Preserve Your Natural Smile, Make a Periodontal Therapy Appointment with Dr. Lopez Today

Almost 50% of all Americans over 30 have some form of periodontal disease. Periodontal (gum) disease is an inflammatory condition that slowly destroys the tissues that support and protect your teeth. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. However, you can take action to stop the spread of periodontal disease and keep your natural teeth. By maintaining regularly scheduled dental cleanings with Dr. Lopez, you can prevent the disease from taking over your oral health. Make the periodontal therapy appointment you need to stay healthy with Dr. Lopez at New Smile Dental today. Dr. Lopez is a trusted family dentist, specializing in gum disease prevention and treatment. New Smile Dental delivers quality care daily throughout Fort Smith, AR, Van Buren, and the surrounding communities.

Five Periodontal Disease Risk Factors

·         Plaque Build Up: If plaque is not removed through daily dental hygiene practices and regular professional dental cleanings, bacteria will multiply and eventually cause periodontal disease.

·         Organic Changes: Natural changes that occur in metabolism and hormone levels during pregnancy, puberty, and menopause, can make you more susceptible to developing periodontal disease.

·         Medical Conditions: Serious conditions that affect the body's ability to produce sugar, such as diabetes or kidney disease, may contribute to periodontal disease.

·         Dry Mouth: Medications that produce dry mouth may contribute to a reduction of protective saliva flow, and potentially lead to periodontal disease.

·         Behaviors: Nightly teeth grinding or teeth clenching may impair gum tissue and possibly contribute to the development of periodontal disease.

Do You Have Periodontal Disease?

If you notice any of the following periodontal disease symptoms, you should make an immediate appointment for periodontal disease therapy:

·         Bleeding gums

·         Tender, red, or swollen gums

·         Persistent bad breath

·         Loosened or shifting teeth

Fort Smith Periodontal Therapy Appointments

Since many early signs of periodontal disease are mild, and if left undetected, may contribute to tooth loss, it is important to visit Dr. Lopez for a professional exam and dental cleaning to identify and stop the disease in its tracks. Make an appointment with Dr. Lopez at New Smile Dental for the periodontal therapy you need today. Dr. Lopez is a highly qualified periodontal therapy dentist. New Smile Dental proudly restores smiles daily throughout Fort Smith, AR, Van Buren, and neighboring areas.

Schedule Holiday Dental Care Appointments for the Whole Family

With all of the festivities, preparations, and things to do during the holiday season, you can easily forget about taking care of your teeth. That’s why your dental health is so vulnerable this time of year. We may skimp on our oral care routines just as we start to consume more sugary treats and desserts than normal. This is a very bad combination for your teeth. But you can be proactive and protect your dental health and the dental health of your family this holiday season. Take note of the important healthy holiday habits below. Then make sure everyone in your family is caught up with their regular dental check-ups. A regular dental check-up can prevent tooth decay and gum disease. If it’s been over six months, make an appointment with Dr. Lopez at New Smile Dental to get your family the dental care they need for the holidays. Dr. Lopez proudly serves families throughout Fort Smith, AR, Van Buren and surrounding areas. 

Holiday Dental Care Tips

·         Focus on a Few Big Meals- While it’s never healthy to over eat, it is healthier for your teeth if you forgo snacking in between meals and focus on just a few hearty meals during the day. Snacking throughout the day can prolong the time your teeth are exposed to harmful sugary residue. You also produce more saliva during big meals. This helps to wash away cavity causing bacteria and the excess sugars they feed upon.

·         Grab a Straw- While it may be hard to avoid any sugary beverages during holiday gatherings, you can help avoid the residual damage to your teeth by always using a straw. This redirects the harmful sugars away from your teeth and gums.

·         Milk a Cow- Well, not literally. But you should try drinking glass of low fat milk or eating a piece of cheese after consuming sugary treats. Milk will help wash away the sugars and the calcium and vitamin D in dairy products will help to strengthen your teeth and fight cavities.

·          Grab a Stick-A stick of sugar free gum that is. Sugar free gum contains an ingredient known as Xylitol, which actually helps to fortify your teeth against decay and gum disease.

Holiday Dental Care in Fort Smith, AR

What better gift to give your family this holiday than a bright, healthy smile? You can make an appointment with Dr. Lopez at New Smile Dental today for a pre or post- holiday dental check-up. Dr. Lopez proudly serves families throughout Fort Smith, AR, Van Buren and neighboring communities.

Is it Time to Get Dentures?

As we age, our teeth can start to be a big problem. Even with proper oral care and routine dental visits, your dental work will eventually wear out and need to be replaced. Teeth will discolor over time and you may develop gum disease as a side effect of your medication or an unrelated illness. When the time comes to consider getting dentures, you shouldn’t let the idea scare you. The alternative to dentures (no teeth) is a much scarier proposition. Your teeth aren’t just there to complete your beautiful smile. They’re there for basic functions like talking and eating. Educate yourself and make an appointment with Dr. Lopez at New Smile Dental to discuss your options. Dr. Lopez proudly serves families throughout Fort Smith, AR, Van Buren and neighboring communities.

The Dentures Process

·         Unhealthy teeth are extracted.

·         Temporary dentures are made in advance and can be positioned as soon as teeth are removed. Custom dentures are made after teeth have been removed and gum tissue has begun to heal.

(3 to 6 months after tooth removal)

·         Adjustment to dentures may take a few weeks until the muscles of your cheek and tongue learn to keep them in place. Minor irritation or soreness may occur and saliva flow may increase. These problems will diminish as your mouth adjusts to the new denture.

Quality Dentures in Fort Smith, AR

Over 32 million Americans wear full or partial dentures. You may or may not be a good candidate for dentures depending on your unique medical and dental history. If you still have the option, keeping your natural teeth as long as possible with quarterly cleanings and examinations is the best way to go. Porcelain crowns, bonding and veneers are all great methods for restoring your natural teeth. If you’re healthy enough, dental implants are also a good option. All tooth replacement processes take time. That’s why you should make an appointment with Dr. Lopez at New Smile Dental as soon as possible to discuss your treatment options. Dr. Lopez proudly serves families throughout Fort Smith, AR, Van Buren and neighboring communities.

Gum Disease and Your Heart

Last time, we talked about periodontal disease, the negative effects it can have on your body, and ways for Dr. Gilbert Lopez was able to help treat the issue. Now, it is important to look into what periodontal disease can do to important organs of the body, such as the heart. Your heart, along with your brain, is the driving forces in keeping you alive. Because of the significance of your heart, you want to make sure it is as healthy as possible in order to live a long and vigorous life. By looking into how periodontal disease can affect your heart, raising awareness about the issue has the potential to save lives.

One of the ways periodontal disease can affect your heart is through bacteria and place. Your mouth is the gateway to your entire body, it being the way we nourish ourselves, take medicine to heal ourselves, etcetera. When harmful bacteria are in your mouth, it can enter the blood stream, making a straight shot to your heart. This bacterium can be found in your arteries, all the while slowly clogging them and decreasing the amount of healthy blood is pumped into your heart. Because your body has natural defense mechanisms like swelling, the harmful bacterium in your mouth has the potential to make your blood cells swell, narrowing your arteries and increasing your odds of getting a blood clot.

One of the ways this can be prevented is by getting a dental checkup every six months with Dr. Lopez. During the checkup, he will be able to see what condition your teeth and gums are in, and addressing any signs of periodontal disease as quickly as possible. Also, brushing and flossing every day is an excellent way of deterring the dangerous bacteria from being in your mouth. If you think you are living with periodontal disease, contact our office immediately, and we would love to help you achieve a happier, healthier smile.

At New Smile Dental, we focus on enhancing and restoring the beauty of your smile with help from the latest dental technology. Dr. Gilbert Lopez treats patients from Fort Smith and Van Buren, AR and surrounding areas. Call us today to schedule your next appointment.

Gum Disease Therapy with Dr. Lopez

Every year, thousands of people are diagnosed with periodontal (gum) disease. Although the gums are often not paid enough attention to, your gums play a crucial role in making sure that your smile is as healthy as it can be. Some people may be aware of the fact that they have periodontal disease, but there are also those who have no idea, leaving their mouths to constant deterioration and decay. It is important to make sure that your gums are just as healthy as your teeth, and Dr. Gilbert Lopez is able to do that for you with periodontal disease therapy.

Knowing that you have periodontal disease early on is very important in making sure that it does not spread and harm more areas of your mouth. If you are unsure of whether or not you have periodontal disease, some of the symptoms are swollen gums, gums that bleed when you brush or floss, gums that recede, etcetera. Untreated periodontal disease has the potential to lead to many harmful effects on the body, such as bone loss, tooth loss, heart disease, stroke, and dementia. If you have any of these symptoms, it is very important that you make an appointment to see Dr. Lopez immediately.

One of the ways Dr. Lopez treats periodontal disease is by doing a few cleaning sessions for those in the early stages. For people with more advanced stages of periodontal disease, that may require scaling and root planing by one of our talented hygienists. She will remove the bacteria, plaque, and tartar from below the gum line, delivering a healthier smile. A few cleanings may be required after that to make sure your periodontal disease is taken care of, but you are sure to have a healthier, glowing smile at the end. If you feel as though you are suffering from periodontal disease, contact our office today and we’ll be glad to help.

At New Smile Dental, we focus on enhancing and restoring the beauty of your smile with help from the latest dental technology. Dr. Gilbert Lopez treats patients from Fort Smith and Van Buren, AR and surrounding areas. Call us today to schedule your next appointment.

Healthy Gums Mean A Healthy Smile

Believe it or not, gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, can become a serious matter if it’s not taken care of at the right time. With over 80% of the population living with some form of gum disease, odds are you may be suffering from it and not even be aware. If left untreated, gum disease can affect different areas of your body, perhaps resulting in bone loss, heart disease, stroke, dementia, and much more. Thankfully, Dr Gilbert Lopez is able to tackle your gum disease with gum disease therapy.

Gum disease is the number one reason for tooth loss, so everyone at New Smile Dental takes it very seriously. A couple of the ways we treat gum disease non-surgically is scaling. Scaling removes the tartar, also known as calculus, from below the gum line. This way, we can remove the bacteria affecting your teeth. Root planing is another way of helping prevent gum disease; it lessens the rough areas on your teeth’s roots. Another thing we do is tissue regeneration, meaning we place healthy gum tissue is placed on infected gum tissue, promoting healthy gum growth and reattachment to the tooth.

There are things you can do at home to prevent gum disease. Flossing and brushing your teeth twice daily, preferably after every meal, is a great and easy way to eliminate the bacteria from sitting in your mouth. Be sure to devote yourself to using antibacterial mouthwash; it’s is a great way to erase the bacteria your tooth brush may have missed. Don’t worry if you’re unable to brush your teeth after every meal, chewing gum is a great option, as it catches food particles, preventing them to make your gums their new home.

If your gums are swollen, sensitive, or bleed when you brush them, call our office immediate to make an appointment with Dr. Lopez, and we all will be glad to help!

At New Smile Dental, we focus on enhancing and restoring the beauty of your smile with help from the latest dental technology. Dr. Gilbert Lopez treats patients from Fort Smith and Van Buren, AR and surrounding areas. Call us today to schedule your next appointment.