Toast the New Year without Worrying About Red Wine Tooth Stains

The end of the year is almost upon us, and while some people may feel that it has come too soon, that will not stop most from celebrating and toasting the end of this year and the beginning of the next. With that glass of red wine, however, comes the risk of red wine staining your teeth. Austin dentist, Dr. Van Wicklen, explains how you can protect your smile while you enjoy a glass or several of red wine.

How Red Wine Stains Your Teeth

Various cosmetic dentistry options can help you erase stains from your teeth and restore life to your smile. However, prevention is the best method to a bright smile, and understanding how red wine stains your teeth will prepare you to better protect your teeth. The most obvious reason for staining is the wine’s dark pigment, which is dictated by molecules called chromogens. These molecules have a penchant for clinging to your tooth’s enamel, and red wine’s acidity makes this easier by softening your tooth enamel. By neutralizing acid and minimizing your teeth’s exposure to chromogens, you can reduce risk of red wine accompanying your teeth into the New Year. (more…)

Austin Dentist Explores the Usefulness of Baking Soda

If dentistry had superstars, baking soda would be on the A-list. Also known as sodium bicarbonate, baking soda has many uses outside of dental care, from cleaning multiple surfaces throughout your house to eliminating offensive odors. Its myriad uses, however, do not diminish its effectiveness at keeping your teeth clean and healthy. In times past, people would brush their teeth with baking soda to take advantage of its cleaning power, and today it is a common ingredient in many popular toothpastes. To understand baking soda’s success, Austin dentist Dr. Van Wicklen explores why it is so effective at tooth care.

Abrasion—Tiny Toothbrushes

Baking soda would probably not be as effective if it were not abrasive (rough when rubbed against something). While too much abrasion can damage your tooth enamel and structure, the American Dental Association (ADA) agrees that toothpaste without any abrasive power is largely ineffective at cleaning teeth. When mixed with water, baking soda releases molecules that act as tiny toothbrushes, scrubbing away minor tooth stains that develop from everyday use and dark-colored foods and beverages, effectively cleaning and brightening your smile. (more…)

More Tooth Tips for Thanksgiving Dinner, from Your Austin Dentist

Last week, we explained the dangers your teeth face this Thanksgiving, and discussed a study that suggests cranberries can help you fight tooth decay. Since tomorrow is the big day, we’d like to take the time to suggest some other dishes, herbs, and spices that can help benefit your oral health. We hope these tips from Austin dentist Dr. Van Wicklen helps your teeth stay strong this season, and beyond. Enjoy!

Eat For Your Teeth’s Sake

  • Turkey—Luckily, the typical main Thanksgiving course is one of your teeth’s strongest supporters. The succulent bird contains ample amounts of phosphorous, which your tooth enamel needs to remain strong. It also contains calcium, which serves the same purpose as well as strengthening your jawbone, where your teeth’s roots are anchored.
  • Cheese—As a dairy product, cheese is also rich in calcium and phosphate. Eating cheese will bathe your teeth in these minerals, and the extra protection against acid erosion may protect you from one or more cavities during your feast.
  • Cranberries—As we mentioned in last week’s article, cranberries contain compounds that inhibit bacteria’s ability to form dental plaque. Without this sticky protective biofilm, bacteria cannot produce as much acid, and the threat to your teeth’s integrity is significantly lessened. (more…)

Austin Dentist Warns: Beware the Uninvited Thanksgiving Dinner Guests

Dinner tables will be crowded with friends and family this Thanksgiving, most of them smiling and happy to be together (hopefully). Many families, however, will also have to endure the presence of the black sheep—the one (or more) family member that always seems to cause trouble and tension, and most family members tolerate simply because they have to. Even if your family is blessed to be free of any black sheep, there will be plenty of guests around the table that you will not want there, and that will increasingly cause trouble as the night progresses. You can’t see these guests, but if you’re not careful, the damage they cause will leave no doubt that they’re there. Austin dentist, Dr. Steven Van Wicklen, introduces you to a multitude of uninvited and unwanted dinner guests—oral bacteria.

Who Invited the S. Mutans?

Of the more-than-600 different identifiable kinds of bacteria in your mouth, experts have singled out the strain Streptococcus mutans as the main cause of tooth decay. The strain earns this accolade by converting sugars and carbs, which are present in a wide variety of foods, into lactic acid, which erodes your tooth enamel. Every time you eat, S. mutans extracts its meal from yours and excretes acid onto your teeth as thanks. Tooth enamel is strong, in fact it’s the strongest substance your body produces, but it is not indestructible. The weight of continuous acid exposure will eventually make enamel too weak to repel oral bacteria, and when these germs reach the underlying layer of dentin (the main part of your tooth), decay and infection soon follow. Unfortunately, S. mutans inhabits the mouth, so you’re stuck with it like an annoying family member. (more…)

Austin Dentist Discusses the Connection Between Bone and Oral Health

As we grow older, parts of our bodies grow weaker and require attention to continue in good health. Your bones, which provide the framework for your entire body, are no exception. Time, nature, habits, and diet can all play a role in decreasing bone density, and illnesses that affect the strength of your bones are not uncommon. In fact, ten million Americans are affected by osteoporosis alone, and another 34 million have low enough bone density to place them at risk. While your teeth may not be made of bone, as some believe, your entire oral structure rests on supportive bone—your jawbone.  Studies now show that your oral health may be linked to osteoporosis in other ways, as well. Austin dentist, Dr. Steven Van Wicklen, explores the connection.

Osteoporosis and Gum Disease

For decades, scientists have been aware of a link between your oral health and your physical wellbeing. Research continues across the globe attempting to discover the intricacies of oral and physical health in the hopes that fully understanding the relationship will lead to innovative treatments, preventions, and possibly cures for our worst illnesses. In one such study, researchers discovered a definite link between bone loss and gum disease by examining the bone density and oral health of 2,599 postmenopausal women. The results of the study did not determine whether one caused the other, but raised awareness that maintaining a clean and healthy mouth can benefit your overall health by reducing your risk of serious disease. (more…)

South Austin Dentist Discusses the Psychology of Smiling

Smiles come in all different shapes and sizes. Many people simply lump all smiles together, but psychologically, not all smiles translate into the same type of expression. People react differently to various stimuli by producing smiles. However, not all smiles fall into the category of genuine. Smiles can conceal deceit or simply serve as a way to alleviate tension. Your South Austin dentist, Dr. Steven Van Wicklen, discusses the psychology of smiling.

Duchenne Smiles

Initial studies on the psychology of smiling occurred in the mid-1800s. Guillame Duchenne, a French anatomist, catalogued and published books regarding various types of smiles. Most notably, Duchenne determined that a truly genuine smile only occurred when the orbicularis oculi kicks into action. The orbicularis oculi surrounds the eye and causes the face to form crow’s feet for a couple seconds when smiling. For his discovery, the genuine smile is commonly referred to as a “Duchenne smile.”

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Smokeless Tobacco Causes Oral Cancer

The fact that tobacco causes cancer may come as no shock to most people. While tobacco is derived from a plant, by the time it hits store shelves it contains thousands of additional chemicals, some of which may surprise and disturb you. Dental professionals know well that tobacco, whether smoked or chewed, can be a major contributing factor to some of the most destructive oral health issues, including severe periodontitis (advanced gum disease) and oral cancer. In fact, scientists from the Masonic Cancer Center of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis have identified the main culprit in smokeless tobacco that causes oral cancer. Austin dentist, Dr. Steven Van Wicklen, explains the research and how scientists were able to pinpoint the carcinogenic.

How Serious is Oral Cancer?

Although oral cancer is typically one of the lesser-discussed cancers, it is newly- diagnosed in about 40,000 people every year. Oral cancer also claims the lives of over 8,000 people yearly, equaling roughly one person every hour of every day. Five years after diagnosis, only about 57% of oral cancer patients are still alive, due mainly to late detection. It is deadlier than many of the more discussed cancers, such as cervical, skin, and breast cancers. (more…)

Do You Have Toothaches During Allergy or Cold Season?

If you find yourself with a toothache during allergy or cold season, the reason may not be a dental problem at all. The culprit may be a sinus infection, also called sinusitis. Sinus infections may cause pressure in the sinus cavities so intense that you feel pain in the roots of your teeth, creating what is known as a sinus toothache.

How Your Sinuses Can Cause Toothaches

Your maxillary sinuses are hollow chambers adjacent to your upper jaw bone. When you have a cold or allergy flare up, bacteria accumulates in these chambers, and infection develops. If the sinus cavities fail to drain, pressure builds. This pressure intensifies into your cheeks, and soon you feel pain in your upper back teeth.

How You Can Tell a Dental Toothache from a Sinus Toothache

Since your sinuses are located so close to your upper jaw, confusion often arises about the true pain source. Ask yourself these questions to pinpoint the problem:

  • Have you recently experienced a stuffy nose, headache, fever, sore throat, or a feeling of fullness in your ears? These are symptoms of sinus infection and could mean that your toothache is not dental in origin.
  • Do you practice good oral hygiene and maintain a regular schedule of dental checkups and dental cleanings? If so, it’s likely that your toothache pain is actually sinusitis.

Treatment for a Sinus Toothache

Because a sinus toothache feels like a dental toothache, you may turn to your dentist for help. Upon hearing your symptoms, Austin dentist Dr. Steven Van Wicklen will refer you to your physician, who can provide the necessary treatment.

Sinusitis can be treated in a variety of ways. Your doctor may prescribe decongestants, pain medication, and antibiotics, or recommend you do the following:

  • Use a humidifier to moisten the surrounding air. This helps to loosen any dried secretions accumulated in your sinuses.
  • Use a nasal spray containing phenylephrine or ephedrine.
  • Take an over-the counter oral decongestant such as Sudafed.

Once treated, you may feel better in just a few days. However, it might take up to a week for your symptoms to completely disappear, depending on the severity of infection.

Schedule a dental appointment with our south Austin dentist, Dr. Van Wicklen, by calling 512-448-3131. We are happy to serve the cities of Austin, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Bastrop, Bee Cave, Cedar Park, and communities near the 78704 zip code.

Austin Dentist Offers One-Visit Crowns

When damage or decay in a tooth is too extensive for a filling to repair, Austin dentist Dr. Steven Van Wicklen will probably suggest a dental crown. Crowns cover an injured tooth to strengthen the remaining structure. A dental crown may be fabricated with precious metal, zirconia, or tooth-colored porcelain. As an Austin cosmetic dentist, Dr. Van Wicklen prefers to use ceramic when possible, because it looks natural. Front teeth are best suited for porcelain. Molars may require a more durable material (metal or zirconia) because of the intense pressure they endure when you chew food.

Placement of a permanent crown used to require multiple dental visits and a period of waiting in between. During the time between appointments, a temporary crown was worn. The temporary could break or become dislodged, in which case the patient needed an emergency dental visit to replace the temporary. The inconvenience of two visits for a dental crown is no longer necessary. (more…)

What to Do for a Dental Emergency in Austin

Our South Austin dentist understands that Austinites are adventurous people. Whether your stand-up paddleboarding on Lady Bird Lake, climbing Enchanted Rock, or taking a dip in Barton Creek, we want you to be prepared for a dental emergency. That’s why our South Austin dentist, Dr. Van Wicklen, offers emergency dental appointments. Dr. Van Wicklen will also give these tips for handling a dental injury.

How to Deal with an Avulsed Tooth

A knocked out tooth, or avulsed tooth, can be a chaotic and serious dental injury. By keeping calm and following these steps swiftly, you can achieve the best possible outcome for your situation. The key to handling a knocked out tooth is to do so safely and quickly. Our Austin dentist has a better chance of helping you reconnect an knocked out tooth within the first thirty minutes of avulsion.

Schedule an Emergency Dental Appointment

If the patients is unconscious or otherwise severely injured, dial 9-1-1, otherwise, call our dental office in South Austin right away at 512-448-3131. Recover the knocked out tooth by holding it by the crown. Do not touch the tooth roots where sensitive connective tissues are attached. Rinse the tooth in room temperature water without scrubbing or using any cleaning agents. Rinse the patient’s mouth of blood or debris.

Protect the Knocked Out Tooth

Storing the tooth in a moist, sterile place is vital to protecting the avulsed tooth. Hold the tooth in a glass of lukewarm milk, keep the knocked out tooth a container of saline solution, or place the tooth between the patient’s cheek and gums if these liquids are not available. (more…)