Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry

Valentine’s Day is here and your friends at Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry want to make sure that you don’t scare away your Valentine with bad breath.

Halitosis, more commonly referred to as bad breath, is thought to affect over 80 million Americans. According to a study conducted by Match.com, bad breath is among the three most unattractive traits in dating prospects. And while halitosis comes in varying degrees and levels of persistence, here are some of the main culprits.

• Strong smelling food and drink such as garlic or coffee;
• Smoking and use of tobacco products;
• Poor oral hygiene:
• Tooth decay or periodontal disease;
• Dry mouth resulting from the use of certain medications;
• Illness such as diabetes, liver disease or kidney disease.

Stopping Bad Breath

Millions of bacteria live in the mouth (especially on the back of the tongue) and in most cases, they are the primary cause of bad breath. This can be solved easily by improving oral hygiene – brushing twice a day, flossing once a day and using mouthwash to ensure that all food particles are removed from your teeth and tongue. Additionally, brushing your tongue or using a tongue scraper can help to scrape off odor-causing bacteria from the surface of the tongue.

Bad breath can also be kept at bay by drinking plenty of water. Not only does water keep your body stay hydrated, it helps to produce the saliva that washes away bacteria causing food particles. Chewing sugar-free gum also helps with saliva production as well as keeps your breath smelling fresh.

Smileboston Can Help!

Call a dental professional if you are experiencing bad breath along with loose teeth, painful swollen gums or fever. Even if you have none of these symptoms, call your dentist if your bad breath continues despite a good diet and proper dental hygiene. Chronic bad breath can indicate a medical condition that requires immediate attention. If you have diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or chronic liver or kidney disease, ask your doctor what bad breath might mean for your condition.

The best way to keep your mouth healthy for Valentine’s Day and beyond is keeping regular visits to the dentist and practicing good oral hygiene. Not to worry, Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry can help!  With two beautiful offices in Brookline, MA and on Boston’s South Shore, Smileboston offers comprehensive dental care ranging from general and implant dentistry to full smile makeovers. Visit Smileboston online to view our full menu of services.

When embarking on a new weight loss journey, you probably have your skinny jeans in mind, not your teeth. However, a healthy lifestyle is the best prevention for illness and chronic disease. And the good choices you’re making positively affect your body, your overall health, and also your smile!

Congratulations on Making Better Food Choices

Oral health depends on more than how many times a day you brush your teeth, your diet also plays in important role! When you choose healthier foods for your body, you are also choosing better foods for your teeth. Likewise, when you swap chips and fruit snacks for healthier snacks like cheese, veggies and nuts, you’ve made the right choice.  A diet low in sugar and processed foods helps to trim your waistline, fend off illness and prevent cavities.

We See You’re Drinking More Water… Great Job!

Perhaps before you started your weight loss journey you would reach for a soda rather than water at mealtime. Did you know that one in four Americans get at least 200 calories a day from sugary drinks like soda – Yikes! You probably don’t need us to remind you that frequent soda consumption lead to weight gain and contribute to tooth decay.

Eliminating soda from your diet, or at least consuming it in moderation, is a good way to cut back on calories and cavities. And now that you’re drinking more water, you probably realize how good it makes you feel, especially since it is calorie-free.

Sweating with a Smile

By maintaining a healthy weight, you protect yourself from serious health conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, just to name a few. As we’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, these diseases often go hand in hand with periodontal, or gum disease. In fact, 91 percent of patients with heart disease and 22 percent of those with diabetes also have gum disease. In addition to weight loss, your commitment to regular exercise will help to decrease stress, weather those winter blues and your smile will reap the benefits too!

One Last Word of Advice

It is widely known that almost nothing tastes good after you brush your teeth, so your friends at Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry recommend that you let good oral hygiene help stave off food cravings! Brushing your teeth or chewing a piece of sugar-free gum can help cravings to pass and you’ll be less inclined to eat with a minty fresh mouth. In addition to enjoying clean teeth, two minutes of brushing burns around 5 calories. It’s not much, but it’s something!

Congratulations on your commitment to good health. Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry is here to help you ensure that your teeth and gums are tip top shape. With two beautiful offices in Brookline, MA and on Boston’s South Shore, Smileboston offers comprehensive dental care ranging from general and laser dentistry, to dental implants and full smile makeovers. Visit Smileboston online to view our full menu of services.

Periodontal disease—an infection of the gums—can be a severe problem if left untreated, causing a number of issues ranging from gum recession to an increased risk of heart disease. Fortunately, regular dental checkups may reveal the disease early so you can take the necessary steps to protect your gums. However, the experts at Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry encourage patients to be aware of their oral health and look for signs of gum disease. If you notice any of the following red flags, our Boston-area dental care team recommends seeing your dentist as soon as possible.

Warning Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

1. Halitosis

Occasional bad breath, or halitosis, can be related to something you’ve eaten. However, if the problem is persistent, the odor may be a result of excessive oral bacteria or infection in the gums.

2. Your Gums

As oral bacteria infect gum tissue, they start to change the way it looks. Often, red or swollen gums are a sign of gingivitis—the first stage of periodontal disease. In more advanced cases, inflammation may cause the gum tissue to bleed. Over time, tissue will wear away, causing gum recession.

3. Pustules

If gingivitis is not treated in time, it can progress into periodontitis. When your mouth tries to fight off the infection, dead cells will cause a pustule to form along the gum line. This growth resembles a pimple and may secret a yellow-white discharge.

4. Tooth Sensitivity

As gum recession progresses, the roots of teeth may be left exposed. Without proper protection, dental nerves will be easily irritated by various actions, such as eating sweets or consuming hot and cold beverages.

5. Misaligned Smile

When gum disease is advanced, the gum tissue deteriorates and loses its ability to hold teeth in place. This gum recession will cause teeth to shift out of alignment. In severe cases, teeth eventually fall out.

While a gum disease diagnosis is alarming, it can be reversed if caught in its early stages. Whatever symptoms you’re concerned about, Dr. Steven D. Spitz of Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry offers expert treatment to stop infections and protect your oral health. From deep cleaning to the revolutionary Pinhole Surgical Technique, a non-invasive gum recession therapy, our team will deliver comfortable care every step of the way. To learn more about how we can help, check out our services online or call (617) 277-4100 to schedule an appointment at our Brookline, MA, office. For our South Shore location in Pembroke, MA, call (781) 826-7577.

Happy New Year (albeit a bit belated) from Smileboston Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry! A new year marks a new beginning, which is why so many of us make New Year’s resolutions. If there’s something we want to change or to accomplish, a fresh year seems like the perfect time to start. So here at the beginning of 2018, our practice is taking stock of last year and looking forward to this one!

The Successes Of 2017

2017 was a milestone year for Smileboston as we celebrated being in business for 20 years! While we have moved offices and expanded during that time, we remain a small family-run practice committed to patient comfort and innovation. We look forward to serving our Boston area patients for another 20 years…at least!

Last year, our team worked hard to keep their skills fresh. Smileboston South Shore’s, Dr. Kyle Findly, is now certified to preform the Pinhole Surgical Technique, a non-invasive alternative to treat gum recession. He joins Dr. Steven D. Spitz, Smileboston’s founder, as one of the few cosmetic dentists in New England who are certified to perform this life changing procedure.

Additionally, Dr. Spitz was nominated by his peers and named as a Top Dentist and Top Doctor by Boston Magazine.

Our Goals For 2018

This year promises to be equally exciting for Smileboston. We’re moving forward with plans to expand our Brookline location to include brand new operatories, a renovated waiting area and a patient recovery suite. Stay tuned…

We are also excited to announce the addition of Dr. Ken Marsh to the practice. Dr. Marsh specializes in Dental Sleep Medicine, which concentrates on treatment for obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. He completed a comprehensive fellowship in Dental Sleep Medicine at Tufts University Dental School and is currently available to help patients alleviate their sleep disorders. Please contact Smileboston for more information.

Finally we are looking forward to achieving our ultimate goal – helping our patients maintain a natural, healthy and attractive smile.

What About Your Resolutions?

We’ve shared our resolutions, but we’d love to hear about yours.  Studies have shown 80% of resolutions fail by February, so let’s all help each other stick to our goals.

Have you resolved to take better care of your oral health this year? Look no further than Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry. With two beautiful offices in Brookline, MA and on Boston’s South Shore, Smileboston offers comprehensive dental care ranging from general dentistry to full smile makeovers. Visit Smileboston online to view our full menu of services.

MAINTAINING GOOD ORAL HEALTH is crucial for everyone, but that can mean different things for men and women. That’s why the team at Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry has put together a handy list of concerns men should particularly watch out for, as well as some tips for keeping your teeth and gums healthy and clean!

Brush That Charming Smile!

Many women say a man’s most attractive feature is his smile. However, on average, men don’t take care of their teeth as well as women do, and that puts those charming smiles at risk! According to a national survey, men were 20% less likely than women to brush their teeth twice a day, and they also change their toothbrushes less often. Make sure you’re brushing two minutes twice a day and replacing that toothbrush every three to four months.

Minimizing Risk Factors For Disease

Because men tend to chew tobacco, smoke, and drink more than women, they are more susceptible to the oral health consequences associated with these habits, such as periodontitis, tooth loss, and even oral cancer. You don’t need us to tell you that it’s best for your health to cut down on drinking and stop using tobacco. A gleaming white smile and good breath is just an added benefit.

Greater Risks Of Dry Mouth

Men are statistically more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and heart disease than women, and with these kinds of diseases comes the need for medication. One very common side-effect of many such medications is dry mouth.

Saliva is crucial to good oral health because it washes away bacteria and regulates the mouth’s pH. When the saliva runs dry, there’s an increased risk of cavities, gum disease, and even bad breath. If you’re experiencing problems from dry mouth, please don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment – we can help.

Be A Man: Go To The Dentist

This leads us to another problem that impacts men more than women, and that is the tendency to neglect regular dental visits. Prevention is crucial to good oral health, which is why we recommend that all patients schedule an appointment every six months, whether or not anything seems to be wrong with their teeth.

Don’t take the “tough guy” approach with your dental health by holding out until you’re experiencing significant tooth pain. Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry has two beautiful offices in Brookline, MA and on Boston’s South Shore. Smileboston offers a wide array of services ranging from general dentistry and laser dentistry to full smile makeovers. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Calcium and milk go together like fluoride and toothpaste. And just like fluoride, calcium is essential to our overall oral health.

How Calcium Benefits Your Oral Health

We know that calcium is the main component of our teeth and jaw bones, but our mouths are also made up of gum tissue, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels. Calcium is important for these things as well because it helps them function as they should.

How Much Calcium Do We Need?

The range of daily calcium intake recommended for the average person is between 1000 -1300mg, based upon on age and gender, from the age of four on. Children younger than four need about 700mg or less of calcium, per day.

This scary thing is that most people are getting less than 500mg of calcium a day, putting them at greater risk of developing gum disease and other ailments. Take a look at the foods you’re eating and make sure you’re including at least 800mg of daily calcium to keep your teeth and oral health in great shape!

Non-dairy Calcium Sources

While most people can get their daily calcium from milk and other dairy products, others might be looking for dairy free options. Luckily, there are many alternative sources of this crucial mineral.

• Canned fish with the bones in. The bones of small, canned fish are an excellent source of calcium, and they’re soft enough to eat! It’s up to you whether you eat them straight from the can or mix them into a larger meal.
• Dark leafy greens. Starting at 180mg and reaching about 350mg, kale, spinach and collard greens are the three leafy greens with the highest calcium content.
• Beans and black-eyed peas. Legumes such as beans and black-eyed peas contain an impressive amount of calcium, with 350mg to 515mg in just one cup!
• Fortified drinks. Fortified orange juice contains around 1500mg and soy milk has 340mg per cup.
• Tofu. Most tofu has added calcium, giving it about 860mg per half cup, but you’ll still get between 100-200mg per serving with no calcium added!
• Broccoli and broccoli rabe. Broccoli rabe (rob) has about 80mg of calcium per 2/3-cup serving and broccoli has about 100mg per 2cup serving.
• Edamame. With 98mg in just one cup of cooked edamame, it’s a good source of calcium as well as protein!
• Almonds. Out of all the nuts, almonds contain the highest level of calcium, with 8% of the recommended daily intake in a single ounce.
• Dried Figs. Figs have a sweet, dessert-like flavor, so eating the half cup it takes to get the calcium from them will feel like indulging in a treat!

How Smileboston Can Help

If you think you may be prone to gum disease or have further questions about how you can improve your daily calcium intake, we’d love to talk to you about it. Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry has two beautiful offices located in Brookline, MA and on Boston’s South Shore. We offer a full array of services ranging from general dentistry to dental implants, laser dentistry and full smile makeovers. Visit Smileboston online for more information or contact us to schedule an appointment.

We love helping our patients keep their teeth healthy and strong!

Pregnancy is an exciting time but it also causes a variety of hormonal changes that may impact a woman’s oral health. That’s why it’s important to understand the conditions pregnant women might be most susceptible to and how to prevent them. Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry has provided general and cosmetic dentistry services in the greater Boston area for 20 years. Now their expert team discusses a few of the ways pregnancy can impact teeth and gums.

Gum Disease

While many women make it through their entire pregnancy without experiencing any dental issues, some women develop a condition called “pregnancy gingivitis.” This is attributed to rising levels of progesterone and  causes bleeding or swollen gums, especially when brushing. If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to more serious complications and gum disease. In addition to regular flossing and brushing twice a day, your dentist may recommend more frequent cleanings.

Tooth Decay

Pregnant woman are also more prone to cavities for a variety of reasons. One of these is food cravings and increased consumption of junk food and carbohydrates. While okay in moderation, in excess can lead to cavities and tooth decay. Not surprisingly, pregnant woman should try to eat a well-balanced diet full of lean proteins, vegetables, and fruits that offer fiber and other nutrients.

Tooth Enamel Erosion

Morning sickness, an unfortunate but common occurrence during pregnancy, can lead to an increase in the amount of acid that your mouth is exposed to. After a time, acid can eat away at a tooth’s enamel. You can help prevent erosion by reducing the acid level in your mouth using a homemade concoction of baking soda and water. Simply swirl in your mouth after vomiting and spit out.

Pregnancy is a busy time but it’s important not to neglect your oral health. If you are pregnant and need to schedule an appointment with a trusted dentist, turn to the team at Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry in Brookline, MA and on Boston’s South Shore. Smileboston offers a wide range of services ranging from general and laser dentistry to Implants and full smile makeovers. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or visit our website for more information.

The American Diabetes Association estimates that 23.1 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes (whether it be type 1, type 2, or gestational). At least another 7 million remain undiagnosed, and that doesn’t include the additional millions who are considered pre-diabetic. But what does diabetes have to do with oral health? A lot, actually.

Diabetes And Gum Disease

Diabetes is a chronic disease that either means the pancreas doesn’t produce insulin (type 1) or that the body doesn’t use it effectively (type 2 and gestational), both of which cause elevated blood glucose. The most serious impact elevated blood glucose has on oral health is that it simultaneously weakens the immune system and provides more food for the bacteria that attack teeth and gums.

This two-pronged attack is why 22% of diabetics also have gum disease, whether in the early stages of inflammation (gingivitis) or in the advanced stages (periodontitis) that threaten the teeth, gums, and supporting bone. The bacteria that causes gum disease can also travel through the bloodstream and make it even harder to regulate blood sugar.

In addition to increasing the risk of gingivitis and periodontitis, uncontrolled diabetes can also lead to a variety of other oral health problems, such as:

• Dry mouth
• Burning mouth syndrome
• Impaired or slower healing
• Increased severity and frequency of infections
• Fungal infections
• Salivary gland enlargement

What You Can Do

Now for the good news: even with diabetes, good oral health is within reach. Even better: keeping your teeth and gums healthy will also make diabetes easier to manage! Be sure to brush twice a day for two minutes with a soft-bristled brush and use fluoride toothpaste. Additionally, floss daily, use a non-alcoholic mouthwash, and don’t smoke. Careful regulation of sugar intake is a major factor as well.

Your Dentist’s Role

If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, the standard two dental exams per year may not be enough. To be safe, we recommend that you increase the number of yearly visits to three or four. It is also crucial for us to know how you and your doctor are working together to manage your diabetes. Likewise, your doctor needs to know how we are working with you to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Smileboston Can Help Protect Your Oral Health

Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry has two beautiful offices in the Boston area and offers full array of services ranging from general dentistry to full smile makeovers. To schedule an appointment at our Brookline location, call (617) 277-4100 or (781) 826-7577 for our South Shore location. For more information, please visit Smileboston online.

Thanks to modern advancements in the field of dentistry, a variety of procedures are now easier and more comfortable than ever. Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry, an industry leader in dental innovation and technology, uses the Waterlase® dental laser to greatly improve the patient experience. Here are just some of the benefits laser dentistry offers.

Typically, manipulating teeth is a cumbersome and potentially uncomfortable process. Unlike traditional dental drills, the Waterlase dental laser uses a high-powered laser to cut through teeth, gum tissue, and bone effortlessly. Not only is it more precise than other dental tools, it can often be used as a quick and painless replacement of a dental drill. The laser can be used to complete fillings, define gums, place implants, treat cold sores, and even perform root canals.

While previous procedures may have caused significant pain and anxiety, laser dentistry is much less invasive and requires fewer shots, stitches and anesthesia. Patients report minimal discomfort and inflammation during and after procedures.

A typical dental drill causes pain due to the vibration, heat, and pressure. Because a dental laser doesn’t generate any of these, patients have a more comfortable experience and heal much quicker. As a result, patients who suffer from dental anxiety often find that laser dentistry makes the experience more relaxing and pain-free.

If you have been searching for an easier, more comfortable dental experience, look no further than Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry. With two beautiful offices in the Boston area, we offer a full array of services ranging from general dentistry to full smile makeovers. To schedule an appointment at our Brookline location, call (617) 277-4100 or (781) 826-7577 for our South Shore location. For more information, please visit Smileboston online.

We call suspenseful books and movies “nail-biters,” but the habit of nail biting itself has less exciting connotations.

The most obvious consequence is torn, uneven nails, and in particularly severe cases, nails that become dramatically shortened and deformed over time. This alone would be enough of a reason to discourage the habit, but far more serious are the effects of nail biting on teeth and oral health.

Consequences For Teeth And Gums

Teeth should never be used as tools, and that includes using them as nail clippers. Over time, nail biting, or oncyophagia, can lead to a variety of complications.

Malocclusion and gaps

Grinding the front teeth together in order to bite through nails can gradually cause them to shift, creating a bad bite—malocclusion—or a gap between the top teeth.

Wearing, chipping, and cracking

At the same time that teeth are shifting into less than ideal positions, they could also be getting chipped or cracked, and they are certainly being worn down.

Root resorption

The pressure chewing nails places on the teeth can actually cause the jaw bone to begin re-absorbing the roots of those teeth, weakening them and increasing the risk of tooth loss. Having braces makes the risk of root resorption even greater.

Gingivitis

Fingernails trap a lot of dirt and microorganisms under them, and chewing on them introduces all of that bacteria to the mouth, which can lead to gum disease.

Increased risk of developing bruxism

People who chew their nails are more likely to develop a chronic teeth-grinding habit, which causes even more problems for the teeth, as well as frequent headaches and facial pain.

Why Does It Happen?

Compulsive nail biting has traditionally been thought of as a nervous habit, but recent studies indicate it may have to do with boredom and perfectionism as well as anxiety. It’s one of several body-focused repetitive disorders, such as picking scabs and pulling hair. Biting nails can be comforting or it can simply provide something to do. Many people who bite their nails don’t even notice they’re doing it. That, of course, makes stopping much harder.

Breaking The Habit

There are many different strategies nail-biters can use to help overcome the urge to keep chewing on their nails.

• Keep nails trimmed short so there isn’t much to bite.
• Use bitter-tasting nail polish to make nail biting unpleasant.
• Get manicures as motivation to keep your nails looking nice.
• Replace nail-biting with a different habit, such as squeezing a stress ball or playing with silly putty.
• Identify your triggers. If you know the circumstances that cause you to bite your nails, it’s easier to deal with them.
• Stop gradually. Pick one or two fingernails at a time to stop biting (you might need to cover them to physically prevent yourself from biting them), then gradually add more fingernails until there are none left to bite!

We’re With You All The Way!

At Smileboston Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry, our patients’ oral health is our top concern, which makes us your biggest ally against bad habits that put your oral health in jeopardy. If you have any questions or concerns about nail biting or would like more advice on putting the habit behind you, don’t hesitate to contact us!

Smileboston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry is a full service dental practice with two beautiful locations in Brookline, MA and on Boston’s South Shore. We offer a full array of services ranging from general dentistry to full smile makeovers. Visit Smileboston online for more information and to schedule an appointment.