Dr. West's Boulder Dental Blog

Periodontal disease in Boulder County, CO is more common than you might think, and can be cured with varying degrees of treatment depending on the severity.

What is periodontal disease? Periodontal disease, more commonly called ‘gum disease’, is an inflammation or infection of the gums. Periodontal disease can be very painful in some extreme conditions, and can limit your ability to eat normally. In some cases, periodontal disease can affect your smile, and can create cosmetic concerns.

If left untreated, periodontal disease can cause irreversible damage. When caught early and treated, periodontal disease can be little more than an inconvenience. Dr. Gordon West offers periodontal treatement for patients in the Lafayette, Boulder, and Boulder County area. However the best periodontal treatment is to practice good dental hygiene to keep periodontal disease at bay and to get a regular dental check up at your local Boulder County dentist.

Give us a call to schedule your next dental checkup; we look forward to seeing you.

In Boulder and Lafayette, tooth decay is one of the most common childhood problems, yet tooth decay also affect adults. Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry serves people from 25 to 75 years old to help fight tooth decay.

Bacteria are a common cause of tooth decay. Bacteria live in your mouth and combine with plaque and acids to break down the enamel coating on your teeth. The breakdown of your tooth enamel can often result in the development of small holes in your teeth which are known as cavities. The breaking down of your tooth enamel in is known as tooth decay, and it is a serious dental problem for children and adults in Colorado.

Colorado tooth decay is typically a result of diet and oral hygiene choices. When sticky foods are consumed and allowed to sit on the teeth, or foods full of sugars and starches are consumed frequently throughout the day, tooth decay can result. Foods to avoid include soda and sugary chewing gum; these foods tend to stay around for a while and create an environment where bacteria thrive. To help prevent tooth decay, simply limit sugary and starchy foods between meals. Also, brushing at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, flossing at least once a day, and visiting your local Lafayette dentist in Colorado for regular check ups and cleanings will help prevent tooth decay.

Hello, my name is Dr. Gordon West, and I am a dentist. I work at Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry located at 1140 West S. Boulder Rd, Suite 201 Lafayette, Colorado . Tooth decay is a preventable dental problem, and I can help. Visit me at ; I will be happy to meet you, and to give you an idea of the many ways we can help you prevent tooth decay and avoid a more costly or even painful ailment.

We at specialize in and would be happy to discuss with you any health concerns related to your teeth. Give us a call at 720-862-3630.

Dr. Gordon West

If you have children in the Lafayette area, there is no better time to consider pediatric dentistry than right now.

The best time to start your Boulder children on a pediatric dentistry program is when their teeth first appear. This may seem a bit early, however it is a great time to become acquainted with pediatric dentistry options, learn training techniques for teaching your children, and assessing the health of your child’s teeth before problems begin.

We can also help you identify pediatric dentistry programs and services in the Lafayette area, for you child.

If you have questions about pediatric dentistry, please give us a call at Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry. My name is Dr. Gordon West, and my state-of-the-art dental care in a comfortable environment staff will be more than happy to talk with you about dentistry.

Remember: The best time to consider pediatric dentistry is while you have options. Waiting until problems appear reduces your options and misses the very reason we are concerned about pediatric dentistry; to help your child grow healthy and strong teeth that will last a lifetime.

Bring your questions to our state-of-the-art dental care in a comfortable environment staff at Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry. We are located at 1140 West S. Boulder Rd, Suite 201 in Lafayette, Colorado.

We are looking forward to seeing you, and to discussing pediatric dentistry with you and your children.

‘Center for Advanced Dental Care’

The world of dentistry continues to advance at a rapid pace. If you have visited a Lafayette dentist in the past few years, you have probably noticed the things that make your visit more comfortable, such as the ability to watch TV or listen to music while receiving treatment. Many Boulder dentistry patients welcome oral conscious sedation to reduce or eliminate pain.

What may not be as obvious are the advances in techniques, tools and materials. Top dentists now use digital computer imaging which is safer than traditional x-rays. Dental technicians can store, retrieve and transmit digital images much easier than was possible with traditional x-ray film.

The use of lasers has also changed the face of dentistry. Laser surgery requires less anesthesia, minimizes swelling, and protects surrounding tissue. Boulder family dentists use lasers for detecting and treating cavities and dental technicians use them for the curing of restorative materials.

Another exciting development in cosmetic dentistry is the CAD-CAM technology that allows cosmetic dentists to perform restorations in a single visit. The types of procedures that can be completed in one visit include crowns, fillings, inlays, onlays and veneers.

If you need a thorough exam or want to improve your smile with cosmetic dentistry, call Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry at 720-862-3630 to schedule a consultation. During your consultation, you can see before and after photos of some of our smile makeover clients. We would love to help you achieve the smile you have always wanted, and we have the tools, experience and technology to make that happen.

Dr. Gordon West

Hello,

My name is Dr. Gordon West, and I am a dentist in the Lafayette, Colorado community.

My practice is called ‘Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry‘, and together we provide dentistry services including porcelain veneers.

If you are looking for an Lafayette Dentist, I invite you to give Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry a try. We are state-of-the-art dental care in a comfortable environment, and caring. Give us a call at 720-862-3630, or visit us on our website at http://www.BoulderCountySmiles.com.

By the way: I am a member of the The Crown Council. You can learn more about The Crown Council at their website located at http://www.CrownCouncil.com.

Top Ten Reasons To Visit Your Local Lafayette Dentist:

1. Check Up; it’s time, and this is the best way to avoid dental problems.
2. Clean Up; our dental hygienist is ready to give you a super clean smile.
3. Brush Up; if it has been a while since your last dental visit, it’s probably time to come in to learn about the new options we have for dental care.
4. Avoid pain; if you have dental pain and have been putting off a trip to the dentist, come in now. We specialize in relieving dental pain.
5. Fillings; we can find and fill all your dental cavities in almost no time at all. This will help you avoid more painful problems down the road, and helps ease some of those sensitivities to hot and cold.
6. Avoid gum disease; we can assess the health of your gums and suggest treatments or practices that are available to help you improve the health of your gums.
7. Ready for a whiter smile? We can help. We have tooth whitening options available that will brighten your smile and make your teeth whiter.
8. Tooth replacement; If you are missing a tooth, we can help restore your smile with the latest in tooth replacement technology.
9. Cosmetic dentistry is something everyone is considering to make improvements to their smile. We can help you assess the options and learn more about the possibilities of cosmetic dentistry.
10. Confidence: Nothing brings you more confidence than when you know you have a bright and beautifully healthy smile.

I’m Dr. Gordon West, and I am a dentist in the Lafayette, Colorado community. If you are ready for professional dentistry, please give our office a call.

Give us a call at 720-862-3630, or visit us on our website at http://www.BoulderCountySmiles.com.

I am a member of the The Crown Council. http://www.CrownCouncil.com

Have you ever heard the phrase ‘I’d rather have a root canal’ to describe something painful or unpleasant? At Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry, we perform root canal (endodontic) therapy routinely for our Lafayette dentistry patients and many report minimal discomfort. Root canal procedures have advanced significantly in recent years. For many root canal patients, the procedure is no worse than getting a filling from your dental professional.

At Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry, our goal is to help our Longmont, Louisville, and Broomfield root canal patients avoid the necessity of  endodontic treatment by providing skilled dental care. However, if root canal therapy is necessary to preserve a tooth for one of our root canal patients, we provide the most advanced dental care.

How do you know if you need a root canal? See Dr. Gordon West immediately if you experience tenderness or pain, hot or cold sensitivity, tooth discoloration, tooth injury, gum swelling, gum pain, or lymph node tenderness or drainage. However, for some patients, there are no symptoms. That is why it is crucial to visit your local dentist regularly for a thorough dental examination.

Call Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry, at 720-862-3630 to schedule an appointment.

Center for Advanced Dental Care

Maintaining healthy teeth is an important concern for our local Boulder residents. As your dentist, it’s my job to help you understand how to care for your teeth and to keep them healthy.

Everyone in the Boulder knows that maintaining healthy teeth requires regular daily brushing and flossing. Regular visits to your local Boulder dental practice is also necessary to keep watch for cavities and to help you maintain proper dental hygiene. We often forget that maintaining a healthy diet can also be beneficial for the health of your teeth.

A diet that includes foods that help your muscles and bones will also help you develop healthy gums and healthy teeth. Examples of local foods to include in your diet include foods rich in vitamin B such as breads and cereals. Foods rich in vitamin C, usually fruits and vegetables, help improve the health of your gums. Zinc and magnesium are also good for the health of your teeth and are found in foods like lean beef, fish, and poultry.

All foods increase the production of saliva. Saliva is important to healthy teeth because it helps to maintain the pH balance in your mouth. Maintaining this balance helps keep your teeth and gums healthy. Foods high in fiber also encourage saliva production as does the chewing of sugar-free gum. Gum, however, can damage unhealthy teeth or pull out dental fillings, so always use caution when deciding whether to chew gum and which brand to chew.

Just as certain diet choices can be beneficial to the health of your teeth, others can be detrimental. Foods and drinks that are high in sugars are more likely to form the acids that attack your teeth and result in decay. And while table sugar is often associated with the formation of cavities, other sugars such as glucose, fructose, and maltose are also causes, and are often found in juices and sodas. Limiting the consumption of sugars to mealtimes lessens the amount of time your healthy teeth are exposed.

Making good diet choices and limiting between meal sugar consumption can improve the health of your teeth and gums.

If you would like to learn how to better care for your healthy teeth in the Boulder area, contact Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry at 720-862-3630. We would love to hear from you.

-Dr. Gordon West

Colorado is known for its beautiful smiles, and our local Lafayette community is no exception. Keeping your teeth clean is an important factor in maintaining your beautiful Lafayette smile. One of the benefits of regularly visiting your local Lafayette Colorado dentist is a thorough teeth cleaning and a review of your brushing habits.

Our Lafayette dental hygienist helps you keep your teeth clean by assessing the condition of your teeth, and recommending improvements to your daily teeth cleaning habits. Our Lafayette oral hygienist can also professionally clean and polish your teeth at your regular Lafayette dental check up. You should schedule a regular dental check up every six months.

I am Dr. Gordon West DDS, and I work at Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry located in the state of Colorado. We specialize in cosmetic dentistry in the Lafayette Colorado community, including the surrounding areas of Longmont and Louisville.

Cleaning your teeth in Colorado is the simple task of removing plaque (a sticky deposit that gets left on teeth in which bacteria thrives) and tartar (a calcium deposit that forms on teeth and aids in tooth decay). This is done by brushing regularly with a toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, and flossing. Brushing and flossing at least twice each day can keep plaque and tartar from building up on your teeth and results in cleaner, healthier teeth. A regular visit to your local Lafayette dental hygienist will help you stay on top of problems that can go unseen.

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends visiting your local Lafayette, Colorado dentist at least once every 6 months for a regular dental check up and teeth cleaning. These regular visits to your Colorado dentist potentially prevent the undetected development of problems that can occur from neglecting to clean your teeth.

To keep that beautiful Lafayette Colorado smile in good shape, come in for a dental check up and teeth cleaning.

Call Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry in Lafayette Colorado to make an appointment. You can reach us right now at 720-862-3630.

Dr. Gordon West

Are you one of the many Lafayette TMJ sufferers? If you are affected by Temporomandibular joint or TMJ disorder, you know how the pain and discomfort can impact your life. Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry TMJ treatment in the Boulder area has helped countless grateful Lafayette TMJ patients manage their TMJ disorder.

The Temporomandibular or jaw joint connects the lower jaw bone to the skull. Symptoms of TMJ disorder include jaw and facial pain, headaches, earaches, neck pain and chewing difficulty. TMJ disease is often associated with jaw clicking, locking or clenching, and can cause tooth damage and bone loss.

Many Longmont, Louisville and Broomfield TMJ patients first sought a possible TMJ diagnosis after trying unsuccessfully to relieve their frequent headaches. Since opening Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry in 1998, we have discovered that many people do not realize they have TMJ disorder because it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what is causing the pain. A Colorado TMJ specialist can properly diagnose your specific TMJ issues and recommend an effective course of action.

Because a comprehensive treatment plan is most successful, we work hand-in-hand with a network of Boulder TMJ specialists including ENT doctors, neurologists and physical therapists. There are many facets to this often misunderstood disorder. If you are suffering from jaw pain, we recommend a consultation with Dr. Gordon West at Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry in Lafayette.

Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry

1140 West S. Boulder Rd, Suite 201

Lafayette, Colorado 80026

720-862-3630

At Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry, we take jaw pain seriously.