December 2015

holiday foods and teeth

December 14, 2015

The holidays are around the corner! Most likely you’ll be celebrating the holiday season with lots of delicious treats and sugary beverages. Don’t worry! We won’t ruin all the fun and tell you to not enjoy them! But be careful, for sugary beverages and starchy foods can be feeding the plaque that causes problems in your mouth. Brushing and flossing can help remove the residue from these foods and help prevent tooth decay.
 
More good news: there are also foods that help keep the teeth and gum healthy.
  • Dairy Products: The calcium, phosphates, and Vitamin D in dairy products such as cheese and milk are important for your teeth. Calcium from milk can strengthen your teeth, just like the way it strengthens your bones.
  • Fluoride in water: Our tap water contains small amounts of fluoride, which is beneficial to your teeth. According to ADA, American Dental Association, fluoridation prevents at least 25% of tooth decay in children and adults today. Bottled drinking water may not contain as much fluoride as tap.
  • Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables: Saliva is a natural defense against cavities, by washing away food particles and neutralizing acids that are attacking your teeth. Fiber-rich foods can help stimulate saliva flow in your mouth.

Adding these options to your holiday diet can both be delicious and healthy. Enjoy your holidays!

SENSITIVE TEETH

December 2, 2015

Is the taste of ice cream or a sip of hot coffee sometimes a painful experience for you? Does brushing or flossing make you wince occasionally? If so, you may have sensitive teeth.
Possible causes include:

Tooth decay (cavities)
Fractured teeth
Worn fillings
Gum disease
Worn tooth enamel
Exposed tooth root

In healthy teeth, a layer of enamel protects the crowns of your teeth—the part above the gum line. Under the gum line a layer called cementum protects the tooth root. Underneath both the enamel and the cementum is dentin.
Dentin is less dense than enamel and cementum and contains microscopic tubules (small hollow tubes or canals). When dentin loses its protective covering of enamel or cementum these tubules allow heat and cold or acidic or sticky foods to reach the nerves and cells inside the tooth. Dentin may also be exposed when gums recede. The result can be hypersensitivity.

Sensitive teeth can be treated. The type of treatment will depend on what is causing the sensitivity. Your dentist may suggest one of a variety of treatments:
Desensitizing toothpaste. This contains compounds that help block transmission of sensation from the tooth surface to the nerve, and usually requires several applications before the sensitivity is reduced.
Fluoride gel. An in-office technique which strengthens tooth enamel and reduces the transmission of sensations.
A crown, inlay or bonding. These may be used to correct a flaw or decay that results in sensitivity.
Surgical gum graft. If gum tissue has been lost from the root, this will protect the root and reduce sensitivity.
Root canal. If sensitivity is severe and persistent and cannot be treated by other means, your dentist may recommend this treatment to eliminate the problem.
Proper oral hygiene is the key to preventing sensitive-tooth pain. Contact us if you have any questions about your daily oral hygiene routine , concerns about tooth sensitivity, or would like to schedule an appointment .