Smile Makeover

Some people don’t celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with more enthusiasm than wearing a green shirt. And then there are other individuals who consider it their duty – because of ethnicity or patriotism or because they promised their friends – to indulge in the luck of the Irish. But celebrating the wrong way on March 17 can backfire on you, and your smile.

According to data provided by Sikka Software, emergency dental visits go up by 64 percent on March 18, and mostly for men. Overindulging in alcohol, getting into bar fights, falling on your face, getting in a car accident – any or all of these behaviors can do serious damage to your teeth, causing the need for restorative dentistry or cosmetic dentistry.

If you lose a tooth, you have to replace it – so you’re looking at a dental implant repair. Crack or chip a tooth and you will need a correction like a porcelain veneer or porcelain crown. Act out on St. Patty’s Day and you’re all but signing up for a smile makeover, even if you weren’t initially planning one. Is not brushing your teeth before bed really that bad? >>

Going Green Without Going Green

Because we are a country that likes to take tradition and push it as far as we can, green can be found everywhere on St. Patrick’s Day, and that includes in your foods and beverages. As a result, one of the biggest aesthetic issues that can result from St. Patrick’s Day overindulgence is all about the green – teeth.

Whether you find yourself tempted by green-colored baked goods, green frosting, green shakes, or green beer, you’re looking at a green color that is not always natural. The food coloring used to shade the majority of these delicious treats can do a number on your teeth.

So of course you’re wondering, green beer – is it OK to indulge? While the green food coloring isn’t going to do one lick of good for your teeth, there is some scientific research that has been done saying that hops leaves used to brew beer can be used to fight some dental disease. But there’s the important element – the hops leaves are used to brew the beer, and the antioxidants that are in the leaves are discarded after brewing, so beer drinkers are not really getting much benefit from the hops. And, of course, that green food coloring is going to stain your teeth something awful. Do you indulge at the risk of your oral health all year long? >>

Reversing Tooth Stains

When your teeth are stained – green or brown or yellow – there are a few options you have for correcting this problem. Professional teeth whitening is the first step – your dentist can tell you whether the stains you have are extrinsic (on the surface) or intrinsic (within the tooth). If the stains are surface-related, then a pro treatment can whiten your teeth tremendously, removing discoloration and giving you a gleaming, gorgeous smile, even if it’s not as straight as you might like it to be.

When the tooth stains that you’re dealing with are intrinsic and cannot be touched even with a professional whitening treatment, it’s time to discuss cosmetic dentistry options with your dentist. You may be a great candidate for porcelain veneers, which are contact-lens-thin pieces of porcelain that are bonded to your natural teeth, whitening, straightening, and transforming your smile to make it more uniform and attractive.

Make an appointment with Dr. Shaista Najmi at Ivory Dental in Jacksonville, Florida, to learn more about the smile makeover options that are right for you.

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