Viewing entries tagged
Cavities
Many people suffer from chronic dry mouth. Dentists call this xerostomia. If you are one of those that can’t seem to keep your mouth moist, you know that it is quite a nuisance, but you should know that the problems with dry mouth go far beyond an annoying issue. Xerostomia could be damaging your teeth and gums.
Many will be celebrating Easter this coming weekend and with it comes an abundance of candy. Easter poses a problem to your teeth, but there are some choices that you can make that may make the holiday a bit less of an issue when it comes to tooth decay. Here are some types of candy that you may encounter this Easter.
Patients are often surprised to find out that they have a cavity. I've been in that position myself, and understand the disbelief! When showing a patient their cavity on our HD screens, we often hear "but it doesn't hurt”. While cavities can lead to tooth aches, they rarely do.
One of my great professors at Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine, Fred Ferguson, used to tell us that there are four key requirements for causing a cavity. As you'll see from a previous CrossKeys Dental blog post, there are many factors to cavity production, but when looked at on the most basic level you might be surprised by how easy it is to understand the process...
Where do we find them? Where do they come from and how can they be prevented?
Your dentist calls them dental caries and we spend our careers trying to stop them from spreading. Think about it: have you ever been to a visit with the dentist without them and the hygienist reviewing proper oral hygiene. It's the sound of a constant drumbeat - brush twice a day for 2 minutes... make sure you floss daily… do you use a fluoride rinse?… and on and on and on. I often joke with my patients that we must be the only professionals that are trying to put ourselves out of business!
Let's face it, most of us have had at least one cavity, even those that heed our warning and follow a good home-care regimen, but following your dentist's recommendations will vastly reduce your risk and keep us from having to pick up our drill.
Here are 5 facts about cavities that you may not have known: ...
