November 2013 - West Seneca Dentist | Embury Family Dentistry

Hi,

I’m a woman in her early 30’s and have been on many, many first dates. My dates and I always seem to have a great time. We often have many things in common and most of the date is spent laughing. But when it comes time for a second date — nothing happens. I know I’m a decent looking woman, but I’ve always felt self-conscious about my crooked teeth. I think if I straighten them, I will feel more confident about my look. But the idea of braces at my age seems implausible. Plus wearing big, metal braces would definitely NOT help my dating status! Is there an alternative to getting braces that could help straighten my teeth?

Thanks,

Lisa, from Chicago, IL

Lisa,

You know how the saying goes: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. So while looks aren’t everything, one of the first things people notice about you is your smile. A recent survey from Match.com found that the number one thing dates look for in a possible date is a good smile.

Good news! There is certainly an alternative to the traditional “big, metal” braces and it’s called Invisalign. Invisalign are a set of clear aligners that shift your teeth into the proper position in less time than traditional braces, usually in about six to twelve months. And guess what? Most people won’t even be able to tell that you’re wearing them. So you can actively date and straighten your teeth at the same time.

Find a good cosmetic dentist who specializes in Invisalign. Every mouth is different — only your dentist can determine if you are a good candidate for these aligners and for how long you should wear them.

Your dentist can help correct your teeth problem, but if there’s another reason for your dating woes, your dentist won’t be much help with that. But I have a feeling having straight teeth will give you new confidence and will make a huge difference. Good luck!

This blog is sponsored by Buffalo dentist Warren M. Krutchick, DDS.

Hi,

I was walking down the stairs, tripped on one of my son’s toys, and stopped my fall with my face! As you can guess, it was NOT pretty. I ended up knocking a tooth out. This all happened earlier this morning and now I’m wondering if I should make a dentist appointment (I was planning to do so when I’m free on Friday) or if this is actually an emergency and I should try to see the dentist as soon as possible. I don’t want to get sick from having this open wound in my mouth!

Thanks!

Kasey, from Morristown, NJ

Hi Kasey!

I am so sorry to hear about your fall! But I am so glad you are OK. Now about your tooth…

Yes, you should try to see the dentist as soon as possible. Don’t wait. The sooner you can get to your dentist, the more likely it is that you can save your tooth! If you don’t have a dentist or you don’t think he or she can see you soon, a good option is to see an emergency dentist. You can tell an emergency dentist office what happened and they will likely schedule you a same day appointment.

Until you get to the dentist, however, you should do a few things at home to help you save your tooth. First, you need to clean it. Let me tell you how. There are two parts of your tooth: the root and the crown. The root is the part you don’t see when you look in your mouth, the part that burrows into your gums; the crown is the part that you do see. To clean your tooth, hold it by the crown and gently rinse it off. Do not scrub it — this can damage the tooth and make attachment nearly impossible. You just want to make sure you’re rinsing off any dirt that you see.

Once you have cleaned it, you need to keep the tooth moist until you can see the dentist. First, without forcing it, try to fit the tooth back into its socket, if possible. Again, do not force it. If this is not possible, just try to hold the tooth in your mouth so that the tooth stays moist with your own saliva. If neither of those is an option, put your tooth in a glass of milk.

Don’t worry about your “open wound.” As long as you see a dentist soon, you’ll be fine.

This blog is sponsored by Buffalo dentist Warren M. Krutchick, DDS.

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Archives for November 2013