healthy mouth

Dental X-Rays: What Are They Looking for?

If you have visited the dentist in the past, chances are you have had dental x-rays taken. These x-rays give the dental professionals a lot of information about your teeth, gums, and jaw bone that they may not have seen with their eyes. Dental x-rays are very useful and safe. Nowadays digital x-rays are replacing traditional film x-rays and we know they emit about 80% less radiation than the traditional film X-rays. This amount of radiation emitted by digital x-rays is extremely low and harmless. It is important for patients to know that the amount of radiation from a series … Read more…

Headaches and Sinus Pain: Can a tooth be the culprit?

Our teeth and sinus cavity have a connection that can affect patients in many ways. Pressure in the sinus can be awful and cause pain in your eyes, ears, head, and even in your teeth. The sinus cavity is the area of the skull where air passes through before moving to the lungs. It is here that the air first gets warm and wet. Our body usually can fight bacteria in this air that passes through by producing mucous. Sometimes the bacteria are too strong and when this occurs the bacteria cause infections by growing aggressively. There are several different … Read more…

5 Warning Signs of Problematic Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt in the mouth. They are the last molars on the upper and lower teeth and usually erupt in late teen years or the early twenties. Since the wisdom teeth come in last, sometimes there is not enough room in the mouth to accommodate them. When there is not enough room it causes the wisdom teeth to become partially or fully impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause major problems for patients. These issues may not necessarily show signs that you can see but they can definitely cause pain. Here are four indicators of … Read more…

HELP! I have a DENTAL EMERGENCY, What Do I Do?

Different scenarios call for different action in a dental emergency. It is important to see your dentist ASAP; however, we know that this is not always possible. Here are some tips to help you in the event you or a loved one is in a dental emergency and unable to get right into a dental office. TOOTHACHE Rinse your mouth vigorously with warm water Use floss to remove any food particles stuck between the teeth. If there happens to be swelling present then apply cold pressure on the outside of the cheek Do no place aspirin on the aching teeth … Read more…

3 Quick Tips to Improve Your Dental Health

Invest in a Good Electric Toothbrush A good electric toothbrush will immediately improve your dental health. While at the store you will likely be able to tell which electric toothbrushes are superior. Look for brands “Sonicare” and “Oral-B” when in the dental aisle. They will cost more but they will do a much better job and last you longer. Your dentist may even have already slipped you a coupon for $10 off one of these at a recent check-up. The key to these is that they are guaranteed to improve your brushing and oral health. And they will do this … Read more…

4 Ways to Close Gaps Between Teeth

Often patients come to the office asking to have the spaces in between their teeth closed. Many relate that they do not want to go through metal braces while others specifically ask for them. In dentistry it is helpful that we have many options for patients with different needs. At your free consultation with Dr. Cirka and Dr. Meier they will detail your options and help you figure out the best one to choose. Below are 4 ways that we are able to close the gaps in your teeth: Bonding Bonding is a process in which we use a composite … Read more…

The Most Common Disease Among Children- How Are We fighting it?

Dental caries (cavities) is the most common disease in children 6-11 years old and adolescents 12-19 years old. This disease is largely preventable, yet it remains more common than asthma among adolescents. Tooth decay has significant consequences. Children with severe dental problems can have trouble eating and sleeping, paying attention to parents and concentrating in school. To combat this major public health epidemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has implemented fluoridation of community water supplies. This has been ongoing for more than 60 years now and research has proved that fluoridation of the community water is not … Read more…

Are Dental Implants the Right Solution for Me?

If you are missing teeth, one of the best options for replacing them today is with dental implants. A dental implant is a “man-made root” that is placed into the jaw bone and sits where the roots of the tooth normally would. Yes, it may sound strange or even painful; however, the jaw bone has less nerve endings than the tooth itself and we find patients normally experience much less sensitivity than they expect. Dental implants are a great way to replace teeth because they provide a long-term solution and can last a lifetime. Based on your health history, you … Read more…

Oral Cancer: Causes, Symptoms, & Treatment

The More You Know… The most common places that oral cancer begins invading the body are the tongue and the floor of the mouth. These growths can be serious and are usually a form of squamous cell carcinoma. Often they will spread to the lips and if left untreated the cancer will continue to spread to other body parts. The most common places it will travel to are the lips, floor of mouth, tongue, hard and soft palate, the sinus cavity, cheeks, and throat. As with many cancer the presentation of oral cancer may be the origination or it could … Read more…