News with tag acid

If you’ve been on Pinterest any time recently, you’ve probably seen personal or sponsored posts that have something to do with 'healing cavities the natural way” or “reversing tooth decay without seeing your dentist.' But could these headlines be too good to be true? Yes and no. The truth is, a full blown cavity cannot be fixed, healed, or have the tooth “grow back” by using some magic formula in your bathroom. But if the cavity is only in the beginning stages — we’re talking enamel demineralization on the most outer layers of the tooth — then it can be reversed before an actual “hole” forms in your enamel.

Demineralization: Phase One of Tooth Decay

Before tooth decay actually works its way through the tooth, it must first target a healthy area of enamel. The first stages involve eating away the outermost layers, etching the tooth and creating a weak spot. As more acids come into play, the enamel starts to appear chalky or white compared to the tooth around it. At this point, the surface is demineralized and prime for a cavity to form at any second.

Intercepting Before it’s Too Late

Once a tooth is demineralized, you have an important choice to make: treat the area of weakened enamel to prevent a cavity and re-strengthen your tooth, or wait it out and allowing the cavity to form, then get a filling.

The less invasive and more holistic approach would be to remineralize the tooth and prevent the cavity. This can be done by:

• Cleaning the area more thoroughly each day
• Seeing your dentist for a professional strength fluoride treatment
• Optional treatments in your dentist’s office
• Getting a prescription fluoride to use at home
• Changing your habits to limit acid exposure to the teeth

If you suspect that you have a demineralized tooth or have a history of frequent cavities, call North Road Dental Clinic in Carnegie to schedule an appointment.

Did you know that most types of tooth loss can be avoided? Of course, there will always be exceptions here and there, but when it comes to the most common situations we see in our Carnegie dentist office, there are steps you can take to prevent tooth loss from happening before it’s too late.
Here are a few tips:

Wear a Protective Mouthguard During Athletic Activities

Dental injuries occur every day, especially to athletes (no matter their age.) Wearing a custom fitted mouthguard offers the best protection against knocked out teeth and concussions.

Floss Every Day

The leading cause of tooth loss in adults is gum disease. Even if your brushing is great, it won’t clean between the teeth and under the gumlines where periodontitis starts. Clean these areas daily. If you hate flossing that much, consider investing in a water flosser.

Drink a Lot of Water

Staying hydrated rinses your mouth to neutralize bacteria levels, acids, and prevent xerostomia (a risk factor of tooth decay.) Tap water also contains fluoride, to make your teeth stronger.

Don’t Ignore that “Twinge” Feeling

Do one of your teeth feel “off” from the rest? Your body could be trying to tell you something. If a small cavity is starting to develop, it’s best to treat it while it’s still small. Large decay can spread quickly, to the point that the only option left to treat it is to remove the tooth.

Schedule Routine Dental Checkups

At North Road Dental Clinic, our Carnegie dentists recommend seeing patients for a checkup at least every six months. These frequent intervals help us to screen for problems earlier on (when treatment is easier) and work with patients to form good habits to intercept issues as they arise.

Call our Carnegie dentist today to schedule.

Sensitive teeth may sound very insignificant but it’s one of the most serious dental issues after dental decay seen by dentists worldwide. A recent survey done in Australia revealed that at least 45% of families have at least one member that’s affected with tooth sensitivity So what is sensitivity of teeth? Sensitivity can be described as a sharp and short sensation of pain experienced while consuming anything hot, cold or acidic in nature. Some people may also experience sensitivity even while having something sweet. How does sensitivity occur? Sensitivity is primarily caused with the exposure of dentine. Our teeth has an outer hard coating called enamel. Lying beneath enamel is dentine which provides the bulk of the tooth. Dentine houses extremely thin tubules, in which rest the nerve endings of the tooth. When the tooth loses its first layer of enamel, dentine is exposed. Hence, the food and drinks we consume gain an easy access to the nerve endings of the tooth, stimulating them and eliciting the response in the form of sensitivity. What are the four most common reasons of sensitivity? Let’s explore the four most common reasons of tooth sensitivity-

1. Vigorous brushing of teeth- some people believe that, the harder you brush your teeth the whiter it becomes. Brushing your teeth is used to remove food particles and eliminate the building of plaque and bacteria in your mouth. Rough and vigorous brushing will damage your enamel, exposing the dentine which then causes tooth sensitivity.
2. Heavy consumption of acidic beverages or foods- Frequent consumption of carbonated drinks, citrus, pickles or anything acidic can erode the enamel thereby, exposing the underlying dentine. It is recommended to abstain from eating or drinking anything that’s acidic in nature or at least reduce the frequency and quantity of consumption.
3. Clenching or grinding of teeth- Those who have the habit of clenching or grinding their teeth unintentionally in sleep or otherwise, may have tooth sensitivity. Night guards can help the problem of clenching and grinding to some extent. It’s advisable to always speak to your dentist first before using a night guard.
4. Gum problems like gum recession- Receding gum line is secondary to inflammation of gums. Gum recession expose the root surfaces of a tooth where the enamel layer is absent. This results in tooth sensitivity.

Dental hypersensitivity requires specialized help and may not work through home remedies. If you have sensitivity and are looking for relief, book an appointment to see our friendly dentists at North Road Dental Clinic today.

The Link between Heartburn and Oral Health Heartburn, also known as acid indigestion is a burning sensation in the chest. It is triggered by the regurgitation of gastric acid from the stomach into the oesaphagus and is something that is common.At times, you might suffer after overeating. However, in most instances it is an indication of a bigger problem, for instance gastroesophageal reflux disease also known as GORD. While heartburn may easily be dismissed as a minor problem, it is one of the few serious complications that can have a negative effect on oral health. There is actually a relationship between heartburn and oral health. This is something that many people may not be aware of. So How Can Heartburn Damage Your Teeth? People don’t usually get surprised to learn that the frequent existence of gastric acid in their oesaphagus may cause harm to those tissues where they feel pain. However, many may be surprised to realize that stray gastric acid is capable of even travelling up to the mouth, significantly increasing the pH of the saliva. Dental enamel is not created to be resistant to highly acidic stomach fluids. As such, the moment saliva becomes too acidic, tooth enamel can start to dissolve, and this can lead to dental erosion. In the early stages, dental erosion can be detected by increased sensitivity to tempreture or sugary foods. It becomes noticeable in the form of staining, dents and cracks on the tooth surface. The worst thing is that there are some people who tend to experience acid indigestion even without the tell-tale feeling of heartburn, which is at times referred to as “silent reflux.” In this case, the oesaphagus and teeth might be possibly suffering the impact of the increased pH without a person’s knowledge. In such cases, the dentist is usually the first person to guess that a person is suffering from GORD. What Should Be Done About It The enamel is the teeth’s protective coating and although it is strong, once it is damaged it cannot grow back. The moment gastric acid exposes the tooth by removing this protective covering, the teeth become more susceptible to decay. This may call for reconstructive dentistry so as to protect teeth from additional damage as well as future cavities. It is easy to disregard oral health from the overall health of your body. But did you know that your oral health has as much impact on your health just as any other part of your body? This is the reason why it is recommended to see a dentist who really considers oral health to be part of overall health. If you are experiencing GORD symptoms, it is important that you speak to our dentists at North Road Dental Clinic about it for effective treatment. This will prevent additional damage to your tooth enamel and save you from the costly and inconvenient ordeal of dental rehabilitation or restoration. Do not hesitate to call or contact us online today to schedule an appointment.