Little Rock Family Dental Care Blog

Reasons to Choose Sedation Dentistry

May 24, 2017

Sedation dentistry, which involves the use of sedation to ease along a dental treatment, is used by many different people of different ages and for a variety of reasons.

Sedation dentistry can range from the use of nitrous oxide in which patients are awake and able to respond but are in a deep state of relaxation, to general anesthetics used to put patients fully to sleep. Procedures like fillings, bridges, crowns, extractions, root canals, and cosmetic procedures often require the use of some sort of sedation. It is a very common method of dentistry, and there are many reasons to ask your dentist about whether it is right for you. (more…)

Is Flossing Effective?

March 24, 2017

For years and years, we and other dentists have been drilling into not only your teeth, but your heads, that flossing is one of the most important steps of your morning or nightly routines. That flossing is crucial in the prevention of gingivitis and gum disease. That if you don’t floss every single day of your life, all of your teeth will fall out by the age of 30!!! Whatever you heard, one thing was certain: flossing was just as important as brushing your teeth… which might not be as true as we once believed.

You may have heard about all the hubbub late last year: flossing might be ineffective. It started out when the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services did not mention flossing in one of their reports on dietary guidelines for Americans. A short time after that, the Associated Press released an article called, “Medical benefits of dental floss unproven” in which it suggested that there is only weak evidence for flossing’s effectiveness. (more…)

Why Do My Teeth Hurt?

March 6, 2017

For some people, the pain that causes them to ask themselves, “Why do my teeth hurt?” might not only be in the teeth, but in the gum line, the jaw, or the exterior of the tooth. Perhaps the word “hurt” is too general as well, because there are different types of pain, such as tender gums, sensitivity to hot and cold, toothaches, and more.

Pain is a defensive response of the body that is meant to alert you that something is wrong and needs attention. It can range from moderate to severe and can be aggravated by an external stimulus like chewing or drinking hot/cold liquid. If you are experiencing symptoms that are generalized as “teeth hurting,” it’s important to pinpoint where the pain is coming from, what type of pain you are feeling and under what circumstances it is happening. When you do this, you can discern the issue and find out if you need emergency dental work or not.

Below you will find common symptoms of pain and what might be wrong. Contact our knowledgeable dentists if you have any questions!

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Dental Tips for Every Age and Stage

January 30, 2017

Much like the rest of your body, your teeth go through the different stages of life and need to be taken good care of. Whether they are growing and changing or the new lifestyles that come with each age affect your teeth, you should always be aware of conditions that influence their health. Knowledge about tooth development will help you remain a step ahead of any potential problems so that you can keep your teeth strong for as long as possible. For a beautiful smile at every age and stage, read our dental tips below!

Infants and Children Tooth Care

Perhaps the most important stage for teeth, both in growth and in laying the foundation for good oral health the rest of the child’s life. You don’t even need to wait until your baby actually has teeth! Great oral hygiene can and should start early with good nutrition and in developing routines at the outset. Look below for additional suggestions: (more…)

Endodontics: What is It?

December 31, 2016

There are quite a few misconceptions as to what endodontic therapy is (also known as root canal), so we thought it would be a useful subject to shed some light on.

This is such an intricate and complex area of dentistry that endodontists (a dentist specializing in root canals) are required to take two years of additional schooling to be a specialist in this area of dentistry.

What is Endodontics?

To start, the term “endodontic” can be broken down to two simple components: the prefix “endo” and the suffix, “dontic.” In medical terminology, “endo-” means “within, inner, absorbing, or containing,” and “-dontic” refers to teeth. From this, it’s clear that “endodontics” means the treatment of the interior of a tooth. (more…)