How To Get Your Child Excited About Oral Care

One thing that is very difficult for a parent to accomplish is getting their children to do what is good for them. From eating their vegetables to going to bed at a reasonable time, it can be a daunting task getting your children to do what is necessary for their health. The same thing can be said for their smiles. Many parents can agree that getting their child to brush their teeth on a daily basis is tricky, and they find themselves trying to come up with clever ways to make oral care fun. Fortunately, Dr. Gilbert Lopez has a few tips to help parents make oral care fun for their children!

Something that has been proven is that children respond well to music. When you are brushing their teeth, make a musical out of it! Have them join the fun and sing along with you, letting them enjoy the time they spend brushing their teeth. This helps them correlate brushing their teeth with a fun activity, and they will be more likely to do it. Another way to make it a fun experience is to brush your teeth with your child. By mimicking your actions, the team effort in accomplishing a clean smile will be fun.

If your child has a favorite cartoon character or superhero, try finding a toothbrush with that character on it. This will definitely make the experience more fun, and your child will be more excited to brush their teeth. Along with a fun toothbrush, try a tasty toothpaste. A toothpaste that is different from the standard spearmint or peppermint will definitely help your child be more eager to brush their teeth, especially when it is paired with their fun toothbrush! By keeping these few tips in mind, you are sure to have your child experience better oral health, making it less of a chore and more of a bonding experience.

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.

How Chewing Ice is Bad For Your Smile

One of the most interesting things about people are the habits and quirks that make up a part of their personality. Common habits such as playing with their hair and biting on their nails are only a few things that make a person unique, and many people have many different habits that make them different from everyone else. A common habit that many people share is chewing on ice. Although it may seem harmless, chewing ice can be more detrimental than you may think, especially for your smile.

One of the main reasons why chewing ice is bad for your smile is because it deteriorates the enamel on your smile. Because your jaw is very powerful and strong, when you bite on the hard ice, it lessens the strength of your enamel. When your enamel is not as strong as it needs to be, it makes you more susceptible to tooth sensitivity. Also, with the temperatures in your mouth repeatedly changing from hot to cold, it could damage the fillings you have. The temperature change has the potential to cause your fillings to swell quicker than your tooth, making the fillings counterproductive over time.

Not only is chewing gum bad for your teeth, but it is also bad for your gums. With ice having sharp edges, when you chew on it, it has the potential to puncture and damage the soft tissues in your mouth. Many people do not know that having healthy gums equates to having a healthy smile and body, and when that is compromised, the effects can be detrimental. By keeping these few simple tips in mind, you will be able to be more aware of your unconscious habits and how it plays a bigger role in your oral health than you may think.

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.

Shine Bright with Teeth Whitening!

Having a dull smile is not a good thing for anyone to have to experience. A bright, beautiful smile is a symbol of health and vitality, and if your smile has muted significantly over the years, it has the potential to have a negative effect on how you view yourself and how you interact with the people around you. Thankfully, we live in an age where dental technology improves every single day. Dr. Gilbert Lopez is able to give you the dazzling smile of your dreams by offering teeth whitening to his patients at his Fort Smith, AR dental office.

There are many reasons why a smile can go from radiant to lackluster. Coffee, tea, wine, tobacco products, certain medications, and even genetics all play a role. Dr. Lopez offers at-home teeth whitening to his patients, making the entire process convenient and simple! Usually consisting of two appointments, Dr. Lopez will make impressions of your smile in order to have your custom whitening trays made. By making sure that your whitening trays fit your perfectly, it ensures the best results when they are filled with the whitening gel.

During the second appointment, Dr. Lopez will fit the whitening trays as well as supply you with the professional grade whitening gel. All you need to do is wear the trays twice a day for half an hour, or wear them overnight while you sleep. Within a couple of weeks, you will be able to see the full results of you whitening process! Although you may experience some tooth sensitivity while going through the whitening process, the effects should dissipate after your treatment is finished. If you feel as though Dr. Lopez can help give you the bright smile of your dreams, contact our office today!

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 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.

How Chewing Gum Is Actually Good For Your Smile!

There are many habits that people have that they perform without even thinking about it. Biting nails, playing with hair- both of these are examples of habits people do unconsciously. Another habit may be chewing gum. Chewing gum is a simple yet effective habit that can ease your stress, keep you occupied, or simply cure a simple sweet tooth. What you may not know, however, is that chewing gum could be good for your teeth!

Since ancient times, the Greeks, Mayans, and Native Americans all enjoyed in some form of gum chewing, and today in the 21^st century, we are no different. With so many options of chewable delights to choose from, sometimes the options can be overwhelming, but they all work to deliver a healthier smile. Chewing gum increases the production of saliva in your mouth, and that increase can neutralize and eliminate the acids and leftover food particles in your mouth after you eat. This also leads to a lower risk of plaque and tartar buildup, as the bacteria will not have enough time to stay in your mouth and attach themselves to your teeth.

Also, chewing gum, along with the increased saliva production, carries more calcium and phosphate, both of which help build stronger tooth enamel, meaning a healthier smile. Studies have shown that chewing gum for at least twenty minutes after eating a meal helps prevent tooth decay, which can really make a difference down the road in regards to your smile.

So the next time you put a piece of gum in your mouth, you will be able to relish in the fact that it is doing wonders for your 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.

Have A Perfect Smile For Summer With Porcelain Veneers!

Now that summer is rapidly approaching, people are doing everything in their power to look their absolute best. Whether it is getting their swimsuit body in shape or getting their hair done, people make a point to look as good as possible in order to fully enjoy the summer the way they want to. What people may not think about enhancing, however, is their smiles. Wanting your smile to shine and be as bright and perfect as the summer sun is something many people want, and Dr. Gilbert Lopez is able to deliver that smile to his patients by using porcelain veneers.

The start to getting your porcelain veneers begins with a consultation with Dr Lopez. There, he will be able to fully assess your smile in its current state, as well as ask you about your future goals regarding your smile. This will also give you the chance to address any questions or concerns you may have, as we want you to be fully informed throughout the entire procedure. Once it is determined that you are a candidate, that is where the real fun begins!

Your natural tooth is prepared for your porcelain veneers by removing a small bit of enamel. This way, we are sure your mouth has enough space for your new smile! Your custom made porcelain veneers are then added, and are made permanent with dental resin cement. A simple procedure, but at the end, you are left with a completely new smile that anyone would be proud of showing off! If you are curious as to how Dr. Lopez can help give your smile the makeover you deserve just in time for summer with porcelain veneers, make an appointment today, and the entire New Smile Dental team 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.