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General Dentistry

Pyramid Family DentalNational Women’s Health Week is celebrated the entire week of Mother’s Day and is led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health. Its purpose is to remind women and girls of all ages to make their health a priority. Your dentist in Sparks wants to do our part by dedicating this blog to the strong women of our practice and our community and by taking the opportunity to share a bit about the unique dental care women need during every age and stage of life.

How Hormones Hamper Oral Health

All women know that their lives are full of changes, particularly hormonal changes, that can affect them at different stages. While many people associate hormonal changes with emotions and mood (among other things), your dentist in Sparks wants you to know that hormones can also affect your oral health and put you at increased risk for gum disease and other oral health problems. 

Pre-teens and younger teenage women start their hormonal journey with puberty. Puberty usually begins between age 8 and 14, although it can vary from person to person. While the body will go through a lot of changes during this time, one of the largest changes is not visible — hormonal changes. These fluctuations in hormones are to thank for changes in emotions and mood, but they can also increase estrogen levels as well as progesterone levels. The increase in these hormones can often increase blood flow in the mouth, particularly concentrating on the gums. This can cause young women to have red, swollen gums that often bleed during brushing or flossing. If this happens, it’s incredibly important to keep brushing and flossing regularly to remove bad bacteria. If you’re concerned about bleeding gums, see your dentist in Sparks. 

Once a woman begins her menstrual cycle, hormones will continue to rise and fall each month. She may also still have red, swollen gums that bleed – usually a few days before her period. Canker sores are also common during this time. Typically, the bleeding gums and canker sores will go away on their own. If they don’t, see your dentist. Hormonal changes during menstruation can also cause dry mouth. Dry mouth has been linked to bad breath as well as cavities. 

If a woman decides to become pregnant, it’ll be even more important to take care of her teeth. After all, poor oral health during pregnancy has been linked to premature births, gestational diabetes, and preeclampsia. Brushing and flossing every night is also incredibly important for a mom-to-be since pregnancy gingivitis is also a common side effect of hormonal changes. Pregnant women should visit their dentist in Sparks during the second trimester or if they experience a dental concern. 

Once a woman is past her childbearing years and enters menopause, she will once again experience shifts in hormones. Menopause usually happens between 45 and 55, and during this time, estrogen levels decrease. This loss of estrogen can put a woman at risk for osteoporosis and bone loss. The bone loss can easily affect the jaw bone and put teeth at increased risk of falling out. But don’t worry, even if natural teeth fall out, they can be replaced with dentures, dental implants, or other dental treatments. 

We care for the health of our entire community, women and men alike, and strive to do everything we can during each stage of life to get and keep mouths and bodies healthy. Don’t hesitate to schedule a visit with us today. 

COVID era nurseWe all know that 2020 had its fair share of hardships and “new normals.” Between shutdowns and school closures, we all had to pivot away from life as we knew it. Your dentist in Sparks was no different. Patients stopped coming to the dentist, perhaps because we may have been closed or out of fear. But now that we’re all open and seeing patients, we’re learning some things that this past year has taught us that are important for our patients to know as well. 

When a population starts to put off dental care, a lot of the typical prevention measures are lost. This often means that problems that were once small and easy to treat were left undiagnosed, untreated, and led to bigger problems. Something that may have started as a tiny cavity can turn into a large area of decay and cause pain. Someone who may have had early-stage gum disease now has full-blown advanced periodontal disease and are at risk for whole-health complications such as heart disease. This is why those preventive dental visits every six months are so important to keep your mouth, and your body, healthy.  

Even though many high-risk patients understandably shied away from seeing their dentist in Sparks in 2020, it’s this population that needs regular dental care the most. In fact, sometimes patients with certain health conditions are encouraged to see the dentist every three months instead of the regularly recommended six. But during the pandemic, patients weren’t getting a checkup for nine months or even a whole year. This resulted in more serious dental problems and complications that may have required a tooth extraction, root canal, or other treatments. What’s more is high-risk patients are more likely to suffer from more than one problem, which can compound the issues.

The early months of 2020 saw dental offices close, sometimes for a couple of months. In fact, the World Health Organization reports that dental offices were some of the most negatively affected health services during COVID-19. However, dentists are already required by law to have very strict sanitation practices and have added additional safety precautions such as gowns, better masks, and disinfection protocols above and beyond the already comprehensive standards. Additionally, once dental offices reopened, the FDI World Dental Federation reported that dental offices around the globe had significantly lower infection rates of COVID-19 than other healthcare workers. 

So what does all of this mean? Essentially, it means that dental care is essential. It’s essential to keeping our communities healthy, preventing small problems from turning into big problems, and that it’s even more important for high-risk patients to be seen by their dentist in Sparks twice a year. What’s more, dentists can see patients safely.

Don’t put your dental health on the backburner. Call us to schedule an appointment today. 

Pyramid Family DentalAnyone can crack a tooth at any time and anywhere. If this happens, you should schedule a visit with your dentist in Sparks as soon as you can. But there are a few things you can do at home to help protect your tooth and relieve any pain that you may have. Keep in mind, these tips are only temporary and you still need to be seen by a dentist for proper treatment. 

At-Home Treatment

If you happen to crack a tooth at night or on a weekend when your dentist may not be readily available, try these tips for temporary help:

Signs of a Cracked Tooth

Sometimes you can crack a tooth and not even know it. But most often, a cracked tooth comes along with a few key signs, including the following from the American Association of Endodontists: 

Cracked Tooth Treatment

If you do crack a tooth, don’t worry. There are several different ways that your dentist in Sparks may use to fix it. 

Bonding – Bonding is a simple, painless way to repair a cracked tooth. Your dentist will fit the crack with a sticky resin, harden it using a special light, and restore your tooth. 

Dental Crowns – Another option to treat a cracked tooth is a dental crown. This is usually more appropriate for a larger crack. Your dentist in Sparks will create and place a custom crown over the affected tooth, protecting it from more damage. Each crown is designed to match the shape, color, and size of your other teeth so nobody will ever know it’s there. 

Root Canal – If a crack is deep enough to affect the inner tooth, you may need a root canal. A root canal may sound scary and painful, but the opposite is true. During a root canal, your dentist will remove any affected pulp which will relieve any pain you may have. A root canal can also protect you from developing an infection. 

Tooth Extraction – When a cracked tooth goes beyond repair and affects too much of the natural tooth structure, your dentist may recommend an extraction. However, many times, extracted teeth can be replaced with a dental implant or bridge so you don’t need to live with a missing tooth. 

It is possible to have a cracked tooth and not know it. However, the longer a cracked tooth goes undetected and untreated, the more it can lead to bigger problems. This is why it’s so important to see your dentist at least twice a year. These regular visits help identify any problems early while they’re easier to treat. 

Pyramid Family DentalNobody likes to hear that they have a cavity, but cavities are the most common dental problem that your dentist in Sparks treats every single day. In fact, over 90% of Americans between 20-64 years old have had at least one cavity. What causes such a widespread problem? Well, it depends on a variety of factors, which we’ll explore in this blog. 

Tooth Decay

When we talk about cavities, we’re essentially talking about tooth decay. Tooth decay is a disease that wears down tooth enamel and can affect the inner workings of teeth –  including the dentin and the pulp. The deeper the decay goes, the more likely it is that you’ll experience symptoms. Decay can occur for a number of reasons, so it’s important to understand the causes so that you can take steps to prevent it.

One of the main causes of decay and cavities is a result of poor oral hygiene. You should brush your teeth twice a day, morning and night. But brushing alone isn’t enough to fully protect your teeth. You should also floss in between each and every tooth every day. If you don’t floss, you’re missing out on cleaning a large portion of your teeth, and it can put you at risk for tooth decay. In fact, most adult cavities form in between teeth.

The other main cause behind dental decay is a combination of what we eat and how our mouths react during digestion. Let’s take sugar as an example. While you may think that sugar causes cavities, your dentist in Sparks wants you to know that that’s not entirely accurate. You see, it’s not the sugar that causes decay but rather how the sugar feeds bacteria that causes cavities. When we consume sugary foods or drinks, the bacteria in our mouths feed on the sugar and release an acidic byproduct. This acid attacks tooth enamel which can lead to erosion and, eventually, decay. 

Cavity Symptoms

There are times when you won’t even know that you have a cavity. This happens when the decay is in the early stages and it’s also when it’s the easiest for your dentist in Sparks to treat. However, when the decay affects the inner tooth and hits the nerves, you may start to notice some common cavity symptoms, including: 

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, call your dentist to schedule an appointment. 

The best way to prevent cavities requires a few different things. But the good news is, they’re all easy. Make sure you brush your teeth twice a day, floss once a day, and see your dentist in Sparks twice a year. Also, try to limit your intake of sugary treats and drinks to reduce the chance of cavities. 

Pyramid Family DentalThere are certain things you expect when you visit your dentist in Sparks — to get a cleaning, a thorough exam, perhaps a filling or two, and occasionally some x-rays. But are dental x-rays actually necessary? After all, if nothing looks wrong or feels wrong, do you really need to get them? The short answer is yes, and for several reasons. 

What Are Dental X-Rays? 

Just like an x-ray of your arm or leg, dental x-rays take images that show the hard surfaces in your mouth. The energy of x-rays passes through the skin and highlights only dense areas such as teeth and bone. The skeletal-like images produced from x-rays give your dentist in Sparks an inside look at your oral health and can help identify problems that can’t be seen through a visual or manual dental exam alone.

What Do Dental X-Rays Show? 

We already know that dental x-rays show the teeth and bone, but what does your dentist look for on x-rays? The truth is, x-ray images can identify several things that could otherwise be missed and progress into more serious problems. 

Dental x-rays are most commonly used to help diagnose decay and cavities when they’re still small and easier to treat. You may not yet even have any signs of a cavity, but a quick x-ray can show one developing. X-rays can also catch decay that can develop under a previous dental restoration such as a crown or a filling. Finding and treating these areas of decay early can save you from ever experiencing the pain that could result if left alone. 

When a patient has a toothache, their dentist in Sparks will most likely start by taking a few x-rays to get a closer look at the area. Oftentimes, a toothache can be a sign of an infection, also known as an abscess. To treat an abscess, your dentist will most likely remove the infected area of the tooth and may choose to cap it with a dental crown. Severe cases may even require an extraction. 

Our teeth are typically strongly secured into our jaw bone. But things like gum disease, missing teeth, and osteoporosis can cause the jaw bone to deteriorate. This bone loss can increase the risk of tooth loss, cause headaches and jaw pain, and can even affect the appearance of the face making it appear wrinkly or saggy.  

Are Dental X-Rays Safe? 

We understand that there may be some concerns surrounding the use of dental x-rays and exposure to radiation. However, advancements in dental technology have made digital dental x-rays one of the lowest forms of radiation emission. In fact, research conducted by the Kois Center for Dental Education shows that four bitewing x-rays emit only 0.005 mSv (millisieverts) of radiation. This is less than what humans are exposed to naturally every day. 

Even though you may not get dental x-rays at every appointment, you should get them when they are recommended. They will help your dentist provide personalized care, catch and treat problems early, and help you maintain a healthy smile.

Pyramid Family DentalJust like you can buy sushi from a gas station, you can also use your teeth as tools. However, neither comes highly recommended. And for good reason. While your dentist in Sparks isn’t an expert on local sushi, we are experts on teeth. Our teeth are designed to help us speak and chew, and using them for anything other than their intended purpose can put your smile at increased risk of damage. 

Avoid Using Teeth To Open Packages

We’ve all been there — hungry for lunch with a delicious bag of chips waiting for us. We go to open it and it’s just… stuck. We pull and pull but we just can’t get the bag to open. So instead, we grab the bag between our teeth, bite down, and rip. Finally! Crunchy, crispy chips. While this tactic can successfully open packages, it can also cause tooth damage. When you encounter pesky packaging, tough tape, or tricky tags take a few extra minutes to find a pair of scissors and save yourself a potential trip to your dentist in Sparks. 

Don’t Use Teeth To Help Carry Things

Another common way we tend to use our teeth as tools is to try and have them function as another hand to help us carry or hold things. However, our teeth aren’t meant to grip and hold on to things like nails, pencils, or even your cell phone. Doing so can also increase the risk of breaking or cracking teeth as well as put you at risk for choking. 

Keep Things Out of Your Mouth

Anything that’s not food shouldn’t go anywhere near your mouth. This includes things like fingernails, pens, and jewelry. Chewing on non-food items can damage your teeth and your jaw and require treatment from your dentist in Sparks. Besides, a lot of these things can contain a lot of germs so the last place you should put them is in your mouth.

Take It Easy On The Nuts

Nuts are a great, nutritious snack that is packed with protein. They’re also pretty convenient and can travel easily. However, nuts have shells, and if you buy unshelled nuts, you’ll have to remove the casing to get to the edible inside. The most common way to do this is to crack the shell between teeth. This can once again lead to chips, cracks, or broken teeth. Other food items that can also damage your teeth in a similar way are popcorn, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.

Our teeth are incredibly tough and the protective enamel is actually the strongest substance in the human body. However, as with everything, teeth do have their limits to what they can withstand. To help protect your teeth, use them only to chew your food and avoid using them as any sort of tool. And of course, make sure to see your dentist in Sparks every six months for preventive dental checkups. 

Pyramid Family DentalThe end of 2020 was a time for us to put the year behind us and give us hope for a better, healthier new year. As we embark on this new calendar year, many of us have made resolutions to ourselves or our families to get healthy or quit long-time habits that put us at risk for health issues. These resolutions can help transform lives and your dentist in Sparks would like to be a part of that by encouraging you to also resolve to take better care of your smile. 

Oral Health is Linked to Overall Health

If your goal for this year is to get healthier overall, you can’t ignore your oral health. After all, our oral health is directly linked to our overall health and one can certainly affect the other. So as you commit to getting your 10,000 steps a day or eating healthier, make sure you also consider the following. 

We often hear about patients wanting to cut back on sugary soda in the new year and drink more water. This is one of the best things you can do for both your whole body and your mouth. Water allows our bodies to function properly and keeps the mouth hydrated and moist which can help fight off cavity-causing bacteria. Aim to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day.  

Another popular, yet difficult, resolution year after year is to quit smoking. This can be an intimidating endeavor but with a good plan and a solid support system, we believe anyone can stop smoking. There are countless overall and oral health benefits to quitting including reducing the risk of cancer and lowering the likelihood of gum disease.  

Everyone knows that your dentist in Sparks wants everyone to brush and floss every day, but we also know that this simple task can get overlooked and go undone. However, brushing and flossing your teeth each and every day is the best way to prevent dental problems from popping up. Make sure you brush twice a day and floss at least once a day to protect your pearly whites from cavities, gum disease, bad breath, and other problems. 

We always recommend that patients see us for professional dental cleanings and checkups twice a year, and sometimes more often. These bi-annual appointments are crucial to maintaining a healthy and mouth as well as a healthy body. They allow your dentist in Sparks to find any potential problems early and treat them quickly before they become big problems.  

Make a promise to yourself that you will commit and follow through with your 2021 resolutions. And if you’re serious about getting healthier, schedule an appointment with your dentist today.

Pyramid Family DentalWe’ve been programmed to believe that the whiter a smile is, the healthier it is. However, this isn’t always the case. In fact, your dentist in Sparks wants you to know that there is such a thing as a too-white smile, and a smile that’s over-bleached can actually lead to other oral health problems. 

The Truth About Smile Whitening Treatments

Smile whitening is probably the most popular form of cosmetic dentistry done today. However, what was once only available at the dentist can now be done at home without any exam or assurance that the teeth are healthy enough. Additionally, even though over-the-counter whitening treatments can make it easier for people to whiten their teeth, it’s become increasingly popular and has created almost a whitening addiction. Both of which can cause some serious problems.  

More Whitening, More Problems

Now, we should note that smile whitening can be done safely. However, there are issues when someone whose teeth aren’t healthy, or who thinks “the more whitening, the better” whitens their teeth that can cause things to take a turn for the worse.

Over-bleaching your teeth can wear down tooth enamel. Without this protective layer, teeth are put at increased risk for decay, cavities, and sensitivity. Additionally, if your teeth aren’t healthy to begin with, and let’s say you have a cavity, introducing bleaching ingredients can cause uncomfortable zings of pain through your teeth. And the problems don’t end there. 

Many over-the-counter whitening treatments allow too much of the bleach to touch and sit on the gums which can cause gum irritation, sometimes severe. Lastly, too much whitening can actually make your teeth appear more translucent and darker in appearance, which is the opposite of what you want. 

Safely Whiten Your Smile

The best way to get a whiter smile is to first start by talking to your dentist in Sparks. Not only can they help you find the best smile whitening treatment for you, but they can also help you find the best shade of white for your teeth for an overall natural, yet enhanced, look. Whichever smile whitening treatment you agree on, make sure you follow the directions to a “T,” especially if you’re going to use a take-home whitening product. Don’t leave the whitening gel on longer than recommended, and stop use if irritation or sensitivity occurs.  

Even though smile whitening treatments can be found at any grocery store or even ordered online… it doesn’t mean that all of them are created equally. Make sure you do your own research, talk with your dentist in Sparks, and don’t overdo it.  

Pyramid Family DentalKissing our loved ones is probably one of the best ways to show them that we care. But did you know that kissing can help us in other ways, too? Sharing a smooch can release endorphins in our brains and make us feel happier. It can also exercise our facial muscles and even burn some calories. However, as with everything, your dentist in Sparks wants you to know that kissing doesn’t come without its risks.

Germs & Bacteria

We all know that germs can be passed from one person to another through kissing, but they aren’t the only things being swapped. When it comes to kissing, your dentist in Sparks is also concerned with the sharing of bacteria. You see, certain types of bacteria have been known to increase the risk of tooth decay and cavities. Now, while our mouths are naturally packed with bacteria, when we kiss, these bacteria (both good and bad) can easily transfer from person to person and introduce cavity-causing bacteria.  

Keep Your Bacteria to Yourself

Even though kissing comes with some potential negatives, we’re certainly not recommending that you stop altogether. Instead, your dentist in Sparks has a few tips you can try in order to keep both you and your partner smooching safely.

Nobody wants to kiss someone who has bad breath, and now we’re going to give you yet another reason to tread carefully when you encounter someone with chronically bad breath. Bad breath may be a sign of gum disease, which itself is caused by an overload of bacteria and an infection in the gum tissue. 

Even though our mouths naturally contain tons of bacteria, you should always brush and floss regularly in order to keep bacteria levels in check. Also, it’s key that you see your dentist in Sparks at least every six months for professional cleanings to further protect your teeth. 

When you’re not able to brush your teeth try to drink or even rinse your mouth with water. This can also help remove bacteria buildup. You can also chew Xylitol gum to help reduce bacteria levels and give your breath a fresh boost for all those kissable moments. Plus, Xylitol can keep bacteria from sticking to your teeth and creates a neutral pH level in your mouth for even more protection. 

Some Good News

It’s important to note that there are certainly some positives to kissing, some of which we mentioned earlier. As it relates to your oral health, kissing can actually help good bacteria move from person to person and increases your saliva production. Saliva is your mouth’s natural way of washing away bacteria and neutralizing acid, both of which help protect your teeth against decay.

When it comes to kissing, there are more positives than negatives. Just make sure you practice good oral hygiene habits so your breath is kissable fresh every single time you pucker up. 

Pyramid Family DentalWe know we talk about gum health and gum disease a lot, but we believe that we can’t share enough information about how maintaining healthy gums can not only protect your oral health but your overall health, too. Your dentist in Sparks knows that poor gum health can lead to gum disease, and gum disease can lead to problems throughout the body, including heart disease. Now, recent research from the National Institute on Aging suggests that gum disease may also cause Alzheimer’s. 

National Alzheimer’s Disease Month

Alzheimer’s Disease is a form of dementia that affects more than 5 million Americans, and every November we recognize National Alzheimer’s Disease Month in honor of these patients. Until recently, research regarding what causes Alzheimer’s has been limited, which can be frustrating to patients, families, and doctors alike. But thanks to this research, we may be closer to identifying a cause than ever before.  

Gum Disease & Bacteria

Our mouths contain hundreds of different types of bacteria. Some of these bacteria are good and others are bad. The bad bacteria are what concern your dentist in Sparks as well as Alzheimer’s researchers. One of these bad bacteria, known as Porphyromonas gingivalis, is at the forefront of the study conducted by the National Institute on Aging. This bacteria, which was found as the leading cause of gum disease in over 6,000 participants, may produce something called plaque of beta-amyloid proteins. Why does this matter? Plaque of beta-amyloid proteins is one of the key indicators of Alzheimer’s Disease. 

In yet another study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, researchers looked at brain tissue from both patients with Alzheimer’s and patients without. What did they find? Interestingly, the brain tissue from dementia patients contained gum disease bacteria, while brain tissue from non-dementia patients did not. 

Even though these studies seem promising and may bring us closer to finding a cause and a cure for Alzheimer’s, we need to note that additional research is still needed. 

Protect Your Gums

Whether or not gum disease causes Alzheimer’s or not, it’s still important to protect your gums against disease. Untreated gum disease can lead to tooth loss or bad breath, and the infection can enter the bloodstream and begin to affect other areas of the body, including the heart and perhaps the brain. The best ways to protect your gums include:

Bi-annual visits to your dentist help remove plaque buildup in your mouth that at-home brushing alone can’t touch. This further protects your teeth against cavities and your gums against disease. If it’s been longer than six months since you’ve seen a dentist, schedule an appointment today.