What is the perfect daily care routine to maintain healthy teeth for a long time?
"It's best to brush your teeth at least twice a day to ensure long-term dental health. I also recommend chewing a dental care gum after every meal - this neutralizes the acidic environment in the mouth, protects the enamel and also the gums. After brushing your teeth, always use dental floss or interdental brushes to remove plaque between the teeth. Tongue scrapers remove bacteria from the tongue and thus ensure better breath. And, of course, you should avoid smoking - tobacco is massively damaging to dental health."
How do teeth become beautifully white again?
"Tea, coffee or red wine lead to discoloration over time. Whitening toothpaste, however, damages the teeth because it grinds down the enamel and makes the tooth surface porous. Regular professional cleaning in conjunction with a visit to the dentist is better. This removes stubborn deposits. Gentle, light-activated tooth whitening, or bleaching, can also make patients' teeth several shades lighter. "
How long can teeth be straightened?
"Teeth shift for a lifetime. Even adults often want to do something about their crooked teeth. It is possible! However, as many people find fixed braces annoying in everyday life, we use plastic splints in our practice, which are transparent and do not stand out or get in the way of everyday life. Patients can simply remove the braces during meals and for cleaning and put them back in afterwards."
Periodontitis: Are there new therapies for long-term dental health?
"Yes, the laser can be used to remove the bacteria that cause the disease, even in hard-to-reach areas. This new method is very effective. It doesn't hurt and also ensures healthy teeth in the long term. A special dye makes the bacteria in the gum pockets visible - so the dentist can easily kill them with the laser. We also treat larger gum pockets with a gel plate inserted into the gum pocket - the "PerioChip". It dissolves over a period of weeks and releases an anti-inflammatory agent. The inflammation in the gums heals and the pockets close."
What can you do if you are afraid of going to the dentist?
"I recommend inhalation anesthesia with nitrous oxide, which reduces anxiety and helps you relax during treatment at the dentist. It does not enter the metabolism and is a gentle and safe procedure with no side effects. In extreme cases, general anesthesia is administered before a visit to the dentist."