Cosmetic Dentistry

Denver and Lakewood, Colorado

Ten Things to Know for Cutting Your Dental Costs

Just Because Your Teeth Don't Hurt, Doesn't Necessarily Mean They Are OK
Heart attack victims don't experience pain until the problem is potentially lethal. Pain in our teeth means something's not right. It's serious now. You wouldn't neglect your heart. Why neglect your teeth?

We see people almost every day who say, "I was just eating a piece of bread and my tooth broke off." Most kinds of bread won't break your teeth. What really happened was that the tooth was already breaking and biting the bread was the last straw. What if you could know whether or not your tooth was going to break before you ate that piece of bread?
Your Mouth Is Unique
Many diseases and disorders affect the mouth: cavities, gum disease, oral cancer, TMJ issues (jaw, bite, muscular and headache problems), and excessive tooth wear. Your genetics, personal oral hygiene habits, diet and physical health all affect whether or not you'll experience the problems caused by these disorders. You will be likely to experience some problems but maybe not all.

It will help if you learn which problems you tend toward and how to stop small problems from becoming big. You should have gum measurements, an oral cancer exam, a TMJ screening, and a bite analysis. Some dental problems are caused by your physical health. For example, high blood pressure medication can dry your mouth and make you prone to more cavities and thus worsen any gum disease.
Here's The Good News: Most Oral Problems Can Be Prevented
- If you are prone to getting cavities, use prescription strength fluoride during your regular cleanings. We are now putting our cavity-prone patients on ACT, a liquid calcium paste that helps re-solidify teeth. Diet, medical conditions and current medications will also affect cavities.
- If you clench your teeth, (many people don't know they do) you can have a small shock absorber made to offset the damage.
- If your teeth are sensitive, there are desensitizers that can be applied in the office or at home.
- If you are prone to a dry mouth, you can use mouth-wetting solutions to increase comfort and improve gum health.
Once a Problem Begins, It Will Spread, Get Worse, and Grow
Once you know there's a problem, get it fixed as quickly as you can. If you wait too long you may need additional procedures, which means more time and money. A cavity today can easily become a broken tooth needing a dental crown next year. Small problems can often be handled with just one appointment and without pain or complications.
Have Your Teeth Cleaned Every Six Months, No Matter What
If you've been diagnosed with gum disease or are prone to gum problems, you'll need a periodontal cleaning every three to four months. Make the decision to take care of your teeth with regular dental cleanings, even if you don't have dental insurance.

You don't have insurance for your hair, car tires, or clothes, yet you maintain them regularly. Make the same commitment to your teeth and gums. You can buy new shoes, but your natural teeth should not have to be replaced.
Brush Your Teeth Well
Some people don't clean their teeth well enough. Data shows that the average person brushes their teeth for 37 seconds. What can you possibly clean in 37 seconds? I use and recommend the Sonicare™ electric toothbrush. One of the best features about the Sonicare™ is that it has a built-in timer that runs the brush for two minutes and then shuts it off. Using this feature, your teeth will be 4 times cleaner without your having to think about it. I recommend brushing two, preferably three times a day.
Floss Your Teeth Daily
One of the areas where cavities most often develop is the interfaces between back teeth. You can get two cavities wherever two teeth touch and this is why you hear so much about flossing. Cavities between teeth are bothersome to fix, often requiring a porcelain restoration instead of a simple white composite filling.

Almost all Serious Gum Disease Occurs Between the Last Molars. Clean well here and you'll avoid both cavities and gum problems. Diet can have a profound effect on your teeth. Sweets, soda or constant snacking can produce an acid rain assault on your teeth, producing damage that could require dental crowns to repair, instead of just fillings.
Regular X-rays Are A Must
Did you know that a cavity can eat away at your tooth for two years before it shows up on an X-ray? Regular X-rays identify small cavities before they progress to bigger problems. We have seen too many patients who want to put off their X-rays, only to find later that their cavities have spread extensively. At that point treatment becomes significant and often expensive. Prevention saves discomfort and dollars.
Stop Smoking
Smoking worsens gum disease and slows healing. If you have any type of gum problem, stop smoking. Smoking also seriously lowers the success rate of surgical treatments, including dental implants. Chewing tobacco, which contacts mouth tissues directly, is a major cause of oral cancer. If you're interested in quitting, we have many tools available to help you succeed.
Losing Your Teeth Is Worse Than You Think
With modern dental care, you rarely need to have a tooth removed. However, if you do not follow these steps for prevention, you will eventually have problems. Small problems progress to bigger ones – problems that hurt or show up unexpectedly.

For more on this and to read how Dr. Greenhalgh can minimize your dental costs, please see Best Preventive Dental Care.

Please contact our office offering cosmetic dentistry to schedule a consultation with cosmetic dentist, Dr. Greenhalgh. Our office serves the Denver and Lakewood areas and we hope to meet with you soon. We will provide you with all the help we can for cutting dental costs!

3190 South Wadsworth Blvd., Suite 300 | Lakewood, CO 80227

Phone. 800-757-6680 | Fax. 303-479-7599 | Contact Us

Office Hours:
Monday: closed Tuesday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Wednesday: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m. Thursday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Friday: 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.