General

The Advantages of Crowns

Crowns restore the function and aesthetics of the original tooth that is damaged or decayed. They protect the teeth and prevent sensitivity to outside elements, keep teeth from drifting or fill up a space between teeth. They also hold a bridge together and cover implants. Even if crowns are the most common restoration option to prolong a tooth’s life, it is not for every damaged tooth.

There are some indications crowns are your best options and, sometimes, the only viable option. A long crack in a tooth, especially if it extends to the gum line necessitates a crown. A tooth like this may split open and will definitely not heal by itself so a crown is your best option. Too large a filling can also endanger tooth integrity, weakening the walls and causing breakage.

If there is too much erosion or wear of the teeth’s top surfaces, common among teeth grinders or in those with frequent acid reflex, tooth material becomes soft and weak and unable to bear stress. Also, crowns are indicated in weakened teeth that have undergone root canal. Finally, there are pediatric cases where these are most helpful.

Bellingham Dentist: Crowns When You Need Them

Here at Tetrick Family Dentistry, our experienced dentists will tell you if crowns are not for you and will provide other helpful options. As in cases when the use of appropriate filling materials is sufficient to preserve and save the tooth, crowns are not necessary, or if a patient’s delicate health prevents the preparation for crowns. Crowns are common and have many advantages, but to be of optimal benefit for the individual patient they must be indicated for the condition.

What causes hypersensitive teeth?

If it happens that your teeth easily responds to heat or cold stimuli, even a touch or suction, there you experience an abrupt, transient discomfort or pain. More often, you will not mind it since the discomfort passes quickly. You can pick out which is the offending tooth and you just try to keep it out of the way of the stimulus. Well, it’s just not the way to handle the situation. Before it gets any worse or before the pain becomes a full-blown crisis, the wisest thing to do is see your dentist right away.

You may have hypersensitive teeth. Its most common causes are exposure of the roots because the gums have receded, and the other is exposure of dentin, which is the layer underneath the tooth’s enamel that has eroded. If your gums are no longer hugging your root surfaces, it might be due to harsh brushing or harsh toothpaste, or a chronic inflammation of the gums. If there is enamel erosion, the causes can be high acidic food intake, frequent bleaching, or smoking, any of which can soften enamel and expose your dentin. Dentin has numerous microscopic tubules that lead to the pulp, where nerves are present and are sensitive to outside elements.

Other common causes of tooth hypersensitivity are a cavity, a cracked or chipped tooth, or a recently place dental filling material. To determine how to resolve this is a visit to the dentist.

Care and Attention to Sensitivity

Your Bellingham dentists can identify or rule out any underlying causes of your tooth sensitivity. Depending on the circumstances, he might recommend desensitizing toothpaste, fluoride, bonding or root canal. Dr. Tetrick has seen many such cases of highly sensitive teeth. He will say that your teeth are trying to tell you what’s wrong and that you should not ignore the symptoms.

Dentist Recommendation

A family dentist is considered the primary health provider in oral health, whose main concern is to maintain good dental hygiene and dental well-being. He is the first to see cavities, decay or swelling and the first to diagnose and give treatment. If you keep regular appointments with him and are faithful to his recommendations, you are more or less certain your oral health is in tip-top performance and may not need a specialist.

A family dentist sees patients in all age brackets – ranging from infants to the elderly. It would not be unusual for you to see young and old customers mix in his waiting room while the doctor switches styles to adjust to his particular patients. They make great public relations personas. If you are in the look-out for a good family dentist, check out your locality and ask around. You’d get first-hand experiences from relatives nearby or from neighbors and friends. Your dentist may have garnered a solid and favorable reputation through years of practice, and whose credentials are impressive.

If you have kids in the family or an elderly parent, go see your family dentist. Chances are, he might even be the dentist you’ve been seeing since childhood, as recommended by your dad or mom. That dentist might be seeing your entire family and it’s good to have a friend like that close by.

Family Dentist in Bellingham

The practice has been around many years and is beloved by the community. The expertise and warmth of Dr. Gary Tetrick and Dr. Jill Tetrick and their bevy of affable staff tell you there is no need to look further than Tetrick Family Dentistry in Bellingham.

All types of Smoking are Risky

A smoker’s unmistakable breath is just one of the signs of this addiction to nicotine. Fumes cling to tooth surfaces, on the tongue, the hard palate, the sinuses, and the soft moist lining of the mouth. If it goes unabated, not even regular brushing and flossing routines can keep the effects of smoking at bay.

Among other things, a smoker’s dentition is the color of yellow to darkish yellow, even brownish; there’s buildup of plaque and tartar that leads to cavities formation, swelling and discoloration of gums, loss of bone in the jaws, and blockage of salivary gland openings. Smokers are difficult cases for implant procedures due to brittleness of their jaw bones, and for surgical procedures like extraction, periodontal treatment, or oral surgery because their wounds do not heal easily. Furthermore, smokers are at a higher risk for oral cancer.

Just like smoking cigarettes, those who indulge in pipe-smoking and cigars face the same risks and oral health problems, in particular, loss of bone in the jaws, loss of teeth, gum disease and throat cancer. And don’t think that smokeless tobacco is safer. These products, either inhaled or chewed, are loaded with many different cancer-producing chemicals, have higher levels of nicotine than regular cigarettes, and are irritants to the mouth’s soft tissues and the teeth’s enamel.

Consider also that your risks for developing these harmful effects is proportionate to how long you’ve been in the habit, how many sticks consumed per day, and how deeply the fumes are inhaled. There is just no way you can beat the odds if kicking the habit doesn’t happen sooner.

Bellingham Dentistry and the Smoker Patient

The Tetrick’s dental practice has seen a lot of smokers as patients and have treated many smokers’ dental issues. While quitting the habit is more a medically consulted issue, we at Dr Tetrick’s are willing to help patient’s committed pursuit to regain oral health if so desired.

Risk of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea affects 18 million Americans alone, like 1 n every 15, or about 6.6% of the population. It is described as stoppage of breathing while asleep, from 10 to 30 seconds per night to upwards of 400 seconds in severe cases. Each time, your brain is deprived of small amounts of vital oxygen. You might not be aware of the condition, but some advanced cases see waking up every 30 seconds per episode during the night. Sleep apnea is a chronic condition and a progressive one as well; it gets worse over time.

While sleeping, the soft tissue in the back of your throat collapses and blocks your air passage. It’s called obstructive sleep apnea. The less common type is central sleep apnea where no air blockage occurs but your brain seems to fail to send signals to the muscles to breathe. It affects, predominantly, over 40 males who are overweight and with larger neck circumferences. Apart from a family history of sleep apnea, sufferers may also have large tonsils and tongue, and a small jaw bone. Other risk factors are presence of a reflux disease or some type of nasal obstruction.

While sleep apnea undermines a lot of day activities, such as work and school activities resulting to poor performance and work and vehicular accidents, the threat to overall health is more than alarming. Statistics show the relationship of sleep apnea to a host of health issues, as depression, hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes.

Bellingham Dentistry Treats Sleep Apnea

Bring anyone in your family who you believe is at risk for sleep apnea to the Tetrick Dental Clinic in Bellingham. Dr. Gary Tetrick, longtime dental practitioner of Bellingham with a Doctorate in Dental Surgery, is also a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. He is your expert professional in Bellingham for sleep apnea.

When Do You Need A Root Canal?

Root Canal Treatment, or just Root Canal, is the option preferred for saving a natural tooth in distress. Toothache signals that there is inflammation or infection in the pulp, that living component inside the tooth that goes down to the roots. Rich in nerves and blood supply, the pulp succumbs to bacterial infection and decays, leaving no option for it than to be taken out. Otherwise, the infection can destroy the entire tooth, spread to the surrounding soft tissue and bone.

It is not only pain that signals pulp distress, but sensitivity to heat or cold, tenderness when chewing or touching, discoloration of the tooth, swelling of the gums in the root area. Sometimes there is no pain at all. Beginning cavities and old, large fillings can give signals of pulp condition.On the other hand, there are cases when a root canal is not indicated, like in teeth with severely fractured roots, or if the tooth is already wobbly or loose in its socket, not having enough bone support.

Properly called endodontic treatment, it involves removal of the pulp all the way to the roots, the chambers cleaned and disinfected, and then filled and sealed with a rubber-like material (called gutta percha). If there is still tooth material left, it can be restored with filling material or with a crown to offer protection. You have saved the tooth and it is looking as natural as the rest.

Having Root Canal in Less Time at Bellingham

It cannot be stressed enough how important are regular dental visits. Here at Dr. Tetrick’s, our dental practice is geared more towards prevention. Every visit is a thorough oral examination to assess your oral health. If not extraction, should root canal be the option for you, rest assured that your Bellingham dentists’ modern techniques and facilities will get this otherwise lengthy procedure done in less time than most.

Why Periodontal Disease is not a pretty picture

Periodontal disease is a chronic form of an otherwise preventable and simple gum inflammation. A redness, swelling and tenderness of the gums most times are not bothersome or painful and, hence, you are likely not to mind it at all. If you are too busy to go for dental visits also, you are likely to miss being diagnosed and proper treatment is delayed.

Gingivitis soon escalates into its chronic form and tell-tale signs of periodontal disease starts to appear. Statistics show that almost half of Americans will have the disease by the age of 30, and given that the condition increases with age, we are looking at more people with periodontal disease in their maturing years. Bacterial invasion leading to plaque formation, leading to tartar build-up are making teeth and gums more difficult to clean. Unbeknownst to you, the invasion has reached under the gums and that initiates gingivitis. By the time chewing becomes painful, teeth start to move in their sockets, and gums are pulling away and exposing roots, you are having a full-blown periodontal disease. Remember that this condition is a disease of the gums, and not of the teeth.

Apart from poor oral hygiene, dry mouth and smoking, aggravated by diabetes, heredity, or AIDs, compounded with old dental fillings and ill-fitting dentures, the patient may still find hope with a committed attitude to change and better manage his condition.

Periodontal Care in Bellingham

We at Tetrick Family Dentistry are just as committed to all periodontal cases who commit themselves to expert, proper, and state-of-the-art treatment for this condition at our dental center. The sooner you start with our periodontal care, the sooner we can save your teeth and your smile.

Causes of Bleeding Gums

Gingivitis, or inflammation of the gums, is an early sign and one of the main culprits of bleeding gums. Your gums are tender and swollen if they have gingivitis and bleed easily when you brush or floss. Continue to brush and floss properly with soft-bristled brush and see your dentist to seek treatment for your gingivitis. Untreated gingivitis can lead to the more serious periodontitis when not just gum bleeding occurs but possible destruction of gum tissue and jaw bones, and tooth loss.
Or when you haven’t floss for a time, you’d notice bleeding when you floss anew as food debris has built up in-between your teeth. Dislodging them may cause some short-term bleeding.

Your gums may also bleed from nutritional deficiencies like low vitamin C and vitamin K provided by citrus fruits and green, leafy vegetables. Pregnant women are also prone because hormonal and chemical changes in their systems encourage bleeding gums; this condition resolves on its own after giving birth, though. Also, if part of your medication includes aspirin and other blood thinners, your gums may bleed frequently as these drugs eliminate blood’s clotting factors.

Sometimes, it’s just harsh brushing and flossing that cause gums to easily bleed. A change to a gentle routine, soft bristles and gentle toothpaste may help resolve your situation. However, if bleeding continues unabated and in spite of your countermeasures, do not hesitate to consult with your dentist, the person you turn to in matters of dental concerns, including emergencies.

Emergency Dentist in Bellingham

For your emergency dental concerns, including unexplained gum bleeding, seek out your Bellingham dentists here at Tetrick Family Dentistry. We have seen and cared for all manner of dental emergencies in our 40 years in the community. Do not fear but do not tarry. Come see us soon.

Allergies in Dentistry

If you have allergies to specific items used in dental treatment, it shouldn’t mean that you will keep yourself away from receiving proper dental care. There are ways your dentist can provide alternative methods of care. To be certain you have true allergies to specific things, it is best you are tested by a medical doctor; sometimes people think they have allergies when in fact, they don’t.

Let us look at some allergies seen in dental practice. It is also good to know what it will mean to your dental management should you have true allergies.

Allergies to penicillin affect a small percentage of the population. With allergies to this drug, it means you cannot be given penicillin or any in the family of this class. Your dentist may give you an antibiotic that is stronger for you, in which case both of you will have to be watchful for side effects. A much lesser strength alternative might be too slow or weak in battling your infection which might lead to a lengthier dose regimen.

You might be allergic to certain metals which are commonly used in implants, bridges and dentures. Your dentist may have to fabricate crowns for you that are entirely devoid of metals which can make your appliance more expensive, weaker and prone to stresses. You will have to be more cautious in using your crowns.

Another allergic reaction is one some patients manifest towards latex gloves used by dentists and hygienists. Most reactions are immediate and can be handled safely in the dental office. Yet another is anaphylaxis which may result from dental anesthesia, though rare, or a drug-to-drug interaction with a medication the patient is currently taking.

Patient Safety first against Allergies

Bellingham dentistry practices safe dentistry. It is standard operation procedure to take all patients’ thorough medical and dental history; the littlest details are always considered. For your safety and well-being, our staff are highly trained and equipped in all manner of dental emergencies.

The Fearful and the Anxious

You might be one of those types who, because of a past painful or stressful experience in a dental chair, so going to the dentist is not the easiest thing to do. A small percentage of people, have a serious fear and will not seek preventive or restorative treatment for any reason. There are also patients that despite their anxiety, will only go for treatment when absolutely necessary.

Dentists understand this fear and take steps to alleviate patient’s unease. Firstly, a dental practice will have comfortable chairs, relaxing background music, lighting and decor, engaging or even fun activities for children such as reading, games, television, other pleasant distractions that keeps patients relaxed.

A huge part of managing patient fear rests in the able and compassionate interaction of the dental staff and the patient. Both dentist and staff take pains to explain prescribed procedures, what to expect, and their outcomes. If they make claims of pain-free, then it must be so. If something may be uncomfortable, they must say so and why. For sedation and pain-blocking, there are options like oral sedatives, local analgesia, IV sedation, and the tested nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, which is inhaled gas that sedates and relaxes.

No Fear, Gentle Bellingham Dentistry

Our Bellingham dentists and staff are some of the most welcoming professionals in the practice. We do our best to understand all patients’ concerns and welcome all who come for treatment and that includes those anxious visitors who range from kids to adults. We let our patients talk about their fears to be able to understand them and to anticipate concerns.

If you are anxious, or know anyone who needs dental services in Bellingham, come over to Dr. Tetrick’s and let’s talk about it.