Let Your Teeth Twinkle This Season!

The holidays are here! As you prepare to see family and friends you may not see very often, we know you want to make the best impression.

What better way to present yourself than with a bright, shiny smile?

Stained and discolored teeth are common in adults of all ages. Whether it’s from coffee, red wine, soda, tea, tobacco or medications, there are ways to erase this discoloration and improve your smile.

If you do have stained teeth, don’t make the common mistake of brushing more rigorously. This can cause erosion of enamel from your teeth causing worsened coloring and even serious dental problems.

One way some people choose to whiten their teeth is with over-the-counter whitening products. Although these can be effective, their results are only temporary because they lack the prescription strength of a professional teeth-whitening procedure.

It’s also important to trust this procedure to a dentist so they can ensure the discoloration is actually just staining, not a symptom of an underlying cause.

The key to a long lasting, bright, white smile is to have them whitened by a cosmetic dentist before discoloration becomes too severe. And you’re in luck because we’re offering a professional whitening service for only $99 through the end of the year!

To impress everyone this holiday season and have a shiny start to the New Year, give us a call at 404-257-0091 or learn more about us on the Web.

A Health-Centered Approach to Dentistry

Have you ever heard the saying, “Your mouth is a window into your body?”

Dr. Brenda Paulen takes this to heart and could save you multiple visits to other doctors just by paying attention to symptoms in your mouth.

Here are some examples of symptoms in your mouth the can manifest into other, sometimes serious conditions in your body:

• Untreated gum inflammation and infection can affect or lead to heart disease, diabetes and infertility or miscarriage.
• The death rate for oral cancer is higher than many others we’re accustomed to hearing about. However, this is also one of the most curable when it’s caught early. Dr. Brenda regularly performs and recommends Vizilite cancer screenings for patients.
• Your dental occlusion (or bite) can affect you having headaches and lead to TMJ, which affects the temporomandibular joint that connects the mandible to the skull. It also can cause neck and/or shoulder pain.
• Worn teeth can cause your smile to look older and age your overall appearance.

Aside from these general health issues, good dental hygiene with the help of a knowledgeable dentist has many benefits. For example, keeping your natural teeth as long as possible can increase your longevity by 7 years. Dr Brenda is meticulous with dental restorations so they last and do not need to be redone over and over — this saves you the cost of frequent replacements. And of course, fresh breath and a healthy-looking smile are always attractive qualities!

For more information about specific health-centered dental care topics, take a look at our “Did You Know?” articles or call Dr. Brenda at 404-257-0091.

Get to know Dr. Brenda Paulen

Did you always want to be a dentist? What led you to dentistry?

I have been around dentistry my entire life. My dad graduated from Emory dental school when I was born, and I grew up in his practice. By the time I was 12 the staff put makeup on me and had me filing and answering the phone. By 15 I was helping clinically with patient care.

When I went to dental school I found it hard to believe there were kids there who had never worked in dentistry. Why would anyone think to do this for a living? I find it a rewarding way to help people be healthier, by sharing information and techniques to actually providing treatments they can’t do themselves.

If you weren’t a dentist, what else would you want to be?

Environmental issues are my passion. If I wasn’t a dentist I would like to be involved in public policy. There is so much we can achieve as an organized society through government and NGOs.

I am going green in my practice. Reducing the number of disposable products and using earth friendly chemicals. Digital technology reduces our need for chemicals.

What are some of your hobbies?

Hiking and reading. This summer I enjoyed “Eat, Love, Pray,” Nudge, Daniel Pink and Thomas Friedman books. I just started “Little Bee,” and I’m in middle of the Dragon Tattoo series.

Any children?

Jason and Steven are twins, 21.
Chana is 16.

With your special concentration of over 100 hours on treating occlusal (bite) conditions, what have you noticed as the biggest contributing factor toward occlusal problems?

• Many orthodontists align teeth into an aesthetically pleasing but non-ideal position. Teeth that are properly aligned do not scrape against each other during chewing. Dentists call this “anterior guidance.” Teeth under chewing stress will wear flat, crack, chip, shift out of line, become sensitive when eating or with cold temperatures. People who avoid ice and cold or crunchy foods are suffering from occlusal disease and may not even know it. A visual exam with photos shows so much.
• Acid Reflux slowly dissolves teeth via erosion. 30% of people never feel the heartburn. I have before pictures and get testimonial by 30 year old patients who had extensive damage by undiagnosed GERD. I referred him to a GI specialist who was incredulous that a dentist made him schedule. GI scope uncovered extensive esophageal damage without symptoms.
• Many prescription medicines have the side effect of causing tooth grinding, such as medicines for anxiety, ADHD and blood pressure.
• The acidic pH of most of the drinks on the market dissolve teeth. This is extremely damaging when grinding is taking place. Sports and Energy drinks along with sodas are all damaging. As a kid in grade school, I did a science fair experiment where I placed baby teeth in different sodas and recorded how many weeks it took for them to dissolve. I have never consumed a soda!