What is Bruxism?

Teeth Grinding

Many people grind their teeth at some point in their lives, but grinding too much can quickly turn into a problem that your Bellevue dentist may have to help with. The medical term for tooth-grinding is “bruxism”, and it can wear down your teeth, cause headaches, hurt your jaw or even give you TMJ disorders.

How do I know if I grind my teeth?

One of the problems with bruxism is that many people don’t know that they have it. This could be because they only grind while sleeping, but they can also grind throughout the day without being aware of the action. It therefore pays to be on the lookout for these warning signs: if your jaw is frequently sore for no apparent reason, or if a friend or family member notices you grinding periodically, you may need to bring this to your dentist’s attention.

What Should I Do if I Lose a Filling?

Losing a Dental Filling

We’ve come a long way with fillings so that it should be rare for you to have one fall out. However, fillings are not indestructible. There may come a time when a filling pops out of your tooth, possibly due to sharp trauma, possibly while you are chewing a sticky substance, and possibly for no apparent reason at all. In such an event, it is important that you visit our Bellevue dentist as soon as possible so that we can replace your filling and protect the vulnerable dentin of your tooth.

Some people swallow their fillings when they fall out. This is generally nothing to worry about. Modern dental fillings are made from non-toxic materials which will pass harmlessly through your system.

After getting your filling replaced, your dentist may want to explore the reasons why you lost a filling in the first place. There may be some decay around your filling that compromised its integrity. Talk to our dentists at Overlake Dental to learn more.

Crown Problems

When you have a crown installed, you may occasionally experience a problem with your new fixture. Sometimes this is the result of tooth decay, sometimes trauma to the mouth has compromised the cement holding the crown to your natural tooth structure, and sometimes it may simply point to a poorly-installed crown. Whatever the cause may be, any problems with your crown should be brought to your dentist in short order to avoid more extensive damage.

Common Crown Problems

One of the most common problems with a crown is mild pain and sensitivity. Some people can solve this problem by using a toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth. However, if you feel pain every time you bite down, this may point to a crown that has been set too high on your tooth. Your dentist should be able to fix this for you.

If a crown comes loose or falls off, you should bring it to your dentist as soon as possible. The vulnerable part of your tooth is exposed and vulnerable to devastating decay. Call Overlake Dental in Bellevue for more information.

Your Child’s First Dental Visit

First Dental Check-up

As our Bellevue dental clinic is a family dentist, we see a lot of children coming in for their very first check-ups. Some parents think that oral hygiene is less important at a young age, as the children do not yet have their permanent teeth, but this is a dangerous misconception. The truth is that your primary teeth have a very important role to play that can affect your child’s mouth well into adulthood.

Proper Dental Care

What you need to understand is that primary teeth are your mouth’s “training wheels”, and you can’t get too far on training wheels if you let them break. These are the teeth that your child is using to develop proper chewing habits, speech patterns, and brushing technique. Any handicap at these developmental years can cause long-lasting problems that only get more difficult as they age. If primary teeth are not cared for properly, the permanent teeth may even come in crooked. The consequences on your child’s health and self-esteem can be disastrous.

First Dental Visit at Overlake Dental

The recommended age for a first dental visit is within six months of when the child’s first tooth erupts, or about when he or she turns one year old. Do the right thing for your children, and get them to Overlake Family Dental as soon as they’re ready.

Do I Need to Have My Wisdom Teeth Removed?

Wisdom Tooth Extraction

It’s a common misconception that everyone needs to have a wisdom tooth extraction. Our Bellevue dental clinic frequently removes wisdom teeth for many reasons, but these reasons don’t apply to everyone.

First of all, not everyone will even get their full set of wisdom teeth. Some people will only get a couple of the possible four wisdom teeth, and some lucky individuals will get none at all. These teeth generally erupt around the age of seventeen or eighteen, so if you’ve reached adulthood without seeing any additional molars in the back of your mouth, you’re probably in the clear.

Ask our Dentist at Overlake Dental

Of the people who do get wisdom teeth, not everyone will need to have them removed. It’s true that the average human mouth cannot accommodate a full set of thirty-two teeth, but there are exceptions.

You should always have your dentist evaluate your mouth to determine whether or not your wisdom teeth are coming in wrong, crowding your other teeth, or otherwise throwing off your bite. Only then will you know if you need to have your wisdom teeth extracted.