The way you look and the way you feel about yourself, your own feeling of self-confidence are affected by your teeth and your smile.

Here are some cosmetic procedures that help, when needed, to give you a brighter nd more confident smile.

Teeth whitening: Whitening, also called bleaching, brightens teeth that are discolored or stained. Teeth whitening can either be done completely in your dentist’s office or can be done with a combination of in-office and in-home procedures.

With Bonding a tooth-colored material is attached or ‘bonded’ to the teeth to improve the appearance of teeth that are chipped, broken, cracked or stained.

Veneers are custom-made shells that are placed on the front part of a tooth that is chipped, worn, slightly crooked or permanently stained

For children or adults braces are the standard treatment for teeth that a crooked, crowded or do not meet properly.

If you have any attention on the look or feel of your teeth talk to your dentist about what cosmetic procedure he or she recommends to give you that perfect smile.

In keeping with my purpose of ensuring patients understand what their dentist is talking about I thought I would give a brief definition of abscessed tooth.

An abscess is an accumulation of pus anywhere in the body. With regards to dentistry an abscess is a painful infection at the root of the tooth or between the gum and the tooth. This is usually caused by severe decay but can also be caused by trauma such as breaking a tooth.

The most obvious, to the patient, symptom of a tooth abscess is a severe and continuous toothache. Other symptoms may include a fever, pain when chewing and redness or swelling on the gums.

The most common reason for bleeding gums is inadequate plaque removal from the teeth at the gum line. This leads to inflamed gums, a condition known as gingivitis. If plaque is not removed through regular brushing and care by a dentist or oral hygienist, it will harden into what is known as tartar. Ultimately, this will lead to increased bleeding and more advanced gum and jawbone problems.

Some other things that can cause gums to bleed during regular brushing include hormonal changes during pregnancy, brushing too hard or with too hard a toothbrush, improper flossing or any bleeding disorder.

If you notice your gums bleeding when you brush chances are it’s just time to see your dentist.