If your teeth have a few flaws ? a crooked or chipped tooth, or discoloured, or maybe upper teeth that are a bit too long? Your dentist can help correct these problems, and give you a smile makeover. In some cases, dental veneers are the perfect solution.

• Veneers are ultra-thin, custom-made shells shaped like your teeth. We create them from porcelain or a resin composite.
• These very thin shells will be bonded to the front of your teeth.
• Veneers can change thecolour, shape, and size of a tooth ? improving appearance greatly.

With veneers, you can get a quick smile makeover that lasts a long time. Patients walk away smiling at the difference. Everyone loves having a better-looking smile. Especially if you?ve put up with bad teeth for awhile. Right?

READ MORE:

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/veneers#1-2

Did you know that a sparkling smile can land you a job? 58 percent of applicants are more likely to get a job offer if their teeth are white.

Key takeaways:

• �A bright smile will help you get more dates and secure a dream job. A sparkling smile certainly helps you to stand out.
• �Avoid dark-colored foods and energy drinks, and don't use baking soda products to clean teeth.
• �Eat raw fruits and vegetables, change your toothbrush regularly, and brush your tongue.

Although they?re a good go-to for vitamin C, citrus fruits, such as lemons and limes, contain acid that erodes tooth enamel. This can make teeth stain more easily. The fix? Make sure to rinse your mouth out with water immediately after eating these fruits to wash the destructive acid off your teeth.

Read the full story here

http://www.menshealth.com/grooming/surprising-ways-to-whiten-teeth

Pacifiers are available in different types; the conventional and the orthodontic pacifiers. Orthodontic pacifiers are more flattened in shape to aid alignment of the jaw.

Key takeaways:

• Choose a pacifier that will not affect the development of the jaw or tooth alignment. The pacifier should also not come apart when in the mouth.
• In the first few months, clean the gums with gauze. Rubbing the gums also helps during teething.
• Once teeth appear, ensure that your child is brushing twice every day with fluoride toothpaste.

Orthodontic pacifiers are supposed to keep your baby's jaws in proper alignment, but Delarosa says that the frequency, intensity, and duration of sucking are more likely to affect your child's bite than a pacifier type. Use whichever one your baby prefers.

Read the full story here

www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/baby-gums-teeth#1

Wisdom teeth may partially come through and present problems. The teeth may allow bacteria to enter the gums and cause an infection to occur.

Key takeaways:

• Wisdom teeth refer to the third set of molars that will appear between the ages of 17 and 21 years.
• The appearance of wisdom teeth is linked to problems especially if there is no space for them to grow.
• Wisdom teeth are permanent teeth and may need to be removed if there is pain, infection, cysts, tooth decay, gum disease, and even for dental procedures such as insertion of braces.

Wisdom teeth that are not removed should continue to be monitored because the potential for developing problems later on still exists. As people age, they are at greater risk for health problems?and that includes potential problems with their wisdom teeth.

Read the full story here

http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/w/wisdom-teeth

Teeth grinding is linked with temporomandibular joint disorder, and can seriously damage teeth.

Key takeaways:

• You will know that you have bruxism if you wake up with tense jaw or a dull headache in the morning.
• Constant teeth grinding will prove to be a major problem for the teeth. Worn out tooth enamel will lead to sensitivity and even chipped teeth.
• Teeth grinding can be managed by reducing stress, avoiding alcohol and caffeine, and getting a mouth guard to protect the teeth.

TMJ is not necessarily a cause of grinding, though. ?People who have chronic TMJ pain are more likely to grind their teeth,? says Dr. Wadhwa. ?However, it?s a chicken and egg argument. We don?t know if TMJ pain causes one to grind their teeth or vice versa.?

Read the full story here

http://www.menshealth.com/health/teeth-grinding

Do you know the best practices that will ensure that your children have healthy baby and adult teeth? Care for baby teeth is equally important.

Key takeaways:

• �Baby teeth have thinner and less resilient enamel making the teeth vulnerable to sugars and bacteria that cause tooth decay.
• Early childhood decay is associated with regular consumption of sugary drinks in baby bottles or sipping cups.
• Tooth decay in the baby teeth or primary teeth leads to abscesses that can affect the permanent teeth developing inside the gums.

High levels of consumption of sugar-containing food and drinks and low exposure to fluoride are the causes of tooth decay. Children in deprived areas are more likely to have higher rates of decay than children from more affluent areas, although the impact of this seems to be mitigated in areas where the water is fluoridated.

Read the full story here

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/baby-teeth-and-how-look-after-them

It is estimated that more than 6000 technological innovations were made during NASA?s space programs. Insulation technologies, computer microchips, and freeze dried foods are spinoffs from the space programs.

Key takeaways:

• Invisible dental braces were an invention of space programs. The transparent ceramic brace brackets make teeth-straightening less embarrassing.
• Space programs have pioneered technologies such as medical imaging such as the computed axial tomography (CAT) scan machines and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners.
• Ear thermometers were developed and first used by space scientists. It is a camera-like lens that detects infrared energy emitted as heat.

Freeze-dried food ? this reduces food weight and increases shelf life without sacrificing nutritional value, a vital invention to allow astronauts to survive in space. Its spin-offs, from freeze-dried fruit and vegetables to ready meals, can be found in any supermarket.

Read the full story here

https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/science/space-missions-deliver-giant-boost-earthbound-inventors/

Researchers have studied teeth and fragments of teeth collected from ancient burial sites. They used oxygen variability to map out where people lived in their life time.

Key takeaways:

• The teeth found at the sites were dated back to the Early Bronze Age and Chalcolithic periods (2500 to 1500BC).
• Tests carried out on collected tooth fragments using an oxygen isotope analysis of tooth enamel provided information as to where an individual lived when the tooth formed.
• Their findings were that the people of the time not only moved within their own country but also travelled within continental Europe.

The diversity is similar to what you would expect to find in medieval ports and cities. What we don?t know is whether they travelled within the UK or whether they also came to and from continental Europe as the isotopic signatures in Europe are similar to those found in Britain and Ireland. Dr Maura Pellegrini, School of Archaeology

Read the full story here

http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2016-10-07-ancient-britons-teeth-reveal-people-were-highly-mobile-4000-years-ago#

Age is a main risk factor for gum recession. It is estimated that up to 88 percent of people older than 65 have receding gums, a risk factor for tooth loss.

Key takeaways:

• Receding gums, also referred to as gingival recession, lead to exposure of roots of the tooth.
• Receding gums are linked to problems such as tooth sensitivity, infection, tooth decay, pain, and tooth loss.
• Gingival recession is caused by poor oral hygiene, physical wear, misaligned teeth, lip piercings, periodontal disease, and dental treatments.

Most cases of mild gum recession do not need treatment. Dentists may simply give advice about prevention and offer to monitor the gums. Teaching people how to brush gently but effectively is a good early intervention.

Read the full story here

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/312992.php

Teeth whitening is a form of dentistry and should only be performed by a dentist or another regulated dental professional, such as a dental hygienist or dental therapist, on the prescription of a dentist.

Some beauty salons offer teeth whitening, but this is illegal if there's no dental professional present, and it may put your oral health at risk.

You can also buy DIY home teeth whitening kits but these may also carry risks.

What happens during teeth whitening at the dentist?

If you have teeth whitening, you will need to make several visits to the dental surgery over a couple of months.

The dentist will take an impression of your teeth to make a mouthguard and will instruct you how to use it with a bleaching gel. Then, using your mouthguard at home, you regularly apply the gel for a specified period of time over two to four weeks. Some whitening gels can be left on for up to eight hours at a time, which shortens the treatment period to one week.

Another type of teeth whitening system that a dentist can provide is called laser whitening, which is also known as power whitening. This is where a bleaching product is painted onto your teeth and then a light or laser is shone on them to activate the whitening. Laser whitening takes about an hour.

Can any dentist whiten teeth?

Yes, provided they are registered with the General Dental Council. Registered dental therapists and dental hygienists can also carry out teeth whitening on the prescription of a dentist.

To find out if a dental professional is registered with the GDC you can check online or call 0207 167 6000.

What about home kits and beauty salons for teeth whitening?

Only go to a registered dental professional for teeth whitening because whitening by people who aren't qualified, for example in beauty salons, is illegal. Home kits also carry risks.

What are the risks of home kits and salon teeth whitening?

Some home kits don't contain enough of the whitening product to be effective. More generally, if a dental professional is not doing the whitening, the mouthguard provided may not fit properly so some of the bleaching gel may leak out onto your gums and into your mouth, causing blistering and sensitivity.

Where teeth whitening is carried out in beauty salons by staff without any training or dental qualifications it not only carries a risk to your oral health, but is also illegal.

Can you have your teeth whitened on the NHS?

You can only have your teeth whitened on the NHS if there's a medical reason for it. For example, this might be to lighten teeth that have discoloured because the nerve has died.

Otherwise, teeth whitening by a dentist or other dental professional can only be done privately because it's considered to be a cosmetic treatment. Costs vary and, as a general rule, laser whitening is more expensive than professional bleaching.

How do you go about getting teeth whitening?

Your dentist will advise you whether whitening is right for you. It may be that teeth whitening isn't suitable, for example if you have gum disease or crowns.

What questions should I ask the dentist before going ahead?

Don't be afraid to ask simple questions about the types of whitening treatment available, what results you can expect and whether the work is guaranteed for a certain amount of time. Also, ask them what they consider to be the risks in your particular case, for example increasing sensitivity of the teeth.

Try to talk to other people who have had the same treatment or visit another dentist for a second opinion until you feel confident. Always ask for a written treatment plan and price estimate before going ahead.

Is teeth whitening permanent?

No, teeth whitening isn't permanent. It can last from a few months to up to three years, but this varies from person to person. Generally, the whitening effect won't last as long if you smoke or drink red wine, tea or coffee, which can all stain your teeth.

Will teeth whitening work on false teeth?

No. Teeth whitening won't work on dentures, crowns, fillings or veneers.

What are the risks of teeth whitening?

No matter what treatment you use, there is a chance your gums can be sensitive to the chemicals used in teeth whitening, especially if you already have sensitive teeth. There's also a chance of burns to gums and some of the whitening kits used at home can harm tooth enamel.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/dentalhealth/Pages/teeth-whitening.aspx