Navigation

Austin Dental Center

SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT (512) 454-0414

Full Service Comfortable Dental Care

Picture Perfect Smile Experts

Meet the Team
Book an Appointment
Patient Reviews
Specials
Meet the Team
Book an Appointment
Patient Reviews
Specials

Different Methods for Whitening Your Teeth

by Leave a Comment

Different Methods for Teeth Whitening Teeth whitening has become all the rage over the last few years. You can choose to whiten your teeth with over-the-counter products, or visit your dentist to have it professionally done.

Whichever method you choose, it’s helpful to know how effective each one is and what will be required to get the job done:



Tray-based over-the-counter products:
One of the earliest forms of over-the-counter (or OTC) methods for teeth whitening came with tray-based products. These kits consist of a generic, one-size-fits-all tray and whitening gel. Most require you to spend two hours a day for a period of four weeks to achieve optimum results.

Strips:
One of the more popular OTC methods for brightening your smile is whitening strips. To get the best results with these products, you’ll usually have to apply them twice a day for two weeks. The results often last for several months.

Gels:
Another more recent advent in the world of teeth-whitening products is a gel that you apply directly on the teeth. Similar to strips, gels require twice-a-day application for two weeks, and results generally last about 4 months.

Rinses:
One of the newest innovations is the whitening rinse. All that’s required is simply rinsing your mouth twice a day for about 60 seconds each time. Although this method is certainly easier than others, it’s also not as effective.

Professional whitening:
Your dentist can provide the most effective means of whitening your teeth either in the dental office or with custom-made trays at home. Not only is this the most effective method for whitening, but it will also allow your dentist to help resolve any issues that may result from whitening procedures, such as increased sensitivity.

Read more about types of teeth whitening

Photo by: Smile (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rupertuk/4159721353/) / Rupert Taylor-Price (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rupertuk/) / CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

Mussel Slime Could Fix Sensitive Teeth

by Leave a Comment

Mussels for Sensitive Teeth Dental Health A gooey substance, similar to the slimy material marine mussels utilize to securely attach themselves to rocks and other surfaces has been found to help fight tooth sensitivity and assist in remineralizing teeth.

This substance, according to a new study published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces in November 2012, was found to cause the reformulation of dentin and enamel in teeth when bathed in the sticky substance.

The study authors, Chun Hung Chu, Yun-Zhi Zhou, Quan-Li L, Ying Cao, and Wei Liu say that approximately 75 percent (three out of every four) people have teeth sensitivity. In particular, people teeth are sensitive to cold, hot, sour, and sweet drinks and foods. Teeth sensitivity happens when the hard enamel on the outer layer of teeth become softer when the supporting dentin underlying wears away. This stimulates the nerves inside the teeth, causing the teeth to become sensitive, particularly to temperature.

While special toothpaste and certain sugar-free chewing gums can help reduce tooth hyper-sensitivity in some people, the authors indicated the need for a material that not only rebuilt enamel, but dentin simulatanously.

After conducting laboratory tests, the scientist concluded that the sticky material “may be a simple universal technique to induce enamel and dentin remineralization simultaneously.”

For more information, continue reading the full article.

Photo by: Mussels / Rannakarbid / Pille / CC BY 2.0

PEW Reports Child Dental Health Unsatisfactory

by Leave a Comment

Childrens' Dental Health in Texas PEW Report
According to a new “Falling Short: Most States Lag on Dental Sealants” report by Pew Center on the States, the majority of states are lacking in preventing tooth decay, and is one of the catalysts of health care cost increases for taxpayers and families.

Twenty states and the District of Columbia received a letter grade of D or F in providing kids with dental sealants, which are plastic clear-colored coating affixed to molars’ chewing surfaces – the most cavity prone of the teeth — to prevent tooth decay. These preventative sealants run at a cost of one-third that of filling a cavity, according to a Pew Center press release.

 

Key Findings of the Pew Center Report

  • — Only two states (New Hampshire and Maine) received the total number of maximum points possible.
  • — Only five states received an “A”.
  • — Eight states received a “B”, but only four of these had a dental sealant program
  • — Fifteen and seventeen states received letter grades of “D” and “C”, respectively.
  • — New Jersey, North Carolina, Wyoming, District of Columbia, and Hawaii all earned a letter grade “F”.

 

Based on the state’s policies in place as of July 1, 2012, states received grades based on four criteria:

1) having a sealant program in high-need areas schools
2) meeting national objectives on sealants set up by the Health People 2010 federal government goals
3) regularly gathering data on school age children’s dental health combined with submitted it to a national database
4) enabling dental hygienists to incorporate sealants in school programs without needing a dentist’s examination

 

For more information, continue reading the full article.

Photo by: Don’t mess with Texas / Rishabh Mishra / CC BY 2.0

Why Periodontal Disease Causing Bacteria Must Be Caught Early

by Leave a Comment

Periodontal Disease - Oral bacteria - Flossing Bacteria, known as Porphyromonas gingivalis, that causes periodontal gum disease alters the body’s immune system, which shuts down the normal functions in place that would otherwise kill the bacteria, according to new research from the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Alabama in Birhingham.

“Since greater than 50 percent of the U.S. population over 50 years-of-age develop adult periodontal disease, we hope that the results of our study will ultimately help in the development of novel treatments that could prevent or ameliorate the chronic infection caused by the pathogen P. gingivalis,'” said Jannet Katz, D.D.S., Ph.D., a researcher involved in the study.

Gum diseases, like periodontal disease, and the infections that cause them are often immensely troublesome to treat. Now, this new study, and other similar research, reveals just how problematic these bacteria are because they extend beyond the body’s built-in defenses, and actually manhandle our body’s immune system so they can survive, comments John Wherry, Ph.D., who is Deputy Editor of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, where the study is published.

The study findings highlight the importance early prevention of periodontal disease or swift intervention to eradicate the bacteria through customized treatment procedures or invention of a effective periodontal disease bacteria vaccine.

One out of every two adults in America over the age of 30 have periodontal disease, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

For more information, continue reading the full article.

Photo by: Fío dental / Certo Xornal / CC BY 2.0

Toothpaste Study Helps Determine Which Kind is Best

by Leave a Comment

Right amount of toothpaste When you visit the oral care aisle at your local retail store, you are likely overwhelmed by the sheer number of toothpastes available today.

Once upon a time, the choice was quite simple, but today, you must weigh your options carefully, or you could just consider the findings of coming studies.

The researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM and the Microtribology Centre tested a wide range of the available toothpastes to create a new and improved way to measure the abrasive nature of the cleaning agents currently available.

Abrasives are an important part of toothpastes as the small particles help to scrape away dental plaque that would otherwise lead to decay. However, as time goes by, too much abrasion can wear away the enamel. The abrasive nature of toothpaste depends on the size, amount and hardness of the particles within it. The degree of abrasion possible with a toothpaste is measured as an RDA level (radioactive dentin abrasion). The current range is thirty to two-hundred. The new measuring methods of this study will make these rating more uniform than they have been in the past.

The test utilized a single bristle and a mixture of toothpaste, saliva, and water to recreate the typical brushing habits of people. Movements were made in both straight lines and circular motions to further mimic daily brushing, but the movements were made up to eight thousand times to measure the impact on the teeth.

This new way of testing toothpastes will provide the mass market a better way to compare those on the shelves today. For more information, continue reading the full article.

Photo by: All the toothpaste you actually need / Kenneth Lu / CC BY 2.0

How to Treat Morning Breath

by Leave a Comment

Morning Breath Yawn Do you hide away in the morning hours?

Do you avoid conversation for the couple of hours after waking?

Does that have more to do with your mouth than it does with your mood in the AM?

If it makes you feel any better, morning breath is a problem that impacts everyone to some degree. Even those who don’t regular worry about bad breath can wake with a bad taste resting about their teeth and gums.

There are, of course, things that can make morning breath worse, such as certain medical conditions, many pungent foods, alcohol consumption, and tobacco use.

There are also measures that can be taken to improve the condition of your mouth in the early hours of the day.

  • Avoid Dehydration: A dry mouth is far more likely to carry a foul smell because there is nothing there to wash away the bacteria responsible for bad breath. Of course, you aren’t going to set your alarm to get up and drink a glass of water, but you can help the problem by staying well hydrated during the day.

  • Practice Proper Oral Hygiene: Brushing and flossing just before bed removes the food particles that bad bacteria feed upon, which means less risk of bad breath.

  • Don’t Miss Your Tongue: Before you hop in bed, before you leave your toothbrush behind, make sure you attack your tongue. This is a breeding ground for bacteria, so be sure you are washing it away every time you brush. Bacteria can also be tackled with mouthwash.

  • Eat Right: For once, ‘eat right’ doesn’t necessarily mean replacing your cookie with an apple. In this case, it means that you should eat foods that are not likely to add to your bad breath – garlic, onions, and jalapeños. For some, dairy is a contributing factor as well.

For more helpful hints, continue reading the full article.

Photo by: Big Yawn! / clickit07 / CC BY 2.0

Are Coffee’s Health Benefits Worth It For Your Teeth?

by Leave a Comment

How beneficial is coffee for oral health? There have been many studies recently that report the regular drinking of coffee playing a big role in the prevention of mouth and throat cancer. However, Martin Hogan of Loyola University Health System is not so quick to recommend the habit to his patients.

Why? Despite the evidence of a correlation between coffee drinking and reduce chance of cancer, there are still downsides to the regular java boost – enamel loss.

Coffee is a leading cause of enamel loss, ranking near the top of the list with other beverages such as tea and red wine. While the findings regarding cancer prevention are promising, Hogan argues that the enamel loss that would be caused by increased coffee consumption is not worth the risk when there are so many factors that still need to be considered with further research.

He believes that researchers need to truly eliminate other factors in their studies of coffee’s impact on cancer development – tobacco use, alcohol consumption levels, HPV virus diagnoses, the presence of fungal infections, etc. All of these factors are known causes of oral cancer and could skew the findings in the coffee studies.

If, for instance, a large percentage of non-coffee drinkers are drinking alcohol in large quantities or if they are more likely to be diagnosed with HPV than the coffee drinkers, the correlation between coffee and reduced cancer risk would be circumstantial.

Until those factors can be ruled out, Hogan suggests that patients limit their coffee consumption and be aware of the common signs of oral and throat cancer such as chronic sores, a lasting sore throat, difficulty chewing, or an unusual lump in the cheek.

To better understand Hogan’s view on the matter, continue reading the full article.

Photo by: Coffee time / Roger Price / CC BY 2.0

Can Periodontal Disease Be Stopped in its Tracks?

by Leave a Comment

Can Periodontal Disease Be Stopped in its Tracks? Periodontal disease is not a phrase that is as well known as gum disease, but it is a very common form of the problem, which occurs when the bacterial balance falls out of equilibrium. That is to say that when bad bacteria outweigh good bacteria in the mouth for an extended period of time, periodontal disease is allowed to spread. It causes inflammation, discomfort, and can even result in bone deterioration. If it is allowed to progress, it can even impact overall systemic health.

As scary as this dental problem is, there may be renewed hope of its prevention. A recent study utilizing lab mice allowed researchers to both thwart the disease all together and to stop its progression after diagnosis. The researchers were a team from the Department of Microbiology in Penn’s School of Dental Medicine, and they found it possible to block a molecular receptor that was a known target of the bacteria that cause periodontal disease.

The receptor, referred to as C5aR, was attacked by harmful bacteria, thereby stopping the immune response typical in a human body and increasing gum inflammation. Another set of receptors, referred to as TLRs, complement the C5aR response. In order to demonstrate the part that these receptors play in the formation of gum disease, the researchers injected molecules (known to activate C5aR and the TLRs) into the gums. It was noted that inflammation increased substantially, but when the researchers used a synthesized molecule, called C5aRA, they were able to stop 80% of the inflammation seen in typical periodontal disease and even in those mice already affected, they could reduce the swelling by 70%.

To better understand what this means to the dental community, continue reading the full article.

Photo by: Dr. Alan Carr points out the broken root or bad root canal of a right rear molar (tooth), dental tool, orthodontist’s office, full jaw Xray, Factoria, Washington, USA / Wonderlane / CC BY 2.0

Preparing For Your Dentist Appointment

by Leave a Comment

As your next dental appointment quickly approaches, what are you doing to prepare yourself?

If the answer is little or nothing, then you may be missing out on receiving the very best dental care. Before each and every dentist visit, there are a few questions that you should ask yourself.

Do I see any blood when brushing or flossing?

If you are seeing bleeding at these times, then it could point to a serious problem, such as gum disease. It is not something that should be overlooked. While a slight amount may be nothing to be concerned about, if you are uncertain, it is best to bring up the topic while in the dentist’s chair.

Are my teeth more sensitive than usual?

If you find yourself cringing while eating hot or cold foods suddenly, it could be a red flag pointing to a bigger problem. Often increased sensitivity is due to a crack, deep cavity, or loose filling in one or more of your teeth. Be sure to mention the sensitivity, even if none of these problems are noted. There are things that can be done to decrease the sensation.

Have I had any abnormal or lingering sores in or around my mouth?

Sores in the mouth should be taken very seriously, especially if they last for more than two weeks, as they could point to the early stages of oral cancer.

Am I having trouble with flossing or pain when brushing?

There are many possible reasons for problems like these. For that reason, it is important to speak to your dentist about them, so a solution can be devised.

Have I been grinding my teeth or clenching them?

Often this is done overnight, but if you notice yourself doing it during the day, speak up. Clenching and grinding can cause serious jaw problems, headaches, and increased risk of cavities.

For more dental appointment preparation ideas, continue reading the full article.

When Dads Fear the Dentist

by Leave a Comment

When you get ready for your upcoming dentist appointment, how are you feeling?

Do you get nervous, anxious?

If you are showcasing these symptoms, in any way, to your children, then you could be, inadvertently, passing them on to the next generation.

The study from the University of Madrid paints a very clear picture of the danger that lies in dads demonstrating fear of the dentist in front of their kids. Fear is a big problem in the field of pediatric dentistry, which is why experts are often looking for ways to limit it. It has been discovered that dads, in particular, play a big role in how children see the medical professionals.

The study involved one hundred eighty-three child participants and their parents. Each of the kids was between the ages of seven and twelve years of age and it was discovered that those with the greatest fear of seeing the dentist came from families sharing the same anxieties. These kids appeared to pay particular attention to the emotional reactions of their fathers when making and following through with dental appointments.

The dental professionals feel that this study points to a need for whole family fear prevention programs. Not only should mothers be a part of the program, but fathers should play a role as well. The findings also suggest that fathers must visit the dentist regularly demonstrating little or no fear before their children if the kids are to view such trips with a lack of anxiety. Dental facilities should be willing to work with young patients and their patients to dissolve concerns and qualms.

For more information on the study, findings, and proposed solutions continue reading the full article.