When Something’s Gotta Give, Don’t Let It Be Your Smile

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Categories: Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Health, Family Dentistry

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Life is chaotic for lots of people, and sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day. Sometimes your car has to wait another 500 miles for an oil change. Or you realize that you’ve had a leaky faucet for as long as you can remember. Many important things get put on the back burner, but at Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo, we urge you not to put off dental care.

Here are some common dental care shortcuts. Have you done any of them?

Rushing Through Brushing

Your teeth deserve an attentive two minutes or more. Slow and methodical beats quick and dirty. Use a system to make sure you get every tooth. Playing one of your favorite two- or three-minute songs may help you go the distance.

Only Seeing Your Dentist When You Have a Toothache

We hope none of our patients put off examinations and cleanings. When you feel tooth pain, it may be way too late to prevent a filling or even a root canal.

Neglecting Professional Cleanings

When softer plaque turns to calculus, you can’t clean it off with a toothbrush. Six-month cleanings help get rid of the tartar before it can impair your enamel or irritate your gums.

Using Floss Picks Instead of Dental Floss

While it’s better to floss with a floss pick than to not floss at all, it’s important to recognize that floss picks can only clean a part of the tooth’s surface. A floss pick holds just a small length of floss stretched in a straight line, so you can’t wrap them around a tooth to floss the entire thing.

At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo, we urge our patients to brush and floss twice each day, and see us for cleanings and checkups twice a year. Our services include family dentistry, and specialties like porcelain veneers. Schedule an appointment with us today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

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Why Is An Implant Better For Oral Health?

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Categories: Beautiful smile, Dental Health, Dental Implants

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Dental implants are an ideal replacement for lost teeth, and at last count more than three million Americans have received one. At Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo, we are providers of these dental marvels.

What Is A Dental Implant?

A dental implant is a titanium post that is surgically implanted into your jaw. For a single missing tooth, one implant supports a base called an abutment, along with a crown. Several implants can support a dental bridge, or a full denture arch.

One of the benefits of dental implants is that they prevent bone recession, which is common in people who have lost teeth. The titanium post goes where the tooth root used to be, and helps strengthen the bone.

Why Is An Implant Better Than Dentures Or A Bridge?

With a dental bridge, tooth structure must be removed from the neighboring teeth. That compromises the teeth on either side of the missing tooth.

Conventional dentures may be more affordable than implant-anchored dentures. But because they are removable, most patients find they are unreliably loose. They can also affect the ability to enjoy food. These are not issues with implant-supported dentures.

Dental implants from Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo are like getting back lost teeth. To find out whether they’re right for you, please call our office to schedule an appointment.

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 8131

Danger Zone! 5 Signs Of Gum Disease

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Categories: Dental Health, General Dentistry

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Here is some essential news for anyone who cares about their dental health: gum disease is a principal cause of tooth loss among adults. There is also evidence that it is connected to heart disease. Fortunately, gum disease is treatable at Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo.

What warning signs should you be looking for?

  1. Gums that bleed frequently
  2. Gums that appear tender, swollen, or very red, or gums that have visible pus in between them when they are pushed
  3. Your bite changes or your teeth suddenly don’t seem to fit together
  4. Gums that are pulling away from the teeth
  5. A bad taste in the mouth or chronic bad breath

We hope you are not suffering from any of these. If you are not removing plaque between your teeth, however, your gums are at risk. Brushing alone is not adequate—make sure you floss daily.

Regular check-ups are another critical weapon in the fight against gum disease.

At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo, we take pride in caring for our patients and want them to have healthy and pleasing smiles. Services include family dentistry, and specialties like dental implants. Call for an appointment today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 4960

Whitening For 3 Types Of Tooth Stains

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Categories: Beautiful smile, Cosmetic Dentistry, Teeth Whitening

Provo Teeth Bleaching

At Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo, one of our most popular cosmetic dentistry procedures is teeth whitening. Everyone, it seems, would like to have whiter teeth and a brighter smile.

It is important to realize that not everyone responds the same to teeth bleaching. The degree of whiteness attained and the treatment time necessary depends on the type of stains being treated.

  1. Surface or extrinsic stains are surface stains, and the easiest to remove. They are caused by the usual suspects: coffee, tea, wine, cola, smoking and the natural aging process.
  2. Intrinsic stains can be lightened but it may take a bit longer. These stains form from the inside out but are visible through the enamel. They can be caused by trauma, tetracycline antibiotics, infection, or excessive fluoride use in childhood before the enamel is fully formed.
  3. Combination: Some people have both extrinsic and intrinsic staining. As we age, our teeth change, regardless of how well we take care of them. Tooth enamel thins while the dentin underneath fades and yellows. The extrinsic stains are the easiest to lighten, and ongoing treatment with a peroxide-based penetrating whitener can lighten the deeper discoloration.

At Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo, teeth whitening is just one of the cosmetic dentistry procedures we use to improve smiles. Others include porcelain veneers and dental implants. Schedule an appointment to find out what we can do for your smile!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 4835

4 Reasons To Make Sure Your Child Sees A Dentist

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Categories: Dental Health, Family Dentistry

American Fork family dentistDid you know that The American Dental Association recommends a child’s first visit to a dentist should occur around twelve months of age? For many parents this may come as a surprise. In this post from Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo, we review four reasons why your toddler’s teeth are worth a dental visit.

  1. Twelve months of age happens to be about the time when a child’s first teeth tend erupt. Once those teeth are out, it’s time to get them looked at by a professional.
  2. One of the critical things your dentist will do at this visit will be to clean those young teeth and apply fluoride.
  3. Visiting the dentist at a young age is a great way to help your child get used to the dentist’s office. This will help them to be more at ease with the dentist as they grow older.
  4. Visiting the dentist also helps parents enlist the help of other adults in developing good dental habits in their children. Starting early dental visits will mean that later in life your child is less likely to require braces or other dentistry procedures such as dental implants.

If your child is apprehensive about visiting the dentist, you might want to bring them for a short tour of our office beforehand. They can meet our friendly staff and learn what to expect when they come in for their exam.

At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo we offer child-friendly family dentistry. We also have a full range of cosmetic dentistry procedures to brighten any smile. Call for an appointment today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 4848

Great Reasons to Floss Your Teeth

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Categories: Dental Health, Family Dentistry

Three Great Reasons to Floss Your Teeth by Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry

Flossing can be a bit of a chore. It takes extra time, and if you haven’t flossed in a while, it can even be painful. It’s no wonder our team at Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo are constantly reminding our patients to ‘brush and floss!’

Flossing your teeth is every bit as important to your dental health as brushing is, but it has a different role. Where brushing removes plaque from the surface of the teeth and along the gum line, flossing gets into the tight spaces between your teeth. It loosens the debris that always gets wedged in, and any plaque building up.

In short, it gets those places that your toothbrush can’t.

Should you floss before brushing, or after? The jury is out on that one. Some research suggests that flossing first can make brushing more effective. The idea is that after flossing, there is less gunk between your teeth. The fluoride in your toothpaste is able to get in there better.

Do whichever you prefer. Just be sure to do it!

We think of flossing as the detail work. Brushing gets most of the work done, but it takes floss to get into those tight places, and leave your mouth as clean as it can be.

At Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo, we want the best possible dental health for all our patients. Services include family dentistry, and specialties like dental implants. Call to schedule an appointment with us today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 7780

Why Visit The Dentist?

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Categories: Dental Health, General Dentistry

Why Visit The Dentist?

At Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo, we say it all the time: see us twice a year for a cleaning and checkup. And happily, most of our patients are really good about making and keeping their appointments twice a year. It’s the best way to stay on top of their dental health.

As important as healthy teeth are, you should know that good dental health is also directly related to your overall health. Poor dental health has been linked to various diseases and conditions, such as heart disease, premature birth and low birth weight, and diabetes.

Furthermore, poor dental health leads to gum disease. With regular brushing and flossing, and twice yearly dental checkups, gum disease is 100 percent preventable.

More Reasons

The above should be enough to get anyone in to the dentist’s office twice a year. But if it isn’t enough, here are three more very good reasons why you should get a cleaning and checkup every six months.

  • Plaque and tartar. Even with brushing and flossing twice a day, plaque can build up on the teeth and gums. Plaque hardens into tartar. Simply put, there are areas in the mouth that your floss and toothbrush just cannot reach. Professional cleanings, however, can.
  • X-rays. By taking dental x-rays and updating them regularly, we can detect problems that a simple visual inspection won’t turn up. The sooner new issues are treated, the better: treatment will be easier, less painful, and less expensive.
  • Oral cancer. It isn’t just smokers who need to be concerned about oral cancer; anyone can get it. Finding it in its earliest stages gives you the best chance for successful treatment and a full recovery. We can check for any symptoms, and if we find them, tell you what you need to do.

As you can see, there are lots of reasons why it’s important to visit Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo twice a year for a cleaning and checkup. We offer family and cosmetic dentistry. Schedule your next checkup today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 7774

Everything You Never Wanted To Know About Saliva

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Categories: Dental Health, General Dentistry

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In this blog post from Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo, we are going to review the complexity and importance of your saliva.

You may pause, and think yuk. But there’s nothing to be squeamish about. Saliva is a finely balanced body fluid that not only maintains dental health but also aids in the digestion of your food.

So, without further ado, here are the main components of saliva.

  1. Water. No surprise here! Your saliva consists of water, for the most part.
  2. Enzymes. Enzymes are essential biological catalysts that speed chemical reactions. The enzymes in saliva begin the process of digestion.
  3. Immunoproteins. These are powerful cells that fight invaders, such as bacteria. The immunoproteins in saliva curb the overgrowth of microbes in the mouth. This is critical for avoiding gingivitis and keeping the proper pH balance in the mouth.
  4. Minerals. Saliva minerals help with maintaining the protective enamel surface of the teeth.

Most people produce enough saliva, but some suffer from dry mouth, which is a lack of saliva. This can be detrimental to your dental health, so be sure to talk to us if you are experiencing this.

At Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo we want the best possible dental health for each of our patients. Services include family dentistry, and specialties like dental implants. Schedule an appointment today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 6725

Get On Top Of Your To-Do List by Calling Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry

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Categories: Dental Health, Family Dentistry

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Is it time to get your life back in order? Maybe you’ve let certain things slide: things like refilling a prescription, changing your furnace filter, getting your oil changed – or making a dental appointment with Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo.

If you’ve been pushing dental work onto the back burner, maybe it’s time to just get it out of the way and move on to your other tasks.

Taking good care of your teeth and gums is one of the best things you can do for yourself. After all, studies show there is a direct correlation between your dental health and your overall health. Regular cleanings and checkups ensure good overall health.

We recommend having a cleaning and checkup every six months. Does that sound excessive? It isn’t. Here’s just one good reason to see us twice a year: gum disease is 100% preventable, provided it is caught in its early stages. Gum disease happens  to be one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adult Americans.

Maybe you think everything is okay because you brush and floss three times a day. If you do, that’s great! But there are areas where your toothbrush, and even floss, cannot reach adequately. These can only be properly cleaned by a trained dental hygienist.

You get the point. A cleaning and checkup at Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo is the best way to maintain your dental health. Our services include family dentistry, and specialties like dental implants and porcelain veneers. Schedule your next checkup today.

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 6467

What If My Dental Crown Cracks, Comes Loose, or Comes Off?

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Categories: Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Crowns, Family Dentistry

what to do if dental crown comes off Provo

This article from Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo is about dental crowns.

Quite often, people get upset if their crown moves or comes completely off. This is understandable.

It may have shifted or come off while brushing, flossing, or even simply eating.

If this has happened to you, don’t stress! Here is what to do if your crown comes off.

There are three steps:

1. First things first, find your crown if it has come off entirely. If you think you may have unwittingly swallowed it, it’s not the end of the world. This is fairly common. You will need to have a new one made. Whereas the original may be reattached if you find it in your mouth. As long as it’s not damaged.

2. The second thing you need to do is call us.

Remember these two important things:

  • Even if we didn’t provide the crown service, we can re-attach it for you.
  • If the crown is broken, we can construct a replacement crown in one visit.

3. What if your crown comes off after business hours or on the weekend?

You can glue it back on while waiting for an appointment. This will protect the exposed tooth. Remember, the tooth is not as sturdy as an uncrowned tooth.

To reattach it, we recommend using denture adhesive. You can find some at a drugstore.

Follow the instructions on the adhesive. To make certain it sets, softly bite down on the crown while the adhesive is still wet. Be extra cautious while waiting for your appointment. Eat soft foods so you don’t damage the tooth.

At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo, we provide dental crowns, as well as dental implants and many other services. Schedule an appointment with us today.

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 8154