How Smoking and Genetics Affect the Success of Your Dental Treatments

Maintaining a bright and healthy smile takes more than just brushing twice a day. While brushing plays an important role in oral health, studies have found that other factors can negatively impact treatment outcomes when dental intervention is necessary. Knowing these factors and understanding their role in dental health will keep your smile healthy and bright for years to come. One of the best ways to keep your teeth and gums healthy is to educate yourself on common risk factors and the best dental treatments available for both improvement and protection. At Charlotte Center for Cosmetic Dentistry in Charlotte, NC, Dr. Broome is a leading expert on the latest innovative treatments in cosmetic dentistry and can improve the long-term outcomes for our patients who need specialized dental care.

Factors That Affect the Success of Dental Treatments

Just as certain lifestyle factors can affect our overall health, there are specific behaviors that can negatively impact the success of our oral health and dental treatments. Some of the lifestyle factors that can reduce the success of dental procedures include:

Smoking

Cavities, also known as tooth decay are permanently damaged areas of the tooth that create tiny holes or openings. There are varied symptoms of cavities, depending on the location and severity. These symptoms include:

• Sharp pain or an unexpected toothache that lacks an apparent cause
• Tooth sensitivity
• Pain in tooth when eating foods that are hot, cold or sweet
• Visible holes or pits in your tooth
• Brown, black or white staining on any surface of a tooth
• Pain when you bite down or chew

A study published in Frontiers in Medicine found that smoking contributed to the failure of dental fillings which is the most common treatment for cavities. Not only do these findings identify smoking as a risk factor that negatively impacts dental fillings but it also points towards the need to have the latest in cosmetic dental fillings in order to have the best outcomes. Smoking has many negative affects on our tooth health. For example, at Charlotte Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, when filling cavities, Dr. Broome uses the Waterlase iPlus laser system, which effectively kills all the bacteria in the cavity and helps clean out the damaged tooth structure. Dr. Broome then rebuilds the tooth with a durable tooth-colored filling material that helps prevent future decay and protects the tooth long-term.

Drinking Alcohol

Alcohol consumption is another lifestyle behavior that has been shown to negatively impact the success of dental procedures like dental implants. A study published in Contemporary Clinical Dentistry found that even one alcoholic drink during the 72 hours after dental implant treatment can trigger avascular necrosis. Avascular necrosis is the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply, which can cause the dental implant procedure to fail. Careful planning is essential for beautiful results with dental implants. Dr. Broome has the training and expertise necessary to plan from the desired results and work backward to help determine the ideal position for the implant(s). Dental implants are a good choice for patients who have one or more missing teeth and have enough healthy gum and bone tissue available to support an implant.

Genetics

Unfortunately, our genetics can also lead to poor dental health, which can contribute to tooth decay and cracked or decaying teeth. Research findings published in the Journal for Evidence Based Dental Practice found that genetic factors contribute to a patient’s risk of dental issues including gingivitis and periodontal disease. The best way to combat the risk our genetics play in poor dental health and treatment outcomes is by receiving the most advanced treatments when intervention is required. For example, chipped or cracked teeth are a common dental issue requiring treatment. The two best chipped teeth treatments are porcelain crowns or laminate veneers. Porcelain crowns are a perfect chipped tooth treatment for patients who have a large volume of tooth structure that has been damaged. Porcelain veneers, also known as dental laminates, are another great choice to help rebuild the strength and durability of chipped teeth with natural-looking results. At Charlotte Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, we’ve streamlined the dental veneer process giving our patients beautiful results in just one or two visits.

• Dental laminates offer patients many benefits including:
• Porcelain veneers are custom-made for each patient’s unique needs
• Stain-resistant
• Require minimal tooth surface removal
• Provide natural-looking results to match your teeth
• Long-lasting results, between 10-20 years

Whether you have risks to your oral health that are genetic or as a result of lifestyle behaviors such as your diet, it’s important to maintain a regular oral health regimen that includes twice-yearly check-ups with your dentist. Not only will your dentist provide you with comprehensive cleanings but will give you access to the latest advancements in dental technology to help improve the long-term health of your smile.

Contact the Charlotte Center for Cosmetic Dentistry

With a comprehensive consultation at Charlotte Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, we can help reduce the risks that your lifestyle and genetics may play on your oral health using the most advanced techniques in cosmetic dentistry to help protect or restore your smile. Contact Dr. Broome and his team to schedule your appointment in Charlotte today. Related Tag: Charlotte Cosmetic Dentistry