Your Mouth Could Make You Sick

Your teeth and gums are just as important as the rest of your body, however, if you neglect much needed dental care, your mouth could make the rest of you sick.

WebMD explains that recent research indicates that there is a direct mouth and body connection. In other words, if you practice poor oral health hygiene habits, you could weaken your heart or find yourself dealing with diabetes.

For people who practice good oral hygiene, a dental visit consists of a teeth cleaning, perhaps a filling or maybe seeing the dentist for a cosmetic dental procedure, however, seeing your dentist is much more than your teeth and gums, your dental checkup is also about the health of your entire body. What happens inside of your mouth affects the rest of you. Many experts believe that the two are connected.

There are many conditions and diseases that can affect your oral health. If you have a weak immune system, you may be more prone to gum disease. Your immune system protects you from infection and illness caused from disease and medication.

Your oral health can also cause problems if you are diabetic as an infection in your mouth can wreck havoc on your blood sugar levels making it harder to control your diabetes.

About 35 percent of American adults suffer from some sort of gum disease whether it be gingivitis or the more serious periodontal disease. Those who suffer could be at a higher risk when it comes to kidney disease, stroke, heart disease, and even premature births. What is even more staggering is that fifty percent suffer from the mildest type of gum disease, gingivitis.

The sad thing about these statistics is that poor oral hygiene is the main cause of gum disease.  Brushing twice and flossing once a day along with a good diet and regular visits to your dentist can help you prevent gum disease and tooth decay.

Don’t become a statistic. Start the New Year off the right way and call or click and schedulean appointment with your dentist today. 

Cosmetic Dentistry for the Holidays

If you are saying no to all of those holiday parties, including the one that your parents are throwing because of your smile, it’s time to schedule an appointment with yourdentist who can help you determine what cosmetic dental procedures would be best for your particular needs.

Cosmetic dentistry can be as simple as an in office whitening treatment or dental bonding. If you have always been in favor of dental veneers, talk to your dentist, as not everyone is a good candidate for dental veneers. Other cosmetic dental procedures that you may want to think about include onlays, inlays, dental implants, and invisible braces with Invisalign.

Since 1986, HagenDental has been providing people just like you with a brand new smile thanks to the most innovative dental procedures on the planet.

One of the best things about Hagen Dental is its state of the art CEREC CAD-CAM dentistry. In just a single appointment you can swap out your silver amalgam fillings or metal crowns, fix that gap between your front teeth or repair that chip. With CEREC, your brand new smile is just an appointment away.

Sometimes all you may need is tooth whitening, and if your teeth are badly stained, Hagen Dental can help with its Sinsational Smile® Tooth Whitening procedure.

The Sinsational Smile® is a fast and effective way to whiten your teeth while you are in the dentist’s chair using a patented silicone tray that is pre-filled with the special Sinsational Smile® gel. Sinsational Smile® also includes an LED light to accelerate and activate the whitening properties in the gel giving you a whiter and brighter smile in less time. Part of the Sinsational Smile® procedure also includes a take home maintenance pen to keep your smile looking, Sinsational.

Start saying yes to those holiday parties and schedule an appointment with Hagen Dental for your new smile. Who knows, you may only need a single appointment to get your pearly whites gleaming again. Call and schedule your appointment today.  

Cosmetic Dental Procedures for Your Smile

If you are unhappy with your smile, schedulean appointment with your dentist who can help you decide what cosmetic dental procedure or cosmetic dental procedures would be best for your particular needs.

According to Wikipedia, Cosmetic Dentistry is used to help improve the appearance of a person’s gums, teeth or bite while improving the alignment, shape, and color of a person’s smile.

In today’s world, Cosmetic Dentistry is more popular than ever with patients just like you scheduling dental appointments for Dental Veneers, Dental Bonding, Tooth Whitening, and Dental Implants. While some may argue that Cosmetic Dentistry is just for dental aesthetics, your dentist explains that when used with restorative dentistry, Cosmetic Dentistry can help the overall health and function of your teeth and gums.

Cosmetic Dentistry can do everything from whitening to shaping, closing spaces and replacing missing teeth.

Tooth Whitening

Over time, your teeth can become discolored or stained, especially if you smoke, consume beverages and foods that can stain or take certain types of medications. Your dentist can either bleach your teeth in the office chairside or provide you with a take home whitening kit. You can also buy over the counter tooth whitening products; however, they will not be as strong. Even after tooth whitening your teeth can become stained especially if you are still using the same things that stained them in the first place.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding can help improve the aesthetics of your teeth, is used to fix chips and cracks, and can be used to cover stains. Some dentists may also recommend bonding to fill cavities and to protect an exposed tooth root. Bonding can last for several years, but is not as strong as other materials. Dental bonding can also become stained and cannot be repaired with tooth whitening.

Dental Veneers

Dental Veneers are custom made thin shells made from plastic, resin, or porcelain and are used to cover the front of your teeth. Dental Veneers can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth and last longer than dental bonding. However, most dental veneer procedures are irreversible, as some of your natural tooth needs to be removed to make room for the dental veneer.

Other types of cosmetic dental procedures that you may want to consider include crowns and dental implants.

If you would like more information regarding cosmetic dentistry, schedule an appointment with your dentist today.

Periodontal Disease and Obesity

Most healthcare professionals will agree that obesity is an epidemic, especially when it comes to kids and teens. Doctors even go so far as to say that obesity is a chronic disease and continues to become more prevalent in the United States. What’s worse is that obesity is now affecting young children who are overweight because of eating habits and poor nutrition.

Recent research has indicated that obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, CVD, arthritis and respiratory problems. Obesity has also been linked to prostate, colon, breast, and endometrial cancers.

In a recent research study, scientists discovered that obesity also increases a patients risk formore advanced gum disease known as periodontitis. Some believe it may have something to do with insulin resistance that regulates a relationship between periodontal disease and obesity. If that isn’t bad enough people who have an elevated BMI, or body mass indices may produce higher levels of inflammatory proteins that lead to gum disease.

Obesity affects over 60 percent of adults in American, and is even higher for high-risk populations that include African-American women. Obesity also places these same individuals at risk when it comes to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Some estimate that two out of three people living in the United States are obese or overweight. This indicates that obesity trends in the future will increase in the general population.

It is imperative that people understand how obesity has become an epidemic and how important it is to be proactive when it comes to obesity for themselves and for family members. Your dentist explains that exercise and good nutrition is vital as a sedentary lifestyle could play a role in the development of cancer, CVD, and diabetes.

When you schedule an appointment with your dentist, your medical history will be reviewed along with any medical issues that could point to a cause of obesity. Your dentist may also refer you to a physician for further evaluation.

During your checkup, your dentist will also evaluate your oral health based on your medical history. Emphasis is placed on plaque reduction below and above the gum line that could be causing inflammation. Your dentist will also explain the importance of brushing and flossing regularly to discourage plaque and tartar buildup.

If you are overweight or obese, schedule an appointment with your dentist who can determine if you have gingivitis or the more serious periodontal disease. Call and schedule your appointment today.

Fountain Valley Certified CEREC Trainer and Provider

These days you don’t have to fear the dentist, in fact, dentistry has certainly changed with more and more dentists taking extra care when it comes to the entire dental experience and that is certainly the case with Hagen Dental in Fountain Valley.

Before your appointment takes place, you can use the free wireless internet access to check your email or spend some time on the World Wide Web. Offering an experience that is more like a trip to a spa, Hagen Dental offers patients flat-screen televisions in each examination room with headphones, and with new comfy chairs, you will hardly feel a thing.

Since 1986, Dr. Peter Hagen has been providing patients with the latest digital dentistry including the remarkable CEREC, CAD-CAM dentistry. This type of dentistry utilizes the latest technologies including metal-free crowns, veneers, fillings, and same day Dental Implants in most cases.

As a certified CEREC provider and advanced CEREC trainer, everyone from Hagen Dental is an expert when it comes to single appointment CEREC treatments and procedures.

CEREC, or Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, was developed in 1980 to lessen the time spent in the dental chair for dental procedures. Thanks to Dr. Hagen and CEREC, you can have cosmetic or restorative dental treatments in a single appointment.

CEREC and its research team have conducted well over 250 clinical and scientific studies that confirm the safety of CEREC and CEREC tooth restorations. With over 30 million CEREC tooth restorations performed worldwide, you can be assured that you are in good hands.

Unlike other Dental Implant procedures, the CEREC dental implant process can be completed in a single session using direct screw-retained CEREC crowns or custom-made abutments. CEREC can also provide you with new materials for temporary implant restorations.

CEREC Dental Implants are natural looking, beautiful, and most importantly, durable. With CEREC Dental Implants from Hagen Dental, you can talk, eat, and enjoy a new smile without dentures or bridges in as little as one or two dental appointments.

CEREC Dental Implants from Hagen Dental are used to provide additional support for dentures while making them more comfortable and secure. CEREC Dental Implants can also support a bridge while eliminating the need for partial dentures. CEREC Dental Implants can also be used to replace one or more of your teeth without affecting your abutment or bordering teeth.

If you would like more information regarding CEREC Dental Implants, CEREC Veneers, CEREC fillings, CEREC Crowns, or any other CEREC dental procedure, schedule an appointment with Dr. Hagen and his team of experts today. 

Bleeding Gums Could be Cause for Concern

If you have been experiencing bleeding gums after you brush or floss, you need to schedule an appointment with your dentist who can determine if you are suffering from gingivitis, or the more serious, periodontal disease.

Colgate explains that gingivitis usually precedes periodontal disease; however, it is imperative to understand that not all cases of gingivitis will progress to periodontal disease, especially if you see your dentist and improve your oral health habits.

In the earliest stages of gingivitis, plaque, caused by bacteria, will begin to build up leaving your gums inflamed. It is during this stage that you may notice bleeding while you brush and floss, and although your gums are irritated, your teeth are still firmly planted in the sockets. At this point, no irreversible tissue or bone damage as begun. This is the most important time to see your dentist as if gingivitis is left untreated it can quickly advance to periodontal disease.

If you have periodontal disease, the inner layer of your gums and bone will start to pull away from your teeth forming pockets. The small spaces that lie in between your gums and your teeth will start to collect debris, bacteria, plaque and tartar, which can become infected. Your immune system will do its best to fight the bacteria, which will cause the plaque to spread below your gum line.

Poisons and toxins, which are produced by the bacteria in the plaque along with your good bacterial enzymes that help fight off infections will begin to break down the connective tissue and the bone that holds your teeth in place. Once the periodontal disease begins to progress those pockets will get deeper destroying more bone and gum tissue. When this progression begins, your teeth will no longer be anchored and become loose. It is during this time that tooth loss will occur. According to your dentist, gum disease is the number one reason adults lose their teeth.

Although plaque is the number one cause of gingivitis and periodontal disease there are some other factors that can contribute. These include,

Hormonal changes that occur during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. Certain illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, and HIV may also cause gum disease as they interfere with your immune system. Certain medications can also cause gum disease as can smoking or chewing tobacco.

Of course, poor oral hygiene is one of the biggest causes of gum disease and can easily be fixed if you schedule and appointment with your dentist who can show you how to brush and floss properly.

If you would like more information on gingivitis and periodontal disease, schedule an appointment with your dentist today.

Dental Bridges Instead of Dentures

A Dental Bridge can help replace a missing tooth and improve your self-esteem and your confidence.

According to the American Dental Association, over 35 million people in the United States do not have any teeth with over 178 Americans missing at least one tooth.

Tooth loss occurs because of gum disease, accidents, or trauma to a tooth, and although dental implants are an option, not everyone is a good candidate.

If your dentist has determined that dental implants may not be the best solution for your missing tooth, a Fixed Dental Bridge could be the answer. These non-removal dental appliances are an excellent solution to missing teeth.

When you schedule an appointment for a dental bridge, your dentist will discuss the options with you and which one would be best for your particular needs. A traditional dental bridge is the most popular and most common type of dental bridge and is made of porcelain that is fused to metal. Traditional bridges are made up of two crowns that are made to fit over two abutment or anchoring teeth that are attached to an artificial tooth or teeth to fill the gap where your missing tooth or teeth used to be.

Dental Bridges are durable and can last for several years, however, your dental bridge may need to be re-cemented or replaced because of normal wear.

Reasons that your dentist may suggest a fixed bridge include: 

• Preventing your remaining teeth from drifting out of their position
• Restore your speaking
• Fill the space of your missing tooth or teeth
• Restore your chewing ability
• Give you back your smile
• Maintain the shape of your face
• Upgrade your removable partial denture 

Fixed dental bridges usually require two or more dental visits. During your first dental appointment, your dentist will numb the area and prepare the abutment teeth by removing part of the enamel to allow for crown fit. Once a mold or impression is made, it will be sent to the dental lab for bridge fabrication. Your dentist will fit you with a temporary bridge that you will wear until your new dental bridge is ready.

During your next visit, your dentist will check your permanent bridge for fit before adjusting, if necessary, and cementing into place. On occasion, your dentist may temporarily cement your new bridge to allow your teeth and your tissue time to get accustomed to the new dental bridge.

If you would like more information regarding a fixed dental bridge, schedule an appointment with your dentist to discuss the various types of bridges available.