What is Making My Teeth Sensitive?

Many patients come to our Overlake Dental with concerns about sensitive teeth. For somebody concerned about his or her oral health, it can be easy to assume that a bit of sensitivity is indicative of a looming dental problem. We have good and bad news for these people, and they’re both the same thing: tooth sensitivity can just as easily be caused by good dental care as by poor dental care.

Possible Causes of Teeth Sensitivity

Indeed, tooth decay and receding gums are both negative factors that can cause your teeth to be sensitive. On the other hand, you can also get sensitivity from tooth whiteners, whitening toothpastes, antiseptic mouthwashes, and other agents of dental care. You can even expect a bit of short-term sensitivity after a routine visit to your dentist. It’s not necessarily a sign of anything wrong.

Additionally, the effect should go away shortly after you stop using the product causing your sensitivity, though the benefits it give you may outweigh the drawbacks.

If you want to beat your tooth sensitivity without sacrificing good oral hygiene, talk to your dentist. There may be some less harsh options available to keep your teeth clean.

The Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Our Bellevue dentist is pleased to be able to offer sleep apnea treatment. This unfortunate condition affects the lives of many Americans, sometimes even fatally so. One of the worst parts about it is that it’s very difficult to diagnose, and many people are not even aware that they are suffering from it.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea describes a disorder by which you routinely stop breathing while you sleep, forcing your brain to kick in and start the process again. This means a night of interrupted sleep, robbing you of a lot of much-needed rest that you might not even realize you lost.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

If you think you might have sleep apnea, look for the following symptoms:

  • You snore loudly.
  • Your partner reports that you occasionally stop breathing while you sleep.
  • You sometimes wake suddenly, choking or gasping for air.
  • You frequently wake up with a dry, sore throat in the morning.
  • You sleep restlessly, or suffer from insomnia.
  • You are unusually sleepy during the day, even if you got a full night’s sleep.
  • You suffer from frequent headaches in the morning.
  • You experience forgetfulness and changes in mood.

To find out more about sleep apnea and to explore your options for getting treatment, contact us at Overlake Dental in Bellevue.

Proper Flossing Technique

Flossing may be a difficult habit to get into, but it’s one that our Bellevue dentist strongly advises. Good flossing can save you from a lot of tooth decay, and is in many ways more important even than brushing in terms of maintaining a clean mouth. Consider the following flossing routine to see if your own habits are up to the task.

  • Choose a floss that works for you. If you have narrow spaces between your teeth, look for a narrower floss.
  • Floss at least once a day, preferably before your final brushing of the day.
  • Draw a length of floss about as long as your forearm (perhaps about eighteen inches). You should then wind either end around your index fingers such that you’re holding about two inches between your hands. As you floss, unwind from one finger while winding up on the other to make sure you’re always flossing with clean floss.
  • Begin flossing, maneuvering the string into the space between your teeth and between your back teeth and gums. Make sure that you get both edges of all teeth, pulling the floss into a “V” shape against either surface as you go.
  • Be gentle. Do not saw at your gums.

Teeth Whitening

A beautiful white smile is always an attractive asset, and while there are many over-the-counter teeth whitening treatments available, a custom tray from Overlake’s Bellevue dentistry clinic can help you get the best possible results. We provide teeth whitening with special trays that are custom-designed to fit your teeth exactly. You may get much better results with a custom-designed tray because there are no gaps and the whitening solution will cover your teeth completely.

Bellevue Overlake Dental also offers Zoom! Teeth Whitening for patients that want to brighten their smile within an hour. This in-office procedure works with a tooth whitening compound that is activated with a special light.

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Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Even though wisdom teeth do not always need to be removed, Bellevue dentist Dr. Yu may recommend a wisdom tooth extraction when it will help to ease any pain you are experiencing, or reduce the risk of misalignment. If a wisdom tooth has become impacted and is left untreated, it may end up contributing to infection in the mouth, damage nearby teeth, and possibly cause some type of cyst or tumor. Continue reading →