Grand Prairie Dentist Discusses Wisdom Teeth Extraction

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Have you ever wondered why many people have their wisdom teeth removed? It seems strange that a large group of people all require the removal of a natural tooth. Yet extracting wisdom teeth can prevent many oral health problems including orthodontic problems and the possibility of infections. Here to explain why wisdom teeth extraction is often necessary is your Grand Prairie dentist, Dr. Quinn Smith.

Why Wisdom Teeth Are Removed

Wisdom teeth do not typically emerge until the late teenage years or early adulthood. When they do emerge, they are not always aligned properly. They may be turned to the side or at an angle, meaning that they can crowd nearby teeth, causing orthodontic problems. In these cases, extraction is the best option. Another situation that requires extraction occurs when wisdom teeth are impacted, which means that they remain enclosed in the soft tissue or only partially come through the gums. In cases of partial eruption, infection is a great risk because patients cannot adequately clean the tooth, yet bacteria can enter the opening and wreak havoc in the forms of tooth decay, infection, and gum disease.

What to Expect from an Extraction

If your Grand Prairiedentist, Dr. Smith, decides that your wisdom teeth need to be extracted, he will employ one of two sedation methods: oral sedation or nitrous oxide. Oral sedation involves taking a pill the night before extraction and one more pill an hour before the procedure. With nitrous oxide, patients inhale the gas during the procedure. Once the sedatives begin to work, Dr. Smith will quickly and efficiently extract the teeth. Following the procedure, he will provide instructions about how to care for your mouth so that the empty socket heals properly.

Schedule a Visit with Your Grand Prairie Dentist

If you experience swelling or pain in the area of your wisdom teeth, they may require extraction in order to ensure the continuation of your oral health. Schedule an appointment or a consultation with your Grand Prairiedentist, Dr. Smith, today by calling 972-262-5111. Our 75052 dental office welcomes patients from Grand Prairie, Arlington, South Dallas, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, and surrounding communities.

filed under: General Dentistry, Grand Prairie Dentist

Grand Prairie Dentist Discusses How Your Diet Impacts Your Oral Health

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Your diet can have a major impact on your oral health. So when you are choosing between foods, it is important to know whether your choice will be feeding you or the bacteria that cause tooth decay.  Here to discuss how diet can impact your oral health is your Grand Prairie dentist, Dr. Quinn Smith.

Vitamin D and Your Mouth

Recent research indicates that vitamin D may help to prevent cavities. In a series of trials that have spanned over sixty years, researchers have found that people with greater levels of vitamin D suffer from 50 percent less tooth decay. To get more vitamin D, try eating tuna and salmon as well as liver oils. You may also consider taking a supplement of vitamin D.

Sugar and Your Mouth

One of the best things you can do to keep your mouth and body healthy is to avoid sugar-heavy foods. These foods not only have little nutritional value but they also feed bacteria in the mouth. When bacteria consume sugar, they produce an acid byproduct that is capable of wearing away tooth enamel. Continued decay can result in a cavity or even infection of the pulp and tooth loss. Thus, a diet low in sugars is beneficial to your mouth.

Treating Tooth Decay

If you do suffer from tooth decay, it is important that you seek prompt dental care. Your Grand Prairie general dentist, Dr. Smith, offers both composite (white) and amalgam (silver) fillings. Both fillings are capable of preventing further tooth decay. However, composite fillings are generally a better choice for children, pregnant women, and anyone who suffers an allergy to mercury. Composite fillings also yield better cosmetic results because the resin used to fill the tooth is tooth-colored.

Schedule a Visit with Your Grand Prairie General Dentist

Regular dental visits can help keep cavities at bay. However, if you do suffer from tooth decay, a dental filling can help repair the damage. Schedule a visit with your Grand Prairie general dentist, Dr. Smith, today by calling 972-262-5111. Our 75052 dental office welcomes patients from Grand Prairie, Arlington, South Dallas, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, and surrounding communities.

filed under: General Dentistry, Grand Prairie Dentist

Grand Prairie Dentist Answers Your Zoom! Whitening FAQs

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Yellow teeth have a bigger impact on people than they would sometimes care to admit. The truth is that if you are embarrassed by the color of your teeth, you are not likely to enjoy your life. After coming to that realization, then next logical step is to find the means to whiten your teeth. However, with so many treatments available, it can be difficult to choose between them. Here with some much needed information is your Grand Prairie dentist, Dr. Quinn Smith. He answers your most frequently asked questions about Zoom! Whitening.

What is Zoom! Whitening?

Zoom! Whiteningis a professional grade whitening treatment offered by your Grand Prairie cosmetic dentist, Dr. Smith. Zoom! lightens teeth an average of eight shades and provides long-lasting and instant results.

What does Zoom! Whitening involve?

The Zoom! Whitening procedure takes about 45 minutes to complete. If you choose to have your teeth whitened with Zoom!, Dr. Smith will begin by covering your lips and gums to ensure that only your teeth are exposed to the treatment. Once your lips and gums are covered, Dr. Smith will apply the whitening gel to your teeth, which he will activate with a special light. As soon as the gel is activated by the light, your teeth will begin the whitening process. Dr. Smith will complete this procedure in 3-4 cycles, each lasting about 15 minutes.

Will my new smile last?

With proper care and maintenance, it certainly will. After your treatment, Dr. Smith will send you home with a touchup kit of take-home whitening trays and a whitening gel. You can use the kit any time you need a touchup to keep your smile radiant and white.

Schedule a Visit with Your Grand Prairie Cosmetic Dentist

Do you hide your smile out of embarrassment? Stop hiding and start living today. Schedule an appointment or a consultation to discuss Zoom! Whitening with your Grand Prairie dentist, Dr. Smith, today by calling 972-262-5111. Our 75052 dental office welcomes patients from Grand Prairie, Arlington, South Dallas, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, and surrounding communities.

filed under: General Dentistry, Grand Prairie Dentist

Grand Prairie Dentist Talks Yellow Teeth

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If you have yellow teeth, you may be hiding your smile out of embarrassment. If so, your mood has probably gone south along with your self-esteem. The impact that smiling has on a person’s outlook is quite astounding. Smiling often can lead to a more positive outlook for you and the people around you. Unfortunately, you are not likely to smile if you are embarrassed by your teeth. But with professional teeth whitening, you have the power to change the way you feel about smiling. Your Grand Prairie dentist, Dr. Quinn Smith, discusses the transformative power of teeth whitening.

Whiter Teeth and Your Smile

Patients who whiten their teeth often feel a newfound freedom of expression in smiling. No longer do they have to worry about hiding their teeth behind their hands when they laugh or smile. Instead, they are free to enjoy moments and let their joyous feelings shine through. This dramatic change of attitude is often noted by others, making that new smile even more noticeable. So if you are ready for a transformation of mind and body, consider professional teeth whitening.

Teeth Whitening in Grand Prairie

Patients seeking brighter smiles have a couple of options for treatment depending on their preferences. Some of the more private patients choose to whiten their teeth in their own homes with take-home whitening kits. These kits include customized trays and a whitening gel that they wear over their teeth for a specified treatment time each day. At-home whitening is very effective, brightening teeth several shades. However, it often takes 2-3 weeks to show full results.

Other patients may opt for in-office whitening treatment, which takes only about an hour. For in office teeth whitening, your Grand Prairie cosmetic dentist, Dr. Smith, uses Zoom! whitening, which produces instant and long-lasting results.

Schedule a Visit with Your Grand Prairie Cosmetic Dentist

Are you ready to unleash a new smile and a new you?  Discuss your teeth whitening options with your Grand Prairie cosmetic dentist, Dr. Smith, today by calling 972-262-5111. Our 75052 dental office welcomes patients from Grand Prairie, Arlington, South Dallas, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, and surrounding communities.

filed under: General Dentistry, Grand Prairie Dentist

Grand Prairie Dentist Compares Zoom! Whitening with Professional Home Whitening

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If you have yellow teeth, you may be embarrassed to smile. Nothing sets off a beautiful smile like pearly white teeth. But with all of the treatments available to whiten teeth, how do you know which treatment is right for you? Your Grand Prairie dentist, Dr. Quinn Smith, compares Zoom! Whitening with professional home teeth whitening.

The Zoom! Whitening Process

Zoom! Whitening is a professional whitening procedure, offered by your Grand Prairie cosmetic dentist, that lightens teeth an average of eight shades in only 45 minutes. These results can have a stunning affect on the appearance of your smile. The procedure itself is safe and comfortable, and the results are immediate and long lasting.

When performing the Zoom! Whitening treatment, Dr. Smith will first cover your lips and gums, ensuring that only your teeth are exposed to the whitening treatment. He will then apply the Zoom! whitening gel to your teeth and apply the specially designed light to activate the gel. Once the gel is activated, it will begin to lift stains and discoloration from teeth. He will then repeat this process in 15-minute intervals for 3-4 cycles. Following this treatment, Dr. Smith may also provide you with a touch-up kit that includes take-home trays and whitening gel so that you can maintain your new, white smile.

Zoom! Whitening vs. Home Whitening

Zoom! Whitening lightens teeth more shades than professional home whitening. It also offers immediate results, whereas the results of home whitening take longer to show. The total treatment time for Zoom! is about 45 minutes. However, home whitening takes 2-3 weeks and requires at least an hour of treatment per day. If you want great results in the fastest time possible, Zoom! Whitening may be right for you.

Schedule a Visit with Your Grand Prairie Cosmetic Dentist

Don’t let yellow teeth keep your smile under wraps. Consider Zoom! Whitening to restore your smile to pearly whiteness. Schedule a visit with your Grand Prairie cosmetic dentist, Dr. Smith, today by calling 972-262-5111. Our 75052 dental office welcomes patients from Grand Prairie, Arlington, South Dallas, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, and surrounding communities.

filed under: General Dentistry, Grand Prairie Dentist

Grand Prairie Dentist Discusses Fillings

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Any bacteria that linger in your mouth will consume traces of sugars and carbohydrates. When they do, they produce an acid byproduct that is capable of wearing down tooth enamel. With less enamel, a tooth’s defenses are compromised, and it can eventually succumb to tooth decay. The result of such tooth decay may be a cavity. In order to prevent a cavity from worsening, it must be filled, and today that means a choice between two fillings commonly referred to as silver fillings and white fillings. Your Grand Prairie dentist, Dr. Quinn Smith, differentiates between the two and discusses the process of filling teeth.

White Fillings vs. Silver Fillings

Your Grand Prairiedentist, Dr. Smith, offers both white fillings and silver fillings to restore damaged teeth. Both types of fillings are effective, but there are a few differences worth noting between the two. White fillings are made of a tooth-colored composite resin. They offer nice cosmetic results that keep a filled tooth from standing out next to unfilled teeth. Silver fillings, also called amalgam fillings, are made up of a combination of different types of metals. Included in these metals is a bit of mercury that aids in making the metals malleable so that they can be shaped. However, the presence of mercury makes an amalgam filling a bad option for children, pregnant women, and anyone who is sensitive to mercury.

Filling a Tooth

When filling a tooth, Dr. Smith will first administer a sedative. He may also use nitrous oxide. Next, he will scrape away and remove any decayed material from the tooth before placing the filing material, either the resin or the amalgam into the cavity. Next, he will dry the filling material and take an impression of the filled tooth to look for any rough edges. Lastly, he will smooth and polish the filling.

Schedule a Visit with Your Grand Prairie Dentist

If you have a cavity, a white filling can restore your tooth and yield fantastic cosmetic results. Schedule an appointment with your Grand Prairie dentist, Dr. Smith, today by calling 972-262-5111. Our 75052 dental office welcomes patients from Grand Prairie, Arlington, South Dallas, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, and surrounding communities.

filed under: Dentist, Grand Prairie Dentist

Grand Prairie Dentist Discusses the Importance of Mouth Guards

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If you play a contact sport, padding is very important. Imagine taking a hit from a safety without pads. Or imagine the way a hockey puck would feel if a slap shot hit you in the shins when you weren’t wearing shin guards. You probably wouldn’t step onto a football field or a hockey rink without pads, but if you play these sports without mouth guards, you are inviting the same kinds of pain and calamity. Without a mouth guard, a fun afternoon of sport could turn into a dental emergency. Your Grand Prairie dentist, Dr. Quinn Smith, explains how mouth guards can prevent several kinds of dental emergencies.

Mouth Guards and Athletics

Mouth guards protect your teeth and mouth from damage during tough athletic events. If you are jarred from contact, your mouth may snap shut, inflicting heavy forces on your teeth. If these forces are strong enough, teeth could fracture or even be knocked out. However, a mouth guard works to absorb these forces and protect teeth despite contact.

Yet a mouth guard doesn’t just protect teeth. Mouth guards prevent other oral injuries like a bitten tongue or lip. If serious enough, these injuries may require a hospital visit. However, if you wear a mouth guard, the likelihood of these injuries is reduced near zero.

Newer mouth guards have still other benefits in addition to preventing dental emergencies. Some companies claim that their mouth guards improve athletic performance by ensuring that the jaw is properly aligned. A correctly positioned jaw reduces stress and allows muscles to perform at their highest caliber.

What to Do in Case of a Dental Emergency

If you do experience a dental emergency such as a cracked, broken, or lost tooth, contact your Grand Prairie emergency dentist, Dr. Smith, immediately. Be sure to rinse your mouth, and in the event of a lost tooth, locate the tooth, wash it, and replace it in its socket. If you bite your lip or tongue and bleeding persists, seek emergency medical help.

Visit Your Grand Prairie Emergency Dentist

If you experience a dental emergency, prompt care is vital. Call your Grand Prairie emergency dentist, Dr. Smith, at 972-262-5111. Our 75052 dental office welcomes patients from Grand Prairie, Arlington, South Dallas, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, and surrounding communities.

filed under: General Dentistry, Grand Prairie Dentist

Grand Prairie Dentist: Get Your Ideal Smile Fast with Lumineers

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When you examine your teeth, do you see a crowded thicket of gnarled and worn teeth? Do you want to see perfectly ordered, pearly white rows instead? The prospect of a lot of dental work may be daunting. After all, no one wants to spend a lifetime in the dental chair. We want quick results so that we have time to enjoy them. Well, look no farther for a quick smile than Lumineers. Your Grand Prairie dentist, Dr. Quinn Smith, explains how Lumineers can transform your teeth from crowded thicket to ordered pickets in record time.

What Are Lumineers?

Lumineers are a kind of porcelain veneer that requires very little preparation of the teeth to which they are attached. Lumineers bond to the front surface of teeth to mask a wide variety of cosmetic problems. Because all that is required is for them to be attached, they offer a much quicker alternative to orthodontic or restorative dental work. Whether teeth are stained, pitted, crooked, crowded, or chipped, Lumineers can give you a beautiful smile.

Lumineers vs. Traditional Porcelain Veneers

Traditional porcelain veneers require each tooth to be prepared for the attachment of the veneer. Preparation often means grinding or shaving teeth before attaching the veneers. Lumineers, on the other hand, do not require any grinding or shaving, meaning that the process of applying Lumineers can be reversed without damage to your teeth.

Lumineers in Grand Prairie

Your Grand Prairie cosmetic dentist, Dr. Smith, can reinvigorate your smile with Lumineers in just two visits. During the first appointment, he will make a mold of your teeth and confer with you about the exact shade of your new Lumineers. During the second visit, he will place and bond them to your teeth, and you will leave with a brand new smile.

Schedule a Visit with Your Grand Prairie Cosmetic Dentist

Are you tired of the appearance of your teeth? Get the smile you have always wanted with Lumineers. Call your Grand Prairie cosmetic dentist, Dr. Smith, at 972-262-5111. Our 75052 dental office welcomes patients from Grand Prairie, Arlington, South Dallas, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, and surrounding communities.

filed under: Family Dentist, General Dentistry, Grand Prairie Dentist

Grand Prairie Dentist: Preserving a Knocked-Out Tooth

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You’re at a baseball game, enjoying the sunshine and a refreshing breeze. The grass is green, and the sky is blue. You turn to check the score on the scoreboard when suddenly you hear a loud crack as bat and ball collide. You turn your head and barely have time to register a white speck growing larger, screaming towards you. You brace for impact, and pain explodes across your face.

You’re in shock, trying to comprehend the pain, and for a while, you don’t notice the gap that has manifested in your smile. You turn to a friend, who gasps and points to your mouth, and for the first time, you notice the absence. You find the tooth, dirty from the stadium floor, but with no water or milk nearby, what do you do? Your Grand Prairie dentist, Dr. Quinn Smith, shares tips for preserving a knocked-out tooth in difficult situations.

Preserving Your Lost Tooth

If you have a tooth knocked out in a place without water or milk nearby, your options are pretty limited. However, in order to preserve your tooth, you want to keep its root clean and moist, so in a situation like this, your best option may be to suck the dirt off of the tooth. (Just remember to rinse your mouth at the first opportunity.)

If you are at a place like a baseball stadium, where soda abounds, don’t succumb to the temptation to rinse your tooth with soda. The acid in soda could cause damage to your tooth.  Once you have cleaned your tooth, try to place it back in its socket, and if you are unable, try to keep the tooth in between your gum and cheek to keep the root moist. Then call your Grand Prairie emergency dentist, Dr. Smith, for dental assistance.

Schedule a Visit with Your Grand Prairie Emergency Dentist

If you experience a dental emergency, prompt care is vital. Call your Grand Prairie emergency dentist, Dr. Smith, at 972-262-5111. Our 75052 dental office welcomes patients from Grand Prairie, Arlington, South Dallas, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, and surrounding communities.

filed under: General Dentistry, Grand Prairie Dentist

Grand Prairie Dentist: A Healthy Mouth Can Mean a Healthy Heart

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Have you ever noticed how interconnected the body is? Its systems affect one another in numerous ways, and doctors continue to find links between two things that seem unrelated. Gum disease and heart disease are two of those things. Recently, doctors have found that gum disease patients are more likely to develop heart disease. Your GrandPrairie dentist, Dr. Quinn Smith, discusses this new research and what a healthy mouth can do for your heart.

What Do Gums and Hearts Have in Common?

The link that doctors have begun to accept between heart disease and gum disease is twofold. First, both diseases deal with inflammation. Gingivitis is the inflammation of the gums, and hardened arteries are the result of an inflammatory process. These two similarities led scientists to research further connections between the two diseases. This research prompted the discovery that gum disease patients are more likely to develop heart disease and clogged arteries. They are also more likely to suffer strokes. Many doctors are reluctant to accept this correlation, however, arguing that the patients without gum disease may simply take better care of themselves than patients with gum disease.

Tips for Warding Away Gum Disease

Even if the two diseases prove to be unrelated (though they do seem to be), oral health is still very important. Solid research has linked oral health to overall health, and a healthy mouth means a higher quality of life. Use the following tips to care for your teeth and fight against gum disease.

  • Brush twice a day, and floss once a day. Also, be sure to angle bristles toward the gum line.
  • Limit your sugar intake. Bacteria love sugar, and too much of it can cause tooth decay.
  • Visit Dr. Smith regularly. Checkups and cleaning are an important part of your oral health.

Schedule a Visit with Your Grand Prairie Dentist

Because your oral health can impact your overall health, regular dental visits are crucial. If you haven’t had a dental appointment in the past six months, it’s time for a checkup. Schedule a visit with your Grand Prairie dentist, Dr. Smith, today by calling 972-262-5111. Our 75052 dental office welcomes patients from Grand Prairie, Arlington, South Dallas, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, and surrounding communities.

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