San Marcos Gentle Dental Blog

You know the problems with cavities, but are you aware of tooth erosion, another serious tooth problem?  Tooth erosion is the wearing away of the tooth’s enamel-the tooth’s outer coating that helps protect it. 

How Does This Happen?

When you consume carbonated beverages, fruit juice, or highly acidic foods, the acids attack tooth enamel.  The calcium in your saliva would normally help remineralize your teeth, but if you consume too much acid, it can’t keep up.  Acid attacks can come from a variety of sources:

*Carbonated beverages, even diet versions, contain a lot of acid and can quickly do serious damage.  It is worse when you drink large amounts or continuously throughout the day.

*Pure fruit juice has similar effects on your teeth because it also contains a lot of acid.

*Besides acids you ingest, there are also acid attacks from bulimia and acid reflux.  In both of these, the damage comes from stomach acids.

How do I Know if I’m Suffering from Tooth Erosion?

There are a wide range of signs and symptoms-from its early stages (sensitivity, discoloration, rounded teeth) to the later, more severe stages (cracks, severe sensitivity, cupping). 

Here is how they break down:

*Sensitivity-with the protection from enamel wearing away, you may feel pain when you consume hot, cold, or sweet foods and drinks.

*Discoloration-teeth can take on a yellow cast as the dentin layer of the teeth is exposed.

*Rounded teeth-you may notice your teeth have a rounded or “sand blasted” look.

*Transparency-your front teeth may become translucent near the biting edges.

*Advanced discoloration-as more of the enamel wears away, more of the dentin is exposed.

*Cracks-small cracks and roughness may appear at the edges of teeth.

*Severe sensitivity-sensitivity increases as more enamel is worn away.

*Cupping-small dents may appear on the chewing surface of the teeth; you may also notice fillings appearing to rise up out of the tooth.

When Can I Do?

You don’t have to accept tooth erosion as a fact of life.  There are lots of things you can do to avoid the damage altogether, or at least, to mitigate against it.  For instance, if you swear off carbonated beverages, you are avoiding that source of acid outright.  Short of that, you can reduce the damage from these tasty treats by doing things like:

*Drinking through a straw.  This helps limit contact between the acids and your teeth.  And don’t swish carbonated beverages around or hold them in your mouth for long periods.

*If you consume acidic food or drinks, rinse with water to neutralize the acids.  You should also wait an hour before brushing your teeth.

*Increase saliva production by chewing sugar-free gum.  This helps your teeth to remineralize.

*If you suffer from bulimia or acid reflux, see your doctor for help.

The thermometer outside is rising, and all you can think about is how good that chocolate ice cream cone or fruity popsicle is going to taste.  On a diet?  Then maybe it’s a glass of ice cold tea your mouth is watering over. 

You go inside, open the fridge, and prepare your cold treat.  But as soon as it hits your mouth….ouch!  Uh-oh, your teeth are temperature sensitive.

According to research, one of the causes of this frustrating problem can be found in the dentin tubules (tiny tube-like passageways) of the teeth.  The tubules in those with temperature sensitive teeth are larger than in those without a problem.  There is also a highly significant increase in the number of surface tubules in sensitive teeth compared with non-sensitive teeth.

There are other possible causes of tooth sensitivity as well.  You may be brushing too hard and damaging the enamel coating protecting your teeth.  If your gums are receding, exposing more of the tooth than normal, this too can lead to sensitive teeth.  If a single tooth is affected, come in immediately-that tooth may have a cavity, crack, or an old filling may be loose. 

You don’t have to suffer from this problem though.  If your teeth are overly sensitive, come in to the office right away.  We will perform a thorough examination to determine what is causing it and provide you with options to handle your sensitive smile.

Even the most diligent patients who practice thorough home hygiene can not get to every area bacteria and plaque can.  Getting below the gumline especially can be difficult.  We have seen patients with absolutely beautifully cleaned teeth-above the gumline-but with tarter building up below and out of sight.  This leads to one of the advantages to having the hygienist regularly cleaning your teeth.  She can see what you can’t.  From her bird’s eye view, she can see plaque and tartar building up in places you miss.

The tools we use are designed specifically for removing the hardened tartar.  Hygienists are trained to perform this type of removal without harming your gums.  This is very important!  The soft tissue of the gums can be easily damaged if you poke them or brush too vigorously.  This can expose the delicate roots of your teeth to more attack from plaque-causing bacteria.

How often you should come in for a professional dental cleaning depends on the health of your gums.  Some patients only need to be seen twice a year, but others need more frequent cleanings.

At your hygiene appointment, we check your gums for early signs of periodontal disease.  If caught early, the damage can be halted and treated before it leads to tooth loss and other serious health conditions.  For instance, studies are finding connections between periodontal disease and things like heart disease and stroke.  So don’t put off that professional teeth cleaning-for the health of your teeth, gums, and body.

Conscious sedation enables many patients who have dental anxiety or dental phobia a safe and effective way to have an anxiety-free dental experience many have only dreamed of.  Our main objective is to ensure our patients are comfortable throughout the entire procedure.  With sedation dentistry, you are in a relaxed state before, during, and after your entire treatment.  You will have little or no memory of the procedure once the treatment is complete.

It is not only for people who have anxiety before their dental appointments, but also those who need extensive treatment completed in a limited amount of time and appointments, or just want to be completely relaxed during their procedures.  Dr. Donnelly has been helping his patients have anxiety free dental experiences for many years.

When you get to the dental office for your procedure, you will be given a combination of sedative drugs and nitrous oxide, which will put your body in an extremely relaxed state with reduced perception.  A local anesthetic will then be administered to eliminate pain.  You won’t feel pain or even remember the numbing when the procedure is complete, due to the sedative.  We will be monitoring your vital signs during the entire procedure and help to keep you comfortable and relaxed.  While you may fall asleep during the procedure, you are not completely put under as with general anesthesia, but remain in a responsive state and all body functions stay normal.

You may be very drowsy after the treatment because of the sedative, therefore it is necessary to have someone drive you to and from the office on the day of your treatment, and supervise you afterwards.  If sedation dentistry sounds like something you’re interested in, please call our office for more information.

If you wake up in the morning with your jaws aching, you may be suffering from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction.  You will find this joint at the point where your jaw meets the rest of your face. 

TMJ sufferers, as many as 80% of whom are women, report such symptoms as: migraine-level headaches, loss of hearing, blurred vision, depression, backaches, and sometimes excruciating facial pain.  It is sometimes referred to as “crooked jaws” or TMD, and can best be described as joint stress resulting from an uneven bite.  There are numerous causes of this painful condition.  They include blows to the head or face, structural deformities, teeth grinding, and mental stress.  TMJ can strike individuals of all ages, from children to the elderly.  It tends to start as a soft-tissue injury.  If untreated, it may worsen over time, affecting additional bodily systems and organs.

In the beginning stages, the pain from TMJ may be intermittent.  But as with most conditions, early detection and treatment is the key.  One thing we may recommend for you is a special night guard.  The FDA approved NTI-tss device is designed to protect your teeth from further wear by reducing the severity of grinding at night.

This also allows the muscles to rest.  In more severe cases, it may be necessary to wear the device during the day as well.  The NTI-tss device is much more comfortable than a traditional night guard, attaching to your front two teeth only, preventing the back teeth from touching at all.

Watch for these symptoms:

* Pain in or around the ear and temple area, sometimes spreading to the face.

* Notice headache pain upon wakening.

* Tenderness of the jaw muscles.

* Clicking or popping noise when you open or close your mouth.

* Buzzing, ringing or roaring sound in your ears.

* Jaws that “get stuck,” “lock,” or “go out.”

* Difficulty moving your jaw side to side or front to back.

* Clenching or grinding your teeth.

* Pain brought on by yawning, chewing or opening the mouth widely.

* Problems chewing food.