Now that Thanksgiving and Christmas have come and gone, we enter into the season for committing to resolutions for the new year. Dr. David Goldwyn, specializing in Portland, OR dental implants, encourages patients to make the most of your smile during 2014!

One way to do get your smile ready for the new year is to take stock first of where you are when it comes to a healthy smile. These easy tips can help you determine what kind of dental and periodontal care you might need in the coming months.

Does Your Diet Help Your Smile?

What we eat and drink has a profound effect on the state of our smiles. To make the most of a beautiful smile in 2014, take a few moments to review what you eat and drink on a regular basis. Foods that are high in calories, sugar and fat aren’t just bad for our overall health, they also have a negative impact on our smiles. Bacteria that naturally live in our mouths feed off of the sugar left behind on the surfaces of our teeth when we eat, producing the acid that leads to periodontal disease. Regardless of the stage of periodontal disease, it’s essential to visit Portland Periodontics to get this plaque removed to avoid more potential problems.

It’s not just what we eat that effects our teeth, but also what we drink. Dark drinks like coffee, tea and red wine cause staining on the surfaces of our teeth. If you notice that your teeth or stained or darker than you would like them to be, it might be time to consider a simple teeth whitening procedure, or simply scheduling an appointment with the dentist or periodontist if it’s been awhile since you’ve been to the dentist office.

Say Goodbye to Tobacco

Tobacco products like cigarettes or chewing tobacco have a detrimental effect on our smiles. Those who use tobacco experience discoloration of teeth and are at increased risk for cavities, gum recession, gum disease and throat, lung and oral cancer.

Smokers are about twice as likely to lose their teeth as non-smokers, which can lead to a whole host of overall health problems. To avoid these risks, get help to stop smoking or using smokeless tobacco through a local cessation program.

Are You Happy With Your Smile?

One of the best ways to decide whether or not you are happy with your smile is to simply take a look in the mirror. Are your teeth stained or crooked? Do you experience soreness or bleeding in your gums when you brush or floss? Have you had one or more teeth extracted over time and would like replacement options?

Whether you desire simple cosmetic periodontal services or something more complicated like dental implants, Portland periodontist Dr. David Goldwyn and his team provide a variety of services that include:

• gum disease treatment
• gum grafts
• bone grafting
• scaling and root planing
• the placement and care of dental implants

Periodontist in Portland, Oregon Dr. David Goldwyn and his team wish their patients and families a very happy start to our new year. To make the most of your smile in 2014, call Portland Peridontics at 503-245-0180 to schedule your appointment!