Posted on

How Diabetes Negatively Impacts Your Smile | Fayetteville, GA

Young woman smiling with perfect dental health

According to the World Health Organization, “diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves.” This condition impacts one’s life in several ways, a few of them being how your gums get infected, the actual bone of the tooth, and oral tissue. If you currently have or develop diabetes, here are a few ways you can support the continued well-being of your oral health.

Overall Health Comes First. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s important to make the lifestyle changes necessary to retain your overall health. Of course, your doctor will inform you what these changes may be based on your specific health evaluation. You will be unable to maintain proper oral health if your overall health becomes unmanageable.

Hygiene is Key. Even if you had a great oral care routine prior to being diagnosed with diabetes, it becomes even more imperative that you tend to your oral hygiene. Be sure to brush twice daily, floss at least once daily, and use mouthwash and fluoride toothpaste on top of regular visits to your dentist.

Leave Smoking Behind. The smoke from cigarettes and cigars contributes to dry mouth, gum disease, and tooth decay. Furthermore, tobacco is known to cause oral cancer and gum disease.

Dental Implants. Anyone who has dental implants prior to being diagnosed with diabetes understands how to care for them, yet it becomes even more important post-diagnosis. The reason why is that patients with diabetes have a higher risk of post-operation infection and implant failure.

To schedule an appointment or learn more about the beautiful smiles Dr. Sukari McMiller has created visit us online today at www.dreamworksdentalcare.com.

Dr. Sukari McMiller proudly serves patients from Fayetteville and all surrounding areas.

Posted on

The Real World Benefits of Smiling | Fayetteville, GA

mom and daughter brushing teeth

Everything in the human body is connected, and smiles have real-life implications for our physical and mental health. Friends may even encourage one another to smile during difficult times; that is because even a fake smile produces real endorphins. Smiling can trigger mood-boosting and relationship enhancing effects on our lives. Here are a few benefits of smiling:

Health Connections. When we smile, our brains release neuropeptides and neurotransmitters that alleviate the stressors of our day. The most common hormones associated with these results are dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. Dopamine and serotonin are “happy hormones”, acting as antidepressants. Endorphins offer mild pain relief; together, they have been shown to reduce stress and our heart rate. A smile a day can go a long way to making us feel better and look out onto the world with a positive attitude.

More Positive Relationships. People who smile more often are seen as being more approachable, likable, creative, and productive. Smiling can also have a “ripple effect” as one person’s expression of joy can cause an onlooker to also feel joy and smile too. The next time you are out with friends, or a loved one could use a pick-me-up, remind them of their positive attributes and share a smile with them!

It is important to note that there are individuals who experience smile anxiety, which occurs when an individual becomes reluctant to smile in public because he or she dislikes, or is embarrassed by, the aesthetic appeal of their smile. There are many factors that may cause someone to feel this way including trauma, decay or the angle adult teeth may have grown in.

Its important to retain gentle kindness if you know a loved one struggles with the appearance of their smile, though there are several means of restoration your dentist may recommend.

To schedule an appointment or learn more about the beautiful smiles Dr. Sukari McMiller has created visit us online today at www.dreamworksdentalcare.com.

Dr. Sukari McMiller proudly serves patients from Fayetteville and all surrounding areas.

Posted on

Best Practices for Veneers | Fayetteville, GA

woman smiling with perfect dental health

Porcelain veneers are one of the most common cosmetic dentistry procedures people seek for their smiles. The longevity of your veneers can vary depending on how they are cared for. Here are some best practices for maintaining your veneers for years to come.

Good Oral Hygiene- Maintaining good oral hygiene such as regular brushing, flossing and incorporating a mouthwash is great for your natural teeth and veneers. Veneers are placed along the gemlike to retain the appearance of being natural, so it’s important to keep your oral hygiene up to avoid a receding gemlike that may expose the veneer.

Avoid Unnecessary Force- Nail biting, chewing ice and forceful brushing can break or dislodge a veneer; they can also be the reason your dentist recommended veneers to begin with. It’s important to make an effort to avoid these habits for the longevity of your veneers.

Stop Clenching and Grinding- This bad habit is a great way to chip or break your veneers over time. Bruxism, or the grinding of teeth at night, can be avoided by incorporating a night guard when you sleep. Reducing stress or finding alternative means to clenching your teeth will also go a long way in maintaining your new pearly whites.

Limit Staining- Porcelain is a material that resists stains, but the dental cement used to keep them in place unfortunately is not. Coffee, tobacco, wine and any other food and beverage that may stain your teeth will stain the cement over time. Eventually, if not properly cared for along the way, the cement will become discolored and look odd against your veneers – or even start to make your veneers look discolored by association.

To schedule an appointment or learn more about the beautiful smiles Dr. Sukari McMiller has created visit us online today at www.dreamworksdentalcare.com.

Dr. Sukari McMiller proudly serves patients from Fayetteville and all surrounding areas.

Posted on

Survival Tips for Dental Implant Surgery | Fayetteville, GA

dental implant

Oral surgery, like any, comes with it’s own set of procedures, expectations and realities. One of those realities is that the post-operation side of that gorgeous new smile are a few side effects. Before we share our insight on how to care for your mouth post-operation, it’s important to understand why aftercare is so important.

Dental implants are installed into your jawbone, hardware replacing natural roots, and an enamel tooth fitted over the outstanding base from the gumline. For your body to adjust, and the surgery site remain stable and heal, the patient must remain gentle with his or herself. Here is how we suggest you tend to your dental implant post-operation care.

Expect to be sore. Your gum tissue and jawbone have just endured dental implant surgery; the surgery site will be sore. An over-the-counter medication may be recommended for the first day or so following the procedure. However, you may quickly find a more relaxed pain medication such as Ibuprofen or Tylenol does the trick.

You may be swollen. This is completely normal and to be expected. Due to the nature of a dental implant procedure, the surgery site is likely to swell. In some cases, this means the jaw, gum and cheek(s) are all inflamed for up to a week. You can relieve some of the swelling by applying ice to the affected area(s). We recommend 15-minute intervals between applications; 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off for an effective reduction in swelling.

Bruising. Bruises are a result of disrupted blood cells under the surface of your skin. We all know that bumping into a table can cause bruising; so can dental implant surgery. Likely more noticeable as swelling decreases, your jawbone and cheeks may be bruised following surgery. Discoloration of the bruises will fade over time. Potassium from the consumption of bananas and other foods may aid in the reduction of bruises.

In the week or so following surgery, you should notice a significant reduction in facial swelling and discoloration. Your healing will have progressed to the point where you may return to routine daily activities. If healing begins to stagnate, or worsen during this time, call your dentist immediately.

To schedule an appointment today or learn more about Dream Works Dental and see the beautiful smiles Dr. Sukari McMiller has created, visit us today at www.dreamworksdentalcare.com.

Dr. Sukari McMiller proudly serves patients from Fayetteville and all surrounding areas.

Posted on

What are Dental Restorations? | Fayetteville, GA

dental restoration

Dental restoration is a broad term for any number of treatments that work to repair discolored, decayed, chipped, cracked or missing teeth. While we all need to maintain regular cleanings, its important to understand what your options are if you encounter a situation where dental restoration is necessary. Here are a few of the most common restoration procedures.

Fillings. Tooth fillings are the most common dental restoration procedure and its likely you, or someone you know has one. Decaying teeth, or teeth with cavities can be filled as a way to stop decay. Once performed with gold and silver amalgam, many fillings today are performed with composite resin.

Crowns. As the name suggests, a crown is a tooth-shaped cap places over a damaged tooth. When a crown is placed on a tooth, it will restore the tooth’s shape and size, as well as its appearance and strength to hold a bridge or cover an implant.

Dental Bridges. Bridges are false teeth that are made to fill a gap due to one or more missing teeth. Anchored on either side of the missing tooth by crowns, the bridge is cemented into place, completing the restoration.

Dental Implants. An implant may be recommended when the roots of the tooth are missing. A small metal post is placed into the jaw bone where the tooth once was and is topped with a replacement tooth. Dentures. A denture is a removable dental appliance for missing teeth. Made of acrylic resin over a metal frame, they can be created to replace a few, a row or a full set of teeth based on your needs.

To schedule an appointment today or learn more about Dream Works Dental and see the beautiful smiles Dr. Sukari McMiller has created, visit us today at www.dreamworksdentalcare.com.

Dr. Sukari McMiller proudly serves patients from Fayetteville and all surrounding areas.