What are fillings used for?
Dental fillings are used to treat cavities. These cavities are caused by acid waste products from bacteria in your mouth that feed on sugars and starch. One of the primary ways your dentist can go about treating your cavity is by removing the decayed portions of it and then filling it up with material known as dental or tooth filling. But what types of fillings are available?
What are the types of dental fillings?
Having a cavity filled, which is a crucial area of your tooth decay, is a routine part of oral health care. When getting dental fillings, your dentist removes the affected portion of the tooth, leaving a hole or empty space. The space will then be filled to even out the tooth’s surface, making it “feel” right in the mouth and protecting it from further decay.
Silver amalgam fillings
This is the most common type of filling. Silver amalgam is a mixture of minerals that contains 50% silver, 50% tin, zinc, copper, and 50% mercury. It’s a popular filling material among dentists because it’s strong, durable, and inexpensive. A typical silver amalgam filling can last up to 12 years.
How to fix your smile with cosmetic dentistry
For many of us, the reason we don’t smile as much as we might is that we’re unhappy with the way our smile looks. But don’t worry, cosmetic dentistry can get your smile back on the right track.
Shaping Your Teeth
Enamel shaping and contouring removes enamel to shape your teeth into a more pleasing appearance. This can also be combined with bonding, to build up teeth with wide gaps or that are noticeably shorter.
Replacing Missing Teeth
If you have lost teeth in prominent positions, this can have a huge impact on the appearance of your smile. But there is no reason why you can’t replace a missing tooth. This can be by means of a bridge, which is a false tooth or teeth anchored to the surrounding teeth to hold them in place. Or you might opt for dental implants, in which a false tooth is implanted into the bone of the jaw.
How diabetes impacts your oral health
If you have diabetes, you’re more likely to have oral health problems like cavities, and infections of the gums and bones that hold your teeth in place because diabetes can reduce the blood supply to the area. If you have diabetes and you're over 50, your risk is even higher. Dental problems and age go hand-in-hand, whether or not you have diabetes.
Healthy Mouth Tips
Be sure to tell your dentist that you have diabetes. You may need to postpone some dental work if your blood sugar isn’t under control. Bring a snack and your diabetes medicine with you to your dental appointment to take after your treatment.
You should check your mouth and teeth regularly for any problems. Tell your dentist if you have pain, ulcers that don’t heal, or a loose tooth. Also, watch for any of the following signs of gum disease:
- Bleeding, red, or swollen gums
- Receding gums
- Pus between your gums and teeth
- Lingering bad breath or taste
- Discomfort or a difference in how your teeth feel when you bite down
Top questions parents ask about their children's teeth
New parents have a lot of questions—one important topic is their children’s teeth. We’re here to help you with answers from our team of professionals.
Do baby teeth matter?
The short answer is yes. Usually, we first see the front four teeth around six months during the dreaded “teething” stage. Like adult teeth, baby teeth are used for chewing, speaking, and smiling. But they are smaller and spaced further apart than adult teeth, so they also play an important role in maintaining space for the permanent teeth to come in. So if a baby tooth is lost or knocked out of the mouth prematurely, sometimes there are orthodontic consequences for that child’s future.
Does tooth decay increase the risk of a stroke?
Not only can quality oral health help improve the function and appearance of your smile, but recent studies have also found that better oral health can lower your risk of a variety of chronic illnesses, including stroke. Published in the journal Scientific Reports, one study highlights the recently discovered link between oral bacteria and hemorrhagic strokes. This type of stroke occurs when blood vessels in the brain rupture, causing bleeding.
Inflammation of the gums, also known as gingivitis, is a common condition characterized by swollen, often tender, and easily bleeding gums. If left untreated, gingivitis can progress to a more severe form of gum disease, known as periodontal disease.
Severe periodontal disease can result in tooth decay, bone loss, and even tooth loss. Some studies have even reported a potential link between tooth loss and greater risk for having strokes.
Do straight teeth matter?
Straight teeth create a beautiful smile, but did you also know there are benefits to your overall health? Here are five benefits of straight teeth you may not have known.
Better Digestion
When your teeth are crooked, you may not be able to chew your food properly. Poorly chewed food makes the intestines work longer and harder to properly digest whatever you've eaten. This issue can reduce the amount of nutrients you receive from your food, and it can also cause stomach issues.
Improved Speech
Crowded teeth or teeth that protrude where they shouldn't make it difficult to form certain sounds or speak clearly. Straightening your teeth can improve your ability to speak clearly and eloquently.
What is dental bonding?
Why are teeth so durable? Because your enamel is one of the strongest parts of your body. Chipping a tooth, however, is easier than you think. You can crack a tooth on a glass bottle, water fountain, ice cubes, or during childbirth. Teeth bonding can help repair chipped teeth and prevent them from further damage. Is it the right move for you?
What is Tooth Bonding?
Tooth bonding (dental bonding) is a cosmetic dental procedure that repairs a chipped, cracked, or otherwise broken tooth. It also helps with discolored teeth, gaps between the teeth, and even lengthening a tooth that’s shorter than the rest.
The “bond” is a composite resin that goes over where your tooth broke to make it look as good as new. Unlike a crown, the composite color will be similar to the color of the tooth, so it continues to look natural. Why choose tooth bonding, even for a small chip? Many people are most concerned with their smile, but fixing chips and cracks is also vital for your overall oral health. It helps you chew properly and prevents further damage that could even threaten the health of the surrounding teeth.
What is periodontal therapy?
Gum disease may go by many names (periodontal disease, gingivitis and periodontitis) but they all refer to the infiltration of bacteria-laden plaque into the gums. Left untreated, the condition worsens, and a wide range of symptoms can develop, including:
- Bleeding when brushing
- Red, swollen, sore gums
- Infections, that could spread beyond the gum and to other parts of the body
- Extreme pain
What types of periodontal therapy are available?
Scaling and root planing
Scaling and root planing is essentially a deep clean of your teeth and gums, with the aim of removing any plaque or tartar that has spread below the gums, causing the periodontal disease. However, it is more involved than a general professional clean. During the scaling, the bacteria is removed from the surface of the tooth and the periodontal pockets. Next, the root surfaces are smoothed, and any infected tooth structure is removed. This part of the process is known as planing.
Should you get a tooth extraction?
Just because you have some pain in your tooth doesn’t mean you should rush to the family dentistry to have the tooth pulled out. Look for certain signs and symptoms which may indicate that the tooth needs to be extracted.
When Should You Consider Tooth Extraction
When should a tooth be extracted? When a tooth becomes infected, damaged or decayed beyond repair. If a tooth cannot be repaired with a crown or dental filling because of trauma caused by an accident or extensive decay, tooth extraction may be your only option. A tooth that’s severely decayed or damaged can no longer remain in the mouth, and prolonging its removal can risk worsening the infection and can cause general health issues.
Similarly, impacted wisdom teeth occur when there’s a lack of room for the wisdom teeth to erupt, which causes them to grow sideways and damage other teeth. This can result in jaw pain, discomfort, overcrowding, tooth decay and gum infection. Other reasons teeth need to be extracted can include: Extra teeth that are blocking other teeth from coming in; if baby teeth do not fall out in time to allow permanent teeth to come through; to create room for teeth that are being moved into place with braces.
Should you scrape your tongue?
A tongue scraper is a small, metal, or plastic tool that helps remove bacteria, food debris, and dead cells from your tongue. Not only does this help freshen your breath, but it also reduces your risk of developing cavities and other gum diseases. Tongue scrapers come in different shapes and sizes, and you can find them at most convenience or drug stores.
What are the benefits of using a tongue scraper?
Tongue scraping has many benefits, especially when used together with brushing and flossing. These include:
- By removing the bacteria that cause bad breath, you can kiss your morning breath goodbye.
- One of the most important benefits of tongue scraping is that it helps remove bacteria from your tongue. Brushing and rinsing alone only remove the outer layer of bacteria, but the cells beneath it still thrive.
- Researchers discovered that using a tongue scraper twice a day can improve your sense of taste.
- The process of digesting your food begins in your mouth. The enzymes in your saliva help break down your food for easy digestion. Tongue scraping helps activate those enzymes for better digestion.
How to make sure your cracked tooth doesn't get infected
Have you or a loved one cracked their tooth? The crack provides access for bacteria to enter and cause infection. When you crack a tooth, it’s important to know what to do until you can get to a dentist to avoid further injury. Here is a guide to help you.
Evaluate the Damage
If your tooth simply cracked on a piece of food or you lost part of a tooth that was already rotting, then you can simply apply ice to the area to reduce swelling and pain. If your tooth was damaged due to an accident or head/face trauma, then you should see a medical doctor or go to the emergency room right away. You want to address all bodily damage in addition to your lost or fractured tooth. A dental emergency is serious. Call your dentist right away if you are experiencing severe pain, vomiting, dizziness, or other problems after chipping or cracking a tooth.