Tetrick Family Dentistry

Being One Step Ahead of Tooth Decay

You might know that a tooth cavity is the result of a decaying process. It starts when bacteria attacks leftover food particles on a tooth surface turning it acidic. Soon, a buildup of plaque and tartar will weaken that portion of enamel resulting to a cavity formation. If left unchecked, the decay will burrow deeper involving the dentin and the pulp or perhaps beyond the root tips. Intervention at this point will depend if the tooth can still be saved. The scenario looks dim but did you know that you can still reverse the process at that point before a cavity forms. Here are some helpful tips.

Firstly, always use fluoride. It is the mineral present in toothpaste, gels, drinking water, among other sources, that keeps tooth decay at bay. Both ways, it can prevent tooth decay progression and also stop or reverse early tooth decay. Fluoride replaces tooth minerals that are lost. It strengthens the enamel reducing the ability of mouth bacteria to secrete acid.

Practice the fundamental oral health routine. Protect your teeth from cavities and early decay or reverse the decay by proper and regular tooth brushing at least twice daily, flossing at least once daily and rinsing with mouthwash once or twice daily.

Have a healthy diet. Include vitamins & supplements to aid your diet. Fiber-rich foods promote saliva production that keeps your mouth hydrated. Foods that are rich in iron and Vitamin-B can aid calcium absorption and strengthen your enamel.

Avoid or cut-off unhealthy practices that put your oral health in peril. Habits like smoking, excessive alcohol intake, teeth grinding and clenching, excessive consumption of sugary and starchy foods, and neglect of oral hygiene can do a lot of damage to teeth and gums.

Visit the dentist regularly. Regular dental appointments ensure you are keeping tabs on your oral health status, at least every 6 months. Visitations include a complete oral examination, checking the presence of early cavities, the state of your gums and other oral structures. You will also need to have a professional cleaning done to remove the buildup of plaque and tartar that only a dentist can do.

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Prevention is Key in Bellingham

Learn more about cavity and tooth decay prevention by visiting your Bellingham dentist today. Remember what they say – an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

Causes and Treatments of Bad Breath

The ADA said that roughly half of adults have had bad breath at some point in their lives. Medically, it’s called halitosis, a multifactorial diagnosis, caused by a wide range of issues. If you rule out untreated cavities and gum disease, you’ll have left the top reasons for bad breath.

Poor oral hygiene. Undigested food left hanging around teeth or on the tongue gets broken down by bacteria, leaving that foul odor. Proper technique and frequency of brushing and flossing can eliminate the smell.
Dehydrated mouth. Decreased saliva production creates a dryer mouth where bacteria can feed on plaque and tartar resulting in bad breath.

For example, a low-carb diet forces the body to go into a state of ketosis, where acetone builds up and renders breath smelling fruity. Many prescription drugs can cause dry mouth as a side effect. Coffee can also dehydrate. Drinking lots of water to stay hydrated is important on top of good oral hygiene. OTC moisturizing gels, rinses, or sprays can also boost salivary flow, as well as chewing sugar-free lozenges.

Sticky sweets and desserts. They settle into the deep grooves of the teeth and provide ‘food’ for bacteria.” The more bacteria that’s present, the worse your breath will be. Limiting your sugar and brushing well can prevent bad breath.

Diabetes. Diabetics tend to have dryer mouths and are prone to foul breath. They may also have gum issues that heal poorly. It’s important to keep their sugar levels under control and be under the care of a periodontist to help maintain bone and gum tissue health.

Acid reflux or GERD. They cause stomach contents to regurgitate into the mouth; their acidity can cause the mouth to become super-dry and bacteria to multiply and cause foul breath. It can also thin enamel making them more prone to decay.

Alcoholism. Too much drinking can dehydrate contributing to poor salivary flow and excess plaque, triggering bad breath. Limit yourself to one to two drinks per occasion, and drink water with every cocktail to decrease the potential for alcohol-related dehydration.

Presence of illness. A cold or a sinus infection compels you to breathe through the mouth and mouth-breathing dries it out and causes less saliva flow. Ironically, some cold and sinus medications cause dry mouth as a side effect. Using nasal decongestant spray can alleviate stuffy nose and increasing your water intake can also help restore nasal breathing by re-hydrating the mouth. Snoring also causes mouth-breathing. See your dentist or an ENT specialist to get to the root cause of the issue.

Smoking. This habit generates heat in the mouth, dries it out and encourages bacteria growth. This can make you more susceptible to gum disease and cavities. Smoking cessation is key to your long-term oral health.

Skipping meals. Smells or thoughts of food trigger salivation. So missing meals can cause the salivary glands to slow down saliva production leading to a dry mouth and bad breath. Have regular meals and stay hydrated. Hydrate also if you are into intermittent fasting to help remove the sensation of bad breath.

Inflamed tonsils or tonsillitis. It can also cause bad breath. The larger the tonsils the more they hold food particles when you swallow, getting stuck on the tonsils’ irregular surface. Gargle and use a mouth rinse such as a salt water rinse. Your dentist can give prescription-grade products to help control bad breath caused by inflamed tonsils.

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Tetrick Family Dentistry in Bellingham

If you think your breath has become foul and you’re not sure how you got it, come and see Dr. Tetrick in Bellingham.

What You Need To Know about Teeth Grinding

Grinding or teeth clenching involves moving the jaw with the teeth held together. It’s called bruxism. It’s a fairly common reaction in some people during periods of concentration, anger, or stress, and often occurs without the person realizing it even if wide awake. If the condition occurs with some degree of frequency and severity it may lead to enamel erosion, dentin exposure and sensitivity or pain. So if a person becomes aware of it, the habit can potentially be stopped or reduced by modifying behavior.

Bruxism during sleep is very different from bruxism while awake. Sleep bruxism is not under a person’s conscious control and usually occurs throughout the night during periods of arousal as a person goes from a deep sleep to a lighter stage of sleep. This pattern may be repetitive many times during the night. Extreme forces generated by the jaws during grinding can result in overfatigue of the jaw muscles – resulting in morning jaw pain and jaw dysfunction. Sleep bruxism is not effectively treated by behavior modification or awareness and requires a different therapeutic approach. It also may be associated with a sleep disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnea.

Are you in the habit of clenching or grinding your teeth at night?

If you are not aware, here are some symptoms you might be experiencing. Facial pain and fatigue, especially in the jaw area, are common. Many who suffer from bruxism wake up with headaches, they have difficulty opening and closing their mouths, or feel a stiffness around the temporomandibular joint. If left untreated, bruxism can result in teeth becoming painful, sensitive or loose. Teeth may crack, chip or show wear in the enamel. Will your sleeping partner notice your teeth grinding? It’s possible the grinding noise can wake up your bedmate. However, bruxism can also be silent.

What causes bruxism?

Mainly, it’s physical or emotional stress. Physical factors that result in stress include fitness level of the body, nutritional state, and sleep habits. External emotional stressors can include finances, work and relationship issues. Children are not immune to stress either and sometimes it shows up as teeth grinding.

Treatment involves a visit to the dentist. Your dentist will help you ascertain the cause of the stress that might eliminate the grinding and clenching habits. Relaxing routine before bed can be helpful, like yoga, or a cup of tea or a warm bath. Jaw exercises can soothe and relax your overused muscles. A night guard can also be prescribed to cushion teeth during grinding and clenching.

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Beating Bruxism in Bellingham

If you are suffering from headaches, jaw pain and fatigue, and sometimes painful teeth, come see us soon at Tetrick Family Dentistry in Bellingham.

Tooth Sensitivity: Causes and Treatment

Did you know that 40 million adult Americans experience tooth sensitivity? While many are clueless about its causes, some know about the underlying problem. In any case, your dentist can render the proper diagnosis and treatment.

First let us look at the tooth anatomy to understand the origin of sensitivity. While hard enamel is the first protective layer of teeth, the next layer is the yellowish dentin, softer and containing many microscopic tubules filled with tiny nerve endings.The dentin extends down to the root of your tooth that is protected by a layer of cementum. Dentin hypersensitivity or nerve irritation occurs whenever dentin loses its protective covering of enamel or cementum, exposing the nerve endings to hot, cold, acidic or sticky foods.

Dental issues that cause sensitive teeth are many. Hard or aggressive tooth brushing can wear down the enamel. Highly acidic foods and beverages can also cause enamel erosion. Tooth decay, worn leaky fillings and chapped or cracked teeth can expose the dentin. Gum recession, a symptom of periodontitis, can also expose root surface. Teeth grinding is another culprit. Another cause of sensitivity is dental treatment, however, it is temporary and mostly associated with crown procedures, fillings and tooth bleaching.

How do you find relief for your pain and discomfort? Seeing your dentist is the first step. Discuss your symptoms, when they started and how tolerable is your discomfort. Be truthful when your dentist inquires about your oral hygiene practises, the foods you eat and the beverages you drink, other eating habits. Oral examination can reveal if you grind your teeth, and if wearing dentures make you uncomfortable. Your dentist can also confirm the presence of cavities or tooth decay.

Your dentist can treat the underlying cause of your sensitivity. Treatment may be as simple as fixing a cavity or replacing a worn filling. An in-office fluoride gel to strengthen the tooth enamel and reduce painful sensations can be applied. Over-the-counter desensitizing toothpastes can be prescribed to block off the nerve sensation. In cases of gum loss exposing the root, your dentist may refer you to a periodontist for a gum graft.

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Taking Care of Tooth Sensitivity in Bellingham

If you’ve been suffering from painful or disturbing sensitivity that keeps you from eating the foods you like, then see your Bellingham dentist as soon as you can.

Understanding the Effects of e-Cigarettes on Teeth

Vaping is still a trendy thing to do.

This is in spite of scary stories like possibly contracting a rare type of pneumonia or the gadget exploding inside the mouth. However, it’s been said that e-cigarettes are just as unhealthy as regular cigarettes. Just how unhealthy is vaping to health – oral health in particular? Is it’s effect on teeth as bad? Some dental experts weigh the perils.

How is Vaping bad for your teeth?

To understand how is to know how e-cigarettes work. Essentially vaping requires heating up a liquid, typically nicotine, to turn it into vapor that can be inhaled. The ADA warns that it’s providing heat in the mouth, changing the bacterial presence there and drying out the mouth.

Experts explain that the warmer mouth temperature caused by vaping creates an environment favorable to harmful bacteria. Vaping can lead to dental decay or cavities, bone loss, and inflamed gum tissue. Vaping on the mouth causes inflammation – and can make the mouth even more susceptible to infection.

Vaping is being actively researched and studied, being a new phenomenon. Many consider vaping and cigarette smoking relatively the same, as far as the effects on the teeth and gum tissues. Both methods provide the heat element which dries out the mouth. As the mouth dries the rate of tooth decay increases.

Another effect of vaping is the discoloration of the teeth. Teeth will darken with continuous vaping. Though e-cigarettes don’t contain tar, they do still contain nicotine – which adds to tooth darkening. Nicotine will stain teeth, roughening the enamel surface so that plaque and other colored particles will stick more readily and build up.

Hence, to say that e-cigarettes and vaping is a better alternative to cigarette smoking is just not true.

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Ask our Dentists at Tetrick Family Dentistry

Learn more about the effects of smoking and vaping on your oral health. We help you know about healthy habits to keep your teeth whiter and your breath fresher. Come see us in Bellingham.

Caring for Not Just You But for Two

Do brush and floss everyday.

Pregnant women need the protection of brushing with fluoride as well as flossing everyday. Pregnancy brings about hormonal changes affecting the way gums react to plaque. Many women can develop pregnancy gingivitis, a mild form of gum disease that most commonly develops between the second and eighth month. Gums become red, sore and bleed, causing irritation and discomfort. Untreated, this form of gingivitis can become more serious and may lead to premature labor and low birth weight.

Don’t miss a dental appointment.

Inform your dentist of your pregnancy, and any changes to medication. Dental checkups are safe, though consider it well if you have a restricting medical condition or your pregnancy is high-risk. Due to the possibility of gagging and feelings of nausea, first trimester treatments may be difficult, so it is better to defer them to the second. During the third trimester, sitting in a reclining dental chair may be uncomfortable. Try to schedule your visit early on to reduce the risk of a dental emergency while pregnant.

Do eat a nutritious diet.

Be conscious of what you eat and avoid frequent snacking. Have a well-balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean proteins. Limit sweet cravings because that increases the risk of tooth decay. Know that your baby’s teeth development is between the third and sixth month, so it is essential that they receive the vitamins, minerals and nutrients necessary to help their future teeth form correctly.

Do protect your teeth from morning sickness.

Many women experience this unpleasant side effect of pregnancy. Teeth can suffer enamel erosion due to acid exposure. Prevent erosion by rinsing with a teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in one cup of water following vomiting. Wait one hour for enamel to harden then follow with brushing. Use milder, more tolerable toothpaste flavors if you are too sensitive to the taste and smell.

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Dental Care in Bellingham

We cater to expectant moms here at Tetrick Family Dentistry in Bellingham. If you are expecting, let our professional team assess your oral health care needs during your pregnancy.

Daily Oral Care Routine Simplified

Good oral hygiene is composed of a set of habits necessary to keep teeth and gums healthy.

They are simple yet requiring a degree of discipline to achieve optimum oral health. Here are the top oral hygiene practices most dentists agree on as the most important ones.

Brush regularly but not too vigorously.

Correct technique makes brushing teeth effective. Brush using small circular motions, taking care to brush each tooth surface, avoiding the sawing back-and-forth motions. Hard brushing or using a hard-bristled toothbrush can damage enamel and hurt the gums. Remember that proper brushing takes between 2 and 3 minutes.

Use toothpaste and mouthwash with fluoride.

It helps prevent cavities and tooth decay because it strengthens enamel ny mineralization. Reviews say that brushing and flossing do not prevent a person from getting cavities if they do not use fluoride. Communities also incorporate fluoride in their drinking water as recommended by the WHO, the CDC and the ADA. On the other hand, mouthwashes are antibacterial. They help control plaque and gingivitis, and help prevent bad breath.

Flossing daily is recommended.

It can remove plaque and bacteria from between the teeth, where a toothbrush cannot reach. It can also help prevent bad breath by removing food debris trapped between the teeth.

Visit the dentist regularly.

Experts recommend a dental visit every six months, ideal to have professional cleaning done. However, it will depend on a person’s overall health, age and oral hygiene status on how frequent should a dental visit be. The dentist will be able to recommend.

Stop smoking.

It harms the body’s immune system, slowing down healing, including problems in the mouth. One is highly prone to gum disease, tooth discoloration, and bad breath.

Control sugar and starch intake.

Studies highlight the role of sugar in adverse dental health outcomes such as cavities and tooth decay. The WHO recommends limiting sugar intake to 10 percent of daily calories. Starchy food like crackers, bread, chips, and pasta, can cause tooth decay. The ADA says they break down into simple sugars that bacteria feed on that lead to acid that causes tooth decay. Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables are recommended. Drink water or unsweetened tea rather than sugary drinks.

Have questions for our Bellingham dentist?

It’s important to come get your check-up every six months with cleaning. Dentist will check if you have any issues with your gums, decay, etc. If you have any questions for our dentist, feel free to share your concerns or oral health questions.

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Understanding Painful Gums

Have you ever experienced gum pain? Do you know what is causing the pain in your gums?

Gum pain can be a sign of irritation, infection, or injury to the gums and teeth. It may be a transient symptom but It should be diagnosed to prevent further health complications.

What can cause painful gums?

Firstly, it may be due to brushing or flossing too hard or too frequently that can sometimes cause the gums to bleed and be painful. Or pain might be due to gum disease. Gingivitis causes gums to become tender, to swell or even bleed. If left unattended, it can develop into periodontitis, a more serious form where you can lose teeth. Then your gums may have cuts or injuries caused by sharp or hard foods or objects you put in your mouth. You may also accidentally bite down on the gums, which can sometimes cause pain and bleeding.

A very common cause of gum pain is tooth abscess. It’s the presence of pus or a pus-filled sac in the root of a tooth that can spread to neighboring tooth structures. It can cause gum swelling and pain. One must see a dentist right away as the abscess can also infect other body parts. Another infection that can cause gum pain is sinusitis. A bacterial or viral infection in the sinuses can cause swelling of the sinus cavity.

Women who are pregnant or undergoing menopause are experiencing hormonal fluctuations that cause tender, swelling gums. The gums can be painful and can bleed sometimes. Another manifestation of painful gums are the presence of small, painful ulcers called canker sores. They are multicausal, such as emotional stress, mouth injuries, an impaired immune system, or other underlying health conditions.

What is the treatment for painful gums?

The treatment for gum pain depends on what’s causing it. If it’s gingivitis, a professional cleaning is recommended and some careful homecare. If it’s its more serious form (periodontitis), surgery to repair bone or gum loss may be necessary. Antibiotics can be prescribed in cases of sinusitis, while its root canal therapy in tooth abscesses.

If it’s food that irritates or scratches the gums, then avoid foods that are acidic (like citrus fruits and tomatoes), spicy foods (containing chilis or hot peppers), sharp or scratchy foods (chips, nuts, or pretzels). For canker sores, take vitamin and mineral supplements, like iron and vitamin B-12.

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Looking After Gum Health in Bellingham

If you experience painful gums, if they persist and no home remedy seem to alleviate the symptoms, see us at Dr. Tetrick’s for a consultation, only here in Bellingham.

Cavities and Causes

A cavity is a damage of the structure of the tooth caused by acids that are created when plaque bacteria break down sugar in your mouth. A hole is created on the tooth surface which means there is a loss of minerals from the enamel layer. Left untreated, the plaque acids can also eat away at the next layer of the tooth which is the dentin. Nerves are now exposed and you can feel pain when eating or drinking.

Cavities and the decay they cause can be brought about by many factors. The most significant ones are sugary, sticky foods and beverages. The more sugar consumed, the more acid is produced, leading to decay. Sugar combines with plaque to weaken the enamel leaving you vulnerable to tooth decay.

Poor Oral Hygiene

Other factors to consider is poor oral hygiene which contributes to buildup of plaque. Plaque is caused when bacteria, acid, food particles, and saliva all combine in your mouth. Plaque contains acid that attacks the enamel of your teeth and cause cavities. To be neglectful of oral hygiene may mean one doesn’t brush and floss regularly and properly, and because one may not also keep regular dental visits and have professional cleaning done from time to time, oral hygiene also suffers.

Another cause of cavities is dry mouth. It’s a condition when you have very little saliva in your mouth. When the mouth is not sufficiently hydrated, it becomes an environment where bacteria thrives more and plaque builds up more quickly.

Medical problems can also contribute to cavity-formation. Conditions like reflux disease and bulimia increase the risk of cavities as teeth are repeatedly exposed to acid from frequent reflux or vomiting. Diabetes is a common chronic condition that increases the likelihood of gum infections that in turn make teeth susceptible to tooth decay. In addition, some types of cancer treatment that expose the head and neck to radiation can promote a tooth cavity by changing the makeup of the saliva to promote increased bacterial growth.

Cavity Symptoms

You can tell you may have a cavity if you notice some particular symptoms. As tooth decay progresses, cavity symptoms start to appear. The earlier symptoms are identified, the quicker and easier the cavity treatment will be. Do note the following symptoms for easy and prompt identification of a cavity.

Firstly, you feel pain; you may feel pressure, and certain sensitivity with pain and discomfort when biting down; another are pits – noticeable holes or in the affected tooth, yet sometimes only a dental x-ray can reveal it. Then, there’s pus, a sign of infection.

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Dental Checkup in Bellingham

If you think you might have a cavity, make an appointment at Tetrick Family Dentistry so our team can assist with treatment. Contact our office in Bellingham if you have any questions.

Dental Fillings and Associated Pain

If you have pain in your teeth or in your gums, chances are you may have cavity symptoms. Pain is usually associated with the presence of a cavity, though not always so. The degree of pain may depend on the extent of your tooth decay, and the treatment required would also depend on how far gone is the decay. When you visit your dentist, a dental filling can be recommended as a treatment option.

Dental fillings can relieve cavity pain and they are commonly used. Firstly, your dentist will numb the area where there’s a cavity, clean out the decayed material, and apply the dental filling material sealing that affected area where the cavity had been. After you are done with the procedure, you thought your troubles are over. It can happen and it is not unusual that you experience pain after the fillings. Why is that so? There are some reasons why it happens.

Tooth Sensitivity after Fillings

One is tooth sensitivity. A tooth that has just had a filling will be more sensitive to hot foods and cold foods, air temperature, and the biting pressure. It should resolve within a few weeks. If not, contact your dentist. Another reason is cracked or loose tooth fillings. If the filling is not fitting properly to the tooth, or if it develops cracks. If you suspect that, contact your dentist. Another is an allergic reaction to tooth fillings. Some people have allergic reactions to the material used for their fillings, such as silver. Be sure you discuss known allergies with your dentist.

So what can you do? At least avoid hot and cold foods after you’ve had a tooth filling. Also, use a toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth; it can minimize sensitivity and tooth pain after filling.

You can reduce your risk of tooth pain after filling a cavity by avoiding common sensitive teeth triggers, including very hot or cold foods. In addition, toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth can help minimize the possible sensitivity and tooth pain after filling a cavity.

You might also experience soreness after a cavity filling, in fact, sore teeth and gums are common after many dental procedures. Whether you suffer from short-term sore teeth after receiving a filling or long-term sensitive teeth, it is important to follow a complete oral care routine.

• Resort to gentle brushing with a soft bristle toothbrush.
• Floss softly and gently as well using a floss that is shred-resistant.
• Use a toothpaste for sensitive teeth.

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Dental Fillings in Bellingham

Do you have a cavity that’s causing you pain, discomfort or sensitivity? Come visit us for a consultation and treatment.