The end of the year is the perfect time to get dental work done. Many businesses close down over the Christmas to New Year break, and that gives you plenty of time to fit in a dental appointment for a veneer fitting. As someone who has been wanting to get veneers for some time, there is one main decision you will need to make before they are prepared for you. That decision involves whether to get porcelain or composite veneers.

A build-up of tartar (i.e., hardened bacterial plaque) on the surface of your teeth can lead to both gum inflammation (which can cause periodontal disease to develop) and enamel erosion (which can lead to the formation of cavities). As such, it's important to do your best to prevent tartar from building up on your teeth. Here are two ways to do this. Seek out the services of an orthodontist to help you straighten any overlapping teeth

Are you someone who cleans their teeth regularly and knows how to floss effectively? You may do this once or twice per day and think that you are doing particularly well with your dental regimen, but in reality, this is probably not enough. Maybe you've noticed some discomfort or even drops of blood when you have been performing your daily ablutions, and if so, this is a sign that you may need a deep cleaning procedure instead.

If you needed a major dental procedure, would you find it odd if your dentist was to finish the job with a piece of tree? This was the case many years ago, and though the method has evolved significantly, it can still be the case today with some types of dental procedures. In 16th century Japan, entire sets of dentures were carved entirely out of wood. The practicality of wooden teeth would be open to debate, and of course prosthetic teeth in this day and age are made of acrylic resin, metal, porcelain, or ceramic.

When did you last go to the dentist for a checkup? If it's been several years, you may fear what awaits when you do make an appointment and know that every day without a visit makes the matter worse. Still, you can't help yourself if you don't like the sound of the drill, dislike the sights and smells associated with the office or believe that you are not in control. All of this overwhelms your natural logic and simply prolongs the inevitable.

Getting your teeth whitened is the first step towards achieving that beautiful, movie-star smile that you have always desired. However, things don't end there. Just because you have undergone treatment does not mean that your teeth are stain-proof. Without proper care, your white teeth can quickly acquire yellow or brown stains. This will render the treatment useless, and you will be forced to spend more money on another teeth-whitening regimen. Luckily, you can prevent this by taking measures to keep your teeth white for as long as possible.

It's inevitable that over time, your teeth will start to discolour, thanks to your diet, smoking habits and just the ageing process. Fortunately there they can easily be whitened again; the most effective method is to use bleaching agents in conjunction with a strong LED light. This can be done either at home with a kit bought from a store, or professionally at the dentist's surgery. Which of these options should you go for?

A routine of good oral hygiene will ensure a young child's teeth and mouth are always healthy and that their adult teeth grow properly. Unhealthy gums may provide poor support for a child's adult teeth, and learning how to take care of their teeth when they're young can ensure a child will continue with a good oral care routine as they get older. While only a dentist can answer questions about your child's oral care in particular, note a few general questions you might have about keeping your child's teeth healthy and clean.

Perhaps your teeth are not as white as you'd like them to be, but it's more or less a given that they are all the same colour. This is why it can be disconcerting when there's a break in this uniformity of colour. A single grey tooth can be a cause for alarm, and no matter how much you clean it with whitening toothpaste (or even treat it with a teeth whitening kit), this discolouration doesn't seem to shift.

Everyone's smile is unique, although it could be suggested that some are more unique than others. Many people opt to receive orthodontic treatment to straighten crooked teeth, whether in their teenage years or as an adult. But perhaps you decided not to. It's entirely a personal choice, and it doesn't make your smile any less beautiful. It can, however, make it more difficult to whiten your teeth. But why is this the case?