Hewlett Family Dental Blog

Bad breath (halitosis) is probably not a matter of life or death, but it can make you feel self-conscious and have a negative impact on your life. The majority of people suffering from bad breath are dealing with oral bacterial. However, there are other causes of this embarrassing problem. Learning more can help you fight this solvable problem. Five Causes of Embarrassingly Bad Breath Dry Mouth. A decrease in saliva flow can be caused by several things. Most often, medication or mouth breathing are the culprits. As saliva helps wash away food particles from your mouth, it prevents bad breath. Dry mouth can be dealt with by stimulating salivation. Gum Disease and Poor Oral Hygiene. Not brushing and flossing well enough or with enough frequency can lead to gum disease, which leads to bad breath. Halitosis can be a sign that plaque is present on your teeth. Food-Related Bad Breath. Food particles that aren't brushed or flossed away attract bacteria that leads to bad breat...

Dentures are not nearly the same as natural teeth Patients often say things like “oh, I wish you could just pull my teeth and give me dentures,” or something similar. Usually the people saying this need extensive (and expensive) dental work, and they figure that dentures are an easy fix. After all, dentures seem like a no-brainer, right? No cavities, no root canals, no bridges, etc. No expense of going to the dentist every six months, no insurance worries when your dentist tells you that a root canal and crown are needed, etc. Essentially, the people thinking the above are looking for a “tooth do-over.” They want the reset button hit, and to start over again with teeth that do not need dental work. Truth be told, it really doesn’t work that way. Steak or Oatmeal – The Best Bite Force is Natural There is no perfect substitute for your natural teeth. Bridges and implants come the closest (by a wide margin, really). But given a choice, a mouthful of healthy natural teeth is...

Temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) refers to a diverse range of disorders that relate to muscular function in the jaw and face — the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). That could mean difficulty opening your mouth, pain in the jaw or face, or any sort of problem with the jaw joint. TMD can be difficult to diagnose because of the varied causes. Whatever the case, an accurate diagnosis from your dentist will make treatment as successful as possible. Most often, jaw problems will resolve themselves within several weeks or months. Surgeries like arthrocentesis, arthroscopy, and open-joint surgery should be a last resort. More conservative and reversible treatments should come first and are in fact the most critical step in the treatment of TMD. Less invasive treatments like acupuncture and splints can be helpful, but that will depend on your particular case. It’s worth your while to speak with your dentist to learn about solutions that could work for you. A combination of treatment...

You already know that whitening works, but do you know how? Stains on teeth can be classified in one of two ways: extrinsic or intrinsic. Extrinsic stains appear on the surface of your teeth. Intrinsic stains live between the microcracks in your enamel and deep within your dentin (the layer of your tooth underneath your enamel). Whitening toothpastes and mouth rinses may be able to remove some of the extrinsic stains on your teeth. But only teeth whitening agents can remove the stubborn extrinsic stains and the unsightly intrinsic stains that cause your teeth to look discolored. Whitening gels contain an active whitening ingredient (either carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide) that penetrates your enamel to get to discolored molecules. Oxygen molecules from the whitening agents react with the discolored molecules in your teeth, breaking the bonds that hold them together. The oxygen molecules spread, whitening the entire tooth. As a result, you are left with a brighter, whit...