News

Acid Reflux and Your Teeth

Acid Reflux and Your Teeth
Acid reflux causing erosion of the dental enamel is usually overlooked until it has reached advanced stages and has begun to cause some serious damage…Enamel can start to wear away at the pH level of 5.5….If you do have an acid reflux attack do not brush your teeth immediately due to the fact that you could be brushing away the weakened enamel thus causing more damage. Rinse with water, or water with baking soda added….

Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are the last teeth in the upper and lower dental arch. These molars generally start to make their way through into the mouth between the ages of 15 to 25…When a wisdom tooth is impacted, it means that the tooth will not be able to erupt into a useful position in the mouth. The tooth could be stuck all the way in the jaw bone, partially in the jaw bone and partially in the gums, or stuck under the gums only. The placement of the wisdom teeth is evaluated using a special type of x-ray called a panoramic x-ray or panorex….

Understanding Root Canals

Understanding Root Canals
Root canals are actually hollow spaces, or canals, within the teeth. Every tooth has a root canal, and some teeth have more than one. These spaces are the inner layers of teeth, and it is here that the blood vessels and nerves of teeth exist. This inner layer of the tooth is called the pulp…what the dentist is actually doing is cleaning out the root canal of any infection. Once the infection is cleaned out, a filling is placed in the tooth. Much like regular fillings that you get on the outside of teeth, this root canal filling is placed inside the tooth in order to prevent any recurrent infection in the future. This infection will not go away on its own, and can only be taken can of by a dentist removing it. …

Eating Disorders and Your Teeth

Eating Disorders and Your Teeth
Negative effects of an eating disorder largely impact overall health and the signs and symptoms are often noticed at dental appointments….
Patients suffering from an eating disorder should seek a dental professional and make him/her aware of the eating disorder. At that time, it may be recommend to have more frequent fluoride applications and continued care visits to ensure that the teeth are not breaking down further..

Chewing Gum with Xylitol

Chewing Gum with Xylitol
The human mouth is host to many bacteria. The one that is primarily responsible for cavities is called streptococcus mutans (it’s related to the bacteria that causes strep throat). When the bacteria encounters sugar, acids are produced. Saliva neutralizes acid, so teeth can handle some exposure. But large amounts of sugar overwhelm saliva. Prolonged exposure to that acid will damage the protective enamel on teeth and eventually cause cavities….The problem is fixed by replacing sugar in gum with xylitol, a naturally occurring sweetener found in fruits and vegetables that has fewer calories than regular sugar.

Arestin and Periodontal Therapy

So, you’ve been diagnosed with periodontal disease, what’s the next step?
Periodontal disease is caused by bacteria below the gumline and it’s the main cause of adult tooth loss in the United States. Even so, many people are tempted to ignore their dental professional’s advice to treat periodontal disease in its early stages. You have a choice. Do more now, or allow the disease to progress further. Left untreated, periodontal disease may lead to more serious problems that may require extensive surgery. In combination with scaling and root planing (SRP), your dentist or dental hygienist can apply ARESTIN® to help treat your moderate to severe gum disease.

Do You Have Jaw Pain?

Do You Have Jaw Pain?
Many people have heard of the TMJ, but what is it? TMJ actually stands for temporomandibular joint, the joint where the skull and the lower jaw bone meet. Some people have a popping or clicking sound when they open their mouth. This is from the cartilage disc between the skull and jaw bone moving out of place. Most of the time, the disc goes back into place. Some people have no pain when this happens, others have extreme discomfort with their jaw joints.

Bad Breath

Bad Breath
There are many factors that contribute to halitosis and knowing how to prevent bad breath can help to avoid embarrassing situations. Poor oral hygiene leading to the gum disease gingivitis and the more severe periodontal disease is the leading culprit in bad breath scenarios.

Childhood Tooth Decay

Childhood Tooth Decay
Many parents are aware of common childhood diseases, but tooth decay is not something that normally comes up in conversations about diseases. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, dental decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease in the United States…A common misconception is that “baby teeth are not needed” and that it doesn’t matter if the child loses a tooth before it comes out naturally. The primary teeth hold the space for the permanent teeth to erupt in the proper space; therefore if the tooth or teeth are lost too early, a metal space maintainer is required…

Halloween Aftermath

Halloween Aftermath
Just in time for Halloween, the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) issued a press release of the best and worst candy choices…Regardless of the type of candy you and your family indulge in, ensure that you maintain a proper oral health regimen that includes: brushing your teeth 3 times daily, using a fluoride mouthwash prior to bedtime, flossing between your teeth after eating candy and at least once a day.
From all of us at Whispering Pines Dental, we hope you are your family have a Happy Halloween!