Helpful Articles.

Wisdom teeth are the “third molars” that come in between the ages of 17 and 25. Because many patients’ mouths are too small for these teeth, and they often emerge crooked or become impacted (stuck below the gums), they can lead to crowding and discomfort. This is why we commonly remove them. If you’re scheduled to have your wisdom teeth removed, you may have questions. Perhaps you’re curious about what to expect after the surgery and what the condition of your mouth will be. Here, we’ll answer a few questions about what you can expect during the process of getting your wisdom teeth removed.

What Happens During Wisdom Tooth Removal?

Wisdom tooth extraction is an extremely routine procedure. To ensure your safety and comfort, we will use dental sedation and anesthesia so your experience will be as stress-free and painless as possible. Once your teeth are extracted, you’ll need a trusted family member or friend to drive you home, where you should plan for plenty of time to rest and heal. Additionally, our team will send you home with recovery instructions and a prescription for the medication you may need during recovery.

Will There Be a Hole After Surgery?

After removal, there will be holes in the back of your mouth where your teeth were. Over the next few weeks, these holes will heal as new tissue fills them in. During this time of healing, it’s incredibly important to keep these areas clean by following the hygiene and dietary instructions we give you at your appointment.

What Complications Should I Watch For?

You will experience discomfort in the days following your procedure, but pain that has increased in intensity indicates a dry socket. A blood clot is supposed to form over the extraction site, which allows for growth of new tissue. However, if this clot fails to form or if it is dislodged, this exposes the sensitive underlying nerves, tissue, and bone, causing pain. If the area is not kept clean, it also increases your risk of infection. To prevent dry socket and infection:

• Follow our gentle aftercare instructions to keep your extraction sites clean
• Avoid vigorous swishing, rinsing, and spitting
• Do not drink from a straw
• Do not use tobacco products
• Stay hydrated with plenty of water
• Eat soft, nutritious foods like purees and warm soups (not too hot!)
• Take your prescribed medication as needed
• Call us if you experience anything unusual, such as a high fever, dry socket, intense pain, or excessive bleeding

Additional Questions? We Have Answers!

We want to help you feel as comfortable and confident about your upcoming wisdom teeth removal and recovery. If you have more questions about wisdom teeth extraction or any other procedure, contact our expert team today.

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You may know that both plaque and tartar are not good for your teeth, but what exactly are they? Here, we’ll explain the difference between plaque and tartar and share how to prevent them from accumulating on your teeth.

What is plaque?

Dental plaque is a soft, sticky film that builds up on your teeth. It’s a colorless to pale yellow biofilm that develops on your teeth when food, fluids, and saliva combine to create bacterial deposits that produce acids when fueled by your dietary sugars. These acids attack your tooth enamel, the outer protective layer of your teeth, and gradually dissolve its mineral crystals. This can lead to tooth decay, bad breath, and even gum disease. You can brush, floss, and rinse away plaque with a combination of exceptional oral hygiene routine, plenty of water, and sugar-free gum. However, it regularly reforms on your teeth. Therefore, daily dental care is critical, as plaque accumulation is the root of most dental health issues, including gingivitis and cavities.

What is tartar?

If plaque is not properly removed from your teeth, it will harden into tartar when it combines with the minerals in your saliva. Unlike the soft, sticky biofilm that is plaque, tartar is a crusty yellow or brown-colored deposit. While plaque can be removed by brushing your teeth at home, tartar needs to be removed by a dental professional because the buildup strongly bonds to tooth enamel. People with braces, crowded teeth, or dry mouth are more susceptible to tartar buildup, as are older people and those who smoke. If tartar is not treated, it will lead to serious oral health issues, such as advanced gum disease, tooth loss, and bone loss.

How do you prevent plaque & tartar buildup?

To prevent plaque and tartar buildup, practice superb oral health habits every day:

• Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time.
• Floss at least once a day.
• Use fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride helps to remineralize your enamel so it’s a great way to combat damage that the acids from bacteria have caused.
• Use an electric toothbrush, like the Oral-B Pro 1000. The speed at which the toothbrush head moves helps to remove the plaque biofilm before it builds up.
• Eat a healthy diet high in fibrous fruits and vegetables, calcium, and protein, and low in sugars and simple carbohydrates.
• If you smoke or use other tobacco products, quit as soon as possible. You are putting yourself at a higher risk of developing plaque and tartar, in addition to oral cancer.

Coming in for regular checkups and cleanings is a vital part of preventing plaque and tartar buildup. Contact us today to schedule your next appointment!

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Kids usually start getting wiggly baby teeth around age six. As the adult tooth starts to push through, causing the root of the baby tooth to dissolve, the baby tooth begins to loosen. Many of our patients have asked us about whether or not they should pull out their child’s baby teeth when they are loose. Read on for tips to help your child have a pain-free smile as their permanent teeth grow in and loosen their baby teeth!

Protect Your Child From Pain & Trauma

Generally speaking, we don’t advise pulling your child’s baby tooth unless the tooth seems absolutely ready to be removed. Readiness for pulling is signified by a VERY loose tooth. If your child’s tooth isn’t loose enough upon home extraction, it can cause pain and excessive bleeding, and even lead to infection. For the protection of your child, we do not recommend you pull out a stubborn tooth, even if your child insists. Additionally, do not forcibly yank out a tooth with pliers or the string-attached-to-the-doorknob trick.

Keep On Wiggling!

When your child tells you their tooth is loose, encourage them to wiggle it themselves with clean hands or a clean tissue. The more they gently wiggle their baby tooth, the more ready it will become to be removed. It may even fall out naturally! Moreover, have them eat nutritious foods that are crunchy, like apples and carrot sticks. These will also loosen teeth, and may even cause the tooth to dislodge.

When a Baby Tooth Is Ready to Be Pulled

Using clean hands, wiggle your child’s tooth to be sure it feels ready to come out. Then, place a clean tissue or gauze over the tooth and hold it between your fingers. If it is truly ready to come out, a gentle tug should do the trick. Place the tissue or gauze over the area with gentle pressure until any bleeding stops. Please give us a call if there appear to be tooth fragments remaining in your child’s gumline.

Schedule Your Child’s Next Checkup!

Waiting to pull your child’s tooth until it is ready will decrease their likelihood of experiencing pain and bleeding. But whether you choose to pull your child’s tooth or wait until it falls out, we appreciate you taking an active role in their dental health! Family enthusiasm for developmental milestones is one way to promote a child’s interest in their own health. Contact us with additional dental-related questions or if it’s time to set up a checkup for your child.

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Have you been waking up your partner, or yourself, in the middle of the night with your loud and relentless snoring? Before you write it off as simple annoyance, consider how your snoring might be a sign of something more serious.

What is sleep apnea?

According to Mayo Clinic, there are 200,000 new cases of sleep apnea in the United States each year. With this common sleep disorder, your airway periodically becomes either partially or entirely obstructed during sleep, which halts your breathing. Obstructive sleep apnea, the most common form of sleep apnea, can affect anyone, but certain factors such as obesity, age, tonsil size, family history, and a deviated septum can increase your risk.

Is sleep apnea dangerous?

Sleep apnea is considered a serious condition, and can be dangerous if not treated properly. Complications from sleep apnea can include fatigue, stroke, high blood pressure, heart problems, and more.

Is snoring a warning sign of sleep apnea?

Loud, chronic snoring is one of the chief signs of sleep apnea. However, not everyone who snores at night has sleep apnea. In addition to loud snoring, has your partner reported you frequently stop breathing while sleeping? These pauses in breathing may cause sufferers to wake up gasping with shortness of breath. Moreover, evaluate whether you notice any other indicators of sleep apnea, such as a dry mouth or sore throat upon awakening, overwhelming daytime sleepiness and fatigue, irritability, a diminished ability to concentrate, and/or headaches.

Are You Concerned you may have sleep apnea?

If you’re experiencing loud and constant snoring accompanied by other sleep apnea signs and symptoms, schedule an appointment with our expert team at Springs Village Dentistry as soon as possible. We can help determine whether you have obstructive sleep apnea and can recommend proper treatment, such as a special oral appliance or CPAP machine, to improve your sleep quality!

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You probably know that daily brushing and flossing help to prevent tooth decay and gum disease, but what about using a mouthwash? Can mouthwash really help? Read on to learn about the benefits of mouthwash.

Benefits of Mouthwash

There are many types of mouthwash available on the market today. Using one can be helpful for a variety of reasons. If you’re struggling with any of the following problems, consider adding a mouthwash to your daily oral care routine:

Using a mouthwash with fluoride can help strengthen and protect your enamel from cavities through remineralization.

Certain rinses may help to whiten teeth when used regularly. For whitening, make sure your rinse contains the active ingredients carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide. However, we recommend utilizing our professional teeth whitening services for more dramatic results!

If you have bleeding and tender gums upon brushing or flossing teeth, consider adding an anti-gingivitis/anti-plaque mouthwash to your oral hygiene routine to reduce your gingivitis (gums that are inflamed and irritated).

Bad breath can be reduced by using a mouthwash in conjunction with daily flossing and brushing, and routine cleanings. For severe cases of bad breath, a mouth rinse might not be enough, so be sure to notify us if you’re experiencing chronic bad breath, or halitosis. This could be a sign of advanced tooth decay, gum disease, or another issue.

Additional Mouthwash Tips

As you decide which mouthwash would be best for your smile needs, keep in mind the following:

• We recommend reaching for an alcohol-free mouthwash if you have a dry or sensitive mouth.
• Children under the age of 6 should not use a mouthwash, as it could be ingested. Let us know if you have questions about your child’s dental health. We are qualified and eager to help your whole family.

We Want You to Have Excellent Oral Health!

For optimal oral health, maintain a healthy diet, limit your consumption of sugary foods and drinks, and drink plenty of water. Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time, floss every day, and come visit us every six months. We are here to answer additional questions you may have about mouthwash or any other part of your dental health. Contact us today to schedule your next cleaning. Happy rinsing!

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Seeking a more natural and chemical-free lifestyle has become increasingly popular these days. Many consumers opt for organic or all-natural choices. Today, we want to address the question: “Is organic and all-natural toothpaste really better for your oral health?”

Fluoride

Many of these organic toothpastes are missing a crucial ingredient: fluoride. One of the main things people look for when choosing an organic toothpaste is whether it contains fluoride or not because they do not believe that this is a “natural” ingredient. However, fluoride IS a natural mineral that can be found throughout our environment. It is an important nutrient for healthy teeth that has been shown for decades to decrease the incidence of tooth decay.

– Potential Con: Fluorosis

Since it is in both our water supply and toothpaste, many people worry about being exposed to too much fluoride. Fluorosis is a cosmetic condition that kids can develop if they consume excessive fluoride before their permanent teeth emerge from their gums while the enamel is developing. Although these white flecks and streaks only affect the appearance of teeth, not the integrity, this is why dentists recommend ample toothbrushing practice with parents and continued supervision as kids age to ensure they do not swallow their toothpaste. If children drink water as normally and spit after brushing, they will experience fewer cavities and shouldn’t have adverse effects related to fluoride!

+ Definite Pro: Healthy Teeth

The pros of fluoride definitely outweigh the con. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Dental Association, American Medical Association, and the World Health Organization all recognize the value and safety of fluoride. Fluoride is great for your oral health and has been scientifically proven to promote strong teeth:

• Fluoride helps to strengthen the enamel on your teeth by depositing minerals like calcium back on your teeth.
• Fluoride also helps control the acid in your mouth that can erode your enamel.

These are critical because weakened enamel results in decay and tooth sensitivity. Some natural toothpastes do use fluoride so if you want to go the natural route, be sure to check the ingredients.

Ask Us for Recommendations!

If you are unsure about which kind of toothpaste is best for you and your family, consult with our expert team at your next appointment. Springs Village Dentistry would be thrilled to help you find out which dental products work best for your smile. Contact us to set up your next visit to our Holly Springs office.

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