Wishing You a Happy New Smile

As we kick off the new year with resolutions to live better and be happier and healthier, it's important not to let slip past the integral contribution of good oral health to those goals.

Resolving to take better care of your teeth and mouth, and then following through with that, is an easy way to improve your health and happiness. It requires proper oral care habits at home and the active support of your Arlington dentist.

Call us at Elite Dental today to let our team help you make this year the best one for your dental health yet. We'll help give you something to smile about.

Preventive Oral Care

  Preventive dental care involves caring for your teeth and gums so as to maintain their health and function and avoid the necessity for corrective oral treatments in the future. The fundamental components of preventive care are twofold:

1. Daily Brushing and Flossing

Brush your teeth and gums on the insides and outsides, brush your tongue on the top and bottom, and brush the roof of your mouth. Use a toothbrush with softer bristles and toothpaste with fluoride in it. Move the toothbrush in little circles and up-and-down motions as you brush gently. Avoid using a side-to-side motion, and don't brush too vigorously to protect tooth enamel and oral tissues.

Floss between all of your teeth as well, including the back ones. Place the floss between each pair of teeth at the base of the gum tissues, pull the floss up along the side of one tooth, then repeat the motion on the side of the other tooth. Go through your entire mouth this way, uppers and lowers.

Do this at least twice every day, in the morning and at night. For extra preventive benefits, you can choose to brush after every meal as well.

An antiseptic mouthwash and a soft, interdental device can provide additional protection from disease and decay as well.  

2. Regular Dental Visits

See your dentist in Arlington regularly. We recommend approximately every six months, or twice per year for routine checkups and oral cleanings. Professional cleanings remove food particles, bacteria, plaque, and tartar you were not able to remove through your own daily dental hygiene practice. Regular dental exams help identify any potential indications of oral damage or disease to treat. To schedule a dental cleaning or exam with a dentist in Arlington, call our office today.

These are the most effective ways to prevent dental problems and minimize the danger of forming gingivitis, periodontitis (periodontal disease), or enamel loss, which will now demand restorative dentistry to remedy. It is, therefore, vital to participate actively in your own oral health by keeping up with a solid oral health regimen and getting your regular checkups and cleanings at your dentist.  

Restoring Your Smile

You may need a dental procedure to treat damage or decay in your mouth. These treatments and procedures are collectively known as restorative dentistry. Distinct from preventive dentistry, which aims to prevent dental issues from occurring, this branch of dental care aims to fix dental issues already present. The role of restorative dentistry is to bring back the function and appearance of the teeth and gums.

There are many reasons why people need restorative dental treatments, among the most common being:

• Tooth decay or cavities
• Gum disease (gingivitis or periodontitis)
• Cracked or chipped teeth
• Gaps in teeth
• Missing teeth
• Misaligned teeth
• Discolored teeth

As many dental issues as there are to resolve are restorative dentistry solutions to resolve them, including:

• Fillings
• Bridges
• Crowns
• Dental implants
• Dentures

Improving Your Smile

A third branch of dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, does not focus on dental damage or disease at all, whether to prevent or fix it, except insofar as it may help to improve the smile's appearance. Cosmetic dentistry is concerned exclusively with how the smile appears. It may include procedures on the teeth, bite, or gums.

Where preventive dental procedures and restorative dental treatments are the two essential components of dental care and oral health, cosmetic dentistry is concerned with non-essential dental care. Still, anyone who's felt they had to avoid smiling or hide their smile or who's felt their self-esteem or life circumstances have been impaired by the appearance of their smile may disagree with how non-essential cosmetic dental care may be.

Cosmetic dentists look at the color of your teeth including whether there's any staining as well as the shape, size, position, and alignment of your teeth. They also pay attention to the appearance of your gums and the alignment of your jawbone.

Cosmetic dental procedures are as vast and varied as the flaws and imperfections they aim to correct, and they include:

• Bleaching the teeth to remove stains and whiten and brighten them
• Tooth reshaping such as by removing enamel or adding crowns or dental veneers
• Gum lifting to repair, at least aesthetically, receding gum lines

At our dental office in Arlington, we take cosmetic dentistry extremely seriously because we take your smile seriously. That's because we believe that total dental wellness includes not just how healthy your smile is but how it looks. Contact us straight away to have us help get-or get back-the smile you crave.  

Why Select Elite Dental as Your Arlington Dental Care Provider?

Are you trying to figure out what type of dentistry you need to treat your dental problems or address your dental concerns? Let us help you. Call us today to set up a visit with a dentist in Arlington who can help put you on track to getting all your dental wants and needs met and walking away with a smile you love.