Dental Care Archives | Oceanview Dental Care Brooklyn, NY

Feb 07 0

Tooth Sensitivity Causes and Treatment Options

Posted by Oceanview Dental Care

Also called dentin hypersensitivity, tooth sensitivity impacts either the teeth or exposed surfaces of the roots. Such discomfort may be the result of the teeth’s protective enamel getting thinner or of gum recession. Aggressive oral hygiene or poor oral care can be problematic. When the dentin, or underlying surface, is exposed, the protection provided by enamel and gums is reduced. More than half of the population suffers from dentin hypersensitivity.

Symptoms of Sensitive Teeth

Certain triggers may cause discomfort or pain in people who have dentin hypersensitivity. This discomfort may occur at the roots and can be a sharp, sudden jolt. The most common triggers include cold foods, hot foods, hot beverages, cold beverages, cold air, acidic or sweet foods, acidic or sweet beverages, brushing or flossing, mouth rinses that are alcohol-based, and cold water, particularly during routine cleanings at the dentist. Symptoms may arrive or disappear over time with no noticeable reason; they may range from intense to mild.

Tooth Sensitivity Causes

Oral sensitivity has many potential causes. You may have worn down your tooth enamel with a hard toothbrush or by brushing too aggressively. Your teeth may have eroded because of the consumption of foods and beverages that are highly acidic. Erosion can also occur because of GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastroparesis, or bulimia. These conditions cause acid to rise up from the esophagus and stomach, wearing down teeth.

According to the American Dental Association:

In healthy teeth, a layer of enamel protects the crowns of your teeth—the part above the gum line. Under the gum line a layer called cementum protects the tooth root. Underneath both the enamel and the cementum is dentin.
Dentin is less dense than enamel and cementum and contains microscopic tubules (small hollow tubes or canals). When dentin loses its protective covering of enamel or cementum these tubules allow heat and cold or acidic or sticky foods to reach the nerves and cells inside the tooth. Dentin may also be exposed when gums recede. The result can be hypersensitivity.

The gums may have receded and left the surface of the root exposed. This may due to periodontal disease. A habit at night of clenching or grinding your teeth may also be a culprit. A tooth may also be sensitive temporarily following such dental work as getting crowns or fillings or bleaching of the teeth. In this case, the condition should improve within several weeks or months. With persistent problems, a root canal may be necessary. Sometimes after a filling, the tooth that received the filling becomes sensitive when you bite down. A basic bite adjustment can fix this, or if the filling is too high, the dentist can lower it.

Decay, teeth that are broken or chipped, and fillings or crowns that are worn down can cause sensitivity. This will be localized in one certain tooth or area of the mouth, rather than in the majority of the mouth. Cracked teeth can be a problem as they can become bacteria-filled due to plaque, causing inflammation in the tooth’s pulp. In the most severe cases, abscess and infection can result.

Plaque buildup itself may be the root of the pain. Even long-term usage of acidic mouthwash can cause pain by exposing dentin and further damaging it. Gingivitis is sometimes at the heart of tooth pain because gum tissue that is sore and inflamed can expose the root of the tooth.

Diagnosing Tooth Pain

When you experience signs of dentin hypersensitivity, you should make an appointment at your dental local Brooklyn dental clinic. There, experts will examine your dental health and inspect for such potential problems as loose fillings, cavities, or recessed gums. Any of these can cause sensitivity. Your dentist may do this while in the process of your routine cleaning. In this procedure, they also clean your teeth, visually examining them. Dental instruments may be used to touch your teeth, checking for sensitivity, and X-rays may be called for to rule out cavities and other causes.

Treatment Options for Tooth Sensitivity

For mild sensitivity, over-the-counter treatments may be used. For hygiene, find a toothpaste that is labeled as specifically formulated for sensitive teeth. They will exclude irritating ingredients as well as potentially including ingredients to help desensitize and block discomfort from traveling to the tooth’s nerve. For a mouthwash, select one that is alcohol-free. It will be less irritating to a mouth prone to pain. Choose toothbrushes that are softer, and use them gently.

Sensitive teeth never truly disappear unless the initial reason for the pain is completely eliminated, but the symptoms can be reduced or even seem to vanish for some time. Each dentist favors a different treatment type following proper diagnosis. Some simple steps to take are avoiding foods that are highly acidic. When you use a desensitizing toothpaste, consider spreading a thin layer of it on exposed tooth roots just before you go to bed.

If dentin hypersensitivity is making eating difficult, speak to your dentist regarding a solution. Many kinds of toothpaste and mouthwashes are on the market over the counter, intended for painful roots. Prescription options are also available if these do not offer relief. Dentists should also be consulted for symptoms of root damage or cavities. Quick treatment of these conditions will prevent complications. Symptoms for these include spontaneous tooth pain with no obvious cause, sensitivity localized in a single tooth, sharper rather than milder pain, staining on teeth’s surfaces, and pain when chewing or biting down.

More serious causes may require dental procedures to stop the pain. The American Dental Association recommends the use of a fluoride gel, which strengthens tooth enamel, reducing the amount of sensations that are transmitted. The ADA also advises surgical gum grafts for situations where gum tissue has been lost at the root. This guards the root, reducing sensitivity. Finally, the ADA suggests root canals if the sensitivity is persistent and severe. In a root canal, the infected or inflamed inner pulp of the tooth is removed, the tooth’s inside is painstakingly cleaned as well as disinfected, then the tooth is filled and sealed.

If you grind your teeth, consider acquiring a mouthguard. You can also train yourself not to clench your jaw or grind at night. Be mindful of these activities during your waking hours. Reduce caffeine and stress before bed. If all else fails, the mouthguard will prevent any jaw-grinding from causing damage.

Treating Underlying Medical Causes After Tooth Sensitivity Diagnosis

Because some mouth pain has underlying medical conditions as its source, in such cases treatment must be sought for those conditions. GERD can receive treatment with the use of acid reducers, for example. A patient who vomits persistently because of bulimia should receive treatment with a supervising psychiatrist. A sinus infection may also result in pain in the teeth and jaw. The inflammation of your sinuses, which the infection fills with pressure, causes compression on dental nerve endings.

Home Remedies for Sensitive Teeth

A saltwater rinse can be used with dental pain as a home remedy. Salt is effective as an antiseptic and is capable of helping to reduce inflammation. To alleviate pain symptoms from sensitivity, use a saltwater rinse to gargle twice a day. This rinse should be made with 1/2 or 3/4 tsp of salt added to a glass of lukewarm water, the combination being well mixed together before you swish it in your mouth for up to half a minute. Then spit the solution out.

Hydrogen peroxide is another mild antiseptic as well as a disinfectant. While generally used for the sterilization of burns, cuts, and minor wounds to prevent infection, it can also be used as a mouth rinse for the healing of gums and prevention of inflammation. Using 3 percent solution of hydrogen peroxide, add two caps to equal parts of warm water. Swish this within your mouth for up to half a minute. Spit it out, then rinse with water to remove any remnant.

Turmeric is not only for cooking; it also has anti-inflammatory properties. It contains the compound curcumin which has this capacity. For oral health as well as relieving sensitivity pain, try massaging the ground turmeric into the gums and teeth. You can also make a paste from 1sp turmeric, 1/2 tsp mustard oil, and 1/2 tsp salt. Use this paste twice daily on gums and teeth.

With warm water, honey can be used as a mouth rinse. Honey can be used in wound management as it is antibacterial agent that reduces inflammation, swelling, and pain, speeding healing. Use a spoonful of honey added to warm water.

Green tea is also known for its health benefits. Make sure the tea you use is unsweetened and rinse your mouth with it twice a day. This reduces inflammation as well as offering prevention of infection.

When to See a Dentist About Your Tooth Sensitivity Issues and Pain

The first time you experience dentin sensitivity, you should consult your local Brooklyn Oceanview Dental Care dentist. Thereafter, there are certain warning signs that you should not ignore as treatment continues. A toothache that lingers for longer than 48 hours is one. Pain that is throbbing or sharp and aching and does not subside is another. Seek a dentist or other health professional if you have a thunderclap or migraine headache extending to your teeth. A fever that appears to coincide with a toothache should also not go ignored.

While there is a wide array of reasons why sudden pain may occur in a tooth or in a wider region of the mouth, most of them have a connection to the erosion of gums or enamel. Hypersensitivity that appears seemingly overnight should be brought to the attention of your dentist. Proper oral care is a must to avoid this and other complications.

Nov 11 0

Wisdom Teeth: What Your Should Know

Posted by Oceanview Dental Care

What are Wisdom Teeth and Why Do We Get Them?

Between the ages of seven and ten, four new teeth begin to form in the back of the mouths of children. One begins to develop behind each of the molars on both the top and the bottom. They will not come through the gums and become known to the young person for several more years. Between the ages of 17 and 25 is usually when some tenderness is felt behind the back molars as the new molars start to emerge through the gums.

No one knows for sure why people get them as they seem to have no purpose, and they don’t fit in the human mouth. The only known idea is that these four molars were a kind of reserve from thousands of years ago when human jaws were bigger. This was before people had created eating and cutting utensils. In those days people gnawed and chewed their food from leaves, roots, and chunks of meat. All this chewing wore their teeth down, and these new ones would have replenished their chewing ability.

These new teeth are called wisdom teeth and are the last or third molars.

What are the Symptoms and Problems of Emerging Wisdom Teeth?

In most cases, there isn’t enough space in the mouth for them. As they try to emerge, they may become impacted. This means they are blocked by the molars already there and are stuck under your gums or in the jaw. A wisdom tooth becomes impacted when it remains completely in the jawbone, or when only a part of the tooth emerges from the jawbone, or after the tooth has pushed through the jawbone but not yet completely through the gums.

Food can get trapped in the gums around the emerging tooth, which possibly causes a dental infection. The new tooth may grow out of alignment and begin to crowd and force the displacement of an existing back molar. If a wisdom tooth does not emerge through the mouth tissues, sometimes a cyst forms around the wisdom tooth which can damage the bone, the surrounding teeth and expand the jawbone.

According to the American Dental Association, here’s when you should speak with your favorite Brooklyn dentist:

Every patient is unique, but in general, wisdom teeth may need to be removed when there is evidence of changes in the mouth such as:

Pain
Infection
Cysts
Tumors
Damage to neighboring teeth
Gum disease
Tooth decay (if it is not possible or desirable to restore the tooth)

What Are the Dental Treatments for Complications of Wisdom Teeth?

As they begin to emerge, your Oceanview Dental Care dentist needs to monitor them closely. The dentist watches for misalignment allowing trapped food particles and bacteria to grow. Your dentist will observe the spacing and determine if the new molars are growing straight or applying force to nearby molars. Is there enough space for you to floss? Is there any pain, swelling or jaw stiffness that requires treatment? The dentist will watch for any symptoms of complications requiring extraction. For instance, the growth of a cyst can cause damage to your permanent molars, including their roots, and even cause bone destruction.

Damage to neighboring permanent teeth, pain, decay, infection, cysts, gum disease or a tumor causes the necessity of dental surgery to remove the wisdom tooth.

Some local Brooklyn residents never see problems from these third molars. In those rare cases, they can help that person’s chewing. About 85 percent of people do have problems that will require extraction of them. It is best to get removal of a wisdom tooth when you are young because younger people have a lower risk of surgery complications and shorter healing periods. Removal is easier before the roots have fully formed.

If you are the rare person who does not experience difficulty with wisdom teeth, remember your Oceanview Dental Care dentist needs to monitor them regularly as there is a risk of problems later, possibly even other health problems.

Think you may have issues with your wisdom teeth or molars? Maybe it’s time to speak with your favorite Brooklyn dentist: Oceanview Dental Care! Contact our team today to schedule your appointment at our convenient Brooklyn office.

Oct 08 0

Oral Care for Pregnant Women

Posted by Oceanview Dental Care

Six Dental Care Tips for Pregnant Women

Oral health care during your pregnancy is vitally important because many women have changes that occur in the mouth during this time. While a woman is pregnant, her hormone levels can change, leading to problems with excess saliva or a dry mouth. Both of these issues can affect the tender gums of the mouth or the teeth that are located in the gums. In addition, some women have extreme nausea that changes the acids in the mouth, and other women will vomit frequently during pregnancy, causing damage to the dental enamel on the teeth.

Schedule a Dental Checkup while Planning a Pregnancy

If a woman is planning a pregnancy, then it is a good idea to visit your local Brooklyn dentist for a checkup beforehand. A dentist will examine a woman’s mouth along with collecting X-rays to find any problems that require a repair. It is better to have the dental cavities fixed and the teeth cleaned professionally before becoming pregnant. When a woman has a major oral health issue that includes having gingivitis or an infected tooth, a dentist can treat these conditions with surgery or medications without worrying about the pregnancy. Here are some of the best oral health tips recommended for pregnant women.

Key Points from the American Dental Association:

Preventive, diagnostic and restorative dental treatment is safe throughout pregnancy.

Local anesthetics with epinephrine (e.g., bupivacaine, lidocaine, mepivacaine) may be used during pregnancy.

Special considerations should be given to pregnant dental personnel whose job duties can involve direct exposure to nitrous oxide and radiation.

Tip 1: Using Toothpaste That Contains Fluoride

There are no safety concerns about the use of fluoridated toothpaste during pregnancy, and this substance can increase the strength of the enamel on your teeth to prevent decay. You should brush at least twice a day to remove food debris, but it is okay to brush more often than this.

Tip 2: Flossing At Least Once a Day

If a pregnant woman want to have fresh breath and healthy gums, then using floss at least once a day is essential. Drugstores have dental floss that is in small containers, but it is also possible to find flossing picks that are easy to take with you to work or to restaurants. Flossing can also prevent cavities and gum disease so that a woman won’t need to visit a dentist during her pregnancy.

Tip 3: Drinking a Lot of Water Each Day

A woman who is pregnant will need a lot of water to remain hydrated. In addition to needing additional water for proper blood circulation, some women become dehydrated from the vomiting that occurs from morning sickness. By drinking water throughout the day, you can avoid having a dry mouth that makes it easier for bacteria to thrive.

Tip 4: Using an Oral Irrigator

By using an oral irrigator, you can remove additional food debris and plaque from your mouth. An oral irrigator blasts a strong stream of water to eliminate the bacteria from your gums and your teeth.

Tip 5: Consuming a Nutritious Diet Each Day

During pregnancy, women should consume a nutritious diet that includes foods that will keep the soft oral tissues and teeth healthy. These foods include low-fat dairy products, whole grains, lean meats, fruits and vegetables. Some pregnant women prefer eating more than three meals a day to avoid having indigestion. These smaller meals are necessary to protect a woman’s oral health while also ensuring that an infant is receiving enough nutrients.

Tip 6: Professional Dental Health Care

Despite the best planning, it is possible that you will need to visit a dentist while you are pregnant. First, make sure to inform the dental office about your pregnancy so that they are prepared to offer the proper care. Today, there are fewer safety concerns about using dental treatments or special medications throughout a pregnancy.

Aug 23 0

9 Tips for a Bright, Healthy Smile

Posted by Oceanview Dental Care

Everyone wants to have a bright, healthy smile. Fortunately, there are a number of things that you can do to ensure that you have one. Here are some of the things that you can do to ensure that you have an award-winning mouth of pearly whites.

Avoid Things That Damage Enamel

Certain drinks and foods have the ability of stripping away enamel over the course of time. You should avoid these on a regular basis. Such drinks and food items include sugary snacks, sweetened drinks and soda. When you consume such things, bacteria in your mouth consume their residue and excrete acids that eat into your enamel.

Avoid Things That Stain Teeth

Certain foods and drinks are known for staining teeth as a result of being heavily pigmented. These include coffee, tea and wine. If you want every tooth to remain as white as possible, make sure to avoid these things. If you already have teeth that have been stained, you can use fluoride toothpaste that makes teeth white or seek out cosmetic whitening treatments from a dentist.

See Your Dentist

Make sure to regularly see your dentist so that you can find out whether there are any problems that you have to tend to. Going for periodic dental checkups will ensure that your smile remains bright and healthy. If you have any obvious imperfections with your smile that require cosmetic procedures, going to the dentist will allow you to perfect your smile. If you have any cavities, your dentist will be able to treat them before they blow up into more complicated conditions.

Avoid Tobacco Products

You should avoid tobacco products because they stain teeth, promote gum disease and sometimes lead to oral cancers. Your smile will not look too bright or healthy with discolored teeth and inflamed, diseased gums.

Eat Right

A good tip for keeping a healthy smile is to eat right. Make sure to eat foods from all food groups and obtain the proper nutrients. Everything in your mouth needs proper nutrition to be healthy. Every tooth is made of bones, and bones require proper nutrition to stay strong.

Drink Water

Drinking water is one of the best things that you can do for your overall health. Without a doubt, it is something that you should be doing for your oral health. Water washes away the bacteria and acids that destroy enamel.

Avoid Snacking

Another good tip avoid snacking because of the fact that less saliva is produced while snacking on smaller things than while eating larger meals. This means that bacteria and acids are washed away less while there is more debris on teeth. If you do snack, make sure that you are snacking on healthy items that do not have high sugar contents, such as vegetables. You do not want to have debris from sugary foods staying on your teeth while there is relatively little saliva in your mouth.

Brush And Floss

It is of the utmost importance that you brush and floss your teeth so that every tooth is clean, white and beautiful. You should also floss your teeth because not flossing affects the appearance of your smile. If you don’t floss, your gums will most likely become infected and inflamed, and it will show. Flossing helps to get food debris from out of your gums. Flossing will keep dental issues from happening and is just as important as brushing.

According to The American Dental Association:

Cleaning between your teeth may help prevent cavities and gum disease. Cleaning between your teeth helps remove a sticky film called plaque. Plaque contains bacteria that feeds on leftover food or sugar in your mouth. When that happens, it releases an acid that can eat away at the outer shell of your teeth and cause cavities.

Be Careful When You Chew

When you bite and chew things, do it slowly and carefully so that you do not bite or chew on anything hard. If you bite or chew on something hard, you can chip a tooth. This is especially true when you eat fruit with hard seeds, with forks and spoons and food items with bones in them. Chipping a tooth can negatively affect the appearance of your smile.

In conclusion, these are the things that you can do to have a beautiful mouth. You should be careful when you chew, brush and floss, drink water, avoid snacking, eat right, drink water, see your dentist, avoid tobacco products, avoid teeth-staining drinks and foods and avoid products that damage the enamel.

Apr 26 0

10 Tips for Healthy, White Teeth

Posted by Oceanview Dental Care

1. Go on a white-teeth diet.

If you’re quaffing red wine and black tea, or smoking cigarettes or cigars, expect the results to show up as not-so-pearly whites. Other culprits to blame for dingy teeth include colas, gravies, and dark juices. Bottom line: If it’s dark before you put it in your mouth, it will probably stain your teeth. Brush immediately after eating or drinking foods that stain teeth and use a good bleaching agent, either over-the-counter or in the dentist’s office. For convenient teeth-cleaning action, eat an apple.

2. Chuck your toothbrush…

…or change the head of your electric toothbrush at least every two to three months. Otherwise, you’re just transferring bacteria to your mouth. According to Beverly Hills dentist Harold Katz, D.D.S., the best way to brush is by placing your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against your gums and gently moving it in a circular motion, rather than a back-and-forth motion. Grip the toothbrush like a pencil so you won’t scrub too hard.

3. Clean your tongue.

Use a tongue scraper every morning to remove tongue plaque and freshen your breath. One major cause of bad breath is the buildup of bacteria on the tongue, which a daily tongue scraping will help banish. Plus, using a tongue scraper is more effective than brushing your tongue with a toothbrush, says Dr. Katz.

4. Eat ‘detergent’ foods.

Foods that are firm or crisp help clean teeth as they’re eaten. We already mentioned apples (otherwise known as nature’s toothbrush); other choices include raw carrots, celery, and popcorn. For best results, make ‘detergent’ foods the final food you eat in your meal if you know you won’t be able to brush your teeth right after eating.

5. Gargle with apple cider vinegar.

Do this in the morning and then brush as usual. The vinegar helps help remove stains, whiten teeth, and kill bacteria in your mouth and gums.

6. Brush your teeth with baking soda once a week

This will remove stains and whiten your teeth. Use it just as you would toothpaste. You can also use salt as an alternative toothpaste. Just be sure to spit it out so it doesn’t count as sodium intake! Also, if your gums start to feel raw, switch to brushing with salt every other day.

7. Stay fresh.

To check the freshness of your breath, lick your palm and smell it while it’s still wet. If you smell something, it’s time for a sugar-free breath mint. Shopping for mouthwash? Make sure it is alcohol-free. Most over-the-counter mouthwashes have too much alcohol, which can dry out the tissues in your mouth, making them more susceptible to bacteria.

8. Practice flossing with your eyes shut.

If you can floss without having to guide your work with a mirror, you can floss in your car, at your desk, while in bed, and before important meetings. In which case, buy several packages of floss and scatter them in your car, your desk, your purse, your briefcase, your nightstand.

9. Brush your teeth when you first get out of bed and before you get back in at night.

They’re the two most crucial times, says Kathleen W. Wilson, M.D., an internist at the Ochsner Health Center in New Orleans and author of When You Think You Are Falling Apart. That’s because saliva (which keeps cavity-causing plaque off teeth) dries up at night, so it’s best to have all plaque cleaned off the teeth before sleep. It’s also important to brush first thing in the morning to brush off plaque and bacteria (morning breath!) that may have built up as you slept.