General dentistry

Bad Breath Is No Fun

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Categories: Dental health, General dentistry, Oral Health

Bad Breath Is No Fun For Fort Collins Residents

This post from The Fort Collins Dentist takes on an unpleasant topic: bad breath.

Imagine you are starting a new job and are going to meet with your new boss for the first time. Confidence is key to your success. As you reach out to shake the extended hand your broad confident smile exposes rows of pearly white teeth, yet when you open your mouth to exchange greetings you worry about bad breath.

The technical term for bad breath is halitosis. Many behaviors and health conditions can cause or exacerbate halitosis. One of these factors is the food you eat. Onions and garlic are both known for having a potent effect on your breath.

Brushing and flossing daily is a critical step in curing bad breath. Food particles can build up in your mouth and foster bacteria which can cause bad breath. This not only includes the food particles that may get stuck between your teeth, but also the food that collects around your gums or on your tongue. Brushing and flossing daily can help reduce the number of food particles that stay in your mouth and cause bad breath.

Other factors to think about include dry mouth, tobacco use, and health concerns such as infections.

At The Fort Collins Dentist, your dental health is always our top priority. People from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor come to us for general and family dentistry, TMJ/TMD treatment, and much more. Schedule an appointment today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

ArticleID 346

5 Critical Oral Cancer Facts

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Categories: General dentistry, Oral Health

oral cancer dental checkup Fort CollinsAt The Fort Collins Dentist we want to see our patients at least twice a year for a checkup and cleaning. A checkup can give you real peace of mind, especially since every one we do includes an oral cancer screening.

Lung and breast cancer get a lot of public attention, and rightfully so. But there is less awareness of oral cancer, even though it claims almost 10,000 lives in the United States every year.

Oral cancer claims almost 10,000 lives in the United States every year. If you smoke or have contracted HPV, you have a higher risk for developing oral cancer.

Here are five critical things to know about oral (mouth) and oropharyngeal (back of mouth and throat) cancers.

  1. About 80% of men and women with oral cancer use some type of tobacco (cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipes).
  2. 40% of those who receive late-stage diagnosis of oral cancer pass away within five years. The survival rate for early stage diagnosis is 90%.
  3. In many cases, it is difficult for someone to detect oral and oropharyngeal cancers on their own, because they can produce indistinct symptoms or no symptoms at all. Any abnormality in the mouth or throat, even if small and painless, should be evaluated by a dentist or doctor.
  4. HPV (the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease in the US) is the most common cause of oropharyngeal cancer. Of the many strains of HPV, HPV16 is the one most often linked to oropharyngeal cancer.
  5. African American men have a higher risk of dying from oral cancer than do whites.

At The Fort Collins Dentist we screen for oral cancer at every checkup. People from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor come to us for dental implants, complete general and family dentistry, and much more. Schedule your next checkup today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

ArticleID 7438

Best Practices For A Healthy, Beautiful Smile

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Categories: Dental health, General dentistry

cosmetic dental Loveland

Even if you value a healthy smile, it’s easy to become complacent about smile-friendly lifestyle choices. In this blog post from The Fort Collins Dentist our goal is for you to evaluate where you stand, and to think about whether you could step it up a notch.

By committing to dental health best practices, you can prevent future problems and even improve your quality of life.

Brushing

  • Good: Brush your teeth once a day.
  • Better: Brush your teeth after each meal.
  • Best: Brush after each meal and floss thoroughly before bed.

Dental Checkups

  • Good: Call our office if you get a toothache.
  • Better: See us once a year, even if you don’t notice any dental issues.
  • Best: Get a thorough dental exam and cleaning every six months.

A White Smile

  • Good: Use a whitening toothpaste.
  • Better: Use an over-the-counter teeth whitening system at home.
  • Best: Call us for an in-office whitening treatment.

Missing Tooth

  • Good enough for some people: Ignore it. (We don’t recommend this.)
  • Better: Get a quality dental bridge.
  • Best: Ask us about a state-of-the-art dental implant.

Smile-Friendly Nutrition

  • Good: Eat a healthy diet.
  • Better: Eat a healthy diet and limit sugary snacks and beverages.
  • Best: Eat a healthy diet, limit between-meal snacking, eat lots of calcium-rich foods, minimize sugar-filled foods, avoid energy drinks and soda, and sip water throughout the day.

At The Fort Collins Dentist we are big advocates of preventative care. We want all our patients to enjoy excellent dental health. Find out why people from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor trust us with their smiles! We offer general and family dentistry, dental implants, and much more. Schedule a checkup with us today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

ArticleID 7397

Do You Eat A Smile-Healthy Diet?

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Categories: Dental health, General dentistry

Fort Collins teeth bleaching best price

This article from The Fort Collins Dentist explains how specific foods and eating habits influence our teeth.

The Sugar Problem
Sugars get converted by bacteria in the mouth to acids. It is the acids that begin to assault enamel and initiate decay for people of all ages. Fruits have high water content which can dilute the effects of the sugars they contain and get the saliva flowing so they aren’t really no-no’s. It’s the chocolate bars, hard candies, cookies, cakes and pies that are.

Acidic Food Coupling
Oranges, tomatoes, lemons and the like should be eaten as part of a meal to limit the acidic effects. It is a good idea to eat a variety of healthy foods such as cheeses, chicken, other meats, nuts and milk. The calcium and phosphorus will advance tooth remineralization.

Timing of Meals
The more frequently you eat the more often your teeth are subject to the decay process. This can be moderated by deciding on healthy snacks. And keep in mind, the later at night you eat the more likely you are to not only eat unhealthy foods, but to skip oral hygiene altogether.

The real trick is to keep your teeth clean! Brush and floss after eating, and see The Fort Collins Dentist for regular checkups. People from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor come to our practice for dental implants, complete general and family dentistry, and all their dental health needs. Schedule an appointment today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

ArticleID 5592

Patient Education Is A Priority At The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry

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Categories: Dental health, General dentistry

Wellington family dentist

When patients are fully informed about their dental health, they usually do more to maintain it. That’s been our experience at The Fort Collins Dentist, so we make patient education a priority at every checkup.

Are regular checkups even necessary? That question comes up sometimes. We don’t mean to hedge with our answer, but it really depends on what is meant by regular. For some patients it’s enough to see us once a year. For others, every four months is better. For most, twice a year is ideal.

At every checkup, we examine you for any signs of gum disease. In its mildest form, gum disease is known as gingivitis and is easily treated. Stepping up your dental care routine at home is often enough to get it under control.

Indestructable?

Your teeth may seem like pieces of bone growing in your mouth, but they are actually living structures. That hard surface of enamel covers an interior filled with a rigid material called dentin, which is mineralized connective tissue. As hard as it is, it is not indestructable. When bacteria causes holes in it you have a cavity. We want to fill those as soon as possible.

Fillings, by the way, won’t last forever. They can break down or become loose over time. If that happens, decay can get into the area around it and cause problems. You can extend the life of a filling with daily brushing and flossing.

The more you know the better off you are. If you have any questions about a recommended procedure at The Fort Collins Dentist, don’t hesitate to ask. Patients from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor come to us for dental implants, complete general and family dentistry, and much more. And they ask a lot of questions, too! Schedule your next appointment with us today.

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

ArticleID 4724

The Gift Of Oral Health

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Categories: Dental health, General dentistry, Oral Health

The Gift Of Oral Health In Loveland

Sometimes our patients wonder why, with all the developments in dentistry, we still send you home with a complimentary toothbrush and roll of floss after a checkup at The Fort Collins Dentist.

It’s true, they do seem a little old-fashioned in our high-tech world. But don’t let their simplicity fool you! These tools are your best friends in preventing cavities, plaque build-up, and gum disease!

When done properly and consistently, brushing and flossing are an important part of everyday oral hygiene.

How To Brush

We recommend brushing your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Brush for at least two minutes. Make sure to get the front and sides of all your teeth, the inside and outside parts, and the chewing surfaces.

When you do the sides, be sure you brush along the gumline. Use a gentle touch, and hold the brush at a 45-degree angle. Replace your toothbrush every three months or so.

Use whatever toothpaste flavor you like best, but make sure it has fluoride in it. Use a pea-sized blob – or more than pea-sized, if you’re so inclined. Too much toothpaste is no big deal, but be sure to use enough!

We strongly recommend flossing, too. Should you floss your teeth before or after you brush? There is no hard-and-fast rule on that, and it may come down to personal preference. We think before is better, but the most important thing is that you do it.

At The Fort Collins Dentist, we think that good oral health is a gift that keeps on giving. Our services include complete general and family dentistry. People from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor also improve their smiles with our cosmetic dentistry. Schedule your next cleaning and checkup with us today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

ArticleID 3804

Beware Of Hidden Sugar

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Categories: Dental health, General dentistry, Oral Health

preventative dentistry in Wellington

Most of us consume far too much sugar. That isn’t exactly a news flash, but at The Fort Collins Dentist we want to remind you what sugar does to teeth, and what you can do about it.

We get cavities when acids in the mouth attack the enamel and dentin of the teeth. The acid is produced by bacteria in plaque, that sticky film that forms on the surfaces of teeth. When sugar is introduced it interacts with the bacteria in the plaque, and makes the acids, which attack the teeth and cause cavities.

That’s why it is so important to choose food and drink wisely. But it isn’t easy, is it? Sugar seems to be in just about everything. Health experts say the average person in the United States consumes about 19.5 teaspoons of sugar every single day. That is twice as much as is recommended by the American Heart Association!

Knowing how much sugar is in the food that you buy is vital: not just to your teeth, but to your overall health. Reading ingredient labels on processed foods is essential.

Of course, some things are obvious. Eliminate or minimize the sweet stuff, like soda, candy, cookies, cakes, and donuts. Sweet things may seem to make life worthwhile, but there is a high cost.

If you have an incurable sweet tooth, you might try softening the blow by eating more fruit. You’ll still need to brush, of course, but the natural sugars in fruit aren’t as harmful as those in processed foods. If making that change sounds difficult, remember what a wise person once said: we like what we learn to like.

At The Fort Collins Dentist we care about the dental health of each of our patients. So please cut back on sugar, brush your teeth at least twice a day, don’t forget to floss, and see us for a cleaning and checkup every six months. People from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor come to us for dental implants, complete general and family denstiry, and much more. Schedule your next appointment with us today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

ArticleID 2250

Treatment For Sensitive Teeth

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Categories: Dental health, General dentistry

Windsorf cosmetic dental and tooth implants

There are lots of people out there who feel pain when they sip coffee or eat ice cream, or take a bite out of something hard. If sensitive teeth are a problem for you, talk to us about it at The Fort Collins Dentist.

In many cases, sensitive teeth respond to something as simple as changing toothpaste. Most major toothpaste brands have a sensitive teeth version of their products. They can be very effective; many patients say they’ve helped within a week or so of use.

A possible cause of sensitivity is receding gums, which exposes microscopic holes in the teeth. When that happens, food and drinks that are hot or cold reach nerve cells that cause pain. We can evaluate the state of your gums, and whether something like the way you brush your teeth is a contributing factor.

There could also be a worn filling or new cavity. Treatment for that is as simple as replacing a worn one or filling the new cavity.

The important thing is to let us know what’s going on, at The Fort Collins Dentist. People from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor call us for complete general and cosmetic dentistry services. Schedule your next checkup with us today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

ArticleID 6158

Two Hints For When You’re Too Tired To Brush

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Categories: Dental health, General dentistry, Oral Health

Timnath gentle dentist

Too tired to touch a toothbrush? We’ve all been there. At The Fort Collins Dentist we have two quick ideas to overcome your exhaustion and pick up your toothbrush.

Idea #1 Drag Tongue Along Teeth

As you lie there in bed after a long hard day and realize you forgot to brush, drag your tongue over your teeth a few times. As you do, visualize plaque: that filmy stuff on the teeth and gumline. It’s loaded with the bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease. Then jump up and give your mouth just two minutes of gentle, thorough cleaning.

Idea #2 Scrutinize the Food You Eat

Another convenient and uncomplicated approach is to pay attention to what’s going into your mouth throughout the day. The higher the sugar content, the sooner the teeth will need a brushing to avoid harm. Swish with water after coffee, tea or soda if brushing isn’t going to happen soon.

Remember that brushing your teeth is an important part of any daily dental health routine. We recommend brushing twice a day, and with a soft-bristled toothbrush. We strongly recommend flossing, too.

Be sure to get all over your teeth: the front and the sides, inside and out, and the tops. Use a pea-sized blob of fluoridated toothpaste – or more than pea-sized, if you’d like. Too much toothpaste is no big deal, but be sure to use enough!

At The Fort Collins Dentist we want the best possible dental health for all of our patients. People from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor come to our practice for general and family dentistry, restorative dentistry, and much more. Schedule your next checkup with us today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

ArticleID 6830

15 Things You Didn’t Know About Teeth

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Categories: Dental health, General dentistry

suprising tooth facts Fort Collins

Teeth are alive, but it’s easy to forget that and take them for granted. At The Fort Collins Dentist we never take teeth for granted – but then, as dental professionals we probably understand better than most just how amazing teeth can be. We’re using this blog post to share some of the more interesting facts about teeth.

Here are fifteen things you might not know about teeth.

  1. Children’s teeth are soft until about age 10.
  2. A tooth with a crown can get a cavity.
  3. Your gum tissue is as vital as your teeth.
  4. Some prescription drugs can increase your risk of tooth decay.
  5. Some home faucet water filters remove fluoride.
  6. 19 percent of children between the ages of 2 and 19 have untreated cavities.
  7. Heartburn can be damaging for teeth.
  8. Allergies can cause tooth grinding.
  9. Dried fruit is just as bad for teeth as sticky candy.
  10. Tooth enamel cannot repair itself, though dentin and cementum (the substance that surrounds the tooth root) are capable of partial regeneration.
  11. A Harvard-led team used low-powered lasers to activate stem cells and stimulate the growth of teeth in rats and human dental tissue in a lab.
  12. There are about 300 types of bacteria in your mouth.
  13. Chewing sugarless gum after meals can help remove food particles on your teeth. You still need to brush, but if you can’t brush immediately after meals, sugarless gum can help keep your teeth clean.
  14. Cavities often don’t cause pain until they have reached the root and nerve of the tooth. Visit us regularly to prevent cavities or at least to detect them when they are small.
  15. Bone recession can cause tooth loss even if no decay is present.

At The Fort Collins Dentist, we want all of our patients to have clean and healthy teeth, along with beautiful smiles. People from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor come to us for general and family dentistry, dental implants, and much more. Schedule your next cleaning and checkup with us today!

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

ArticleID 7003