Koch Aesthetic Dentistry Birmingham Alabama – Blog

When my Alabama cosmetic dental clients ask me if mouthwash cures bad breath, I tell them that treating bad breath with a mouthwash is like drenching yourself with cologne instead of taking a shower. Mouthwash is only a temporary mask for odor caused by poor oral hygiene, tongue bacteria, or digestive problems.

The best-selling mouthwashes in Alabama have a significant amount of alcohol, which can even exacerbate bad breath by drying out the mouth. Some bacteria grows even faster in a dry environment.

To eliminate bad breath, you need to find the cause. To get rid of hidden bacteria multiplying between teeth, pay more attention to thorough flossing and brushing.

Devise a system to brush every reachable surface of every tooth. Then floss carefully around every tooth, pulling the floss down into the space at the gumline on both sides. Brush your gums, sides of mouth, palate, and tongue, also.

Schedule a deep dental cleaning at Koch Aesthetic Dentistry with the best hygienist in the Vestavia Hills, Crestline area and request a refresher (no pun intended) course on brushing and flossing.

If your tongue is the culprit, you might want to start using a tongue scraper. Tongue scraping has become quite popular in Vestavia Hills, Crestline, especially among the college crowd.

A tongue scraper is a cleaning tool that works like a squeegee to scrape bacteria and food particles off the surface of the tongue.

I am Dr. J. Paul Koch of Koch Aesthetic Dentistry. At Koch Aesthetic Dentistry, we treat many Vestavia Hills, Crestline dental patients with bad breath. There is no reason to feel embarrassed. (Leaving bad breath untreated can be more embarrassing.)

Schedule an oral exam and halitosis consultation by calling 205-202-8618. At Koch Aesthetic Dentistry, our specialty is smile restoration and we also provide reconstructive and cosmetic dentistry. Thanks for visiting our blog.  We also offer dental sedation for patients who are afraid of the dental procedures.

Why should every Birmingham cosmetic dentistry patient brush at least twice a day? Let’s take a look at why this is so important.

Brushing and flossing is the best way to prevent decay.

Brushing with fluoride toothpaste and carefully flossing removes the food from our teeth and inhibits the build up of plaque. If we let food stay on our teeth, the starches in the food will mix with the plaque. This nasty mixture forms an acid which immediately starts drilling into the enamel to form cavities. Brushing can’t get all the spaces between your teeth, so you’ve got to floss also.

Brushing and flossing keeps gums and bone healthy even if you have had cosmetic dentistry work done such as dental crowns.

If you let gum disease go untreated, you can lose teeth that are cavity-free!

The progression of gum disease (gingivitis) goes like this:

1. Plaque build-up irritates gums.
2. Irritated gums pull away from teeth.
3. Bacteria multiplies in the spaces between the gum and tooth.
4. The bone holding the tooth is eaten by the bacteria.
5. Say goodbye to the tooth.

The good news is that gingivitis can be reversed if detected early.

Call Koch Aesthetic Dentistry at 205-202-8618 to schedule a gum disease evaluation at our office in Birmingham.  We offer sedation dentistry during dental procedures for anxious patients.

Many Alabama cosmetic dentistry patients have discovered the benefits of anxiety-free dentistry (sometimes called sleep dentistry). There are three main types of sedation options available in Alabama.

Inhalation

Nitrous Oxide, sometimes called ‘laughing gas‘ has been used in Vestavia Hills, Crestline cosmetic dental offices for over a century, because, in many ways, it is an ideal sedative. It begins to work quickly, but then wears off as soon as the Alabama dental patient stops inhaling it. Breathing nitrous oxide can produce warm tingling sensations and a feeling of euphoria.

Oral Conscious Sedation

Oral sedatives take longer to work than nitrous, but produce a calmer state for many nervous Vestavia Hills, Crestline dental patients. Triazolam and diazepam are common oral sedatives used in dentistry. These sedative medications are routinely prescribed by Alabama physicians for anxiety, insomnia, and muscle spasms.

Oral dental sedation is a good sedation choice for anxious patients who require a lengthy dental procedure. After the dental visit, it takes a while for the medication to wear off. An Alabama conscious sedation patient should not plan to drive home after undergoing oral sedation.

IV Sedation

Like nitrous, intra-venous sedation starts working immediately as the sedative enters the bloodstream. IV sedation usually produces the deepest state of relaxation. IV patients can dream away the entire procedure and wake up calm and relaxed.

To schedule a sedation dentistry consultation, call Koch Aesthetic Dentistry at 205-202-8618. We have the answer for your dental anxiety.

Tooth whitening has become one of the most popular dental procedures in Alabama. It seems that everyone in Birmingham is whitening their teeth to help their smiles look younger and brighter. Many consumers in the Birmingham area are turning to over-the-counter solutions to whiten their teeth, however there can be dangers and pitfalls to this approach.

Here is some basic advice on tooth whitening from Koch Aesthetic Dentistry:

First, we encourage you to visit our cosmetic dentistry office in Birmingham before starting a tooth whitening system. It is a good idea to have your teeth checked and analyzed before starting a tooth whitening program. Tooth whitening is not for everyone, and depends on your dental history.

Dr. Koch at Koch Aesthetic Dentistry can help you determine whether your teeth can be whitened safely and effectively. We can also recommend tooth whitening solutions that will work best for you. Koch Aesthetic Dentistry is a good place to start for this important decision.

There are many pitfalls to be aware of when whitening your teeth. Over-the-counter teeth whitening products available in the Birmingham area will provide varying degrees of effectiveness on your teeth. If used improperly, tooth whitening solutions can cause problems including tooth sensitivity, over whitening, damage to your tooth enamel, and irregular coloration. Whitening too much can even have a reverse effect, making your teeth look gray.

Most tooth whitening product manufacturers recommend that you visit your local Birmingham dentist when things go wrong with your over-the-counter tooth whitening solution. You might decide to take advantage of our professional in-office Zoom whitening procedure.  You can have white teeth in one hour!  We are passionate about your smile, your comfort and your professional care at Koch Aesthetic Dentistry.

Our office is located at 2311 Highland Avenue South, Suite 323, Birmingham, Alabama 35205. Please give us a call or stop by to make an appointment to discuss your tooth whitening plans. We are eager to help you make the best decision about your tooth whitening.

Our staff is available to discuss tooth whitening solutions, explain tooth whitening options, and check your teeth to make sure you will get the tooth whitening results you want.

I look forward to seeing your beautiful bright smile.

—Dr. Paul Koch, tooth whitening for the Birmingham community. Call us at 205-202-8618.