Parents know that it’s important to monitor the amount of sugar in their child’s diet as a preventive step in the fight against tooth decay. Children need to eat healthy foods all the while their teeth and gums are developing. Because we are so concentrated on seeing to it that our children maintain a proper diet we often tend to ignore our own.

Fully developed teeth need as much care as underdeveloped ones. After all, once our permanent teeth come in that’s it, we don’t get another set so we’d better learn how to take care of the ones we do have. Diet has a lot to do with whether we will keep our natural teeth throughout our lifetime or if we will need to resort to some form of replacement e.g., dentures.

Even though they are more susceptible, cavities are not exclusive to children. Cavities are the result of a buildup of bacterial plaque that forms on our teeth if we don’t brush and floss as we should. The plaque thrives on the sugar and acids from certain foods that we eat and causes our tooth enamel to deteriorate over time.

Look for foods that are rich in calcium and vitamin D, milk and cheese are prime examples. Anything that increases the flow of saliva in the mouth, like biting into a crisp apple for one, will help to wash away harmful plaque.

Talk to Dr. Looze and his experienced staff at Southlands Dental in Aurora about taking other preventive methods. Call the office @ 720-886-0606 today.

Receiving a dental implant often amounts to undergoing a surgical procedure and recovery, possibly a bone graft, all over a substantial span of time. That being said, implants are a most popular choice for patients who are looking to replace a natural tooth that has been lost to disease or accident. The main reason may be that once an implant is installed it acts as the natural root did and is fixed in place as opposed to a denture which lies on the surface of the gums.

If you choose to go through the process of having an implant you’ll definitely want to do everything you can to maintain it. Your dentist will recommend a regimen that will include using an inter-dental toothbrush that is especially good for cleaning around your new implant. Brushing twice a day is always key to good oral health, as is flossing at least once.

Bone structure is essential to the success of an implant. Anything that might weaken it will put an implant at risk. Smoking is a proven contributor to oral diseases including the bone deterioration that can lead to problems with a dental implant.

If you work on keeping your mouth clean and healthy and see your dentist at regular intervals so that he can monitor the condition of your implant you can expect the best outcome.

Dr. Looze offers his expertise in the various areas of dental health. Talk to him about your concerns, call Southlands Dental @ 720-886-0606 in Aurora, CO.

The best preventive measures are the ones that patients will actually practice. Dentists and hygienists have long advocated the use of dental floss as part of a regimen for maintaining good oral health, but for one reason or another people just don’t want to do it. There may be an alternative that all can agree on.

A water flosser can take the place of the traditional string floss that so many of us find hard to maneuver. The objective of both is to remove plaque before it has the time to turn to tartar and clean out the bacteria that forms between the teeth and under the gumline.

Flossing is recommended for everyone but it is essential for those patients who are fighting gum disease. Regular maintenance is the only way to control it. Brushing is important, but it just isn’t enough. Even the most devoted brusher using the finest electronic toothbrush won’t be able to reach every nook and cranny. A water flosser will!

The basic concept of water flossing is to use the pressure of the water to wash away any food debris that may have been left behind at the end of a typical day or after a particularly indulgent meal. A flosser usually comes with a variety of tips made for the specific purposes of cleaning around orthodontic devices or getting deep down into periodontal pockets.

Talk to Dr. Looze about the possibility of switching from dental floss to a water flosser. Make your next appointment @ Southlands Dental in Aurora, call 720-886-0606.

Brushing and flossing daily is the way to maintain a bright and healthy smile, but taking good care of our gums and teeth may also be the way to prevent diseases such as diabetes or respiratory congestion that have been associated with poor oral health.

It goes without saying that brushing twice a day and flossing at least once are both good habits, but in order for those efforts to produce good results we have to be going about them in the right way. The debate between whether to use an electric toothbrush or the old fashioned kind continues on. Why not take advantage of the benefits that both have to offer? Start your daily regimen with an electric brush that will work faster and produce more rotation, then finish up with your standard manual brush that is easier to manipulate into those hard to reach spots.

Dentists and hygienists usually recommend flossing once a day only because they know that their patients are likely to balk at doing it more often. Flossing after every meal would be a much better plan because the longer a food particle is left trapped between the teeth the greater the risk for a cavity to form. Flossing is easier than ever with the innovative products on the market today – try it, you might even like it!

The professional associates of Southland Dental consider the comfort and peace of mind of their patients a top priority. Call the office @ 720-886-0606 for an appointment time at your convenience.

The well known adage that “what you don’t know can’t hurt you” doesn’t apply to all things and especially not when it comes to your health. If you believe that you’ve been vigilant about taking good care of your own teeth and seeing to it that your children follow suit, there are some things that may surprise you about the foods that you’ve been eating.

We’ve been inundated with information about the damage that sugar can do to our teeth so we are careful to limit our intake, but you should also be mindful about the amount of citrus fruit that you put in your mouth. Orange juice for instance, is a good source of vitamin C but too much exposure to its acidic content can harm your tooth enamel. There are a couple of things that you can do to decrease the risk however.

When you finish your morning glass of juice take the time to rinse with plain water. Wait a half hour or so before brushing since your tooth enamel will have softened from the acidity and need time to rejuvenate.

Be careful eating nuts. Almonds have a particular hard outer coating so that you risk cracking a tooth when you bite into them. Instead of the whole nut opt for slivered almonds that are especially nice in salads and on fish.

Dr. Looze likes to focus on patient education. The website www.soluthlandsdental.com includes a page devoted to the explanation of dental terminology for the benefit of our patients. Call the Southlands Dental office @ 720-886-0606.

“Cosmetic” dental procedures can be both discretionary and restorative. Dental fillings for instance, used to be strictly for the necessity of reparation due to tooth decay. Today however, patients have the option of composite filling materials that coordinate with the color of their natural teeth and can actually improve the appearance of their smile – two birds, one stone.

Cosmetic dentists are practical in their approach. They continue to find ways to preserve as much of a tooth’s substance as possible while at the same time improving its size and shape. Dental contouring can be accomplished with a minute loss of the original structure of the tooth. Bonding with a resin substance is done as part of the process to restore any chips or gaps.

A dental bridge is not typically considered to be a cosmetic strategy but it certainly enhances the aesthetic effect for a patient who has lost one or more of his natural teeth. Implants can do the same.

Tooth discoloration can simply be the result of the aging process or in other cases it may be caused by certain medications that are essential to our continued good health. Cosmetic dentistry can help patients avoid the embarrassment. Whitening treatments and dental veneers can bring about great results.

Preventive methods and cosmetic procedures serve to provide the care and consideration of the patients of Southlands Dental in Aurora. Call our office today @ 720-886-0606.

Studies have given us some information about the various circumstances that may contribute to the loss of our natural teeth. Some of the causes are associated with lifestyle and others are just a matter of genetics. One of the leading contributors to tooth loss is gum disease which can be either inherent or a result of the lack of preventive dental care.

Gum disease presents itself in stages starting with gingivitis and if gone untreated proceeding through the developing phases to advanced periodontitis. Gingivitis occurs when the sticky substance called plaque is allowed to collect on the teeth. The best way to keep this from happening is to brush and floss your teeth regularly, but once the plaque has hardened into tartar it can only be removed by your dental hygienist using specific tools. Notable signs of gingivitis include swollen gums, soreness and bleeding when you brush your teeth. If gum disease is left to evolve it will eventually lead to a weakened bone structure which can be the cause of your tooth loss.

When you notice the symptoms make sure to see your dentist asap so that damage can be assessed and therapy can begin. The chances for successful treatment of gum disease improve with early intervention.

Look to Southlands Dental in Aurora for the best care and the availability of the latest in technological advancement. Call 720-886-0606 today.

We all hear how important it is to see our dentist for regular checkups in order to prevent having to deal with serious oral health issues. Having our teeth cleaned is a typical part of those checkups. Professional cleanings are beneficial to keeping our gums pink and healthy and contribute to having a good looking smile, but there’s more….

Evidence continues to show us that our general physical health is closely related to our dental health. Regular cleanings can give our teeth the strength to resist disease causing bacteria.

Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease which is caused by the plaque buildup that turns to tartar if it is not removed regularly. Consistent brushing and flossing should be enough to control the plaque that attacks our teeth every day. Tartar on the other hand, can only be removed by a dental hygienist. If gum disease has progressed a process known as “deep cleaning” will be necessary to clean out the bacteria that may have formed beneath the surface of the gums.

Why does your hygienist finish off every cleaning by polishing your teeth? Your teeth are exposed to all kinds of stain producing foods and beverages on a regular basis. That polishing process can help to remove the stains and restore the natural whiteness to your teeth.

Keep your teeth clean and your breath fresh, call Southlands Dental in Aurora @ 720-886-0606 for your next appointment.

Root canal therapy is the better known name for an endodontic treatment. The term endodontic is taken from the Greek and translates to mean inside the tooth. The enamel is the outer layer of the tooth which serves as its protective covering. Just underneath the enamel lies the dentin which is made up of more tissue and little tubes that connect with the pulp. The pulp is the center of the tooth where its’ nerves are located.

Even though your tooth enamel is extraordinarily strong it can be invaded. Injury or extensive decay can weaken the enamel and cause it to crack. When this happens the underlying layers can become infected. If the infection reaches into the pulp the nerves will react and the symptomatic pain that you feel will let you know that something is wrong.

See your dentist as soon as possible after you start to feel the pain of an infected tooth. He will need to do an exam and take x-rays to determine the progress of the infection and how much damage has been done to the root. Most endodontic treatments can be done in one visit unless there are complications or the infection is extensive.

Because Dr. Looze uses only the best in available dental technology you can be sure to receive quality treatment in a timely manner as a patient of Southlands Dental in Aurora. Call us @ 720-886-0606 to schedule your appointment.

A plan for good oral health includes regular dental examinations and professional cleanings. The habits that you practice at home also have an effect. The combined goal of these efforts is to come away with the feeling of having freshly cleaned mouth with teeth that are free of plaque buildup and cavity causing bacteria.

The most common belief has been that brushing after every meal is the best way to protect our teeth from the bacteria in the food particles that may be left behind. The truth is that every time we eat or drink something sweet or high in acidic content we are feeding the bad bacteria in our mouths that eat away at tooth enamel. Brushing when the enamel is most vulnerable will only contribute to the damage already being done. If we brush before we eat we will be removing at least some of the bacteria before it has a chance to mix with the acidic foods. Flossing after eating will take care of any food that may have gotten stuck between our teeth.

Some people maintain that toothpaste alters the way their food tastes so they want to avoid brushing before they eat. Hygienists will tell you that the sodium laurel sulfate compound found in a lot of toothpastes is what affects the flavor of some foods, but there are fluoride toothpastes that are free of the formula, so check the brand label before you buy.

Visit the website, www.southlandsdental.com and read about the varied services that Dr. Looze offers. Call the office @ 720-886-0606 for your appointment.