Oral health is very important. Unfortunately, many people don’t take it seriously until they start experiencing problems with their teeth.

It is good to keep an eye on your dental health regularly to pick up on any dental issues in advance. That will make it easy for the dentist to treat the condition before it worsens.

How to Prevent Enamel Erosion

Your teeth are protected by a hard and strong layer called enamel. But despite its hard nature, it is still prone to destruction.

Some of the things that put your enamel at risk of destruction are brushing your teeth with a lot of force, grinding your teeth, and consumption of foods that contain acid.

If you have visited a dentist and were told about enamel erosion, then you should take the health of your teeth seriously. One of the best actions you can take to prevent enamel erosion is to reduce the amount of acidic food you take.

Although switching to non-acidic foods and drinks won’t bring your enamel to its original condition, they won’t cause damage like the acidic ones.

Water

Water is one of the drinks that won’t damage your enamel. It may not be rich in calcium like milk, but water sold by most beverage companies has fluoride. The fluoride is crucial when it comes to strengthening the enamel. Additionally, water doesn’t have any form of acid. This means that it can’t put your teeth at any risk of decay. Water is simply the best drink for your teeth.

Milk

Milk is also a safe drink that doesn’t put your teeth at risk of decay. It, however, has a low acidic level (pH of 6.7) – which is not harmful to your enamel in any way.

Milk is one of the best drinks you can find to protect your enamel. Dairy milk is beneficial for your teeth for several reasons.

First of all, it has a lot of calcium – a main component of enamel. You can start taking milk frequently as soon as you start experiencing signs of enamel erosion.

A study conducted by the American Dental Association (ADA) recently found out that people who drank milk after experiencing enamel erosion healed faster compared to those who didn’t.

Tea

Tea without sugar can also be a great option for protecting your teeth. A study conducted in Japan revealed that people who took green tea daily experienced fewer incidences of gum problems. This was attributed to the antioxidant component known as catechin, which treats inflammations caused by bacteria. Besides, tea also has high levels of fluoride and polyphenols that are important in making your enamel strong and protecting it from decay.

Mountain View Dental has been offering dental services for many years. They have some of the best dental equipment designed to offer quality service to clients. They have a comfortable and professional office with great customer care service. Don’t hesitate to call today if you have any questions or to schedule an appointment.

Canker sores are very uncomfortable, and you can feel them more intensely when you’re talking or eating. Fortunately, there are a few treatments that can help you heal canker sores.

It’s also important to note that small canker sores generally don’t require medical treatment since time will heal these sores. Smaller sores often go away on their own in about a week. Larger canker sores, especially if they are more painful, will require intentional treatment from a dentist or oral specialist. Big canker sores can last as long as six weeks and could cause oral scarring.

Here are some home remedies that have been proven to heal canker sores.

Household Items to Treat Canker Sores

You may have some products in your home that can heal canker sores. For instance, you can apply ice on the sore, which helps suppress it. Before or after applying ice, rinse your mouth with a combination of salt and water. Make sure the water is warm. You can also rinse with a mixture of water and baking soda.

Using mouthwash can also treat canker sores. The mouthwash should not contain sodium lauryl sulfate since this ingredient can aggravate the sore. After rinsing, apply milk of magnesia to the sore to help it dry up.

If you use these home remedies, you should notice that your sore will heal in about a week.

Medicines and Prescriptions

If home remedies aren’t eradicating your canker sore, you can head to the pharmacy for a possible solution. Look for cream, gel, or paste that contains hydrogen peroxide, benzocaine, or fluocinonide. These ingredients reduce the discomfort canker sores can cause and promote faster healing. You can also look for patches that treat canker sores. The patches relieve pain and cause the sore to dissolve faster.

If you use products from your local pharmacy and are still experiencing canker sores, you may want to visit your dentist. The dentist will prescribe an oral steroid. While you’ll likely feel relieved right away, the steroids could have side effects. Make sure that you talk about the risks with your dentist. Be sure to tell your dentist if you’re currently taking other medications or have health conditions that interact negatively with steroids.

For additional information and treatment options for helping canker sores, visit Mountain View Dental. Our comfortable office and professional staff look forward to answering your questions and meeting your dental needs. Schedule your appointment with us today.

Were you aware that there are five stages of a cavity? And depending on when you have them taken care of, these stages must be treated very differently. Here is everything you should know about the stages of a cavity.

Stage 1: Enamel Begins Losing Calcium

This process is called demineralization of the enamel. The enamel is an extremely hard tissue, and when calcium is lost, white spots may develop on the surface of a tooth. However, sugars and acids can erode the surface and produce plaque bacteria. When a cavity is found at this earliest stage, the damage can be reversed with plaque removal and fluoride treatment, before more severe, even permanent damage has a chance to occur.

Stage 2: Enamel Begins to Decay

This process happens after bacteria invade the surface of the weakened enamel. At this stage, you may notice the white spots begin to darken and form small holes in the tooth’s surface. To fix a cavity at this stage, the dentist will remove the areas of decay with a tool, preparing your tooth for a filling made of resin, amalgam, or ceramic, depending on the location of the tooth.

Stage 3: Decay Reaches Dentin

Dentin is the soft tissue situated beneath the enamel. If decay makes it through the strong enamel, it won’t take long to have problems once it is within the dentin. It tends to progress quickly at this stage and may require much more extensive repair. It is much more sensitive to damage by acids and sugars. When caught immediately, there is still a chance for the decay to be cleaned out and filled. Many times, however, once the decay is removed, a crown will be placed over the tooth.

Stage 4: Infection of the Tooth Pulp

This is an advanced and serious state for a cavity. It is typical for this stage to cause pain, often severe. You will certainly feel sensitivity to many things, particularly cold, and you will have discomfort when you try to eat with that tooth. The only real fix for a cavity this advanced is with a root canal, in which the infected pulp is removed, and a crown is placed. In some cases, the tooth must be extracted completely.

Stage 5: Abscess of the Tooth

This is the final stage of a cavity, where the infection has moved beyond the tooth itself and has reached gums and bone in that area of the mouth. Extreme pain is common. You may have swelling and bleeding in the area, as well. Any hope to save this tooth involves a root canal, however, in many cases, the infection will require extraction and antibiotic treatment.

If you are experiencing dental concerns in Pleasant View, Utah, reach out to us at Mountain View Dental today so that we can help you regain your smile!

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How to Prevent Enamel Erosion

Water

Milk

Tea

Household Items to Treat Canker Sores

Medicines and Prescriptions

Stage 1: Enamel Begins Losing Calcium

Stage 2: Enamel Begins to Decay

Stage 3: Decay Reaches Dentin

Stage 4: Infection of the Tooth Pulp

Stage 5: Abscess of the Tooth

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