How Makeup Can Make or Break Your Smile

While makeup improves your facial appearance, its continued use can cause damage to your skin. Most makeup products contain some chemicals that may be harmful to your health. Besides, some makeup products will cause itchiness, irritation, and some cases, skin disease. Your oral health can also be affected by excessive use of makeup. Therefore, you should understand the various risks associated with makeup for better usage.

Chemicals Could Cause Tooth Infections

When applying makeup, the use of lipstick can cause direct damage to your teeth. Lipstick is preserved by a substance known as bismuth oxychloride, a highly dangerous and corrosive chemical. When this chemical gets in direct contact with your teeth gums, it could cause several dental conditions. For instance, the acid will wear down the enamel, making it susceptible to bacteria intrusion. This increases the risk of tooth decay and tooth sensitivity. You could also develop gum disease and other serious oral conditions.

Dry Gums and Skin

Using makeup products that don’t suit your skin can make it dehydrated. As a result, your gums could also become dry. The presence of saliva in the mouth is very important. Without it, the risk of infections is high. Food particles will get stuck on the gums and feed bacteria. Such conditions could lead to tooth decay. You could also experience bleeding gums due to a lack of saliva.

Breakouts

Makeup can cause breakouts due to improper diet, certain medications, and hormonal imbalance. Regular and consistent use of makeup can cause skin breakouts that will affect your smile. If your skin is prone to acne, it is a good idea to limit your makeup usage. By applying less makeup, you will help improve your skin’s health. You also reduce the risk of blackheads. Visit our offices for more information on the effects of makeup.

Grinding Your Teeth with Dentures Is Still a Problem

Teeth grinding causes significant damage to your teeth. When you have lost some of your natural teeth and replaced them with dentures, grinding can still damage them. Your dentures can get damaged in various ways when you grind your teeth.

Daytime Grinding

Most people think teeth grinding can only happen at night when asleep. The truth is, some people can unconsciously clench their teeth during the day. Having chewing muscles that clamp down extremely hard can damage dentures. Continued grinding can wear down your dentures faster than normal. Besides, activities like biting down into hard substances like ice can also cause significant damage to your dentures. Combined with grinding, such activities will cause excessive damage to your dentures.

Sleep Bruxism

When going to bed, most people take out their dentures. While this can help prevent any damage that might be caused by bruxism, there are other risks posed by grinding. Even though your dentures will not wear down or break, sleep bruxism will damage the jaw and gums. This can lead to dentures not fitting properly, affecting their usage. As a result, your dentures will wear out unevenly when put back in.

To prevent the damage caused by grinding to your dentures, there are various things denture wearers can do. For instance, dental appliances can help prevent damage to your jaw and gums when sleeping. Besides, our dentists can reinforce the dentures and put them back in the right spot. Continued use of damaged dentures will do more harm than good. It can affect your gums and cause pain in the surrounding teeth. If the problem is not addressed, you could suffer from conditions like gum disease and tooth decay. Visit our offices for more information on how teeth grinding can damage your dentures.

Taking Out Your Dentures Each Night Can Keep Your Lungs Healthier

Dentures are beneficial to individuals who have lost some or all of their natural teeth. These false teeth enable an individual to eat a variety of foods, smile confidently, and speak clearly. On the other hand, wearing dentures for extended periods pose a risk to an individual’s health. Besides causing mouth sores and bad breath, wearing your dentures for extended periods, especially at night, can affect your lung health, which is why you should take them out when sleeping.

Dentures and Pneumonia

Individuals who wear dentures when sleeping are more likely to suffer from pneumonia than those who take them out. Wearing your dentures at night encourages plaque buildup and accumulation of all types of bacteria and fungi. If your dentures host pneumonia-causing bacteria and you inhale them during sleep, these bacteria will easily move from your mouth to the lungs and cause pneumonia. Therefore, as a denture wearer, you should avoid sleeping with your dentures.

Keeping Your Lungs Healthy as a Denture Wearer

As a denture wearer, you can keep your lungs healthy by maintaining your dentures clean. To do this, ensure that you remove and rinse them after meals to remove food particles that may act as food for bacteria and encourage their multiplication. You should also brush your gums and tongue with a soft-bristled brush to remove mouth bacteria. At night, ensure you remove your dentures and clean them using a denture brush and mild soap. You can also use a denture cleanser but avoid toothpaste as they are too abrasive. Finally, you should rinse your dentures before putting them back in your mouth. With good oral hygiene and denture care, you will keep bacteria at bay and promote your oral health. You should also schedule a routine checkup with us for good oral health. For more details on the effect of dentures on your respiratory health, contact our office today.

Is a Dental Bridge One Fix for TMJ Issues?

Temporomandibular disorder or TMJ characterizes pain in the two joints that connect the jaw bone to the skull. This ache could result from injury, arthritis, genetics, teeth clenching, and grinding. Patients with TMJ will have difficulties in opening their mouths to speak or eat. While it is difficult to diagnose TMJ, upon diagnosis, this condition is curable. Dental bridges as a teeth restoration treatment are one of the ways we can alleviate TMJ symptoms.

TMJ and Uneven Bites

If you have missing teeth either due to trauma, tooth decay, or disease, the missing gaps will cause a misalignment in your jaw. This misalignment is a result of your neighboring teeth shifting from their position into the gap.

This shift will also cause a change in your bite and affect your jaw balance. The imbalance will cause your jaw muscles to stress during chewing, resulting in sudden jaw pain, which is a TMJ symptom. Cracked teeth can also cause misaligned bites as your grind against each other, causing extra stress on TMJ muscles and joints.

Resolving TMJ With Dental Bridges

To deal with TMJ resulting from missing teeth, we will recommend a dental bridge to fill the toothless gap. This way, we will restore your bite and balance and prevent extra jaw strain and TMJ. If your front teeth are missing, we will use porcelain bridges to replace them. Other types of bridges are suitable if the back teeth are missing.

First, we will prepare the abutment teeth by removing part of the enamel to create space for the crown. We will then place a temporary bridge over those teeth and schedule a later appointment to remove temporary crowns and place permanent crowns and bridges. While bridges are useful in dealing with TMJ, different individuals will respond differently to this treatment, which is why you should talk to us first for possible solutions. For more details on managing TMJ, contact our office today.

Boosting Your Health Comes as a Side Effect of Getting Dentures

Loss of teeth can have a significant impact on your overall health. If you fail to replace the missing teeth, you will not be able to eat normally, causing insufficiency in nutrient supply. Getting dentures will help boost your health because they will assume your teeth’ role, maintaining a steady supply of nutrients. This will go a long way in improving your overall health.

How Dentures Boost Your Health

Dentures will not only improve your appearance but also boost your health. With dentures, you will eat easily, enabling you to get a balanced and more nutritious diet. Also, partial dentures will help maintain the health of surviving permanent teeth. They do so by filling the gap between natural teeth that prevents them from growing incorrectly.

By maintaining your jaw alignment, dentures improve your ability to keep your mouth closed as you chew food. This ensures that all the essential nutrients are absorbed into your body; food will be broken down into small particles, making it easy to digest. Research shows that missing teeth can cause the inability of nutrients to separate from food and get absorbed into your system. This will also lead to the presence of undigested food particles in your digestive system. Consequently, bacteria will start growing in the colon, resulting in severe consequences. All these risks underline the importance of chewing food, something that dentures will enable.

Replacing missing teeth will determine how your teeth function. Even if you lose just a few teeth, your health will suffer some consequences. You will not be able to eat all the foods, leading to a short supply of nutrients. However, if you replace the missing teeth with dentures, you will be able to chew food properly, restoring the supply of nutrients. Visit our offices for more information on how dentures help improve your overall health.

How to Choose the Perfect Dentures?

If you take care of them, your teeth will last you a lifetime. However, most people have poor oral health and don’t follow healthy practices, so they suffer tooth loss or tooth decay. If you’re someone who is suffering from an incomplete smile and are looking for options, dental dentures may offer you the perfect solution. It is ideal for people who feel insecure about their smile and want to chew food properly again. Dentures can help restore your smile and give you more confidence.

When choosing the perfect dentures for yourself, there are many options, which may confuse you. It would help if you considered several things when getting dentures for yourself, and we will look at some of them. The fact that dentures are convenient and affordable only adds to their popularity among people looking to restore their lost smiles.

How to Pick the Right Dentures


At Florida Prosthodontics, we can help you find the right denture that completes your smile and is comfortable to wear. You can schedule a consultation with our dentists, who will guide you through the denture types, denture aesthetics, and different brands of dentures in the market. Our goal is to help people pick the right dentures for their mouth. It is a big decision that will define your smile, and our dentists will be with you every step of the way.

The type of denture you get will depend mainly on how many teeth you have lost. You can choose between partial dentures and full dentures to complete your smile. It would be best if you also looked at your denture color as you want it to appear as natural as possible. Lastly, several brands on the market have their pros and cons, like durability, comfort, and aesthetics.

If you want to pick the right dentures for your smile, get in touch with us today by calling at (321) 452-3388 to schedule an appointment and talk with our dentists.

Types of Dental Crowns

Dental crowns, also called dental caps, are used to restore damaged or missing teeth and are used when fillings are no longer a viable option. These can be used to restore size, appearance, and shape. Patients can choose between different types of dental crowns, some of which are listed below.

Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Crowns

These are the most common type of dental crowns and consist of a mixture of porcelain and metal. The two materials are heated and fused together and are much stronger than all-porcelain crowns. Unlike metallic crowns, these have the advantage of being color-matched to the user’s teeth and thus, look more natural. The extra reinforcement provided by the metal is especially suitable for back teeth. These are also more affordable than all-porcelain crowns.

Stainless Steel Crowns

Stainless steel crowns are usually used for children since they protect primary teeth and grow out with them. They’re often used after cavity fillings or pulpotomy treatments. In adults, stainless steel crowns can be used temporarily while a permanent crown is being made.

Metal Crowns

Metals used in these dental crowns include gold, platinum, copper, and base-level alloys. In addition to being durable and resistant to corrosion, metal crowns require less removal than other types of dental crowns. However, although they are resistant to wear, they tend to be more costly and do not blend in with natural teeth. That being said, they are excellent candidates for teeth at the back of the mouth.

All-Porcelain Crowns

Also known as ceramic crowns, these are a good option since they blend in with natural teeth. They’re also durable since they’re hard to chip or break. Those with metal allergies are great candidates for all-porcelain crowns. However, they’re not as strong as metal crowns and are not suitable for those with bruxism.

Resin Crowns

These are fairly inexpensive but are not as durable as other types of dental crowns. Since they’re more susceptible to wear and tear, they aren’t a long-lasting option. Because of this, resin crowns are usually used on decayed baby teeth instead of permanent teeth.

At Florida Prosthodontics, and discuss specific crowns and their suitability and cost with your unique needs in mind. To schedule an appointment to discuss this further, call us at (321) 452-3388.

Prosthodontist vs. General Dentist

Most people get confused while deciding who to consult for their dental needs. When it comes to choosing between a general dentist and a prosthodontist, your oral health problems make a choice for you.

For example, if you are experiencing a constant toothache, it’s possible that an infection or tartar buildup is the cause. All this requires is a thorough cleaning, and your pain will vanish. On the other hand, if you lost your tooth in an accident, you might need a replacement like a dental implant or a bridge.
The former procedure is performed by a general dentist and the latter by a prosthodontist. and at Florida Prosthodontics have years of training and experience under their belt and perform both procedures.

Let’s take a closer look at how both these dental specialists differ:

Choosing a Prosthodontist Over a Dentist


Dentists often refer to themselves as “cosmetic dentists,” though the term is inaccurate. A dentist completed 4 years of education to get their Doctoral of Dental Surgery or Medicine, whereas a prosthodontist does additional 3 years, which covers invasive and non-invasive surgeries such as fixing implants, crowns, dentures, and bridges.

So, why choose a prosthodontist for implants over a general dentist?

Here are just some of the reasons:

You know you will be in good hands because the prosthodontist has more experience with dental implants due to their years of specialized training. Moreover, they know all about the equipment used for creating dentures.
You can rest easy in the knowledge that the dental implant you will get will be exactly like your natural teeth, and it will last longer. Prosthodontists suggest dental implants based on a person’s diet and budget so that they can make an informed decision.
Prosthodontists offer all kinds of treatments, from alveoloplasty to surgical tooth extractions. So, if you have multiple oral problems, you can get all of them looked at by a prosthodontist.


If you are thinking about getting dental implants then visit Florida Prosthodontics and consult or to find the right dental fit for yourself. To schedule an appointment, call at (321) 452-3388.

What is Bruxism and How is it Related to Dentures?

Bruxism is more commonly known as teeth grinding or jaw clenching. This can occur while the patient is either awake or asleep. It can cause an entire slew of problems for both the teeth, gums, jawbone, and even the temporomandibular joint which is also known as the TMJ. When the TMJ is affected it can cause pain at the site as well as along the jawbone. This can increase when biting or chewing food.

Bruxism Symptoms


In many cases, bruxism can go unnoticed for years. Patients might not be aware that they are grinding their teeth at all. If they live alone or their partner does not realize they are grinding their teeth, they might not know. Bruxism can cause tension in the jaw or tenderness at the joint site. They may also notice clicking at the site of the TMJ with every bite while chewing. Patients might also realize their teeth are eroded, showing more wear than usual when they perform self-evaluations.

If patients do not manage their bruxism and stop the deterioration of their teeth or wear on their TMJ, they will likely be facing invasive and costly procedures. Their teeth will wear down to the point where they may need to be extracted to keep the mouth healthy. No one wants to deal with tooth loss like that. In that case, dentures may be necessary in order to restore the lost jaw functionality and bite motion.

Preventing and Managing Bruxism


At your next visit, we will suggest relaxation techniques that can reduce bruxism symptoms and decrease the pain and discomfort while biting and chewing. Wearing a mouthguard at night can also cut down on the symptoms as well. The mouthguard will keep the teeth apart and stop them from grinding against each other which will stop the unnatural erosion process. The night mouthguards are relatively inexpensive and easy to adjust to wearing.

Do you Get Bad Breath When You Wear Dentures?

The mouth has bacteria, and these bacteria can cause bad breath regardless of whether the patient wears dentures or not. The fact that there is an appliance that is not organic inside the mouth, the bacteria can easily cling to the dentures and propagate throughout the oral cavity.

The Causes of Bad Breath


In the same way, bacteria can get caught along the gums and teeth for patients without dentures, they can get caught just as easily on dentures. That is why it is important to remove the dentures and thoroughly clean them to get rid of the bacteria. If these bacteria are not removed, they will build-up to the point of causing a foul odor.

Those patients who have dry mouth, which is a typical complaint of those who wear dentures, can have bad breath problems too. This is because when the mouth is dry there is inadequate saliva to help keep the surfaces in the mouth moist, so bacteria have a harder time clinging to them.

When dentures fit improperly, they can irritate the gums and cheeks. It can create a sore which can cause bad breath.

The Cure for Bad Breath


Cleaning dentures every day is key. At your next visit, we would recommend using a denture brush and approved cleaner to clean the dentures, it is just as important to brush the gums, tongue, palate, and cheeks with a soft bristle toothbrush.

Dentures should be soaked every night in cold water. When they are kept moist, they will maintain their shape better. It is important to not use hot water because it can actually cause the dentures to shift and warp their shape causing them to not fit correctly anymore.

It is important to rinse the dentures after every meal and to rinse the mouth out with water as well. This all helps to diminish the buildup of bacteria which causes bad breath.