National Root Canal Appreciation Day

Root canalToday—the second Wednesday in May—is National Root Canal Appreciation Day! While it’s not exactly a mainstream holiday, it’s the perfect chance to give extra thought to your oral health. Consider how far root canals have come and how you can commemorate National Root Canal Appreciation Day.

What is a Root Canal?

Your teeth are hard on the outside, but the core contains soft tissue filled with nerves and blood vessels. If this tissue, known as the pulp, becomes swollen in response to an infection or irritant, you could experience severe pain. Left untreated, a tooth in this condition is likely to fall out. Damage could also be done to the bone surrounding the tooth.

A root canal, also known as endodontic treatment, is a procedure that involves removing infected dental pulp, filling the tooth, and capping it with a crown. Root canals save teeth and preserve smiles. In fact, the American Association of Endodontists estimates that 15.1 million root canal treatments are performed each year by general dentists and endodontists, or root canal specialists.

When you visit the dentist for your root canal appointment, first your tooth is thoroughly cleaned out to remove the pulp. This is done using tiny, specially designed dental brushes. X-rays assist with this process to ensure all infected pulp is gone.

Next, your tooth is flushed with antibacterial fluid and filled to prevent a repeat infection. Finally, the tooth is sealed permanently with a dental crown to protect it from fracturing. This rigid, tooth-shaped covering is stronger than enamel, ensuring the structural integrity of your tooth is preserved. X-rays are taken at future appointments to ensure your tooth is still healthy and free of infection.

How Technology has Improved Root Canals

Root canals have a reputation for being frightening, painful procedures that you want to avoid at all costs. While you should always take steps to promote good oral health and prevent needing a root canal, getting one is not as unpleasant as you think.

Modern numbing agents mean you can’t feel a thing as your dentist cleans out your infected tooth. An apex locator also makes it possible to detect the precise depth of the canal. This ensures that no pockets of infection are left behind, and it also prevents the cleaning from going too deep. Finally, advancements in rubber technology allow the empty tooth to be filled thoroughly, thus helping to avoid re-infection of the treated tooth.

When is a Root Canal Needed?

Do you have a dull toothache or constant, throbbing pain? Have you struggled with sensitivity to hot and cold drinks for a long time now? Do you experience stinging pain when you chew in a particular spot? Have you noticed a bad taste in your mouth lately?

These are all signs that you might have a tooth infection and need a root canal. Even if you don’t, it doesn’t hurt to see your dentist. After all, an untreated infection could cause an abscess, damage to your jaw bone, and tooth loss. It’s much easier—and more affordable—to treat your toothache early.

How to Prevent Needing a Root Canal

The best preventative measure is to exercise good oral hygiene. This includes brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing once a day, and avoiding sugary foods and drinks.

If you grind your teeth when you sleep, wearing a night guard can help prevent putting undue stress on your teeth that could cause an infection. You can also avoid damaging your teeth by wearing a mouthguard when you play contact sports.

Most importantly of all, schedule routine visits to the dentist. A thorough oral exam and X-ray can reveal problems in their early stages. This allows you to increase your preventative efforts and address dental issues before they cause severe pain or permanent damage.

Commemorating National Root Canal Appreciation Day

The best ways to celebrate National Root Canal Appreciation Day are to purchase a new toothbrush, resupply your stock of dental floss, and schedule your next dentist appointment. If you’re concerned about the health of your teeth and gums, you can always call your dentist for personalized tips to prevent infections that lead to a root canal.

Call Dr. Ania for an Oral Health Consultation

Now that you appreciate root canals a little more, you may be prepared to address your lingering toothache. The quicker you act, the easier it is to treat the problem before it escalates into something larger.

Dr. Ania uses state-of-the-art technology and tools to perform quick, effective root canals that treat your pain and put your mind at ease. Call Dr. Ania’s Boulder, CO dentist office today at 303-443-0998 to schedule an oral health consultation and find out if you need a root canal.

Posted: May 8, 2019 By: Comment: 0

How to Shop for Toothpaste

Everyone wants a sparkling white smile. One way to accomplish this is by brushing your teeth morning and night. The toothpaste you use makes a difference, so give some thought to your selection. Here are the features to look for and what to avoid the next time you shop for toothpaste.

Qualities of Good Toothpaste

Fluoride

The American Dental Association (ADA) says it’s important to brush with toothpaste that contains fluoride. Often called nature’s cavity fighter, fluoride makes the outer layer of your teeth, known as enamel, more resistant against acids that cause tooth decay. When reading toothpaste labels, look for ingredients such as sodium fluoride, stannous fluoride, or monofluoride phosphate (MFP). As long as any one of these fluoride-based ingredients is present, you can trust the toothpaste to help you maintain your beautiful smile.

The ADA Seal of Acceptance

The ADA awards its Seal of Acceptance to products that have been scientifically evaluated to be safe and effective at delivering the promises on the label. Toothpaste companies must exceed legal requirements to earn the seal. TIP: You can find the ADA Seal of Acceptance on all sorts of oral hygiene products, including electric toothbrushes, water flossers, white strips, and even mouthguards and water filters.

Tartar-fighting abilities

Tartar, also known as calculus, is a hardened form of dental plaque that contributes to tooth decay. All toothpastes achieve some degree of tartar prevention by including abrasive agents, such as calcium carbonate or silica, to remove the food particles and bacteria that cause tartar to form.

Enamel protection

Enamel is the thin, hard coating over your teeth that prevents sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures. Since enamel erodes over time, and your body can’t regenerate it, it’s important to shop for toothpaste that strengthens and protects your enamel from acids in certain foods.

Safe ingredients

All reliable toothpaste products only contain ingredients that have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). To ensure this is the case with the product you buy, we recommend that you shop for toothpaste from recognized name brands, such as Crest, Colgate, Sensodyne, and Tom’s of Maine.

A pleasant taste and texture

This quality is based purely on preference. Different types of mint flavoring are found in various brands of toothpaste, and color and consistency vary as well. If the last toothpaste you bought was goopy or tasted funny to you, throw it away and try something new. If you hold onto products you don’t enjoy using, you’re more likely to skip important dental hygiene tasks.

Other Features to Look For

Tartar control

As mentioned above, tartar-fighting qualities are inherent in all toothpastes. However, active tartar control is an additional feature of some products. The ingredient tetrasodium pyrophosphate is a proven tartar preventer, but it can’t remove tartar that has already formed—only a professional cleaning can do that. We recommend only using tartar control toothpaste if you are extremely tartar-prone. Otherwise, the irritation it causes some patients may not be worth the extra prevention it provides.

Whitening

When it comes to whitening your teeth, toothpaste is the least effective method available. You might be able to whiten by a single shade over a long period of time, but you won’t be able to restore a white color to yellow teeth. Still, if you recently had in-office whitening done, using whitening toothpaste afterward can help you maintain your sparkle.

Sensitive formula

If you have sensitive teeth or receding gums that expose the unprotected roots, shop for toothpaste designed to treat this. Ingredients such as strontium chloride and potassium nitrate reduce the ability of nerves in your teeth to transmit pain. Be aware that it may take four to six weeks of twice daily use to feel any results. Also, sensitive formula toothpaste won’t counteract pain caused by cavities.

Things to Keep in Mind

Avoid sodium lauryl sulfate

This ingredient is a foaming agent that creates the illusion of achieving a better clean. However, SLS can irritate sensitive teeth and gums and cause canker sores in people prone to them. Just realize that despite the similarity of their names, sodium lauryl sulfate is not the same as sodium lauroyl sarcosinate. The latter is a milder cleansing agent and an excellent alternative to sodium lauryl sulfate.

Consider the abrasiveness

All toothpaste contains some sort of abrasive to remove plaque and surface stains, but if it’s too harsh, you could damage the very enamel you’re trying to protect. All ADA-approved products fall within a certain range, but this varies quite a bit. We recommend that you shop for toothpaste with low abrasiveness.

Don’t use too much

Toothpaste ads tend to show people loading up their toothbrushes, but just a pea-sized amount will do. Using more than this doesn’t help your teeth get any cleaner—it simply wastes the product and means you’ll run out faster. When assisting a child with brushing their teeth, put an even smaller amount on their toothbrush.

The next time you shop for toothpaste, remember that your final choice comes down to personal preference, as well as the unique needs of your mouth. Find a product you like, and stick with it. For help choosing the right toothpaste for you, or for tips to get more from your at-home dental hygiene routine, please call Dr. Ania’s Boulder, CO dentist office today at 303-443-0998.

Posted: May 2, 2019 By: Comment: 0

How Can Ultrasonic Cleaning Help Your Teeth?

The American Dental Association recommends that all patients visit the dentist biannually for dental cleanings and comprehensive exams. In the past, metal scraping tools were the objects used to clean the teeth. However, we prefer to use ultrasonic tools to give your teeth a more thorough clean. This cleaning method involves vibrating hand tools using water, mouthwash and tiny bubbles to provide your teeth and gums with a deeper clean.

 

Do You Visit the Dentist?

Do you see your dentist at least twice a year? If not, you may leave yourself at risk for oral health diseases. The American Dental Association recommends that every person visit the dentist at least twice a year for comprehensive exams and dental cleanings.

 

Studies show that only about 65% of people are visiting the dentist each year. Many of those are only getting to a dental office once a year instead of the recommended twice a year as well, which raises their risk significantly for cavities and oral issues growing severe. If you do the math, that 35% that doesn’t go to the dentist is about 30-40 million Americans each year that skip this part of taking care of their oral health.

 

That could be why oral hygiene issues are so common among Americans. Let’s take a look at the statistics:

  • Tooth decay is the most “prevalent, chronic disease” according to the National Institutes of Health.
  • Gum disease affects more than 64.7 million Americans, and that is only counting the adults it affects.
  • A large majority of adults, teens and children have gingivitis (the first stage of gum disease) without knowing it.
  • More than 120 million Americans are missing at least one tooth due to oral health problems.
  • More than 36 million Americans have no more teeth left in their mouth.
  • 92% of Americans have had cavities—often more than one—by adulthood.

 

Dental Cleanings: What Are They?

When you come into our office for a dental cleaning, Dr. Ania or one of her dental hygienists will provide your teeth with one of the best cleanings they will get all year. This isn’t your ordinary brushing and flossing. Our hygienists will brush your teeth with our brushing and polishing tools. They will remove tartar (mineralized plaque) with ultrasonic treatments or fine hand tools. We will remove all plaque from your teeth and polish them. Thorough flossing will remove stuck food and will determine if your flossing habits are good or not. We will also provide you a flouride treatment that will protect your teeth from decay and strengthen them. A dental hygienist will clean every part of your tooth meticulously and Dr. Ania will evaluate your oral health.

 

Dental Cleanings generally go hand-in-hand with comprehensive exams. This is a time for Dr. Ania to check your mouth for oral cancer. She will do a thorough examination of your tongue, lips, cheeks, throat and more, and will check for any abnormalities. She will check your biting, chewing and swallowing patterns and see if you need orthodontic treatment in the future. If you have tooth decay, we will set up an appointment to remove your decay and restore your tooth health. For gum problems, she can prescribe you antibiotics for gum infections or bacteria problems. If your oral health needs improvement, she will teach you what needs to be done at home to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

 

How Ultrasonic Teeth Cleaning Is Different

Your dental cleaning is one of the best dental office services that helps you avoid oral health diseases and helps to treat any dental issues you already have. When you have oral health issues, you may want to consider a deeper oral cleaning that can come through ultrasonic teeth cleaning. Instead of just a regular tooth cleaning, ultrasonic cleaning will get deeper into your gums to clean them, while removing dental plaque better. Plaque on your teeth is made when you eat sugars. That sugar mixes with mouth bacteria, creating plaque, which is a naturally-occuring biofilm on the teeth.

 

Over time, dental calculus—which you know by the name of “tartar”—builds up without good oral hygiene practices. This will create very hard deposits on your teeth that may look gray, yellow, or brown. The tricky part is that you can’t remove it without powerful dental tools. Generally, a dentist will use a metal scaling tool, which is a dental instrument that will scrape deposits and plaque from your teeth. However, this is insufficient to remove the amount of deposits some people have.

 

Ultrasonic cleaning is a newer technology that uses electromagnetic forces in an ultrasonic scaler to clean the teeth. Instead of a metal scaler, a hand-held “wand” is used for cleaning. This ultrasonic cleaning scaler vibrates faster than the speed of sound, carrying enough force that it blasts away plaque and calculus buildup on the teeth. To avoid problems with the vibration, the wand also carries a stream of water (lavage) that sprays as it blasts.

 

What to Expect

Ultrasonic teeth cleanings take less time (about 1/3rd less time) than a normal teeth cleaning. Because of the vibrations through the ultrasonic cleaning wand, you can get a more gentle clean than what is done with the metal scraper or with other dental procedures to counteract tartar, gingivitis and gum disease. Our wand also helps patients with coffee or tobacco stains on the teeth that can discolor the teeth. At your next dental cleaning, ask about ultrasonic teeth cleaning and what it can do for your mouth.

 

So many people have tooth decay and gum disease—both of which are avoidable with proper oral health habits. Investing in a dental cleaning can help eliminate your chance of other oral health issues. Trying out ultrasonic teeth cleaning can help you more quickly correct tooth decay and gum disease problems. Win the battle against tooth decay by having your ultrasonic teeth cleaning at our dental office today. Simply call Dr. Ania’s office at 303-443-0998 to schedule your appointment!

 

Posted: April 23, 2019 By: Comment: 0

Protect Your Teeth during National Facial Protection Month

A young adult woman boxer that is striking a boxing pose and bearing her teeth to show her mouthguard.

Spring sports are starting soon, which means fun, sun and dental injuries. Reports show that at least 5 million teeth are broken, fractured or injured in some way because of sports or exercise. Mouthguards can prevent these dental injuries the majority of times. Your daily oral health habits can prevent injuries as well. Use these tips to protect your mouth during National Facial Protection Month and the months to follow!

 

April is Sports Safety Month

Spring is here and that means that spring sports are in full swing. Along with fun and being outside that many sports bring, patients must also be cautious of dental injuries. These send millions of people to the dentist or hospital each year. The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) reports that dental emergencies happen 13-39% of the time during sports activities. The percentage varies from year to year. The most common dental injuries are tooth or crown fractures, tooth intrusions, extrusions and avulsions.

 

An intrusion or avulsion is when a tooth is hit upwards or downwards into the gums until it alveolar bone. This is a serious dental emergency that generally happens due to a lack of facial protection via a mouthguard. Sadly, children are the ones that generally sustain these injuries because parents or guardians don’t realize contact sports with young ones can be risky. The National Youth Sports Foundation for Safety reports that the most common type of sports injuries in youth are dental injuries more than anything else.

 

The main reason for these injuries is a lack of facial protection. Studies show that 3-5 million people in the U.S. will break or knock out a tooth during a sport each year. A participant is 60 times more likely to sustain a dental injury as well when they don’t wear facial protection or a mouth guard. With sports that suggest mouthguards or facial gear, you can be smart during sports safety month (and all year long) by getting your child or teen what they need to protect their smile.

 

A white background that has two different mouthguards. One is black and the other is multicolored.

Facial Protection with a Mouthguard

If you play a sport, you definitely want to consider getting a mouthguard, especially if your sport is a contact sport. There are three different types of mouthguards you can get, but not all are the best quality. Here are the main facial protection guards and their differences:

  • Stock Mouth Protectors – These are your cheapest option for a mouthguard, but they are cheap for a reason. These protectors can be worn by anyone and can be found in grocery stores, department stores, and sporting goods stores. They are cheap because they are one-size-fits-all and cannot be customized for you. Dentists do not recommend these protectors because they are generally bulky, make talking (and sometimes breathing) difficult, and actually provide little protection. If a mouthguard does not fit snug with the teeth and gums, you can still receive injuries. Avoid these types of guards.
  • Boil and Bite Protectors – These are guards that you can buy in many sporting goods stores. They are similar to stock protectors, but can at least be fit to your mouth. They are called “boil and bite” guards because you place the guard in hot water to soften the thermoplastic material. Then you place it in your mouth, bite down, and try to mold it to your teeth. They generally provide a much better grip on your teeth than stock protectors, but don’t fit perfectly.
  • Custom-Fitted Protectors – The best way to ensure your mouthguard is snug with your teeth and gums is to have one custom made for your mouth. A custom-fit guard is individually designed to fit your mouth and no one else’s. For example, Dr. Ania would take a mold of your teeth and form a custom mouthguard from the mold. This guard should fit your teeth perfectly and will provide all the protection you need without any wiggle room for injury.

 

A close-up view of a young adult male that is wearing football gear and a mouthpiece that protects his teeth.

Dental Consultations

If you know you or your child are going to compete in a contact sport, make a dental consultation. This will help you find the right facial protection gear. No parent wants their child to suffer a broken or avulsed tooth because of simply not having a mouthguard. Children are the ones most often injured in contact sports with their mouths because many don’t think children are rough enough to warrant proper facial protection. Statistics show that’s not the case.

 

We make the agility guard, which is a custom-made mouthguard created for our active patients that want to protect their mouth. The agility guard is popular with teens and adults in contact sports such as football, boxing, basketball and more. However, because these facial protection guards are custom-made, we can provide your young child with one as well. Some studies show that the right mouth guard can actually help improve athletic performance because of the comfort (both physically and mentally) it gives athletes. Focus improves because there is less of a risk of getting injured.

 

April is National Facial Protection Month as well as Sports Safety Month. Practice great sports safety on and off the field and then invest in a facial protection agility guard for you or your little one. Call Dr. Ania’s office today at 303-443-0998 for your dental consultation and for other tips for facial protection through oral hygiene, lifestyle and food choices!

 

Posted: April 11, 2019 By: Comment: 0

Protect Your Teeth with Dental Sealants

A young adult woman that is having her dental sealants set in place in a dental office with a UV dental light.

The month of April is both Sports Safety Month and National Facial Protection Month. Protecting the teeth is top priority when it comes to sports, exercise and other activities. However, your teeth are exposed to the most damage from the things you eat each day. Sugars, acids and other materials constantly erode, thin or decay the teeth without protection. You can get that protection through dental sealants. Find out what dental sealants are and how they can help protect your teeth!

 

How Your Teeth Decay

When you think of chronic diseases, you may not think of tooth decay—or “cavities”—as one. However, the National Institutes of Health has found that tooth decay is the #1 most “prevalent chronic disease” Americans face. Gum disease is a close second even though this disease affects 64.7 million American adults. Both of these conditions affect the hard (teeth) and soft (gums) tissues of the mouth and they all lead back to sugar and mouth bacteria.

 

When you eat, sugars in your foods (and even drinks) will mix with your mouth bacteria to create an acidic substance called plaque. You may even have some of that plaque on your teeth right now if you look in the mirror. Plaque is a sticky and transparent film that likes to stick to your tooth enamel. It collects along your gum line and will build up the longer you go without brushing and flossing. These are the best two habits to have if you want to avoid cavities. The recommendation is to brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes at a time. Floss 1-2 times a day, making sure to get up into your gum line to remove plaque and food particles.

 

When plaque stays on the teeth, the acidic content in it will break up the hard-packed minerals in your teeth. That break up is the decay of your teeth, and it will start to spread to the inside of the tooth over time. Think of it as a black ink stain spreading out on a solid surface. That is what tooth decay is doing to your tooth, only it’s killing the tooth as it spreads. You know tooth decay by the term “cavities”. That’s because it creates cavities of space in your teeth where healthy minerals used to be. Once a tooth area decays, you can’t get it back. It must be removed and filled once more by a dentist. Prevention is always the best option, and you can help prevent cavities with good oral health habits and dental sealants.

Two tooth models sitting side by side that have frowning faces on their faces. The top of the teeth models are black and decayed and there are pieces of candies behind the teeth.

Preventing Tooth Decay with Dental Sealants

Investing in dental sealants is an excellent way to avoid dental decay. Dental sealants are thin plastic coatings that Dr. Ania puts all over your teeth. The molars and premolars are the teeth that most need a dental sealant, as these are the ones that do most of the chewing and are most prone to decay. Your front teeth are more for biting and ripping food, while the back teeth are used to chew. Because of deeper grooves and the position in the mouth, your molars get cavities easier than the front teeth. According to the American Dental Association, a dental sealant can reduce your risk for cavities by up to 80%.

 

When you receive dental sealants, they will bond to your teeth and seal away all the grooves and cracks on the surface. This will prevent plaque and other acidic substances from eroding away your tooth enamel. These are areas where food can more easily become trapped, and where a toothbrush may have a harder time cleaning. Dental sealants will also help prevent tooth decay from happening inside the tooth that commonly leads to root canals and more extensive procedures. Your dental sealant can last you up to 10 years if you take care of your teeth properly.

 

A digital rendition of the teeth that shows a layer of dental sealants on top of the teeth.

What Else Can You Do?

You can brush and floss your teeth and still get cavities. When this is happening, you want to ask your dentist about dental sealants and other oral health steps you can take to prevent dental decay. This is important because once a part of your tooth has died, that part is always gone, even if it is replaced by dental material.

 

Here are a few suggestions to reduce your risk for cavities even more:

  • Limit your sugar intake! If you’re not eating tons of sugar, then mouth bacteria doesn’t have the food it needs to make the plaque that decays your teeth. The more sugar you eat, the more cavities you can get and vice versa.
  • Add mouthwash to your routine. Mouthwash is a mouth rinse that has antiseptic and cleansing qualities, while still being gentle for soft tissues in the mouth. All brands are a bit different, but the goal is to minimize mouth bacteria that would decay your teeth.
  • Use fluoride products. Originally discovered in 1930, fluoride is a substance that has been shown to strengthen the teeth against acids and bacteria. It’s found in U.S. public water sources and in ADA-approved oral health products. Using fluoride toothpaste and other products can prevent demineralization of your teeth.

 

Seeing your dentist is perhaps the most important habit you can establish besides brushing and flossing your teeth. That’s because only a dentist is qualified to find the presence of tooth decay, gum disease and other oral diseases and treat them properly. The American Dental Association recommends visiting your dentist at least twice a year for comprehensive exams and dental cleanings. You can schedule your own dental visit today by calling Dr. Ania’s office at 303-443-0998!

Posted: April 3, 2019 By: Comment: 0

Keeping You Safe and Comfortable In the Dental Office

A family of a mother, father and a young daughter that are laughing as a dental assistant is with them.

March is “National Patient Safety Awareness Week”, which is a perfect opportunity for us to show you all the ways we help keep you safe and comfortable during your dental experience. Up to 15% of Americans have dental phobias that keep them from visiting a dental office. However, our services use top-of-the-line technology designed to make your dental services quicker, safer and more pain-free. Here are a few ways we help our patients love their dental visit!

 

Do You Visit the Dentist?

Do you see your dentist at least twice a year? If not, you may leave yourself at risk for oral health diseases. The American Dental Association recommends that every person visit the dentist at least twice a year for comprehensive exams and dental cleanings.

 

Studies show that only about 65% of people are visiting the dentist each year. Many of those are only getting to a dental office once a year instead of the recommended twice a year as well, which raises their risk significantly for cavities and oral issues growing severe. If you do the math, that 35% that doesn’t go to the dentist is about 30-40 million Americans each year that skip this part of taking care of their oral health. Busy schedules is a major culprit from skipping the dental office. However, dental phobias are one of the most common reasons as well.

 

A young woman that looks really nervous to be in a dental chair.

Dental Phobias

Do you fear the dentist? Many people do. In fact, in a study by Columbia University College of Dental Medicine—reported by Colgate—they found that 9-15% of people have dental phobias severe enough that they avoid dental offices. That means, they don’t get dental work done that may be crucial for preventing tooth loss and disease. It also means that the routine checkups to find problems while they are small, never happen.

 

A dental phobia is more than simply being scared of a dental office. It is something that can cause physical illness or health problems when thinking about or being in a dental office. The most common symptoms a person with a dental phobia will get include:

  • Feeling like you physically can’t handle being in or near a dental office
  • Intense anxiety or fear with dental services, even non-invasive ones
  • Physical illness
  • Fainting or dizzy spells
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Nervousness
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Trouble sleeping before dental visits
  • Crying or intense negative feelings towards dental work

 

Feelings like these are associated with phobias rather than simply not liking something. Many people may feel some anxiety for a root canal or oral surgery, but it won’t affect them physically or mentally to the degree that a phobia will. We know that many patients deal with some level of anxiety in a dental office, which is why we try to make your dental experience one that is comfortable and one that makes you feel safe.

 

A close-up view of a patient with their eyes closed as they have a laughing gas mask on their face.

Procedures in a Dental Office

Many dental office visits are straightforward and short. We do several dental cleanings and comprehensive exams for each patient each year. These are not invasive. They consist of examining your mouth by looking at your teeth and gums to see how your oral health is doing. A dental cleaning will be a more thorough brushing and flossing than you would have at home.

 

The tools used for this are spinning toothbrushes, a metal scraper tool that removes some plaque and food from your teeth, floss, and toothpaste. We also use tools that will suck out water from your mouth or will spray water to rinse your teeth and gums. These are tools used at your biannual visits. Often, there is television, music or other activities you can do while you or your child gets their cleaning done.

 

If you need procedures for cavities, oral surgery or more invasive procedures, we do all of those in the same office with the same people. To help those with phobias, we have different options you can choose from to get your dental work done while feeling safe.

 

Dental Anesthesia

We want you to feel safe and comfortable in a dental office. For some patients, that means they don’t want to remember much about their dental experience, yet they want to keep their teeth and gums healthy. Some of your options in a dental office to help you feel comfortable include oral sedation, laughing gas and IV sedation. You can choose what you want even for the simplest of procedures:

  • Oral sedation. This is a prescribed sedative that you take 30 minutes or less before your dental visit or procedure. Some oral sedatives help you to simply feel calm and secure at the dental office. Others will help you be pain-free during your visit, or you will get a mix. Many oral sedatives can allow you to be awake enough to converse, but you won’t remember the actual dental work.
  • Laughing gas. This gas is named because of the happy feeling it can give you, which is great for dental phobias. Laughing gas is nitrous oxide, which is a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen. Breathing this through a simple facemask will give you some light sedation and relaxation during your visit. You can even have laughing gas in scented flavors.
  • IV Sedation. This is not commonly used for dental cleanings or exams, but for work that would normally involve shots or drills. If you don’t want to be awake at all for your dental visit, you can request IV sedation. All your work is done for you without you remembering the dental work.

 

We don’t want any of our patients to fear dental work, especially when they have tooth pain or other oral issues that are getting severe. When oral health is bad, it can cause other health problems in the body. To learn what equipment, sedation and tools we use or how we help children feel safe and secure in the dental office, call Dr. Ania’s office today at 303-443-0998!

Posted: March 21, 2019 By: Comment: 0

Help for Grinding Your Teeth

A young adult woman that is looking in the mirror. She is making a face and holding her cheek as if she is in pain.

Do you wake up in the night and realize that you’ve been grinding your teeth in your sleep? This is something many patients with bruxism—or teeth clenching and grinding—have, and it can damage the teeth. Often, grinding your teeth will happen at night and you can’t really control it. However, the right dental help can allow you to deal with the health symptoms—headaches, tooth pain, etc.—that come with this so you can keep a healthy and happy smile.

 

Grinding Your Teeth

Do you wake up with pain or sensitivity in your teeth or face? How about headaches, especially in the morning? There are many causes of symptoms such as these, and many people don’t assume that oral issues are the source. Grinding your teeth is a very common phenomenon that affects millions of Americans. This is when you clench your teeth tightly together at night, which may also be coupled with moving the teeth back and forth forcefully. Most people that grind the teeth don’t realize that they are doing it, as it tends to happen during sleep. However, the effects can definitely be felt.

 

If you are grinding your teeth, you may have symptoms such as:

  • Tight or sore jaw muscles, with soreness in the cheeks
  • Tooth pain
  • Worn tooth enamel, which is visible to a dentist and to some patients
  • Pain or soreness in the face, jaw and even the neck area
  • Frequent headaches or migraines
  • Pain that can extend into the ear area, making you feel like you have an earache
  • Damage to the inside of your teeth from clenching or chewing in the night
  • Frequent wakefulness in the night, sometimes without noticing a cause
  • Holding your teeth tightly together as you are waking up
  • Fractured teeth or dental injuries
  • Teeth that feel loose

 

A woman lying in bed that is having mouth pain upon waking up.

Bruxism 101

Depending on the patient, you may have one or many of the symptoms we listed if you are grinding your teeth. You can be grinding your teeth for years and may not know it until you go to a dental appointment and your dentist points it out to you. The evidence will be noticeable on your teeth, as the pointy parts of your molars will be smoothed out from grinding. You may notice a loved one or child grinding their teeth because of the sound it can make. It will sound like the gnashing of teeth, which may be like glass dinnerware smacking together or strange pop-like sounds.

 

Bruxism is the scientific name given for grinding your teeth. Studies show that patients will clench or grind teeth (or both) during the early stages of a sleep cycle. Some patients will do this during the day with daydreaming or naps as well, but it’s generally easier for patients to notice during the day and stop the grinding.

 

So what’s the big deal with grinding your teeth? If you can stand the symptoms, you may think that you don’t need dental intervention. However, grinding your teeth can lead directly to tooth fractures, flattened teeth, tooth pain and weakening, receding gums and hot/cold sensitivity as tooth roots are exposed from clenching force. This can raise your risk for permanent tooth damage and oral health diseases.

 

A woman lying in bed that is having mouth pain upon waking up.

Mouthguards for Other Oral Issues

Generally, there is a stress component that goes into grinding your teeth, even if you don’t feel stressed. It is a sign of stress and anxiety that will manifest in both children and adults. For both age groups, try to reduce stress, especially before bed by doing relaxing activities. Then, schedule an appointment with your dentist. At that appointment, we can assess tooth and gum damage from grinding your teeth and provide quick solutions for your case.

 

Bruxism is one of the most common reasons we custom-make mouth guards for our patients. However, there are other common oral issues that may necessitate a mouth guard. Those include sleep apnea and TMJ. For TMJ, we will custom-make a mouthguard that helps prevent damage to the temporomandibular joint. Sleep apnea will also likely be treated with a custom-made mouthguard, only that guard will help prevent the tongue from falling back into the mouth.

 

For bruxism, we will take impressions of your bite and send those impressions to a lab. You will then receive a retainer-like guard for your mouth, only it will be rigid and thick to help absorb the force of clenching and grinding. The guard will both keep your teeth in place and will prevent tooth damage from the pressure the teeth place upon one another. Because the force is directed into the dental device, you will quickly see your tooth pain, headaches, and other symptoms dissipate or go away entirely.

 

Sleep and Feel Better with Help

Studies show that a simple dental device can improve your sleep immensely, especially if you suffer from a sleep problem such as bruxism, TMJ or sleep apnea. There is even an American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine because sleep problems are so common in millions of Americans. Whether bruxism is the cause of your oral symptoms and pain or if there is another underlying issue, we can help find the cause. We can then custom-make a device that will help relieve your symptoms, getting you back to normal life. To schedule your consultation, call Dr. Ania’s office today at 303-443-0998!

 

Posted: March 12, 2019 By: Comment: 0

National Nutrition Month: How Does Food Affect Your Teeth?

A young adult blonde woman that is about to sip on a beverage from a mug using a straw.

It’s National Nutrition Month, which means it’s a time to focus on the food you put into your body, and especially the food that comes in contact with your teeth and gums. Your nutrition not only affects how well your body feels, but can affect the health of your teeth. Good foods will help build your teeth up with minerals they need to stay strong. Certain foods and drinks wills strip those minerals away, damaging them. Use this guide to know how food will affect your teeth!

 

Mouth Bacteria and Plaque Production

Foods and drinks do more than give you energy. They can affect how you feel, how you look and even how healthy your smile is. Because so many foods and drinks (or essentially all of them) come in contact with your teeth, damage happens. When you eat, sugars in food and drink mix with bacteria in your mouth to form a sticky, clear and acidic substance called plaque.

 

You have countless bacteria in your mouth that help break down your food for digestion, while other bacteria (the bad kind) forms plaque. This is a substance made when bacteria consumes sugars in your foods and drinks and creates an acidic substance (plaque) as a byproduct. Unfortunately, plaque doesn’t get swallowed, as it’s sticky nature makes it stick to your tooth enamel, especially along your gum line.

 

The acids in it work to slowly weaken your teeth and erode your enamel over time. If you don’t brush and floss your teeth several times a day, you will eventually have weak spots and small cracks in your teeth. That allows plaque to get inside the soft center of your tooth where your nerves and blood vessels are. Infection of that sensitive center part of your tooth is what causes severe decay, leading to large cavities, root canals and even lost teeth.

 

An image of an apple that has be carved to look like it has teeth.

Effects of Food on Your Teeth

What you’re eating will affect your teeth in some way, whether for good or for bad. This is because substances in your food will either strip minerals from your teeth, or they will add minerals to them. The teeth are made up of minerals such as calcium, phosphate, magnesium, etc. When you eat or drink dairy products, some of those same minerals can add to your teeth, strengthening them. Other foods that are acidic in nature or that contain sugar, will lead to mineral stripping and enamel damage.

 

So what foods harm your smile? Anything citrus will damage your tooth enamel. This means lemon, lime, oranges, grapefruit, artificially-flavored or preserved treats and more. Check labels to see if your foods contain citric acid. Any type of acid in a food will break up minerals on your teeth. That is why sugary treats are also something you want to avoid. They actually do lead to cavities—or tooth decay—because of that sugar reaction with mouth bacteria. You want to avoid foods such as:

  • Sugary Treats. Limit your desserts and candy consumption.
  • Mints/Hard candies/Suckers. Any sugar item that you suck on (even cough drops) expose your teeth to a continual supply of sugar and the acids created by mouth bacteria coming in contact with that sugar.
  • Starchy Foods. Breads, pastas, white food items (usually), cookies, crackers and similar foods break down into sugar in your body. They will do the same in your mouth.
  • Hard Snacks. Popcorn, hard nuts, uncooked veggies, and hard fruits can break weakened or decayed teeth.
  • Chewy Foods. Chewy candies, dried fruits, jellies and similar items are naturally sticky, which raises your chances that they will stick to your teeth, exposing the enamel to sugars for longer.

 

A young adult brunette woman that is about to drink a bottle of water.

Don’t Forget About Drinks

You may be eating great foods that help you feel good and look good, but what about what you’re drinking? Often, many consumers don’t realize that their drinks are packed with either staining materials or several day’s worth of sugar that damage the teeth. We are talking about coffee, tea, sports drinks, energy drinks, juice and especially sodas. Coffee and tea contain substances called “tannins” that will get into tiny cracks and openings in the teeth. The darker tannins will start to change the color of the teeth over time, which is why yellow or gray teeth happens with coffee or tea drinkers.

 

The rest of the drinks we named will either damage your teeth from the sugar content or from the acids those drinks contain. Any carbonated beverage (soda, sparkling water) contains an acid called “carbonic acid”. This acid is what makes those fizzy bubbles possible. However, because it is acid, it will damage your teeth. When drinking these drinks, carbonic acid comes in contact with your teeth, and the acids in it will break up tooth enamel minerals for up to 20-30 minutes after you’ve had the drink. Avoid brushing your teeth during that period, or the acids can take more minerals off the teeth.

 

Sugary drinks have the same effect. Many sports drinks or juices contain citric acid as a preservative, which acts like carbonic acid. Drink enhancers contain this as well. Any drinks with sugar will feed bacteria and create acidic plaque, which also damages your smile. The more sugar you have, the more your teeth can decay and break up.

 

A young adult woman that is eating a carrot with one hand and holding a basket of leafy greens in another arm.

Fight Back Against Decay

Tooth decay is the most common dental disease and the one that happens the easiest. The National Institutes of Health reports that tooth decay is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases among children and adults. However, it’s avoidable if you watch the foods and drinks you consume and if you brush and floss your teeth twice a day for 2 minutes at a time. It’s really that simple! Let us see how the health of your mouth is doing from your foods and drinks. Call Dr. Ania’s office at 303-443-0998 to schedule your dental checkup!

 

Posted: March 5, 2019 By: Comment: 0

Beyond Brushing and Flossing: What More Can You Do?

If you brush and floss your teeth, but you are still getting oral issues like cavities, you may wonder if there is more you can do. Your dentist will always let you know what more you can do in your specific case. However, there are oral health care basics that you can always add into your oral hygiene routine. Those include mouthwash, fluoride treatments, cosmetic dentistry options and more. Here are some tips you can use to go beyond your brushing and flossing!

 

Brushing and Flossing

Do you brush and floss your teeth every day? Twice a day? The American Dental Association recommends that every person (even infants and toddlers) should brush their teeth at least twice a day or more to keep their mouth healthy. That brushing should be done for at least 2 minutes at a time with ADA-approved toothpaste and a toothbrush that fits the size of the mouth.

 

Small children and infants will need the help of parents to brush and floss morning and night and will need help flossing once enough teeth come into the mouth. Flossing should be done 1-2 times a day along with brushing, as flossing reaches about 40% of tooth surfaces brushing misses.

 

Studies have found that at least 3 in 10 millennials only brush their teeth once a day and flossing is done much less often. However, these two habits are key to having a good mouth. You simply can’t skip them if you want to keep your teeth. That’s because your mouth is constantly making plaque when you eat and drink. Sugars in your food and drink will mix with mouth bacteria, creating that sticky, clear film of plaque that coats the teeth.

 

It can be unsightly without good oral hygiene, but because plaque is so acidic, it will break up the minerals of your teeth and decay them from the inside out. That is how a cavity forms, how infections reach the center of your teeth, how patients end up losing teeth and developing oral health diseases. Skip all those issues with good brushing and flossing at home!

 

Adding to Your Routine

You may already be a pro at brushing and flossing and still you get cavities. What more can you do? Start adding in other oral health routines! Mouthwash is a great one to add alongside brushing and flossing. Not all mouthwash is the same. Make sure you check labels to see if your mouthwash needs to be diluted before use. Some are meant to freshen breath by killing odor-causing bacteria, while others will be geared towards cavity prevention, treating gum disease or other oral health issues.

 

Children generally should steer clear of mouthwash, as many types contain alcohol or similar substances that you wouldn’t want a child to accidentally swallow. However, they are completely safe for teens and adults that want to do more than just brushing and flossing. Most brands will prescribe a specific amount of mouthwash that you can measure out in the lid of the mouthwash container. Swish for 30 seconds unless otherwise directed by a label.

 

You may feel fresher breath already because of the bacteria-fighting action of the mouthwash. Users will want to wait about 30 minutes after mouthwash use to eat or drink. This is because many brands contain fluoride that will work best to protect the teeth if it has had 30 minutes to coat the teeth without food or drink interference.

 

Fluoride: How Can It Help?

Fluoride is a naturally-occurring mineral found in the earth’s crust. Because of that, fluoride is also found in many foods that grow in the ground such as green leafy vegetables. Public water sources in the U.S. contain fluoride, as the United States government has added it to the drinking water for cavity prevention. Since that addition, the amount of people getting cavities has gone down more than 25%.

 

Fluoride was originally discovered in the 1930s to be a substance that protected the teeth and reduced the risk of decay from acids and bacteria in the mouth. At dental appointments, your dental cleaning will likely end with a quick fluoride treatment to help strengthen your teeth. For patients that are more prone to cavities (young children, teens, those with oral diseases), treatments may be needed at home. Your dentist can prescribe you fluoride treatments you can easily do at home. However, many mouthwashes and toothpastes will come fortified with fluoride as well.

 

Visiting the Dentist

Seeing your dentist is perhaps the most important habit you can establish besides brushing and flossing your teeth. That’s because only a dentist is qualified to find the presence of tooth decay, gum disease and other oral diseases and treat them properly. Studies—such as one by the National Institutes of Health—have found that tooth decay is the #1 most “prevalent chronic disease” Americans face. Gum disease is a close second even though this disease affects 64.7 million American adults.

 

The American Dental Association has made various statements about the importance of dentistry and frequent dental visits. “Frequent” means every 6 months or every 3-4 if you have oral health diseases. These appointments are so important to your health that many insurance plans will cover biannual exams and dental cleanings. However, studies show that only about 65% of people (at least in the U.S.) are actually visiting a dentist each year. Often, that’s only one time. That percentage of people is starting to go down, and children tend to see the dentist even less. It’s no wonder oral health problems affect so many.

 

If you want to do more for your oral health, make sure you and your family go to your biannual dental visits. Doing so can help your dentist find tooth decay, oral cancer, gum disease, infections and more before they become large or severe. If you have yet to schedule your dental appointment this year, you can do so by calling Dr. Ania’s office at 303-443-0998!

Posted: February 25, 2019 By: Comment: 0

Soothing Mouth Sores and Oral Issues

A teal background that has a brunette, young adult woman that is making a face and holding the left side of her mouth.

Mouth sores such as cankers, cold sores and infections are some of the most common oral health problems patients get after cavities and gum disease. These issues can be quite uncomfortable for patients, especially if they happen often. Changes in oral health care habits can help reduce the mouth sores and oral issues you get. However, when they happen, you can use these tips to help soothe and relieve those mouth sores quicker!

 

Common Mouth Sores

Have you ever had pain in your cheeks or gums and discovered a sore? This is nothing to panic about, but something that happens quite often with patients. The most prevalent ones we see include:

  • Dental caries
  • Gum disease
  • Canker sores
  • Gingivitis
  • Thrush
  • Hand, foot and mouth disease
  • Herpangina
  • Oral herpes/cold sores

Some of these conditions are genetic, whereas others can be caught very early. With any mouth sore, you want to get them under control or work hard to prevent them in the first place. Many mouth sores and infections can actually be avoided with good oral hygiene and keeping mouth bacteria to a minimum. Dental caries (tooth decay), gum disease, oral bacteria and more never have to happen if you brush and floss away the gunk that likes to stick around in your mouth.

 

A close-up view of canker sores in a boy's mouth.

Relief of Canker Sores

One of the most common mouth sores is the canker sore. This is a type of sore that can be very tiny or very large. Some patients will have these sores be 1/3rd to ½ of an inch in diameter in the mouth. Others will get tons of tiny canker sores. You may be a patient that only gets canker sores in times of stress or sickness. The cause of these stores is still being studied, as every person’s body will get these mouth sores for different reasons. The thing most patients have in common is that canker sores can be uncomfortable and even painful (hence the reason it’s called a sore).

 

Some evidence suggests that infections or illness can cause canker sores to happen. However, there have been many studies done that link canker sores to stress levels. Studies show that stress can contribute to developing sores in your mouth. Those sores are actually considered to be tiny ulcers in the mouth, and you can reduce their frequency with good de-stressing activities.

 

Remedy Mouth Sores At Home

When it comes to sores in your mouth, salt will become your best friend. For centuries, people have used salt to help wounds heal faster and better, and that includes sores in the mouth. If you’ve ever had oral surgery (like wisdom teeth removal) before, a sickness or infection in the mouth, your dentist may have told you to rinse with salt water. Studies show that salt is a natural mineral that helps speed healing in the soft tissues of the body.

 

Salt can take away the sting of mouth sores and make them go away faster. Simply fill a cup with warm to hot water and dissolve an ample amount of salt into the water. Water will have to be hotter to melt the salt, but you can let it cool a bit before swishing with it. Then, several times a day, swish the salt-water mixture in your mouth (making sure it is warm). Within a day, you should see less pain and your mouth sores getting better.

 

A blonde, young adult woman that is looking in a makeup compact mirror, pointing to a spot near her mouth and making a confused face about what the spot could be.

Professional In-Office Help

There are some mouth sores that you just don’t want to handle on your own at home. With chronic oral health diseases such as tooth decay and gum disease, you want a dentist to monitor sores closely. Any sores that bleed or continue to grow in size are ones you want a dentist to look at. You may want both medical or dental counseling for canker sores that grow to be ½ inch or larger, especially if you have many of them. Having multiple mouth sores cold be a sign of infection, illness or an oral health disease.

 

Oral cancer is a serious condition that can present itself in the form of mouth sores, especially if you feel tenderness and lumps in the soft tissues of your mouth but you can’t see them well. This cancer claims almost 50,000 lives every single year in the U.S. Luckily, with oral cancer, we do in-office screenings at every dental cleaning and comprehensive exam you have. This is a time when we can see mouth sores forming and provide the right topical and oral medications to help relieve them.

 

Cold sores are a type of sore that come from the herpes simplex virus. This is a recurring sore, but you can reduce how many you get with over-the-counter creams and medications. Stress, sunlight, the cold, trauma and oral health problems can cause these to flare up. With some sores (like canker sores), if the problem is recurring very frequently, it could be a sign of a chronic condition such as Crohn’s disease or celiac. In this case, we can refer you to the right medical professional for intervention. Mouth sores can be unpleasant, but almost all of them are very treatable when you seek dental help and change your habits at home.

 

A woman in a dental office holding the left side of her mouth as a dental professional speaks to her.

Healthy Mouth through Healthy Habits

Issues such as tooth decay and gum disease are ones that should be handled by a dentist, as these conditions will continually worsen without dental intervention and good oral hygiene habits at home. That means brushing your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes at a time as recommended by the American Dental Association.

 

Floss 1-2 times a day as well, use mouthwash to reduce mouth bacteria and limit your sugar intake to prevent cavities and gum disease. All of these steps will help you from developing sores in your mouth. You can prevent many mouth sores through good oral hygiene. For all of your questions about your oral health and changes you see inside your mouth, call Dr. Ania’s office at 303-443-0998!

 

Posted: February 18, 2019 By: Comment: 0

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