Category: General Dentistry

Tooth Enamel: Tips for keeping yours healthy

Feb, 16, 2017

What Is Enamel, and Why Is It Important?

Enamel is the smooth, hard exterior surface of your teeth. It protects the interior dentin, which is softer and contains nerves and blood vessels. Tooth enamel is translucent, allowing the color of the interior dentin to show through. An easy way to think of it is like a suit of armor, protecting the dentin and pulp of your teeth within from the ravages of decay.

Needless to say, it’s pretty important to your overall dental health.

How Does Tooth Enamel Erode?

There are many threats to the health of your tooth enamel. — Your tooth enamel is targeted for damage by many common foods, beverages and medicines.

The biggest contributors to enamel erosion may not be what you’d expect. Acidic foods are one of the biggest culprits, as they can weaken enamel and leave it vulnerable to bacteria that cause tooth decay.

A surprising (and therefore potentially dangerous) contributor to erosion is dry mouth. Saliva protects your enamel by naturally controlling the growth of tooth-attacking bacteria. When your mouth is dry, these bacteria can grow unchecked and cause long-term damage.

Of course, many other factors can work against your enamel, from acid reflux to prescription medications, drug supplements and even over-brushing your teeth.

How Should You Care for Enamel?

Comprehensive oral health must include enamel care. Some tips for keeping it strong include:

Use a toothpaste that contains fluoride
Use a soft-bristled toothbrush, as stiff brushes can actually wear away your enamel
Brush your teeth at least twice a day, particularly after meals high in acid (this includes many fruits!) or sugar.
If you can’t brush your teeth immediately after meals, give your mouth at least a good rinsing with water to reduce the acidity.

And of course, visit Dr. Meyers or Dr. Johns at least twice a year for professional cleaning and a full exam to catch any enamel issues early.

Can Enamel Be Repaired?

Unfortunately, enamel loss is permanent. But even thought it won’t grow back, there are many cosmetic dentistry procedures that can help to mitigate its loss. Bonding, veneers, and crowns are all safe, long-lasting solutions to problems associated with enamel loss and damage.

Worried about your enamel or have other dental concerns? Contact us today and we’ll happily discuss what Meyer & Johns can do for you.

Eating for Healthy Teeth

Dec, 8, 2016

Dental health isn’t only about keeping your teeth clean and having regular checkups. (Although those two things are really important.) You might be surprised how important your diet is to maintaining good oral health. Of course we all know that too much sugar can cause cavities, but the links between diet and teeth go much deeper than that.

The Good

Balanced nutrition is important to both your overall health and keeping your teeth healthy, but here are some specifics to consider:

Water – Drinking lots of water is good for you in general, and it’s good for your teeth, too. Especially if your city’s water is fluoridated, water straight from the tap can really help your teeth stay healthy.
Dairy – Milk, cheese, and yogurt provide calcium your teeth need to stay strong. They’re also low in sugar (unless your yogurt has added sugar—be sure to read the label!) which makes them a good overall choice.
Protein – Meat, poultry, fish, and eggs are rich in phosphorus and proteins that are essential for healthy enamel. (Lean options are best.) Low-carbohydrate nuts are a also great choice, since the bacteria that cause cavities need those carbs to survive.
Fruits & Vegetables – High-fiber, low-sugar plats are great for your teeth. Chewing these foods helps to keep your teeth clean by stimulating saliva production, and your body will thank you for the vitamins and minerals, too.
Grains – Whole grains are an important part of a balanced diet, and therefore they’re important for your teeth, too. Choose whole grains like oatmeal, whole wheat, and brown rice.

The Bad

Avoid sugar—particularly added sugar (even in your coffee). But beyond this first rule, here are some other foods to avoid:

Sticky Foods – Anything sticky can cause problems, because sticky food stays in your mouth longer, giving bacteria time to multiply with a ready food source. Be sure to brush after eating anything sticky—even healthier foods like dried fruits.
Soda & Sports Drinks – Drink water instead of sugary drinks. Many sports drinks are surprisingly high in sugar, and soda certainly is. Break the habit and switch to plain water. Your teeth (and your waistline) will thank you for it.
Starches – Crispy snacks like chips are delicious, but those starches tend to get caught in teeth, again giving cavity-causing bacteria time to grow. Don’t indulge too often, and remember to floss thoroughly to be sure you don’t leave anything behind.
Citrus – Although high in vitamin C, citrus fruits are also very acidic, and regular exposure to that acid can erode enamel and make your teeth vulnerable to decay. Drinking lots of water when eating citrus can help mitigate the risks.
Ice – Cold drinks are great, but chewing ice is really hard on your teeth. The combination of cold and stress from biting into such a hard substance can damage enamel, and even crack or break teeth in some cases.

The Truth About Root Canals

Nov, 2, 2016

The dreaded root canal.

The truth is, although the procedure generally takes a bit longer than a standard filling, they aren’t that bad, and are far better than the alternative: losing the tooth entirely.

Why Would I Need a Root Canal?

When the pulp of a tooth—the nerves, blood vessels, and other soft tissue at the center of your teeth—becomes infected, that infection must be removed to prevent it from spreading to the jaw, and potentially other teeth. Infections usually reach this area through injury or deep cavities.

Before root canal procedures became common, removing infection meant removing the infected tooth entirely.

But by carefully removing the pulp and replacing it with a hard, permanent filler, your dentist can save infected teeth and fit them with a crown. After a root canal, treated teeth can last decades, or even a lifetime, if properly cared for.

We try to do everything we can to maintain your healthy, natural teeth whenever possible, and although there are alternatives to root canals, all of them begin with extracting the infected tooth, and that’s not any fun either.

How Can I Avoid Root Canals?

Of course, the best way to avoid the necessity of this kind of restorative work is to maintain good dental hygiene: brush & floss daily, and see the dentist twice each year.

If, however, you’ve noticed swelling in the gums or cheek around a tooth, have developed a sudden sensitivity to heat or cold, or are experiencing tooth pain (while chewing or otherwise), it’s best to let us have a look. We’ll investigate and advise you on the best course of action to take for you and your mouth.

Halloween Perils

Oct, 14, 2016

The leaves are falling, the wind is blowing, and little ghouls & goblins (and princesses and superheroes) are soon to be making the rounds. Halloween can be a lot of fun, of course—parties, trick-or-treating, dressing up—but it’s also probably the worst time of the year for your dental health.

Halloween candy is a delicious treat, but it can be a nasty trick you unwittingly play on your teeth.

The worst candies you can eat are the sticky, chewy candies like caramels for example. The candy sticks to the teeth for a long time, giving the cavity-forming bacteria in your mouth longer to cause cavities, and they are known to pull off crowns and fillings.
– Dr. Meyer

Keep Teeth Safe This Halloween

Sure, Halloween candy can be bad for your teeth, but just a couple common-sense steps can make a big difference in limiting—or even preventing—the damage before it begins.

Monitor candy intake.

Be sure you know when your kids are eating candy. For example, don’t let them keep candy in their rooms to be eaten after bedtime tooth brushing. Limit how much candy your kids eat in a day—sugar is hard on more than just your teeth—and be sure they keep their teeth clean. (Which leads to our next suggestion.)

Up your brushing regimen.

A little extra brushing never hurts. Kids want a treat? Make a post-treat brushing part of the deal. Additional attention to keeping teeth clean (including flossing) will go a long way towards keeping teeth healthy. A big glass of water after a treat helps too.

Our Favorite Treats

(Yes, dentists enjoy treats too.)

What’s your favorite Halloween treat?

Meyer: My favorite Halloween treat is a caramel apple.
Johns: Reece’s peanut butter cups or Snickers.

How do you care for your teeth after you indulge?

Meyer: I will brush my teeth as soon as possible after eating the caramel apple. If not able to do that, I will at the least rinse with water thoroughly.
Johns: After some serious candy consumption I always just make sure to scrub my teeth extra long and go over every part of each tooth many times over. I do love Halloween and all that comes with it. Can’t wait to snag a few pieces from my kids stash. Good times.

Have fun this Halloween, but be sure to remember your teeth!