Got A Gummy Smile?
August 27, 2008
Do you have a gummy smile? You know, the smile where you show more gums than teeth… sometimes making your teeth look short or small.
If so, you’re not alone. Most beauty pagent winners have gummy smiles.
But what about too gummy?
As a dentist I’ve been trained to evaluate smiles aesthetically and the gums are just as important as the teeth.
The following are the things we look at, other than color:
- Your gumline (the line where your tooth ends and the gums begin) is uneven.
- The height and width of your teeth.
- How many teeth are shown (ie. how many back teeth can I see when you smile.
- Are the edges or your upper teeth straight or parallel to your eye line?
- Do you have any “black” spaces between any of your teeth?
- When you’re not smiling, can I see any part of your teeth?
- Symmetry - is the right side a mirror image of your left.
- Is the color of the gums the same on both sides?
But today, let’s look at the gums. How much gums can you show and still look acceptable? The answer is a maximum of 2 mm. Two millimeters of gum is acceptable as they don’t over power the teeth.
The other key element is that the 2mm be 2mm across the whole smile. In other words, you can have 2 mm of gums shown in the front and 6 mm of gum shown in the back or 0 mm of gums showing in the back of the mouth.
If that happens, then your teeth will not look proportional because some teeth will look bigger and some smaller. The reason being, your teeth start and end with the gums.
You Self-Diagnose a gummy smile… now what?
As a dentist in San Diego, I’ve seen how patients can be shocked when I mention their gummy smiles. It’s because no other dentist mentioned it as most dentists look at teeth. I like to say that I look at smiles and the whole body. The teeth are a small component.
Anyway… what can you do if you have a gummy smile. The real answer is…. as one of my mentors told me, “it depends!”
It depends on why you have a gummy smile. As you know, treatment should be driven by a diagnosis. All too often treatment is done without figuring out what really went wrong.
Now I know what you are thinking. If it doesn’t hurt, then don’t fix it. If that is true, then why do you put makeup on…. why do you put deodorant on… why do you take a bath?
A gummy smile to me is not pretty and if I point it out to you, then you may feel the same way.
So there are 4 main reason why you have a gummy smile and each requires a different treatment. The treatments can range from full blown jaw surgery to orthodontics to minor gum surgery to restorative dentistry.
If you want to know more… I’ll be sharing more in my newsletters. Just go to my site drmarvin.com and sign up.
An Interesting Article On How To Save Money
August 20, 2008
DIY (Do it yourself Dentistry).
One funny article about ways to save money listed dentistry as a disgusting way to save money.
Former Presidential Candidate Gets New Chompers
August 13, 2008
Even “regular guy” politicians want nicer teeth.
As evidence in this article on former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.
This goes to show that even in Arkansas, people want to look their best.
And remember if “good ‘ol boy” Mike Huckabee can do it, so can you.
Cosmetic Dentistry is natural good-looking dentistry… not the bling bling everyone thinks it is.
Bad Breath Awareness: Today Is National Fresh Breath Day!
August 6, 2008
I’m so happy today because it is National Fresh Breath Day.
Bad Breath is more than a social issue…. it is an issue about health.
Did you know that bad breath is a SIGN of more serious underlying problems… the most common being a systemic candida infection.
The best way to get rid of bad breath and the fungus in your body is to do a supervised full-body cleanse.
Of course it is not easy but most everything important or worth doing requires work.
Rhea, my wife went through one and now she feels great. (and her breath is better because of it).
One sign of fresher breath is a pink (not white) tongue. Check in the mirror and see if you have a white tongue. If so, 1. get a system to fight bad breath locally then 2. find a health professional in cleansing to get rid of those nasty overgrowth of candida.
As always, I recommend BreathDr. Brand
Chlorine Dioxide Saves People’s Lives
August 5, 2008
I wanted to talk a little about other applications of chlorine dioxide since I’m a big proponent of it for the use as an antimicrobial rinse and bad breath buster
In this article, a hotel, which has come under investigation because of Legionella pneumophila
A bacteria found in the water, installed a chlorine dioxide water purification system. That instantly solved a lot of their problems as the bacteria was no longer found.
The Legionella pneumophila initially caused 10 people to seek hospitalization due to the infections. Fortunately, there are chlorine dioxide systems present that help with this kind of problem.
For more information about, visit www.breathdoctor.com
Green Dentistry. Is there such a thing?
August 4, 2008
In my search for the best information for my blog, I’ve scoured the internet looking to see if there is such a thing called “Green Dentistry.” With it being hip to be green, from hollywood celebrities to corporate jaggernauts, I’m surprised not many dentists have adopted the concept.
It is common however for dentists to jump on the bandwagon. Though lately I’ve given more thought to it than most dentists, here ar e few things that any dentist may consider when going green.
1. Removing mercury fillings and SAFELY discarding them. I’m not going to mention too much about the mercury toxicity debate but I am going to mention that it is a requirement to dispose of the hazardous material properly. I know that in my previous office, strict protocols were needed to monitor the substance and extra equipment like amalgam separators.
2. Energy savings in the office. As dentists, we want to have nice well-lit offices to create a pleasant environment, but is it right to do at the expense of energy? Not to mention, the added costs to light up and power the computers and other dental equipment.
3. Conserve on disposables. A lot of dentists use barriers to cover up surfaces but all of these plastics and paper products add to landfills. Dentists should instruct their staff to use spray and wipe techniques to disinfect surfaces.
4. Paper in the office. Whenever you go to the dentist for the first time, the first thing they do is give you a clipboard with several pieces of paper… commonly called “The Paperwork.” Nowadays, offices are computerized and an online form is becoming more popular. They even have signature pads for you to sign. The term paperless would be difficult these days but a chartless dental office is now feasible with current software.
5. Chemicals. With the advent of digital xrays, dental offices are able to eliminate the need for x-ray developing chemicals. Choose an office with digital xrays.
6. Text and email communications instead of postcards and mailed statements. Another way to cut down on paper is with the use of the internet and cell phones. People actual prefer a text or email reminder as opposed to a phone call.
This list could be a whole lot longer but these 6 tips are a good way to start. Feel free to print this out and give it to your dentist. They may even give you a discount on your next cleaning!
Dr. Marvin
ps. I’m still working on a book for dentists on how to be environmentally friendly. Subscribe to this feed for the latest updates.
Bad Breath Issues In China: Government Is Cracking Down.
August 3, 2008
This is funny.
China in an effort to better their image before the Beijing Olympics, they’ve instructed their taxi drivers to not eat any garlic. Their goal is for them not to have any bad breath for their out of town visitors.
Considering they’ve put a halt to their pollution causing autos and factories, I’m sure they could force their taxi drivers to improve their breath.
This goes to show that bad breath is a problem and can be a turn off especially in Asia.
Here’st he article:
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2008/08/01/Officials_Bad_fashion_not_OK_at_Olympics/UPI-96361217645549/