person has a missing tooth, the bone surrounding the area begins to deteriorate. As more teeth are lost, the jaw begins to take on the concave look that most people associate with aging. This is also why a traditional prosthesis requires relines and adjustments every few years- the shape of the jaw is literally changing. Because implants are designed to function much like natural teeth, they can slow this process of bone loss and sometimes stop it altogether.

5. You Can Return to Your Normal Life Faster and Save Money

Implant supported dentures utilize just a few implants to provide you with improved form and function over a traditional prosthesis. Compared to replacing all of your missing teeth with implants, it’s a much more economical solution. It’s also less complicated, as well as less invasive, so you can return to normal activities sooner. If you’d like to see how the process works, please see the videos we’ve posted on our page about dentures.

Nashua Missing Tooth Specialist

There isn’t a one-size-fits all approach when it comes to restoring smiles. At Rose Wang Dental and Associates, we can guide you through all the options available, and help you choose the best one for your particular needs. Please contact us at rosewangdental.com to schedule a consultation.

How to Avoid the Complications of Missing Teeth

According to an article in the New York Times, almost 70% of adults between the ages of 35 and 44 have least one missing tooth. By the time the average American reaches 50, he’s lost 12 teeth. After age 65, a quarter or more have lost all of their teeth. Of course, the best way to avoid the complications of missing teeth is to keep all of your natural ones. However, despite good homecare and routine dental check-ups, most of us will have to decide how to manage a missing tooth at some point in our lives.

There Are Many Complications that Arise When You’re Missing Teeth

Before we examine how to overcome the issues, it’s important to understand what problems arise as a result of missing teeth.

1. Bone Loss- When teeth are lost, the bone that once surrounded the root begins to be resorbed by the body. If it’s just a single tooth, the jawbone may wind up with a dip, but as more are lost, the entire mouth can take on a sunken appearance.
2. Empty Spaces Collect Food- Gaps between your teeth, as well as the depression where the tooth was, tend to collect food. This increases the chances of decay on neighboring teeth, can lead to periodontal disease, and is a source of bad breath.
3. Shifting Teeth- With nothing to bite on and to hold the space open, teeth throughout the mouth begin to drift. Tooth misalignment makes it difficult to clean properly, and it’s often unsightly.
4. Difficulty Eating- Many people who are missing teeth have trouble eating. Because of this, nutrition, as well as overall health, suffers.
5. Loss of Confidence- Between appearance and bad breath, people often begin to avoid social situations, or find themselves covering their mouth and smiling less.

Options in Missing Tooth Replacement

There are a myriad of options available if you’d like to restore your smile. Certain factors like overall health, which teeth need to be replaced, and finances will likely come into play as you decide which solutions are best for you.

Bridges

If only one or two teeth are missing, a bridge may be used to fill the gap. In this procedure, teeth on either side are typically fitted with crowns, and a false tooth is affixed between them. There are several variants of bridges, so if you’d like to learn more, please see rosewangdental.com for an in-depth explanation and videos.

Dentures

Another common replacement option is removable dentures. They can be designed to replace an entire arch of teeth, which is called a full denture, or to replace just a few, which is referred to as a partial denture. More information is available on our Dentures Page.

Implants

The ideal solution for missing teeth nowadays is to place a dental implant, because it mimics a natural tooth in terms of form and function. With dental implants, a metal implant is anchored into the jawbone, and after it is given time to integrate, a false tooth is attached to the top. The process is described in greater detail on our Dental Implant Page. It’s also possible to use dental implants in conjunction with a bridge.

Implant Supported Dentures

As the name suggests, implant dentures are a hybrid of the two procedures. In this procedure, four to six implants are used to permanently secure a denture in place.

Nashua Missing Tooth Specialist

There isn’t a one-size-fits all approach when it comes to restoring smiles. At Rose Wang Dental and Associates, we can guide you through all the options available, and help you choose the best one for your particular needs. Please contact us at rosewangdental.com to schedule a consultation.