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Teeth Whitening Teeth whitening is a booming, billion-dollar industry and whitening kiosks are popping up in malls across the country. But would you trust someone who's not a licensed dentist to perform this procedure in your mouth? If you visit a dentist, he or she must first examine you to determine whether teeth whitening is appropriate for you. The Wisconsin Dentistry Examining Board says, "It is essential that a dentist examine and diagnose a patient before proceeding with teeth whitening or delegating that procedure to anyone within a dental office." The Wisconsin Department of Justice, however, doesn't consider teeth whitening as practicing dentistry. This makes it legal for non-dentists who have no education or skill in all the other important aspects of oral health to do teeth whitening outside a dental office and without a dentist's diagnosis. The WDA recommends patients consult with a dentist to see if teeth whitening is right for them and, if so, have the treatment done by a dentist or under the supervision of one. Whitening Strips and Toothpastes There are several ways to go about whitening your teeth. There's professional whitening by a dentist or at-home products like whitening strips and toothpastes. Which is the best choice? Your dentist who can tell you whether whitening procedures would indeed be effective for you. Whiteners might not correct all types of discoloration. Over-the-counter whitening strips bleach the tooth enamel and are similar to what's used in a dental office. Both contain carbamide peroxide, which is a bleaching material. Oxygen in the bleaching material chemically penetrates tooth enamel and goes into the dentin, the inner tissue of the tooth, to remove the color pigment. While more effective than whitening toothpastes, the side effects can be bothersome. Teeth can become sensitive and some people experience gum irritation. Talk to your dentist if you experience side effects from teeth whitening. All toothpastes help remove surface stain through the action of mild abrasives. However, whitening toothpastes are typically more abrasive than dentists would prefer, as they scour teeth to remove surface stains. The concentration of bleach is minimal and won't give the same effect as professional whitening. In many cases, a person is better off using regular toothpaste. Be a Wise Consumer Be sure to look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance when selecting a teeth whitener or any dental product. This means you can rest assured the product has met the ADA's rigorous standards for safety and effectiveness. What does the FAGD stand for after Dr. Covey's name? Dr. Covey is a member of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), an organization of general dentists who are dedicated to professional development and continuing education. All AGD members must remain current with advances in the profession to provide quality patient treatment. A general dentist who is a “Fellow” in the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD) has been recognized by other general dentists as a leader and an example to other dentists of the importance of quality continuing dental education to patient care. Dr. Covey has accepted the charge to keep abreast of advances in dentistry for the benefit of patients and the betterment of dentistry. He serves as a mentor and leader to other dentists pursuing continuing dental education. He has set examples in his community with his hard work, concern and involvement. To earn a Fellowship Award, Dr. Covey had to earn a minimum of 500 approved continuing dental education credits and pass a comprehensive 400-question examination. He also had to be a member of the Academy of General Dentistry for five continuous years. Dr. Covey follows a lifelong pursuit of continuing education to provide the highest quality of dental care to his patients. Why do I need to have x-rays taken every 6 months? X-rays are an important part of routine dental care for both adults and children. Not only do dental x-rays reveal potential problems with incoming teeth, they can also reveal potential problems caused by hidden plaque. In addition to detecting common problems with teeth, dental x-rays can help detect gum disease and even osteoporosis. Do I have to have my wisdom teeth extracted? The answer: it depends. The decision whether to remove your wisdom tooth or not, is made after an examination of the tooth and its relationship to other teeth. X-rays (radiographs) are necessary to understand the position of the wisdom teeth within the jaws. Conditions when your wisdom tooth can be left alone:
 Decay can develop in hidden areas between the teeth. In the early stages, such decay is often undetected as there is no pain. Left alone, the decay can grow and grow. Canker Sore (Cold Sore) Canker sores are often confused with cold sores. An easy way to distinguish between the two is to remember that canker sores occur inside the mouth, and cold sores usually occur outside the mouth. A canker sore (also called aphthous ulcers) is a small ulcer with a white or gray base and red border. There can be one or a number of sores in the mouth. Canker sores are very common and often recur. A cold sore, which is also called fever blister or herpes simplex, is composed of groups of painful, fluid-filled blisters that often erupt around the lips and sometime under the nose or under the chin. Cold sores are usually caused by herpes virus type 1 and are very contagious. Canker sores usually heal in about a week or two. Rinsing with antimicrobial mouth rinses may help reduce the irritation. Over-the-counter topical anesthetics can also provide relief. Cold sores usually heal in about a week. Over-the-counter topical anesthetics can provide temporary relief and prescription antiviral drugs may reduce these kinds of viral infections. Some tips for protecting yourself against cold sores are: get plenty of sleep, avoid extreme weather, and take care of your health, as cold and flu are common culprits of cold sore flare-ups. Crown vs. Filling If only a small amount of tooth decay is present then it's usually no problem for a dentist to make a repair for a patient by placing a composite filling. In these cases there will still be substantial amount of healthy tooth structure remaining after the decay has been removed and the filling has been put in place. Fillings in general don't strengthen a tooth and can't protect a tooth from the forces generated by biting and chewing On the other hand repairing a large cavity often requires the removal of a lot of tooth structure that he overall strength of the tooth is reduced, in some cases greatly. This is because the tooth is no longer intact as it once was and its crucial integrity has been compromised. Another reason why a tooth may need to have a crown placed is if there is large filling in the tooth already that can weaken the tooth or even have recurrent decay under it. Further Reading These are additional articles you may find useful pertaining to oral health care, all documents are in Adobe Acrobat format if you need the Adobe Reader you can download it for free from: Adobe Acrobat Reader Download Site
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