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How To Properly Brush Your Teeth | Tyngsboro Dentist

If you aren’t brushing twice daily, or are wondering if your technique is giving you the clean you need, here are some easy brushing dos and don’ts to keep in mind:

What You Should Do

– Use a 45-degree angle when brushing

– Use short, side to side strokes

– Brush gently, a touch helps prevent wear and tear on your enamel

– Brush at least twice a day, especially after consuming something sugary or acidic

– Change your toothbrush every 3-4 months

– Brush for a full 2 minutes; set a timer if you need to

– Allow your toothbrush to air dry

– Store your toothbrush in the medicine cabinet away from other bathroom germs

– Use a soft-bristled toothbrush that is gentle on your tooth enamel

Things You Should Not Do

– Store your toothbrush on the sink counter where bathroom particles can get on it

  • Keep your brush flat
  • Use long strokes, short strokes are more effective
  • Brush with force

– Use the same toothbrush for life

– Brush for less than two minutes

  • Keep your toothbrush in a closed container
  • Use a stiff bristle brush

If you keep these tips and tricks in mind, your enamel and overall oral health will be much better off for it!

To learn more about our practice or view the beautiful smiles Dr. Yankowskas has created, visit us online at www.tyngsborocosmeticdentist.com.

Dr. Yankowskas proudly serves patients from Tyngsboro and all surrounding areas.

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Understanding The Five Stages Of Tooth Decay | Tyngsboro Dentist

oral cancer

Tooth decay is not something to take lightly. In fact, it’s something to remain on the lookout for, as even those with a great oral care routine can experience tooth decay. Thankfully, the first stage of decay is the easiest stage to recognize and begin to take corrective actions. Here is a breakdown of the five stages of tooth decay, and the warning signs to look out for.

Stage One: White Spots

In this stage, the tooth begins to show signs of strain from attacking sugars and acids. White spots will begin to materialize just below the surface of the enamel. They are telltale signs that demineralization of the tooth has begun. But, it can be easy to miss because they’re likely to occur on you or your child’s molars first. Your dentist should be able to catch such warning signs during regular cleanings.

In the first stage of decay, this can be repaired without the need for extraction. Whether you’re a child or an adult, the application of fluoride via fluoride treatments, your toothpaste, salivation, the foods you eat, and even the local water supply can help re-mineralize the tooth and stop a cavity from penetrating through the enamel and reaching its second stage.

Stage Two: Enamel Decay

This is the beginning of the end for the surface enamel that is being attacked. Once a cavity breaks through the surface of the enamel, there is no turning back, and you or your child will need to have the cavity corrected with a filling. Teeth erode from the underside outward, so the outer enamel will still be intact for the first half of this second stage, but will be the next target.

Stage Three: Dentin Decay

Stage three is where you will notice a serious cause for concern if you or your dentist have missed the first two. This is the stage where patients begin experiencing pain, that is because the cavity begins to eat away at the second level of tooth material that lies beneath the enamel called dentin. A filling can still be used to stop bacteria from assaulting the tooth to prevent the cavity from reaching the tooth’s pulp.

Stage Four: Involvement of The Pulp

Once the infection reaches the pulp it’s going to hurt a lot. This is a serious point in the progression of decay where a root canal or full extraction will be evaluated by your dentist as the next phase of action.

Stage Five: Abscess Formation

At this point, the infection has reached the tip of the root and exited the tip of the tooth’s structure. It has infected the surrounding tissues and possibly the bone structure. Syou will likely experience swelling and severe pain. In children (as well as adults) an abscess can be fatal if not appropriately dealt with immediately.

Cavities don’t happen overnight. In the early stages, regular visits can stall and reverse the progression of decay, so it’s important to pay your regular visit the dentist. Catch cavities before they catch up to you by keeping the stages of decay in mind as you continue to care for your and your child’s teeth.

To learn more about our practice or view the beautiful smiles Dr. Yankowskas has created, visit us online at www.tyngsborocosmeticdentist.com.

Dr. Yankowskas proudly serves patients from Tyngsboro and all surrounding areas.

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How Consuming Soda Impacts Your Smile | Tyngsboro Dentist

We can be the absolute best at maintaining our daily oral health routine, and the negative effects of soda will still catch up to us. It may not seem like a big deal; we consume sugary, acidic foods every day, but soda is a special exception. Here are some things we think you should consider before reaching for that next can or bottle of soda, and when evaluating your soda consumption habits.

Sugar Content

More than most beverages, soda contains a high amount of sugar. Sugar can coat our teeth or get stuck in the hard-to-reach spaces of our mouths, allowing sugar-eating bacteria to feed off it. These bacteria in turn excrete acid, and that acid is what contributes to tooth decay. The more sugar we consume, the more sugar the bacteria can consume, escalating our risk of decay.

Acidity

Sugar-eating bacteria can excrete acid, but there is also acid in the beverage itself. Diet sodas are no exception as they contain the same amounts of phosphoric and citric acid as non-diet varieties, even if they don’t contain the same amount of sugar. Acidic foods eat away at our protective enamel, leaving a tooth prone to decay.

Food Dye

A tooth can be stained by artificial food dyes such as caramel color, Yellow #5, etc. While coffee and other dark-colored beverages and foods may contribute to tooth staining as well, many of us consume a lot of soda, making it a primary culprit. If you want the flavor and fizz of something other than water, start swapping your soda with sparking flavored water, for all the fun without the stains.

To learn more about our practice or view the beautiful smiles Dr. Yankowskas has created, visit us online at www.tyngsborocosmeticdentist.com.

Dr. Yankowskas proudly serves patients from Tyngsboro and all surrounding areas.

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Does Your Child Have A Cross Bite? | Tyngsboro Dentist

Boy brushing his teeth

Learning that you or you or your child may have a crossbite can be an intimidating moment. A crossbite can seriously impact one’s quality of life, and treatments can seem scary. Yet, questions like “How soon should a crossbite be addressed” and “What means of intervention might we take” are better addressed sooner than later.

Signs of a Cross Bite

Simply put, a crossbite is when your upper and lower jaws do not align properly. Your upper jaw may rest to the right or left of your lower jaw, causing an improper alignment. This can cause a variety of issues such as grinding down your teeth, temporomandibular joint disorder, inability to chew effectively, facial asymmetry, uneven jaw development, and biting your cheek or tongue frequently.

Treatment Options

Opinions are divided about when to begin treatment for a crossbite, some suggesting at the time of diagnosis (for a child, this could mean around the age of three), while others want to wait until a child’s molars arrive (commonly around the age of six). No matter when you decide to begin treatment, dentists and orthodontists alike agree a cross bit should not be left untreated for the reasons mentioned above.

Depending on the kind of crossbite, and how severe the misalignment is, its likely treatment will involve dental appliances that work to correct the bite pattern. This can be in the form of braces, sagittal expanders, and retainers that all work to correct the alignment over time. These methods are commonly employed when the entire alignment is off. If misalignment is being caused by a single tooth, it is more likely that a dental face mask, clear aligners, or braces are employed.

While crossbites are not very common, they are generally considered a genetic occurrence. In the case of discovering your young child has a crossbite, it should be treated before they sustain permanent damage to their face and jaw. Listen to all the options provided by your dentist, and choose the course of action that best suits your child.

To learn more about our practice or view the beautiful smiles Dr. Yankowskas has created, visit us online at www.tyngsborocosmeticdentist.com.

Dr. Yankowskas proudly serves patients from Tyngsboro and all surrounding areas.

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Wisdom Tooth Surgery: What To Know | Tyngsboro Dentist

Many people need wisdom tooth surgery, and it’s often a dreaded moment, but for most people, it is absolutely necessary to avoid overcrowding. Whether you choose to be sedated for the surgery or go with nitrous oxide, the first 72 hours after surgery is imperative to your recovery and avoiding issues down the road.

Once the procedure is over, your surgeon will place gauze on the surgery site to absorb the blood. They will send you home with extra you can replace the gauze as needed at home, helping to keep the area clean and dry. Once the bleeding has stopped, you can place a moist tea bag on the site to help prevent clotting. You will also want to keep your head elevated, this will help keep the swelling and further bleeding down. Compresses also work well to help keep the swelling down. Apply a cold compress, then a warm one on rotation to the external surgery site every 20 minutes for the first 48 hours. It will help reduce pain and swelling.

After that, your focus should switch to keeping the surgery site as clean as possible as the soft tissue continues to heal. Rinse your mouth with warm or saltwater throughout the day and especially after meals. Your dentist may give you a syringe to squirt water directly onto the surgery site to clear of it of any debris. Swish utilize the syringe carefully, you don’t want to disturb your stitches. If food is left stuck in the soft tissue cavity and stays there as the tissue heals, that debris is likely to become infected over time, requiring another surgery to remove it.

Your dentist will give you all kinds of tips and tricks to help you heal properly, but some of the most important ones to remember are not to use straws as the suction can induce bleeding. Don’t use tobacco because it will hinder the healing process, and don’t engage in strenuous activity as an increased heart rate will increase blood flow and the possibility your surgery site will bleed.

To learn more about our practice or view the beautiful smiles Dr. Yankowskas has created, visit us online at www.tyngsborocosmeticdentist.com.

Dr. Yankowskas proudly serves patients from Tyngsboro and all surrounding areas.

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Best Care Practices for Long Lasting Porcelain Veneers | Tyngsboro Dentist

endodontist

The longevity of your veneers can vary depending on how they are cared for. Here are some best practices for maintaining your veneers for years to come.

Avoid Unnecessary Force- Nail biting, chewing ice and forceful brushing can break or dislodge a veneer; they can also be the reason your dentist recommended veneers to begin with. It’s important to make an effort to avoid these habits for the longevity of your veneers.

Good Oral Hygiene- Maintaining good oral hygiene such as regular brushing, flossing and incorporating a mouthwash is great for your natural teeth and veneers. Veneers are placed along the gemlike to retain the appearance of being natural, so it’s important to keep your oral hygiene up to avoid a receding gemlike that may expose the veneer.

Limit Staining- Porcelain is a material that resists stains, but the dental cement used to keep them in place unfortunately is not. Coffee, tobacco, wine and any other food and beverage that may stain your teeth will stain the cement over time. Eventually, if not properly cared for along the way, the cement will become discolored and look odd against your veneers – or even start to make your veneers look discolored by association.

Stop Clenching and Grinding- This bad habit is a great way to chip or break your veneers over time. Bruxism, or the grinding of teeth at night, can be avoided by incorporating a night guard when you sleep. Reducing stress or finding alternative means to clenching your teeth will also go a long way in maintaining your new pearly whites.

To learn more about our practice or view the beautiful smiles Dr. Yankowskas has created, visit us online at www.tyngsborocosmeticdentist.com.

Dr. Yankowskas proudly serves patients from Tyngsboro and all surrounding areas.

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Stop Biting Your Nails, It’s Impacting Your Teeth | Tyngsboro Dentist

All too often, we use our teeth to perform tasks other than chewing. For some, the convenience of using our teeth to perform certain actions – such as biting our nails – outweighs the risk of chipping a tooth or otherwise damaging our teeth over time. Biting our nails tends to start as a childhood fascination that if left unchecked, can progress into adulthood.

We only get one set of adult teeth. They should be one of the most important things you work to protect through proper oral care and intended use. Biting your nails may seem harmless, but it can cause serious damage to a beautiful smile. It increases the risk you may chip a tooth, increase the number of harmful bacteria in your mouth and begin to shift your teeth.

Before you damage a tooth or otherwise damage your smile, here are some tips to help yourself keep from biting your nails:

  • Identify your triggers
  • Keep your nails trimmed
  • Get regular manicures
  • Apply a clear or bitter-tasting to your nails or the edge of your fingertips
  • Replace the nail-biting habit with a good habit
  • Try to gradually stop biting your nails, going nail by nail until the habit is kicked

Small steps may be the key to making a bigger change. The sooner you kick your nail-biting habit, the less time you spend unconsciously damaging your teeth.

To learn more about our practice or view the beautiful smiles Dr. Yankowskas has created, visit us online at www.tyngsborocosmeticdentist.com.

Dr. Yankowskas proudly serves patients from Tyngsboro and all surrounding areas.

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What You Need to Know About Tartar Buildup | Tyngsboro Dentist

The buildup of plaque that hardens on your teeth is known as tarter. When plaque isn’t removed properly from your hygienic routine, that’s when the soft, removable plaque can turn into tarter which may require a more intense means of removal. Your dentist or hygienist may employ a method called scaling in which he or she uses special instruments to remove the tartar from around the gum line and bottom of the tooth pocket.

If you are employing a thorough routine of proper brushing and flossing, you should be able to avoid tartar buildup. Yet, it’s still important to understand the signs and symptoms of tarter buildup, so that if you do recognize it’s happening, you can consult your dentist sooner than later. Tarter is a buildup of minerals that, if above the gum line, is fairly easy to spot. If you notice yellow or brown-colored stains on the teeth or gums, it may be tarter. The only real way to know, however, is to consult your dentist, and they can remove it for you. If it gets really bad, you may experience bad breath, darker staining, loose teeth, and red, swollen, or bleeding gums.

While tartar buildup can happen, there are ways your can mitigate your risk. Tarter control toothpaste and rinses can help eliminate stubborn plaque to help prevent tarter together. Regular visits with your dentist and flossing also go a long way in helping ensure a thorough oral care routine and minimize the risk of tartar buildup.

To learn more about our practice or view the beautiful smiles Dr. Yankowskas has created, visit us online at www.tyngsborocosmeticdentist.com.

Dr. Yankowskas proudly serves patients from Tyngsboro and all surrounding areas.

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Practices to Avoid Staining your Teeth | Tyngsboro Dentist

teeth whitening

If you look at your teeth in the mirror and aren’t thrilled with what you see, your teeth may be stained as a result of the foods and beverages you consume. Common culprits of staining are red wine, dark sodas, and coffee, three beverages casually consumed by the average person. There is nothing wrong with consuming dark foods and beverages, of course, but if you find your smile has become dull or yellow, it may be time to evaluate the habits that surround the consumption of them. Thankfully, however, there are ways you can mitigate dental staining with some common and easily applied practices. Here are some tips to keep in mind the next time you go for that evening glass of wine or morning cup of coffee.

Brushing your teeth 30 minutes after consuming these beverages may sound counter-intuitive, but it’s better than brushing immediately after. Coffee, soda, and wine are acidic, meaning they weaken your enamel. When we brush immediately after, we are being abrasive against an already weakened barrier causing it to weaken further. Brushing some time after consumption helps retain your enamel and will help prevent staining.

Otherwise, all you can do is floss, employ whitening powders or pastes, and maintain regular dental visits to keep teeth stains at bay. If you are interested in incorporating health practices into your life that also help reduce the risk of staining, cutting back on your consumption of dark sodas, red wine and coffee will go a long way to achieve that goal. You can also try at-home whitening strips, trays, or UV light whitening devices that may help you get up to two shades of whiter teeth.

If your teeth are already stained, and at-home methods aren’t working to mitigate the appearance of dull or yellow teeth, that’s where a cosmetic dentist can help. In-office whitening is more powerful than at-home treatments, and when professionally executed may go further than DIY methods.

To learn more about our practice or view the beautiful smiles Dr. Yankowskas has created, visit us online at www.tyngsborocosmeticdentist.com.

Dr. Yankowskas proudly serves patients from Tyngsboro and all surrounding areas.

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Dental Implants and Bridges | Tyngsboro Dentist

Tooth loss can be a result of dental trauma, advanced gum disease, or deterioration of the underlying bone over time. If you have experienced dental trauma, it’s important to see your dentist sooner than later to assess surrounding teeth and gums. Either way, a cosmetic dentist may present two replacement options to consider; a fixed dental bridge or an implant. It’s important to understand what these options entail in order to make the best decision for you.

Dental Bridges

A dental bridge can actually be thought of as a bridge. An artificial tooth (or teeth) is fixed to crowns on adjacent teeth on either end that attaches to healthy teeth, acting as the support posts if you will. The caveat to this solution is that if the tooth root is not replaced the bone may not get the stimulation it needs to remain healthy. Missing tooth roots could cause resorption, which causes the bone to lose density and shrink over time. Ultimately, this can cause one’s face to have a prematurely aged appearance.

Implants

Dental implants require a more extensive procedure, but restore the entire tooth structure rather than simply fill in the gap. Simply put, implants work by inserting a base into the jawbone into which a post with a crown on top can be placed. Implants provide stability and stimulation to the underlying bone which helps prevent resorption while looking and feeling like a natural tooth. 

Your dentist will review these procedures, benefits, and risks with you as you navigate your particular circumstances. While these are typically recommended, your dentist may encourage you towards one or the other option as they see fit. Be sure to ask your dentist any questions or concerns you may have prior to embarking on any given treatment option.

To learn more about our practice or view the beautiful smiles Dr. Yankowskas has created, visit us online at www.tyngsborocosmeticdentist.com.

Dr. Yankowskas proudly serves patients from Tyngsboro and all surrounding areas.