Learn more about what the American Dental Association has to say about the role played by your Dental Assistant!
Below is an excerpt from an article found on Crest.com
Wisdom teeth grow in at the back of the mouth, behind your molars. There is a set on the bottom as well as the top. Wisdom teeth often grow in crooked, sideways, or otherwise misaligned. As they grow in, they can push on other teeth, causing problems of overcrowding and misalignment for them as well.
Function and Purpose of Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth are believed to be "evolutionary relics," and were helpful to our distant ancestors who ate diets that consisted of rougher foods like sticks and reed plants. As teeth wore down or fell out, wisdom teeth provided replacements. Nowadays, with modern advancements in oral hygiene and softer diets, we don’t need these replacement teeth, but they still grow in. Essentially, our mouths can hold 28 teeth, but including wisdom teeth, we have about 32 teeth all vying for space. Wisdom teeth symptoms such as overcrowding, bone and nerve damage, infection, etc. can all result.
To read the entire article visit Crest.com.
The remainder of the article details the following:
Instrument Sterilization for a Safe Dental Visit
Sterilization is a high priority in our office. We clean and sterilize all instruments after each use, or single-use tools are used as necessary. Instruments are sterilized with a special machine called an autoclave, which is monitored by an outside independent lab to make sure of the highest level of safety. We take your health very seriously.
Westside Dentistry
Stephen J. Kimball, DMD
7181 Westwind Dr., Suite A
El Paso, TX 79912
(915) 581-1511
Westside-Dentistry.com
Learn more about what the American Dental Association has to say about the role played by your Dental Hygienist!
Below is an excerpt from an article found on Crest.com
Common Toothache Causes
Are you wondering why your teeth hurt? If you have aching teeth, it may be due to a dental problem such as cavities, gum disease, bruxism, TMJ or a non-dental problem, such as a sinus infection or even stress.
- Sensitive Teeth: Some types of toothache pain occur if you are using dental care products like peroxide-based whitening agents that penetrate into your teeth causing tooth sensitivity.
- Bruxism: If you have aching teeth with no signs of tooth decay or gum disease, you may be experiencing bruxism. Bruxism is the technical term for grinding your teeth. Bruxism is a common cause of aching teeth that affects millions of people of all ages in the United States. If you experience aching teeth and other symptoms of bruxism, see a dental professional as soon as possible. If left untreated, chronic tooth grinding can damage crowns and fillings, and wear away tooth enamel, putting your teeth at increased risk for infection or decay. Causes of bruxism that lead to aching teeth include crooked teeth, poor jaw alignment, and stress or anxiety. If bruxism is due to misaligned teeth, straightening your bite with orthodontia could help solve the problem. But if bruxism is due to chronic stress, stress management techniques may be needed to help relieve your aching teeth. Your dental professional may recommend a mouth guard to wear at night to help prevent tooth pain associated with bruxism.
- Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Dysfunction: If you're stressed to the point of clenching your jaw and grinding your teeth, you can develop tooth pain associated with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The TMJ is the joint that hinges the lower jaw to the skull, enabling you to eat and talk. Clenching your jaw and grinding your teeth put additional stress on the muscles of the jaw, which can cause tooth pain. If your tooth pain is caused by TMJ syndrome, your dentist may recommend a TMJ dental splint to reposition the lower jaw. But in less serious cases, warm compresses applied to the jaw, eating soft foods, and taking measures to reduce stress can help.
- Damaged Teeth: Your toothache pain could be caused by a cracked or broken tooth. If this is the cause of your pain, see your dentist as soon as possible. A broken tooth can contribute to tooth decay.
- Decayed Teeth: Tooth decay is one of the most common causes of toothache pain. Tooth decay occurs when acids from plaque bacteria penetrate into the tooth enamel causing a loss of tooth mineral which, if it progresses, can ultimately cause pain in the tooth’s inner layer, the pulp.
To read the entire article visit Crest.com.
The remainder of the article details the following:
Three-Dimensional Dentistry!
We are excited as one of the first dental practices in the area to employ 3-D cone beam CT digital imaging technology. You might think of this as a three-dimensional X-ray that is much more accurate than older film X-rays, less time consuming, and doing everything with much less radiation.
One big advantage of using cone beam images when evaluating patients and creating treatment options is a dentist’s ability to see the patient’s oral anatomy in 3-D, instead of the flat, two-dimensional images you’re used to seeing. The result of this is much greater precision for all dental treatment, especially implant placement or any oral surgery
Westside Dentistry
Stephen J. Kimball, DMD
7181 Westwind Dr., Suite A
El Paso, TX 79912
(915) 581-1511
Westside-Dentistry.com
Learn more about what the American Dental Association has to say about the role played by Dentists!
Getting Your Smile the Cleanest It can be
We utilize the Piezo Scaler™ to help with removing plaque deposits and tartar from your teeth, especially beneath the gums and even deep pockets with gum disease treatment. This tool uses vibrations that allow us to remove deposits on your teeth faster than the usual scaling instruments. You won’t believe how clean your teeth feel! As an added bonus, patients generally find they experience less discomfort with a Piezo Scaler.
Westside Dentistry
Stephen J. Kimball, DMD
7181 Westwind Dr., Suite A
El Paso, TX 79912
(915) 581-1511
Westside-Dentistry.com
Having your kids brush their teeth before they go to bed each night helps them learn good oral hygiene practices. And while twice-daily toothbrushing is good for developing teeth, it always enough to stop bad breath from occurring. Bad breath isn't always solely an oral health issue, there can be other causes that need a different solution. Here are five surprising causes of bad breath in children and how to stop them.
Sinus Infection
Have any of your kids complained about a sore throat or stuffy nose lately? It might be a sinus infection. Sinus issues cause fluid to collect in the nasal passages and throat, making your child's throat the perfect place for bacteria to gather. The result? Stinky breath that can't be cured with toothbrushing and mouthwash alone. If you suspect a sinus infection (potential sore throat, burning nasal passages and post nasal drip), call your doctor for a visit and see if antibiotics will be prescribed.
Foreign Objects
It may not be your first thought, but your child's bad breath could be the result of something stuck in her nasal passages. Kids are curious, and their nostrils are just the right size for inserting small items such as beads, beans, toy accessories and food. Pediatrician Dr. William Sears explains that when an object gets lodged in a child's nasal passages it can create a nasty smell. If you suspect this is what is causing your child's bad breath, you'll need a doctor to help check your child's nasal passages and remove the object.
To read the entire article written by Jae Curtis , please visit Colgate.com
Westside Dentistry
Stephen J. Kimball, DMD
7181 Westwind Dr., Suite A
El Paso, TX 79912
(915) 581-1511
Westside-Dentistry.com
Don’t replace fillings just because they’re old
When you have a cavity, the dentist removes it and puts in a filling. These fillings can last for many years, but some people get silver fillings removed because they don’t like the color. However, the process of removing a filling can weaken the tooth. Additionally, insurance may not cover the removal.
To read the entire article visit MouthHealthy.org.
Dental caries (cavities) are the most common form of oral disease known to man, and the process of getting caries is called tooth decay.
Tooth decay is the destruction of your tooth enamel -- the hard, outer layer of your teeth. This issue can affect children, teens and adults. Plaque, a sticky film of bacteria, is constantly forming on your teeth. When you eat or drink foods or beverages containing sugars, the bacteria in plaque produce acids that attack tooth enamel. The stickiness of the plaque keeps these acids in contact with your teeth, and over time the enamel can break down, according to the American Dental Association (ADA).
The types of caries formed can be broken down into two major groups:
Pit and fissure caries. These are found most often on the chewing surfaces of the back (molar and premolar) teeth, and the back of the front (anterior) teeth. Your teeth are composed of several sections of enamel, and where these sections meet, pits and grooves can trap plaque, causing decay. The proper application of pit and fissure sealants, a hard plastic material applied to seal the grooves and pits when the teeth have erupted, can prevent this type of dental caries. The sealants also make it less likely that you will need restorations (fillings) on those surfaces of the teeth.
Smooth surface caries. These are found most often along the gumline or where two teeth touch (interproximal or the space between teeth), if plaque forms in those areas. With the proper use of dental floss, you can prevent most smooth surface caries in the interproximal area, and using a manual or power toothbrush along the gumline can prevent caries in that area as well.
To read the entire article written by Richard A Huot, DDS, please visit Colgate.com
Westside Dentistry
Stephen J. Kimball, DMD
7181 Westwind Dr., Suite A
El Paso, TX 79912
(915) 581-1511
Westside-Dentistry.com
What is Dry Mouth?
Dry mouth means you don't have enough saliva, or spit, to keep your mouth moist. Everyone has a dry mouth once in a while, especially if you're nervous, upset or under stress. But if you have a dry mouth all or most of the time, it can be uncomfortable and can lead to more serious health problems or indicate that a more serious medical condition may exist. That's because saliva does more than just keep the mouth wet -it helps digest food, protects teeth from decay, prevents infection by controlling bacteria in the mouth, and makes it possible for you to chew and swallow.
There are several reasons that the glands that produce saliva, called the salivary glands, might not function properly. These include:
- Side effects of some medications - over 400 medicines can cause dry mouth, including antihistamines, decongestants, pain killers, diuretics and medicines for high blood pressure and depression.
- Disease - diseases that affect the salivary glands, such as diabetes, Hodgkin's, Parkinson's disease, HIV/AIDS and Sjogren's syndrome, may lead to dry mouth.
- Radiation therapy - the salivary glands can be damaged if your head or neck are exposed to radiation during cancer treatment. The loss of saliva can be total or partial, permanent or temporary.
- Chemotherapy - drugs used to treat cancer can make saliva thicker, or "ropey," causing your mouth to feel dry.
- Menopause - changing hormone levels affect the salivary glands, often leaving menopausal and post-menopausal women with a persistent feeling of dry mouth.
- Smoking - many pipe, cigar and heavy cigarette smokers experience dry mouth.
To read the entire article , please visit Colgate.com
Westside Dentistry
Stephen J. Kimball, DMD
7181 Westwind Dr., Suite A
El Paso, TX 79912
(915) 581-1511
Westside-Dentistry.com
Wisdom teeth grow in at the back of the mouth, behind your molars. There is a set on the bottom as well as the top. Wisdom teeth often grow in crooked, sideways, or otherwise misaligned. As they grow in, they can push on other teeth, causing problems of overcrowding and misalignment for them as well.
Instrument Sterilization for a Safe Dental Visit
Are you wondering why your teeth hurt? If you have aching teeth, it may be due to a dental problem such as cavities, gum disease, bruxism, TMJ or a non-dental problem, such as a sinus infection or even stress.
Three-Dimensional Dentistry!
Getting Your Smile the Cleanest It can be
Dry mouth means you don't have enough saliva, or spit, to keep your mouth moist. Everyone has a dry mouth once in a while, especially if you're nervous, upset or under stress. But if you have a dry mouth all or most of the time, it can be uncomfortable and can lead to more serious health problems or indicate that a more serious medical condition may exist. That's because saliva does more than just keep the mouth wet -it helps digest food, protects teeth from decay, prevents infection by controlling bacteria in the mouth, and makes it possible for you to chew and swallow.