Tag: cavity

In dentistry, we tend to tell our patients that we don’t have a crystal ball. Unfortunately, we don’t have the ability to tell a patient when their tooth or fillings will break, begin to hurt or decay. What we can tell a patient is what we currently see in their mouth and how we can treat it. Fillings are common practice in dentistry, and are needed when a tooth has a cavity, fractures or is being used esthetically to fill spaces. We are asked daily how long a filling should last. There are many dimensions to this question, so let Read More →

Have you ever awoken with a toothache and feared it was a cavity? You may not have even known that a cavity had been forming on your tooth because not all cavities are visible to the naked eye, and do not always show signs and symptoms right away. We asked our Licensed Dental Assistant, Jamie, to help us understand signs, symptoms, and prevention. The most common signs to look for are: Pain when biting down Pain when eating or drinking something sweet Pain while eating or drinking something hot or cold Holes or pits on the biting surface of your tooth Read More →

We asked our licensed dental assistants to tell us about the signs and symptoms of cavities and what we can do to prevent them. A cavity (known as tooth decay or caries) often begin with no symptoms at all. Early signs of a cavity may include discoloration (typically brown, black, or chalky white) and sensitivity to hot, cold, pressure, or sweets. Enamel is the first layer of our teeth, it is white in color, and is the hardest substance in our bodies. It is the outer protective shell for many layers within the tooth. Bacteria, food particles, and saliva work together to form plaque and Read More →

We’d like to start this post off with a joke from our very own Dr. Michael Lose. Question: What is a dentist’s favorite waterway? Answer: A root canal, of course! Ask anyone, and they will tell you that root canals are nothing to laugh about. As a matter of fact, Hollywood loves to demonize the root canal wherever it can in movies and T.V. shows. The truth be told, nobody wants to have a root canal. But when you have a toothache, root canal treatment can be a life-saver and a “tooth-saver.” Two or three generations ago, dentists would extract a Read More →

If you suffer from bad breath, otherwise known as halitosis, you are not alone. Dental studies have found that up to 85% of people with persistent bad breath have a dental condition to blame. Bad breath, or a bad taste in the mouth, may be a warning sign of gum disease, decay, or an abscessed tooth. Don’t let bad breath keep you from social situations. Make an appointment with your dentist for a check-up and cleaning to help you significantly reduce or eliminate bad breath. We asked Samantha, a Licensed and Certified Dental Assistant and Administrative Assistant at Family Dentist Read More →