From swelling and inflammation to a receding gum line and the actual loss of teeth, gum disease can wreak havoc on your smile. The disease can be painful at times, affecting your appearance and ability to eat and chew properly, but it also worsens and becomes life-threatening if the infection enters the bloodstream.

Gum disease treatment is possible depending on the severity of your specific case. However, prevention is your best weapon against this serious dental condition. Learn how to prevent gum disease using these simple, yet imperative, solutions and the help of your dentist.

Do you feel uncomfortable with your smile as it is right now?  If so, you may have considered orthodontic options to change the look of your smile.  In fact, braces are an excellent way to achieve the look you want and correct a misaligned bite.  The problem is that you may want to avoid the traditional metal braces.  Fortunately, you have other options.

Why Not Traditional Metal Braces?

Metal braces come with their own set of challenges.  The brackets and wires are made of a deep silver colored metal.  This makes the braces quite noticeable.  If you are an adult, you might not want your braces to be so prominent.

Since adults typically want braces that are hard to see or invisible, you may consider looking at other options, like ceramic braces.

When many people think of their teeth and smiles, their primary focus is on how their teeth look.  The color of their teeth is one of the primary issues that most people have with their teeth.  If you are one of these people, you may be wondering about whether or not tooth whitening is the right choice for you.

This post lists four facts that you can use to get to know more about tooth whitening.  Then, you can be certain you are making the best decision for yourself.

1. Whitening Toothpastes Are Not Very Effective

Most people are interested in DIY teeth whitening that is quick, easy, and painless. However, many of the products marketed to whiten teeth simply do not work as well as they claim to.

Whitening agents need to be in contact with the teeth for an extended period of time to be effective. The short amount of time that toothpaste is in contact with the teeth make such whitening products only minimally effective. As such, the extra money that you might spend on these whitening toothpastes would be better spent on more effective whitening solutions.

When you think about orthodontia, you may picture the awkwardness of puberty and classic metal braces. While many patients do not start orthodontic treatment until adolescence, the signs that this procedure is needed are often evident much earlier.

In fact, many orthodontists provide preliminary consultations to patients as young as six or seven. In this blog, we list eight characteristics that may indicate that your child will likely need braces or another form of orthodontic treatment to achieve their best smile.

If you are unhappy with the state of your smile, your dentist may recommend braces to achieve the straight, properly aligned teeth you desire. While you may think of braces as a treatment reserved for children and teens, you can get them at any age, and the number of adults getting braces is on the rise.

Before you commit to braces, learn all you can about this treatment. To that end, take a look at these six questions adults commonly have about getting and living with braces.