Is Frozen Yogurt Healthy For Your Smile?

Remember to clean your teeth after every meal.

If you believe that frozen yogurt is better for your health than ice-cream, you may want to think again! While frozen yogurt may be healthier for your diet, it is not good for your teeth. Frozen yogurt contains a variety of sugars that can lead to tooth decay.

Contained within the ingredients of frozen yogurt resides evaporated cane juice. Evaporated cane juice is another form of sugar, and should never be referred to as a "healthy" sugar. Both contain molasses, but evaporated cane juice has a somewhat lower percentage.

Regardless of the types of sugar you eat, when you consume food containing sugar you are putting yourself at risk of getting cavities. Sugar is a leading contributor to dental decay which can lead to other dental diseases. Don't feel like you need to eliminate frozen yogurt all together, but realize that the "health benefits" of frozen yogurt also include risks to your dental health.

Have you scheduled your next cleaning? Remember that twice yearly visits are the gold standard for a healthy smile. Call your Bellevue, WA dental experts at (425) 998-6998 today. We're here and waiting for your call!

Are You In Dental Pain?

Do you have tooth pain?

When you suffer from a tooth abscess, you will feel more than tooth pain

. The pain from the bacteria infection is often severe, and it can keep you from getting a good night’s sleep, in addition to stopping you from completing work at the office during the day. You could fall victim to a tooth abscess at any time, so it is best to be prepared in case it happens.

When you have a tooth cavity, it can cause an infection, known as an abscess. When bacteria grows a pus pocket will form. There is no specific region where an abscess can occur.

There are various symptoms that can alert you that a tooth abscess has arrived. Some of those signs include:

• Red Face and Mouth
• Swelling
• Tenderness
• Gum Inflammation
• Pus Drainage
• Pain…and lots of it.

You can rinse your mouth out with warm water if you are suffering from a dental abscess. To treat the pain, you can purchase naproxen or ibuprofen, but these anti-inflammatory medicines will provide a small – if any – amount of relief. The pain may stop temporarily, but the infection is still alive and well. You will need to consult with a dentist as soon as possible to treat your infection, and get you back to work, and resting without issue during the night.

Keep in mind that if a tooth abscess goes untreated, it could lead to a more severe dental issue. This condition can spread, and cause you to become extremely ill. Some individuals who do not treat their tooth abscess have had to be hospitalized.  

Have you scheduled your next cleaning? Remember that twice yearly visits are the gold standard for a healthy smile. Call your Bellevue, WA dental experts at (425) 998-6998 today. We're here and waiting for your call!

Will The Best Toothbrush Please Stand Up?

How Do You Choose Your
Toothbrush?

Everyone knows that choosing a dentist is important, but dental care outside of your Bellevue, WA dentist's office is equally important. If you put a lot of thought into your teeth, finding the best toothbrush is just as important as finding the best dentist. Both will have a huge impact on your smile, so it is best to get it right.

The days of the simple nylon bristled toothbrushes have long gone, and now we have electrical powered toothbrushes, in addition to disposable toothbrushes.

Size matters when you are choosing a toothbrush. You need to find a toothbrush head that is one-inch tall, and half an inch wide. Next you will need to browse the bristle varieties. Soft bristles are more popular, because they are comfortable. If you are a heavy brusher, you will want to avoid hard or medium bristle brushes, because the heavy brushing can cause damage to your mouth.

Heavy brushers who use a medium or hard bristle brush are more likely to damage their:

• Protective Tooth Enamel
• Gums
• Root Surface

Parents should purchase a soft bristle brush with a small head for children.

Before you place that toothbrush in your shopping cart, look over the recommendations. You do not want to purchase a toothbrush that has not been tested for safety, regardless of how expensive – or cheap – it is. Fancy toothbrushes may be the most stylish, but they are not the best. If you do not see a Seal of Approval from the American Dental Association, do not purchase the toothbrush.

Have you scheduled your next cleaning? Remember that twice yearly visits are the gold standard for a healthy smile. Call your Bellevue, WA dental experts at (425) 998-6998 today. We're here and waiting for your call!

Restoring Your Smile With Full Mouth Reconstruction

Restore Your Smile To Its Natural Beauty

Full mouth reconstruction is a term often used to describe the process of restoring all teeth in the mouth.  Full mouth reconstruction can involve general dentists and specialists such as pedondontists (for restoring teeth in young children), periodontists (specializing in gums and dental implant placement), oral surgeons (to remove teeth or place implants), orthodontists who specialize in tooth movement and positioning, and endodontists (specializing in tooth pulp).

When is full mouth reconstruction needed?

1 - When teeth have been lost due to decay or trauma.

2 - When teeth have been injured or fractured, or are severely worn due to acid erosion or bruxism (grinding).

3 - In occurrences of jaw, muscle, and headache pain requiring adjustment to occlusion.

Before a full mouth reconstruction begins, your dentist at Cooley Smiles will meet with you for a consultation and comprehensive examination to determine the extent of dental decay and to review the treatment options that can correct the problem. Call us today at (425) 998-6998 to learn more!

Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives!

First Year Dental Visit

In August of 2012, the Ad Council joined with The Partnership for Health Mouths, Healthy Lives, a coalition of more than 35 leading dental health organizations, to debut Kids’ Healthy Mouths. Dental decay is the most common chronic childhood disease with more than 16 million kids suffering from untreated tooth decay in the U.S., oral disease is estimated to cause kids to miss 51 million school hours and their parents to lose 25 million work hours annually, and disproportionately affects children from low-income families. 

At Cooley Smiles Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we recommend children have their first dental visit by age 1 as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (www.aapd.org), and maintain regular 6 month cleaning appointments for exams. Parents and their children can visit www.2min2x.org to watch entertaining videos and listen to music, while children are brushing their teeth. Make oral health part of your New Year’s Resolution.!

Call us today at (425) 998-6998 to schedule your child's appointment!

5 Ways to A Beautiful Smile!

Have the Smile of Your Dreams!

Cosmetic dentistry offers many options for people who are unhappy with their smile. There are five main ways to improve your smile for a natural and beautiful effect.

1 - Composite bonding: Using tooth colored composite material, your dentist can apply this to the surface of the tooth to repair chipped, broken, discolored, or decayed teeth. Learn more...

2 - Composite fillings: These fillings are tooth colored and require less tooth removal than traditional silver (amalgam) fillings. Many people choose to have their amalgam (silver) fillings replaced with composite for a more natural look.

3 - Dental Veneers: Composite or porcelain veneers are adhesively bonded to the anterior (front) of the tooth to repair chips and cracks, or to correct severe tooth discoloration. 

4 - Teeth Whitening: Our teeth often become stained from smoking, foods, and poor oral hygiene. Using specialized whitening bleach either in the office or a lower-strength product at home, lightening your teeth can take years off your smile.

5 - Smile Makeover: These involved a comprehensive assessment of your oral health and your smile goals to improve your overall appearance. During a smile makeover, several dental procedures may be required to achieve the look you want.

At Cooley Smiles, our doctors will meet with you for a personalized consultation to evaluate your smile needs and goals, and create a plan to help you achieve the smile of your dreams. Call us today at (425) 998-6998 to schedule your consultation and find out more!

Dental Implants - Art, Experience & Science

Dental Implants -
Merging Art, Experience, & Science

Implant dentistry merges art and experience with science to create naturally functioning replacement teeth. A dental implant serves as a replacement for the root or roots of a tooth. Like tooth roots, dental implants are secured in the jawbone and are not visible once placed. Implants are made of titanium, which has a special property of fusing to bone. This fusion is called “osseointegration” and is the basis of dental implant success. Dental implants have the highest success rate of any implanted surgical device. To learn more about the dental implant process, click here.

When teeth are lost, the bone that supported those roots is lost too. Placing implants stabilizes this bone, and prevents bone loss. Implants help maintain the jawbone’s shape, and supports the overal facial structure of the skeleton. Dental implants help you eat, chew, talk; all in a completely natural fashion.

To learn more about whether dental implants are the right option for you, call us at (425) 998-6998 to schedule your personalized consultation with our doctors. We look forward to creating a natural, beautiful smile that you've always dreamed of!