Do you cringe every time you bite into something extremely cold or extremely hot. If you have sensitive teeth, trigger foods  include not only hot and cold, but also sweet and sour consumables. Houston dentist, Dr. Gennero, is here to help patients through tooth sensitivity so that you can enjoy all of your favorite meals and beverages without bristling.

Reasons for Sensitive Smiles

Ideally, the hard outer layer of your tooth (enamel) is sufficient enough to create an impenetrable barrier between the sensitive under workings of your teeth and anything you consume.  Unfortunately, enamel can become temporarily softened or permanently damaged, leading to direct contact between hot and cold substances and the layer underneath the enamel, called dentin. Dentin has tubules within it which are responsible for transmitting temperature sensations to the nerves inside your teeth. For a person with sensitive teeth, some degree of dentin exposure or gum recession is usually the cause, so trigger foods literally get on their nerves.

Brushing with Care

You might think that staving off tooth sensitivity is simple if you just keep up your regular tooth brushing routine, but you do need to strike a balance. While periodontal disease and cavities are often direct results of poor brushing habits, you are also at risk for sensitive teeth if you brush too aggressively or too often. Brushing too frequently is nearly as damaging as not brushing enough. Avoid using a hard-bristled toothbrush which can also wear down your tooth enamel and damage your gums.

Visit your Houston Dentist

If you have sensitive teeth, soft-bristled toothbrushes and desensitizing toothpastes are a good place to start. Going to see Dr. Gennero every six months for an exam and cleaning is another great idea. Dr. Gennero can assess your particular situation and recommend specific oral health care products which might offer some relief. If biting into a popsicle has you clutching your jaw in discomfort, now is the time to schedule an appointment with Dr. Gennero. Call our Houston dentist office at (281) 578-6200. We offer a variety of dentistry services to patients from the West Houston and Katy areas.

Imagine a life without chewing. You may chew on auto-pilot, but your quality of life depends on comfortable chewing. Otherwise, how would you eat? And how frustrating would your life be with your stomach constantly rumbling? You see what we’re getting at here. Chewing should not be taken for granted. Unfortunately, you can injure your jaw in a multitude of ways, making chewing a very unpleasant experience. Accidents can happen, but Houston, TX dentist, Dr. Deborah Gennero        has an important piece of advice for a way to protect your jaw which is completely in your control: never bite off more than you can chew.

Go Easy

Try to never take a bite bigger than the size of your mouth. Otherwise, you may inadvertently damage your temporomandibular joints. Larger portions have become the norm in American culture. A five pound/12 patty burger may seem like a great way to fill your belly and nab a funny picture to post on Twitter, but keep your oral health in mind. Any food that is too large to easily fit in your mouth puts your jaw at risk. Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) is a condition of chronic jaw joint inflammation. To avoid injuring your jaw make sure all of the food you eat is cut into bite sized pieces. Chew carefully, mindfully, and slowly. (more…)

Do you praise your genes for your greatest attributes? Do you curse genetics for parts of your appearance or personality that you’re not happy with? Genes are given much credit for who we are, and rightly so. The DNA blueprint which you can’t see with the naked eye certainly dictates many of your physical and mental propensities. What about teeth? Well, of course, the shape of teeth, the shape of your jaw, and how everything fits together might look identical to your mother, father, or grandparents. Houston  dentist, Dr. Deborah Gennero, will expand even further on this concept of how genetics can a predict one’s tendency towards tooth decay and gum disease.

High-Quality Saliva

“Gosh, you have beautiful saliva?” “Thank you. I get it from my uncle.” Okay, perhaps this isn’t a verbal exchange you’re likely to hear. However, saliva strength and quality are often predicted by genetics. What does this matter in terms of your dental health? Well, saliva acts as a sort of natural faucet inside your mouth, washing your teeth free of food particles and bacteria that can mix together to create plaque. Plaque (and the hardened form known as tartar) will damage tooth enamel and gums. Bacteria will always exist in your mouth, but good, strong, high-quality saliva keeps the germs swimming instead of sticking. If you have good saliva composition that helps keep your teeth cavity free, you can thank your ancestors for passing it on to you. (more…)

Good dental health is essential to excellent overall health. This can be especially true for women. People are people, but there are differences in genders that are best understood by a doctor who shares the same chromosomal configuration with you. When it comes to a woman’s dental health, hormones fluctuate during different stages of life.  Hormonal shifts make the female of the species more susceptible to periodontal (gum) disease.  Katy, TX female dentist, Dr. Deborah Gennero, truly understands her female patients. (more…)

When you succumb to dental issues that cause permanent damage to your teeth, or when you lose teeth, your prospects for being able to smile confidently again may seem grim. Nature provides us with a certain number of permanent teeth, and unlike other species, we don’t grow new ones when we lose them in our adult years. There are many ways that we can end up less-than-thrilled with the way our smile looks or feels. Cavities, gum disease, cosmetic issues, misalignments – all of these things can greatly affect your quality of life. Luckily, Houston, TX dentist, Dr. Deborah Gennero, can help.

Restorative Dental Procedures

Has tooth decay taken a toll on the health of your teeth? Are you one of the 80% of Americans that has gum disease? Eating, chewing, and speaking can be difficult if your mouth is full of uncomfortable cavities. Severe gum disease is the leading cause of adult tooth loss. Treatment of these infections in imperative for keeping a healthy mouth. Tooth-colored fillings and dental crowns can solve issues of decay and restore teeth back to full function. When teeth are missing, bridges, dentures, and dental implants can turn an incomplete mouth into one full of strong and healthy teeth.

Cosmetic Procedures Galore

If you have gaps that you think look unattractive, or your teeth are just slightly crooked, a simple cosmetic procedure may give you just the results you’re looking for. Dental bonding uses the same material that we utilize for white dental fillings – composite-resin. Perhaps you’re a heavy coffee drinker or tobacco user who has started to become disheartened by dullness or yellow stains on your (more…)

Perhaps you’re not a wine or beer drinker, but you enjoy celebrating the holidays with family and friends guzzling one soda after another. According to a Gallup poll, about 48% of people in the United States drink at least one soda every single day. You’re probably well aware that the sugar in regular sodas can pack on the pounds. Other compelling research says that even diet versions of various carbonated beverages are just as bad (or even worse) for your waistline. Artificial sweeteners may trigger cravings for fatty foods. How about your teeth? Between sugar and sugar-free, which type of soda is better for your teeth? Houston dentist, Dr. Deborah Gennero, doesn’t have good news about either choice in terms of your dental health.

What’s So Bad about Soda?

Sodas have proven to be one of the most significant cavity inducing consumables. Sugar or no sugar, soft drinks contain acids which will damage your tooth enamel. This makes your teeth into prime targets for the bacteria that cause tooth decay. About 50% of school age children in America consume at least one soda per day. However, reports of teenagers binging on as many as 12 cans of soda daily don’t seem all that shocking. Unfortunately, poor habits such as these in childhood can potentially lead to a lifetime of dental issues and challenges. (more…)

Many people are focused on Halloween this evening, but October 31^st also marks the final day of Breast Cancer Awareness month. Breast cancer can afflict men, but it is primarily a disease that touches the lives of women. While some elements of dentistry are gender-irrelevant (basic tooth decay and gum disease) tendencies differ between the males and females of our species. Women have some completely different risk factors for periodontal disease than men. Much of this has to do with the fluctuating hormones during various times in a woman’s life. Your Katy, TX dentist, Dr. Deborah Gennero, would like to provide more information for female patients.

Gum Disease Risk for Women

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that nearly 50% of American adults over the age of 30 have some level of periodontal disease. Periodontitis is the most severe form. Periodontal pockets are a side effect of severe gum disease, which is also the leading cause of adult tooth loss. How does it all start? Think plaque. When you have plaque buildup and fail to clean it off completely, it settles at your gumline and hardens into tartar within 48 hours. Your gums will start to become irritated, inflamed, and infected. Early gum disease is treatable, meaning we can stop the condition from progressing. However, no form of periodontal disease is completely curable at this time. (more…)