Cavities and Dental Decay

Some cavities are obvious some are not, but in all cases, it is best to find cavities when they are small and easily treated.  Laser cavity detection may not have been around for your Mom’s dentist, but it is here now!  Cavities, as most people know, are soft or rotten parts of your teeth that require professional treatment so that […]

Drugs and dentistry, specifically marijuana use and dentistry is a topic seen more often in the literature.  Marijuana use has a connection with your oral health.  So, yes, your dentist should care about your Marijuana use! This blogs reviews current findings and explains some of the dental associations related to Marijuana use and concerns your dentist may have. Should dentists […]

What is Disclosing Solution or Caries Detecting Dye? This blog describes the use of disclosing solution which is the same as caries detecting dye and shows photos of caries detecting dye used during tooth preparation. If your dentist is using disclosing solution or caries detecting dye that means they care about you and they care about your teeth!  Caries detecting dye […]

Without taking the time to really look at this tooth under different light conditions, and evaluating the grooves with a cavity detecting laser, this cavity or area of decay might be missed! The x-ray image was non-remarkable (no cavity or area of decay visible). The surface of the tooth was very hard when felt with an explorer. (Many of us […]

Bonded, Tooth-Colored Restorations –Still the Best Restoration for Small Cavities or Small Chips! Bonded, tooth-colored restorations also known as composite restorations have stood the test of time, and they are still the best restoration for small cavities!  For years dentists placed amalgam or silver fillings composed primarily of a 50/50 blend of silver and mercury.  First, the dentist would remove […]

When a tooth starts to decay, the tooth looses minerals in the affected area and gradually becomes weaker and weaker until a soft area or hole forms in the tooth – a cavity.  Early tooth decay may be treated as an area to ‘watch’ by your dentist. As the tooth decay progresses, the tooth is usually treated by drilling out […]

Research suggests that eating cheese may help prevent the development of cavities.  In a recent study published in General Dentistry, the Journal of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) found that consuming (eating!) cheese changes the pH in our mouths.  The pH is raised or becomes less acidic after eating cheese or at least the cheddar cheese tested.  And, this […]

Can you Have Healthy Gums and Rotten Teeth?  Yes, absolutely! Bacteria cause almost all the problems we see in patient’s mouths – except for trauma and muscle issues.  The problems directly attributable to bacteria are decay, cavities, gingivitis, periodontal disease, and infections,  So, if you can control the bacteria, you can control most of the problems we dentists see and spend our […]

Can you tell if you have a bad filling? The answer to this question is YES – usually you can! Patients should expect their dentist to provide the highest quality dental care. There should not be rough fillings, decay remaining below fillings – sealed in decay, or rough areas that are difficult to clean.  These types of defects allow the accumulation […]

Sometimes you can, ususally you can’t!  However, the more aware you are of what is going on in your mouth, the more likely you will be to notice if something changes.  Little things like your dental floss ‘catching’ on a rough area between your teeth or on the edge of a filling or a crown could mean that decay or […]