If you have severe, throbbing tooth pain along with a pocket of pus near the base of your tooth, you should call a dentist right away. These are warning signs of a tooth abscess, which is a dangerous bacterial infection at the root of a tooth. If left untreated, an abscess could cause permanent damage...
Dental x-rays are an important part of every dentist’s toolkit for detecting cavities and other issues in a patient’s mouth. While x-rays are considered very safe for most patients, what about for pregnant people? Pregnant women are often told a list of things to avoid during this important time to keep them and their baby...
According to the American College of Prosthodontists, more than 120 million people in the United States are missing at least one tooth. Whether they are knocked out or lost due to decay, missing teeth pose a number of problems besides just looking bad. It might be harder to eat or speak clearly with a missing...
It might start with a slight twinge when eating something cold or an outright toothache. Maybe a tooth has some spotting or an obvious hole. When someone first suspects a cavity, what comes next? Can the cavity be fixed at home? Unfortunately, the answer is “no.” Dental cavities are serious issues that require attention from...
A visit from the Tooth Fairy is a fun way for children and parents to celebrate the milestone of losing a baby tooth. But with the tooth in hand, parents might be left to wonder: How does the Tooth Fairy make the experience magical and memorable? The Tooth Fairy replaces each tooth under a child’s...
It’s human nature to avoid unpleasant things, so it is not surprising that many people try to ignore a cavity. They choose to put up with the pain and discomfort rather than finding a solution. Some fear that going to the dentist for a filling will hurt. And for those without dental insurance, there is...
Normally, a root canal procedure takes two visits to the dentist or endodontist. But advertisements promising a “same day root canal” are becoming common. Can dentists do a root canal in one visit, or is this just a marketing ploy? It turns out that getting a same-day root canal procedure is indeed possible. But the...
Cosmetic dentistry includes a number of procedures that can help patients get a whiter, brighter, smile. This can include teeth whitening, tooth restoration, veneers, and more. The biggest challenge with cosmetic dentistry is finding the right professional to do it. Some dentists advertise a specific focus in cosmetic dentistry. Others might have a different focus,...
According to the CDC, 90 percent of adults over 20 years old have had a cavity in a permanent tooth. Once a tooth has a cavity, decay must be removed to prevent further deterioration. The common fix is a dental filling. While fillings are considered a permanent solution to cavities, they will eventually wear out,...
Making the choice to start Invisalign treatment is the first step toward straighter teeth. New users learn that they must keep the clear plastic aligners in for 20 to 22 hours each day. Dentists also tell patients to remove Invisalign when eating. But what about drinking? Is it okay to have a morning coffee or...