Monthly Archives: December 2012

Sensitive Teeth

Sensitive teeth caused by exposed roots

Many of my teeth are sensitive. They have roots exposed so it hurts to brush them, and toothpaste for sensitive teeth doesn’t work. Do you have a suggestion as to what I might try? – Britney

Britney – Tell your dentist about the problem and request a prescription for fluoride toothpaste. Use the toothpaste for six weeks. If the prescription toothpaste doesn’t help the sensitivity, after your teeth are cleaned, your dentist can apply a fluoride varnish to the root surfaces of your teeth. It’s unlikely that your dental insurance will cover the treatment, but you will probably get relief from it. Relief is temporary, so the application of fluoride varnish will need to be repeated after each six-month dental cleaning.

If you continue to experience sensitivity, white composite filling can be applied to the exposed root surfaces of your teeth. The procedure is painless.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

 

Dental Bridge, Dental Implant, Root Canal Treatment

Should the tooth be extracted or should I receive a root canal?

Last year I had a filling replaced in tooth for the third time. About 4 months later I had pain in the tooth again. My dentist gave me a root canal and put a cap on the tooth. Every thing was ok until last month when the tooth started hurting again. Now my dentist says I need another root canal treatment. Should I have just gotten the tooth pulled? – Greg G.

Greg – An endodontist specializes in root canal treatments. So visit an endodontist for advice on whether or not a root canal treatment is best, or if the tooth should be extracted. If the tooth can be saved, it will be less expensive to preserve it than to extract it and replace it with a dental implant or a dental bridge.

The empty space from an extracted tooth should not be left that way. When a tooth is missing, adjacent or opposing tooth will drift into the space and cause additional oral health issues.

The second opinion from an endodontist will help you make an informed decision.

This blog post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

Nutrition and Teeth

Diet soda and your teeth

Most people are aware that regular soda contains large amounts of sugar that are damaging to your teeth. Did you know that diet soda can also cause tooth decay? Sorbitol, mannitol, and saccharine are sugar substitutes that are found in diet soda.  Bacteria in your mouth feed on both pure sugar and sugar substitutes. The sugar becomes acidic in your mouth; acid causes tooth enamel to erode.

Additionally, the acid that soda contains erodes your tooth enamel and promotes tooth decay. Sugary drinks are not limited to soda. Fruit juice, energy drinks, lemonade, and the like all are damaging to your teeth.

Instead of drinking soda or other sugary drinks throughout the day, sip on water. If you can’t completely eliminate soda from your diet, try limiting the amount of soda you drink. If possible, rinse your mouth with water to neutralize the acid from a sugary drink, then brush and floss your teeth.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.