Stress and Tooth Damage

Stress can be a major contributor to tooth damage. At Riverwalk Dental, we treat damaged teeth with everything from natural-colored fillings to replacement crowns, but the source of a patient’s stress must be addressed to ensure their long-term oral health.

One way in which stress contributes to tooth damage is by weakening the immune system. Periodontal disease is the result of bacterial infection in the gum pockets. As the gum ligaments decay, the teeth come loose, and as periodontal disease progresses, the teeth and jaw bones themselves experience decay.

Stress can also indirectly cause tooth damage by leading patients to develop a habit of clenching or grinding their jaws in their sleep (this behavior is called bruxism). The mechanical strain of doing this wears down and cracks enamel. It also pushes teeth out of place, making them difficult to brush properly and damaging the gum tissue holding them in place.

At its worst, stress can lead to the loss of whole teeth. That is unlikely to happen, but it is in patients’ best interest to get any gum inflammation under control and to seek treatment for bruxism. Our dentists at Riverwalk Dental are skilled at fighting infections and can customize night guards to protect patients from grinding their teeth.

Dr. Jared Palmer and Dr. Roger Chen operate Riverwalk Dental at 540 6^th Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta, T2G 1K5, Canada. To schedule an appointment, call 1-403-456-4994 or visit RiverwalkDental.Ca.

 

Acid Reflux and Tooth Decay

Acid reflux is one of the leading causes of tooth decay in adults. While the dentists of Riverwalk Dental can provide dental restorations to patients whose teeth have been ravaged by this disease, it is important for patients to understand which lifestyle factors put them at risk.

Stomach acid is highly corrosive. It is kept in check by the stomach’s mucous lining and by a sphincter which separates it from the esophagus, but acid reflux occurs when swallowing causes the sphincter to open. A patient is said to have Gastroesophageal reflux disease if this happens more than twice a week (this condition is also misleadingly called heartburn). Acid reflux is painful and causes ulcers, and in the worst cases, tumors, in the esophagus. If it reaches as far as the mouth, it tends to wear away the enamel of the back molars, which are the first teeth to be exposed to it.

To prevent acid reflux, patients should avoid foods and drinks with high contents of fat, alcohol, and caffeine. They should also avoid foods with citric acids, such as tomatoes, as well as onions and garlic, and avoid eating in large quantities before lying down. Smoking and slouching also increase peoples’ risk of acid reflux.

Dr. Jared Palmer and Dr. Roger Chen operate Riverwalk Dental at 540 6^th Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta, T2G 1K5, Canada. To schedule an appointment, call 1-403-456-4994 or visit RiverwalkDental.Ca.

 

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is one of the most common and least expensive of cosmetic dental procedures and we offer this as a service at Riverwalk Dental. Dental bonding is ideal for fixing teeth that have been chipped, cracked, or fractured. There are two types of dental bonding that our doctors can discuss with you – direct composite bonding and adhesive bonding.

Dental bonding has many advantages, one of them being that compared to veneers and crowns, it requires little to no removal of tooth enamel. To compare the two, direct composite bonding is the process where our doctors will use tooth-colored composites to close the gaps between the teeth. Adhesive bonding involves the process of attaching a restoration to a tooth. Because there are some limitations associated with dental bonding it is mostly used for small cosmetic changes.

If you have questions or concerns about dental bonding, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.riverwalkdental.ca for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Riverwalk Dental located at Canada, Alberta, T1B 4Y2, Medicine Hat, 101-7 Strachan Bay, SE, 403-456-4994.

Diet and Dental Health

A healthy smile doesn’t depend on brushing and flossing alone, it begins with what you put in your mouth. If you’ve ever heard the phrase, “you are what you eat” our doctors at Riverwalk Dental want you (and your teeth) to shine brightly. What you eat has a huge impact on your oral health because the food and beverages come in direct contact with the teeth. If you haven’t already, try incorporating some of these foods into your diet to benefit you and your smile.

Crunchy fruits and vegetables are good for your smile because they are usually water based and help dilute sugars that have been left behind. Raw foods help clean the teeth, massage the gums, and generate more saliva flow to prevent tooth decay. Eating an apple as opposed to an apple pie is better for tooth enamel as apples contain xylitol which also helps prevent decay. Additionally, low-fat milk, cheese, and unsweetened yogurt are full of calcium and protein to keep teeth strong.

If you have questions or concerns about nutrition and oral health, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.riverwalkdental.ca for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Riverwalk Dental located at Canada, Alberta, T1B 4Y2, Medicine Hat, 101-7 Strachan Bay, SE, 403-456-4994.

Bad Breath in Children

At Riverwalk Dental in Calgary, we treat whole families and are proud to be able to help children suffering from a number of oral health problems. One of those problems is bad breath, which indicates that children have a bigger problem and would benefit from a dentist’s examination.

As is the case with adults, the most common reason for bad breath in children is poor hygiene. Children need to diligently brush their tongues, as well as their teeth, or else odor-causing bacteria will eat food particles caught in their papillae and multiply. Bacteria can also grow out of control on children’s tonsils, where bacteria are able to feed on nasal drip. Children suffer from frequent sinus infections, which provide bacteria on the tonsils with plenty of food, and they may also have undiagnosed allergies.

Undiagnosed diabetes is another potential cause of bad breath, but a more common reason is dry mouth. Dry mouth is one of the most common medication side-effects, and it’s no mere inconvenience. The loss of saliva eliminates on of the body’s most important ways of keeping the mouth clean and patients need to either have the medication changed or compensate with throat moisturizers. Children who breathe through their mouths are also at risk for developing bad breath as a result of dry mouth.

Riverwalk Dental is located at 540 6^th Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta, T2G 1K5, Canada. To schedule an appointment, call 1-403-456-4994 or visit RiverwalkDental.Ca.

 

Inlays and Onlays

Riverwalk Dental provides a number of ways of fixing or replacing damaged teeth, including partial crowns. Known as inlays or onlays depending on their size, partial crowns are a middle-ground between fillings and whole-crown replacements, and are particularly useful for repairing damage to the back teeth from acid reflux disease.

The back teeth have both raised cusps and indentations. An inlay nestles into the indentations like a permanent sealant; an onlay replaces at least some of the cusps, as well. When a patient needs a partial crown, a doctor will drill away the decayed enamel and make an impression of the patient’s mouth. The impression is then used as the basis for the custom-fitted partial crown’s construction while the patient wears a temporary crown. Once the partial crown is complete, the patient will return to have it cemented in. The partial crown will be made of white porcelain, allowing it to blend in with the rest of the patient’s teeth and ensuring that it will withstand normal wear and tear. The patient need only maintain regular oral hygiene.

Riverwalk Dental is located at 540 6^th Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta, T2G 1K5, Canada. To schedule an appointment, call 1-403-456-4994 or visit RiverwalkDental.Ca.

 

Signs of a Failing Implant

Implants are one of the most valuable tools in dentistry and have a very high success rate, but it is possible for them to fail. When they do, it should be considered a dental emergency, and patients should be aware of the signs that they need help.

The most common cause of dental implant failure is inflammation of the gum tissue surrounding an implant, which is called peri-implantitis. Sometimes, this occurs immediately after implant placement when the dental cement leaks onto the surrounding gum. However, it is more common for it to happen years later as a result of periodontal disease. If the gum around an implant turns red or bleeds, the implant is at risk. The gum should never be allowed to deteriorate to the point where an implant can move.

It is also possible for an implant to fail immediately after insertion if it was placed on a nerve or there was insufficient bone tissue. When an implant is placed on a nerve, the patient will experience severe pain which will not improve, and the implant must be removed. Doctors assess bone tissue for stability prior to placing an implant and will monitor the growth of a patients jaw bone for two years after implant placement. If the bone continues to deteriorate, the implant placement is considered a failure.

Riverwalk Dental is located at 540 6^th Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta, T2G 1K5, Canada. To schedule an appointment, call 1-403-456-4994 or visit RiverwalkDental.Ca.