9 Dental Procedures that Will Help Restore Your Smile

When cavities, stains, or traumatic injuries damage your teeth, you may find yourself covering your mouth every time you smile. To help you regain your confidence, you need restorative dentistry from an experienced dentist in NYC. Take a look at nine dental procedures we offer that can restore your smile.

1. Crowns: A dental crown is an effective way to restore a discolored or oddly shaped tooth. This solution can even protect a weak tooth from breaking or repair one that’s already broken.
2. Tooth-colored fillings: Many people assume that fillings are always metallic, but new materials and techniques mean you have the option of getting more natural-looking, tooth-colored fillings. Talk to your dentist about what option is best for you. Factors such as the size of the filling, location of the tooth, price, and personal preference must all be considered.
3. Veneers: This cosmetic solution covers the front side of chipped, stained, or misshapen teeth with a natural-looking porcelain veneer. The finished product looks great and functions flawlessly. Your dentist may recommend avoiding coffee, tea, wine, and tobacco to maintain your beautiful new smile.
4. Bonding: Similar to veneers, bonding is a cosmetic treatment that involves attaching tooth-colored resins to your teeth to improve their shape and color. The results are strong, long-lasting, and natural-looking.
5. Contouring and reshaping: Dental contouring and tooth reshaping may be all that’s required to fix elongated or roughly shaped teeth. This process involves removing a small amount of tooth enamel to alter the surface or shape of the tooth. This technique is often combined with bonding to create the most attractive smile possible.
6. Implants: Dental implants consist of a titanium body, which takes the place of the missing root, and a crown, which fills the gap and replaces the function of your missing tooth. Implants can last a lifetime if properly maintained.
7. Bridges: The purpose of a dental bridge is to replace one or more missing teeth. It involves installing crowns on the adjacent teeth and “bridging” the gap with an artificial tooth called a pontic. Unlike implants, no titanium root is inserted into the gums.
8. Whitening: Years of drinking coffee, sipping on wine, and enjoying brightly colored berries can take a toll on your pearly whites. Luckily, you can turn back the clock with Zoom in-office whitening. Our dental professionals can brighten your smile by an average of eight shades in just one hour. Plus, the process is safe, simple, and pain-free!
9. Smile makeovers: If several different problems exist in your mouth, you can combine two or more of the above dental procedures for a complete smile makeover. Your self-esteem will soar like never before once you feel confident enough to smile naturally around your friends, family, and new acquaintances.

Need help deciding which dental procedure is right for you? Ready to get the process started? Contact Park 56 Dental at (212) 826-2322 to ask questions or request a consultation at our New York dentist office.

What Foods Stain Your Teeth, and What Foods Help Clean Them?

Are you frustrated that your teeth appear dull and yellow, despite brushing and flossing every day? The fact is that even the best oral care can’t always prevent staining. Learn which foods cause tooth stains and which foods help ward off discoloration.

6 Foods that Stain Teeth

1. Curry and tomato sauce: With their bright colors and high acidity, these sauces create the perfect conditions for staining teeth. Over time, they may turn your pearly whites yellow, so it’s best to limit your intake of curry and tomato sauce.
2. Balsamic vinegar: It may taste delicious on salads, but balsamic vinegar is known for staining teeth. Its dark color and reputation for sticking to your teeth mean it can leave stains behind if not washed away quickly.
3. Berries: Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and cranberries are all brightly colored and quite acidic, a bad combination for your teeth. However, they’re packed with beneficial antioxidants, so don’t cut them out of your diet just yet. Instead, drink milk or rinse your mouth with water after eating berries to wash the staining juices away.
4. Citrus fruits: Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes contain citric acid, which weakens enamel and exposes the dentin underneath. If you eat other staining foods at the same time, you could end up with discolored teeth.
5. Candy: Sweets that change the color of your tongue can also stain your teeth. The sugar in candy also leads to tooth decay.
6. Dark-colored or acidic drinks: Coffee, tea, wine, soda, and sports drinks are darkly colored, acidic, or both. Of these culprits, tea—green tea in particular—is the healthiest option.

4 Foods that Clean Teeth

1. Fruits: Apples are perhaps the best fruit for your teeth because of their texture. Chewing an apple scrubs your teeth and stimulates your gums. The nutrients in other fruits, including pears and strawberries, also promote stronger, healthier teeth.
2. Raw vegetables: As with apples, the texture of raw celery, carrots, and cauliflower have a tooth-scrubbing effect when you chew them. Other veggies known to support good oral health include cucumbers, spinach, kale, and broccoli.
3. Baking soda: While eating food with baking soda in it won’t change your smile, choosing toothpaste with this mild abrasive certainly will. You can even brush with baking soda straight from the box on occasion for gentle at-home teeth whitening.
4. Dairy products: Yogurt, milk, and cheese contain calcium and proteins required for healthy teeth. They also balance the pH in your mouth, so consume dairy products after eating acidic food to counteract the negative effects.

By avoiding foods that stain your teeth and reaching for foods that clean them instead, you can help keep discoloration at bay. Of course, professional dental cleanings are also critical for maintaining a bright, white smile. Remember to brush and floss daily as well to promote healthy teeth and gums.

Park 56 Dental can help your smile look its best. Schedule your next teeth cleaning in NYC by calling (212) 826-2322 today.

The Importance of Dental Cleaning

Good oral health is important for everyone. After all, healthy teeth and gums help you smile with confidence. That’s why you’re diligent about brushing and flossing every day. Considering how well you take care of your mouth at home, you may wonder if professional dental cleanings are worth the time and effort.

The American Dental Association recommends having your teeth cleaned twice a year. Despite this advice, almost a third of Americans fail to visit the dentist even once a year. If you haven’t had a professional cleaning in a while, brush up on why it’s so important to visit the dentist regularly.

Detect Dental Problems Early

In addition to cleaning your teeth, the dentist can also screen you for other problems such as oral cancer, cavities, broken fillings, and gum disease. Early detection means you can start treatment right away, potentially avoiding a root canal, gum surgery, or tooth extractions. This not only saves you the hassle of having these procedures done—it also helps you avoid the costs that go with them.

Protect Your Teeth and Gums

Nearly 75 percent of Americans have some form of gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, many of whom don’t even know it. The earliest stage of the disease, called gingivitis, doesn’t cause pain or other obvious symptoms, so it can go undiagnosed if you never visit the dentist. Left untreated, gum disease can cause tooth loss. Luckily, with an early diagnosis, you can treat or even reverse the condition.

Prevent Bad Breath

Underlying dental problems are to blame for most cases of chronic bad breath, also known as halitosis. With regular cleanings to keep your teeth healthy and free of tartar buildup, you can prevent bad breath from getting in the way of your social life.

Protect Your Health

Did you know that taking good care of your teeth can improve your overall wellbeing? Numerous studies have shown a link between gum disease and your heart, lungs, kidneys, and more. Here are some interesting facts from the American Dental Hygienists’ Association to keep in mind:

• If you have gum disease, you are more likely to develop cardiovascular problems, including heart disease and stroke.
• 95 percent of Americans with diabetes also have periodontal disease.
• Harmful bacteria in the mouth caused by gum disease can aggravate respiratory conditions.
• Early signs of kidney disease, osteoporosis, eating disorders, HIV/AIDS, and other conditions often appear in the mouth and can be detected during a dental cleaning.
• Oral cancer is curable in its early stage, but it must be diagnosed at a dentist’s office before treatment can begin.

Park 56 Dental is pleased to help our customers smile confidently with routine dental cleanings. Visit our spa-like, patient-centered New York dentist office for personalized, quality care. You’ll feel so pampered that you won’t believe you used to postpone trips to the dentist! Contact us online or call (212) 826-2322 to schedule your initial visit with us today.

Foods to Eat for Stronger Teeth and Better Oral Health

When you consider ways to maintain a healthy smile, you might think of brushing and flossing, avoiding sweets, and visiting the dentist regularly. Did you know there are certain foods that also promote stronger teeth and better oral health? Include the following in your diet to help you smile with confidence.

Cheese

Milk tends to get all the credit for promoting strong teeth and bones, but cheese also contains the protein and calcium found in milk. Your body needs these nutrients to maintain healthy tooth enamel. Cheese has also been shown to raise the pH level in your mouth, making your saliva less acidic and lowering the risk of tooth decay as a result.

Plain Yogurt

As with cheese and other dairy products, yogurt is high in tooth-strengthening protein and calcium. Yogurt offers the added benefit of probiotics, which take the place of harmful bacteria in your mouth to help prevent cavities. To maximize the positive effects, choose plain yogurt with no added sugar.

Leafy Greens

Kale, spinach, and other leafy greens are packed with vitamins and minerals, including calcium. These super foods also contain folic acid, a type of B vitamin that has been shown to treat gum disease in pregnant women.

Apples

Apples might be sweet, but unlike candy, they’re also high in fiber. Plus, the act of eating an apple increases saliva production, which rinses away bacteria. Even the crisp texture of this fruit helps to scrub your teeth and stimulate your gums as you chew.

Carrots & Celery

Raw carrots and celery sticks offer many of the same benefits as apples. They’re crunchy, full of fiber, and encourage saliva production, making them an ideal food with which to end a meal. Plus, they provide the body with vitamin A. This nutrient helps prevent dry mouth, a condition that increases the risk of gingivitis, tooth decay, and oral infections. Vitamin A also promotes a faster healing time for mouth sores.

Almonds

In addition to being a good source of calcium and protein, almonds are also low in sugar, which is good news for oral health. They’re crunchy, which means they won’t gum up your teeth, and they provide a power-packed energy boost.

Green & Black Tea

Compounds found in tea called polyphenols slow the growth of the harmful bacteria associated with gum disease and cavities. If you use tap water to brew your tea, you might also get a healthy dose of fluoride. Just remember to rinse your mouth out with water after drinking tea because it can cause cosmetic staining.

In addition to increasing your intake of foods for a healthier mouth, remember to avoid certain foods as well. Avoid plaque buildup, tooth decay, and gum disease by steering clear of candy, soda, acidic fruit juice, sticky foods, and refined carbohydrates.

Maximize your efforts to maintain good oral health by visiting Park 56 Dental. We offer personalized care at our spa-like, patient-centered New York dentist office. Contact us today at (212) 826-2322 to schedule an appointment.