How to Fix Receding Gums in Worcester & Central, MA 

Tender, swollen gums or teeth that appear elongated are symptoms indicative of receding gums. Associated with gingivitis, receding gums are a precursor to advanced periodontal disease. To preserve and enhance your oral health and smile, Kozica Dental in Worcester and Central, MA, is here to explore how to fix receding gums.

Understanding Receding Gums

Receding gums are a condition defined by the gradual loss of gum tissue, exposing more of the tooth's structure or even root. Depending on the underlying cause, gum recession ranges in severity. In most cases, it causes the remaining gum tissue and teeth to become increasingly sensitive, tender, and prone to further degradation.

The Causes of Receding Gums

Receding gums can derive from a wide range of factors. Common causes of gum recession include:

• Excessive plaque or tartar build-up (gingivitis)
• Periodontal disease caused by untreated gingivitis.
• Brushing your teeth too aggressively
• Genetic predisposition
• Hormonal changes
• Crooked teeth and/or bite misalignments
• Teeth grinding (bruxism)
• Smoking and/or tobacco use
• Age-related tissue loss

Can Gum Tissue Grow Back? 

The onset of receding gums may have you wondering whether your gums can grow back on their own. Unlike other tissues in the body, gums cannot regenerate naturally. However, that does not mean you have to live with receding gums forever. There are treatments available to hinder the progression and correct gum recession.

How to Fix Receding Gums

Minor receding gums will not improve on their own and will continue to escalate without appropriate care. To mitigate worsening tissue loss and reinforce the stability of the gumline, it’s important to schedule an oral assessment with a periodontal specialist. They will be able to guide you toward the most effective surgical or non-surgical treatment option.

Scaling & Root Planing

Early-stage gum recession is often addressed using a non-surgical procedure known as scaling and root planing. The scaling portion of treatment leverages the power of an ultrasonic cleaning device to fully eradicate stubborn plaque and tartar beneath the gumline. We finish with root planing, which involves smoothing out the tooth’s surface and associated root.

Surgical Receding Gums Treatment

Advanced gum recession can take a significant toll on the teeth and jawbone. When this occurs, conservative receding gums treatment is no longer sufficient. To target and remove the compromised gum tissue and preserve the nearby teeth and bone, a periodontal specialist may recommend receding gums surgery options, including:

• Gum tissue regeneration
• Soft tissue gum graft
• Surgical pocket depth reduction

Preserve the Integrity of Your Gums

The best way to manage receding gums is to prevent gum recession in the first place. To keep your gums firmly in place, prioritize preventive care, including:

• Brush your teeth twice daily using a soft-bristled toothbrush
• Use the appropriate flossing techniques
• Wear a nighttime mouthguard to combat teeth-grinding
• Refrain from smoking/tobacco products

Personalized Receding Gums Treatment

At Kozica Dental, we recognize the discomfort and risks associated with receding gums. That’s why we offer various periodontal interventions and procedures. Based on an initial oral examination, we will develop a treatment plan to reinforce the appearance and health of your gums and protect the form and function of your smile, which may include a referral to a periodontal specialist.

Achieve a Healthy Smile with Kozica Dental

Address and improve your receding gums with the highest standards of oral healthcare and Kozica Dental. Blending decades of expertise and a passion for glowing smiles, we excel in preventive treatment and restorative procedures for receding gums in all stages. Trust in our compassionate experts for superior periodontal care and a healthy smile.

Learn More About Receding Gums Stages & Treatment

Whether you’re experiencing the effects of receding gums or looking to get proactive about your oral health, you’ve come to the right place. Discover comprehensive preventive dentistry and periodontal care with Kozica Dental in Worcester, MA. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with our team.

Your Guide to Wisdom Teeth in Worcester & Central, MA

If wisdom teeth have recently become a topic of conversation in your life, you may find yourself with more questions than answers. Fortunately, Kozica Dental is here to eliminate the guesswork. Discover the ins and outs of wisdom teeth with our professionals in Worcester and Central, MA.

What Are Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are large teeth found in the very back of the mouth. Unlike regular teeth, wisdom teeth erupt later in life, emerging between the ages of 17 and 25. The average person has two top and two bottom wisdom teeth, but it is not uncommon for wisdom teeth to remain trapped below the gumline (impacted).

Does Everyone Have Wisdom Teeth?

You may be surprised to learn that many people do not have wisdom teeth. Approximately 5-37% of the population is missing one or all their wisdom teeth. This is thought to be linked to evolution and influences such as diet, genetics, and the environment.

Should People be Worried If They Don’t Have Wisdom Teeth?

A lack of wisdom teeth is no cause for concern. As wisdom teeth extraction is common amongst those with third molars, the lack of these teeth is an advantage. However, it’s important to note that just because you cannot see wisdom teeth does not mean they are not hidden beneath the gumline.

Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth were believed to have been used by our ancestors as an alternative set of teeth. However, our ancestors did not have the oral hygiene knowledge or dental care resources we do today, and tooth loss was far more common due to their dietary habits. With centuries of evolution, wisdom teeth have become virtually obsolete.

The Role of Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth no longer play a role in the smile. The mouth holds approximately 28 teeth. When all your wisdom teeth erupt, this count rises to 32. Unfortunately, this often contributes to overcrowding and the potential for more complex oral health concerns, raising the importance of wisdom teeth extraction.

Potential Wisdom Teeth Complications

In some cases, the emergence of wisdom teeth will have little to no impact on your smile. However, often, these unnecessary additions trigger unfavorable complications, including:

• Mild to severe tooth pain
• Redness, swelling, and/or tender gums
• Wisdom tooth impaction
• Wisdom Teeth Infections
• Cavities and tooth decay
• Teeth shifting and/or overcrowding 

When Is Wisdom Teeth Extraction Recommended?

Due to the many potential side effects associated with third molars, wisdom teeth extraction is very common. As wisdom teeth erupt later in life, your dentist, in conjunction with an oral surgeon, will monitor their development to determine whether they merit removal. If they erupt straight and perfectly aligned with adjacent teeth, extraction may not be necessary.

Wisdom Teeth Surgery vs Extraction

Wisdom teeth extraction is the standard method for removing third molars. However, this technique is not suitable for impacted wisdom teeth, which require wisdom teeth surgery. This procedure is slightly more complex and involves creating an incision in the gumline to access and remove the impacted teeth before they cause further oral health complications.

Protect & Improve Your Oral Health

Whether you’re navigating wisdom teeth extraction or looking to take proactive action regarding your oral health, we have you covered. Kozica Dental is Worcester and Central, MA’s partner in comprehensive dental care. With decades of experience and a passion for healthy, glowing smiles, we offer a range of general, preventive, and restorative dentistry services.

Call to Learn More About Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Eliminate the guesswork and uncertainty of wisdom teeth and empower your healthiest smile with Kozica Dental. From wisdom teeth extraction to surgery, we're here to help you achieve the right oral healthcare for your needs, working in conjunction with an oral surgeon. To learn more, contact us today to schedule a consultation.

It’s the holiday season! With so much to do and so much going on, you want to be at your best. We have some ideas to help make your season bright with a few easy tips for a healthy smile.

• Keep Your Smile Merry and Bright

There’s a lot going on during the holidays. Visiting friends. Traveling to see family. Parties and get togethers. With all the enjoyable festivities on your holiday schedule, you might be tempted to overlook brushing or flossing. But, please don’t!

Many of our favorite holiday traditions and activities are centered around sharing good company, good cheer—and good food.

Indulging in more treats throughout the day, especially sugars and simple carbs, provides more fuel for the bacteria in plaque. These bacteria produce acids that weaken tooth enamel—the first stage of tooth decay. Plaque buildup also irritates the gums, causing swelling, redness, pain, bleeding, and chronic bad breath.

How to avoid these not-so-jolly consequences? Make time in your holiday schedule for dental care! Brushing twice a day for two minutes and flossing once each day removes plaque buildup and helps prevent cavities and gum disease.

• Holiday Snacks—Naughty or Nice?

We’re no Scrooges—enjoying holiday treats is one of the ways we celebrate. But since we’re trying to prevent a plaque buffet of sugar and simple carbs, it’s a good idea to add some healthier foods to the mix.

Whether it’s platters of snacks around the game table or a stylish hors d’oeuvre array, don’t forget to add nutritional, dental-friendly items to your plate. Options such as fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, nuts, and whole grain breads and crackers are great partners for more indulgent selections because they’re lower in added sugars and provide vitamins and minerals to strengthen teeth and gums.

And from the candy bar? Hard candies and candy canes make our naughty list because they take a long time to dissolve while bathing your teeth in sugar. So do caramels, toffees, and gumdrops, which stick between teeth and gums. Soft chocolates? A much nicer choice, because they are more easily rinsed away by saliva or a drink of water. Which leads us to . . .

• A Toast to Your (Dental) Health!

The holidays offer some of our favorite seasonal beverages. But spiced lattes, mochas, and hot chocolate can be full of sugar.

The answer? Enjoy in moderation, and enjoy with a glass of water. Water washes away sugars, neutralizes acids, helps increase saliva flow for tooth and gum health, hydrates, and, when it’s fluoridated, protects and repairs your enamel. That’s a lot of gifts in one convenient package!

• Dashing through the Snow?

If you’re taking to the slopes, or the hills, or the rink for a little holiday exercise, don’t forget to protect your teeth and mouth. It’s not just sports like football and hockey that cause dental injuries—it’s any sport where you can fall or make contact with someone or something.

If you don’t have a mouthguard, they’re available at sporting goods stores in stock sizes or models that can be molded to your teeth. A custom mouthguard from our Worcester office is more comfortable, fits better, and protects you better. This is a perfect gift to give yourself so you can take advantage of all those cold weather sports with confidence.

We all look forward to holiday surprises—but not when they take the form of cavities, gum disease, or dental injuries! In the flurry of holiday activities, keep up with your regular dental care, and you’ll be looking forward to a new year filled with happy and healthy smiles.

Your beaming smile makes a sunny day even brighter—and that sunny day can return the favor! How does the sun affect your dental health? Let’s shine some light on the subject.

You may have heard how important calcium is to your body. Over 99% of the calcium in our bodies is used to form teeth and bones, providing strength and structure to the hardest parts of the body. But that’s not the only task on the calcium to-do list. Calcium is also necessary for:

• muscles to work
• nerves to carry messages
• blood to deliver nutrients and oxygen
• the release of hormones

When we don’t get enough calcium in our diets, our bodies start to draw the calcium they need for these critical functions from our teeth and bones. Over time, a severe calcium deficiency can lead to teeth that are brittle, or more vulnerable to decay, or loose due to weakened bone density in the jaw.

We can get the calcium we need from a balanced diet. Dairy products are our most common source of calcium, and several servings of milk, cheese, or yogurt each day supply most of our needs. If dairy’s not on your menu, though, you can get calcium from other foods like broccoli, kale, collard greens, canned salmon, or sardines. Because calcium is so essential to our health, many foods are fortified with it, including fortified juices, bread, cereals—even tofu!

But there’s a snag here, and it’s a big one. We can’t really benefit from our careful consumption of calcium without the help of vitamin D. If calcium is the doorway to strong teeth and bones, vitamin D is the key that unlocks all of calcium’s benefits.

Without enough vitamin D, our bodies can’t absorb and make use of calcium. However, getting enough of this essential vitamin can be a problem. While we can get most of the vitamins we need from a balanced diet, there aren’t a lot of foods which are naturally rich in vitamin D.

So, how do we get this vital vitamin? The original option comes from nature.

• Sunlight

Vitamin D is called “the sunshine vitamin” because of the unique chemical reaction that creates it. When the ultraviolet B rays of the sun reach special cells in our skin, they convert cholesterol in these cells to a basic form of vitamin D. These vitamin molecules travel through the body, picking up hydrogen and oxygen molecules in the liver and kidneys to become active vitamin D.

Since sunlight exposure is easy, available, and free, it seems like a simple solution to getting the vitamin D we need.

But we’ve understandably moved away from the days of basking in the sun for hours at a time. Over-exposure to UV rays damages the skin, causing premature aging and, worse, a much greater risk of skin cancer. If you enjoy time in the sun, talk to your doctor about safe sun exposure, which can depend on the part of the country you live in, the time of year, and your individual skin type.

And, if you need to avoid sun exposure, there are other opportunities for getting the vitamin D you need.

• Diet

While there aren’t a lot of foods which are naturally rich in vitamin D, there are still a few options on the menu. Oily fish like salmon, tuna, and herring—and old-fashioned cod liver oil—are good sources of the vitamin. But most of us don’t live on a strict fish diet!

Instead, we can get the vitamin D we need from fortified foods. Vitamin D is commonly added to cow’s milk, soy milk, orange juice, and cereals to make sure the calcium in our diet is working effectively to keep our teeth and bones strong. Check out nutritional labels to discover whether your favorite grocery products contain vitamin D.

• Supplements

For hundreds of years, people who lived in climates and cities without a lot of sunshine suffered from the effects of vitamin D deficiency. Diseases like rickets, where the teeth and bones don’t form properly, were common in children. Adults who couldn’t absorb enough calcium suffered from weak teeth and bones.

Today, depending on age, allergies to sun or food products, dietary choices, and health conditions, some people are still at risk for vitamin D deficiency. If you’ve been diagnosed with this deficiency, your doctor might recommend a vitamin D supplement. (It’s important to take any supplement as directed, because taking too much vitamin D can be harmful, too.)

So, which form of vitamin D is best? Fortified foods? Supplements? Or is it that radiant original source—the sun? No need to worry. With any form of vitamin D, you’re getting the key you need to unlock the benefits of the calcium in your diet—benefits which make healthy teeth and bones possible.

If you have any concerns, talk to Dr. Kozica at our Worcester office about whether you’re getting the vitamin D you need. Your sunny smile will thank you!