Crown Problems

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by Lynnwood Song Dental

If you have a crown, it may occasionally give you problems. This can come from an improper fitting, decay, or simple wear and tear on the cement that holds your crown in place. Most crown problems are reasonably easy to remedy, but you will want to bring them to our Lynnwood dentistry clinic as quickly as you can in order to avoid more severe damage.

Firstly, a lot of people experience some degree of pain or sensitivity. When this happens, you may simply need to brush with a paste designed for sensitive teeth. If you experience pain when you bite down on your crown, the crown may be too high up; your dentist should be able to fix this problem for you.

Sometimes a crown will loosen or fall off. If this happens, a very vulnerable part of your tooth is exposed to decay. Be alert for a loose crown, and tell your dentist immediately if you notice anything askew. Should your crown come out, clean both the crown and the tooth and replace it with temporary dental cement until you can get it to your dentist to be refitted.

What Causes TMD’s?

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A TMJ disorder represents any kind of problem with the temporomandibular joint.  In simple terms, it’s a problem with the joint of your jaw or the muscles that manipulate it.  The cause of any individual TMJ disorder is frequently unclear, but our Lynnwood dental clinic advises you to be on the lookout for the following possible culprits:

  • An injury to the jaw area, including around the head or neck.
  • Grinding or clenching in your teeth puts unnecessary strain on your jaw, and can cause TMD.
  • Oral cancer and certain dental problems can affect the way your jaw fits into your skill, bringing about a TMD.
  • Osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in your jaw can manifest as a TMD.
  • In general, women are more likely to suffer from TMD than men.  Specifically, women between the age of twenty and forty represent the most cases.  Reasons for this are unclear.

Should you find yourself with a TMD, Song Dental Center can help you.  Contact our office for more information.

Caring for Teeth While Wearing Braces

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Braces can make your normal tooth care routine difficult. Wire braces offer food and bacteria more places to hide from your brushing, making brushing and flossing all the more essential. Your orthodontist should provide you with a special flosser to use around your braces if you need it. You may also want to schedule more check-ups with our Lynnwood Dentistry for as long as you have braces.

If you have braces that can be routinely taken out, you should always remove them before eating. If your braces can’t be removed, it is best to steer clear of foods that can stick to or damage them. Hard, gummy, and chewy candy is out, as is popcorn and gum. Sodas and sugary juices are unadvisable as well.

Some pain is to be expected as your teeth adjust to the braces. In this event, simple painkillers should be enough to help you cope. All the same, you should be aware of any poking or scratching sensations in your mouth that may be the result of a broken wire; damaged braces should be brought to your orthodontist as soon as possible.

Protect Your Baby from Bottle Mouth!

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by Lynnwood Song Dental

Our Lynnwood dental center wants your little ones to get a good start on their teeth, and there are few greater threats to an infant’s oral health than bottle mouth. The good news is that it’s an easy enough condition to avoid, if you’re aware of it, so simply follow these easy guidelines and you’ll save your baby from serious, catastrophic tooth decay.

The term “bottle mouth” comes from the fact that it generally arises from misuse of a bottle. Sometimes babies can fall asleep while drinking from bottles, and this causes the sugary substance within to pool in their mouths and linger for far longer than it should. As the baby sleeps, saliva production drops, so there is very little guarding his or her mouth from rampant decay.

With this in mind, never put your baby to sleep with a bottle of milk, juice, or any other sugary substance. Pacifiers are a good alternative, as is a bottle of regular water. To learn more about proper dental hygiene for infants, you can consult Song’s Lynnwood dental clinic.

What’s the Deal with Oil Pulling?

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There is a recent trend among the naturopath community that is being called “oil pulling”. Under this practice, tooth brushing is done away with in favor of vigorously swishing natural oil for twenty minutes, twice a day. This is supposed to clean your teeth, reduce inflammation, and give you all sorts of other benefits. But is this for real, or is it just a mouthful of snake oil? Before you decide to throw away your toothbrush, our Lynnwood dentistry clinic has some words of caution.

In truth, there is a lot to be skeptical about when looking at oil pulling. Many of the claims attached to this practice are downright absurd, and the rest are backed up with some fairly suspect studies. It can be difficult to entirely discount the practice, of course, but it does remain clear that it is no substitute for tooth brushing.

First of all, consider the prospect of swishing for twenty minutes, twice a day. Chances are good that your jaw will get tired after minute number two. And, after all of this work, you’re still not getting the same benefits of two minutes of conventional brushing. A toothbrush is the only known way to reliably scrub plaque off of your teeth, and toothpaste is important to reinforce your tooth enamel with a healthy dose of fluoride. With this in mind, think twice before casting aside proven oral hygiene techniques for unproven medical “miracles”.

Do You Have Tonsillitis?

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Tonsillitis, or an inflammation of the tonsils, generally represents a viral or bacterial infection in your tonsils.  It can be a condition that requires medical attention, so our Lynnwood dental clinic advises that you be on the lookout for the following warning signs:

  • A pain or tenderness in your throat.
  • A coating of white or yellow on your tonsils.
  • The development of blisters or ulcers in your throat.
  • An inexplicable hoarseness, or a loss of your voice.
  • Headaches.
  • Earaches.
  • A loss of appetite.
  • Difficulty swallowing.
  • Difficulty breathing through the mouth.
  • A swelling in the glands of your neck or jaw.
  • Fevers or chills.
  • Halitosis.

The Proper Way to Store Your Brush

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Your bathroom is not the most sanitary place.  All the same, though, it’s probably the place where you keep your toothbrush.  In order to minimize the amount of bacteria and other unhealthy substances on your brush, try taking the following storage tips from your Lynnwood Dentistry:

  • Store your brush upright, like in a cup or a brush holder.  This will keep the bristles drier, which makes them less bacteria-friendly.

  • Avoid using a toothbrush cover whenever you can.  Bacteria thrive in a cramped, moist environment.

  • Don’t mix with other brushes.  Putting more than one brush in a single cup allows them to exchange bacteria and viruses.  If somebody in your household has gingivitis or a cold sore, they could very well be sharing this problem with you.

  • Watch out for the toilet!  Whenever you flush, the toilet sends a light spray of bacteria and toilet water into the air.  This spray can settle on your toothbrush if you’re not careful.

In-Office Whitening vs. Over-the-Counter Whitening

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by Lynnwood Song Dental

Though there are many store-bought options available to whiten your teeth, it’s hard to beat a dentist-assisted whitening procedure at our Lynnwood Dentistry.  Here’s why you should consider in-office whitening over an over-the-counter method:

  • Quicker Results: While many store-bought products require weeks of application to show any results, one quick appointment with a dentist can show noticeably whiter teeth. Some cases may wish to go through several procedures before they achieve the whiteness they want, but it’s still a good deal quicker than anything you can apply by yourself.
  • Gum Protection: Store-bought whitening systems don’t protect your gums from the effects of the bleaching agent.  Only a dentist can offer this kind of protection.
  • Professional Evaluation: Is whitening right for you?  There are factors to consider here, as some patients may not respond well to the procedure.  A dentist can properly evaluate whether or not you are likely to get the desired effect out of your whitening.
  • Custom Treatment: A dentist knows how to identify stains and build your whitening treatment around them.

So when it comes time to put the sparkle back in your smile, skip the dental aisle at your corner drugstore and give us a call!  You won’t be disappointed.