Sip, Snack, Cavities!

Summer is here and we know the hot weather will keep you thirsty, but before you head to the cooler, you may want to rethink what ice cold drink you are reaching for! Did you know?? The sugar from the drinks you choose mixes with the bacteria in your mouth to form acid. Sugar free drinks often have acid added to them in the form of phosphoric acid, citric acid, malic acid, and many others. The acid from these drinks attacks your teeth for up to 20 minutes for each sip you take, weakening your tooth enamel in the process! Read More →

Common Issues with Children’s Teeth

There can be A LOT of questions when it comes to a child’s teeth. Are they coming in right? Are they too crowded? Why did my child’s tooth turn gray? These can be difficult to understand without an exam with a dentist, but we asked our hygienist, Erin, to give us an idea of some of the more common issues with children’s teeth. Here is what she had to say:   Trauma/Tooth Discoloration: If a trauma has occurred, such as a fall or being hit in the mouth with an object, and the child’s front teeth have been hit, the damaged Read More →

Do You Have a Cavity?

Have you ever awoken with a toothache and feared it was a cavity? You may not have even known that a cavity had been forming on your tooth because not all cavities are visible to the naked eye, and do not always show signs and symptoms right away. We asked our Licensed Dental Assistant, Jamie, to help us understand signs, symptoms, and prevention. The most common signs to look for are: Pain when biting down Pain when eating or drinking something sweet Pain while eating or drinking something hot or cold Holes or pits on the biting surface of your tooth Read More →

How do you know if you have a cavity?

Have you ever woke up with a toothache and feared you may have a cavity? You may not have known that a cavity was forming on your tooth because not all cavities are visible to the naked eye. Here are some signs and symptoms to look for if you fear you may have a cavity: -Pain while biting down. -Pain while eating or drinking something sweet. -Pain while eating or drinking something hot/cold. -Holes or pits on the biting surface of your tooth. -Brown or black stain on any surface of your tooth. The most common place for cavities to Read More →

Could you be damaging your teeth without knowing it?

Could you be damaging your teeth without knowing it?  We all have habits that may be wrecking our teeth on a daily basis.  Here are a few of the most common ones: Chewing on ice Ice chewers beware.  I’ve seen this habit ruin even the most perfect teeth in our dental office.  Chewing on hard, frozen ice can chip and even crack you teeth resulting in worn down and broken front teeth and fractured back teeth.  Generally the only treatment to fix a broken or fractured tooth is with a crown.  If a fracture from ice chewing is too deep Read More →

What is a Cavity?

We asked our licensed dental assistants to tell us about the signs and symptoms of cavities and what we can do to prevent them. A cavity (known as tooth decay or caries) often begin with no symptoms at all. Early signs of a cavity may include discoloration (typically brown, black, or chalky white) and sensitivity to hot, cold, pressure, or sweets. Enamel is the first layer of our teeth, it is white in color, and is the hardest substance in our bodies. It is the outer protective shell for many layers within the tooth. Bacteria, food particles, and saliva work together to form plaque and Read More →