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Dental implants are a great option for people looking to replace a missing or broken tooth. As dental technological capabilities improve, the look, efficiency, and durability of dental implants have as well. You may be wondering where you can get dental implants in Harrisburg. Our recommendation is our partner specialty center the Dental Implant Center of PA located right off Interstate 81 in Enola.               

Info on Dental Implants 

The objective of Dental Implants is to be designed and crafted as a permanent, worry free treatment option for patients who are in need of replacement teeth. Implant teeth are foundations that are fully replicated to make the natural look of your current teeth. 

The actual structure which makes up dental implants is broken up into 3 parts:

  1. The implant – The unseen part secured to your jaw.
  2. The Abutment – The connector of the implant and new tooth.
  3. The Crown/Replacement Tooth – The visible part of the implant. 

The Dental Implant Center of PA 

The Dental Implant Center of PA is Central Pennsylvania’s premier dental implant institute. Recently opened in 2020, its state-of-the-art equipment, board certified surgeon, and other highly experienced and well regarded doctors with decades of experience make it an implant center like no other in the region. The implant center is located only a few minutes away from Harrisburg, Camp Hill, Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill and Lemoyne. Specialized periodontal treatment and oral & maxillofacial surgery are also available at the dental implant center.   

Services The Dental Implant Center of PA are able to provide include:

We highly recommend The Dental Implant Center of PA to our patients because of its revolutionary take on complete dentistry and high-end dentistry. With the technology and knowledge the team at the Dental Implant Center uses, they are able to craft implants fundamentally indistinguishable from natural teeth. If there is any more information you would like to learn about dental implants, we recommend visiting their website and coming into contact with one of their expert dental implant specialists. 

Smoking can wreak havoc on your oral health. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 34.1 million people smoke in the United States, which is 14% of the population. Smoking causes many diseases and reduces users’ overall health. Smoking impacts your teeth and gums in several ways including yellow teeth, plaque, receding gums, and more. Keep reading to learn how smoking affects your oral health.

Periodontitis

One of the diseases that smoking causes is periodontitis, a serious gum infection that can cause tooth loss and affect overall health. 

Smokers are at higher risk of gum disease because smoking causes the following:

Smokers are three to six times more likely to develop gum disease or periodontal disease, which can attack roots and cause teeth to fall out.

Yellow Teeth (Nicotine Stains)

Similar to your skin, your teeth have pores. These pores absorb the things you eat, drink, or in this case, smoke. Nicotine and tar in tobacco have qualities that allow it to stain materials very easily. Mixed with your saliva, smoking or tobacco use will cause yellow or brown stains to develop quickly. The stains caused by smoking seep deeper into the enamel, making them more difficult to remove. These stains are often too visceral to be removed through drugstore whitening products, and regular professional whitening is needed. Along with the stains, smoking can also cause bad breath.

Plaque and Tartar Buildup 

The chemicals in tobacco products affect the way saliva flows through your mouth. One of saliva’s main functions is to protect tooth enamel and prevent decay. If not removed daily, it can harden into tartar, also known as calculus, a substance so hard it requires a professional cleaning to remove.

Oral Cancer

Smoking can cause cancer of the mouth, throat, or lips. About 90% of people who were diagnosed with one of these forms of cancer used tobacco products. Smokers are six times more likely than nonsmokers to develop oral cancers.

Do you want to quit smoking?

Smoking and tobacco use has a plethora of negative effects on your health, but your dentist isn’t here to judge your lifestyle habits. Instead, they’ll be happy to offer solutions and helpful advice to assist you in quitting and restoring better oral health! Quitting smoking can significantly reduce your risk of developing gum disease. If you already have periodontal disease, being a non-smoker increases your chances of stability after periodontal treatment.  

While 70% of smokers want to quit, only 6% quit on their own. If you are part of the 70%, we can help! Many resources are available to help you become a non-smoker such as various tips from former smokers and state programs such as the PA Free Quitline.  

Many dental professionals are even specially trained to help guide you to the right resources for smoking cessation. So, next time you come in for a dental visit, ask us how we can help you become smoke-free!

Brushing can become such an ingrained habit that you might not always think about when the last time you replaced your toothbrush. If you’ve been using the same one for several months it may be time to replace it with a new one. Staying on top of replacing your toothbrush when it’s necessary can help to prevent you from getting sick and ensure that your teeth are being cleaned as well as they possibly can. 

When to replace your toothbrush

Both dentists and manufacturers of toothbrushes recommend that you replace your toothbrush with a new one every three to four months. If you’re abiding by the recommendation that you brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes, this is the amount of time that you’ll want to stick to. One of the major reasons why it’s important to replace your toothbrush after this amount of time is the bristles begin to lose their rigidity and become frayed. If you’re brushing with a toothbrush that has frayed bristles, your teeth aren’t getting as clean as they can. These frayed bristles have a hard time reaching between your teeth and cleaning along the gum line effectively.

Additionally, germs can hang out on your toothbrush. Bacteria can stick around on the bristles and can even transfer to your toothpaste, making it possible to get others who share the toothpaste to become sick. 

When you should replace your toothbrush more frequently

For some people, brushing is something that they do more than twice a day. Perhaps you feel the need to do so after a sugary food or after each meal, which can be a great thing for your oral health. However, this may mean that your toothbrush will deteriorate more rapidly due to the added use. 

Further, if you use an electric toothbrush, the manufacturer may have specific replacement times for their toothbrush. It’s important to read all of the instructions for your electric toothbrush before use. Since electric toothbrush heads can be a special design and may cost more as a result, it’s still very important to abide by the recommended lifespan. These may also see added wear and tear due to the vibrating or rotating motion of the toothbrush as well. 

Another situation which might warrant throwing away and replacing toothbrushes is if someone in the family becomes sick. It isn’t likely that you’ll infect yourself with the same virus, but it is possible for that virus to transfer if your toothbrush is stored in close proximity to your family’s toothbrushes. 

Conclusion

Using a toothbrush that’s clean and functioning properly can help promote your overall oral health. Beyond replacing it every 3-4 months depending on your habits, it’s also important to keep an eye on the bristles after you brush. They can be the biggest sign of deterioration if they’re frayed. Bristles should be springy and resilient. If you have any questions about your oral routine, feel free to schedule a visit with us and we can answer any questions you might have!