Blog | Boulder Dentist | Family & Cosmetic Dentistry

Remedy Your TMJ Pain

Close-up view of a woman that is having TMJ pain where her temporomandibular joint is located.

There are countless joints throughout your body that connect different bones to each other. Your joints help you to move freely and without pain. However, many patients develop TMJ pain, meaning “temporomandibular joint” pain. That joint is one found on the sides of your face, where your jaw connects to your skull. Pain in these joints caused by inflammation, clenching, grinding and chronic conditions can make you be in pain all day long. Combat your TMJ pain with the right mouth gear and dental tips!

Joints and Your Temporomandibular Joint

You have countless body parts that all work together to keep your body in harmony and to keep you pain-free. Your muscles and ligaments connect to bones and they help create movement by pulling or retracting in different directions. This allows your body (and parts such as arms, legs or the mouth) to move. However, that’s not without the help of the joints. Your joints are hinged areas of your body which connect bones together with the help of tendons and cartilage.

Joints can pivot in different directions as the muscles move. There are about 360 joints in the body that allow you movement. Some studies report that there are 86 joints in the skull alone and 6 in the throat. The temporomandibular joint is located in your head by the temporal bone and the mandible (hence the name “temporomandibular). This is the joint that connects this bone to your mandible. This is also the joint that moves when you eat, chew, speak and more. This joint acts like a sliding hinge when you move and you have one of these joints on each side of your face. Normally, most people don’t have pain with these joints, and they work normally to open and close the mouth. However, millions of people do have pain in this area, and there are common reasons for it.

A model skull is sitting on a table and there is a hand using a pointer to emphasize the temporomandibular joint.

What Is TMJ Pain?

There are several reasons you may develop TMJ pain. You could have a genetic factor that causes you weakness and TMJ pain in that joint. You could have arthritis developing in this area, as many joint disorders stem from arthritic conditions. However, it is also possible that you have a jaw injury, that you are grinding your teeth at night, or are clenching your jaw. Many patients can start to see the signs of TMJ pain or a TMJ disorder because they will start to have symptoms such as:

Daily headaches
Jaw joint pain or noise
Limited ability to open the mouth
Ear congestion
Dizziness
Clenching or grinding the teeth
Neck pain
Teeth sensitivity
Insomnia

How Can a Dentist Help TMJ Pain?

Often, patients that are experiencing TMJ pain may not realize that the cause actually stems from TMJ. We see patients visiting doctors and they simply get prescribed anti-inflammatory medication or painkillers. However, the symptoms never go away because the actual cause is not being treated. Drugs can mask the symptoms, do not treat the underlying cause and may have severe side effects. Dental professionals have been trained in mouth and face anatomy for at least 10 years. Because so much about oral health is connected to overall health, often simple oral appliances or changes can stop other health problems from happening.

The TMJ pain and symptoms that patients feel on a daily basis can actually go away with the right dental help, and that pain relief can happen quickly. Your bite can be a factor in many types of pain and functional problems. This is because of the inter-relationships of the overall muscular system. When a problem with a simple joint causes TMJ pain, then stems to neck pain or head pain, it’s because all of these areas are connected through the joints, muscles, nerves and body systems. Even if you only have headaches, it can be traced back to TMJ pain or disorder, and we can test that theory through custom dental devices.

We look for all the signs of clenching and grinding, plus a past history or broken or injured teeth as well as the health symptoms we listed. We take digital scans or molds of your teeth and in 1-2 weeks, you get a custom-made guard to protect your teeth. This guard is almost like a retainer and mouthguard mix, where it fits snug to the teeth and is thin, but it is a hard barrier for when the teeth want to crash together at night. Your jaws start to rest in a more relaxed position, and your TMJ pain and symptoms start to ease up until they go away. If you have pain in the temporomandibular joint area, it’s worth getting an oral appliance.

Close-up view of a woman's mouth as she wears a mouthguard for teeth grinding and TMJ problems.

Get Rid of Your Symptoms

Do you have any of the symptoms we listed above? If so, make sure to schedule an appointment by calling Dr. Ania’s office at 303-443-0998. Dr. Ania will thoroughly examine your symptoms and will discuss treatment options with you. She can see if the problem stems from clenching or grinding your teeth, because there will be physical signs on your teeth. When the problem stems from ear, nose or throat issues causing your TMJ pain, she can refer you to the right orthodontist or otolaryngologist (ear, nose, throat doctor). However, most cases of TMJ pain can be treated with a custom-made mouth appliance that you sleep with. To see if this will work to relieve your symptoms quickly, have your mouth appliance made today!

Posted: October 4, 2018 By: content.team Comment: 0

Oral Hygiene During Braces

Young adult woman holding oral hygiene products like floss and toothpaste to clean her braces with.

Studies show that not enough people are taking care of their oral health through proper brushing and flossing. It’s even harder to take care of your teeth when you have braces. Even though you are seeing an orthodontist with braces, you still have to see your dentist and be meticulous about your oral hygiene. If not, you could experience lots of tooth decay, problems with gum disease, tooth erosion, white stains and more. Avoid those problems with these tips!

Oral Hygiene In America

Do you skip brushing your teeth sometimes? If so, you are not alone. Studies show that not enough people are brushing their teeth, flossing or visiting the dentist. This is probably the reason why tooth decay and gum disease is out of control. In fact:

The National Institutes of Health reports that tooth decay is the most “chronic, prevalent disease” among children and adults.
About 92% of people in the United States have had cavities, despite the U.S. being a country with great dental care available.
Gum disease is not far behind tooth decay, as 64.7 million Americans are plagued by gum disease. That number only reflects American adults, as even children can have this disease.
Both are caused by a lack of oral hygiene care and dental visits.
Only about 65% of adults visit the dentist, and many only once a year. That percentage has stayed consistent throughout the 2000s.
The CDC reports dental visits in 2015 for children as being 84.7%. Adults between 18 and 64 saw the dentist at a rate of 64% and those over 65 were around 62.7%.
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that every person (even infants) should see the dentist at least twice a year for comprehensive exams and dental cleanings. Many people don’t know this recommendation.

Close-up view of a woman cleaning her braces with a proxabrush.

Oral Hygiene with Metal and Ceramic Braces

You can know that you are caring for your braces correctly if you go to your biannual dental visits. If your oral hygiene is lacking, we can let you know. Many people—especially children and teens—have metal and ceramic braces. The care for these are very similar, as they both have bracket-and-wire designs on your teeth. Make sure you:

Brush after every meal. The ADA recommends that people brush at least twice a day. However, with braces, brush after every meal, even if you have to take oral hygiene kits to work or school. Extra cleanings can dislodge stuck food and prevent cavities even more.
Floss every day. Do this at least once, if not day and night. Use floss threaders or threadable floss, which you stick through the spaces in between your teeth. You can thread the floss through your teeth like a sewing needle and floss like usually if you thread your floss. We can show you in-office how to do this.
Use a Waterpik. This is a device that shoots water. It can dislodge stuck food and blast it out of brackets.
Use a proxabrush. This looks like a tiny Christmas Tree brush. It can clean out stuck food in brackets and wires easier than a toothbrush.
Use fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride can help protect your teeth from demineralization and tooth decay.

Oral Hygiene with Invisalign Treatment

If you are a teen or adult, you may be eligible for Invisalign treatment, which is a series of transparent aligners that you switch out each week. The aligners fit snug and gently shift your teeth straighter as you switch them out each week. With your oral hygiene, you simply remove the aligners and brush and floss like normal. If you have weak enamel or are prone to tooth decay or gum problems, this may be the best option for you.

Redheaded woman that is smiling and wearing clear braces.

What to Watch For

You may be taking great care of your teeth, but you can still get a horde of cavities because of what you are putting in your mouth. Food and drinks can destroy your tooth enamel, especially with braces. Here are some foods to watch for and avoid if you can:

Soda and Carbonated Beverages: Carbonation is made possible by a combination of water and carbonic acid. That acid creates those fizzy bubbles you love, but it also takes layers off of your tooth enamel. Don’t brush for 30 minutes after a carbonated drink, as the working acids can take off even more tooth enamel.
Citrus: This includes both citric drinks (like lemonade) and citrus fruits. Both contain citric acid, which has the same effect as carbonation does. If you eat citric fruits, wait 30 minutes and use fluoride toothpaste when you brush.
Hard Candies/Mints: Avoid hard candies or mints during braces, as these expose your teeth to sugar for long amounts of time. That sugar means more decay.
Hard Foods: Cook your veggies (like carrots) instead of enjoying them raw, as these could break appliances. Also be careful of apples and other hard fruits and veggies you bite into.
Snacks: Some snacks can break appliances or become stuck in your braces or gums. Avoid nuts, popcorn (because of the hulls) and chips at all costs if you can.
Sticky Treats: These become stuck in the braces, which can mean sugar is stuck on your teeth for long periods, creating decay. Sticky treats include gum, taffy, licorice, gummies, fruit snacks, dried fruit, caramels, Skittles, Starburst, Tootsie Rolls and similar items.
Ice: Never chew on ice, even without braces. This can break and crack teeth.

Healthy Habits, Healthy Smiles

You will spend 18-24 months in braces if you are a teen or adult. Children might spend two separate times in braces if they have bite and alignment issues. Don’t let that time go to waste! Keep up on your oral hygiene during braces and avoid certain foods and drinks if you want a beautiful smile when those braces come off. For more oral hygiene tips with braces, call Dr. Ania’s office today at 303-443-0998!

Posted: September 25, 2018 By: content.team Comment: 0

Treating Your Gum Disease

Red page that says "gum disease" and has a description of the disease. There is a syringe, medicine and dental tools on top of the paper.

There is a silent disease that over 64.7 million American adults have and it’s called gum disease. This is a condition where plaque sitting along the gum line starts to irritate the gums to the point where they recede and the teeth fall out. If you find that you have gum disease, there are still treatments that can help you reclaim your oral health and save your smile. Find out what planing and root scaling is and how it helps treat gum disease!

Gum Disease: What Is It?

Tooth decay and gum disease top the list of chronic diseases according to the National Institutes of Health. Studies show that at least 64.7 million Americans have gum disease, and that’s only including American adults! Tooth decay is a disease that affects the teeth. It happens when sugars in foods and drinks mix with mouth bacteria to create plaque. That plaque is super sticky and acidic, and when it sticks to the teeth, it decays them. Plaque collects around the gum line, causing changes to the gums as well.

Because plaque is acidic, it irritates the soft gum tissues you have. At first, your gums start to get irritated, and that irritation causes inflammation and swelling. They will be more sensitive and will bleed easier when you brush and floss. Those symptoms will only get worse over time, until the gums start to recede in an effort to get away from acidic plaque. With moderate gum disease, gum recession has started.

With severe gum disease, you will have all these symptoms, except the teeth will actually start to fall out. This is because gums have receded so far that there is not enough gum tissue to hold the teeth in place. Gums become too mushy to even hold dental implants, dentures and other dental appliances, so patients are left toothless. Gum disease encompasses the beginning stages of irritation to the ending stages of toothlessness.

A view of the inside of a person's mouth who has gum disease. Their gums are red and the teeth have decay and recession.

How Does It Start?

Although gum disease can’t be reversed in it’s severe stages, the first stage is one that is fairly easy to combat. This beginning stage is called “gingivitis” and it is when your gums are first starting to be inflamed. A large portion of Americans have gingivitis and they don’t realize it. Coincidentally, they may also have cavities, as both of these conditions are caused by plaque. When plaque sits along the gumline, it’s acidic nature will start to irritate the gums, as we’ve mentioned.

When it’s there for too long, that is the point at which, the gums will become irritated and will start to swell up a tiny bit. If you haven’t been brushing as well as you used to, you can lift up your lips and take a look at your gums. Are they more red than they used to be? Do they bleed easier? These are all signs of gum irritation, or gingivitis. It’s a dentist’s first sign that maybe a patient is falling behind a bit on their brushing and flossing. Luckily, at this stage of gum disease, you can stop that inflammation, irritation and bleeding if you invest a bit more time in more meticulous brushing and flossing.

Tips for Care at Home

You’ve noticed that your gums are starting to bleed or that they are more red than usual. Now what? It’s time to have better oral hygiene to get your gums back to the lighter pink color they should be. You can get better gum health and combat the early stages of gum disease by:

Brushing your teeth more often. The American Dental Association recommends that all patients brush at least twice a day, for two minutes at a time. If you have gingivitis, try brushing 3 times a day, and especially remember to brush before you go to sleep, as you don’t want plaque irritating your gums all night. Remember, children can get gingivitis and gum disease too, so make sure everyone in your family is brushing.
Floss every single day. Many people skip this oral hygiene routine, when it is incredibly important. Plaque irritates your gums because it is along the gum line and in between the teeth. If you don’t floss, it accelerates gingivitis and gum disease. Floss every day, making sure to get up in the gum line and scrape the teeth with the floss as you go.
Use mouthwash. This will help kill bacteria that will turn into plaque and will keep your mouth acids at bay.
Avoid tobacco products (especially cigarettes and chewing tobacco) as well as alcohol. Alcohol is very acidic and both of these types of products kill nerves and slowly wear away tissues, like your gums.
See a dentist regularly. All patients (even children) should visit the dentist at least twice a year for comprehensive exams and dental cleanings. These cleanings can check how large your gum pockets are, if you have gum disease and how you can help reverse it.
Use gingivitis detection tablets. You can get these at the store or through your dentist. The chewable tablets help you see what areas of your mouth you need to be caring for more.

A close-up view of a person receiving planing and root scaling on their mouth.

Planing and Root Scaling In-Office

In our office, we do a deep gum cleaning for our patients with gum disease. This is planing and root scaling. Essentially, we use our normal scraping tool for cleanings or an ultrasonic device to clean your gum pockets. We get tartar (mineralized plaque) off your exposed tooth roots and we use our tools just under your gum surface to scrape away plaque, infection and food particles. These extra deep cleanings can help soothe inflamed gums to reverse gum disease as much as possible. To know more about this treatment and others for gum disease in-office, call Dr. Ania’s office today at 303-443-0998!

Posted: September 17, 2018 By: content.team Comment: 0

Teaching Children to Take Care of Their Baby Teeth

A father sitting on the bathroom floor of his house holding a baby and sitting next to a toddler. He is teaching both how to brush their teeth.

From an early age, you teach your baby how to eat, speak, walk and do everything on their own. This process can take years. Parents who teach their children oral hygiene basics while they are young have a better chance of their children having good oral health for life. Find out what your child should be doing for their oral health at different ages and how you can teach them those skills!

Are the Baby Teeth Important?

The baby teeth are only around for a few short years. However, those years with the baby teeth are very telling of the rest of the years with your oral health. Infants will get their baby teeth starting anywhere between 3 months and 3 years. An infant will get 20 teeth in their mouth that will be small to fit their size and needs. Baby teeth won’t work for an adult, who needs to have the ability to bite and chew food with stronger, larger teeth.

That is why there are two sets of teeth. The baby teeth will start to space out as a child grows, which makes room in the mouth for adult, permanent teeth to eventually come in. When a baby tooth falls out, the permanent tooth will fall into place. The baby teeth must be taken care of throughout childhood or tooth decay can make those teeth fall out too soon. That would cause the permanent teeth come in too early and possibly in the wrong place in the mouth. This can make other teeth come in wrong, creating many dental problems as a child grows. When proper oral hygiene is followed each day from the time a child gets their first tooth, they can avoid many childhood and adulthood dental problems.

A mother helping her two children to brush their teeth in front of the bathroom mirror. She is helping her son with proper brushing technique.

Tips to Get Your Kids to Brush and Floss

As soon as your child can hold a toothbrush, have them start their brushing and flossing. That’s even when they are a baby and can grasp objects. When your infant only has one or a few teeth, try brushing their teeth and gums with a baby gum brush. Add the smallest amount of fluoride toothpaste for kids to the brush. Let them grasp the toothbrush and mimic your actions. Even if they wiggle lots, take turns with them trying to brush and you trying to brush their teeth, even if you both need to hold a toothbrush.

When children get older and more independent as toddlers, they may fight back with brushing and flossing if they don’t know why it’s important. Teach them why you keep your teeth clean to avoid cavities and tooth loss. Brush alongside them and have them mimic your actions, which can even turn into a game of “do as I’m doing”. You can also try:

Turning on a song or short video for 2 minutes, during which they have to brush their teeth really well.
Make a brushing chart where they earn stars for every time they brush and floss their teeth well. Make a goal with those stars that they get a small prize when they hit a certain number, or they get extra privileges such as more reading time with you at night.
Tell a story to them when they brush their teeth.
Let your child practice on you. If you show them how to brush their teeth and they can see how to do it on you, it can make them more excited to brush their own teeth.
Let them choose their toothbrushing products, which can help them have a greater desire to brush and floss more.
Explain what they are doing and why. Children often ask “why?” if you ask them to do something and are more willing to do it if they know there is a reason.

A young woman helping her small baby hold a toothbrush and brush his teeth.

Teach By Example

Sometimes, the best way to teach is by example. If you want your children to take care of their baby teeth, show them it’s important by taking care of your own teeth! Brush your teeth every day, several times a day, where they can see you. Brush alongside them and take them to your own dental appointments if your child is stubborn with their oral health.

The American Dental Association has some great guidelines for taking care of baby teeth and adult teeth, and they work pretty well:

Brush your teeth every day, at least twice a day. When brushing, make sure you brush for two minutes at a time with toothpaste. Brush in all different directions. Cover all tooth surfaces with your brushing.
Floss 1-2 times each day. Use new floss each time to reduce bacteria transfer from one day to the next and one area of the mouth to the next. Make sure to floss up into your gum line, scraping your teeth as you go to remove built-up plaque.
Use fluoride products. Fluoride is found in toothpastes, gels, mouthwash and public water sources. This mineral can strengthen your teeth and protect against decay.

Teaching Is a Great Start

Sometimes, kids simply don’t want to brush or floss their teeth. However, it’s still important to make the effort to try to teach them. Even if they don’t want to take care of their baby teeth for quite some time, eventually it will click that their oral health care is important. No matter what works for your family, keep trying until your child at least knows that their baby teeth are important and need care. Remind them by your good example and by helping them each day to take care of their mouth. If you need to schedule your child’s dental exam or want help for what dental products to use, call Dr. Ania’s office today at 303-443-0998!

Posted: September 11, 2018 By: content.team Comment: 0

Choosing Toothbrushes and Toothpastes

A woman putting toothpaste on a toothbrush. Everything except the woman is in focus.

Did you know that it actually does matter what toothbrushes and toothpastes you choose if you want a healthy mouth? You never want to simply buy the cheapest product you can find, nor do you want to use unknown brands. When choosing toothbrushes and toothpastes, they should have the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance on them if they are quality and if they will protect your oral health. Find out what that seal is and what aspects you should look for when choosing toothbrushes and toothpastes!

Oral Hygiene Products: Why You Need Them

Your oral health can have incredible impacts on your overall health, and yet, too many people skip taking care of their teeth and mouths. Studies show that at least 92% of all Americans have had tooth decay. Up to 42% of children get it regularly and about 26% of adults have untreated decay. Gum disease is another major problem, as this is a condition that can lead to tooth loss and mushy gums, and yet, more than 64.7 million American adults get it still from poor oral hygiene habits.

That is why having and choosing toothbrushes and toothpastes is so important. Simply having these products and using them correctly can help you either avoid oral health diseases or can help you significantly reduce your risk for them.

Image with many different colors and types of toothbrushes.

Choosing Toothbrushes

A toothbrush is more than just a handle to hold with a brush attached to it. There are actual designs that go into each toothbrush you buy. The cheapest brands you could buy that are generic products (without a name brand) may not have a design. Whereas, brands such as Crest, Colgate, Gum and more will have many different styles of bristles. These are sometimes mixed with gum massagers, tongue cleaners and other accessories. Some toothbrushes are electric ones, which are powered toothbrushes that might provide a better clean for patients.

When choosing a toothbrush, you will see that they come in different degrees of hardness like “soft” and “hard”. This refers to how firm the toothbrush bristles are, which will reflect how harsh they will be on your teeth. Most patients only need a soft-bristled brush, which helps avoid tooth enamel damage. Some hard-bristled brushes can take off layers of enamel, especially if enamel is weak due to eating and oral hygiene habits. Many toothbrushes have colorful designs and rubber massagers. They can help you remove plaque easier, but when choosing toothbrushes like these, the real thing that matters is how the brush feels in your mouth and if you like using it.

The brush head of the toothbrush is an important aspect your should consider when choosing toothbrushes. There are angled brushes that help you reach the inside of your teeth, where plaque and tartar can build up. There are also also either compact or full-size brush heads. The compact heads are smaller, which work great if you have a smaller mouth. Full-size brushes will fit people with large mouths, but will feel bulky to children or those with small mouths. Try out various types of toothbrushes, but choose one that fits comfortably with your mouth size. This can ensure that it will reach all parts of your mouth easily. The size is also why there are infant and child toothbrushes that are designed for the size of the person that should be using them.

Different colored toothpastes next to each other.

Choosing the Right Toothpastes

There are countless forms of toothpastes out there. Choosing the toothpaste you use is often more important than choosing toothbrushes. That’s because toothpastes contain chemicals and substances that will do different actions on your teeth. A good recommendation is to only choose toothpastes that are approved by the American Dental Association. These ones will have the ADA Seal of Acceptance, meaning they abide by strict rules of quality that help reduce your risk for oral health problems.

If a product has the Seal of Acceptance, it has been tested and proven effective for combating decay-causing bacteria. These product must also contain fluoride. This is a natural mineral that helps provide a barrier between bacteria and your teeth. Good toothpastes will be free of decay-causing substances (like sugar) that damage your teeth and can only contain active ingredients that will improve your oral health. No-name brands or ones without the Seal of Acceptance are ones you want to avoid, as you don’t know if their chemicals will be harmful for your teeth or your body.

Many toothpastes have extra components meant to tackle certain oral health problems such as gum disease or tooth sensitivity. Toothpastes for sensitive teeth, for example, will contain potassium nitrate, which masks areas of the teeth with sensitivity, helping to stop pain signals. Choose a toothpaste that is safe and one that will meet your oral health needs effectively.

How You Should Use Those Products

The ADA recommends that every patient brush their teeth at least twice a day (even infants), for two minutes at a time, covering all tooth surfaces. You should floss your teeth 1-2 times a day as well, while also making sure you visit the dentist twice a year for dental cleanings and exams. These measures will significantly reduce your risk of oral health diseases.

Choosing toothbrushes and toothpastes is a personal choice, but one that can affect if you will brush your teeth often or not. If you don’t like the products you have, you won’t use them. Buying no-name brands can be risky, as you don’t know if the company follows safety regulations in the materials they use (which you put in your mouth). Find products you like so that you can use them, and follow the recommended guidelines for use if you want to avoid oral health diseases. To find out what products we like to use, call Dr. Ania’s office today at 303-443-0998!

Posted: September 4, 2018 By: content.team Comment: 0

Your Smile for Back-to-School

Girl that is arriving at school and smiling.

The start of a new school year is a time to make an impression. You’re another year older and wiser and you’ve changed a lot. One thing that we hope improves each year is your smile. A person’s smile is one of the first things others notice about them. Is your smile white? Straight? Healthy? Or is it the opposite of all of these? Find out how to revamp your smile and your oral health so you can have a dazzling smile by the time school or work starts again!

Better Oral Health Improves Your Smile

Do you want a better smile when you walk into your classes on the first day of school? Then don’t forget to brush your teeth before you leave the house! The American Dental Association recommends that every person (including infants) should brush their teeth at least twice a day. A great time is before bed and in the morning after breakfast. Not only will this make your smile clean and pretty as you try to make a good first impression, but you will have fresh breath as well.

Studies show that your smile is one of the first things others notice about you. You want to make an impression by showing those pearly whites everywhere you go. Not only will others see you as happier, but they will feel like you’re more approachable. This is definitely a bonus on your first day of school.

You want to be confident about your smile, which is why we mentioned brushing. It’s not complete if you don’t also floss your teeth. Floss gets almost half (40%) of your tooth surfaces. If you skip those, over time, half of your teeth will have dental problems. Combine those habits with dental visits and you can avoid problems with cavities, bad breath, and gum disease that will will take you out of school during the year to fix them.

Group of girls all smiling with their braces.

What You Eat Matters

Going back to school can present new challenges with food. Students either eat in a cafeteria, bring their own lunch, or they leave to get fast food nearby. You want to be smart with your food choices if you want to keep your smile great throughout the school year. How you eat will say a lot about your smile. Why? Because what you eat directly determines if you will have tooth decay or oral health problems.

Cafeterias and fast food places often have processed foods that are packed with sugar. Sugar is also found in starchy foods (like bread and pasta). Even parents make up lunches that are sugar-packed and unhealthy, even if those lunches look healthy! Parents magazine recently published an article about lunch for school. They gave an example of a packed “peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat bread, a cup of applesauce and fruit punch”. It sounds like a healthy meal, but going through the food labels revealed that there was actually 76 grams of sugar in that one meal alone—more than four twinkies!

That’s why it’s so important to check food labels and limit the amount of added sugars in your lunch and snacks for school. Sugar is a major concern because it leads directly to tooth decay. When you eat, that sugar in your foods and drinks mixes with your mouth bacteria to form plaque. That is the transparent goop that sticks to your teeth. Over time, it erodes away the tooth enamel and decays your teeth. The more sugar you eat, the more likely you are to get tooth decay. To keep your smile healthy, have a parent or professional help you with healthy meal options that reduce your sugar and give you tons of energy.

Young girl brushing her teeth.

Take Care of Your Braces

You are at school for hours of your day. If you’re in college, then you’re studying most of the day. It’s easy for oral hygiene habits to fall through the cracks when you’re busy. A good way to take some time for your smile is to bring a dental kit with you to school. After your lunch, you can take this kit to the bathroom and brush and floss your teeth. This is especially important for children and teens that wear braces, as food gets stuck in brackets and wires every time you eat.

Protecting Your Mouth

School is a time when many kids young and old are participating in sports. Coincidentally, sports injuries are among the highest when it comes to dental emergencies. You never want to get a tooth knocked-out or broken when all you want to do is having fun playing sports. Protect your mouth with a custom-made mouth guard. Buying a guard from the store is better than nothing, but store guards are not fit to your mouth and can definitely still land you with dental emergencies because of the space that is there between the guard and your teeth. We make custom mouth guards all the time for our patients, which helps them keep their smile intact during sports and physical activity.

Cosmetic Dentistry for Teens and Adults

If you do end up with a dental emergency during the school year, we can fix cavities with dental fillings. However, when tooth decay is severe and results in a toothache, you may need a root canal treatment or even a dental implant. If you simply want to improve your look and are old enough, you can get a straight smile through cosmetic dentistry services such as porcelain veneers. Taking care of your smile through your eating choices and oral hygiene are the best ways to keep them bright and healthy. When other problems arise, we can help make your teeth into pearly whites. Call Dr. Ania’s office for your dental questions and dental consultation by calling 303-443-0998!

Posted: August 21, 2018 By: content.team Comment: 0

Dental Botox and Dermal Fillers

Woman that is receiving a botox injection in her face.

Do you notice fine lines and wrinkles creeping into your appearance over time? Many people look to botox and dermal fillers to get their appearance back, which are both great ways to smooth out lines and wrinkles. However, not enough people go to dentists who have been specially trained in the face and neck muscles. This leaves them at serious risk of having their work done incorrectly or with dangerous substances. Find out how dental botox through a specially-trained dentist is the best kind you can get and what dermal fillers can do for you!

A Dentist’s Training

Did you know that dentists must go to school for at least 10 years in order to perform services on patients? Dentists complete 4 years of undergraduate education, where they then must be accepted into dental school. Those schools are very competitive and small, so you have to be the best of the best to attend. Dental school lasts for 4 years, with several years of training, fellowshipping and special programs afterwards. Students can choose to continue on to do orthodontics or they can specialize in areas such as family or general dentistry and cosmetic dentistry.

Now more than ever, seeing the dentist is especially important for patients. Why? Tooth decay, gum disease and oral health diseases are on the rise. The National Institutes of Health reports that tooth decay is the most “chronic, prevalent disease” among children and adults. Gum disease affects at least half of all American adults, which eventually leads to tooth loss if left untreated. These conditions can only be successfully treated with the help of a dentist. There are other services that patients should only get through a dental professional. Those include botox and dermal fillers.

Millions of people use Botox, Juvederm and Restylane to achieve a more relaxed and smooth facial appearance, while still having the freedom of expression. However, many of those people get their botox and dermal fillers from people who are not trained at all to work on a person’s face. This leaves many people with nerve damage and with infections from harmful or toxic substances that are added into cheap botox and dermal filler injections. If you want these services, go to a professional!

Close-up view of a person getting an injection in their lip.

Dental Botox

Botox and dermal fillers can be amazing tools for patients who see fine lines and wrinkles creeping into their smiles and other parts of the face. An attractive smile can significantly improve your image and self-confidence. That is why so many people opt for botox and dermal fillers. However, you have to be especially careful with Botox injections.

Botox is a solution that patients have injected into their muscles. It is actually a drug that is made from the botulinum toxin. Ingested, it can be deadly. However, when injected into the body in specific ways, it can be quite effective and safe for removing fine lines and wrinkles. With such a delicate substance, you only want Botox injected into your face by a dentist. Dentists have those 10+ years of schooling and are trained to know all the nerves and muscles of your face in-depth. They can do dental botox correctly, whereas it’s a gamble with anyone else you go to.

Botox is an FDA-approved purified protein, which is injected into targeted muscles. This substance can temporary block nerve signals that cause muscle movements. That blockage will relax the muscles in that area, getting rid of the wrinkles and fine lines that are there. The full effect of Botox takes 3-5 days and will remain effective for 3-6 months. It only takes a few minutes to perform the injections, and the untreated facial muscles can contract to allow normal expression.

Dermal Fillers

Botox and dermal fillers are very similar, but still different. Dermal fillers help get rid of fine lines, but they also provide volume and fullness to the face that has been lost with age. If you are in middle age or later, you may notice those fine lines and lack of fullness in your own face. This is a normal part of aging. However, you can still keep your youth and vibrance with dermal fillers.

When your skin ages, it starts to lose collagen that is filled with hyaluronic acid (HA). Those two substances are the ones responsible for adding structure and volume to your face. When you lose collagen and HA due to age, the skin will start to sag and wrinkle. That is why dermal fillers are so beneficial. These are smooth, injectable gels made from naturally-occurring hyaluronic acid and they can restore the fullness to your face, making you look more youthful.

Woman examining her appearance in a dental office.

How Do You Benefit?

When people go to random providers of Botox, who knows what result they will get with their injections! However, when you go to a licensed, dental professional, you can receive amazing benefits to your health and appearance. Dental Botox and dermal fillers can assist with:

Headache pain from muscle tension in the face, head and neck
Headaches caused by TMJ, or Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome
Persistent clenching and grinding of the teeth
“Gummy” smiles caused by over-retracted upper lips
Upside-down smiles because of drooping muscles
Lip lines and puckered chins
Plus, can help you look younger and more vibrant

Whether you want a better appearance or help for oral health problems, Botox and dermal fillers can help you. Stick to the professionals at Dr. Ania’s office and call 303-443-0998 for your free consultation!

Posted: August 14, 2018 By: content.team Comment: 0

Have You Had Your Oral Cancer Screening?

Person writing the words "oral cancer".

Nobody likes to find out that they have cancer. However, finding cancer early is the best way to stop it in its tracks. That is why dentists will do an oral cancer screening every time you go in for comprehensive exams and dental cleanings. No one should die from oral cancer, when it is preventable and can be stopped when detected! Stop oral cancer in its tracks with an oral cancer screening!

What Is Oral Cancer?

Nobody likes to hear the word “cancer”, and yet, it is everywhere and can happen almost in any part of the body. Your mouth is no exception. Out of the 100+ types of cancers out there, oral cancer is one that affects your mouth. Just like other cancers, it can be deadly without proper prevention and treatment in its early stages. At its beginning stages, you won’t notice anything different in your mouth, but a dentist will notice the start of oral cancer.

In the later stages, patients report symptoms and signs such as:

Bleeding in the mouth, seemingly for no reason.
Numbness or loss of feeling in parts of the mouth.
Lumps or bumps in the mouth, especially ones that continue to grow. That includes areas of thickening or swollen tissues.
Rough spots or crusty areas on the lips, gums and other mouth tissues.
Patches in the mouth that are velvety white, red or a speckled combination of the two.
Sores on the face, neck or inside the mouth that bleed and don’t heal quickly.
Changes in the way your voice sounds as well as chronic soreness of the throat that doesn’t go away.
Weight loss that can sometimes be severe.
Problems chewing, eating, swallowing, speaking or moving the tongue or jaws.

Close-up view of a patient having their mouth looked at by a dentist.

Facts and Figures

Even though oral cancer doesn’t claim as many lives as other types of cancers, it still claims way too many. This type of cancer is luckily one that can be halted, whereas others can’t be. Still, the statistics show that too many lives are claimed each year from oral cancer:

Someone dies every hour of every day in the United States from oral cancer.
The Oral Cancer Foundation (OCF) reported that about 49,750 people in the U.S. were diagnosed with oral cancer in 2017. The amount that will be diagnosed this year is about the same.
About 132 people die every day from oral cancer.
The OCF also reported that there is only a 43% survival rate if it’s not found until the later stages.
When found early-on, patients have an 80-90% survival rate.
Tobacco and alcohol use plays a major role in developing mouth cancer.
Patients not vaccinated against the HPV-16 virus (human papilloma virus version 16) are also at risk for developing oral cancer.

Can You Combat It?

There are only so many ways you can combat oral cancer. The best way is to get rid of all your risk factors for it. Get vaccinated for the HPV virus after speaking with your doctor. Find out if you have a history for cancer in your family, especially oral cancer. In many cases, your lifestyle is what will determine if you will develop mouth cancer or not. This is especially true if you smoke or use chewing tobacco. Studies show that smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes will raise your risk for oral cancer by 6 times.

Don’t think that going “smokeless” will be healthier for you either. Smokeless tobacco products can actually be even worse for you because of the chemicals they contain that are unnatural for the body. This includes dip, snuff and chewing tobacco, which raises your risk for oral cancer 50 times because the tobacco comes in direct contact with your mouth tissues for long periods of time. So yes, you can combat oral cancer with the help of a dentist trying to stop it through excessive dental care. However, the best way to combat it is to stop using any and all tobacco products as well as alcohol. Alcohol won’t be as strong as tobacco is for causing oral cancer, but it will raise your risk for developing it by 6 times.

A dentist discussing treatment options with a patient in the office.

Comprehensive Exams

Patients can’t feel oral cancer forming, so it can only be found if it’s detected by a dentist trained to notice the signs and symptoms. This is why the comprehensive exam is so important in dentistry. All patients should visit the dentist at least every 6 months for a comprehensive dental exam. This is where a dentist can examine a patient’s oral cavity to check for abnormalities.

When you come in for your exam, an oral cancer screening only takes a few minutes. A dentist will examine your teeth, gums, cheeks, tongue, throat and even outside your mouth around your neck and mouth for lumps. Anything that is abnormal will be noted and if the dentist suspects that it is oral cancer, you will start treatment right away. With the right dental and medical care, a dentist can actually help halt the progression of the cancer when they find it. The best time is right in its earliest stages, when it can be stopped and you can enjoy a normal, long life.

Avoiding Other Oral Diseases

Not only is the comprehensive exam great for detecting oral cancer, but it can detect other oral diseases such as tooth decay and gum disease. In their early stages, only a dentist can detect these problems. Coincidentally, it’s also in the early stages that the problems can be fixed or reversed. Bottom line: make sure you are visiting your dentist for your biannual dental exams and cleanings.

The American Dental Association recommends that every person (children and infants included) see the dentist every 6 months. Between those visits, make sure you are brushing your teeth for at least 2 minutes, twice a day and flossing daily as well. To schedule your exam and oral cancer screening, call Dr. Ania’s office today at 303-443-0998!

Posted: August 7, 2018 By: content.team Comment: 0

Testing and Tracking Plaque Levels at Home

Beautiful woman that is wearing red lipstick and pointing with both hands towards her mouth.

When you brush and floss, are you sure you’re getting all the plaque that stuck on your teeth? One way to know is to test and track plaque at home. At-home products available to test and track plaque include disclosing tablets, solutions and swabs. These products stain plaque red with a harmless dye so you can track how well you and your child are brushing and flossing. As you might imagine, this is particularly beneficial for kids since it gives them a visual representation of how effective their oral hygiene efforts are.

What Is Dental Plaque?

Did you know that there is a silent and clear substance that tries to eat away at your teeth every single day? This substance is called plaque, and it’s the cause of all tooth decay and gum disease problems. It attaches to your tooth surfaces and its acidic content eats away at your hard tooth enamel, making it weaker overtime until it eventually decays. But, how did that plaque get there in the first place?

You can blame your food for that. Plaque forms in your mouth when you eat or drink anything that contains sugar or starch (which is most things). Sugar and various mouth bacteria combine together in your mouth, and without you knowing, they create a sticky combination that is detrimental to your teeth and gums.

When that sugar and bacteria combines, it attaches to your teeth, especially along your gum line. If you go look in the mirror right now, you might even see some traces of plaque. You can have a very tiny amount of dental plaque or you can have a lot. It’s tricky to see, so it can build up over time without you even knowing. Plaque that sits on the teeth for long amounts of time can actually harden, becoming what we call “tartar”. At that stage, you can’t get it off by yourself.

Close-up view of the bottom front teeth that have lots of dental plaque on them, causing gum recession.

Problems that Stem From High Plaque Levels

Why is plaque such a problem in the first place? Many people don’t realize that they have plaque, nor do they realize the problems it can cause in the long run. Half of all American adults (or 64.7 million) have some form of gum disease and around 92% of Americans have had tooth decay before. Both of these problems all stem from the effects of plaque. In fact, they only happen because plaque gets left on the teeth. Because plaque is acidic, it eats away at the minerals on a patient’s teeth, which is called “demineralization”. Over time, the teeth weaken and decay.

With the gums, plaque sits along the gumline. The acidity of it makes the gums irritated, and they will start to bleed easier when a person has the first stage of gum disease, which is gingivitis. Over time, the gums become red due to irritation and eventually they start to recede. This recession is the major kicker, as gums can recede so far that your teeth fall out. It’s best to simply get plaque under control and keep up on your plaque levels instead of ever dealing with the harsher side-effects of plaque.

How Do You know Your Plaque Levels?

There are products that have been made to help patients know how they are doing with their dental plaque levels. These are dental products that contain various dyes that highlight where dental plaque is. If you think you are brushing and flossing your teeth well, but you are still ending up with tooth decay, bleeding gums, or problems with gingivitis and gum disease, these products can help you know if your teeth are as clean as you think they are. In many cases, patients are missing areas of their teeth during their brushing and flossing—such as right along the gum line.

Dental hygienists helping a patient to see the dental things they are explaining to him as he looks in a mirror.

Self Examination

You can check your plaque levels at home without having to enter a dental office. This is ideal for in-between your biannual checkups and exams, especially if you have had problems with tooth decay and gingivitis in the past. At-home products that patients can use include disclosing tablets, swabs and solutions.

You can use these steps for doing your own self-examination to check your plaque levels:

Brush and floss your teeth, making sure to brush the recommended 2 minutes with a soft-bristled brush.
Follow the instructions on your disclosing product. Many people use disclosing tablets. For tablets, chew only one tablet and let it mix with your saliva. You can do this by swishing for up to 30 seconds and then spitting.
For a disclosing solution, swich the solution for 30 seconds and then spit it out.
Gently rinse your mouth with water after your disclosing test.
Plaque that is still on your teeth will be dyed a darker color (usually a red color). Make sure to take note of all the areas (especially on your back molars) that have been dyed.
Then, brush and floss your teeth again to see if you’ve removed that plaque.
You want to continue to use your disclosing treatment to test your plaque levels each night. Do this until you start to see no remaining traces of plaque. That is when you have learned to brush those areas efficiently.
After you’ve mastered cleaning your teeth, test your plaque levels once a month to make sure you are keeping up on your cleaning.

In-Office Examination

If you aren’t sure how to work disclosing tablets or solutions, we can help you. Often, we have some samples in-office and we can show you how they work. If you come in for your biannual dental cleanings and exams, we can let you know how your plaque levels are and if you are in the danger zone for gum disease. If you already have gum disease, we have periodontal treatments to help get your mouth healthy once more. To schedule your comprehensive dental exam, call Dr. Ania’s office today at 303-443-0998!

Posted: July 26, 2018 By: content.team Comment: 0

Turn Toothbrushing Into a Game to Help Your Children Brush

Young adult male brushing his teeth alongside a young boy in a bathroom, presumably they are father and son.

Dental health is something you should be thinking about from the moment your infant cuts his first tooth. From baby to toddler to school-age, children need to learn the importance of good oral health. As you have probably learned from being a parent, sitting down and lecturing your child isn’t likely to do much good. A more effective approach is to turn tooth brushing into a game. Here are some ideas to help your child brush their teeth!

When Should Children Start Toothbrushing?

It takes children several years (until about age 3) for them to have the right dexterity to be able to brush their own teeth well. That means you’ll have to do their toothbrushing for them. As a parent, you need to start brushing your child’s tooth when the first one comes in. Even if your baby is only 3 or 4 months old, that is when you would start the toothbrushing. Luckily, it’s fairly easy to brush the teeth when there are only a few in the mouth.

If your child is an infant still, you can get a small gum brush. This is a rubbery finger brush that slips on the top of one of your fingers. You place the tiniest amount of baby toothpaste (not yours) on the brush and brush that tiny tooth. Aim for twice a day. If that doesn’t work out, at least brush their tiny teeth at night. For a few small teeth, it will only take a few seconds to get them clean.

As a child ages and starts to use their hands more, you can try teaching them to brush on their own. When they can hold utensils well and eat alone with them, they are ready to start toothbrushing. Help them hold the brush and learn how much toothpaste to put on the brush. Even if it takes many months, brush with them to teach them the correct technique. You can hold and guide their hand as they brush their teeth until they get the hang of it.

Young female child brushing her teeth and smiling.

Toothbrushing the Correct Amount of Time

The American Dental Association recommends that all patients brush their teeth for at least 2 minutes every time they brush. Simply wetting a toothbrush and brushing for a seconds won’t cut it. But, how do you get a child to sit down and brush their teeth for 2 minutes straight?

A great way to do this is to involve technology. Even adults find it hard to brush for 2 minutes at a time. Find a song that your children love that is about 2 minutes long. Make sure they brush all over their mouth for the amount of time that the song is playing. If their favorite song is longer or shorter than 2 minutes, simply replay the song or stop it once it hits the 2-minute mark.

If music doesn’t really help your child, try a video or educational short clip. Whatever you decide is best for your child, you can always bring a tablet into the bathroom and have them brush while they learn something new from a short video. There are even many videos online such as this one that teach children how to brush their teeth correctly. No matter what you do, keep it interesting and keep them learning!

Young father and son brushing their teeth together as they watch in a bathroom mirror.

What If They Don’t Want to Brush?

Many children can get bored with toothbrushing. That’s why you want to turn toothbrushing into a game and learning experience for them. If toothbrushing is incredibly dull, they won’t want to do it. Use these tips to give your child a better experience and to make it more fun for them:

Get bright, colorful toothbrushes with their favorite characters. If your child loves Disney princesses, get a princess brush for them.
Get toothpastes that are fun and colorful. Children’s toothpastes can be full of fluoride and other great minerals for their teeth, but they also come in bright colors with sparkles, edible confetti bits and more. If your child hates the taste of toothpaste, get child toothpaste that has a taste they like. Don’t simply use your own toothpaste, as it may contain ingredients that aren’t as gentle on the baby teeth.
Sing a song to them while they brush. You can even include a little dance if it gets them to brush their teeth better.
Brush your teeth with them! The best way to learn is by example. If you’re not brushing your teeth, why would they? You can even make it a game to see who can brush their teeth the best, who can do the best circular motions, who can smile the biggest as they brush, etc.
Read a short story to them as they brush. Make up the story or read it from their collection, but make it so you only read if they are brushing.
Keep a toothbrushing chart to reward them each day or each time they brush their teeth well. Give them stickers on a chart or have a reward for them at the end of the week, month, etc. You can even do this reward system every night. For example, if they brush well, they get a story before bed.
Let them practice on you. If they need to try it on you and see the difference between dirty teeth and clean teeth, let them.

Keep At It

Even if your child doesn’t want to brush, don’t give up on this habit! Children that make brushing their a habit while they are young, tend to keep that habit as they grow older. They also reduce their risk for tooth decay, gum disease and many oral health problems that require more extensive dental work. If you child won’t brush, discuss it with them and see what the problem is. If they simply don’t like their toothbrush or toothpaste, take them to the store and let them choose their own. If you keep struggling, you can always call Dr. Ania’s office at 303-443-0998!

Posted: July 19, 2018 By: content.team Comment: 0

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