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Another recent question asked via the Dental Expert App.

What does it mean to have receding gums? What can be done for this?

There are a few reasons why one might develop receding gums. One way is by using an improper brushing technique (i.e. brushing in an up and down or circular motion with a manual brush, rather than with small, vibratory strokes on a 45 degree angle). Another reason involves using a brush that has harder bristles or that is frayed and overdue for being replaced, which can traumatize the gums. Sometimes there may be high muscle attachments (attaching the inner part of the lips to the gums), which pull down on the gum tissue over time as one speaks, smiles, eats, etc. Additionally, gums can recede as a result of periodontal disease, due to the bone loss beneath.

While the gum tissue may not grow back on its own, there are a few things one can do to help prevent gums from receding further. Among the suggestions are:

• Use an electric brush

• If using a manual brush make sure to use soft bristles

• Use the proper brushing and flossing technique

• Consider re-attaching the muscle attachments so that they are not pulling down on the gums (frenectomy).

• See your dental provider frequently to avoid developing periodontal disease (gum disease)

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If you have a question that you would like answered, download The Dental Expert App to your iPhone, iTouch, or iPad and look for it updated here!

The Dental Expert App has had more than 35,000 downloads so far! One of it’s great features is the “Ask the Expert” function which allows you to send your question directly to Dr. Lazare.

Hundreds of people have submitted questions already, and to get the answers out, before the updates become available, they will be answered here, on our Blog. Here is a question that many people are curious about:

Question: Why do teeth turn yellow?

Answer: Teeth can turn yellow for a variety of reasons, including:

• Aging (years of cumulative stain and the wear of the outer, white enamel layer of the teeth over time)

• Heavy consumption foods and beverages that are more likely to stain (including: red wine, dark teas, coffee, vegetable juices, hot chocolate, soy sauce, etc.)

• Smoking

• Poor oral hygiene (which creates a thick coat of a yellowing plaque or tartar)

• Heavy Grinding (which can wear away the enamel to reveal the yellower layer of tooth structure beneath)

Please note that the most common cause of this yellowing is due to poor brushing, which builds up this plaque and tartar, which is more likely to hold the stain than the tooth’s enamel. Once the teeth are cleaned, the yellow often disappears. Whitening is only effective for brightening the enamel itself, and will not do anything for teeth that are not properly cleaned.

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If you have a question that you would like answered, download The Dental Expert App to your iPhone, iTouch, or iPad and look for it updated here!

The composite resin (tooth-colored) fillings have come a long way in recent years. Their strength and longevity are now comparable to that of the silver fillings, but with much-enhanced esthetics. The dentist has the capability to match the filling exactly to the shade and color of your tooth such that no one else will ever know you had a cavity. Another advantage of these tooth-colored restorations is that the preparation is relatively conservative. Only decay is removed, and the filling is then bonded to the area that has been prepared.

Silver fillings do not have the same bonding capacity, and therefore rely on mechanical retention to hold the filling in place. As a result, good tooth structure is taken away to create the ideal depth and undercuts required to achieve adequate retention. Another advantage of composite restorations is that they are typically less sensitive to hot or cold, as metal tends to conduct temperature more readily. Since 1990, when “60 Minutes” ran a story on the alleged risks of dental amalgam (Silver-Mercury fillings), there has been a tremendous amount of media coverage.