Have you always been self-conscious about your teeth? Is your smile crooked or are you embarrassed about yellowing or stained teeth? Worry no longer! These are all things a cosmetic dentist can help you with. If you’re thinking about teeth straightening procedures, but feel that you’re too old for braces, Invisalign might be a good option for you to consider. Your local dentists can often make referrals to a cosmetic dentist or to a restorative dentistry practice to get your smile back on track. However, there are also things you should be doing as part of a daily healthy regimen for your teeth and practices that you should be cultivating for after your cosmetic dentistry procedures. Otherwise, your teeth will go back to looking the way they did before, and all your efforts will have been in vain. Your local dentists can help you review these practices and will emphasize the importance of following all instructions you receive from your cosmetic dentist or restorative dentist.
It’s Not Cool to Have Bad Teeth
Even though many of us neglect the state of our teeth, we’re still thinking about them! Over 30% of people say they’re concerned by the way their teeth look and almost 20% of people say they hide their teeth in pictures. Almost 50% of adults over the age of 30 have some kind of periodontal disease and this only increases with age; 70% of adults over the age of 65 have periodontal disease.
The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry released a survey that showed 99.7% of all adults believed that having a healthy smile was socially important and almost 75% of adults believe that not having a good smile can hurt the success of their career.
Smiles aren’t just professionally important however — over 95% of adults think that an attractive smile can make people more appealing to members of the opposite sex. Furthermore, over half of adults over the age of 50 say that our smile is the one physical feature that stays the most attractive as we get older.
How Can I Fix My Bad Teeth?
If your teeth are crooked, you might want to see an orthodontist for measures like Invisalign, which can help (subtly) make your teeth straighter. Think of them as “adult braces.” You may also need to wear a retainer or mouthguard even after Invisalign is removed, to keep your teeth from shifting back into their crooked path.
A cosmetic dentist can also help with implants, veneers, teeth whitening, and fixing chips, cracks, or gaps in your teeth. A cosmetic dentist can also replace missing teeth if you’ve been in an accident or had to have teeth removed.
These procedures can do far more than just improve your smile; they may have other health benefits as well. Aligned teeth can take the pressure off your jaw or keep certain teeth from wearing down at a faster rate. Fixing periodontal disease can affect your heart health, blood pressure, and cholesterol as well. You can get referrals to a cosmetic dentist from your local dentists.
What Should I Be Doing To Keep My Teeth Healthy After These Procedures?
Visit your local dentists twice a year — most people wait three years between dental appointments! A visit to your dentist helps give your teeth a “deep clean,” removing built up plaque and checking for cavities, which can help reduce occurrences of tooth pain or tenderness.
Stay away from overly sugary drinks — people who drink over three sodas a day have over 60% more tooth decay, a need for fillings, and tooth loss than those who don’t have a sugary habit. Be sure to brush after staining foods or beverages, such as tea, coffee, or wine — these can have an impact on your tooth whiteness.
And of course, be sure you’re brushing and flossing at least twice a day to avoid cavities and plaque buildup!
If you’ve been ashamed about the way your teeth look, go see a cosmetic dentist, to see what he or she can do for your teeth. The health of your teeth is important to your overall health. Don’t neglect your teeth! Smile with pride.
