Archive for the ‘Dental Care’ Category



Gum infections and unhygienic dental routine give rise to bleeding gums. This is the first sign that you need to take care of your teeth and mouth hygiene on a daily basis. It is also a sign of impending periodontal diseases like gingivitis, cavities and loosening of gums. Other related symptoms are frequent toothache, bad breath, gums that are receding, plaque built up.

Bacterial infections are a major cause of these symptoms as gum infections and diseases spread fast. The bacteria develop when you don’t clean your teeth properly while it in turn leads to built up of tartar and plaque. An overall increase in this growth coupled with poor dental hygiene practices leads to bleeding, receding gums and bad breath. Gingivitis which shows symptoms of bleeding, swollen gum is a serious problem. Ignoring such severe problem finally leads to teeth loss even at an early age.

In case, you have similar symptoms, then you should immediately take precautions to stop further deterioration. Mouth hygiene is very important aspect of keeping not only your teeth clean but also the gums healthy. Even if you do not suffer from any dental problems, you should brush your teeth at least twice a day, especially at night before sleeping. It s best to use herbal based non fluoride toothpastes or toothpaste for sensitive teeth.

Dental care routine is as important as other regimen like walking, skin care and should be taken seriously. There are many products available in the market, which claim to do away with yellow teeth, bad breath and tighten the gums, but there is no miracle cure for any dental problem. It is only through proper brushing, flossing and cleaning the mouth that bleeding gums and related problems can be reduced.

Use good quality dental hygiene products whether they are mouthwashes, toothpaste or even tooth brushes. Intake of Vitamin C in better quantities with increase in calcium in your diet is on sure shot way of improving your teeth related problems. Salt has curative powers when it comes to toothache. Gargle with some salt mixed in warm water each time you eat something. You will not have any bacteria left in your mouth to spread!

Tea Tree oil and eucalyptus oil can be added to your toothpaste and teeth brushed with it can greatly increase your chances of having healthy teeth and gums, the herbal way. Bleeding gums, receding gums and swelling, loosening of teeth are all reduced by taking small steps in the right direction with herbal ingredients. These are just small home remedies which can help you, but use good quality products and brush regularly to eradicate dental problems and increase mouth hygiene.



Are you embarrassed by yellow teeth? Do you want to bleach, but do not know which product to use? Are they all the same? Of course they are not.

As a registered dental hygienist, I have studied the different tooth whitening products. Here is what it all boils down to. It’s all in the percentage of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The higher percentage will give the best results. For over-the-counter whitening products, federal regulations will only allow up to 10% H2O2. For example, Crest Whitestrips contains 6%. Whitestrips will lighten your tooth shade by maybe 1 or 2 shades. For people with already white teeth but just need a little extra help, this will work fine for them.

For those who need more help, there are alternatives. You will need to get these from your dentist. Professional strength whitestrips are 14% peroxide. These work great for many people. These may lighten your teeth 5 to 7 shades. The kit contains 21 days worth of strips. Use these only 1 to 2 hours a day.

The next step up is bleaching trays. Your dentist will have to make these for you. These will be customized to fit your teeth. You buy the bleach to put in the trays. The bleach for these trays comes in 10%, 15% and 20%. Most people cannot handle 20% as it makes their teeth very sensitive. Usually the bleach comes in 4 syringes. It is enough for 4 weeks if you bleach 1 time a week.

Then there is the professional in-office bleaching. And again, there are different strengths. Zoom, Bright Smiles, and Opalescence range from 10% to 38%. Zoom and Bright Smiles uses a light to help. Opalescence does not use a light. Studies have shown that the light does not do really do anything. The tooth bleaches to a certain shade with or without the light. The 38% peroxide will lighten from 15 to 18 shades. This is not always the case. Everyone is different. Yellow teeth bleach easier than gray teeth. Tetracycline stained teeth may need 2 professional appointments with a series of at-home treatments. Please discuss with your dentist or dental hygienist which option will work best for you.

Cost will make a difference in your decision.
1. OTC whitestrips – $30.00
2. Professional whitestrips – $ 60.00 – 80.00
3. Bleaching trays – $150.00 – 300.00
4. Bleach to put in trays – $30.00 – 50.00
5. Professional in-office bleaching – $200.00 – 600.00 (some include trays)

Stains from cigarette, coffee, tea, wine, and food must be removed by a dental hygienist before whitening. The bleach cannot reach the teeth through these extrinsic stains.

If your teeth become sensitive after bleaching, here are some things you can do. Gel cam is a fluoride gel in a tube that works very well. You can rub it on your teeth and leave on for 4 minutes or put it in bleaching trays for 1 hour. Gelcam can be bought at a store like Wal-Mart or your dentist office. Fluoride rinses from the drugstore are milder but will help a little. Some dental offices carry desensitizing gels.

I hope I have made your tooth whitening decisions a little easier. Everyone feels prettier when they have a beautiful smile.



Patient referrals have always been the best source of new patients and they probably always will be. Therefore it’s important to do everything possible to encourage patients to refer their friends and family. Amazingly you can find that there may be many patients who “didn’t think you were taking new patients” or it just never occurred to them to mention the positive experiences they have had with your office to others.

Here are some fundamental steps to help get started with a successful referral program for your practice:

Have 1000 referral cards printed for your business, done in “two color”, with some sort of a discount or free service offered on them for the new patient. (Complimentary exam with x-rays is a good offer for new patients.) Once the cards are printed, call a staff meeting to go over the details of how the referral program will be run in the office. Make a list of all the patients you know that have commented about how pleased they were with the results of their dental treatment. On each of those patients’ charts attach one of the referral cards so as to remember to give it to them when they arrive for their next appointment. In the progress of each work day when a patient comments on how pleased they are with their treatment, thank them for their compliment and say something like: “We enjoy having special patients like yourself and in fact we would like to reach many more people like you who may not have a dentist and are in need of the type of care we provide here. Do you know of anyone who may be in need of a dentist?” Find out from the patient (if anyone) who he or she may know on this then inform the patient that there are many people that do not see a dentist on a regular basis, and in fact the ADA estimates abouot 50% of the population do not see a dentist on a regular basis, which results in many people having serious problems that can cost a lot of money in the long run not to mention cause tooth loss and gum disease. Hand the patient the referral card (make sure that they are initialed by the person giving it out) and mention the discount or free service on the card and mention also that there is no obligation for any further treatment after the first visit, so the new patient really would not have anything to lose. However, the patient needs to make an appointment within two weeks after receiving the card and the card should be brought in to the office to receive the discount or free service. If the referring patient requests more cards, make sure that he or she receives them to give out. On the patient’s chart write down how many referral cards were given with a note on who that person plans to give the cards to so that the information can be tracked. At any time that a new patient arrives with the referral card in hand the staff member who initialed the card should be given a $20.00 bonus. Do something special for the patient who gave the card to the new patient, such as sending flowers for women, a personalized coffee mug for men, complimentary movie tickets, etc.
In order to run a successful referral marketing program for a dental (or other health care) practice, there are other steps and details involved but these tips should help along the way for an expanding practice.



Taking care of one’s teeth is a very important aspect of one’s life. The teeth play a very important role in helping you to chew your food and digest them in a proper manner. Hence they need to be strong and healthy. For them to be strong and healthy their roots should be safeguarded. The roots of the teeth are the gums and the enamel. The gums hold the teeth in line and the enamel ties the teeth to the jaw. This is why a tooth doesn’t fall off that easily.

Taking care of one’s teeth is actually a simple process. All that one needs to do is brush them and clean them properly and regularly. But the brushing and cleaning cannot be done with anything and everything that may catch your eye. You need to identify the appropriate products to do them. You should use the proper dental products in order to keep your tooth and its roots safe.

There are several products that can keep your tooth safe and clean. These products can make your teeth sparkling white and help them to get strong. Some of these products are tooth paste, tooth brush, teeth whitener, floss and several more. A tooth paste is actually used to maintain the aesthetics of a tooth. It promotes oral hygiene and removes the plaque and food stuck on one’s tooth. The tooth brush is also used to help a person to promote oral hygiene. This instrument helps the tooth paste to reach the mouth and the teeth.

The bristles of a tooth brush always need to be soft. Hard and firm bristles cannot bring teeth whitening and will only harm your gums and enamel. Floss is used to clean the teeth. This tool is made of nylon and is used to remove plaque and food from the teeth. They form the right dental products [http://getfreedental.com/] for your teeth.

Choosing the right dental products is really a tough job. But one can always identify them from the ones that are not so effective. The fact that one can buy cheap and long toothpaste tubes makes the people more attracted towards such brands. But the real protectors of your teeth are the ones that give you proper hygiene. Always make sure that you buy well known dental care products. You can contact your dentist who will be more than happy to help you in choosing your products for dental care.



There are numerous dental products available on the market ensuring the ultimate oral hygiene as well as helps prevent cavities, tooth decay and toothache. Products such as toothbrushes, floss, mouthwashes and tooth whitening agents can be obtained over the counter or from your Nashville dentist. There are also various name brands available and it is a matter of choice to which brands are the best.

The History of Dentistry and dental products dates back as far as the 1700′s. Dentistry is a branch of medicine involving the prevention and diagnosis as well as treatment of teeth and gum diseases as well as the maintenance of healthy teeth and gums. The first natural bristle toothbrushes were invented by the Chinese which were made from the neck hair of a pig. The use of toothbrushes was promoted in the early 1700′s by a French dentist and the toothbrush was first patented in the US. The first nylon toothbrush was manufactured in 1938.

The first electric toothbrush was manufactured in 1939 and was developed in Switzerland. The first cordless rechargeable toothbrush was manufactured in 1961 and the first rotary electric toothbrush for home use appeared in 1987. China and India were the first to use toothpaste which dates back to 500BC and modern toothpastes were developed in the early 1800′s. Toothpaste in a jar was mass produced by Colgate and Colgate was the first to add fluoride to toothpaste which is still a well known and loved brand name.

Believe it or not dental floss is an ancient invention and was used by prehistoric humans and then in 1815 waxed silk floss appeared and later un-waxed silk floss replaced the waxed floss and Johnson and Johnson mass produced the product of which today is still used worldwide. After World War II a Dr Bass replaced the silk thread with nylon thread as well as promoted the importance of flossing and oral hygiene.

When you visit your dentist in Nashville you will note that there is large variety of toothbrushes to choose from and that there is a toothbrush that will meet with your special needs. Besides manual toothbrushes there is also an array of electric toothbrushes. Most dentists however prefer the Oral B range which has been specifically designed for various dental disorders as well as dentures.

When it comes to choosing a brand of toothpaste I would say that is preferential as every person has their own special brand depending on the taste as well as performance. Most toothpaste brands contain fluoride and some contain whitening agents as well. There are also natural toothpastes on the market which contain no fluoride but contain ingredients such as aloe vera and other natural ingredients.

Your Nashville dentist will recommend a favoured brand of toothpaste as well as toothbrush which has proved to be effective in fighting plaque and gum disease as well as an effective mouthwash. So if you are not sure what is the best product speak to your Nashville dentist today.



Proctor and Gamble are the medical and cosmetic health company behind both the Oral B and Crest dental health care brands. These are just two of the many brands that Proctor and Gamble produce but all of them are highly successful. This is likely to be down to Proctor and Gamble’s commitment to extensive research and development in order to produce innovative new products. When it comes to their dental health products their innovations with products like Oral B electric toothbrushes and Crest Whitestrips are obviously working as these are among some of the respective brands top sellers and have received much critical acclaim.

The Oral B brand is probably known for their innovations in both manual and electric toothbrushes. The Oral B electric toothbrush range has been highly successful with the Oral B Triumph toothbrush being one of the top health products of 2008. Their has been much investment in both the oscillating and sonic toothbrush heads which is why Oral B electric toothbrushes are so effective at removing plaque, whitening teeth and improving the health of your gums.

The latest development from Oral B is the Pulsonic electric toothbrush. The sonic technology used to clean the teeth vibrates at around 27,000 vibrations a minute giving a gentle cleaning effect on your teeth and gums. The new Pulsonic has also been proven to whiten teeth after 2 weeks of regular use.

Crest specialises in producing toothpaste and toothbrushes but one of their more successful products in recent times has been Crest Whitestrips. Crest Whitestrips are an effective teeth whitening product that is worn on the teeth for 30 minutes at a time. These have been highly successful as the clear plastic strips covered in whitening gel are very easy to use and achieve visible results. The latest development in Crest Whitestrips has been the improvement of their fit around the teeth. The new Advance Seal white strips claim to fit around your teeth so well that it is unnoticeable enough to kiss someone whilst wearing them.