Dental Town DC Blog

Your teeth — and all the improvements you made to them, including straightening and veneers — change over the decades. They all need extra maintenance. Four common dental issues that come up frequently for seniors are stained teeth, dry mouth, gum disease, and oral cancer.

Stained, Dingy Teeth

Just as your skin thins with age, so does the hard, thick enamel that protects your teeth. When enamel thins, it becomes more transparent, revealing the naturally yellowish inner tooth (dentin). As you get older, teeth are also less resistant to the staining properties of foods, beverages, and tobacco. Our professional teeth whitening services with Philips Zoom! bleach your teeth from the inside out, whitening up to...

Around five million teeth get knocked out annually. The experienced dentists at Dental Town DC in Washington, DC, can save your tooth, but only if you take the appropriate steps to preserve it and get to our office quickly enough.

Don’t Panic

Any injury that knocks out a tooth is bound to be shocking. Do your best to stay calm. If you handle the tooth correctly, you have approximately one hour of viability. Call our office immediately, letting us know what happened and that you’re on your way.

Handle with Care

Take care to only touch the crown — the part that’s visible while your tooth is in your jaw. Touching the root can damage...

Children need to take the same kind of consistent care of their teeth that adults do, but they have extra challenges. That’s why our team at Dental Town DC offers pediatric dentistry, starting even before your baby’s first tooth.

Kids Eat Candy and Sweets

Sugar is the main culprit in cavities and tooth decay. Sugar interacts with bacteria in plaque, which produce acid that erodes the protective enamel, causing cavities. Encourage your child to minimize sugary snacks and beverages. If they do consume them, have them rinse with water and brush as soon as possible.

Thumb Sucking and Other Habits Move Teeth

Habits that shift teeth out of alignment include thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, and...

Getting veneers is an exciting decision. Porcelain veneers help people with chipped, crooked, or permanently discolored teeth regain a stronger, healthier, and more attractive smile. With proper care, veneers will last for many years.

Caring for Your Veneers

Maintain excellent oral hygiene: Brush in the morning and evening, floss daily, and schedule semi-annual dental cleanings.

Choose the best toothbrush and toothpaste: Use a soft-bristled toothbrush. Choose a non-abrasive, non-whitening gel toothpaste — abrasive toothpaste can damage veneers, and whitening toothpaste can discolor them.

Be careful when eating certain foods: Avoid biting on ice and hard or chewy foods. Also avoid chewing on inedible items. Limit consumption of tea, coffee, and soda, as these beverages increase...

If you have chronic bad breath despite chewing gum and popping mints, your bad breath is likely caused by gum disease. At Dental Town DC, our team of professionals see this condition frequently.

Gum Disease and Bad Breath

If you don’t brush and floss, food particles remain in your mouth. These particles rot (which stinks) and promote bacterial growth on your gums, around your teeth, and on your tongue. These bacteria then release smelly gases. If you consistently have a bad taste in your mouth along with bad breath, you may be developing gum disease.

Gum disease is caused by plaque — the film of bacteria on your teeth that builds up when you don’t...

Many dental flaws can be fixed with a simple, economical procedure called dental bonding. At Dental Town DC in Washington, DC, our team of expert dentists use dental bonding to offer you the smile you’ve always wanted.

Many Tooth Imperfections Go Away with Dental Bonding

Cracked or chipped teeth: Dental bonding can repair chips from biting your pencil, hard candy, or ice, or from playing sports.

Discolored teeth: Teeth may stain or yellow due to coffee, tea, red wine, or berries. Medications and age can also cause discoloration as the enamel thins and the yellowish dentin underneath is exposed.

Gapped teeth: An unusually large gap between two front teeth can be closed with bonding.

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