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Hello gum chewers! In this post from The Fort Collins Dentist we’re going to talk about that sticky wad in your mouth. You know that it can freshen your breath, but can it really help guard your smile from tooth decay?

It really depends on the type of gum. Chewing regular sucrose-based gum can be helpful in removing bits of food from the surface of teeth, but that benefit is negated by the stream of sugar washing over your teeth as you chew.

However, gum with some alternative sweeteners has an added benefit for your pearly whites. Xylitol is a sweetener which not only has fewer calories than traditional sugars, but it also has antimicrobial properties that lessen plaque build-up. This means that xylitol inhibits the growth of bacteria that causes decay.

So if you’re headed out to a restaurant, bring a pack of sugar-free gum with you and pop it in your mouth when your meal is done. Of course, brushing and flossing are the ideal practices for your oral health, but when you can’t brush, select a sugarless gum with xylitol.

At The Fort Collins Dentist we offer complete general and family dentistry. Patients from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor also come to our office for cosmetic dentistry, and much more. Call to 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

At The Fort Collins Dentist, the dental health of our patients is our number one priority each and every day. We hope that goes without saying!

How do you measure dental success? A check-up with no cavities? A perfect smile? A crown that looks as natural as the surrounding teeth?

It could mean all those things and many more.

For a child, dental success could be defined as a childhood free of cavities, learning daily dental hygiene practices, and gaining an understanding of why it’s so important.

For a young adult woman with stained but otherwise healthy teeth, dental success may be as simple as in-office teeth whitening.

For a middle-aged man who always neglected his teeth, dental success could be defined as restorative dentistry that stabilizes his condition and improves his oral health.

What about someone with several missing teeth who can only eat soft foods? Dental success might mean dental implants that make it possible to eat whatever he wants.

What are the goals for your smile? At The Fort Collins Dentist, our goal is your good dental health. We’ve improved the smiles of people in Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor, who come to our practice for general and cosmetic dentistry, and so much more. Call to schedule an appointment to find out what we can do for your smile!

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

Cavities can be filled, but it is better to prevent them in the first place. If your dentist seems to conjure up cavities at every visit, then it’s up to you to break the cycle. At The Fort Collins Dentist we are here to help you.

How can you lift the cavity curse? Call our office to schedule a checkup! Along with daily brushing and flossing, regular cleanings and checkups are the best way to ensure you have good dental health. That means clean teeth with no cavities, and pink healthy gums.

A cleaning removes any built-up plaque. Plaque is that sticky, filmy stuff that forms on teeth. It is the main cause of tooth decay and gum disease.

After the cleaning, it’s time for the checkup itself. We’ll look for any new cavities that may have appeared since your last visit. We might take X-rays, although this is not done at every visit. We’ll examine your gums, too, for any signs of gum disease.

Finally, we’ll look at your tongue, throat, face and and head, and your neck. We’re checking for swelling or redness, or any signs of cancer.

At The Fort Collins Dentist, prevention is always the best medicine. Dentists never conjure up cavities but we take care of any that might be there. People from Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor come to us for family and cosmetic dentistry. Call 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

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

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