Many home kits use the same ingredients as in-office procedures, though at different concentrations. There is more to consider before deciding which method will deliver the results you’re after in the price range you can afford. So which tooth-whitening procedure is right for you?

Advances in the dental field allow more people to enjoy a whiter, more beautiful smile through a variety of tooth-whitening procedures. Both in-home and in-office varieties of tooth whitening are superior to over-the-counter whitening treatments, such as whitening toothpaste, which have a still lower concentration of whitening elements.

Take home kits are best for people who only desire modest lightening, and must achieve their results on a limited budget. It is less expensive and more convenient, though a bit labor intensive, and will require more treatments to enjoy the same results.

In-office treatments are best for people who want to lighten more than a few shades, or have significant discolorations. These are done by a trained professional, have longer lasting results, and can be done using treatment trays, or more advanced procedures like Zoom. This does require a trip to the dentist, but the procedure takes fewer tries to get the desired result.

The best course of action may be taking a two-step approach, where you do both. Especially for smokers and those who regularly drink coffee, discoloration may be severe and whitening may be a process that needs to be considered again in the future. To determine your best course of action, just ask your dentist. Ask about cost, convenience, duration of results, and be as honest as you can in order to get the best advice possible.

For people with severe discoloration of their front teeth, the best way to get that bright smile might be porcelain veneers or dental bonding, which will conceal your stained teeth while correcting gaps, crookedness or other imperfections. This is a much more involved process, but your dentist will be happy to discuss any options with you as needed.

Periodontal infection is caused by bacteria present every day in our mouths, even the cleanest of them, even among those of us who brush after every meal and snack. Some people are more susceptible to periodontal infection than others, just as some of us are more likely to get a sunburn or become drowsy in a movie. It all depends on how well our body (by that we mean our immune systems) are able to fight off infections.

Our ability to fight infections can vary from day to day; week to week; depending on what else is going on with our life and health. If you are under greater stress, your immune system may be compromised. If you are on an unusual diet, or taking a particular medication, these factors may also affect your ability to combat these otherwise insignificant infections.

We now know that bleeding of the gums, when they are gently touched, is a very likely sign that an infection is present. This means that the bacteria and the organic toxins they produce have overwhelmed the immune system in this localized area, and that is a potentially serious problem.

The lining of the gums next to the tooth can become cracked and ulcerated, and will surely bleed when touched, however gently. The toxins actually become embedded in the root surface of the tooth, if you can picture that.

If the infection continues uncontrolled, it will eventually result in the destruction of the bone that supports the tooth, not to mention the face of the tooth. By this point, once it is evident, it may be too late to make any meaningful correction. This bone loss is permanent. If the bone destruction is allowed to continue, it will result in loss of the teeth, since there will be nothing left to support them, even if the tooth itself remains healthy.

Fortunately, periodontal infection can now be detected and treated earlier than ever. Each time you see the hygienist, she will do a periodontal screening to detect early signs of this infection using a variety of cutting edge dental technology. If the gums bleed during this screening, infection is almost surely present. With early detection of the infection, it can be controlled without surgery. This will save you not only money, but discomfort and time as well.

If the infection has progressed, surgical intervention may be necessary to control it, but that’s not a bad thing, it just means that you’ve successfully nipped a more serious problem in the bud before it blossoms into a more costly, painful, potentially dangerous problem.

As dental experts ourselves, we are excited about our ability to detect such infections early, and to be able to offer non-surgical therapy to our patients, whenever possible.

Periodontal therapy may include detoxification (reducing the embedded bacterial toxins) of the root surface. In our office, we use the latest instruments, including ultrasonics, to reduce the toxin and bacterial levels to a point that our patients’ immune systems can control the infection.

We also irrigate under the gum line with a prescription antimicrobial medicine. Your active participation with removal of bacteria at home every day is critical to the control of infection, but we assist our patients with specific instructions on effective bacterial (plaque) removal.

Periodontal infection is not curable, but it is controllable. Following active therapy, your doctor will recommend supportive periodontal therapy to help you keep your infection under control and prevent further bone destruction and atrophy. We now know that the bacteria that cause periodontal infection can become disease producing in as little as 45-90 days, therefore, your interval for supportive periodontal therapy will be 12 weeks or less. If your provider says otherwise, you may wish to do more research and ask more pointed questions.

Securian Dental performed a formal poll of Tooth Fairies working throughout the United States and confirmed that the same inflationary pressures that are impacting the other market sectors has been felt across the lost tooth purchase market. While 2006 saw an average procurement price of just $1.71, this price jumped 22% in 2007 to $2.09.

The Tooth Value Index tracked various local markets nationwide, including children receiving as little as a nickel, all the way up to those earning $50 per tooth. Results show a qualified mouth can reap as much as $1,000, in rare cases, but a national average of $41.80 for a full set of baby teeth.

Children wishing to sell their teeth to one of these swing shift fairies are advised that regular brushing, flossing and cooperative visits to the dentist will increase the value of lost teeth. Tooth decay is preventable, and children are strongly encouraged to practice best dental hygiene in order to ensure the best rate of return on lost teeth.

Jason McEnamel, a representative for the Tooth Fairies Union, said that, “We’ve seen big growth in the lost tooth industry, and we’re pickier about what we’re paying, but we’ll pay top dollar for good teeth… These kids went through the pain of losing them, the least we can do is increase the price we’re willing to pay for them, as long as they’ve been brushed.”

Experts warn children to be careful about which teeth they lose. According to Tooth Fairy regulations, it is illegal to pay children for grownup teeth, unless they have to be pulled for crowding or other unavoidable reasons.

If you are the parent of a child who will soon have teeth to offer for sale to the Tooth Fairy, we strongly urge you to share what you’ve learned with them. The benefits of regular brushing, flossing, and checkups can not be overstated, and if they want to earn top dollar, their whites must be pearly.

The poll showed that most children are working hard to keep their teeth in good health. 73% of parents report that their children brush their teeth twice per day, and that about 92% state their children receive a dental exam every six months. ADA surveys might suggest these parents are prone to exaggeration, but we’ll take we can get.

US government experts predict that dental spending will top $100 billion this year and reach nearly $170 billion by 2017, based on a 10-year projection of National Health Expenditures. But early, proactive, preventative steps can ensure that your budget doesn’t become just another statistic.

Patients can keep their future expenses low by identifying concerns early and treating them while they are still in the earliest stages. A simple filling will remain significantly less expensive than a root canal, and offers the best long term outcome as well.

Dental, as well as other health spending will continue to outpace the rate of economic growth as they have in recent years. An ADA Survey Center review of the Consumer Price Index for Dental Services shows them to continue accelerated growth of prices relative to goods and services as a whole, due in large part to advances in treatment technologies and the costs associated with them.

This is not bad news, however. Better diagnostic tools, better materials and better methods bear inherent costs, but they also improve patient outcomes across the board. While patients may be paying slightly more than they did ten years ago, the services they receive have improved significantly.

Still, per capita dental spending is expected to increase from $254 in 2002 to $519 in 2017, according to the American Dental Association. The best way to make sure your expenditures remain in line is by getting regular checkups, listening to your dentist’s advice, and always addressing any problems as early as possible.

If you’re looking to fine tune, or completely overhaul, your existing hygiene habits, there are a number of procedures you may need to consider to get back on track. This article will explain some of the options available, along with the various benefits and considerations you should keep in mind.

PERIODONTAL THERAPY- Such as Scaling, Root Planing and Deep Cleaning

• This is a more advanced and detailed procedure to help control infection, only recommended in cases where infection may have already gone into the gums.
• Smoothes off embedded toxins (detoxifies) the root surfaces and carefully removes all calculus.
• The one to two week sequence is critical to the quality of your healing, and your dentist or periodontist can help you understand the procedure and importance of this.
• Postponing this therapy will put you at significantly increased risk for more permanent problems, such as bone loss.
• This procedure requires advanced skill levels on the part of the hygienist.

SIX-WEEK THERAPY APPOINTMENT – The Most Important Appointment

SUPPORTIVE PERIODONTAL THERAPY – The Next Phase of Therapy

The processes and procedures may sound daunting, but they are only complicated if you don’t do them. Solving for pi is a lot of work, but it IS an exact science. While dental care is not an exact science, your dentist, periodontist and/or hygienist can be the calculator that cures your calculus, and you don’t have to be a math whiz to see that that’s going to save you time, money and an awful lot of discomfort in the future.