General Dentistry
At-Home Treatment
If you happen to crack a tooth at night or on a weekend when your dentist may not be readily available, try these tips for temporary help:
- If you can, take over-the-counter pain medication.
- Use a dental anesthetic to help numb the area.
- Rinse with warm salt water a few times a day to remove bacteria.
- Apply an ice pack to your cheek to reduce swelling.
Signs of a Cracked Tooth
Sometimes you can crack a tooth and not even know it. But most often, a cracked tooth comes along with a few key signs, including the following from the American Association of Endodontists:
- Pain while chewing
- Sensitivity to hot, cold, and sweets
- Pain that comes and goes
Cracked Tooth Treatment
If you do crack a tooth, don’t worry. There are several different ways that your dentist in Sparks may use to fix it.
Bonding – Bonding is a simple, painless way to repair a cracked tooth. Your dentist will fit the crack with a sticky resin, harden it using a special light, and restore your tooth.
Dental Crowns – Another option to treat a cracked tooth is a dental crown. This is usually more appropriate for a larger crack. Your dentist in Sparks will create and place a custom crown over the affected tooth, protecting it from more damage. Each crown is designed to match the shape, color, and size of your other teeth so nobody will ever know it’s there.
Root Canal – If a crack is deep enough to affect the inner tooth, you may need a root canal. A root canal may sound scary and painful, but the opposite is true. During a root canal, your dentist will remove any affected pulp which will relieve any pain you may have. A root canal can also protect you from developing an infection.
Tooth Extraction – When a cracked tooth goes beyond repair and affects too much of the natural tooth structure, your dentist may recommend an extraction. However, many times, extracted teeth can be replaced with a dental implant or bridge so you don’t need to live with a missing tooth.
It is possible to have a cracked tooth and not know it. However, the longer a cracked tooth goes undetected and untreated, the more it can lead to bigger problems. This is why it’s so important to see your dentist at least twice a year. These regular visits help identify any problems early while they’re easier to treat.
Tooth Decay
When we talk about cavities, we’re essentially talking about tooth decay. Tooth decay is a disease that wears down tooth enamel and can affect the inner workings of teeth – including the dentin and the pulp. The deeper the decay goes, the more likely it is that you’ll experience symptoms. Decay can occur for a number of reasons, so it’s important to understand the causes so that you can take steps to prevent it.
- Oral Hygiene
One of the main causes of decay and cavities is a result of poor oral hygiene. You should brush your teeth twice a day, morning and night. But brushing alone isn’t enough to fully protect your teeth. You should also floss in between each and every tooth every day. If you don’t floss, you’re missing out on cleaning a large portion of your teeth, and it can put you at risk for tooth decay. In fact, most adult cavities form in between teeth.
- Sugar & Plaque & Bacteria, Oh My!
The other main cause behind dental decay is a combination of what we eat and how our mouths react during digestion. Let’s take sugar as an example. While you may think that sugar causes cavities, your dentist in Sparks wants you to know that that’s not entirely accurate. You see, it’s not the sugar that causes decay but rather how the sugar feeds bacteria that causes cavities. When we consume sugary foods or drinks, the bacteria in our mouths feed on the sugar and release an acidic byproduct. This acid attacks tooth enamel which can lead to erosion and, eventually, decay.
Cavity Symptoms
There are times when you won’t even know that you have a cavity. This happens when the decay is in the early stages and it’s also when it’s the easiest for your dentist in Sparks to treat. However, when the decay affects the inner tooth and hits the nerves, you may start to notice some common cavity symptoms, including:
- Increased sensitivity
- Pain when biting down
- Seemingly random tooth pain
- Pain when eating sweets
- Visible holes
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, call your dentist to schedule an appointment.
The best way to prevent cavities requires a few different things. But the good news is, they’re all easy. Make sure you brush your teeth twice a day, floss once a day, and see your dentist in Sparks twice a year. Also, try to limit your intake of sugary treats and drinks to reduce the chance of cavities.
What Are Dental X-Rays?
Just like an x-ray of your arm or leg, dental x-rays take images that show the hard surfaces in your mouth. The energy of x-rays passes through the skin and highlights only dense areas such as teeth and bone. The skeletal-like images produced from x-rays give your dentist in Sparks an inside look at your oral health and can help identify problems that can’t be seen through a visual or manual dental exam alone.
What Do Dental X-Rays Show?
We already know that dental x-rays show the teeth and bone, but what does your dentist look for on x-rays? The truth is, x-ray images can identify several things that could otherwise be missed and progress into more serious problems.
- Decay
Dental x-rays are most commonly used to help diagnose decay and cavities when they’re still small and easier to treat. You may not yet even have any signs of a cavity, but a quick x-ray can show one developing. X-rays can also catch decay that can develop under a previous dental restoration such as a crown or a filling. Finding and treating these areas of decay early can save you from ever experiencing the pain that could result if left alone.
- Abscess
When a patient has a toothache, their dentist in Sparks will most likely start by taking a few x-rays to get a closer look at the area. Oftentimes, a toothache can be a sign of an infection, also known as an abscess. To treat an abscess, your dentist will most likely remove the infected area of the tooth and may choose to cap it with a dental crown. Severe cases may even require an extraction.
- Bone Loss
Our teeth are typically strongly secured into our jaw bone. But things like gum disease, missing teeth, and osteoporosis can cause the jaw bone to deteriorate. This bone loss can increase the risk of tooth loss, cause headaches and jaw pain, and can even affect the appearance of the face making it appear wrinkly or saggy.
Are Dental X-Rays Safe?
We understand that there may be some concerns surrounding the use of dental x-rays and exposure to radiation. However, advancements in dental technology have made digital dental x-rays one of the lowest forms of radiation emission. In fact, research conducted by the Kois Center for Dental Education shows that four bitewing x-rays emit only 0.005 mSv (millisieverts) of radiation. This is less than what humans are exposed to naturally every day.
Even though you may not get dental x-rays at every appointment, you should get them when they are recommended. They will help your dentist provide personalized care, catch and treat problems early, and help you maintain a healthy smile.
Avoid Using Teeth To Open Packages
We’ve all been there — hungry for lunch with a delicious bag of chips waiting for us. We go to open it and it’s just… stuck. We pull and pull but we just can’t get the bag to open. So instead, we grab the bag between our teeth, bite down, and rip. Finally! Crunchy, crispy chips. While this tactic can successfully open packages, it can also cause tooth damage. When you encounter pesky packaging, tough tape, or tricky tags take a few extra minutes to find a pair of scissors and save yourself a potential trip to your dentist in Sparks.
Don’t Use Teeth To Help Carry Things
Another common way we tend to use our teeth as tools is to try and have them function as another hand to help us carry or hold things. However, our teeth aren’t meant to grip and hold on to things like nails, pencils, or even your cell phone. Doing so can also increase the risk of breaking or cracking teeth as well as put you at risk for choking.
Keep Things Out of Your Mouth
Anything that’s not food shouldn’t go anywhere near your mouth. This includes things like fingernails, pens, and jewelry. Chewing on non-food items can damage your teeth and your jaw and require treatment from your dentist in Sparks. Besides, a lot of these things can contain a lot of germs so the last place you should put them is in your mouth.
Take It Easy On The Nuts
Nuts are a great, nutritious snack that is packed with protein. They’re also pretty convenient and can travel easily. However, nuts have shells, and if you buy unshelled nuts, you’ll have to remove the casing to get to the edible inside. The most common way to do this is to crack the shell between teeth. This can once again lead to chips, cracks, or broken teeth. Other food items that can also damage your teeth in a similar way are popcorn, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.
Our teeth are incredibly tough and the protective enamel is actually the strongest substance in the human body. However, as with everything, teeth do have their limits to what they can withstand. To help protect your teeth, use them only to chew your food and avoid using them as any sort of tool. And of course, make sure to see your dentist in Sparks every six months for preventive dental checkups.
Oral Health is Linked to Overall Health
If your goal for this year is to get healthier overall, you can’t ignore your oral health. After all, our oral health is directly linked to our overall health and one can certainly affect the other. So as you commit to getting your 10,000 steps a day or eating healthier, make sure you also consider the following.
- Drinking Water
We often hear about patients wanting to cut back on sugary soda in the new year and drink more water. This is one of the best things you can do for both your whole body and your mouth. Water allows our bodies to function properly and keeps the mouth hydrated and moist which can help fight off cavity-causing bacteria. Aim to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day.
- Quitting Smoking
Another popular, yet difficult, resolution year after year is to quit smoking. This can be an intimidating endeavor but with a good plan and a solid support system, we believe anyone can stop smoking. There are countless overall and oral health benefits to quitting including reducing the risk of cancer and lowering the likelihood of gum disease.
- Practicing Good Oral Hygiene
Everyone knows that your dentist in Sparks wants everyone to brush and floss every day, but we also know that this simple task can get overlooked and go undone. However, brushing and flossing your teeth each and every day is the best way to prevent dental problems from popping up. Make sure you brush twice a day and floss at least once a day to protect your pearly whites from cavities, gum disease, bad breath, and other problems.
- Keeping Your Dental Appointments
We always recommend that patients see us for professional dental cleanings and checkups twice a year, and sometimes more often. These bi-annual appointments are crucial to maintaining a healthy and mouth as well as a healthy body. They allow your dentist in Sparks to find any potential problems early and treat them quickly before they become big problems.
Make a promise to yourself that you will commit and follow through with your 2021 resolutions. And if you’re serious about getting healthier, schedule an appointment with your dentist today.
The Truth About Smile Whitening Treatments
Smile whitening is probably the most popular form of cosmetic dentistry done today. However, what was once only available at the dentist can now be done at home without any exam or assurance that the teeth are healthy enough. Additionally, even though over-the-counter whitening treatments can make it easier for people to whiten their teeth, it’s become increasingly popular and has created almost a whitening addiction. Both of which can cause some serious problems.
More Whitening, More Problems
Now, we should note that smile whitening can be done safely. However, there are issues when someone whose teeth aren’t healthy, or who thinks “the more whitening, the better” whitens their teeth that can cause things to take a turn for the worse.
Over-bleaching your teeth can wear down tooth enamel. Without this protective layer, teeth are put at increased risk for decay, cavities, and sensitivity. Additionally, if your teeth aren’t healthy to begin with, and let’s say you have a cavity, introducing bleaching ingredients can cause uncomfortable zings of pain through your teeth. And the problems don’t end there.
Many over-the-counter whitening treatments allow too much of the bleach to touch and sit on the gums which can cause gum irritation, sometimes severe. Lastly, too much whitening can actually make your teeth appear more translucent and darker in appearance, which is the opposite of what you want.
Safely Whiten Your Smile
The best way to get a whiter smile is to first start by talking to your dentist in Sparks. Not only can they help you find the best smile whitening treatment for you, but they can also help you find the best shade of white for your teeth for an overall natural, yet enhanced, look. Whichever smile whitening treatment you agree on, make sure you follow the directions to a “T,” especially if you’re going to use a take-home whitening product. Don’t leave the whitening gel on longer than recommended, and stop use if irritation or sensitivity occurs.
Even though smile whitening treatments can be found at any grocery store or even ordered online… it doesn’t mean that all of them are created equally. Make sure you do your own research, talk with your dentist in Sparks, and don’t overdo it.
Germs & Bacteria
We all know that germs can be passed from one person to another through kissing, but they aren’t the only things being swapped. When it comes to kissing, your dentist in Sparks is also concerned with the sharing of bacteria. You see, certain types of bacteria have been known to increase the risk of tooth decay and cavities. Now, while our mouths are naturally packed with bacteria, when we kiss, these bacteria (both good and bad) can easily transfer from person to person and introduce cavity-causing bacteria.
Keep Your Bacteria to Yourself
Even though kissing comes with some potential negatives, we’re certainly not recommending that you stop altogether. Instead, your dentist in Sparks has a few tips you can try in order to keep both you and your partner smooching safely.
- Breath Test
Nobody wants to kiss someone who has bad breath, and now we’re going to give you yet another reason to tread carefully when you encounter someone with chronically bad breath. Bad breath may be a sign of gum disease, which itself is caused by an overload of bacteria and an infection in the gum tissue.
- Oral Hygiene
Even though our mouths naturally contain tons of bacteria, you should always brush and floss regularly in order to keep bacteria levels in check. Also, it’s key that you see your dentist in Sparks at least every six months for professional cleanings to further protect your teeth.
- Drink Water
When you’re not able to brush your teeth try to drink or even rinse your mouth with water. This can also help remove bacteria buildup. You can also chew Xylitol gum to help reduce bacteria levels and give your breath a fresh boost for all those kissable moments. Plus, Xylitol can keep bacteria from sticking to your teeth and creates a neutral pH level in your mouth for even more protection.
Some Good News
It’s important to note that there are certainly some positives to kissing, some of which we mentioned earlier. As it relates to your oral health, kissing can actually help good bacteria move from person to person and increases your saliva production. Saliva is your mouth’s natural way of washing away bacteria and neutralizing acid, both of which help protect your teeth against decay.
When it comes to kissing, there are more positives than negatives. Just make sure you practice good oral hygiene habits so your breath is kissable fresh every single time you pucker up.
National Alzheimer’s Disease Month
Alzheimer’s Disease is a form of dementia that affects more than 5 million Americans, and every November we recognize National Alzheimer’s Disease Month in honor of these patients. Until recently, research regarding what causes Alzheimer’s has been limited, which can be frustrating to patients, families, and doctors alike. But thanks to this research, we may be closer to identifying a cause than ever before.
Gum Disease & Bacteria
Our mouths contain hundreds of different types of bacteria. Some of these bacteria are good and others are bad. The bad bacteria are what concern your dentist in Sparks as well as Alzheimer’s researchers. One of these bad bacteria, known as Porphyromonas gingivalis, is at the forefront of the study conducted by the National Institute on Aging. This bacteria, which was found as the leading cause of gum disease in over 6,000 participants, may produce something called plaque of beta-amyloid proteins. Why does this matter? Plaque of beta-amyloid proteins is one of the key indicators of Alzheimer’s Disease.
In yet another study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, researchers looked at brain tissue from both patients with Alzheimer’s and patients without. What did they find? Interestingly, the brain tissue from dementia patients contained gum disease bacteria, while brain tissue from non-dementia patients did not.
Even though these studies seem promising and may bring us closer to finding a cause and a cure for Alzheimer’s, we need to note that additional research is still needed.
Protect Your Gums
Whether or not gum disease causes Alzheimer’s or not, it’s still important to protect your gums against disease. Untreated gum disease can lead to tooth loss or bad breath, and the infection can enter the bloodstream and begin to affect other areas of the body, including the heart and perhaps the brain. The best ways to protect your gums include:
- Brushing and flossing every day
- Avoiding tobacco
- Seeing your dentist in Sparks twice a year
Bi-annual visits to your dentist help remove plaque buildup in your mouth that at-home brushing alone can’t touch. This further protects your teeth against cavities and your gums against disease. If it’s been longer than six months since you’ve seen a dentist, schedule an appointment today.
An Important Note About Facemasks
Before we go any farther, we want to be clear that we are not suggesting that you stop wearing a mask, as the potential benefits outweigh the risks. What we are recommending is that you become aware of how your facemask can play a role in your oral health and learn what you can do to help.
Mouth Breathing
While the mask itself isn’t causing cavities, the changes we experience as a result of wearing them can. For example, most of us are not used to wearing a facemask at all let alone daily or perhaps all day every day. Because of this new factor, many people may begin to breathe out of their mouths instead of their noses because it’s more comfortable. However, this change in breathing is what can cause concerns for your dentist in Sparks.
When we breathe out of our mouths, whether because of a facemask or not, it can quickly dry out saliva production and create dry mouth. Dry mouth is concerning because a mouth needs saliva to help wash away things like bacteria and neutralize acids. Without it, teeth are at increased risk for tooth decay and other intraoral problems.
Bad Breath
Besides an increased risk of decay, mouth breathing can also cause bad breath. Since there’s not enough saliva around to wash away bacteria, they’re left free to feed on leftover food particles. As a result, these bacteria release a stinky byproduct.
Avoid Dry Mouth
Now, even though your dentist in Sparks knows that mouth breathing and dry mouth aren’t great for oral health, there are things you can do to help avoid dry mouth or treat it if it does occur such as:
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day. This will help keep the mouth hydrated and moist.
- Suck on sugar-free hard candies or chew gum with Xylitol. Both of these tricks can stimulate saliva production.
- Brush and floss your teeth every day. Maintaining proper oral hygiene can help remove bacteria buildup.
- Talk with your dentist. There are products designed to produce saliva. Your dentist can guide you on what’s the best way to fix your dry mouth.
If you’re concerned that dry mouth may be causing dental problems, or you’d like to talk to someone about getting some relief, call your dentist in Sparks. As with many dental concerns, the sooner dry mouth is diagnosed and treated properly the less chance it has to cause serious, more complicated problems.
Teeth Clenching & Grinding
Our bodies react to stress in interesting ways. Sometimes our gut health is affected. Other times it’s our oral health. During periods of high stress, many people may begin clenching or grinding their teeth, and oftentimes they don’t even know it or they may be doing it subconsciously while sleeping. This repeated movement of teeth against teeth can cause teeth to wear down and appear shorter. It can also cause teeth to crack, break, or chip, requiring treatment from your dentist in Sparks. But even that’s not all. Clenching and grinding your teeth puts unnecessary and unnatural stress on the jaw joint and can cause severe TMJ pain or TMJ disorder.
Gum Disease
Prolonged periods of stress can also increase someone’s risk of developing gum disease. Gum disease is an infection deep under the gum line that requires professional dental treatment. However, if it’s not treated, gum disease can cause other problems throughout the body and put overall health at risk. Gum disease has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, respiratory disease, and even certain cancers. Besides stress, other things that increase the risk of gum disease include poor dental hygiene, smoking, and seeing your dentist in Sparks every six months for deep cleanings.
How To Decrease Stress
We understand that the current state of the world can easily cause stress levels to spike and put us at risk for both oral health problems and whole-body concerns. But one of the best things you can do during uncertain, stressful times is to learn effective ways to lower stress. Some stress-reduction techniques include:
- Sleeping. Falling and staying asleep can be difficult when we’re stressed out and our minds won’t stop racing. But it’s crucial to your health to get enough sleep every day. Not only can sleeping enough lower stress (and probably make it easier to fall asleep), it can also give your body time to recover and keep you healthy. Try listening to calming sounds, avoiding your phone an hour before going to bed, and keeping a regular sleep schedule.
- Meditating. Mediating has been proven to lower heart rate and help us feel relaxed, thus lowering stress. Find a free app on your phone that will guide you through meditations and teach you how to effectively lower stress by simply breathing. Meditation is like anything else, you need to practice it to get really good at it so be sure to schedule time each day to focus and meditate.
- Exercising. Another proven way to lower stress and boost health is to exercise often. Whether you choose an online spin class, practice yoga, or run or walk, make sure you get a good sweat session daily.
Now and always, it’s important to keep your stress levels low and immune system high to keep yourself healthy. Find a stress-reduction plan that works for you, eat a well-balanced diet, and see your dentist in Sparks every six months.