What is a Root Canal?

A root canal is a dental procedure that is performed on an infected tooth. When the pulp of your tooth becomes infected, it will likely need a root canal. The pulp is a soft substance inside your tooth, below the enamel. It contains blood vessels and nerves, which is why an infection in the pulp of your tooth can become quite uncomfortable.

During a root canal procedure, our team will start by numbing the area. A sheet is placed over the tooth to protect adjacent teeth and to keep the target tooth clean. A small canal is drilled into the enamel of the tooth and the infected pulp is removed. The area is thoroughly cleaned to ensure that all infected material is gone so that it cannot spread to other areas of your oral cavity.

Once this is complete, the canal is filled with a rubber-like material to protect the nerves of your tooth. A temporary crown is then placed over the repaired tooth. You will then need to return in a few weeks when the permanent crown is ready. The temporary crown will be removed, and the permanent crown will be cemented into place.

Why Are Root Canals Performed?

The goal of a root canal is to save your natural tooth and relieve discomfort caused by the infection. When your natural tooth is lost, your gums are susceptible to recession and you can lose bone density underneath the tooth. The adjacent teeth are also more likely to suffer from decay and gum disease.

A root canal allows our professionals to preserve the roots and core of your tooth while also placing a crown over the damaged area. The crown allows you to use the tooth without fear of irritating the nerves of it. If you would like to learn more about root canals, contact our offices in Milwaukie or Oregon City today.

Benefits of Wearing a Night Guard

A constantly aching jaw is a tell-tale sign that you grind your teeth. Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is a pretty common condition in which you grind or clench your teeth unconsciously. Some people do it all day long, while others suffering from night bruxism only do so at night. There are no set reasons for why people develop bruxism, but whatever the reason, maybe it can lead to severe dental and oral health problems.

Thus, doctors recommend wearing a night guard while sleeping. Even though it may be uncomfortable for some, and it will take time to get used to sleeping with the mouthguard at night, it does offer several benefits.

Benefits of Wearing a Night Guard

• Prevents Teeth Deterioration — Constant teeth grinding can cause uneven wear and tear of the teeth, leading to severe tooth damage. A night guard acts as a protective barrier between the upper and lower jaw, preventing tooth wear and damage.

If you want to get a customized night guard, visit ComfortCare Dental. We can identify whether you have bruxism or not and devise a proper treatment plan to relieve you of the symptoms and protect your oral and dental health.

Dental Care for People with Dementia

Maintaining good oral health can significantly boost your overall well-being. Regular dental can help to prevent different oral conditions like cavities and infections before they develop. This way, you can avoid pain when chewing, drinking, and communicating. However, people living with dementia are more prone to tooth decay and gum disease primarily because they can’t perform daily activities like others.

At ComfortCare Dental, our dentists can help you or your primary health giver set an oral hygiene routine to keep teeth and gums clean at all times.

The Link Between Sugar and Oral Health in Dementia Patients

A person with dementia can experience an increase in sugar cravings. This leads to excess consumption of sweets, candy, chocolate, and cake, creating a domino effect that leads to tooth decay and several health complications. Instead, people with dementia should opt for tooth-friendly snacks like vegetables, whole-grain bread, fresh fruit, and sugar-free dairy products.

If you’re experiencing toothache as a result of succumbing to your sugar cravings, we recommend visiting our dentists at ComfortCare Dental.

How People with Dementia Can Improve Oral Health

The best way to avoid consuming sugar is by banishing all sugary and unhealthy food from your fridge and pantry. People with dementia should ensure they clean their mouth twice a day. If they’re reluctant or unable to do it themselves, their primary caregiver should help them. Secondly, many people with dementia have dentures. You must ensure that they’re clean and tight at all times.

They might need to form new cleaning habits such as using a soft brush or a different toothpaste. This change in care or routine often confuses people with dementia and makes them uncomfortable. So, they need short and clear instructions to gradually adapt to the change.

• Learn more about Dentistry for Seniors

At ComfortCare Dental, our dentists can gently guide people with dementia and demonstrate what to do to ensure good oral health. To schedule an appointment with us, call us at our Milwaukie or Oregon City offices today.

Treatment for Dental Cavities

Dental cavities are one of the most common dental problems. They can be hard to catch right away and when left untreated, they can cause toothache, infections and even lead to tooth loss.

That’s why it’s so important to schedule regular visits with your dentist so that they may catch any cavities in their early stage when they are still treatable. So, call our offices in Milwaukie or Oregon City to book your appointment at ComfortCare Dental.

Here are some of the ways they might treat your dental cavities depending on their severity.

Fluoride Treatment

If the cavity is still in its early stage, your dentist might recommend some fluoride treatment that involves brushing a gel or liquid onto your teeth. This can help reverse the damage done by the cavity and restore your enamel.

Dental Fillings

If the bacteria have started penetrating the teeth and caused damage, your dentist will resort to fillings. They will drill a hole into the teeth to clean out any decay and damaged tissue and then fill it with resin or porcelain to seal the tooth.

Dental Crowns

If the cavity has spread even more and there is decay all over the tooth, your dentist will suggest you get crowns. Again, they will drill and clean out the decay and then fit a crown over your natural tooth to protect and restore its function.

Root Canal

If the decay has reached the root of the tooth, the dentist will have to perform a root canal. This will involve cleaning out the entire root or pulp of the tooth and any other damaged tissue from inside the tooth. Then, they will fill and seal the tooth with a crown.

Tooth Extraction

In case the cavity has caused so much damage that the tooth is beyond saving, your dentist will simply have to go for tooth extraction to remove the decay completely. You can then consider getting a dental implant or bridge for the missing tooth.

Dental cavities can often be quite painful and uncomfortable as well. If your dentist appointment is still a few days away, try brushing your teeth with warm water and avoid hot or cold food for a while to soothe your teeth.

Everything You Need to Know About Dental Crowns

If you are looking to save a tooth that has been severely damaged, you may be discussing dental crowns with us soon. A dental crown is a cap that is placed on top of a damaged tooth. This cap is tooth-shaped and is used to cover, protect and restore the function and appearance of teeth.

When is a Dental Crown Needed?

Dental crowns are needed to:

• Cap a decayed or damaged tooth

• Protect teeth after a dental implant

• Protect teeth after a root canal treatment

• Hold together a tooth that is cracked

• Hold dental bridges in place

• Improve discolored teeth

Depending on your specific situation, our doctors will suggest a crown material from the following crown types:

• Ceramic

• Porcelain fused to metal

• Porcelain

• Metal

Dental Crown Preparation

We conduct a few steps to assess and trim your tooth for a dental crown. Patients who have deep cavities need to have a root canal treatment performed first. In addition, if there isn’t much of the original tooth left above the gum line, we might use a filler material to build a foundation for the dental crown.

Under normal circumstances, getting a crown requires a minimum of two visits. During the first appointment, we might trim your tooth down so that the dental crown can fit comfortably. A dental impression is then taken for the formation of the crown.

A temporary crown is then fitted on the tooth. Lastly, the dental laboratory uses the impression to make the final crown. At your next appointment, our dentist will remove the temporary crown and replace it with the permanent one.

Once the crown is in place, you might experience some sensitivity, which often means that the crown needs further adjustment. Make sure to brush and floss regularly so that your gum line and crown remain healthy and in optimal conditions.

To schedule an appointment with us and benefit from high-quality dental services, contact our offices in Milwaukie or Oregon City today!

How Many Times Should I Use Floss?

Even though brushing your teeth twice a day is very important, it is just as important to use a dental floss to clean in between your teeth and beneath the gum lines.

Food debris and bacteria can creep into the tiny spaces between your teeth and beneath the gum line, giving rise to plaque that can erode your enamel. The worst part is that you will never know about these hidden cavities until they become severe.

That is why Dr. Chung at ComfortCare Dental recommends using floss in places that your toothbrush cannot reach.

Should You Use Anything to Remove Food Debris Stuck in Your Teeth?

If you are relaxing on the couch watching your favorite Netflix show and you feel something stuck in between your teeth, it can be very tempting to pull it out using anything pointy that is nearby, most often your nail. According to surveys, about 61% of Americans use their fingernail and about 40% use a folded card to pull out food debris stuck in their teeth.

However, not only these improvised toothpickers not clean your teeth sufficiently, they may hurt your gums as well. It is important that you use dentist-accepted interdental cleaners like floss, dental picks, water flossers, and tiny brushes to clean food debris.

When Should I Clean In Between my Teeth?

As long as you floss your teeth at least once a day, it doesn’t really matter when. You can pick anytime of the day to spend a few minutes cleaning in between your teeth and beneath your gumline. You can also use floss to clean away food debris from between your teeth after every meal.

Parents should cultivate the habit of using floss in children as young as three years old. They should start cleaning in between their children’s teeth as soon as their child gets two teeth right next to each other. Since children cannot correctly floss on their own, you should help them floss at least until they turn eight.

Flossing or interdental cleaning is not supposed to be painful. It is normal to feel slight discomfort when you start cleaning in between your teeth after a long while, however, this feeling will quickly go away. If your gums continue to become irritated every time you floss, it could point to some other oral issue and you should get an appointment with us at our offices in Milwaukie, Oregon City, or our Mobile Dental Clinic to treat it.

Effects of Smoking on the Teeth

A healthy smile is the first thing you notice on a person’s face and is often considered as a basic grooming essential. Everyone knows that smoking is bad for health. However, what many people might not know is how smoking is bad for the teeth. Here are some of the effects of smoking on teeth.

Stained Teeth

There are numerous effects of smoking on the teeth, but one of the most apparent effects happens to be the blackening/yellowing of the teeth. The nicotine and tar present in cigarettes and other similar products can settle on the surface of the teeth, giving it that stained appearance.

These effects can be reversed if you quit smoking and resort to brushing your teeth regularly. However, in some severe cases, it becomes quite difficult to get rid of these stains. Furthermore, besides the teeth, smoking can sometimes cause the gums to darken as well.

Bad Breath

People also tend to develop a distinctively smokey breath right after smoking. However, more importantly, over time it can also cause bad breath that is hard to eliminate even after brushing. This is because the act of smoking often affects saliva production, which then leads to dry mouth and the growth of bacteria. These lead to bad breath.

Gum Diseases

Smokers, as compared to nonsmokers, are more likely to develop gum diseases, which usually attack the roots of the teeth, loosening the gums and making room for bacteria to grow. This in turn causes the teeth to fall out after developing decay.

Damage to Enamel

Our teeth are covered with a very sophisticated coating of enamel that naturally protects them from decay and certain problems, such as pain and sensitivity to certain foods and beverages. Long term smoking damages the enamel.

The best way to get rid of the effects of smoking on your teeth is by giving up smoking altogether. After that, if you still notice any problems or pain, you can contact our offices in Milwaukie, Oregon City, or our Mobile Dental Clinic for a consultation.

Oral Health Benefits That Come With Eating Berries

Berries are a delicious, healthy way to add a variety of vitamins and minerals as well as water and fiber to your diet. Many berries are even considered superfoods because they contain powerful antioxidants that can help reduce your risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and other medical conditions. But did you know that berries also have important benefits for your oral health?

Polyphenols Prevent Tooth Decay

New research has shown that dark-colored berries such as blueberries and cranberries contain compounds that can protect your teeth from decay-causing bacteria. These natural antioxidant compounds, known as polyphenols, prevent harmful bacteria from attaching to your teeth and gums, thus reducing the risk of plaque buildup, tooth decay, and even gum disease. The polyphenols in cranberries specifically are known to linger in our saliva after swallowing, meaning that they continue to be beneficial to our teeth beyond just while we are eating the berries. Researchers have even begun experimenting with extracting polyphenols from dark-colored berries for use in oral health care products. The extracts themselves are sugar-free, meaning that they could be added to products like toothpastes and mouthwashes without introducing any counterintuitive sugar.

Proanthocyandins Can Protect Against Gum Disease

In addition to polyphenols, blueberries also contain other antioxidants known as proanthocyandins, or PACs. Studies have shown that PACs are effective at protecting your teeth from a certain strain of bacteria that is responsible for aggressive forms of gum disease. These antioxidants also protect immune cells in our mouths called oral macrophages, and can decrease inflammation, which is another factor in the development of gum disease.

Adding Berries to Your Diet

Consuming blueberries, cranberries, and other antioxidant-rich berries is beneficial to your oral and overall health. However, it is important to note that like any fruit, berries contain natural sugars that can still be damaging to your teeth in high amounts. If you want to add berries to your diet, try eating them in moderation, as a component of your meals rather than on their own.

Contact our offices in Milwaukie, Oregon City, or our Mobile Dental Clinic to learn more about how you can prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

How to Care for Swollen Gums Until We Can See You

Swollen gums are frequently a symptom of a much greater problem. Bruxism — teeth-grinding, often during a patient’s sleep — can cause gums to swell due to the pressure and damage inflicted upon the teeth. Swollen gums can also be a symptom of gum disease, which can become irreversible if not caught in time. There are times where an external injury can lead to swollen gums, but these instances can weaken the gums enough to make them vulnerable to gum disease. Our office recommends making an appointment as soon as possible when a patient has swollen gums. Until the day of the appointment, there are some ways to treat the swollen gums to reduce pain and damage.

Proper Oral Hygiene Is the Best Treatment

Whereas good oral hygiene alone is not enough to fix significant oral health issues, good oral hygiene can prevent the problem from worsening and reduce the pain. Brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and rinsing daily with mouthwash will remove harmful bacteria from the affected area. Patients should double-check their toothpaste, their mouthwash, and their floss to determine whether any of them are the cause for the swollen gums. Patients should refrain from tobacco use and excessive drinking; one of the many problems that these habits cause is gum irritation. And patients with swollen gums should modify their diets to prevent unnecessary aggravation to the gums; patients should refrain from eating sugary foods, acidic foods and beverages, and food that can easily get stuck between teeth. Conversely, patients should eat foods that promote good oral health, such as vegetables and cheese.

Attempting to treat swollen gums with home remedies only is a mistake due to the many underlying causes and complications associated with swollen gums. Good oral health routines are important, but patients with swollen gums should call our office and schedule a dental exam immediately.

If you have any questions, please contact our offices in Milwaukie, Oregon City, or our Mobile Dental Clinic.