Meadowbrook Dental Care Blog

What Exactly are Veneers?

Veneers are thin pieces of acrylic or porcelain that are applied over your natural teeth to hide imperfections or change their appearance. Veneers made their debut in 1928 when a California dentist, Charles Pincus, used them to temporarily change the appearance of actor’s teeth in a film shoot. He went on to create acrylic veneers that would be cemented with denture adhesive, but these were not long-lasting. It wasn’t until the late 1950s that the etching process was developed for tooth enamel, and the bond between veneers and the natural tooth surface could be made more permanent. Today veneers are incredibly durable and can last anywhere from 10 to 30 years with the proper care.

If you had to reschedule your wedding last year because of COVID-19, you’re definitely not alone. In fact, you may even know one or two other couples who had to do the same thing! The great news is, life is finally becoming more normal, and like many others, you’ve probably got an exciting event on the horizon. As a cosmetic dentist, I see hundreds of patients every week who are wanting some type of smile transformation, and often it is because they want to look their best for a big event. I also know some of the best wedding planners out there, and they will tell you that having a smile you can be proud of can make all the difference when it comes to enjoying your special day. If you’re looking to prepare your smile for the spotlight, keep reading to learn about some of the treatments that can give you the pearly whites of your dreams and boost your confidence for the big day.

Cleanings

An annual cleaning is important even for the most diligent brushers. A dental cleaning removes any tartar and plaque buildup, and can get into the hard to reach areas of your mouth. Your teeth will feel great after a dental cleaning!

Sugar

So sweet, so delicious, and so bad for your teeth! Sugars in foods promote bacteria in the mouth that produce acids that dissolve and damage teeth. Sugar is in almost every prepackaged food we eat, and trying to avoid it can be a difficult task. Sugar is found in many beverages, including sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweet teas, and more. Tooth erosion can occur when acids dissolve the outer surface of the tooth enamel, and this loss can lead to tooth sensitivity or cavities. You may not be noticing the sugar in foods such as cough drops, that you hold next to your teeth for prolonged periods, allowing bacteria to proliferate. Even worse can be sticky candies, such as gummy bears, that can stick in the crevices of your teeth and are not washed away by saliva. Along with gummy bears, jelly beans, caramels, and even raisins or other dried fruits can stick on the teeth and damage the enamel. If you do eat or drink sugary foods, rinse your mouth after, to get the acid-causing bacteria out. Brush your teeth if you have eaten sticky sweets to get them off your teeth. Being aware that sugars can be damaging to your teeth can make you more careful to keep your teeth clean and evaluate your eating habits.

Veneers

Like the name states, veneers are thin layers of porcelain that sit over your teeth and can hide a multitude of problems. Whether you are looking to hide stains, chips, fill uneven tooth spacing, or just make your smile more symmetrical and beautiful, veneers can help! Veneers look like natural teeth, but they are not susceptible to staining like your natural teeth. Veneers can cover multiple teeth, or be used to fill in small chips or gaps without having to alter your natural teeth. Porcelain veneers are durable and long lasting, and can be an easy way to cover imperfections you have hid for years. If you are covering your smile due to stains or gaps, see if veneers could help you regain your confident smile!

Buy a Fun Toothbrush

Maybe as an adult you don’t care about princesses or Spongebob, but those characters can really make a difference to you kids! Getting your child a fun toothbrush or, better yet, having them choose their own toothbrush, can make brushing seem like a fun activity. Toothbrushes these days come in all sorts of fun patterns, and some even have music and lights! A fun toothbrush sets the stage for a positive experience.

Why Dental Hygiene Is Important

When it comes to maintaining personal health, dental care is one of the most important practices to consider. Maintaining dental hygiene can have serious effects for your health, and reiterates why it is important to do so. At Meadowbrook Dental Care in Mineola, we offer expert dental services as we understand that the key to having a healthy mouth is maintaining proper oral hygiene. In this blog, we’re going to explore what to do and why it’s important to have proper dental hygiene.  

Going to the dentist regularly, you hear the same thing from your dental hygienist and dentist—make sure to brush twice a day, as well as floss twice a day. As most of us complete the former to combat the inevitable bad breath resulted from ignoring it, flossing is sometimes extremely overlooked. Yes, it may add about five extra minutes into your routine, but flossing your teeth has immense health implications. At Meadowbrook Dental Care, we are dedicating to creating and maintaining beautiful smiles, while delivering the best quality of care to our patients. We provide you with comfort, safety and satisfaction when you come in for your annual dental care, but also want you to be a proactive part of maintaining a healthy and beautiful smile. Flossing is an important way to accomplish this. In this blog post, we’re going to explore the importance of flossing and it’s influence on your overall health.

Origins of Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are your third set of molars, and anthropologists believe that they were useful back when a diet of rough food like leaves, roots, nuts, and meats resulted in premature wear on the teeth. Wisdom teeth would grow in later in life, when the other teeth were needing replacement. Our modern diets are much more gentle to the teeth, and we no longer need these replacements, which is why wisdom teeth are classified as vestigial organs. Wisdom teeth start forming around the age of 10 and don’t usually erupt until around 17-25. This is an age where people are said to become wiser, so they were nicknamed “wisdom teeth”. Some people don’t ever form wisdom teeth, but for those who do they usually have between one and four. The human jaw has become smaller over time, and these extra teeth usually have a hard time coming in.