How a Healthy Mouth Enhances Your Smile Makeover Results

If you live anywhere in Southern California, you might be eager to have a cosmetic makeover for your smile, since all those celebrities on screens and ads everywhere have perfect ones.

Of course, almost all of them were born with the normal flaws, from crooked teeth to misaligned bites. Like ordinary mortals, they also drank too much coffee and didn’t always have great habits to keep them from getting cavities (which remains the second most common disease, next to only the more common cold).

That’s why the stars come to Beverly Hills to transform their original smiles into gleaming grins for those close-ups, since we are recognized as the masters of dental makeovers. Fortunately, we can offer the same excellence to anyone at a non-celebrity price.

However, what is often not considered is that before you can take the first steps towards the ideal smile that is unique for you, some preparation may be necessary to bring your mouth into a healthier state.

Very few people grow up understanding just how challenging it is to keep their gums free of periodontal (gum) disease. When this progresses far enough, due to inadequate brushing and flossing, the gums pull away from their support of teeth, which loosen and either fall out or have to be extracted.

It’s no surprise, then, that Americans ages 39-49 are missing an average of three teeth, those 50-64 have lost an average of five, while a quarter of people 75 or over are entirely toothless! So the first oral health issue that needs to be addressed before starting with a cosmetic makeover is making sure periodontal disease is under control. If you are unsure of exactly how to brush and floss effectively to prevent it, have your dental hygienist show you when you have the recommended professional cleaning twice a year

On the same schedule you also should have your dentist do a physical exam of your mouth to check for everything from cavities that are at an early stage and tiny chips to root canals that are infected and oral cancer. If some of your teeth are crooked, it will be necessary to have them straightened with Invisalign clear aligners before proceeding with other cosmetic procedures. Some oral health issues may also require a digital x-ray (which involves minimal radiation), such as determining whether your jaw is losing bone.

An important sign of a healthy mouth is that you have sufficient saliva, which fights periodontal bacteria and is important for digestion, but many people have dry mouths, which can occur from many reasons, including not drinking enough water and the side effects of medications.

Many of our new patients find out that they grind their teeth while they sleep and before we can start doing anything to create a more beautiful smile, we need to repair the damage with crowns or bonding. To prevent further harm, we will create a customized mouthguard to wear at night.

Eating and drinking habits can often be improved to both keep the mouth healthy and allow a cosmetic makeover to last longer without touch-ups. Ideally, one should minimize drinking coffee, tea, and red wine, as well as strongly-colored beverages like sodas (which also have acids that erode teeth) and foods such as blueberries and tomatoes. Eating more vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains, seeds, nuts, and peas will help overall health, including that of your mouth.

Call Beverly Hills Dentistry today to set an appointment for a full dental exam and to discuss the first steps to prepare for creating your uniquely perfect smile.