While gums that are receding are usually a typical part of growing older, many people may notice them much earlier. Receding gums can be due to many things such as genetics or even just the result of harsh brushing. It's important though not to forget that receding gums can also be a sign of periodontal gum disease. Regular cleanings to remove the buildup of plaque can help prevent receding gums but a graft from another part of the mouth may be the only option for the treatment of those who have gums that are receded severely.

For those who still have healthy gums and teeth but are noticing mildly receding gums, there are two different options to treat. The first is quite common in the US and is a process where the dentist drills holes in the teeth and fills them with a material that helps stop the gums from receding further. The second method, not yet been approved by the American Dental Association (ADA), is newer and involves roughening of the smooth surface of the tooth with a dental drill. A very light coating of filling material or adhesive is typically applied to the tooth and allowed to dry slightly. Then the teeth are cured by exposing them to a special blue light at a high intensity. Lastly, the teeth are covered by another coating of adhesive or filling material.

It is important to have receding gums treatment, not just for comfort, but also to preserve the health of the teeth. When gums are receding, the portion of the tooth that is exposed can cause great discomfort when consuming cold or hot liquids and food. It can also lead to greater risk of tooth decay and other conditions including tooth loss, periodontal disease, a sore jaw, and a poor bite.

Make sure to visit your dentist regularly and schedule an appointment if you notice receding gums.

Live in south Denver, Aurora, Highlands Ranch or Littleton and need gum treatment? Consider a specialty periodontal practice like Professional Periodontics and Implant Dentistry, located at Havana & Hampden in Denver.

Posted in Gum Disease, Cosmetic Dentistry, Headlines

The Today Show recently ran the segment below on oral health. In case you missed it, enjoy!

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ANN CURRY, anchor: Al, thanks. This morning on TODAY'S DAILY DOSE, oral health and hygiene. According to the CDC, nearly one-third of all adults in the US have untreated tooth decay, which can lead to serious health risks down the road. And here to answer your questions we've got NBC's chief medical editor Dr. Nancy Snyderman. Nancy, good morning.

Dr. NANCY SNYDERMAN reporting: Hi, Annie.

CURRY: The numbers are shocking.

SNYDERMAN: Yeah.

CURRY: One in seven adults ages 35 to 44 has gum disease. One in four adults over the age of 64 has gum disease. About 25 percent of adults 60 and older no longer have...

SNYDERMAN: Have teeth.

CURRY: ...any natural teeth.

SNYDERMAN: Yeah.

CURRY: So this is a...

SNYDERMAN: Yeah.

CURRY: ...and this has even more repercussions than just these numbers.

SNYDERMAN: Huge. And in a recession, one of the first things people stop doing is seeing their dentist. And so the health concerns, the health of your teeth relates to the health of your heart. Osteoporosis, diabetes. And early cancers can be found when your dentist sees you. And there are huge problem for tooth decay now in children who don't have health care access. So interestingly, you mouth is sort of a window as to the overall health of your body.

Source: Mayo Clinic

CURRY: OK. And so for people then who don't have health insurance, people who are not seeing their dentist, what should people be doing?

SNYDERMAN: Well, start with the basics. Make sure you have fluoride in your water, use fluoride toothpaste. You have to floss and brush twice a day. If you have nothing else -- and stay away from sugary drinks and all the things that you know can hurt your teeth. This is a laundry list of the absolute basics for everybody.

CURRY: OK, we've got some questions we want you to get to.

SNYDERMAN: Mm-hmm.

CURRY: We have an anonymous e-mail that might be helpful to a lot of mothers. It reads, "When should I take my toddler to the dentist for his first visit? The recommended age always seems to vary. When does he really to go?"

SNYDERMAN: I think as soon as you see that first tooth because it allows your child to get accustomed to seeing the dentist, it takes away a mom's being anxious and it teaches a baby how to do basic brushing. So as soon as you see that first tooth, you schedule your first appointment.

CURRY: And should you go to the dentist every year if you can?

SNYDERMAN: Yes, yes.

CURRY: OK. Now we've got to go outside to the crowd where we've got a question, I understand. Good morning.

Unidentified Woman: Good morning.

SNYDERMAN: Good morning.

Woman: Good morning, Ann and Dr. Nancy.

CURRY: What's your question, dear?

Woman: My question is, I drink an awful lot of coffee every day. And I was wondering if there's some over-the-counter product I could use to whiten my teeth?

SNYDERMAN: Well, the over-the-counter products for teeth whitening do work and if you're a coffee and tea drinker, tea is even a bigger culprit, you can get gradual staining of your teeth. Cigarettes are also a huge problem. So if you're going to, you know, drink tea or coffee, and I hope obviously nobody is still smoking cigarettes, the over-the-counter whiteners do work. Make sure that the ones are clear and do not hurt your enamel. Basically they're mild bleaches.

CURRY: All right, thanks for your question. We've also got another question from Susan in Birmingham, Alabama. She's standing by her telephone. Susan, good morning. What's your question?

SUSAN (Birmingham, Alabama): Good morning. Hi, Dr. Nancy.

SNYDERMAN: Hi, Susan.

SUSAN: When brushing your teeth, is it more important to concentrate on the teeth itself, or the gums?

SNYDERMAN: Both. And I think it's important to sort of break your mouth down into little neighborhoods. Start on one side and then the other and down and sort of count. This is when electric toothbrushes are really good because they're timed and a lot of times when we use regular old handheld toothbrushes we underbrush. But your teeth and your gums both need good brushing. And that's why make sure you have a soft toothbrush. One of the biggest problems, Annie, is that people buy hard-bristled toothbrushes...

CURRY: Mm-hmm.

SNYDERMAN: ...and they hurt your gums.

CURRY: That's right.

SNYDERMAN: Get soft or extra soft. They massage your gums.

CURRY: OK, also your tongue. Got to do your tongue.

SNYDERMAN: Yeah, tongue is good too.

CURRY: All right, OK. Now we've got an e-mail from Missy from Kentucky. She writes, "I'm sure" -- she writes, "I grind my teeth at night, my jaw muscles are so tight and my jaw never seems to be in a relaxed position. What can be done to keep my jaw from hurting?

SNYDERMAN: Well, go back before you go to bed. You have to really try to not take some of your problems to bed with you because this is an actual daytime stress taken into the nighttime. So whether it's meditation or exercise or a cup of warm milk, figure out what you can do to minimize that stress. If you're still grinding you teeth, then talk to your doctor about getting a little splint that at least can take the pressure off your jaw and the teeth.

CURRY: It can change. I used to grind my teeth...

SNYDERMAN: You can grind your teeth down flat.

CURRY: ... and I don't anymore. Yeah, but no, I used to and you can stop grinding.

SNYDERMAN: Ditto. Same for me.

CURRY: I mean, it is doable, right?

SNYDERMAN: Absolutely.

CURRY: OK, all right, so there's hope out there.

SNYDERMAN: Yeah.

CURRY: We also have another question from the crowd. Good morning out there. What's your name and what's your question?

Unidentified Woman #2: Good morning.

SNYDERMAN: Good morning.

Woman #2: I have a question. If you chew gum, or should you chew gum, which is better for you, sugar or sugar-free?

SNYDERMAN: Well, you know, I'm not a big gum lover, only because people have such lousy personal habits with it, and I hate hearing people chomp. I hate the snapping and the chomping of gum.

CURRY: But can't -- OK, but that aside, your personal...

SNYDERMAN: All right, so with that put aside...

CURRY: Yeah.

SNYDERMAN: ...it doesn't really matter to me. Because interestingly the sugar in gum gets diluted with your saliva so quickly that it doesn't stick. It's the sugar in things like raisins that stick to your teeth that cause a bigger problem. So, whether it's sugar-free or sugared gum, it really doesn't cause much of a problem.

CURRY: But some gum actually says it's good for your teeth. Is that -- are some of them working, or...

SNYDERMAN: And that's because the best thing for your teeth is a lot of saliva. If you see people who've had radiation treatments or they have a naturally dry mouth, they don't have a lot of saliva, they happen -- they tend to have more problems with dental problem -- dental caries...

CURRY: OK.

SNYDERMAN: ...and rotten teeth.

CURRY: So now you've convinced me...

SNYDERMAN: So anything that makes saliva, fine with me.

CURRY: You've just convinced me to chew gum, so sorry about that. We've got Kimberly from Oklahoma.

SNYDERMAN: Don't pop in my ear.

CURRY: OK! She says -- and via e-mail. "I sometimes have a horrible taste in the back of my throat and after a few days this little white, round thing appears in my mouth or my throat. What could be the cause of this?"

SNYDERMAN: You know, unless you've had this you think what in the world is she talking about. But this is classic chronic adult tonsillitis. There are little deep crypts in a tonsil and over the years they collect viruses and bacteria and food particles. And what happens is stuff comes out, causes bad breath, tastes lousy, chronic sore throat.

CURRY: Yecch!

SNYDERMAN: This may be the number one indication for a tonsillectomy in a young adult and it is curative.

CURRY: She needs to go see her doctor.

SNYDERMAN: So go see your ear, nose and throat physician because you might need a simple tonsillectomy.

CURRY: All right, Dr. Nancy Snyderman, always here to help people.

SNYDERMAN: Oh. Thanks, Annie.

CURRY: We love it when you're here.

SNYDERMAN: Thank you.

CURRY: We really do.

SNYDERMAN: Thank you.

Posted in Teeth Whitening, Gum Disease, Cosmetic Dentistry, Headlines

Denver and the rest of the US isn't the only place on the quest for celebrity smile perfection. In the last several years China has quickly stepped up to the plate, with the number of patients wearing dental braces growing almost three times compared to numbers in the early 1990's. Also important to note is that in the early 90's patients mostly consisted of children wheras today orthodontist are seeing more and more patients with ages of 20 to 40 years old according to some researchers.

Along with the increasing popularity in China, cosmetic and aesthetic dental services has increased greatly and has begun marketing products for oral hygiene heavily as well. Analysts are predicting that it will build momentum until 2012. This prediction applies to the increasing number of Chinese who use hygiene products to improve their appearance, as well as the growing popularity of oral health.

One of the most likely significant factors of this boom in dentistry is the breakthrough of the country economically and socially. The increase in personal income for residents in China makes dental products more accessible to consumers, while government programs help improve public awareness of the benefits of good oral care according to another study.

Because of this spike in oral care, CEO of Procter & Gamble, Mr. Jaramillo says that China has now become one of the most important markets in the world. But I think we all kind of suspected that already.

Posted in Braces, Cosmetic Dentistry, Headlines

According to a story on Dentristry.co.uk, Emily Cheeseman was born with hypodontia, a condition where a number of adult teeth don't develop. In Cheeseman's case, not only did her permanent teeth not come in, her six front baby teeth stayed put. She recently had those baby teeth removed in order to make room for new dental implants.

According to dentists, baby teeth usually appear at around five or six months, with all 20 baby teeth usually showing up by age 2 ½. By five, the first permanent tooth comes in with most permanent teeth (with the exception of wisdom teeth) arriving at around age 12 or 13. And in most cases, the permanent tooth's arrival heralds the demise of the baby tooth (not to mention the arrival of the tooth fairy). But if a permanent tooth doesn't come in, dentists say that it's not unusual for a baby tooth to stick around.

General the condition, hypodontia isn't anything to rush to the dentist about but some researchers believe that it might be associated with some genetic conditions such as ovarian cancer.

Emily decided at the age of 28 to have her 6 baby teeth removed and replaced with dental implants but her dentist says that it wouldn't have been impossible to keep those baby teeth the rest of her adult life.

Posted in Dental Implants, Pediatric Dentist, Cosmetic Dentistry, Headlines

Looking for an effective way to whiten all those teeth? Laser tooth whitening has been proven to be an effective and popular method to correct the discoloration of teeth. There is a bit of a disclaimer though being you can't try this at home.

That's right, only the dentist can provide laser teeth whitening but it's still a very safe way to whiten. It's actually recommended highly for those who haven't previously used a tooth whitener or for those stains come from coffee or smoking.

There are a few steps to the whitening, the first being removal of any plaque and a good teeth cleaning. After that, a professional strength gel, typically peroxide based, is applied to the teeth. Next, the laser, a special light that activates the gel is place on the teeth for about an hour and typically whitens the teeth up to 10 shades!

Pricing for laser tooth whitening can vary from dentist to dentist but should be roughly in the same price range, although that price range might be a little on the steep side. But the results from laser tooth whitening seem to be excellent and for many, that makes it worth the cost. So if you are in the market for a new kind of tooth whitening system, ask your dentist about laser tooth whitening.

Posted in Teeth Whitening, Cosmetic Dentistry, Headlines