Little Rock Family Dental Care Blog

Why You Need to Replace Missing Teeth

July 19, 2017

According to the American College of Prosthodontists, about 178 million people in the United States are missing at least one tooth and these numbers are expected to grow within the next two decades. It is very important to always replace a tooth that you have lost as soon as possible. It is more than just about the way you look. Rather, it is about the health of your mouth, jaw, and body, which are all designed to work together at peak performance.

When you have a tooth that is missing, this can cause many problems including:

Tooth shifting

Your jaw has space for and is designed to operate with 28 teeth. If one of those placeholders fall out, then the surrounding teeth begin to shift to fill this empty space, resulting in all of your teeth being moved out of alignment. This can cause a biting problem because when the lower and upper jaws don’t meet properly, it can strain and damage the jaw joint. In some cases, the remaining teeth can super erupt and cause increased sensitivity to temperature extremes and sweets. (more…)

What is an Abscessed Tooth?

July 10, 2017

An abscessed tooth occurs when bacteria causes an infection in your gums and even inside your teeth. This creates a pocket of pus that is unable to drain, therefore becoming swollen and painful. This is known as an abscess and it acts as a barrier around the infection to stop its spread. However, if left untreated, the bacterial infection can escalate to other parts of the mouth and affect your overall health.

There are two different kinds of abscesses, including:

Periodontal abscess — An infection between the tooth and gum usually caused by food getting trapped there and poor cleaning of the teeth to get that food debris out. In severe cases, the bacteria can build up and affect the bone.
Periapical abscess — An infection inside the tooth pulp. The pulp is the soft tissue and nerves inside of the root canal, and it can succumb to an infection and begin to die. This type of abscess can also spread to the surrounding bone.

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What to Do if You Have a Chipped or Cracked Tooth

June 10, 2017

The first thing to do if your tooth has a visible chip or if you suspect a crack is to make an appointment to see your dental care professional as soon as possible. As with any oral problem, if you leave it untreated, it can get worse and result in severe complications down the line.

Immediate Care After a Chipped or Cracked Tooth Occurs

For both chips and cracks, you always first want to protect the tooth from further damage before you are able to get into an appointment with a dentist.

Rinse your mouth with warm salt water and cover the tooth with either a fresh piece of gauze or dental cement (found at most drugstores). Avoid eating or drinking as much as you can. However, if this is not possible, then try to avoid food and beverages that have extreme temperatures, are high in sugar or acid, or are hard. Also, chew on the opposite side of the mouth that isn’t affected. (more…)

Tips For a Whiter Smile

May 31, 2017

When you look your best, you feel your best, and that all starts with a vibrant smile! Many people feel insecure about their teeth yellowing, especially as they grow older. The friendly associates at Little Rock Family Dental have compiled a list of tips to help you naturally maintain a whiter smile. If you would like a more significant solution to your yellowing problems, contact us for teeth whitening services!

Tips to Maintain a Whiter Smile

Limit (or try to avoid entirely) these foods and drinks that yellow your teeth:

Cigarettes
Coffee
Other dark-pigmented food and drinks like wine, tea, and certain berries
Processed food
Drinks high in acid like soda and energy drinks
Citrusy food like lemons

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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…)