Sensitive teeth normally occurs when the enamel on the outside of the tooth wears away exposing the dentin layer of the tooth. The dentin layer is very porous with tubes that run to the nerve center. When exposed, the tubes react to changes in temperature and different foods.

During orthodontic treatment, the discomfort a patient experiences is due to pressure that is placed on your teeth by the braces. This level of discomfort varies from patient to patient. The sensitivity is not permanent and will only last a few days. At Taylor Orthodontics, we educate our patients on how to reduce this sensitivity to enhance a more pleasant orthodontic treatment experience. However, if you aren’t wearing braces, below are some common causes of tooth sensitivity.

Most Common Causes

• The most common cause is due to over brushing. If you brush your teeth vigorously with tough bristles, you will soon brush away your gum line. As your gum line recedes, it exposes porous root surfaces, which may cause some of your teeth to become extremely sensitive. In older patients gum recession occurs over time as a result of the natural aging process. Brushing with a soft brush in an up and down motion vs horizontally can help reduce your risk of developing sensitive teeth.
• Acidic foods such as soft drinks, fruit drinks, wine, coffee, and sour citrus fruits and candy. Beware of sour patch kids and jolly ranchers! Rinse your mouth with water right after having acidic foods or drinks to dilute the acid.
• Abrasive toothpastes or brushing more than three times a day may also cause loss of enamel. Wait for at least one hour to brush teeth after you've had acidic foods or drinks. Acid leaves the enamel softened and more prone to erosion during brushing.
• Teeth whitening products at home and professionally applied by your dentist – properties of peroxide (one of the main ingredients in most tooth whitening products) have been shown to irritate the tooth nerve. This irritation or inflammation causes symptoms such as cold sensitivity and a tingling sensation and will improve over time.
• Grinding of teeth can also be a contributing factor. Wearing a mouth guard at night if you grind your teeth could also help prevent wearing down the enamel that can lead to sensitive teeth.

How to Eliminate Discomfort

No matter what is causing the problem, a good dental routine is your best bet to enjoying a pain-free day – everyday. Over-the-counter toothpastes for sensitive teeth, such as Sensodyne and Colgate's Sensitive Pro-Relief, can sometimes help treat the condition.

If patients do not experience relief from special toothpastes, more invasive treatments provided by a dental care professional can help. Adding a bonding agent to seal the tooth or grafting new gum tissue in the case of receding gums will improve sensitivity.

If you notice extreme sensitivity it is best to discuss it with our Doctors, who can recommend alternative solutions during your treatment, no matter what the cause. At Taylor Orthodontics we are always available for help. All you have to do is ask!

As kids we all remember hearing our parents or grandparents remind us that dairy products help build strong bones and teeth. But did you also know that milk and dairy products in general help can assist in improving your oral health and lowering your risk for gum disease?

A Winning Combination: Nutrition and Dental Health

Brushing and flossing in combination with regular visits to your dentist are all effective ways to prevent cavities. But a healthy mouth also requires a balanced diet, especially during orthodontic treatment!. The recommended daily serving of 2 – 4 servings of milk or dairy products per day provides a continuous supply of calcium and other bone building nutrients that aid in protecting tooth enamel and also the prevention of bone and tooth loss.

Amazing Benefits of Dairy Products

Milk is only the tip of the iceberg. Dairy products contain many essential vitamins that affect the overall health of your mouth and body:

• Protein: Dairy products are rich in protein and contain essential amino acids needed by your body to build and repair muscle tissue.
• B vitamins: It’s essential to consume foods rich in B vitamins daily, including riboflavin, niacin and B12; riboflavin helps your body metabolize carbohydrates and make red blood cells, niacin converts food into energy and B12 supports nerve cells and maintains red blood cells that transport oxygen throughout your body.
• Calcium, Vitamin D: Like we’ve been saying all along, these vitamins develop strong bones, reduce the chances for osteoporosis and support muscle and blood vessels.
• Vitamin A: Important to healthy vision; supports skin and cell growth; assists your body in developing and maintaining good oral health.
• Potassium: Vital to maintaining healthy blood pressure; works with sodium to support the body’s fluid balance; lowers risk of developing kidney stones and age-related bone loss; enables muscles to function correctly

Cheese is Your Friend

And let’s not forget cheese. Many studies have shown that eating cheese helps prevent cavities! The calcium and phosphorus found in cheese has been shown to infiltrate the layer of plaque surrounding your teeth which works to protect the tooth enamel and prevent erosion. Additionally, cheese stimulates saliva production and helps clear away food particles. Finally, the protein and fat in cheese products protects teeth from cavity-causing acids that are created as carbohydrates ferment.

Two Glasses a Day is the Only Way

So before turning down a glass of milk in favor of something far less beneficial (like a soft drink) remember that a healthy intake of milk and other dairy products can be beneficial to your gums and teeth also. Studies show that people who consume healthy quantities of milk and cheese have less disease in their gums along with stronger bones. Not only that, individuals who drink milk demonstrate less periodontal disease in comparison with those who consume less. Lactic acid, also in dairy products, may be helping to control the bacteria in our gums and around our teeth. Lactic acid in dairy products can actually kill off the bacteria that causes tooth decay and other periodontal problems.

Go to the Source

If you have questions regarding you dairy product intake or any other questions about dental hygiene or diet, take it to the source…Taylor Orthodontics is more than happy to answer your questions and get you on the right track to maintain a healthy smile during orthodontic treatment!

You may not realize it but mouth guards are worth their weight in gold. If you think about it, the use of mouth-guards and the reasons for using them isn't that far removed from orthodontic technology and the principals at Taylor Orthodontics we employ to create a beautiful and healthy smile for our patients!

Mouth-guards: Not Just a Good Idea but a GREAT One!

Working together as a team is needed to create a beautiful smile. We can’t do it ourselves without patient cooperation and we all work together to ensure a healthy final dental result to last a lifetime! So why should it be any different with the use of a mouth-guard?

The facts speak for themselves: Studies have shown that mouth-guards prevent well over 200,000 mouth or tooth injuries a year! Individuals are 60 times more likely to damage their teeth when not wearing a mouth-guard while engaged in contact sports or rigorous physical exercise. Why risk making yourself another statistic? After all the time and effort you go through straightening your teeth why risk damaging your teeth, resulting in unnecessary costly dental work and discomfort.

Easy to Avoid Injury

The crazy thing is… it's easy to avoid serious damage or injury to your teeth just by using a mouth-guard! Still not convinced? Check out some of this mouth-guard trivia:

- Losing one or more teeth due to lack of a mouth-guard is trauma enough for most individuals. But would you believe that over a lifetime you may spend as much as $10,000 or more per tooth to repair the damage. Do the math… it pays to wear a mouth-guard.

- Mouth-guards used to be used primarily for the sport of boxing but the benefits of wearing a mouth-guard has spread over to dozens of different contact sports including basketball, bicycling, ice hockey, and even volleyball. When in doubt, wear a mouth guard, even when playing unorganized contact sports with friends and family.

A Good Investment in Your Smile

The logic is seen in black and white. Protect your teeth and protect your smile by using a mouth-guard. Better yet contact us today to learn more about mouth-guards and discuss any other questions you may have regarding the protection of your mouth and teeth.

Even though they are small and eventually fall out, children’s primary teeth play critical roles. Did you know primary teeth begin to form in the womb prior to birth? Although they are hidden within the gums for the first few months of life, baby teeth are well on their way to eruption before the baby even comes into the world. Around 6 months of age, the front teeth (known as incisors) begin to appear. The other teeth begin to follow suit, and by two years of age, twenty primary teeth should be present and accounted for. Although this is a natural process, it is often not quite as easy as it sounds. Anyone who has been around a teething baby has a sense of just how traumatic the emergence of baby teeth can be for all those involved. All of the crying (whether it be the parents or the baby!) is worth it. Primary teeth are vitally important in child development.

For example, baby teeth are needed for kids to learn how to eat and speak properly. Also, they encourage the jaws to develop a normal and natural appearance and shape. It is important to maintain baby teeth so that they are not lost before their time. If teeth are lost prematurely, the other baby teeth may move into the empty space. This can block or prevent the permanent teeth from erupting correctly and require the expense of a space maintainer. With proper care, baby teeth have a much higher likelihood of lasting a longer time.

Primary tooth care begins before the teeth have erupted. Wiping a baby’s mouth and gums with a clean damp cloth or specially designed mouth wipe after each feeding helps rid the mouth of bacteria, which prevents premature tooth decay. Also, it is a good idea to give a baby plain water in his or her bottle at night instead of milk or sugary liquids such as juice so the bacteria doesn’t build in the mouth during the night, especially once the baby teeth are fully erupted.

As soon as primary teeth erupt, brushing should start. There are special brushes for each age group. Infant brushes are available which are gentle on tender gums. Toddler brushes come in bright designs and with handles that are easy to grip. As a parent, it is your goal to establish a routine of brushing as early as possible to develop the habit.

A couple of other ways to protect primary teeth are the use of fluoride and sealants. Fluoride is available in toothpastes, mouthwashes, foams, and gels. It strengthens teeth and can even reverse damage caused by acidic food and drinks. Sealants are applied by your general dentist to cover nooks and crannies where food is most likely to accumulate. This helps to reduce tartar, plaque, and tooth decay.

Some combination of these techniques is recommended to ensure that a baby’s primary teeth remain healthy and strong. When it comes to your family’s teeth, parents must be prepared to be the tooth guardian as well as the Tooth Fairy! It is never too early to start. Make sure your children learn proper dental care at an early age to prevent dental problems throughout life.

Taylor Orthodontics is pleased to provide you with this helpful information and to offer you the finest orthodontic care for you and your family. For more information, please visit our website or contact our office for a complimentary orthodontic consultation.

At Taylor Orthodontics, we recommend you replace your toothbrush approximately every three months or sooner if the bristles look worn during orthodontic treatment. When it’s time to switch, here are some way-cool alternatives to tossing out your old toothbrush and recycling them for other uses:

Brush Away Stains (On Your Walls and Clothes!)
Whoever invented the toothbrush was really on to something, because not only does a toothbrush clean your teeth, but it can also brush away stains!
• Crayon Marks: For some reason, kids always enjoy drawing on walls instead of on a piece of paper. Maybe they work better on a larger canvas. Whatever the reason, a dab of shaving cream and your old toothbrush is all you need to remove your child's latest masterpiece! Remember: go easy on the pressure. You want to remove the crayon and not the paint underneath it!
• Fingernails and toenails: A little soap and water and your toothbrush will be attacking the dirt and grime that's hiding under your nails, especially after playing outdoors.
• Sole Man: We hate it when we get mud stuck between the treads of our shoes or sandals. But now shoes don't stand a chance when we go at the muddy soles with an old toothbrush and a little water. Don’t forget to use a little toothpaste to remove mud and scuff marks, especially on white sneakers.
You Look Marvelous…
Consider these other uses as well:
• Hair Brush: Keep your hairbrush free of hair accumulation by going at it with your toothbrush.
• Pet care: Come on, so you actually think we’d forget your pet? Anything we can use the toothbrush for is equally good for your dog, cat, mouse, or monkey. So go ahead and brush to your heart's content! Your pet will love you for it!

Arts, Crafts and Maintenance
Time to get creative! Indoors or outdoors, playing or working. You can do it better with your old toothbrush.
• Clean Appliances: Sometimes I find enough breadcrumbs in the toaster to make a sandwich. Next time I'll use a toothbrush to reach in and clean out the crumbs. And by the way: UNPLUG the toaster (or any other appliance) first.
• Jewelry: Think outside the box…boil old toothbrush handles and bend them into different shapes. Make bracelets for your wrists and ankles, rings, and chains. Whatever you like! Use dental floss to add beads and create unique jewelry. A toothbrush is also great to scrub your jewelry. Use toothpaste to help polish your stones and jewels.

It goes without saying that the best use for your toothbrush is keeping your teeth and gums clean. But it’s also fun to recycle that old brush and put it to use inside our outside your home!

Have any ideas on how to make use of your old toothbrush? Leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you…

In orthodontics, a “splint” is designed to fit on top of the upper or lower teeth. Treatment varies based on each patient’s individualize needs and is most often used to stabilize the teeth and/or jaws to alleviate discomfort. A TMJ splint may be used prior to placement of braces to help alleviate discomfort if the problem is a result of a bad bite or be used during orthodontics to open the bite. It is also used upon completion of orthodontic treatment if a patient is neurologically prone to grinding. In this scenario, the splint may also act as a retainer.

Bruxism is a medical condition and can afflict both children and adults as well. With bruxism, the patient either clenches or grinds their teeth, consciously or subconsciously, and many times even while sleeping. Obviously this can create many different dental problems such as wearing enamel, fracturing of teeth, and clicking of the TMJ joint. This can result in expensive dental care such as veneers, crowns, root canals, or extraction of teeth in worse case scenarios performed by your general dentist. If the underlying problem is not diagnosed and corrected prior to dental restoration, your investment may be in jeopardy and fail to address pain and discomfort moving forward.

Chronic grinding or clenching of the jaw due to a deep bite, crossbite, edge to edge bite, or other jaw discrepancies can create pain in not only the jaw but also in the facial area, ears, and neck due to the constant stress on the TMJ joint and surrounding muscles. Other symptoms are clicking or locking of the jaw joint, headaches, and ringing in the ears.

Did you know chronic gum chewing has also been known to cause TMJ symptoms because of constant wear and tear to the joint due to over activity?

Resolving the problem may be a simple as eliminating gum chewing or as complicated as requiring orthodontic treatment in conjunction with your general dentist to restore teeth after treatment is completed. Consulting an orthodontist who is a specialist trained in the development of both teeth and jaws is your first step when diagnosing and developing a treatment plan that suites your individualized needs.

If you think that you suffer from any of these symptoms, contact Taylor Orthodontics for a complimentary consultation. We are here to walk you through your first steps towards addressing the problem at hand.

Why is Faith Hill Wearing Braces?

As a kid, Faith forgot to wear her retainers when orthodontic treatment was completed. Let this be a lesson for all our patients at Taylor Orthodontics. Once braces are removed, it takes time for the gum and bone to fill in around the teeth and stabilize in their new position. During this time period, patients are instructed to wear their retainers full time 6 months to a year, based on your treatment plan. After this stabilizing time, patients are instructed to continue to wear retainers at night.

Did You Know Teeth Move as Part of the Natural Aging Process?

Whether you undergo orthodontic treatment or not, teeth move throughout life as part of the natural aging process. The amount of movement is different with every person. Some experience more movement than others. We recommend that all our patients wear their retainers a few nights a week indefinitely to maintain your beautiful smile throughout life.

Yes – retainers are easy to forget to wear like Faith Hill… but definitely less of a hassle than going through orthodontic treatment a second time as an adult. So don't forget to wear your retainers as prescribed and contact our office or an orthodontist in your area if you break or lose them to prevent you teeth moving in the future….

If you went through treatment as a kid, didn't wear your retainers, and you teeth have moved, feel free to contact Taylor Orthodontics for a complimentary new patient exam at one of our three convenient locations in the Boca Raton, Coconut Creek and Miami Lakes areas.

• Almost all whitening products contain the same basic ingredient, carbamide peroxide or its breakdown product, hydrogen peroxide. However, the products offered by a dental professional to professionally whiten your teeth are stronger without compromising the health and safety of your teeth, gums, and mouth.
• Over the count whitening systems typically contain no more that 10% carbamide peroxide while prescription only products can contain between 15% and 35%.
• Whitening your teeth is NOT permanent and consequently teeth will slowly yellow again over time as you continue drinking and eating foods that stain teeth. The color begins to fade 6 to 12 months after treatment.
• You can extend your whitening results by not smoking and staying away from foods with colored dyes, red wine, red (tomato-based) sauces, coffee, tea, colored sodas/colas, and blueberries to name a few.
• If you have crowns and/or veneers that are visible when you smile, it is very difficult for whitening programs to perfectly match your veneers or crowns. Keep in mind that bleaching does not change the color of crowns, veneers, bridgework, or any type of artificial tooth.
• One of the most common side effects of whitening teeth is tooth sensitivity and irritation of the gum tissues. This is temporary and often occurs when you embark on a whitening program. The discomfort usually subsides within a few days.

Whitening teeth is an effective way to brighten your smile. Feel free to speak with Dr. Roger Taylor or Dr. Ron Taylor if you are interested in pursuing a teeth whitening program, even if you plan to use over the counter products. A well informed patient is a happy patient and we aim to please.

Since February is National Pet Dental Health Month, we want to offer some tips offered by The American Veterinary Medical Association.

Do Wisdom Teeth cause crowding of your front teeth?

How many times have you heard this? Did you know this all started after a paper was written on by an orthodontist over 50 years ago?

In 1961, orthodontist Dr. Leroy Vego, published an article, "A Longitudinal Study of Mandibular Arch Perimeter" which examined the role of wisdom teeth on lower front tooth crowding. This study was run over six years with patients from ages 13 to 19. He reported that there was a significantly greater degree of crowding in patients with wisdom teeth. Dr. Vego concluded: "that the erupting lower third molar can exert a force on approximating teeth."

From this statement, it was decided that lower wisdom teeth "push" the teeth in front of them as they come into the mouth, causing the front teeth to crowd. Consequently, general dentists, orthodontists, and oral surgeons recommended the extraction of wisdom teeth to prevent the recurrence of crowding after orthodontic treatment.

Later research disproves Dr Vego's theory that wisdom teeth exert enough pressure to affect the movement of anterior teeth. Later studies tracking patients for 25 years determined that aging was also a major factor whether a patient went through orthodontic treatment or not and that teeth drift forward throughout life naturally, along with other factors. Tooth-size, tooth-shape, and original tooth-position also play a significant role in crowding.

Today, the premise no longer exists for the extraction of wisdom teeth simply to minimize future crowding of front teeth. However, timing of the removal of suspect wisdom teeth, especially impacted wisdom teeth that don’t have room to erupt properly, is still recommended no later than late teens through early 20’s. Wisdom teeth can easily cause future dental problems.

What problems can occur with NOT removing impacted/retained wisdom teeth?

• Bone and soft tissue defects behind the second molars
• Root resorption of second molars
• Decay due to inability to brush and floss properly
• Crowding or shifting of posterior teeth affecting orthodontic results
• An infection (periocornitis) that occurs around partially erupted lower third molars
• Cysts and tumors around impacted third molars

Consequently is it generally recommended wisdom teeth be extracted before these problems develop.

At Taylor Orthodontics, we encourage the extraction of wisdom teeth, if indicated, prior to college. As teens complete final growth, jaw bones become increasingly more dense. This may result in higher post-operative pain following wisdom tooth removal, especially after the roots of the third molars are fully developed. Typically, after the age of 25, wisdom teeth are not extracted and simply monitored by your general dentist with routine periodic x-rays to address any cause for concern.

Dr. Roger Taylor and Dr. Ronald Taylor will monitor third molar development throughout treatment and will make recommendations when appropriate based on individual circumstances. Feel free to contact our office or leave a comment below regarding more information about the extraction of wisdom teeth. We look forward to your questions, comments, or feedback.