Month: August 2021

Despite all of us brushing and flossing regularly, the buildup of bacteria on our teeth cannot be stopped. It is completely natural for accumulation of bacteria to occur. This bacteria later gets mixed with the remaining food particles and by-products to make a stickup layer of plaque also called biofilm. This layer is slimy and covers the entire teeth and gum linings.  As this plague is full of bacteria, it can destroy the enamel and can lead to cavities.  

At other times, this plaque buildup takes a more severe turn and aggravated to forming a severe form of tartar. If the plaque stays back on your teeth and you do not take care to contain it, it’ll spread faster. When this plaque accumulation occurs without its removal on the gum linings or the teeth for an extended period of time, it turns into tartar. 

Problems caused by tartar buildup 

This tartar can irritate the tissues of the gum, catalyse the increase of plaque and in turn aid in causing gum diseases and cavities. Tartar buildup declines oral hygiene and pushes the individual into a vicious cycle of dental health issues. 

When the tartar gets oiled around the linings of gums, all the surrounding tissues get inflamed and swollen leading to gingivitis. Often, these tissues bleed due to such inflammation. 

The other problem caused by the amassing of tartar includes the destruction of how your teeth look in general while talking, smiling or eating. It gives a very displeasing look making teeth look dull and tinted by looking stained. Alongside, it also causes foul breath, aids the buildup of bacteria that destroys the enamel, and causes gum diseases like periodontitis and gingivitis.

Does tartar removal hurt?

Tartar removal is always done by professionals and cannot be performed at home. These orthodontists use dental hygienist tools to remove all the tartar buildup. This includes an ultrasonic device with a small nozzle that takes out all the tartar from areas and places which are difficult to reach. And later the dentist can make use of a scraper to remove the buildup. Usually, the entire procedure lasts for 30-45 minutes. 

Removing tartar can hurt if:

1. Severe Tartar Buildup: The extent of tartar buildup will determine how much pain you will experience during tartar removal. 
2. Sensitive Teeth: If your tolerance for enduring pain is less and the teeth are more sensitive than normal, you can experience more pain. 
3. Poor Oral Health or Dental Diseases: If you have gingivitis, periodontitis or other gum and teeth diseases and cavities, removing tartar can be painful due to poor oral health. 
4. Types of equipment used: Depending on how professional the dentist is and the tools and equipment he uses, the level of pain can vary.

Depending on the level of pain you are experiencing, your dentist can give you anaesthesia while going for the tartar removal procedure. Topical or local anaesthesia is generally used for the process. Dentists usually give anaesthesia if the patient has deep gingival pockets and inflamed gums. After assessing the patient’s sensitivity and oral health, the dentist can recommend it right before the procedure.

If there is tartar buildup in your teeth and you are scared that tartar removal will cause pain, it is best to see a professional. Consult a dentist before it gets too late and your oral hygiene gets compromised. Book your appointment now and get your dental issues resolved!

We keep our mouths clean with toothpaste. It is important to brush our teeth at least two times a day, if not every time we eat. There is a dirty secret hidden behind the cleaning agent. A small quantity of toothpaste is said to be effective in healing zits. The truth is, toothpaste can also cause pimples.

To begin, let’s dispel that myth once again. Pimples cannot be treated with toothpaste. Your red pimple will dry up if you apply it. On the other hand, it can also irritate the skin. According to the Huffington Post, toothpaste is not a primary acne treatment. “It will irritate the skin, which will cause a pimple to appear, and the irritation will eventually disappear,” dermatologist Neal Schultz remarked. In addition to SLS, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, fluoride, alcohol, essential oils, and menthol are also common culprits for causing pimples. 

How can toothpaste cause pimples?

Most people get pimples as a result of being exposed to damaging chemicals on their skin. A toothpaste ingredient contains one of these harmful chemicals. A chemical used to help foam toothpaste could have some adverse effects, such as acne. In the mouth, SLS acts as a surfactant, allowing harmful substances to be trapped. In the long run, you will suffer from dry and itchy skin if you use this detergent. Plaque-removing toothpaste formulated with SLS might significantly improve your dental health. However, it might also trigger acne and mouth sores.

When the skin dries out due to the sulfate detergent, it produces more oil, causing acne. Despite its effectiveness in cleaning the teeth, SLS can also cause skin inflammation around the mouth. 

Preventive Measures

The number of pimples you get on your face can be minimized by making a conscious choice in the daily care products you use. You do not have to suffer from the acne surrounding your mouth any longer with the safer alternatives available in the market.

• Wash your face after brushing: Washing your face should always be followed by brushing your teeth. In addition to certain ingredients in toothpaste that can cause irritation, dryness, and even burning in sensitive skin, the bacteria from your mouth in the dribbled-out toothpaste can affect the skin, too. It would be best if you wash your face immediately after brushing your teeth. This will help prevent your skin from being exposed to the harmful ingredients of toothpaste. 
• No Toothpaste on your Skin: Toothpaste alone can be very harsh on your skin. Use a clay-based mask for spot treatments if you’ve used toothpaste. Do not try to remove the pimples on your face with toothpaste.  
• Check the label: Buying toothpaste free of ingredients that cause acne is the best way to avoid acne from toothpaste. Many brands have switched to safer and better alternatives without sulfates. You can enjoy clear, irritation-free skin if you choose toothpaste that’s free from these chemicals. 

Book your appointment today with the dentist for the best possible treatment.

The white color of our teeth is determined by the amount of calcium present in the teeth enamel. Teeth color mostly ranges from bright white to whitish-yellow to whitish-gray. Calcium is naturally white, and most of our teeth get its color from calcium.

But if teeth are not brushed properly, there could be a combination of other substances in your teeth that might give it yellow or gray shades. The shades are due to plaque buildup, which develops into a more complex substance called tartar if not removed in time. 

Tartar appears yellow above the gum line, but the more time it stays there without treatment, its color changes to brown, green, or black. Below the gum line, tartar is always black.

Reasons for Black Tartar

The primary reason behind tartar is not following good oral hygiene. If the tartar has turned black or reached below the gum line, the culprits are probably improper brushing or flossing. Few other factors that may cause black tartar to form are:

• Smoking – Smoking and other tobacco use cause tartar to turn black and make gums more prone to gum diseases.
• High intake of sugar and starch – Sugary and starchy food and beverages cause acid buildup, which eventually results in tartar. If you consume dark-colored drinks like red wine or coffee, they may stain the tartar to a darker color like black.
• Damage or some trauma to the enamel – Enamel is the outer coating, and it protects your teeth from decay and damages. If this layer is damaged, then it may make tartar appear darker or black.
• Subgingival tartar – Subgingival tartar is the tartar below the gumline. It tends to take a black appearance since the tartar at that place can combine with blood from damaged or sensitive gums. This indicates severe gum disease.

How to Treat Black Tartar

Black tartar is not just an aesthetic issue it’s a medical concern and should be removed by your dentist. Your dentist will do a scaling and root planning procedure to scrape off the tartar from above and below the gum line.

Symptoms that You Might Have Black Tartar
Signs that let you know you might be having black tartar are:

• Bad breath
• Swollen, red, or bleeding gums.
• A dark stain on teeth surface
• Hard deposits forming on your teeth.
• Loosening of teeth.

Tartar is a tooth condition that can be prevented by taking a few precautions and preventive measures. The list includes;

• Brushing at least twice a day, using a tartar control toothpaste that contains fluoride. 
• Flossing minimum once a day so that any food or bacteria trapped within teeth can be removed.
• Avoiding certain sugary and starchy foods or drinks.
• Avoiding tobacco products. 

Another important thing is to visit your dentist regularly to catch any teeth issue before it turns worse. If you have developed tartar, then the wise thing to do is visit your dentist, as they are the best people to guide you to the best course of action.

Schedule your appointment with a dentist today and get the treatment on time!

Have you noticed vertical lines after you are done with a round of teeth whitening? This is something you do not expect nor desire, and that is why many people fear going for a teeth whitening treatment. 

Teeth whitening is a popular process that lets you get your bright smile restored without the unsightly spots and stains. While you do have DIY options for whitening your teeth, but an in-office treatment can give you faster results that also last longer.

In this article, you will understand why these white lines appear and what you should do about them.

Teeth Whitening Process

Your teeth get stained over the years by eating and drinking all sorts of foods and beverages. You can improve the colour of your teeth by a few shades by making a couple of visits to your dentist for the teeth whitening process.

It works by applying hydrogen peroxide gel to your teeth. The compound is activated by light, which helps penetration of hydrogen peroxide into the teeth, breaking the stains. 

Why The White Lines Appear After The Treatment?

It is very common to get white lines on your teeth after a whitening process. Some of the primary reasons for the lines are:

• Tooth enamel has thinned – The outer covering or enamel of your teeth can get thin due to various reasons like lack of brushing leading to bacteria eroding the enamel, excessive pressure applied while biting hard objects, grinding teeth, biting nails, etc. These lines appear stronger after a whitening process, making evident which part of the enamel is thinner.
• Hypocalcification – It occurs just before cavities start appearing. The main reason for this is improper oral hygiene. If food is leftover in your mouth, it produces bacteria that weakens your teeth by the process of demineralization. These white or craze lines appear stronger after the whitening process. Hypocalcification can be avoided by cutting down on sugary food.
• Dehydration – Hydrogen peroxide is a dehydrating agent that can leave white lines on your teeth. This is a temporary problem and poses no harm to your teeth.

How to Treat These White Lines

If lines are caused due to dehydration, then there is nothing to worry about as they will blend with the new shade of your teeth in time. But if the line persists, then there is an underlying issue that needs to be treated by your dentist. White lines increase the risk of decolourization and teeth staining, so you must deal with it soon. 

If the white lines have appeared after teeth whitening and do not seem to go with time, the reasons could be demineralization or thinning of teeth enamel. Both of these are dangerous situations as they increase the risk of developing cavities since the protective layer of your teeth has diminished.

To avoid such situations, you must keep up with your oral hygiene and avoid putting undue pressure on your teeth by activities like opening a soda bottle. Other causes for vertical lines after teeth whitening are the use of tobacco or smoking.

Schedule your appointment with a dentist today and get the treatment on time!

Once your child starts losing their baby teeth, you are surrounded by many questions, doubts, and fears. You might love their gappy grin, but if the gap stays longer than expected, then it can turn worrisome for you.

It could be months before you see a new tooth coming out in place of the fallen tooth. In general, after the baby tooth has fallen off, it takes approximately six months to grow a permanent adult tooth in its place. But if your child is taking longer than expected duration, then you might start having questions in your mind about whether there is something wrong or if the tooth will never come out and be completely missing.

We bring to you a few reasons why a permanent tooth might take longer to come out so that you could consider them before you meet your dentist.

Reasons for Delay in Growing Permanent Tooth

While the delay in permanent tooth eruption could be about the tooth taking a little bit longer than the stipulated time, there could be other associated reasons that your dentist can diagnose.

• Less space for teeth is the most common reason for less space, and baby teeth are too close together. They do not leave enough gaps for the adult tooth to come out. Your dentist might suggest a couple of solutions to this problem.
• Permanent teeth coming out wrongly – Permanent teeth usually follow the same path as the baby or primal teeth. But sometimes, this might not happen, and the permanent tooth starts growing in the wrong direction (especially with upper canines). Due to this, the permanent tooth might get trapped between baby teeth that have not yet fallen. The suggested course of action for this is either orthodontics or tooth extraction. Your dentist might take X-rays to determine what kind of issue your child is having.
• Impacted teeth – At times, teeth might get lodged in the bone and cannot erupt out of the gumline. This happens mainly due to premature loss of baby teeth. X-rays can tell you if your child has impacted teeth or not. If there is not sufficient space, then the affected teeth will remain so and not come out.
• Nutrition – Your child’s eating habits have a lot of impact on their teeth development. Teeth require many nutrients (primarily calcium) to have the strength to push through the gum line. That is why food rich in calcium and vegetables is important for your child to have. Avoiding sodas and sugary food also helps in improving tooth development.

If you have concerns about your child’s teeth development, then you must seek professional advice from your dentist before it gets worse. The general guidance provided here will give you an idea of what might be happening with your child’s teeth, but you must visit your dentist to confirm the issue.

Schedule your appointment with a dentist in Azle, TX today and get the treatment on time!

Most people complain about their jaw pain at some point in their life. They do not know why their jaw hurts but surely want relief from the same. Its existence affects the usual eating habits and makes you feel uneasy. The jaw pain could be caused due to numerous reasons which require proper consideration and treatment.

What causes jaw pain?

The most common reasons for jaw ache are as explained below.

1. Dental issues like mouth cavity, cracked tooth, bacterial infection, or gum disease. You should always take professional advice from your dentist to avoid severe conditions if you face any of these.
2. Mental stress and tension: If a person is too stressed in life, it might also lead to severe jaw pain. This is because of our habit of jaw clenching and teeth grinding while stressed. This undoubtedly leads to an unhealthy and tense jaw.
3. Sinus: If a person is a sinus patient, he might face jaw pain considerably. The jaw pain in such situations further causes dizziness, postnasal drip, and forehead pressure. If you encounter any of these issues, you might contact your dentist and get a proper prescription to avoid the same.
4. Headache: It is usually seen that people with severe headaches or migraines face jaw ache. In such cases, the blood vessels and nerves accumulate to produce intense discomfort in the mouth and the other parts. Consult your dentist or a doctor in case of severe headaches and jaw pain to avoid critical conditions.
5. TMJ or the Temporomandibular Joint: It stands among the most common issues or causes of jaw hurt. The TMJ is a joint that connects the lower jaw to your skull.

There are several ways through which the temporomandibular joint might cause the jaw to ache whenever you open your mouth. A few of the symptoms for the same are:

• Tender and soft jaw
• Painful chewing and eating
• Pain during the opening of the jaw
• Minor sound while opening the jaw
• Pain around the ears

6. Other rare causes: A few causes or issues are not usual in everyone. However, they may lead to jaw pain. There is no apparent reason behind the jaw ache, but a proper consultation with the dentist will enable you to know the exact condition. Some of these rare issues or causes of jaw pain include:

• Trigeminal neuralgia
• Osteomyelitis
• Tumors and cysts

How to get relief from jaw pain temporarily?

You should always consult a dentist if you face severe jaw pain. However, if the pain is mild and temporary, you may use any mentioned methods to cure it. These might bring relief temporarily.

• Consider using heat for relieving stiffness
• Use ice packs to numb the hurting area
• Eat soft food and avoid hard chewing
• Sleep and relax your mouth
• Sleep without pressuring your jaw with the hand

There are several cures for each of the above reasons for jaw pain. However, the most common that stands amongst all of them is a consultation with the dentist or doctor. It would be best not to avoid your oral health as it might lead to severe conditions and discomfort.

Book an Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.