Chicago Dentist

Your dentist may treat gingivitis in several ways, but the first step is to thoroughly clean your teeth, removing all traces of plaque and tartar — a procedure known as scaling. The cleaning may be uncomfortable, especially if your gums are already sensitive or you have extensive plaque and tartar buildup. Gingivitis usually clears up after a professional cleaning as long as you continue to follow a program of good oral hygiene at home. Your dentist may recommend using an antiseptic mouth rinse in addition to brushing and flossing.

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Bleeding from the gums is mainly due to inadequate plaque removal from the teeth at the gum line. This will lead to a condition called gingivitis , or inflamed gums. If plaque is not removed through regular brushing and dental appointments, it will harden into what is known as tartar. Ultimately, this will lead to increased bleeding and a more advanced form of gum and jawbone disease known as periodontitis .

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If your gums are swollen, tender and bleed easily when you brush your teeth, you’re not alone — nearly 80 percent of American adults have some form of gum (periodontal) disease. One of the most common of these is gingivitis, which develops when bacteria multiply and build up between your teeth and gums, leading to irritation, inflammation and bleeding. If not treated, gingivitis can progress to more-serious gum diseases, such as periodontitis, and eventually to the destruction of bone and to tooth loss.

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Root canal therapy refers to the process by which a dentist treats the inner aspects of a tooth, specifically that area inside a tooth that is occupied by its “pulp tissue.” Most people would probably refer to a tooth’s pulp tissue as its “nerve.” While a tooth’s pulp tissue does contain nerve fibers it is also composed of arteries, veins, lymph vessels, and connective tissue.

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A root canal is a treatment used to repair and save a tooth that is badly decayed or becomes infected. During a root canal procedure, the nerve and pulp are removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed. Without treatment, the tissue surrounding the tooth will become infected and abscesses may form. “Root canal” is the term used to describe the natural cavity within the center of the tooth. The pulp or pulp chamber is the soft area within the root canal. The tooth’s nerve lies within the root canal.

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Tooth decay is the destruction of tooth enamel by dental plaque that causes holes known as cavities. It strikes people of all ages, but is particularly prevalent in children ages 5 to 17 years, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A sticky film called dental plaque is the source of tooth decay. Plaque is made up of a combination of bacteria, acid, food particles and saliva. When a person consumes food, especially drinks high in sugars or carbohydrates, dental plaque builds up on the teeth and gradually erodes their structure. Damage can occur in any part of the tooth that is exposed to plaque, from the crown at the top down to the softer body of the tooth (dentin) and the inner core of the pulp, which contains nerve fibers and blood vessels. Tooth decay is damage to teeth caused when food and bacteria interact to form plaque and tartar.  Patients with tooth decay do not usually experience any symptoms initially. However, if a cavity is not detected and begins to progress, it will often cause pain, particularly when eating sweet foods or when the tooth is exposed to hot or cold substances. Tooth pain may be the first physical symptom of tooth decay. A dentist usually diagnoses tooth decay during a dental examination. Visual inspection and probing of the teeth with a special instrument can help indicate potential signs of damage. X-rays may be taken to confirm a diagnosis or to reveal hidden cavities.

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Tooth decay is the destruction of the enamel (outer surface) of a tooth. Tooth decay is also known as dental cavities or dental caries. Decay is caused by bacteria that collect on tooth enamel. The bacteria live in a sticky, white film called plaque (pronounced PLAK). Bacteria obtain their food from sugar and starch in a person’s diet. When they eat those foods, the bacteria create an acid that attacks tooth enamel and causes decay.

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* A cavity occurs when carbohydrates (sugars and starch) found in breads, cereals, milk, soft drinks, fruits, cakes, and candies stay on the teeth. The bacteria that live in the mouth digest these foods and transform them into acids. The bacteria, acids, food debris, and the saliva combine together to create dental plaque, which softens the enamel and the dentin of the tooth, creating a cavity.
* Three factors play a role in the formation of a cavity: heredity, hygiene, and food. Although, it is definitely food that plays the most important role.
* A cavity can occur in areas where good hygiene is difficult to maintain, such as in the grooves of the teeth, the area between two adjacent teeth, around the gum line, or around the edges of an old filling.
* The cavity formed by the decay grows with time and can end up reaching the pulp. If at this stage there are no treatments done by the dentist, the decay destroys the tooth and may become an infection of the underlying bone, causing an abscess.

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Cavities (dental caries) are decayed areas in the teeth, the result of a process that gradually dissolves a tooth’s hard outer surface (enamel) and progresses toward the interior. Along with the common cold and gum disease, cavities are among the most common human afflictions. If cavities are not properly treated by a dentist, they continue to enlarge. Ultimately, an untreated cavity can lead to tooth loss.  For tooth decay to develop, a tooth must be susceptible, acid-producing bacteria must be present, and food must be available for the bacteria to thrive. A susceptible tooth is one that has relatively little protective fluoride incorporated into the enamel or that has pronounced pits, grooves, or fissures that retain plaque. Poor oral hygiene that allows plaque and tartar to accumulate can accelerate this process. Although the mouth contains large numbers of bacteria, only certain types generate acid, which causes decay. The most common decay-causing bacterium is Streptococcus mutans.

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What are Cavities?
“Cavities” is another way of saying tooth decay. Tooth decay is heavily influenced by lifestyle, what we eat, how well we take care of our teeth, the presence of fluoride in our water and toothpaste. Heredity also plays a role in how susceptible your teeth may be to decay. While cavities are generally more common among children, adults are also at risk. The types of cavities include:

* Coronal cavities—the most common type occurring in both children and adults, coronal cavities usually are located on chewing surfaces or between the teeth
* Root cavities—as we age, our gums recede, leaving parts of the tooth root exposed. Since there is no enamel covering tooth roots, these exposed areas easily decay

* Recurrent decay—decay can form around existing fillings and crowns. This is because these areas may have a tendency to accumulate plaque, which can ultimately lead to decay.   Adults are especially at risk for cavities if they suffer from dry mouth, a condition due to a lack of saliva. Dry mouth may be caused by illness, medications, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, and may be either temporary (days to months) or permanent, depending on its cause.

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Your mouth is a busy place. Bacteria - tiny colonies of living organisms are constantly on the move on your teeth, gums, lips and tongue. Cavity Animation Having bacteria in your mouth is a normal thing. While some of the bacteria can be harmful, most are not and some are even helpful. Certain types of bacteria, however, can attach themselves to hard surfaces like the enamel that covers your teeth. If they’re not removed, they multiply and grow in number until a colony forms. More bacteria of different types attach to the colony already growing on the tooth enamel. Proteins that are present in your saliva (spit) also mix in and the bacteria colony becomes a whitish film on the tooth. This film is called plaque, and it’s what causes cavities.

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Cavities occur as a result of tooth decay. Tooth decay is the destruction of tooth structure. Tooth decay can affect both the enamel (the outer coating of the tooth) and the dentin layer of the tooth.
Tooth decay occurs when foods containing carbohydrates (sugars and starches) such as breads, cereals, milk, soda, fruits, cakes, or candy are left on the teeth. Bacteria that live in the mouth digest these foods, turning them into acids. The bacteria, acid, food debris, and saliva combine to form plaque, which clings to the teeth. The acids in plaque dissolve the enamel surface of the teeth, creating holes in the teeth called cavities, or caries. Who Gets Cavities? Many people think cavities only affect children, but changes that occur with aging make cavities an adult problem too. Recession of the gums (a pulling away of gum tissue from the teeth), often associated with an increased incidence of gingivitis (gum disease), can expose tooth roots to plaque. Also, sugary food cravings in pregnant women can make them more vulnerable to developing cavities.  Decay around the edges of fillings is also common in older adults. Because many older adults lacked the benefits of fluoride and modern preventive dental care when they were growing up, they often have a number of dental fillings. Over the years, these fillings may weaken and can fracture, allowing bacteria to accumulate in the tiny crevices causing tooth decay.

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Researchers have tested gummy bears made with a sugar substitute that wards off cavity-causing bacteria. A study in Washington State gathered 154 first to fifth graders from two elementary schools. The students were given four gummy bears made with either xylitol or maltitol (types of sugars used in many types of sugarless chewing gum) three times a day during school hours. All were checked for plaque and bacteria in their mouths at the start of the study and six weeks later. After six weeks, there was a “significant” reduction in the main bacteria buildup associated with cavities for the children who snacked on the xylitol and maltitol candy. Study lead author Kiet A. Ly with the University of Washington says in a news release that gummy bears may have the edge over gum. “For xylitol to be successfully used in oral health promotion programs among primary school children, an effective means of delivering xylitol must be identified,” Ly says. “Gummy bears would seem to be more ideal than chewing gum.”

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Cavity. That’s the word no one wants to hear at the dentist’s office. A cavity (say: ka-vuh-tee) develops when a tooth decays (say: dih-kaze), or breaks down. A cavity is a hole that can grow bigger and deeper over time. Cavities are also called dental caries (say: kar-eez), and if you have a cavity, it’s important to get it repaired. But why would your tooth develop a hole? Blame plaque. That’s a sticky, slimy substance made up mostly of the germs that cause tooth decay. The bacteria in your mouth make acids and when plaque clings to your teeth, the acids can eat away at the outermost layer of the tooth, called the enamel (say: ih-na-mul).
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Sparkling white teeth is part of what makes our smile beautiful and bright as well as being a crucial part of one’s appearance, which is the most important thing today when it comes to make a first impression in the professional or personal field. Here are some essentials teeth whitening tips that are useful for people of all age groups and/or as soon as you see any signs of stains or discoloration of the teeth. Follow the dentist’s advice and brush your teeth twice everyday in the morning and evening just before going to bed as well as floss regularly if possible the best practice is to floss after every meal or at least those meals that you know will leave remains in between your teeth cavities.

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White teeth make a beautiful smile! Simple tips at home for whitening your teeth can really work if you do them consistently. Some of these might seem like home remedies, but give them a try. If one doesn’t work for you, move onto another white smile tip and see which one works best for you. A remedy you might have heard of that really does work is using baking soda to whiten your teeth. Like anything… you must do it regularly to see improvement. All you do is take some baking soda and mix it with water to make it almost pastey. You will need to experiment with how much water and baking soda, but you’ll get it. Then all you do is brush your teeth with it. You can use this in place of your normal tooth paste and see if it makes a difference. This next tip is a “no-brainer”, but many people do not do it. Try to brush your teeth after EVERY meal and even stacks if you can. This means bringing a tooth brush with you, but no one needs to know. Make sure to floss at least once a day and use an anteseptic mouth wash for added cleanliness of your teeth.

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