A Family Dentist Finds a New Way to Help Keep Your Gums Healthy

As a local family dentist, we are always interested in news that can help our patients to have healthier gums and teeth.  Researchers at the University of Boston published a report in the Journal of Periodontology that concluded drinking coffee could help your gums and teeth to stay healthier.  This is an interesting concept considering that for years; people thought coffee could actually be bad for your teeth.

In order to find the truth, researchers reviewed information collected by the Department of Veteran Affairs in Boston.  They collected dental exam data along with food intake sheets for over 1,100 men over the course of thirty years.  This three-decade study provides a glimpse into long-term oral health and how food can impact it.  Researchers broke the men into two distinct groups – those that drank a cup of coffee or more every day and those who did not.  What they found is that the men who had at least one cup of coffee a day had fewer teeth with bone loss than those in the other group.

There is a link between teeth with bone loss and gum disease.  Drinking coffee then can help to prevent gum disease.  This makes sense when considering that the caffeine in coffee is likely where the health benefits come from.  Caffeine is an anti-inflammatory that can prevent gums from swelling.  Swollen gums are often the first sign of gum disease so it is easy to see how the two can work together.  There are certain groups of people that are at greater risk of having their gums swell and drinking coffee may have additional benefits for them.  Diabetics, for example, have reduced blood flow which can lead to swollen gums.  By simply drinking a cup of coffee every day, this risk can be reduced.  However, as a family dentist, we recommend that this is part of the treatment and prevention plan – not the only part of the plan.

Brushing and flossing throughout the day is still extremely important as bacteria causes gum disease.  Brushing throughout the day removes sugar and bacteria from the teeth before it can cause any problems.  Additionally, drinking water is very important because water will wash the sugar away and help the body to produce the saliva it needs for a healthy mouth.  Eating a balanced diet is important to oral health and the health of the body, as is having teeth cleaned at least twice a year.  Working together, all of these components can help to prevent cavities and gum disease.

As a local family dentist, we also want to remind patients that drinking coffee can make your teeth stained and yellow.  Our teeth whitening procedures can address this, but it is important to note that if you increase your coffee intake, you also increase your risk of having yellow teeth.  Overall, it is important to do everything in moderation so grab a cup of coffee but don’t go overboard on the java.

Here’s What to Expect When Visiting an Invisalign® Dentist Denver Patients Trust

If you are looking for an Invisalign dentist Denver patients depend on, you have come to the right place. We offer this procedure for teens and adults looking to straighten their smile without the need for traditional metal braces. Orthodontics is important for moving teeth into position and aligning a bite. There are, however, alternatives to wearing metal braces, and Invisalign® is an amazing option because teeth can be straightened without anyone noticing.

The Invisalign® system uses aligners to move teeth into place.  These are clear devices that look like a retainer.  They surround the upper and lower teeth and simply pop into place.  When you start your treatment, an impression will be taken of your teeth, and a series of aligners will be created in a lab that are slightly different from the one before it.  Each aligner will move your teeth closer to being straight so you wear one for two weeks than switch it out for the next one in the series.  This is done at home, so there are fewer appointments than if you wore traditional braces.

People that wear metal braces have to visit the orthodontist more frequently because of the work required to straighten teeth using this method.  With braces, a metal bracket is placed on each tooth, and a wire is threaded between them and secured in place with rubber bands.  In order to move teeth, the wires need to be tightened, and the rubber bands replaced on a regular basis.  This requires frequent office visits.  As an Invisalign dentist Denver patients count on, we make the process easier by limiting office visits to checks ups so that we can make sure the aligners are doing their job.

Another benefit to wearing aligners is that they don’t hurt.  When you switch out your aligners they will feel a little tight but your teeth will not hurt during the process.  Braces, on the other hand, do make your teeth hurt when the wires are being tightened and especially when they are first installed.  This makes the procedure more challenging to get through and people that don’t have time to slow down, may find this aspect difficult.

Busy professionals like the fact that Invisalign® is meant to be taken out.  You are only supposed to wear it for 22 hours a day which provides plenty of time to make a work presentation or attend a dinner meeting without wearing it. This level of flexibility is amazing when straightening your teeth because you can accomplish your smile goals without feeling as though your life is interrupted or you have to change your normal activities.  Simply keep your current schedule and take out the aligner when you need to – just remember to put it back in.

As an Invisalign dentist Denver patients talk to, we also find that wearing the aligners makes it easier to keep teeth free from stains during the entire process.  When wearing braces it becomes difficult to brush teeth because of all of the metal in your mouth.  This can lead to staining when they are taken out.  Since you remove your aligner to brush teeth like normal, this risk is greatly reduced.  To find out if this is the right procedure for you, give us a call.