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What Causes Cavities?
You may have had a mental image of sugar bugs attacking and decaying teeth, but in fact, bacteria are to blame for decay and cavities. When we eat sugars, they feed the bacteria naturally found in our mouths. As a byproduct, these bacteria release acid. The acid can then attack tooth enamel, removing the layer of protection. Once the enamel is gone, bacteria can work their way in and the process repeats itself. Only this time instead of wearing away enamel, acids wear away at the actual tooth causing a cavity.
How to Know If You Have a Cavity
In their early stages, cavities may not show any signs of a problem. That’s because the decay hasn’t reached the inner tooth where all the nerves live. But just because you don’t feel it doesn’t mean there’s not a problem. Your dentist in Ann Arbor will be able to diagnose a cavity at your bi-annual dental visits, but you should keep an eye out for any signs of a cavity in between those checkups. Some signs of a cavity include:
Cavity Prevention
The best way to avoid a dental filling or perhaps even a root canal is to prevent a cavity from forming in the first place. Try these cavity-fighting tips.
Now that you know sugar doesn’t cause cavities, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you can indulge in sugary sweets and drinks whenever you want. You should still listen to your dentist in Ann Arbor and reduce the amount of sugar you allow in your diet. It’s also important to brush and floss your teeth every day to remove any buildup of plaque and keep your teeth protected.
We’re always accepting new patients at our dental offices in Ann Arbor, Canton, Farmington Hills, and Livonia.
A Word of Caution
Keep in mind, the information in this blog is only a guide and is not an official diagnostic tool. You should always schedule an appointment with your dentist in Livonia when you’re experiencing any pain or discomfort so you can be sure to get the best dental care for your specific needs.
If You’re Feeling… Sensitivity to Sugar
The tooth sensitivity to sugar we mentioned earlier is probably a good indicator of tooth decay. Your dentist can help diagnose this with a thorough exam and some x-rays. Depending on the size and severity of the decay, it may be treated with a filling, inlay or onlay, or perhaps a root canal and dental crown.
If You’re Feeling… Tooth Pain that Radiates
Tooth pain that seems to move around or radiate to other parts of the mouth could be a sign of a few different things including an abscess, cracked tooth, or TMJ disorder. Treatment will depend on the findings of a dental exam and x-rays and may include TMJ treatment, a dental restoration, a root canal, or an extraction.
If You’re Feeling… Zings of Pain
One of the most common types of tooth pain patients complain about is zinging pain. This quick burst of shooting pain is a potential sign of several dental problems. Painful zings can be a result of TMJ disorder, a cracked tooth, an infection, or something stuck in the gums.
If You’re Feeling… Throbbing Pain
Throbbing pain is often described as a thumping or similar to a heartbeat, and like every other toothache, it could mean any number of things. Throbbing tooth pain can be a symptom of a cracked tooth, dying nerve, abscess or other infection, an oral lesion, or an object stuck in the gums.
As you can see, there are multiple explanations for each type of tooth pain. This is why it’s so important to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
If you’re experiencing a toothache, call your dentist in Livonia to schedule an appointment. We’ll help uncover the underlying cause of your pain and work with you to get you back to smiling comfortably in no time.
We’re always accepting new patients at our dental offices in Ann Arbor, Canton, Farmington Hills, and Livonia.
What’s Your Dentist Looking For?
At your dental appointments, your dentist may take some x-rays of your teeth and jawbones. These x-rays can help your dentist keep a close eye on how the health of your teeth changes over time, and provide valuable insight into potential problems when they can still be treated easily.
Younger patients benefit from dental x-rays because these images show both the baby teeth and the permanent teeth that are waiting to erupt. The specialized view of x-rays shows changes in the mouth as kids grow and can show early signs of potential problems so you can take a preventive approach.
The easiest way to treat dental decay and cavities are when they’re in the earliest stages and before you may even notice any problem. Your dentist in Farmington Hills is trained to examine x-rays of your teeth to find hidden cavities or early signs of decay that can’t be seen with a regular visual exam.
As we age, it’s common for our bones to weaken. This can also happen to the jawbones and cause the face to appear saggy, cause discomfort when chewing, or headaches and jaw pain. Bone loss can be caused by any number of things but is most commonly a result of tooth loss, gum disease, or osteoporosis.
Dental x-rays also allow your dentist to see any areas of infection in or around the tips of tooth roots. If this is the case, you will usually have signs of toothache. Infections inside the teeth are often treated with a root canal, perhaps a dental crown, and in severe cases may require a tooth extraction.
Are Dental X-Rays Safe?
Advancements in dental technology, including x-ray technology, make dental x-rays incredibly safe for all patients, including children. In fact, digital dental x-rays emit one of the lowest forms of radiation. According to the Kois Center for Dental Education, four bitewing x-rays emit only 0.005 mSv (millisieverts), which is less than what we’re exposed to every day naturally. Additionally, since dental x-rays are usually only done once a year, although sometimes more, they’re nothing to worry about.
If your dentist in Farmington Hills recommends dental x-rays, know that it’s to help keep your mouth and teeth healthy. X-rays can prevent problems from growing into bigger, more costly concerns down the road and can help protect your smile for life.
We’re always welcoming new patients at our dental offices in Ann Arbor, Canton, Farmington Hills, and Livonia.
An often overlooked part of overall oral health is the gums. But these soft tissues play a crucial role in overall oral health, and it’s important to keep them healthy. All too often, patients develop an infection in the gums called gum disease. It’s estimated that over 50% of Americans 30 and older have some form of this disease. Usually caused by poor oral hygiene, gum disease is a serious infection that requires early diagnosis and treatment in order to be reversible.
Gum disease develops when plaque isn’t removed from teeth. This plaque will start to harden into tartar, and once this happens, you won’t be able to remove the tartar by simply brushing your teeth at home. In fact, your dentist in Canton or your dental hygienist is the only one who can remove tartar. Besides that, tartar is loaded with bacteria. What happens when you leave bacteria alone? They multiply and begin to cause an infection. In this case, they cause gum disease.
There are four stages of gum disease:
Gingivitis – can be reversed with early intervention
Slight Periodontal Disease – irreversible and can cause bone loss
Moderate Periodontal Disease – irreversible and lead to tooth loss
Advanced Periodontal Disease – irreversible and lead to problems throughout the body
When gum disease is allowed to progress into the third or fourth stages, the bacteria from gum disease can enter the bloodstream. When this happens, your body produces more C-reactive protein (CRP) than normal. Elevated levels of CRP can cause some serious cardiovascular issues including:
It’s important to catch gum disease early when treatment is often more successful and before it can affect the heart, so it’s important to know the symptoms. Some common signs of gum disease include:
If you notice any of the symptoms of gum disease, schedule an appointment with your Canton dentist as soon as you can.
This month, and every month, make sure you’re doing everything you can to protect your gums and, in turn, protect your heart. Brush and floss every day, see your dentist in Canton at least twice a year, eat a healthy diet, and don’t use tobacco products.
We’re always accepting patients at all of our dental offices in Ann Arbor, Canton, Farmington Hills, and Livonia.
The ADA sets a different theme for National Children’s Dental Health Month every year. This year, the theme is “Water, Nature’s Drink!” and focuses on just how important it is that kids (and adults) drink plenty of water throughout the day, every day. Water is vital to helping our bodies function properly and plays a key role in maintaining good oral health. Water helps neutralize dangerous acids in the mouth, wash away food debris, and keeps mouths moist.
There are a number of ways parents, teachers, and healthcare professionals can get involved with Children’s Dental Health Month and help spread the mission of why children’s dental care is so important Thankfully, the ADA makes it easy for anyone to help. Plus, they make it fun for kids!
This website provides free tools and fun activities to use all month long. Download educational items and games including:
National Children’s Dental Health Month has been an ongoing celebration in the dental community for over 80 years and is one of the instrumental reasons why communities have put increased importance on children’s dentistry. Even though temporary, baby teeth are a crucial part of helping children develop proper speech, eat and chew, and can even help protect their permanent adult teeth. Besides drinking water every day and choosing water whenever possible, there are other ways to help your child grow a healthy, strong grin.
This February, and all year round, make sure you’re helping your little one take care of his smile. Early dental care can help your child grow and keep a healthy smile for life.
Accepting new patients at all of our dental offices in Ann Arbor, Canton, Farmington Hills, and Livonia.
Teeth Are Made for Chewing
Our teeth are specially designed to help us chew our food to help the rest of the digestion process. Teeth also help us speak clearly and maintain the integrity of our jawbones. They aren’t meant to help us in other areas of our lives, but that doesn’t mean we don’t try. Here are some of the common ways we use our teeth unlike nature intended.
While your dentist in Farmington Hills is a big fan of the nutritional value of nuts, there’s a common concern associated with shelled nuts as well as some seeds. Many nuts such as pistachios come in the shell and to get to the edible center we end up cracking the nuts between our teeth. This can result in chipped, cracked, or broken teeth.
Similar to using our teeth to crack open nuts, teeth should also not be used to open bottles. Trying to open bottles made of plastic, glass, or anything in between is risky as doing so could damage tooth enamel and increase the likelihood of chips and cracks. If this damage is extensive, your dentist will need to treat the area with some type of restorative dentistry. But even minor cracks can cause problems too. Cracks in the teeth are the perfect place for bacteria to settle in and put you at greater risk for decay.
While our teeth are meant for chewing, our hands are meant to help us carry or hold things. However, sometimes we have more things to hold than our hands can handle. This often makes us resort to using our mouth and teeth as an additional hand. The problem is our teeth are designed to grip and hold onto things this way. Doing so can damage teeth or even hurt your jaw. Additionally, there is always the choking hazard to consider. If you fall while holding something in your mouth, you can easily choke.
Yes, our teeth are for chewing, but they’re reserved for chewing foods. Nibbling on anything else can be dangerous to your pearly whites. Even biting your nails or chewing on your pen during a meeting can increase your chance of cracking or chipping teeth.
So, even though our teeth are extra-tough, they’re not invisible. In order to keep your teeth strong and healthy for a lifetime, avoid using them as tools. Of course, you should also brush and floss your teeth every day and see your dentist in Farmington Hills at least twice a year for preventive dental care.
Welcoming new patients at all of our dental offices in Ann Arbor, Canton, Farmington Hills, and Livonia.
The Tooth Fairy in England, Canada, and Australia
Like the United States, kids in countries like England, Canada, and Australia all get visits from the same small but mighty fairy we know here in America. Every night she visits all of the kids in these countries who have lost a tooth and leaves behind a token of her appreciation. However, finding fairies in other countries is hard which is why the Tooth Fairy has helpers, and most of the time, these helpers are small, friendly animals.
The Tooth Fairy’s Furry (and not-so-furry) Friends
France
First, we head to France where we meet one of the Tooth Fairy’s trusted helpers named La Petite Souris. La Petite Souris is a minuscule mouse that silently scampers into the bedrooms of French children, takes teeth from under their pillows, and leaves behind money or candy.
Spain, Argentina, and More
As we head West into Spain, we’re introduced to another mouse, Ratoncito Peréz, who also takes teeth and replaces them with small gifts. Ratoncito Peréz also travels to Argentina where instead of finding teeth underneath pillows, he finds them in a glass of water. Argentina is pretty far away from Spain and Ratoncito Peréz gets thirsty during the trip so he will drink the water, take the tooth, and leave a present in its place.
Besides Ratoncito Peréz and La Petite Souris, the Tooth Fairy also has other mice in other countries, including Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Venezuela, South Africa, and Greece.
Brazil & India
Continuing our trip around the world we venture to Brazil and India where we meet a few birds that help collect lost teeth. By tradition, kids in Brazil will often toss their lost teeth outside and leave them for birds to collect in exchange for a gift. However, there is a catch. Birds in Brazil only pick up healthy, clean teeth so Brazilian kids better brush and floss and see their dentist!
In India, lost teeth are tossed on top of the roof with hopes a sparrow will find them and provide new ones.
Africa
Finishing our trip in Africa, we find that many areas of the continent practice similar traditions to the ones we saw in India. Many African children will also throw teeth onto the roof, but only those teeth that fall out from the top of the mouth. Teeth that fall out from the bottom are buried in the ground. Legend has it that if a lizard finds any of these teeth, a new one will not grow in its place!
The excitement of a visit from the Tooth Fairy or any of her helpers is a magical time in any kid’s life. Just make sure that your little one is taking good care of his teeth by brushing and flossing every day and visiting his dentist in Livonia twice a year.
We’re always accepting new patients at all of our dental offices in Ann Arbor, Canton, Farmington Hills, and Livonia.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Did you know that more than one-third of Americans don’t like the way their smile looks? That’s a lot of people hiding their smiles behind closed lips. If you’re one of those people, you don’t have to live with a smile you’re unhappy with. Your dentist in Canton can help you find your perfect smile with cosmetic dentistry.
Cosmetic dentistry includes various treatments that are designed to transform smiles. Whether you want to brighten your teeth or completely change the appearance of your grin, there’s a cosmetic dentistry solution that’s right for you.
If You Want Whiter Teeth
Things like regular wear and tear, tobacco use, and even foods and drinks can take a once bright, white smile and make it dull and discolored. In fact, tooth discoloration is one of the most common complaints of dental patients. But there’s good news. Most tooth discoloration can be fixed through teeth whitening. While there are many teeth whitening products available, not all products will give you the result you want and there may be some that aren’t high quality. We always recommend meeting with your dentist before starting a smile whitening treatment on your own.
If You Want a More Even Smile
Dental veneers are another form of cosmetic dentistry that can quickly and easily transform the look of your teeth and smile as a whole. These thin pieces of ceramic are individually custom-made to give each tooth an ideal shape and color for a totally natural look. Veneers bonded to the front surface of your teeth can cover up things such as discoloration, chips or cracks, and can even help fix uneven or overlapping teeth.
If You Only Need a Tiny Fix
Oftentimes there are small imperfections that are just big enough to bother you and if you could easily fix them, you would. Well, the good news is, your dentist in Canton can do just that. If your teeth are resistant to traditional teeth whitening solutions or if you have smaller chips you may be a candidate for cosmetic bonding. Your dentist will essentially cover the area with safe composite material and shape and harden it into a natural restoration.
If You Want a Completely New Look
Patients who are unhappy with the overall appearance of their smile may want to consider a full-mouth restoration or smile makeover. This cosmetic dentistry solution combines several treatments and can completely transform your look. Your dentist will talk with you about what you’d like to achieve and develop a custom plan to make your dream smile a reality.
Nobody should have to live hiding their smile behind their lips. Make a commitment to yourself to talk with your dentist in Canton about the best cosmetic dentistry treatment for your specific wants. You deserve a smile you love and we’d be happy to help you.
We’re always accepting new patients at our dental offices in Ann Arbor, Canton, Farmington Hills, and Livonia.
The Importance of Dental Care
Dental care and overall health are directly linked, and how well we care for our smiles can affect our bodies in other ways. For example, gum disease can increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, diabetes, and dementia. So if you’ve resolved to get healthier this year, there are things you should do outside of eating a well-balanced diet and exercising.
Many patients make the mistake of only seeing the dentist when they’re experiencing a problem. However, preventive dentistry can go a long way in keeping these problems from occurring in the first place. Additionally, appointments with your dentist every six months allow your dental team to catch and treat any problems early before they have a chance to affect the rest of your health. One of the best things you can do to fully commit to a healthier 2021 is to schedule an appointment with your dentist and maintain those visits every six months.
Besides seeing your dentist, you should also do your part at home by brushing your teeth twice a day, every day. Gently brushing your teeth in the morning and at night will help remove bacteria buildup and reduce the risk of decay and even gum disease. But at-home dental care doesn’t end there. It’s also important to floss daily. Flossing removes particles in between your teeth and up under the gum line, further protecting you from problems down the road.
One of the most common resolutions people make every year is to stop smoking once and for all. It’s also one of the hardest resolutions to keep. But following through on this commitment can greatly improve your life and your health by reducing the risk of cancer, including oral cancer, and lowering the risk of decay, gum disease, and tooth discoloration. Make a plan and find supportive friends or resources to help.
Another way you can help your body and your teeth is to stop drinking soda, or at least limit how much you drink and how often you drink it. Soda is packed with sugars that feed bacteria in the mouth. As these bacteria eat, they give off an acidic byproduct that can eat away at tooth enamel and cause cavities. Soda can also increase the risk of whole-body problems such as diabetes, weight gain, and heart disease. Instead, drink water as often as possible and try to drink at least 64 ounces every day.
As we welcome 2021, make a resolution to take care of your dental health. Your body, your smile, and your dentist in Ann Arbor will thank you.
We’re always accepting new patients at our dental offices in Ann Arbor, Canton, Farmington Hills, and Livonia.
Know Your Pain
Different things can cause different types of tooth pain, so it’s important to try to identify what type of tooth pain you’re experiencing, if it gets worse with certain activities, and if it’s paired with pain anywhere else in your body. Let’s take a look at a few scenarios.
Again, we can’t stress enough just how important it is to see your dentist in Livonia for a proper examination, diagnosis, and treatment. However, there are a few ways you can reduce tooth pain at home.
Toothache Tips
At-home toothache relief can help make the pain more bearable before your dental appointment. Different people respond differently to each of these, so try a few options to find what works best for you and your situation.
Remember, these are temporary, short-term solutions. None are meant to be a permanent fix. Tooth pain is your body’s way of telling you something isn’t right, and you should still see your dentist in Livonia for a thorough exam, diagnosis, and custom treatment plan to fix the pain at its source.
Accepting new patients at all of our dental offices in Ann Arbor, Canton, Farmington Hills, and Livonia.
2715 Packard St, Suite B
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
New Patients: (734) 415-4030
Current Patients: (734) 975-6700
8588 N Canton Center Rd
Canton, MI 48187
New Patients: (734) 415-9663
Current Patients: (734) 453-0940
30620 West 12 Mile Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
New Patients: (248) 587-8414
Current Patients: (248) 579-0487
18618 Middlebelt Rd, Suite 105
Livonia, MI 48152
New Patients: (248) 587-8638
Current Patients: (248) 579-0618