Ornelas Family Dentistry Blog

Alcoholic beverages may predate civilization, and people have been debating the pros and cons of strong drinks for as long as history can remember. While drinking spirited libations can be a delightful compliment to a meal or a nice way to enjoy a social gathering, excessive and frequent alcohol consumption carries significant health risks and can have devastating long-term consequences. Here are a few common misconceptions about the effects alcohol has on your oral health as well as the truths behind them.

Veneers are incredible pieces of dental technology that can help you keep your smile bright for over a decade. They’re durable, aesthetically pleasing, and require minimal tooth preparation which is partially why they’re so popular. However, like any dental restoration, a veneer will eventually require replacement. Knowing when that time has come is a skill within itself.

Read on to learn the most common signs that it’s time to consider replacing your porcelain veneers.

Embark on a journey toward improved dental health and aesthetics as we explore the transition from traditional metal crowns to their modern, metal-free counterparts. Dental crowns play a pivotal role in restoring teeth, particularly those affected by extensive decay. Traditionally crafted from metal amalgam, these crowns have been a reliable solution. However, with technological advancements, the era of metal-free crowns has dawned, offering a superior alternative. Read on to learn why your dentist recommends considering metal-free crowns when it’s time to replace their metal counterparts.

People love to indulge during the holiday season. While Thanksgiving, Hannukah, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and the like can all seem like an excuse to forget about making smart food and drink choices, overindulging in holiday treats can be a recipe for painful and expensive dental emergencies later on. Here’s a brief list of traditional holiday foods that you should take care to enjoy in moderation in order to preserve your dental health.

Unfortunately, dental emergencies can occur at any time so it’s impossible to be entirely prepared. It could happen during an athletic event if your mouth gets hit and knocks out a tooth, for example. Or perhaps you are simply eating your favorite food at lunch when you bite too hard and feel your dental crown chip or loosen. Experiencing a sudden oral issue like this can leave you in pain, anxious, and with a less-than-perfect smile.

Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to protect yourself from certain situations that might end in an emergency. While it’s not a guarantee that nothing bad will ever happen, here are 4 tips that can help you avoid a potential dental dilemma.

While everyone would rather avoid knocking out a tooth, nobody can anticipate when it’s going to happen—meaning that it’s important to understand what to do if it happens. A tooth’s chances of being saved begin to fall shortly after being separated from the mouth, so you’ll need to act fast if it ever happens to you. Ideally, you will get the tooth to an emergency dentist within one hour of it being dislodged. Here are some steps for taking care of your tooth after it gets knocked out and transporting it to the dentist’s office.

Nothing is more exciting than slipping a new set of dentures into your mouth. Advancements in technologies and materials allow them to look and feel more realistic than ever before. You will have a beautiful smile that you’ll want to show off. However, your new teeth can discolor over time if you aren’t careful. Don’t worry. Here’s how to keep your dentures their brightest.

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Nobody enjoys the unsavory feeling of having bits of food debris hiding in the crevices of their smile. Despite their name, dentists generally don’t recommend toothpicks to pick things out of the spaces between your teeth. Although they are convenient, they can actually negatively affect your oral health, especially if you’re a regular user. Here’s how toothpicks are bad for your teeth and what you can use instead.

If you’re struggling with tooth loss, then you’ll want to address it by getting replacement teeth sooner rather than later. Some people in this situation have even begun to consider DIY options for restoring their bites, especially since these products seem to be more cost-effective. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. While trying to save money with these options, you might end up encountering more problems in the long run. Here are three major reasons why you should avoid DIY replacement teeth, and instead visit your dentist for help.

If you wear dentures, you likely know they need regular upkeep. These restorations, after all, aren’t foolproof; they’ll work poorly without proper care. That said, you shouldn’t reline dentures yourself. This action is risky and might ruin the prosthetic teeth. Instead, you ought to see a local dentist for denture relining. If you want to learn more about the matter, it’s easy enough to explain. Here’s a summary of denture relining, the risks of trying it yourself, and why to leave it to a qualified dentist.