North Garland Family Dental Blog

Sure, it’s startling to look in the mirror and discover that your gums are bleeding, but at least gingivitis (early-stage gum disease) only affects your oral health, right?

To the contrary, researchers are continuously finding that dental conditions can have an impact on the rest of your body – and their effects aren’t limited to your physical wellness! A study from the University of Birmingham (UK) reveals that gum disease can increase your risk of mental and physical illness. Keep reading to learn all about it.

If you’re like most, you’d think it’d be easy to spot a cavity in your smile. Isn’t it just a matter of seeing whether a tooth has holes in its crown? However, a cavity between your teeth can be tricky to notice; such decay is often hidden from view. That’s why your Garland dentist is here to help you find in-between cavities before it’s too late. So, here’s a primer on between-teeth cavities, how to spot them, and how best to avoid them.

You’re probably excited to be receiving dentures. After all, a full set of teeth will make it much easier to speak and eat! But maybe you’re not so excited about the learning curve you could encounter. It’ll take some time to get used to your new prosthetic, which can make chewing your meals tricky at first.

Fortunately, there are a couple of ways you can help yourself make the adjustment. Keep reading for some clever tips.

As great as dentures are, even they can suffer from nasty rumors and stereotypes. People often hear many lies and false gossip about these traditional replacement teeth. In fact, you may even struggle to know what is and isn’t true about dentures in the first place. The good news is that your local Garland dentist can help you separate the facts from the fiction. So, read on to learn four debunked myths about dentures and why they’re just plain wrong.

Modern dentures are so beautifully lifelike that casual observers rarely notice them and comfortable enough for patients to forget they’re wearing them. While this might make it tempting to simply leave them in for days or even weeks on end, this is a terrible idea that can lead to serious oral infections. Here’s a brief guide to why you should soak your dentures every night as well as a few tips for doing the job properly.

When one or more teeth in a row go missing, the resulting gap in your grin impacts your health as much as your appearance. Overly wide spaces in your mouth make it much harder to thoroughly chew food, clearly enunciate words, or laugh without feeling self-conscious about the way you look.

Fortunately, your dentist can restore your smile’s functionality and appearance with artificial teeth, like partial dentures or dental bridges. If you’re not sure which solution is best for you, continue reading to learn more about each so you can make an informed decision!

During a dental treatment, your teeth are usually pretty comfy. Modern anesthetics and sedation options like laughing gas are definitely effective at numbing uncomfortable sensations. It’s once the in-office pain relief starts to wear off that your mouth starts to ache! Knowing this, you might be wondering how you can preemptively save yourself some trouble after your dental crown treatment.

You’re already thinking like a pro patient! Here’s what you should do to promote a smooth recovery.

A dental bridge can be a great way to replace one or several sequential missing teeth, but they don’t last forever. While one of these appliances can last for up to fifteen years or more with excellent care, there are also a plethora of factors that can cause them to break or separate from the teeth. Here’s a brief guide to the things that can lead to dental bridge failure as well as how taking care of your restoration is a magnificent idea for your oral health.

Picture this: you wake up in the morning and go to brush your teeth, but when you move over one of them, it moves! Would you know what to do, or would you fall into a panic? Whatever the reason for your loose tooth, acting quickly and calmly is important to protect your smile. Continue reading to learn the steps you should take if you find yourself with a wobbly tooth.

Tooth decay is an insidious menace, and a tooth that develops it will not get better on its own. Thankfully, restorative dental treatments can stop tooth decay in its tracks by eliminating the source of the infection and rebuilding the tooth’s lost structure. Two of these treatments are fillings and dental crowns, and either one can be the better option depending on the patient’s situation. Here’s a brief overview of fillings and dental crowns to help you understand which may be the better treatment for you.