1 IN EVERY 8 Americans (including kids) has sensitive teeth. To understand why, we’ll need to take a look at dental anatomy.
Erosion and the Layers of a Tooth
Every tooth has nerves at the center. When the tooth is healthy, the nerve is protected by the outer layers. If the tooth enamel erodes enough, it can expose the porous dentin layer and subject the nerves to much more input than they’re supposed to get. That tends to make temperature changes or even a sudden burst of sour or sweet flavor very uncomfortable or even painful.
Other Causes of Tooth Sensitivity
Erosion is the main cause of tooth sensitivity but not the only one. Exposed roots can be very sensitive because roots rely on gum tissue to protect them, not enamel. Gum recession (which is most often caused by brushing too hard) can leave roots exposed and vulnerable. Damage to a tooth, whether through an accident or cavities, also leads to sensitivity.
Ways to Minimize Sensitivity
There are several things to do for sensitive teeth. First, throw out the hard-bristled toothbrush and get a soft-bristled one. It doesn’t take much pressure to clean away plaque when we brush, but too much can scrape away enamel and gum tissue. Switching to a toothpaste formulated for sensitive teeth should also help, and cut back on sugar intake and very acidic foods and drinks.
The Dentist Can Help!
If you’re experiencing tooth sensitivity, make sure to bring it up with the dentist. We can determine the cause of the problem and recommend or prescribe a toothpaste that could help or schedule any necessary treatment. Every bite of food or swallow of drink you enjoy shouldn’t come at the price of a nasty jolt!
We look forward to helping find your tooth sensitivity solution!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
WE HEAR A LOT of the same questions from patients and parents of patients, so let’s wrap up the year by answering three of them.
#1: My tooth doesn’t hurt, so why do I need a filling?
Cavities aren’t always painful. They form when tooth enamel is eroded away until a hole forms. As the hole gets deeper, it can reach the dentin and even the pulp chamber at the center of the tooth, but in the early stages, they usually don’t hurt. While the best option is preventing a cavity from forming at all, it’s much better to treat a cavity before it hurts than allow it to reach that point. By then, a filling alone might not be enough!
#2: How important is it to keep baby teeth healthy?
Just because baby teeth are temporary, that doesn’t mean they don’t serve an important purpose. Kids need them to speak clearly, chew effectively, and master the lifelong brushing and flossing habits that will protect their adult teeth. They also hold the places for those adult teeth.
#3: Should I be worried about the effect of pacifiers and thumbsucking on my child’s teeth?
Pacifier use and thumbsucking can indeed contribute to significant problems, but not when the child is very young. Babies and toddlers often find these habits very comforting, and they usually grow out of them on their own. If they’re showing no signs of stopping by age three, parents should consider strategies for discouraging the habit, like clipping the pacifier. We can help find the right solution.
Did We Miss Your Top Question?
When our patients are educated about their teeth and gums, they are more empowered to stay in control of their dental health, so if you have any questions we didn’t cover, make sure to ask them at your next appointment!
There’s nothing better than seeing our patients’ smiles!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
WE’VE BEEN HEARING for decades how dangerous smoking is to many aspects of our health. As dental professionals, our focus is particularly on the dangers to oral health, including unsightly stains on teeth at the less serious end of the spectrum, to a massively increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease, to life-threatening oral cancer. More recently, vaping and e-cigarettes have emerged as an alternative, but are they any better?
The Data Is Starting to Come In, and It Isn’t Good
Because these particular nicotine delivery mechanisms are so new, there isn’t as much data about their effects, but the evidence far shows a link between e-cigarettes and poor oral health. No matter how nicotine is consumed, it restricts blood flow to the gums, contributing to gum disease. An iScience study showed that far more e-cigarette users have gum disease than people who don’t.
People Who Vape Are Getting Periodontal Disease Younger
It’s difficult to know the long-term dangers of something so new, but researchers are seeing periodontal disease (typically an adult disease) in younger patients who vape, as well as an increase in cavities.
The term “vape” is also misleading. This isn’t water vapor that contains nicotine, it works more like aerosol — essentially nicotine hairspray, for the mouth. That doesn’t sound as appetizing, does it?
We Encourage Our Patients to Prioritize Oral Health
There are plenty of activities that are fun to do, look cool, and don’t endanger your oral and overall health in any way. We look forward to seeing you at your next appointment, and make sure you’re prioritizing the health of your teeth and gums in the meantime!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
WE’VE ALL HEARD of the active ingredient in toothpaste: fluoride. It supplies tooth enamel with important minerals to keep it strong and it protects against tooth decay. It’s the one ingredient toothpaste must contain to earn the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance. But what else is in toothpaste?
Other Active Ingredients
1. Mild abrasive ingredients help scrub the surfaces of our teeth clean as we brush (and it doesn’t take more than a soft-bristled toothbrush and gentle brushing to get the job done).
2. Foaming detergents help the toothpaste reach every tooth. (Fun fact: the foam is why actors rarely use toothpaste when they brush their teeth onscreen. It’s too messy for TV!)
Inactive Ingredients
1. Humectants keep toothpaste from drying out, so that it can come out of the tube in a smooth piece.
2. Flavoring and sweeteners make toothpaste taste good, but they can’t include actual sugar and still get the ADA Seal of Acceptance. Toothpaste for adults is usually a strong, minty flavor, but that can be overpowering for kids, which is why theirs often tastes like fruit or candy.
Toothpaste for Kids
All of the top recommended toothpastes for kids contain fluoride, and it’s safe when used in the correct amounts. That means a smear no bigger than a grain of rice for toddlers and a glob the size of a pea for kids aged 3-6. Parents should also supervise their kids and encourage them to spit instead of swallow.
We Can Help You Find the Right Toothpaste
With so many toothpaste options to choose from, what’s the best toothpaste for your child? The next time we see you, we’d be happy to make a recommendation. We look forward to your child’s next dental checkup at our practice!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
OUR JAWS GET a pretty constant workout between all the talking, chewing, and yawning we do, but those simple activities become more complicated for those with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD or TMJ). There’s a small, fibrous disk that serves as a cushion between the ball and socket of the joint. If it shifts out of place or erodes, that leads to jaw trouble.
TMJ Disorder Symptoms and Remedies
Typical symptoms of a TMJ problem include tenderness or pain in the jaw, difficulty chewing, pain around the face or in the ear, and even locking of the jaw joint.
There are a few things to try for TMJ relief. Avoid making extreme jaw movements when singing or yelling, and control yawns by putting a fist under the chin. Make small movements while chewing, and rest with the jaws slightly apart instead of fully closed (a lot of people don’t realize that this is the natural position of the jaws).
Treatment for More Serious Cases
Most TMD cases resolve on their own, but persistent symptoms may need treatment. Typical TMD treatments include ice packs, exercise, moist heat, medication, and splints. If those don’t help, then the next steps often include ultrasound treatment, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or trigger-point injections. For the most extreme cases, jaw surgery may be recommended.
Bring Your TMD Symptoms to the Dentist
If the symptoms above are familiar to you, make sure to come and tell the dentist. If your regular cleaning appointment is months away, schedule one specifically to discuss TMD issues so that we can discover what’s causing the problem and recommend the best next steps to take.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
2 OUT OF EVERY 5 KIDS have at least one cavity by the time they finish elementary school, and the main reason is sugar.
Bacteria Love Sugar As Much As We Do
Harmful bacteria living on the surfaces of our teeth love eating the leftover sugar after we enjoy a sweet treat or drink. Then they excrete acid onto our teeth as a waste product, increasing our risk of tooth decay. So what can parents do for their kids’ teeth? A big improvement parents can make is to swap out sugary snacks for options like cheese or sliced fruits and veggies, which are also much healthier overall.
This time of year, it can be hard to avoid sugar, but this hygienist has some tips:
Sugar Is Hiding in Your Child’s Favorite Drinks Too
When it comes to sugary drinks, juice and soda are full of sugar and highly acidic, and even milk contains sugars. These drinks are most dangerous to a child’s teeth when sipped over the course of hours, as this acts like a continuous acid bath, preventing their saliva from washing away residue and neutralizing the pH of their mouths. We urge parents to restrict access to drinks other than water except during meals.
Be an Example of Good Dental Hygiene
Finally, parents should model good dental hygiene habits and schedule regular dental visits for their kids. Limiting sugar intake can’t make up for a lack of daily brushing and flossing!
The Dentist Is a Great Resource
All the things parents can do at home to encourage great dental health are very important, but don’t forget that you’re not in this fight alone! The dentist can help. If you have concerns about your or your child’s teeth or gums, schedule an appointment. We can identify any problems and determine the best next steps to take. And regular preventative appointments are important too!
We’re rooting for our patients to stay cavity-free this Halloween!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
UNLESS THE DENTIST is an active TikTok user, it’s not a good idea to get dental health advice from social media. We’ve noticed a lot of dangerous DIY ideas popping up so let’s take a minute to nip them in the bud.
1. “Healthy Soda”
No soda is truly healthy for teeth, as the bubbles in soda come from acid and teeth are highly vulnerable to acid erosion. Sparkling water and balsamic vinegar (the combo in the trend) do not make a healthier soda alternative because that’s just two acids mixed together!
2. “Veneers Check”
Some TikTok users are filing their own teeth down to pegs prior to crown restorations. PLEASE do not do this. It can lead to nerve damage or the need for root canals and can even lead to previously healthy teeth needing to be pulled. Teeth don’t even get filed down before veneers anyway!
3. Home Hydrogen Peroxide Whitening
Swishing 3% hydrogen peroxide is not a good way to whiten teeth. It can cause long-lasting sensitivity and gum irritation. Go to the dentist for whitening recommendations and good results!
4. DIY Braces
It takes orthodontists years of education and training to learn how to effectively move teeth into their correct positions; this is not something a random TikTok user can figure out with rubber bands and paper clips. DIY braces lead to bad results and sometimes tooth loss!
Trust the Professionals
Trusting random people on the internet over the actual experts is very dangerous and could have permanent consequences for your dental health.It takes dentists years of study and practice to become qualified to look after patients’ teeth. The people promoting these harmful trends are just making wild guesses.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
40% OF KIDS WILL have at least one cavity by the time they start school, usually due to poor oral hygiene and eating and drinking lots of sugary things. It’s critical to teach kids good oral health habits early on and to help them brush their teeth until they are able to do it themselves, but it can still be tricky for them to clean out the crevices in their molars. That’s where sealants come in.
How Do Sealants Work?
Dental sealants are a layer of clear plastic that we brush onto the chewing surfaces of teeth to keep cavity-causing plaque and bacteria out. Sealants reduce childhood tooth decay in the back teeth by as much as 80%, which is why they’ve been such a popular treatment since the 1960s. The application process is quick, painless, and easy and can be done within a regular appointment.
Who Can Get Sealants?
We recommend that kids get sealants as soon as their first adult molars erupt, which is usually around age 6. The earlier, the better, but sealants aren’t only for young children; older kids, teens, and adults can get them too!
Ask Us About Dental Sealants
Dental sealants are a remarkable preventive tool that can safeguard your or your child’s oral health for years to come. By providing a protective barrier against cavities, especially in those hard-to-reach areas of your molars and premolars, they offer a simple yet effective way to maintain a healthy smile.
Let’s work together to keep those smiles cavity-free!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
FOR AS LONG AS there have been people, there has been tooth decay, but people in past civilizations didn’t have as many answers about what caused their tooth problems as we do now. That led to some very strange beliefs about dental health. One of the most common was the “tooth worm.”
Ancient Well-Intentioned Errors
As far back as 5000 B.C. in ancient Sumeria, people were blaming their cavities on tooth worms. They are mentioned in ancient Chinese scripts from 1500 B.C. too, and the Roman Empire and medieval Europeans also believed there were worms gnawing at their teeth.
How Did They Get it So Wrong?
Where did this idea come from? There are a few theories. Dental roots could maybe be described as worm-like, so people who didn’t know better might’ve assumed that was the case. They were also familiar with a variety of parasitic worms, including guinea worms in drinking water. They could’ve assumed something similar was affecting their teeth. They also used henbane seed treatments, and the ash of burned henbane seeds resembles worms.
What’s Really Causing cavities?
Although oral bacteria is something we must fight daily by brushing and flossing, tooth worms are, thankfully, a myth. The real culprit behind most cavities is sugar!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
“MOUTH-BREATHER” HAS made the rounds as an insult in recent years, but breathing primarily through the mouth instead of the nose can actually have some pretty negative effects on health, including oral health. Mouth-breathing should only be done as an emergency backup, not the main way to breathe.
The Nose Is a Built-In Air Filter
The nose has a built-in filtration system and triggers nitric oxide production, helping our lungs absorb oxygen better. We don’t get any of that from mouth breathing. Short-term effects of mouth breathing include dry mouth, reduced oxygen levels, and impaired speech. Dry mouth is particularly dangerous for dental health, because saliva is the teeth and gums’ first line of defense against bacteria and acid. We also need saliva to taste our food!
Mouth-Breathing Can Change the Shape of the Face
Children who grow up breathing mainly through their mouths can actually develop differently, their faces becoming flatter, with weaker chins and droopy eyelids as they grow up. They are more likely to have complex orthodontic problems, with narrow arches and lots of crowding. Other long-term effects for habitual mouth-breathers include an increased likelihood of sleep apnea, which in turn comes with low energy, poor concentration, and a weaker immune system.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
In my 57 years of life, Dr. Simon is the best dentist I’ve ever seen. We are a military family and have moved several (more than I care to count) times. With each move comes the same challenges relating to finding new doctors, dentists, etc. A good dentist is particularly hard to find, as they are f… Read more
Colleen Moore
Service is great, staff is knowledgeable and courteous. Highly recommended.
Roy Johnson Sr.
I recently went to visit Dr.Simon and was informed that I needed quite a bit of dental work, this came as a shock to me and I was of course very nervous. Dr.Simon and his staff were very kind and accommodating through the entire process. The work that he did was excellent, he takes pride in what he … Read more
Dr. Simon is very sincere and thorough. He takes the time necessary to explain the procedures, expected outcomes and future care. His compassionate approach with a healing hand to all orthotic procedures make him a well-trusted dental professional and an exemplary human-being.
I’ve been a patient of Dr. Simon for many years and he’s the best! I’m faithful about having a check-up every six months because Dr. Simon is always on time and very considerate. I like the Brandermill location and his staff is professional, friendly and courteous.
