Category: Tips

Making Dental Visits Easy for Kids

With your help, dental visits can be a positive – even fun – experience for your kids. Our staff will spend a lot of time with your kids to help them feel comfortable and understand what they can expect. You can help us make their next visit a successful one by working with us to accomplish this goal!

Here’s what we suggest:

  • Use only positive words when answering your kids’ questions. Soft, easy, fun and play are good words to use.
  • Avoid using words like pain, hurt, needle and shot. These words make kids (and many adults) scared and anxious.
  • After treatment is completed, you can help continue the positive experience by praising your child and referring to the fun time they just had.
  • DON’T ask negative questions like: Did it hurt? Were you scared? Did you get a shot? These comments could make your child think that there was a reason to be afraid even though they were cooperative and had a good time. It might also make them afraid of future visits.

If your child receives any kind of anesthesia, assure them that their “tickly” or “sleepy” tongue will go away in no time. Most kids don’t mind the numbness, and some even think it’s fun – that’s a good thing.


Puberty Causes Swollen Gums

Puberty is a fact of life where a child’s body matures and becomes capable of reproduction. It is during this time that hair sprouts up in unusual places, voices drop, girls start menstruating and smiles can become plagued with swollen gums that are more sensitive to dental plaque and at greater risk for dental problems.

Puberty is fueled by hormonal signals to the brain and the release of those compounds is essential to the maturation process. However, while those hormones are imbalanced, growing girls and boys are more prone to oral issues including infections, gingivitis and mouth sores. Fortunately a good dental hygiene regimen complete with daily brushing, flossing and regular trips to the dentist will act as a form of preventative dentistry and minimize any oral health risks associated with the natural evolution of life.


Dental Care Checklist for Seniors

Keep up your regular dental visits. Hopefully, you’ve had a lifetime of professional dental care. Don’t stop now! Just as these years might motivate you to take special care of your overall health, it’s a good idea to give your teeth some extra attention, too. That means visiting your dentist regularly and practicing good oral hygiene habits at home.

Get professional denture care. Over time, your dentures may start to loosen and shift while you talk or eat. Rather than use an over-the-counter denture repair kit, which can damage your dentures, come in for a professional denture reline. We can reshape your dentures so that they look and feel great again.

Switch to an electric toothbrush, if necessary. Arthritis or a limited mobility may make it difficult to brush your teeth. Using an electric toothbrush can help eliminate a lot of the physical movement required to brush manually, doing most of the work for you.

Consider dental implants to replace missing teeth. Dental implants are one of the most revolutionary dental treatments around. Many patients prefer dental implants over dentures because of their natural look and feel. And with today’s technology, you can get dental implants in a single visit!


Birth Control Pills Trigger Pregnancy Gingivitis

Being with child can be an exciting transition, but as any mother will tell you, pregnancy is no walk in the park. In order for a women to carry a child to full term, hormonal levels will change in order to help a fetus grow and develop, but those fluctuations can also put her a greater risk for dental problems such as gingivitis, pregnancy tumors and periodontal disease. Women on birth control pills have the same oral health risks as their child carrying counterparts.

Oral contraceptives use various hormones to mimic pregnancy, suppress ovulation and will thicken a woman’s cervical mucus in order to block a sperm merging with an egg. Once a body is tricked into copying the indicators of pregnancy, the risks of dental problems including gum inflammation, oral infections, tooth loss will increase and pregnancy gingivitis can occur to women on the pill.

In addition to increased odds of developing pregnancy gingivitis, being on the pill can also make it difficult for women to recover from tooth extractions. Studies have indicated that women on birth control pills, that undergo tooth extractions while on the medication are two times more likely to have to endure dry socket at the tooth extraction site.

Practicing good oral hygiene is essential to combating the smile killing effects associated with birth control pills. For more useful tips please contact our Caliber Dental office


Why So Sensitive? 5 Reasons Why Your Teeth Hurt

Do your teeth hurt when you drink or eat something hot or cold? Most people think this is normal, but that’s not always the case. When your teeth hurt, they’re trying to tell you something: See your dentist.

More often than not, tooth sensitivity is a sign of a dental problem like tooth decay or gum disease. But there are other reasons why your teeth may be hurting:

  • You might have a cracked or broken tooth
  • One of your fillings could be broken or rotten
  • You might be grinding your teeth while you sleep
  • You could be brushing your teeth too hard
  • There might be dental plaque buildup on your tooth roots

Don’t make the mistake of ignoring sensitive teeth or trying to self-treat. If your sensitivity lasts longer than a couple of days or keeps recurring over a couple of weeks, make an appointment to see your dentist. The longer you wait, the worse it can get and the more expensive treatment will be. A quick exam can reveal exactly what’s going on and get you back to living pain-free.


Can Teenagers Get Gum Disease?

Gum disease might seem like something only adults get, but the truth is it affects people of all ages. In fact, TeenHealth.com reports that 60 percent of 15-year-olds have gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease. Other studies show that teenage girls may be even more vulnerable to gum disease because of hormonal changes.
This is bad news for teenagers, who may have bad breath or sore gums as the result of gingivitis. But there’s also good news: Gum disease can easily be treated and prevented.
Treatment of gingivitis usually involves a scaling and root planing treatment (SRP) to remove plaque and tartar buildup below the gum line. Just one SRP treatment can reverse the signs of gingivitis and prevent gum disease from progressing.
But how do you keep gum disease from coming back? Pretty much the same way you can prevent it from developing in the first place: brush, floss, get dental cleanings AND eat healthy foods. Healthy eating is where teens often get tripped up – sweets, sodas, energy drinks and sports drinks are heavily marked to and consumed by teenagers.
You can make it easy for your teen to choose healthier options for their teeth and body by making sure the fridge is always stocked with things like fresh fruit, vegetables, cheese and water.

Toothpaste and Orange Juice – Not a Good Match

Ever wonder why orange juice tastes so bad after you brush your teeth?

You can thank sodium laureth sulfate, also known as sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) for ruining your drink, depending on which toothpaste you use. Both of these chemicals are surfactants — wetting agents that lower the surface tension of a liquid — that are added to toothpastes to create foam and make the paste easier to spread around your mouth. They’re also important ingredients in detergents, fabric softeners, paints, laxatives, surfboard waxes and insecticides.
While surfactants make brushing our teeth a lot easier, they do more than make foam. Both SLES and SLS mess with our taste buds in two ways. One, they suppress the receptors on our taste buds that perceive sweetness, inhibiting our ability to pick up the sweet notes of food and drink. And, as if that wasn’t enough, they break up the phospholipids on our tongue. These fatty molecules inhibit our receptors for bitterness and keep bitter tastes from overwhelming us, but when they’re broken down by the surfactants in toothpaste, bitter tastes get enhanced.
So, anything you eat or drink after you brush is going to have less sweetness and more bitterness than it normally would. Is there any end to this torture? Yes. You don’t need foam for good toothpaste, and there are plenty out there that are SLES/SLS-free. You won’t get that rabid dog look that makes oral hygiene so much fun, but your breakfast won’t be ruined.

Is Oral Piercing Safe?

Oral piercing is a form of body art and self-expression that’s all the rage among teenagers and young adults. While piercings of the tongue, lip or cheek might seem safe because “everyone has them,” that’s not entirely true. The mouth is a moist place, which means it’s a breeding ground for bacteria and infection. And the primary danger of oral piercing is increased risk of infection. There are other risks, too. Oral piercings can also chip or crack teeth, cause nerve damage and produce an allergic reaction to metal. Some people also notice that it’s more difficult to speak, chew and swallow after piercings.
Do the smart thing and have your teenager see a dentist before piercing. Learning about the potential risks will make for a happier, healthier loved one.
And if your teen decides to go ahead with a piercing, make sure he or she keeps it clean! This is the single most effective way to fight off infection. And if your teen notices any of the following symptoms, schedule a dentist appointment right away:
  • Pain, soreness or swelling
  • Chipped or cracked teeth
  • Damage to fillings
  • Sensitivity to metals
  • Numbness

Hot Beverages Contribute to Tooth Staining

Hot Beverages

Science has shown that heat will cause molecules and atoms to vibrate faster, increase space between atoms and cause expansion. Tooth enamel is one such substance that will expand under heat and during that stage, the tannins in coffee and tea can lodge into the void and as the teeth cool down again, tooth staining can be the result.

Proper oral hygiene can help teeth stay clean and lower the level of dental plaque, and brushing with a whitening toothpaste may help alleviate some of the discoloration. Patients may also choose to get professional teeth whitening from a dentist specializing in cosmetic dentistry.


How to Ease Dry Mouth Syndrome

Most people would rather not talk about saliva. Too much saliva can be unsightly and embarrassing; too little can cause dry mouth syndrome. And without an active supply of saliva to help defend your mouth from bacteria, fungi and viruses, you can become especially vulnerable to cavities and gum disease.

The good news is there are many dry mouth home remedies that can provide you with some much-needed relief. However, if you suspect that you have dry mouth syndrome but haven’t been examined by a dentist or physician, it’s important to talk to them first — they’re the experts and can help you get the dental treatment you need to feel happier and healthier again!

Combating Dehydration

Aging plays a major role in dry mouth syndrome. Over time, the salivary glands secrete less saliva and the brain becomes less responsive to thirst cues, leaving your mouth and body feeling dehydrated. Although the following dry mouth remedies aren’t exactly a “fountain of youth,” they can certainly help counteract the effects of dehydration.

Drink plenty of water. The Institute of Medicine recommends drinking three liters of water per day for men and two liters for women. Keep in mind that the amount of water you need depends on how much exercise you get, the climate of your environment, and whether you have health conditions such as heart, liver or kidney disease, which can limit your intake of water.

Eat water-rich foods. Ideally, the foods you eat should provide about 20 percent of your fluid intake. Eat foods such as watermelon, cucumbers, peaches, nectarines and even popsicles, to ensure that you’re getting the fluids you need.

Limit caffeine and alcohol intake. Drinks that contain caffeine or alcohol are dehydrating and can exacerbate dry mouth. Instead of reaching for soda, coffee or tea throughout the day, drink water or juice. When drinking alcohol, be sure to have at least one glass of water after every cocktail, beer or glass of wine.

Use a humidifier. Living in a hot, dry climate can leave you feeling more dehydrated than if you lived in a temperate environment. Use a humidifier while you sleep to help boost moisture in your mouth and on your skin.

Pleasing Your Palate

Your eating habits can either help or harm dry mouth syndrome. But don’t worry — you don’t have to sacrifice taste for dry mouth relief. Some simple changes to your diet can help bring back the taste of sweet and savory to your dry mouth.

Drink papaya juice. Papain, an enzyme found in papayas, can help thin the thick oral secretions associated with dry mouth. Drinking 100% papaya juice is an easy way to get your daily dose of papain.

Add broth or sauce to your meals. Dry mouth can inhibit your ability to eat and swallow easily. Get moisture back into your mouth by adding milk, sauce, broth or gravy to your meals.

Avoid dry, salty foods. Snacking on crackers, toast and pastries can exacerbate dry mouth syndrome — nosh on healthy snacks such as fruit or smoothies instead.

Load up on lemonade. Lemonade is the perfect drink to quench your thirst on a hot, summer day. And it’s also great for stimulating saliva activity and relieving dry mouth.

These dry mouth home remedies are safe for everyone, but remember that your dentist and physician are the experts, so be sure to get professional advice about your specific symptoms.