Question: My gums bleed in the same spot every time I brush my teeth. What can be done to help this?

Answer: Chances are, if your gums are bleeding in the same spot every time you brush, then there is an underlying reason for it. It may be that there is a piece of tartar deep within the pocket surrounding the tooth that needs to be removed to allow for the gums to reattach to the tooth and become healthy once more. Perhaps there is an overhang of a filling or a piece of cement wedged beneath the gums. Bleeding is a sign of inflammation, and inflammation is usually brought about by some outside stimulus such as a trapped piece of popcorn, a seed, a string of the floss, or simply just the bacteria from the plaque and tartar. Remove the stimulus; maintain the area and the bleeding will disappear.

—————————————————-

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.

———————————————–

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!